Reviews

Once again I was totally captivated by Iris. I think that although there are some reminiscent scenes in this sequel, there is also a great continued story line. My only complaint (really since this isn't a romance, it isn't like I can complain that much) is that I didn't feel anything between Yoo Gun and Soo Yeon. Well, at least from her end. However, the rest is action packed and suspenseful. I really thought it was interesting that from some characters point of view, they thought they were doing what was right for their country no matter what the action. Then there is Iris motivated by power and greed. Of course, I could see the ending coming a mile away (as I'm sure most people will), but it was fun to watch it play out. I have tons to say, but we can't post spoilers...so...

When it comes to acting, I believe Jang Hyuk has a gift. I laughed with him and I cried with him. His personality change was believable. I was fully invested in his character as Yoo Gun. Kim Yeong Cheol did another excellent job as Baek San. At this point I can't decide if I love him or hate him. His character is truly on of those that show there are two sides to everyone. I gave the acting a 10 for those actors alone. Lee Bum Soo is no joke as Yoo Joong Won. I really had no clue what his character was about for a while. Oh Yun Soo as Choi Min was also good, but nothing special. I felt like she was just a way to keep Yoo Gun in the story line and then she was gone. Lee Da Hae as Soo Yeon left a lot to be desired in my opinion. I felt nothing for her character except when Yoo Gun was upset. I thought Im Soo Hyang as Yun Hwa was a heck of a lot better. I can't give away the ending, but if there is an Iris 3 and she is in it, then I'm totally watching it. I also thought that Doo Joon from B2ST and Lee Joon from MBLAQ were good. This is the first time I have seen them act and they didn't suck.

OH...and watching the outtakes made me think that a lot of these actors did their own action scenes and were hurt. It looked brutal to me. So props to all of them for that!!!

The music was pretty good. GO and Mir singing "Foolish Me" is a really good song that you should check out even if you don't watch this drama.

I might rewatch this sometime.

If you like action and suspense, then this is a drama that you should watch. :-)

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I was surprised when I first started to watch this show... I have never been of fan of shows like this. I think I based that off of watching the Power Rangers as a kid. I thought it looked cheesy and childish. I was so wrong. I'm hooked now and decided to write a review since I'm re-watching it now. I'm not gonna go into complete detail but don't base this show by it's cover. It is a good show for all ages but at the same time it's not childish at all. It had a deep story line and tons of emotion. Even though the series seems long I was able to go through it so quickly because of how interesting it was.

The actors were wonderfully picked and I was able to feel the pain or happiness and even anger when they expressed it. Out of all of The Kamen rider series so far, I liked Kiva the best. The costumes and effects were wonderful. The relationship between the characters is fantastic as well. The music is a little respective but in all it was good music.
A thing that kinda stopped me from watching this in the beginning was the fact that it goes forward and back from the past and present day, it was something I wanted to take a risk on though and I found myself intrigued by both the past and present coming together.
I definitely suggest giving this drama a try, even if it is your first Kamen Rider series.

I can tell you that this show is so amazing that I'm getting a the Kiva henshin symbol tattooed on my back. You wont regret watching this!!!

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You should watch this if you love Kang Min Hyuk (drummer of CN Blue). He stole the spotlight, at least for me. Park Shin Hye has always been a favorite and yet again she plays the happy-go-lucky-bright-outgoing girl really well.Jung Yong Hwa might be liked by many but the coldness that he played in Heartstrings was a little too much at the start and calmed out a little as the drama progressed. So, I was not quite impressed with his acting.

The story was a decent one. Not a jewel that you'd preserve or a 'out of box' memory. Also, at times it got a little slow. But the humour is satisfying. I liked Gyu Won's grandfather as well. :P

Music is the amazing part of the drama. Modern or traditional, I liked both genre OST. Look out for some really quirky tracks that you'd like.

Scenes such as competitions in the university are actually quite good. In the middle of the series, I started feeling as if Park Shin Hye was a gayageum artist rather than an actress. Also I liked her neutral, light wardrobe.

Re watch for me is 5 because I have mixed feeling for this drama. Whoever liked it would wanna watch it continuously. Overall, for me its a one time serve on the plate that made me full.

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Oh my eyes. Oh my eyes.

What beautiful scenery, great filming and cinematography- what super SUPERB slow motion effects used to show drops of rain and the camera angles- YUMMY.
The beginning of the movie -aside from weird caucasian american girl who lookws like repeat cast actress from all the dramas i'm watching- started off alright (I blanked out the words) and had a bit of a laugh... and then, there were more actors in it, and terrible terrible dialogue.

If this was a silent movie- zero dialogue- with less actors in it, My eyes would totally enjoy this.... and I'd give it a pretty decent score.

But... Yeah. It wasn't. People had to talk, there had to be a story line which was slightly different from all the other Hana Kimi's but a bit more- ahhh, unenergetic??

The only other Hana Kimi I've watched is the Taiwanese version and, I guess, realistically thinking and speaking, NOTHING will ever be as funny as Jiro Wang's acting in there. Because of that, this drama fell flat- the acting felt a bit stiff and not interacting, the humorous parts weren't as humorous, the friends weren't as friendly, or funny... The bullying just ended nowhere...
AND the female character... the gymnast national fairy- I wanted to take one of my heels and just hit her over and over and over!!!
I also think that Jae-Hee's english should have been MUCH better than what she could speak (for a transfer student from the US, who's supposed to be living there since she was 5...)

But, regardless of my complaints (Y'all are probably thinking I'm a bad reviewer haha)I liked:

a. The bit of more romance in this... I want to watch the Japanese version to compare and see... but yeah (although I felt more chemistry between Eun Gyeol and Jae Hee) there was more romance here.
b. There's better show of the sports- High Jump and Soccer (Let's totally ignore how lame the track thing is in this drama)
c. The cinematography
d. Ahhhhh. Oh, the Senior Hang Suen Ri.
e. How Jae-Hee sometimes actually looked like a boy.

Should you watch this again? Only if you're interested in filming and/or photography and wanna see which cameras to use to get certain lighting effects (colours were amazing) and slow motion sequences.
Oh, and, of course, if you want to know about bad dialogue.

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I was going to watch this anyway but a friend suggested that I watch it right away. The description does it justice. It is a very pure love story about two young people from seriously diverse backgrounds. I felt the acting was well done and I was happy to be at a place where I recognize the actors. Kamenashi Kazuya as Hiroto was wonderful and Ayase Haruka as Nao was a gem. This was not my first experience with both actors and I must say it will not be my last. All of the supporting actors were wonderful and seeing Toda Erica in an earlier work was a treat! The story definitely was about a pure love. Even the parents were tolerable in their pursuit of trying to make their daughter happy, there way. This really is a story worth watching! These 10 episodes went quickly. For once, too quickly!

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I don't usually hate any drama like really hate but this one... I don't know what made me watch this till the end, I guess I just wanted to torture myself. This is perhaps the worst drama in whole drama century. Let me correct myself, a sad excuse for a drama. Just don't watch it.

Yes it's cliched to the max but that's not even the problem. The problem is... ridiculous everything. The plot is boring and the main characters make no sense, at least not the main guy. He behaves like a 1st grader and does unimaginable stunts like "hey I'll take the girl scuba diving and leave her at the sea, later I'll forget about her and leave her dying but in fact it was all just a joke" wtf man? That's an attempted murder! And then he stalks her to no end? Gotta give props to the girl for fighting back though, but this is not even close to Boy Over Flowers.

The chemistry between main characters is near - 0 and it's even hard to say why the girl would fall for an asshole like him. The comedy is mostly not funny but annoying, everything is simply annoying. The second half is incredibly draggy. Acting is pretty bad an annoying too. This drama is simply just boring and annoying.

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This is the first drama I ever watched and that's why it will always have special place in my heart. I loved it, I was totally swooned. But when putting feelings aside this drama is actually pretty bad. Seriously.

Some 4 first episodes are a bit boring for me, and all the characters are super annoying, especially the main girl. Half of the time it's hard to say what is even going on. And then towards the end it gets pretty draggy, everyone is crying.

My first thoughts: how could her friends do that to her?! Why are they are brushing their teeth all the time? Hasn't anyone noticed that the girl hasn't changed her clothes for 6 days? Why are these people always yelling at each other?

Once the show gets really started it's pretty cute and entertaining, I had a lot of "awww" moments. And well, I guess this show is worth watching just for Rain/Bi, he is super cute. Even though his character wears super weird clothes.

But personally, I think Full House is sort of outdated now, everything about it feels old and ancient. I think it should be buried in drama history and left there. It's a cute show though, and a good first ever drama.

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It seems like the budget was really low and that might have been one of the reasons why the ratings were so low. This drama is not as pretty and polished as others I've watched. The plot was okay, a bit similar to You Are Beautiful but there was less emphasis on the love story and more on friendship and band things.

I liked the cast and the fact that the main girl was actually boyish and strong and not some whiny heroine! Comedy in the show is awesome, especially in the first half of the show. But as usual the second half gets a bit boring.

The most annoying thing about this drama was that "the world" aka settings were so one dimensional. There was this small company with like 5 people working there? Everything happened within this company and there was pretty little interaction with the outside world, except a flower shop and a few guys from the rival company. What I'm trying to say the settings felt really artificial and unreal. Like the characters were cut from the outside world and lived in their own little realm.

As a good note the usual "plastic" superficial feeling I get when watching teenage dramas like Dream High and You Are Beautiful is missing. You know, looks pretty but doesn't have a soul? I feel like those high budget dramas are too polished and artificial, like a face after plastic surgery. This one has a gruff charm to it, and I'd really suggest watching this drama rather than You Are Beautiful. This show is entertaining, funny and doesn't really drag much.

As many people mentioned already the ending is pretty bad due to 16 episodes being cut to 14. There are a lot of loose ends but you can assume the results so it's not that bad, it's just that the show has an unfinished feeling to it. And the last episode is super rushed, they could have wrapped it up better without making it feel so rushed... but I think the team lost its hopes on the drama and gave up halfway or something...

Anyway, an interesting show if you like the genre, if you are not much into cross dressing comedy then this show doesn't have much to offer for you.

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There's no doubt that Dream High is way better than its second part. It is a light story full of dreams and the pain one goes through to fulfill it. The "one" being a bunch of teenagers and you know how school life is incomplete without a little bit of rivalry, competition and the need to win over everyone else. Dream High is a combinations of sacrifice and dreams. Realizations as well. The cast is superb, the best teen cast out there. I liked all the female leads for the first time in a drama but Suzy could've controlled her stiffness. The music's good with the theme song being my favourite. You know, the title song that starts with a violin is nice. Rewatch value for me is good coz I watch the scenes (mostly IU and WooYoung's - The Milky Couple) when I stumble upon it. Overall, its a one time watch for me and for the competition thrill.
P.S - Its much much MUCH much much MUCH better than Dream High 2. :-|
So go watch it once.

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This drama had me snagged by the end of episode one, and never let go, even at the end I was looking for just a little more!

I think like everyone else, I put off this drama for a while, but not because of the political aspect most seemed to, because I actually don't mind that as a plot-line, but because I heard from a friend the Kim Sun Ah's character was annoying and the typical stupid female lead. That was obviously very wrong, especially in later episodes. The story-line was semi-unique and new because it carried that political aspect, and was the cause for all of the main pairs trouble. While couples being separated because of their live's situation or social standing is nothing new at all, the politics made it fresh and something not quite the usual. While the beginning episodes were filled with just a little too much outlandish/slapstick humor, that didn't last long, and the humor developed into something more witty and intelligent. For the most part, the story focused really on the main couple the drama brought from Jo Gook's lies and manipulation and Shin Mi Rae's incorruptible beliefs, and their hesitancy to let themselves love each other. I loved watching Shin Mi Rae become an awesome Mayor and stand her ground and go head to head again the villain even when she knew she was out of her depth. She wasn't afraid to ask for help or admit her short comings, but she equally wasn't afraid to tell them to shut the heck up and fall in line either. Jo Gook was also so darn loveable, even when he was being a jerk, that you can't help but end up head over heels for him. He's sexy, adorable, and hilarious all at once. And when he cries...I seriously think my heart almost stopped during some of those scenes. There's just something so horribly heart wrenching about watching a man that looks so strong and confident shed tears or look so sad. There's so much good about this drama, I could go on forever, but I'm horrible when it comes to spoilers, so I'll move on.

The cast was just AWESOME! I am truly a fan of Kim Sun Ah, and have recently been watching a lot of her dramas. She's such a fantastic actress that no matter what role she plays I believe it whole heartedly and always fall in love with her characters. I was rooting for her from the get go, and I only ended up rooting more as the story progressed. And Cha Seung Won is just awesome. I first found him in The Greatest Love, and I was so surprised by just how much I ended up loving him as an actor, and my awe of him only grew in City Hall. He really played his character well, and the growth and changes he goes through are a true pleasure to watch. Just try and watch this drama and not end up wanting your own Jo Gook! He's the pure form of MAN and he projects that in just the way he walks. The supporting cast was also a blast to watch, and even if their motivations or personal stories weren't expanded on as much as they could have been, it didn't detract from the story. Even the silly side characters that granted comedic relief were well acted and believable.

The music could have been better to be honest, but I don't really think it took too much from the drama. The only thing I thought was during some of the sadder scenes, it would have been nice to have a song that matched the emotional pain that was less...upbeat sounding?

Overall, I'm really glad I watched this drama, and I'll definitely re-watching it (again XD). The chemistry and love between the leading pair was so heartwarming and the politics only added to the drama. If you're unsure if you'll like this style of drama, just give it a shot, stick in for a few episodes, and I promise you'll fall in love. If you don't, send me a strongly worded e-mail. :P

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I've probably re-watched this drama at least 6 times, and I never get bored! I just loved it, and while my rating may be based off emotional connections, I regret nothing.

The story isn't really anything new or earth shattering, and it hardly seems like real life, but it is such an enjoyable ride! I loved every second of it, even the villains were awesome to watch, and it really kept you guessing as to who was actually causing all the trouble with their own hands. You know the main villains pretty much right away, but the secondary, or hench men, were unknown until the end and it honestly shocked me! I loved watching Mei-chan win everyone over with her honestly good heart and even her petty-ness was fun to watch. She complained, and cried, and wasn't always the strong one, but it was all part of her character growth, and it was awesome to watch her come into her own and gain confidence. Not to mention the semi-subtle romance between her and a drop dead gorgeous butler! I really loved watching Rihito's devotion and his struggle to accept his feelings as being ok, and just how much he would put on the line for Mei. It was endearing and swoon worthy watching him. Not to mention Mizushima Hiro is just drop dead sexy in a full on tux. @.@ While the story is not anything close to a melodrama, I found myself crying for the characters, laughing with them, and smiling like a little kid. The villains were also written really well, and acted equally as well. I found that even at the end, I couldn't hate them, and actually felt honest sympathy and remorse for their choices and situations. Jdramas are really good at making villains seem okay at the end, and while that's not always a good thing, this time it was done well. This drama actually touched on some really serious issues, but it did do with such a lighthearted over all feel that it was easy to bounce back from scene to scene and not wallow in the angst.

The music was good, and fit the scenes just right, and while I don't remember any particular song, they blended in perfectly and only enhanced the emotions.

As I've already said, I've re-watched this drama six times, and I'll probably watch it again, but I'm a re-watcher by nature. :P Overall, this drama is lighthearted, sweet, heartwarming, tear inducing, and romantic all in one. If you want a fun watch with good characters, a decent story, and a heck of a lot of eye candy, this is the drama!!

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I know I'm going to get a lot of Not Helpful marks right off the bat because of my low rating, but frankly speaking, this drama disappointed me. I truly wanted to love it going in, and I tried my best to fall into the world this drama creates, but it always fell flat and left me feeling like I was missing something everyone else seemed to get.

In the beginning, the story was looking like it would be semi-original and be about pure revenge for the wrong the male lead received, and an innocent person would end up hurt. Song Joong Ki played his role so well that it really made that plot seem new and believable. He's just man you fall in love with right away, even when he's doing something wrong. I even liked Park Si Yeon when she was mean and defensive, because it's not often you see a spicy female lead like that. Then it all took a nose dive a few episodes in, and the logic behind the revenge or the expected gain of the revenge seemed so non-existent. There were times I cried, but I don't ever remember laughing during this drama. There was no levity, no comedic relief to over-come the crushing weight of the angst in the story-line, no hope that things would get better or that the characters would suddenly find a way to let everything go. It felt like the love was always tainted and the continuing of the scam and then the later refusal to just TELL Park Si Yeon was infuriating and pointless to me. Not to mention the last episode (I don't think this really gives anything away), especially the last five minutes, made me feel like I wasted 20 episodes on never-ending pointless angst because it just didn't matter anymore. Everything the leads worked for, and all the reasons they supposedly couldn't just run away, crumbled into nothing and were all tossed aside, twenty episodes too late.

All the negatives in the above paragraph aside, the cast was really well selected, and even though I really didn't enjoy the story-line most of the time, I really do think the actors played their roles extremely well. Song Joong Ki was awesome in his role, and he really shined in one of his first male lead roles (at least that I've seen). Park Si Yeon also played her character well, even if I got whip lash from the changes in personality at times, she acted well and I believed the emotions she was projecting. Awesome acting aside, I unfortunately never came to really care about any of the characters. It was truly hard to find any real qualities to love, knowing that half their personalities were just based on circumstances or loss of memory. Even the villain became someone I couldn't understand towards the end, and I started to forget just what her justifications were exactly.

The music was good, I can't particularly remember much, but I do know I love the opening and the song playing during it. As much negative as I have towards this drama, I truly think the opening sequence in by far one of my favorites, and the small change in it they make on the last episode only made me love it more. I love small details like that. The rest of the OST really fit the mood and was well chosen.

I really don't think I'll ever re-watch this drama because even the semi-happy scenes are doused in angst, and I just don't feel the need to. Maybe I'll rewatch the last five minutes, because those are my favorites. XD

Overall, I want to point out the good aspects because I know my review is really critical and may upset some of the drama's lovers, and I do like some of it! I did really like how I could tell the main pair was in love (At least towards the end), even if I didn't understand their motivations anymore or particularly like their characters, I liked their real love. You felt it, you WANTED then to work out, and you rooted for a happy ending, even if there was no logical hope. Also, once again, the actors played their roles wonderfully, and the camera work was beautiful and smartly done. I just didn't connect with any character, and felt like all the drama was so pointless not even halfway through. I'll be honest, I'm bitter. I really, truly, wanted to love this drama as much as everyone else, but it ended up being a good drama that is a one time watch and move on type of drama. If you watch it, I really hope you like it more than me!!

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