lyntonadam Reviews

Kill Boksoon (2023)

love it love it LOVE IT !

[10/10 · 14 October 2023]

The word "exhilarating", unfortunately, is not one I use very often in describing either TV or movies these days ( excepting "The Boys" and "Everything Everywhere All At Once" ).

But it most certainly applies to "Kill Bok Soon", as well as a bunch of other superlatives. So let me split my praise into halves : first a brief review of why I adore the film itself, then the larger picture of the other work in writer/director Sung Hyun Byun's CV.

No need for me to recount the plot because it's common knowledge. What's so great is how SHB infuses the 2 hour 20 min run time ( which never drags ) with so much shade and nuance. Not only with characters which are always interesting, but also the story which enfolds them within its bloody embrace. There's an excellent cast and humour too ( sly K-Pop references,for example ), plus the sort of poignant emotion we might not expect from a concept hinging on a corporatized assassin's brotherhood.

For me, a top-shelf script isn't really going to soar without visual style. Thankfully, SHB is fully in love with what his camera and tech in general can bring to the screen. Lighting, shot composition, VFX and editing combine for a trip to aesthetic heaven while the main location is just stunning.

And now to that wonderful bigger picture. My initial introduction to SHB came via a raunchy rom-com he did a few years ago called "Watcha Wearin" ( aka "My PS Partner" ). Hugely entertaining, so I tracked down his earlier films, mostly in the political thriller vein, and found those to be very good as well. Watching KBS, I was reminded of Park Chan Wook's "Oldboy" and the work of Bong Joon Ho : both men known for clever, meticulously crafted scripts. As a writer/director, SHB can generate his own content; which is a good thing. Whether the accolades turn him into a self-indulgent bore favouring epic run times ( I'm too polite to name names, but an oldish American and a younger one come to mind ) remains to be seen. Will he do TV ? A sequel to KBS ? ( I hope not, since it's a perfectly formed gem as is ). What will his next genre be ? Maybe sci-fi, which Bong Joon Ho seems to be tackling with his new movie about cloning, though originality in that sphere seems a big ask.

Whatever the direction, I'm excited to see where he goes next and there are no duds thus far. The other facet of his talent which I love is a playful/mischievous streak he has, nicely exemplified in the final scene of KBS embedded in the final credits. I hope you didn't miss it !

Hell's Garden (2021)

ENJOYABLY PREPOSTEROUS

[7/10 · 30 November 2021]

Funny how the IMDB summary refers to "office ladies are absorbed in the daily clique fighting", when it's actually all about real violence ( no guns though, just knives, sticks etc ).

Yes. Who knew that the clerks & admin women from those glass/concrete skyscrapers had a gang thing going ? It's a typically bonkers Japanese concept ( thank goodness ) as a quiet young lady ( Mei Nagano, reminding me of Korean actress Chae Soo Bin ) watches as a formidable newcomer ( the fiercely alpha Alice Hirose ) lays waste to a bunch of rival groups. There's more + a surprise or 2, & I was entertained at all times, though I do wish the central idea was embraced more energetically with the sorts of animations etc that enhanced "Real Girl" & "Love Is War" so well.

Nevertheless, it's cutely self-referential & definitely fun.

Voice Love (2016– )

Sweet, strange & often frustrating

[7/10 · 25 May 2021]

The Japanese seem to have cornered the market in odd stories for TV/Film; I'm thinking of "You're My Pet" and "My Girlfriend Is A Serial Killer" amongst others.

Me, I like the unusual. This entry fits the category & in my opinion is more watchable than the rest. Central to the script is a new female student at high school ( Mei Nagano ) whose first interaction is with a senior boy who goes around with a paper bag on his head. Which features a smiley face.

Adapted from a manga, the story inhabits that slightly alien environment where normal logic doesn't always apply, & a high school is bereft of bullying or too many obvious questions. There's just enough going on to hold my interest, & I felt that another draft or two would've offered a huge improvement all round in terms of fleshing things out. Many characters/situations might thus have become even more entertaining & interesting, with scope for it certainly being present ( the officious President of the School Council & his minions are an example ). The direction is also very slow, though the diffuse lighting is both pretty and enhances the aura of a parallel world.

Then again there's the charismatic Ms Nagano, who is a sweet and positive presence throughout. The other factor which kept me invested is curiosity about how this strange story was going to end, plus the conclusion works nicely.

Watashi no kaseifu Nagisa san (2020)

THOUGHTFUL J-DRAMA CHARMER

[8/10 · 30 April 2021]

You might take a jaded look at the poster and think : yeah right, cheap/predictable laughs from an old man cleaning up after a messy young woman.

Yes, an easy assumption to make though you'd be mistaken. This very interesting series has other things on its mind.

Driven, 28 yo career woman Mei ( Mikako Tabe ) works for a pharma company as a medical liaison. And while she's good at her job, she has no clues about housework & her apartment looks like a bomb went off. Her sister runs a domestic help agency, so as a birthday present, gives Mei the services of a skilled housekeeper for a while. Mr Nagisa ( Nao Omori ) might be 50, but he's very efficient, an excellent cook & wanted to be a mother when he was little. He quickly conquers her misgivings, & assorted adventures involving her parents, a handsome pharma rival and other matters ensue.

Taken from a manga, a couple of very convenient coincidences can easily be forgiven when the writers have bigger & more intriguing topics to tackle. Like the nature of relationships in the modern day, as well as the notorious workaholic culture prevalent in East Asia. I found it telling that with the loss of two experienced colleagues at Mei's work, no replacements arrive & nobody questions it; they're simply expected to work harder & longer into the night. No wonder breeding/boosting the failing birth rate is too damn bothersome due to people being too tired !

So the narrative weaves various strands together nicely and the conclusion is also well done at the end of 9 eps. I did find the double-ep "finale" ( called ep 9.5 ) rather odd : ninety percent of it is flash backs, though the flash-forward was fine. As to direction/photography, it's good & more slo-mo would've made it better. And I really liked a few small cute touches, such as Mei's phone alarm music & how the title appears in different places every ep.

Proper casting is clearly crucial for the 2 leads & full marks to both. Ms Tabe is very appealing and Mr Omori is extremely likable; his role has a bit more dramatic challenge & he manages nicely. The support players are really effective, especially Mei's co-workers & her BFF Kaoru ( Maryjun Takahashi ). Her search for a marriage partner is quite entertaining.

A Girl of 35 (2020)

VERY GOOD, UNTIL A BIZARRE PLOT DEVELOPMENT ALMOST DERAILS IT !

[9/10 · 16 March 2021]

My first thought was of the excellent K-Drama "30 But 17". Both concern a girl who has an accident, falls into a coma for a LONG time & wakes up as an adult. Nozomi ( Kou Shibosaki ) is 10 at the time of her calamity & wakes after 25 years. Unlike the Korean girl who has no proper relatives to return to, the Japanese girl used to have a warm, loving family but that's no longer the case. Her mother ( Honami Suzuki, scarily implacable at times ) totally devoted herself to caring for her daughter and the marriage couldn't handle it. Her father ( Tetsushi Tanaka, good-hearted but feckless ) has re-married and has a hostile NEET step-son to cope with, while younger sister Manami ( a bitter & often abrasive Ai Hashimoto ) was neglected by both parents & has serious work problems. Rounding out the main cast is Yuto ( Kentaro Sakaguchi, cynical & world-weary ), who was Nozomi's first love in school and is now a failed teacher. I found a lot to admire in the script, which creates intriguing, believable situations for Nozomi and everyone around her. And various subjects raised are quite topical too. Using periodic flashbacks to happier times works well in a bitter-sweet way, while a 10 year-old voice-over from the heroine is also effective & occasional humour is also most welcome. The cast are uniformly excellent, with Ms Shibosaki in particular managing the childish and the adult with equal aplomb & Mr Tanaka breaking my heart at times thanks to the unadulterated joy he took from his young family. A special mention too for the adorable & effervescent Elena Kamata as the young Nozomi. The director keeps things moving efficiently & the DP makes the flashbacks beautifully golden and uses smoke to good effect with a few interior shots. And then there's episode 8 to spoil things. Sigh. Specifically, a bizarre, unexplained & quite silly plot development is unleashed. At first I thought I'd missed an episode, but no. Such a pity ! So, a definite entry in the "what-were-they-thinking" category, though the show in general is still definitely worth your time and my tears were flowing more than once.

I Have Loved You for 30 Years, Yayoi (2020)

Nothing truly innovative, but well-acted & heart-warming

[8/10 · 16 March 2021]

So, this is very enjoyable. The masochistic concept of two nice people who belong together but can't quite manage it thanks to bad timing isn't new of course. Yayoi ( Haru ) and Taro ( Ryo Narita ) meet in high school, though he dubs himself "Santa" : as a skilled soccer player, his goals will be "gifts" to the fans. She's a strong-willed girl who speaks her mind while he tends to lack maturity/focus. It didn't take long for me to like this pair, & that's an important plus which needs to be re-enforced with a script which can take a familiar story & inject some periodic freshness. This one does, with an added degree of intelligence and empathy amidst the "feel-good" factor. The quality of the leads is obviously crucial, & Haru does an excellent job as the alpha character who nevertheless has a weakness or two. Mr Narita is just as accomplished in his own sloppy way and the cocky, all-conquering footballer does eventually get to make a difference. Supporting cast are as reliably good as I would expect. Direction and photography are both on the money, & I basically just enjoyed the time I spent with these people. Which is what any movie/TV experience is about in my opinion.

Strongest Deliveryman (2017)

PRETTY GOOD + Charming scene-stealer

[8/10 · 1 December 2020]

I discovered this 2017 K-Drama by accident & am glad I did. A key factor was seeing Chae Soo Bin in the credits, & this was the show she did before the wonderful "I'm Not A Robot". The story here centres on the world of scooter riders in Seoul & the meals they deliver. Specifically, a small restaurant where the main rider is ( unusually ) a female called Dan Ah ( CSB ). She's a tough, cynical young woman who is diligently focussed on saving money & emigrating away from Korea ( or "Hell Joseon" as she calls it ). Into her life comes innocent/idealistic new delivery recruit Kang Soo ( Go Kyung Pyo in his first lead series role ). Also important is rich playboy Jin Kyu ( Kim Seon Ho ) & black-sheep rich girl Ji Yoon ( Go Won Hee ) rounding out the main group. And eager to destroy the small eateries in the area is an evil corporate competitor. So it isn't very hard to guess the basic outcomes, be they personal or business, yet the script is well-written ( apart from an annoying little lapse regarding the apocalyptic final ep & a villain without much personality ) and is pleasingly thoughtful most of the time. The ending is a major beneficiary of this approach & all four relationships in the series are also handled well. Of course, a K-Drama requires tragedy/tears & we get them, plus there's an undercurrent of pessimism which definitely recalls the tone of "Parasite". But don't worry, there's plentiful humour too & even a few bits of Japanese-style cuteness. A large cast are typically accomplished & the leads have good chemistry. I do want to single out Go Won Hee, though, for special praise : she steals most scenes she's in & is a fun, engaging presence throughout ( a scene where she challenges Dan Ah to a fight is especially memorable ). As to the title, I would've preferred "We Deliver !". Or an apparent alternative is "Best Deliveryman". You decide.

Doctor X (2012– )

EXTREMELY ENTERTAINING

[9/10 · 17 November 2020]

I thought "Gokusen" was impressive for lasting three seasons but it's a flash-in-the-pan compared to the six for this show. And though I've only seen the first, I am absolutely on board for more. The show is based on a fictional premise ( no evidence in real life according to Dr Google ) whereby a freelance Japanese doctor is represented by an agency & can be hired out to a hospital as required. Hence we meet Dr Michiko Daimon ( Ryoko Yonekura ), a terse, self-confident surgeon who arrives at a branch hospital & proceeds to tell all the resident staff ( mostly male ) exactly what she thinks. Her oft-repeated motto when the conservative opposition baulks is "I never fail". And it seems to be true. We do love to see a talented outsider disrupt the status quo & Doctor X is even happy to look the esteemed old Director of the hospital in the eye & tell him he's stupid. The script presents interesting cases amid the inevitable staff politics, & the initially aloof title character is gradually humanised ( a lovely ep involving a child patient does the trick nicely ). The supporting roles are well-written & there's humour to balance the drama, while the direction is efficient & the visuals are good. Same for the music. And the ending is well done, nicely avoiding excessive sentimentality. Former model Ms Yonekura makes a formidable impression despite her cute failings at mah-jong. A fierce desire to be the best almost makes patient welfare an afterthought, though her intolerance for obtuse colleagues is never in doubt. The concept of patients "tipping" a surgeon after a successful operation with an envelope full of cash ( apparently true ) is also intriguing when compared to what we're used to in the West.

Literary Virgin (2018)

Very enjoyable; and it helps if you like books/reading

[9/10 · 17 November 2020]

I like this series a lot, yet I feel there's inadequate love for it among some online forums. I think that's because it lacks the sort of symmetrical, happy-ever-after ending typical of K-Dramas. The Japanese, thankfully, are more interested in the ambiguity of real life. And I fear its frankness re a naughty subject might be off-putting to Koreaphiles. It also helps if you're a lover of books/reading ( I am ), since it's set in the world of publishing. I'll avoid describing the plot because it risks giving things away, though the titles ( it's also known as "Literary Virgin" ) & the poster offer hints. The central character is Kanoko ( Aoi Morikawa ), a young editor with a passion for books. Her company is currently focused on experienced male author Mr Kagaya ( Yu Shirota ), & the script revolves around her interactions with him & his work, along with a sub-plot or two. So why do I like it ? The well-written story is interesting, & in particular Kanoko's growth/journey as a person. And as an editor, since we get some intriguing insights into that area ( the excellent "Million Yen Women" visits the same territory ). Considering the brevity of the show ( 8 eps x 24 min ), the writer does a great job & I found the ending to be satisfying. In fact, short J-Dramas are renowned for the economy/efficiency of their storytelling & I've seen quite a few high-quality examples. The other important pillar of the narrative is its approach to the "S word. I've long lamented the ridiculous prudishness & denial of basic human biology/emotion endemic to most K-Dramas. Luckily for my ongoing sanity, the Japanese ( to their credit ) are the complete opposite & have no problem with exploring that most essential/enjoyable urge. It's something which impacts here on various characters, & though no skin is displayed, lots of talking does the job nicely & how refreshing to see jokes being made about lust ! All the cast are accomplished as expected, the likable Ms Morikawa leading the way with her infectious enthusiasm for the printed word & other things. The director & DP offer some visual style & the pacing is just right. I do love the sweet fantasy of K-Drama when it's done well, but too much sugar makes me sick.

It's Okay to Not Be Okay (2020)

TWO LEADS DRIPPING CHARISMA, BUT.....

[8/10 · 9 November 2020]

Great title BTW, which never hurts. It's also the official slogan for OK Psychiatric Hospital, a facility by the ocean where Gang Tae ( Kim Soo Hyun ) is a caregiver. He lives with/cares for his older, autistic brother Sang Tae ( Oh Jung Se ) until an eccentric, anti-social author of dark children's books called Moon Young ( Seo Ye Ji ) crashes into their lives. This is a good, sometimes very good series which doesn't reach the exalted heights of my top shelf ( 30 But 17, While You Were Sleeping, Hotel Del Luna, S1 of Welcome To Waikiki ) due to some frustrating script/directing issues. What they do get right is that critical central relationship. Yes, it's knee-deep in the sort of incestuous ( as in growing up next door to your future girlfriend ) tragedy endemic to K-Drama, yet the characters are vividly drawn & the bumpy progression towards a real "family" is a joy to watch. And speaking of vivid, I'm sure every young actress in Korea was chasing the part : it's a juicy role that not only embraces all human emotions but it's also fun. She gets to say whatever she thinks with no thought for consequences, which includes calling out fools where required & abusing anyone in her way. The male lead isn't nearly as colourfully written, yet is handled equally well. Handled not so well is an alleged relationship between the author's loud-mouthed publisher & a nurse at the hospital. The script lets them down, while his long-suffering assistant ( such a scene-stealer in While You Were Sleeping ) is wasted apart from the very end. I was also dismayed by how the visual fun of the first few eps is abandoned thereafter, though the show does look good in general and a gothic, Tim Burton vibe is noticeable. And kissing ? There's a bit, & there should've been more; early on, SYJ makes some very raunchy comments in public, but the director coyly cops out later & not because SYJ was just wanting attention. So casting a gorgeous lead pairing is no guarantee of success ( as proven in Backstreet Rookie ), though it works magnificently here & the chemistry sizzles. KSH has more of the dramatic chores to do & is impressive, while the husky-voiced, ultra-charismatic SYJ dominates the screen whenever she appears. OJS as the brother is effective & the boss of the hospital is enjoyably avuncular & ready with a smile when there's chaos all around. The ending ? So important in my opinion & leaves a sour taste if it's mediocre. The finale here is thankfully satisfying & left me in tears.

Fruits Takuhaibin (2019)

Another good J-Drama about the "S" word

[8/10 · 6 November 2020]

Stories concerning the world's oldest profession are nothing new, yet this short but very watchable series ( 12 eps, 30 min each ) held my interest throughout. The title comes from a call-girl shop/agency where the ladies are assigned a particular fruit as their stage name. In the office are the gruff owner, a female admin worker & a bulky driver/bouncer. Newly unemployed, the mild-mannered Mr Sakita ( Gaku Hamada ) is pushed into the position of trainee office-manager. He gets to know the ladies & drives them to their appointments on occasion, while also reconnecting with some people he went to school with. As you might expect, the "fruity" ladies ( each gets an ep to themselves ) are a varied bunch. A few have children they're trying to support & some have large debts. Some have really tragic situations which are often exacerbated by the work they do & the awful men they sometimes have to deal with. I was shocked a number of times ( the script unfortunately has a ring of truth about it ) & was ashamed of my gender, yet the showrunners don't want to drown you in an abyss of misery. It's not a documentary, after all, & the writer has a canny knack for injecting humour into the narrative. The second-last ep is very good in that regard, all the women are interesting & most of the supporting characters are as well. A sprinkling of surprises is welcome too. Another plus is the talented cast, with the kind-hearted Mr Hamada the pivot & offering a bit of redemption for the male of the species. The direction & photography are satisfying, though the opening credits are a little over-long for a half hour ep length. And as usual, I salute our Japanese friends for their continuing liberality when it comes to depicting that most vital of human topics : the "S" word. In order to discuss/understand any subject, it absolutely has to be OUT THERE for public scrutiny ! Which is a lesson that the laughably prudish purveyors of K-Drama really need to learn. In 2020, to shy away from even the concept of two adults living together as too offensive/indecent truly leaves me speechless.

Okusama wa toriatsukai chûi (2017)

Secret agent in suburbia

[8/10 · 23 October 2020]

It's really hard to be original, no matter the genre, so the best we can usually hope for is old ideas done with energy & perhaps a slightly new angle here & there. Such is the case with this likable, 10 ep J Drama about Nami ( Haruka Ayase ), who grew up an orphan, became a secret govt agent & then swapped it for marriage because she craved the warmth/love of a family. Despite scoring a handsome husband & a house in an up-scale suburb, she soon discovers life as a housewife is pretty dull. So armed with her agent skills & with the help of two neighbour friends, Nami proceeds to explore a range of contemporary issues in the area & intervene where required. We know from "American Beauty" that suburbia is often a hotbed of drama seething under a benign exterior & Tokyo is no different, while the concept of exceptional people forced into an average life is also nothing new. What makes this series interesting/watchable is crossing the two narratives & viewing events from a female perspective. After all, it's the wife whose usually stuck at home caring for children & fighting boredom while the man escapes to go to work. Each ep features a different incident & most are well-written, with periodic surprises & a sense of humour. What made me sad ( & I'm sure it's realistic ) is that the husbands of Nami's two friends basically ignore their wives apart from eating the food that's prepared for them. There's minimal conversation, let alone a hug/kiss or saying "I love you" occasionally. No wonder the Japanese birth rate is dropping. Who you select as the lead in a show like this is crucially important & in the enthusiastic Ms Ayase we have an immensely affable character eager to do the right thing & help people ( & bash wrongdoers if necessary ). The rest of the cast is good, with guest actors also popping up regularly/effectively ( it took me a while to recognise Kana Kurashina as a glammed-down victim of DV ). The direction/photography is functional without offering any real style, but you can't have everything. And I think the primary villain needed a LOT more punishment ( especially since a woman is badly beaten in unnecessary detail; suggestion was easily feasible ).

Nurse in Action! (2019)

Lead actress is a Tornado Of Charm !

[9/10 · 24 September 2020]

More of her soon, yet a superficial analysis of this sweet J-Drama might not get your pulse racing. Our focus is a typical hospital nurse's station & assorted patients/staff interactions aren't very different to a bunch of medical shows you've seen before. Centre-stage is young novice Tachibana ( Ayami Nakojo ) & her mentor/trainer, senior nurse Mihara ( Asami Mizukawa ). The other main personalities are a male Head Nurse, a senior surgeon & a capable young male newcomer who starts at the same time as his error-prone female counterpart. There are two potent weapons employed here to distinguish NIA from the pack, & foremost is the character of Tachibana. She is, quite simply, sweet/adorable/passionate/emotional/good-hearted/ funny & wears her big heart on her sleeve & it would be a very churlish person who doesn't fall in love with her. A few of the faces she makes suggest some channelling of Jim Carrey, while she typically lets out a loud groan when something goes well/badly & isn't averse to hitting someone who deserves it. The second weapon is Japanese Cuteness. This typically involves some sort of playful animation or insert designed to complement or comment on the action. So for example, a burst of anger from the lead will often see her head haloed in flames while other animated inserts highlight the key emotions ruling the primary duo. It works really well, & kudos also to the script/director for efficient organisation as well as interesting patient stories ( which usually revolve around the staff ). The two romances are well written, with a bit of parallel symmetry arising late on to pleasing effect. As to the cast, you'll have probably guessed by now that I think AN is wonderful. The British/Japanese former model is unsurprisingly getting a lot of work & handles a range of emotions with exhilarating assurance; I thought she was good in "Real Girl" & better in "Nisekoi", yet those were mere entrées to the main course buffet of this role. It's obviously difficult to make an impression when there's a Supernova in the same room, but AM is excellent as the mentor nurse who is looking for a husband while trying to reign in her tearaway pupil. They gradually become a formidable team, with the older nurse absorbing some of that youthful energy. The male staffers are uniformly good too & many smaller parts are memorable. I'd award a perfect score if not for some minor annoyances : the Cuteness should have been cranked up, & while it's good that the fourth wall is periodically broken, some fantasy scenes would enhance the narrative. Slightly more oomph for the visuals as well is my preference, such as the beauty of "Princess Jellyfish" & at least one scene towards the end BEGS for slo-mo ! Nevertheless, this is a fun series which you should definitely try. I very much enjoyed the company of these characters, & isn't that what a satisfying TV/Movie experience is all about ? ( and as for the various titles, I reckon "Force Of Nature" is better ).

1,000,000 yen no Onnatachi (2017)

BRILLIANT THRILLER WITH EMOTIONAL PUNCH

[9/10 · 5 August 2020]

The basic scenario is intriguing : an introverted, unsuccessful author has allowed five pretty young women to live at his house. They were mysteriously invited to do so by someone ( not him ) & must also pay a million yen per month in rent, & there are other rules in place. Parallel to this odd arrangement, we follow a cocky, best-selling young author who is the opposite of our "hero" & is championed by an arrogant critic, while the back-stories of the ladies form a major part of the narrative. As the story unfolded & captured my interest, my thoughts inexorably turned as they always do to the ending. Would it do justice to the rest ? I really HATE it when I fall in love with something & then get stabbed in the back by a rubbish finale, but thankfully I wasn't disappointed. And though I don't usually like a BIG revelation with minimal or zero clues, I'm happy to forgive thanks to an exhilarating, blockbuster final ep bulging with surprises & an unexpected emotional wallop that made me teary. A well-written script ( adapted from a manga, & where would Japanese media be without them ? ) has the lot : nefarious deeds, sex in various forms, humour & a pleasing focus on both the philosophy of writing & the joy of reading. Central to the story, of course, is who sent the invites & why, though some of the most memorable moments are small ones : a kick in the backside after a posh party; a young girl in a wordless scene with her author father; the lead's final meeting with a murderous relative. And the last few eps explore the simple power of a human connection. And the cast ? All are good, with two standout efforts : in a showy role, Rila Fukushima is wonderful as the abrasive "nudist" while Noda Yosiro is deceptively great as the main author. You might think this sort of quiet, self-deprecating character would be easy to play, yet speaking in a monotone & not displaying emotion doesn't mean he lacks it & he does have a moving journey to make by the end. Kudos to the director for keeping things flowing smoothly, some of the photography is gorgeous & the music is another asset. Yes, I'd have liked a calamity for the cocky writer but we get a sadly realistic outcome instead.

#Alive (2020)

UGH ! MORE BLOODY ZOMBIES !

[5/10 · 5 August 2020]

There are many fans of the Korean zombie film "Train To Busan" & I'm certainly one of them. Apart from a heap of gut-churning excitement, it offered a surprisingly powerful emotional angle & has rightly become a gold-standard for the genre. This new movie has been released ahead of "Peninsula" ( the sequel to TTB ) & the primary hook seems to be the presence of romantic K-drama favourite Park Shin Hye as one of the leads. She's one of two normal people trapped in an apartment block during a zombie rampage, the other being a young man ( Yoo Ah In ). Will they be able to survive ? Will they fall in love ? Or eat each other ? Unfortunately, I barely cared. With the action confined to such a small area, there needed to be a lot of creativity happening & there isn't. Despite a couple of good ideas & a few doses of tension, there isn't a lot going on in general & while YAI is suitably stressed most of the time, PSH behaves more like she scraped some paint off her BMW on a shopping trip than being zombie-fodder. And her face is absurdly flawless considering the messy/violent things she has to do. Matters pertaining to shortages of food/drink are also handled confusingly. Actually, the thought of seeing PSH getting down/dirty as a zombie is very appealing but that's a different movie. Is there any scope for genre innovation ? How about child-zombies ? Or zombies on water, building bridges to their prey with other zombies ? Come on you writers ! I hope "Peninsula" isn't awful, though reviews suggest it skimps on emotion.

The Guy Is the Biggest Mistake of My Life (2020– )

Would you like a slave ?

[8/10 · 5 August 2020]

I'm always interested in an unusual story, regardless of the medium, & there's a Japanese genre of quirky stuff which fits the bill. For example, "You're My Pet" has a young woman discover a young man sleeping in an alley & decides to take him home & make him her pet; like a cat or dog. Or there's "My Girlfriend Is A Serial Killer", where a cute young lady with a high/girlish voice murders people while a man who lives next door somehow falls in love. The former works better than the latter, & this new series is a good one. An average office drone ( former J-Popper Airi Matsui ) is in a bar one night when she gives a male customer ( the suave Mokomichi Hayami ) a bit of an insult. It later turns out that he's the highly talented CEO of the large pharma company she works for. He then begs her to let him be her slave, since nobody has ever done anything but praise him. And he's VERY rich. So it's sort of the plot to the movie "Secretary" flipped around & nowhere near as intense ( & adapted from a manga by its author ). It's entertaining & often funny as the smitten CEO goes to extreme lengths to pledge his devotion while his creeped-out target subjects him to periodic violence. Yes, he's technically a stalker yet his affection seems genuine, so where does he cross the line into criminal behaviour ? It's an interesting question.

Extracurricular (2020)

A GRIPPING, SOBERING DOSE OF THE REAL KOREA

[9/10 · 29 July 2020]

Hmm, so what's going on ? is K-Drama finally growing up & joining the Noughties ? I've noticed a series with two gay male leads, some shows are now 12 hours ( this one is less than 10 ) instead of the 16 which was the norm, & the massive success of "Parasite" may have initiated a new movement : a Korean "BleakWave" perhaps ? This remarkable, well-named series reminded me a lot of the Oscar-winner in its tone. That large gap between the rich & the rest seems a huge problem & it permeates Korean society at all levels. And it obviously generates enormous stress/anxiety for the have-nots who strive even just to stay afloat in an extremely competitive, dog-eat-dog environment. A high school is the setting, & watch out if you don't fit in for whatever reason because the bullies will sniff you out as predators do ( in fact, one of them boasts of having hounded a weaker boy to suicide ). Jisoo ( Kim Dong Hee ) is a top student but very poor, so he hits on a lucrative scheme involving young women & "compensated dates" in order to fund his tertiary education ( and Tom Cruise in "Risky Business" would get eaten alive here ). Crossing his path to telling effect are Gyuri ( Park Joo Hyun ), a savvy girl in his class whose parents are loaded, and the class bully ( Nam Yoon Soo ), who doles out violence along with his arrogant crew. What stands out here is a script which really keeps you wondering what the two leads are going to do next. Calamities & unexpected events affect Jisoo's business in various ways, so how will he cope ? Most of the characters are complex, grey-area types, as in real life, so we quickly get invested in Jisoo's adventures. There's copious profanity & a fair bit of violence in the second half though it never seems gratuitous, while matters pertaining to the "S" word are as coy as the best romantic K-Drama. I also appreciated periodic bursts of black humour/fantasy to lighten the mood. As I'd expect from Korea, the cast are top quality with KDH especially impressive. It's important that we at least identify with him despite his deeds, & his face convincingly conveys the pressures assailing him ( and an occasional grin is all the more affecting considering the ongoing situation ). Also good is PJH as the ostensibly cold-hearted Gyuri, Jung Da Bin is effective as the bully's pathetic girlfriend & NYS is comprehensively loathesome as her "man". Ugh. And what of the director ? The relentless tension is nicely modulated so that we get quiet interludes amidst the mayhem while the generally dark colour scheme is often enhanced with interesting shot choices. On one occasion, a teacher asks Gyuri some questions; rather than the standard reverse to/fro close-ups as they converse, the camera wisely stays on her the whole time. Complaints ? Just some minor ones : the home-room teacher could've had more personality and also the cops; the male one ( you've seen him in many shows ) might have a crush on the female cop, for example. As to the ending, it's "good" in terms of being an apt conclusion, yet I'd have used a different shot to conclude : I'd prefer to have the female cop confront the two people in that stairwell, then use a close-up of her face as she closes her eyes, then freeze-frame it. Like "Parasite", a basically depressing story is galvanised with suspense, violence & sheer film-making talent into something you can't look away from.

Kekkon Aite wa Chusen de (2018)

A few negatives but many more positives = very watchable

[8/10 · 22 July 2020]

So for me, what makes this show interesting is how good it is despite a major flaw. Based on a novel, it's set at a time when the Japanese govt decides, in an effort to boost the poor birth rate, that all singles aged between 25 & 39 will be matched via a lottery & forced to marry. And anyone refusing 3 matches will have to join some shadowy counter-terrorism unit as punishment. There are four main characters we follow : Miyasaka ( Shuhei Nomura ) is a shy, good-hearted otaku with OCD; Nana ( Rin Takanashi, wonderful as the nun in "Aino Mating Agency" ) is an aimless, pretty & affluent young woman; Ranbo ( Ryohei Otani, looking like an Asian Peter Gallagher ) is a handsome, well-off & superficially shallow man & Yoshimi ( Aimi Satsukawa ) is a young nurse from a rural area recently arrived in Tokyo. As singles, all four are impacted by the lottery & the script really shines with how their stories develop & intersect. All have an "arc" ( that term beloved of screenwriting books ) & there are many scenes that touch the heart. There are also some surprises, & the general concept is not only interesting but very topical for Japan & Korea. That said, the flaw I mentioned is very annoying ! Most societies are pretty cynical when it comes to the intelligence of politicians/governments, yet the genius Minister here seems to have ( implausibly ) done zero planning before unleashing the new law. Little or no thought about how minorities or the chronically sick would be affected, & will forced marriage necessarily equate to children ? Would a "carrot" be more effective than a "stick" in getting people to marry/breed ? And there's no screen time spent on the "punitive" option. Quite frustrating, since more time could've been given to the Minister & also her assistant in various ways. The rather staid direction/visuals are another minus. The excellent cast are a major asset, however, with Mr Nomura first among equals. At times it's almost painful to see him shuffling along with his head bowed, bracing ( as are we ) for the next rejection. And a range of reactions to the lottery showcase human ingenuity/cunning ( mostly not thought of by the govt ). And there it is : a narrative "stew" with some mediocre ingredients yet highly enjoyable nevertheless.

In the Next Life I Will Be Serious (2020–2023)

A GENEROUS DOSE of the "S" word !

[8/10 · 22 July 2020]

If the sexless prudery of K-Drama is absolutely your cup of tea, you'll be guaranteed to choke on this J-Drama because it dives headlong into that pleasurable activity revolving around the groin. Despite the efforts of organised religion to demonise copulation & the human body, it remains a lot of fun for both genders & bravo to the Japanese for exploring that fact. And a double-bravo for making the lead character here a young woman who really enjoys herself in bed. Momoe ( Rio Uchida ) is single, 27 & works for a company which sub-contracts for the manga industry. There are four co-workers & all five have different perspectives on the S word. Momoe has a group of five men she has regular intimate relations with, though the one she's in love with doesn't love her back & has a proper GF. A nerdy workaholic is in love with a sex worker, another colleague seems to be averse to any relationship with anyone; a recently dumped bodybuilder meets a cross-dresser & the last co-worker is a handsome playboy. And looming over all of them is the weight of parental pressure to do just one simple thing : get married ! ( & preferably have kids too ! ). I found this series very entertaining & the script ( based on a manga ) did a good job in holding my interest. Either I cared about a character or I was keen to see what'd happen to them. There are laughs ( though not enough ), surprises & even a scene or two which touched my heart, while the shallow male propensity for thinking with the little head is given thorough coverage. As to the ending, I initially lamented a lack of closure but then reflected on it & thought it fine; plus in tune with the title ( & also ready for a sequel ). The series also looks good, with interiors mostly given a diffuse, gauzy look. I won't single out any cast for special mention as they're all very capable, but Ms Uchida as the nominal star is always likable though she doesn't have to stretch much. And even though the content is often verbally explicit, those expecting a constant parade of skin will be disappointed. It's similar to "Scum's Wish" in that respect, though that show had people doing things with their clothes on. This one has very little of that. Anyway, I'm ready for Season Two. PS - That intro song ! Aargh ! If it has to be inflicted on us every episode, could the "band" at least wear different outfits ?

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War (2019)

Sweet, cute, charming fun

[10/10 · 10 July 2020]

Wow, I haven't had this much fun since the excellent first season of "Switch Girl" ! Ah, the Japanese. I've not seen anyone do cuteness/charm quite like them & LIW is probably the classic demo for the style. Beginning life as a manga, it then became a well-regarded two season anime series. So rather than morphing into a live-action series ( a la the lovely "Jellyfish Princess" ), it's now a feature film which some on-liners accuse of missing too many things out. Since I come to it minus any baggage, all I can do is judge it as is, and.....I love it ! Set in a super-posh private school, the president of the student council is Shirogane ( Sho Hirano ) a handsome, gifted lad from a humble background. His vice-prez is Shinomiya ( Kanna Hashimoto ) an equally studious girl but from a mega-rich family. They have strong feelings for each other yet struggle to express them, though I think it's more to do with the excruciating stress of confessing to the other ( a universal problem for the ages ) than any power-struggle. There's clearly a cuteness formula for this sort of material to work, yet it somehow doesn't grate the way the K-Drama template does because there's a lot more scope for creativity. The animations here are great & certain sight-gags are superb; Everything looks gorgeous & even the council chamber evokes memories of the interior sets at King's Landing in Game Of Thrones. The cast are tip-top too, with a core of real emotion never drowned out by the visual pyrotechnics. I used the word "fun" in my opening sentence for good reason. So if you feel like smiling/laughing, you know what to do.

Missions of Love (2018)

SWEET & CUTE ( & more than good enough ! )

[8/10 · 17 June 2020]

When you're dealing with a familiar concept, it helps if you can offer something fresh. Take time travel. Done to death, yet the "Back To The Future" movies gave it an entertaining new spin. This little rom-com isn't quite at that exalted level of innovation, yet it's done with wit, warmth and intelligence. Our introverted heroine Yukina ( Tina Tamashiro ) is a web novelist swayed by her fans into adding romance to her work. The problem is that she's never been in love, so she decides to "simulate" romance with the most popular boy in her school. The "missions" of the title concern certain amorous tasks which she thinks will add up to "love". Hence mission #1 is holding hands, #2 is a hug and so on, with kissing playing a part of course. Naturally, we KNOW that her research experiment will not remain strictly logical. So will the script be clever enough to transcend this cliche ? The answer is YES. Based on a manga, there are assorted bits of animation & typically Japanese cuteness which I love, & Yukina's "assistant" is fun. Blackmail, vampires, a love-struck cousin & a writing rival add spice to the mix. The cast are uniformly good, with TT another lanky model ( a la Nana Komatsu ) with real potential. Both photography & direction are good & ditto the finale. The movie is also quite chaste, which suits the material well because anything raunchy would've been jarring. An occasional surprise adds to the satisfaction I think you'll feel come the end credits, & make sure you don't skip them.

Oh My Venus (2015–2016)

VERY ENTERTAINING

[8/10 · 7 May 2020]

I had a good time with this 2015 effort, & the chemistry we always hope for from the leads is in plentiful supply. And it's an interesting story. A girl who was the resident beauty in high school ( Shin Min Ah ) supplies the show's title but has become overweight as an adult. Conversely, a close friend who was obese in school has transformed into a slender hottie. Into the life of the former comes a handsome chaebol heir ( So Ji Sub ) who happens to be a fitness freak/personal trainer, while the new beauty arrives at the law firm of the ex-beauty & becomes her superior. The primary couple are extremely appealing, with SJS in particular radiating an easy, confident masculine charm. Of special note in the support cast is one of his offsiders ( Taiwanese Henry Lau ), whose energy & smile are always welcome. The story is generally put together quite well, though I could've done without SMA's periodic tendency to spout inspirational speeches along the lines of "If you can take it, you can make it". And the familiar/tedious sub-plot of corporate big-wigs plotting the downfall of the young usurper must surely now be consigned to History & the Cliché Bin.

Spring Has Come (2018)

BLOOMING GOOD

[8/10 · 7 May 2020]

My track record with J-Drama's been pretty productive lately & this one is another winner. More sombre & reflective than the Otaku-centric shows I've been enjoying, the salient feature here is the cross-cultural angle which I've not encountered before. As in, a 30-ish single Japanese woman ( Kana Kurashina ) who works in the lingerie section of a large store meets a younger Korean man ( Kim Jong In ) & a relationship ensues. The two countries have obviously had a long & usually tragic history & recent trade-war spatting is no surprise. On the other hand, Japan's long been a major K-Pop market & some group members are Japanese, so I think they're really stuck with each other ( plus very close geographically ). What gives this well-written show extra depth is the attention given by the script to the supporting characters & the consequent portrayal of modern life rings very true. The two leads are charismatic & premium eye-candy, though the lovely KK as a wallflower bereft of male interest is a bit of a stretch. The ending was also unexpected ( a good thing ) & it does suit the bigger picture. Whether you like it or not is up to you. PS - the poster baffles me ! Since the story is a definite two-hander, why on earth would you have only one of the actors as the dominant picture ? A deliberate concession to Korea perhaps ?

Busu no Hitomi ni Koishiteru 2019 (2019– )

SWEET, CHARMING, TOUCHING - You know what to do !

[9/10 · 30 April 2020]

This brief yet very entertaining J-Drama series is also interesting on a number of levels. Politeness. Seems to be synonymous with Japan, right ? Not to mention all that bowing, yet they have no problem blatantly referring to an "ugly" girl in the title. And, the first version of the show in 2006 was called "Can't Take My Eyes Off Ugly Angel", which is equally offensive & lacking in sensitivity ! As for the source material, it's apparently based on a book of the same name by well-known writer Suzuki Osamu & is a series of essays on married life with wife Oshima Miyuki. She was a noted comedienne, has recently given birth for the first time & is, um, not very attractive. Now, the two main characters in the latest series have exactly the same names as the real-life couple & Mr Suzuki even wrote the script, so he's fine with calling his wife "ugly". Plus he isn't exactly handsome either ! Poor woman ! Or is the average Japanese okay with this sort of thing & it's no big deal ? Very interesting. Back to the show, which concerns a handsome, famous voice actor ( a popular occupation due to the prevalence of manga/anime ) with a slim, pretty girlfriend who nevertheless feels his life/career aren't going the way he wants. Played by Naoto from boy band Exile, he happens to meet the girl of the title ( Tomita Miu ), an overweight staffer at a hardware store who dreams of being a voice-over actor. A brief chat ignites a powerful romantic spark & an emotional connection which quickly leads to him proposing marriage. Mayhem ensues as his manager is horrified, the target of the proposal is flabbergasted & his GF is un-impressed. Ah yes, the heart wants what it wants & that isn't always predictable. Emotion = impulse more often than not & I know what it's like to propose after a few days, then laugh about it later ( & also be grateful I was rejected ! ). To me, Ms Tomita is the charming pivot around which the series revolves & her radiant smile is quite something ( & her face is not ugly ). And the believability of her performance suggests she may have painful memories of her own to draw on. You just can't help but want the best for the poor girl, & ditto the reckless Naoto who has less to do but does it well. The motto for both leads seems to be "If you keep smiling, happiness will follow", & that kind of positivity is good to see in a world unfortunately full of misery & pain. My only complaints are minor ones : I wish the support cast had a bit more personality, people like his belligerent manager, the assistant & the barman. Ping pong makes an appearance at one point & had potential in this area. I also think some fun could've been extracted from the physical aspect of the marriage, as Miyuki has no clue about intimacy & likely would never have been kissed before suddenly being dropped in the deep end ; I suspect she might easily develop a rapid passion for kissing & other things. That aside, I have to again salute the economy/efficiency of J-Drama storytelling : this show has only eight episodes of 23 min each ( much reduced from 12 longer eps in version 1 ), yet does a better job than many bloated K-Dramas with their sixteen hour run times. And it's hardly a fluke, as proven by quality short-form TV like "Wedding Bells for The Otaku", "Spring Has Come" & "When One Day I Will Sleep" to name only a few. I'm proud ( & a bit surprised ) to do the first IMDB review for this sweet, touching series, especially since I'm not Japanese or female. Still, I hope I've done it justice & encouraged you to try it.

Girl From Nowhere (2018–2021)

DARKLY ENTERTAINING ( with a hefty dose of misanthropy )

[8/10 · 22 April 2020]

My only previous exposure to Thai TV was a mediocre show full of affluent, attractive young people falling in/out of love & I gave up pretty quickly. This show, however, is a vastly different & refreshing proposition ! Nanno ( Chicha Amatayakul ) is the semi-supernatural girl of the title & she's a student who arrives at a new high school every episode ( apart from 2 doubles ) & proceeds to expose the lies, misdeeds & base emotions which simmer below the surface. And she does this with a great deal of glee, even when she cops it instead of dishing it out. The general tone here is quite dark & misanthropic; it's said that our veneer of civilisation is rather thin & TGFN nods in agreement. Perhaps it's the churning hormones, but teenagers can be especially vicious & there's a lot of violence & profanity going on. Far less sexual material, though an adult teacher who preys on girls attracts our heroine's attention. The show has two major assets : a star with real presence & a charming smile behind which lurks relentless retribution; & the writers, who tackle modern issues with aplomb & regular cleverness. Mind you, it's not perfect. The acting tends to be variable & a couple of eps are less than riveting, though the visuals are often stylish. All things considered, I thoroughly recommend it. Good title too.