Buzzer Beat (2009)

Country: Japan
Genre: basketball, romance,
Format: drama 11 episodes
Cast: Yamashita Tomohisa, Kitagawa Keiko, Kanjiya Shihori, Mizobata Junpei, Aibu Saki, Ito Hideaki, Oomasa Aya, Maya Miki, Kaneko Nobuaki, Nagai Masaru, Aoi Munetaka, Komatsu Ayaka,
Synopsis: Kamiya Naoki is a proffesional basketball player, but under a pressure he is not able to show his real talent. He has plans to marry his girlfriend Natsuki, but because of changes in financial situation and not knowing his real potentials, he always hesitates. Meanwhile there is optimistic Shirakawa Riko, a studied violinist, who cannot get a job as a violinist. Naoki loses his cellphone to a bus, but it is found by Riko. As Riko moves into the same neighbourhood, they become friends, which soon grows into love, but Naoki is still with Natsuki and Naoki's coach has fallen in love with Riko at the first sight when he went to get Naoki's phone from her. 
Rating: 5/5
I love this drama. This is actually my older sister's favorite Japanese drama (I think so... and yes all my siblings have seen at least one Asian drama xD).  She "favorites" it because of Yamashita Tomohisa who played the role of Naoki... and ever since that she names him "Buzzer beat guy!", but I liked it because of a great storyline. It talks about love and work, while showing the progress. There is no hurrying or things uncleared, everything just happens normally.

You can understand it already in first episode that Natsuki (Aibu Saki) is a total b**** and she continues to get even worse. At the same time.. I totally understand her. She did not want those "dreams" and "in future" things. Although Naoki was more than perfect (except that he was too hesitant), she wanted more physical attraction. (That made me think if they even had slept together??). Naoki wanted "Happily ever after", but  Natsuki satisfaction. Their relationship really suffered from lack of sex or any physical thing,

because the kiss in first episode is baaaaad (Not worst, but still bad). Their relationship has gotten to a point where everything is the same every day (even after marring it would stay like it, maybe Natsuki would have had to give up on some more things in her life). All she wanted was some anxiety that would make her heart beat so fast that it feels like exploding, but Naoki.. yeah, he still had his puppy love. That does not mean that I approve cheating (That makes me think about what really is considered as cheating? sex? thinking about someone else than your lover? oke some people consider even kisses as cheating... oke I am going to far from the main point). I just say that I understand Natsuki, but I think that she should have made her point clear to Naoki for a long time ago.   

I continue with Naoki as I already have written some things about him. I think that he was right when he followed his dream and did not give up, maybe he was a little bit to self centric and did not think what Natsuki might think of one or other, even though at first he makes many decisions only because Natsuki (like staying into the same company). Doesn´t the wedding vow say "for richer, for poorer"? I think that marriage is not a thing to play on "Marry me if...!". I think it should be just "Marry me no matter what, no matter when or where, as long as you will stay by my side forever" (Yeah.. I should not read too many wedding vows or start to write one here...)   But I am happy that Naoki was not able to marry her xD (It is not a spoiler or is it??) I cannot help myself so I must write that Yamashita Tomohisa looks damn hot as Naoki. I just checked and it official is my favorite Yamashita Tomohisa drama. I have seen many many dramas from him, but this is definitely the best one.

Let head to Riko. I absolutely loved her attitude!! She was no usual woman. She drank too much, she did not have that certain womanly poise (especially while sleeping). She did not like to wear much make-up or use many skin creams/lotions/etc, she even forgot to wear a bra after waking up in the mornings! Even though she was like that, she still continued to look beautiful and feminine. I think that the thing that most attracts about her, is that she was very friendly, outgoing, did unexpected things and many times was veeeeery touchy... like physically came to close. Her hearing is more than amazing.. I really wonder how she was not a child genius at the first.. With that kind of hearing she would have been a female Mozart! In first episodes it certainly looks like she has feelings for Coach - yeah, love from the first sight?
Which leads us to Coach ( I forgot his name.. even though they repeat it so many times). I think he was an a**, a total jerk. If a woman does not want to be with you, then she just does not! When she says that it is over, then it is over. There were soooooo many times when I just hated him. He really got on my nerves. He should learn some things from Naoki..
The character that was annoying too was Ren, but I enjoyed watching him because I knew that he is a jerk nr. 1 from the start, but he did not even try to look like a good guy. Let's say that he was just honest. In later episodes there is a scene where I like him the most. It is a scene where Naoki and Ren are sharing a room and talking. He is so honest. yeah.. he might be a jerk and playboy, but at least he is not pretending.

There are many cute characters who I enjoyed like Mai, Naoki's little sister and mother, also Shuji and some others from the basketball team. At first Mai seemed weird - she is always wearing the same bun and weirder clothes, but actually Kanjiya Shihori is so charming that her cuteness comes out, which finally made Mai one of my favorite characters. She also has many great lines in her script. She is like the feminine side of Mai-Riko friendship.

All kind of relationships are clearly explained. It shows the trust and co-operation of a team. Tension between team member = tension in the game = baaaaad game. You get the point? that's why it is important to get along with everybody. It reminds me one of the REAL BIG highlight of the drama - BATH SCENES! Hot and well formed bath is the best! (I am talking about the "bath", ne? =P)  I want to maintain the "pure" image of my blog, so all you get are those muscles.

One important thing to write about is dreams vs. love. I liked their decisions in drama and I would have done the same thing. To me always fulfilling my dreams comes first. If my boyfriend would ask me to give up on my dreams, then I would better give up on him. If you truly love someone, then you want the best for her/him. Rather than asking to stay, should ask them to go for the dream. But I believe that there is an opportunity to have both - fulfilling dreams and love at the same time.
The drama has amazing kiss-scenes (wait for 7th episode!!!). Veeery lovey-dovey! Drama has great actors/actresses, who are absolutely beautiful! There are funny scenes, sad ones, lovely scenes etc. It shows the uncertainties of a relationship an how to let go of a person you love. Even though it looks like a sport drama it still is more about love to me. I actually forgot what I wanted to write in addition, but I think that all what is left to say is : WISH YOU GREAT WATCHING as it is an amazing work!

 
SPOILER review: Why I hated Coach so much was because when Riko said that she has someone other who she likes, then a he should not have dragged her to meet his parents "accidentally" and say that they are "dating in order to marry"! BOO-HOO! I understand that he wanted to tell the best to his parents, but he did not think for a one second about how is Riko feeling. I felt like he was trying to buy her by making her sympathize with him.  
Yay for Naoki to acting like a man!!! He took it like a man when he found out about Natsuki's little thing with Ren. Also I totally think that it was just Natsuki's fault that Naoki was not able to make her heart go pounding. Natsuki was the one who many times said that "ahh.. tonight I am working late etc!". But we all see how it is with Riko! Naoki just ..eem makes a move xD Even my heartbeat was sooo loud when I saw these scenes (There are no real bed scenes between them so do not get your hopes up!).
I must say that Mai and Shuji's love story was actually cuter than others. Shuji was like everything that Mai did not search for, so it really was all new to her too. I like when there are things that characters are not used to. Mostly I loved that Shuji was younger than Mai.

Heartstrings / You've fallen for me (2011)

Country: South-Korea
Genre: school, music, romance, youth, friendship
Format: drama 15 episodes
Cast: Park Shin Hye, Jung Yong Hwa, Kang Min Hyuk, Song Chang Ui, Soo Yi Hyun, Woo Ri, Lee Hyun Jin, Im Se Mi, Jang Seo Won,
Synopsis: Lee Kyu Won (Park Shin Hye) studies traditional Korean music and instruments, major in gayaguem, because her grandfather is one of the most famous pansori tellers (Korean traditional music genre/ story-telling). To live up to grandfathers expectations she cannot listen to any kind of modern nor western classical music. At the same time there is Lee Shin (Jung Yong Hwa) who is the lead guitarist and singer of the university band The Stupid, which makes him the most popular guy in university. A broken promise leads to all kind of big changes in themselves and school, from music duals to big school anniversary musical.
Rating: 4/5
I do not know what to say for a start.. I hopes were higher than it really was. The drama had only 15 episodes, when usually Korean dramas have 16. One special episode aired before 8th episode, because female lead Park Shin Hye was in a car accident, it lead to a big changes in the script and lost of last episode. The first episodes go really slow as about three episodes in a row Lee Shin (Jung Yong Hwa) is really depressed. If you want to get faster to the great part, you may just watch the Special, because that is a short version of first seven episodes, it seemed like it did not lose any important scenes, so I think you will not miss anything.

To me it seemed that the drama gets great since 8th episode, so if you are eager to watch everything (aka all episodes) then do not lose your hope ^^ But there are scenes which has only song and video, but no action, which makes it slow. Drama has a great and big OST too. At first (about for three episodes) there are many side-stories, many many different characters, unexplained thing and it is  hard to follow, but it all becomes clear eventually.
I did not understood how they can fall in love so quickly. Did Lee Shin fell in love with the dance professor just because he saw her crying?? okey the woman was beautiful and talented, but it really does not make sense. Also I did not see since when he began to have feelings for Lee Kyu Won? Beside just hearing a guy sing does not make a girl fall hopelessly in love with guy, which seems to be usual in it. It might seem that director has feelings for Lee Kyu Won, but actually it is all because he sees a potential in her. There are no other emotions than friendship and professional help.

Lee Shin makes a big change in himself, but he stays to say great mean things xD I did not thought that he would be so understanding and caring like he ends up to be, but it was weird how talkactive and honest he was with his father, but I think he just tried to make up those lost years. I did not understand how they were looking similar?? They just had same haircuts..
Lee Kyu Won.. I think she was great when she stood up for herself and was very independent, but many times she seemed so hopeless and crybaby. I have heard that many watchers ask why she is wearing those kind of clothes, but I think it was one thing that made her different from other girls. Beside, she was learning traditional music and lived with her strict grandfather.

I really like to give a credit to make-up artists and stylists. First of all, "the red eyes from too much crying and less sleep" make-up was great (or Jung Yong Hwa suffered from some kind of a eye disease). Only bad thing the make-up artists did was that horrible pink / purple lip-stick. Maybe it would have looked nice, but it did not fitted for lips. It more looked like the lip-stick has already come off of the lips and only some of the color has stayed on them (It happens a lot with lip-sticks when they are on for too long time). (Eating a bilberry gives you the same result if you crush it with your lips xD).  Most of the characters wear stylish clothes ^^

Earnest highlights of the drama are a lot of hand holding scenes and the relationships between characters. I have not seen it in any other drama (okey maybe in "Buzzer beat") that a relationship does not suffer from any misunderstandings and everybody trusts their partners. They all are really supporting and caring.
There were three characters who I absolutely loved: always-eating-happy-cute-dude Yeo Joon Hee and team Hyun Ki Young - Lee Soo Myung. They all were so cool, cute and stupid XD No matter what I do have fallen for one of them xD Yeo Joon Hee was played by Kang Min Hyuk who is a member of C.N.BLUE, that means a band member with Jung Yong Hwa =)
The annoying characters were Han Hee Joo's mother and the second director or a head of the department. They just were annoying no matter how you look at them. Han Hee Joo ends up to be a better person than she looks like. But it surprises me that it had so few annoying characters, just look how many annoying characters "You're beautiful" had!

It is a great drama, if you bare with long scenes and look at the brigth side of it. I think that they would have been able to make it even better, but due to certain curcumstanses they had to do it this way. I hope they get a chance to make a new special episode in future, but I am afraid that it might stay just my hope. (Even better would be youtube specials like "Playful kiss" had, but they have different production companies).

SPOILER review: I did not see it coming that Sa Rang and Lee Soo Myung ended up together!!! Sorry it is in last episode, but it is sooooooooooo unexpected and it is a spoiler review =P Also in the end Kyu Won's and Lee Shin's story looked like a remake of a remake of a director's and dance professor story. XD the second remake was the musical. The worst scene was the total end of the drama... this kiss scene was more than horrible and it looked very uncomfortable.. Even though Park Shin Hye is my favourite Korean actress, she is just one of the "fish kissing" actresses. I do not understand, they study singing, dancing, acting, but no one teaches them to kiss in a way it would look believable. ( Or does the most people in Asia do "fish kissing" in real life?? O.o) I hope she improves this side of her in future, because if she studies to kiss in the right way, she will definitely continue to be my favorite actress.  Also, because they had to give up on 16th episode, the end came too soon, looked like some parts really were missing.
That  throat disease that Han Hee Joo had, Jung Yong Hwa has had it in real life too and he went under the surgery, but he was able too sing after it well (but I have no idea how long it took to get better again).
I do not understand, why dramas use the sentence "You must like me / I want / hope you will like me / continue to like me /etc" as a love confession from the main male character. It is just wierd and does not sound like a confession. I would not understand that kind of confession ever. 

Postman to heaven (2010)

Also known as:  Heaven's Postman
Country: South-Korea
Genre: romance, supernatural, grief
Format: movie
Cast: Hero Jae Joong, Han Hyo Joo, Shin Goo, Kim Chang-Wan, Ju Jin Mo, Lee Du Il, Jung Jae Jin, Baek So Mi, Kim Jae Rok, Kim Ji Young
Synopsis: There is a legend that there is mailbox on a green field and a handsome postman who delivers those letters to heaven. Hana is missing her deceased lover, who was actually married and had a son. When Hana has sent several insulting letters to heaven, Jae Joon, present postman, step in to solve her problem, but in the end the 14 days they shared might all become a dream or an illusion. 
Rating: 5/5
It is a Kitagawa Eriko's work, so many of you already understand what that means. The movie was cooperation between Japan and South-Korea. In addition, the movie was second collaboration between Kitagawa Eriko and Jae Joong.
Cho Hana is full of regret and anger, not only because her ex-lover lied to her but also because he took his family for granted and cheated them. Though she has strong personality that comes off many times as rude and disrespectful, she also has a soft side that makes her a big crybaby. She is rather impulsive and acts based on her emotions. I liked Han Hyu Joo's acting, though she was made to cry and laugh as usually Kitagawa Eriko's female leads do. For a side remark, I have to say that though her ideas to convince people were really good, then on the other side her outfits and explenations of who she is to late people, is rather bad. Seriously, how many nurses are wearing this kind of nurse outfit and a bag.

Hero Jae Joong was good. What I really liked about Jae Joon character was that he was honest, but at the same time he lied so much for other sake. All the movie made me think about which is better: To lie to people, because you think it might give them peace and make them happy or to tell them the truth, even tough you know that it makes them sad? I hate lying, but I do not have the heart to hurt them too, especially because lie has a short legs.
One thing to keep eyes on is that at first Jae Joo wears light colored clothes, but as the movie goes on the clothes get darker and vise versa with Hana's clothes.

About the storyline... I loved it. It is not a usual theme to make a movie about (at least I have not seen it so much). I liked that it showed the unanswered questions of the people left behind. There comes a time, where are questions that cannot be answered. In some way I did not understand how the people were able to believe all the stuff they talked, but more than believing, I think they wanted to see it this way. I might not be sure, but I think that even in the movie Jae Joon says that they will give people the answers they are hoping for. Mostly because there is no-one to ask about the truth.
It might go as slowly as all other Kitagawa Eriko's works and it might not show as much emotions or story line between Jae Joon and Hana, but it is sweet and sad story, plus it was amazing scenes. I at least really enjoyed it.