Hana Nochi Hare: Melodrama of the Year

So today I'm here to defend Hana Nochi Hare. Again. Perhaps I'm wrong in my belief that Hana Nochi Hare needs 'defending', per say - after all, it encompasses all the same flaws as Hana Yori Dango, which was a hit sensation, the final episode of season two having reached a peak rating of 27% viewership. Clearly the flaws with the Hanadan format do nothing to mar its entertainment value.
  What I want to argue is a point that surprised even me, and may not be so readily accepted by hardcore fans. Hana Nochi Hare arguably came into existence so that author Yoko Kamio could milk the fame that the franchise had offered her - it didn't have to be good. But I think Hana Nochi Hare is stronger, as a whole, than its predecessor.

SPOILERS: I talk here assuming that you'll know the story like the back of your hand, the way I do, so assume there will be spoilers for Hana Yori Dango.

A Lovenote to Daria

I realise that this isn't what I typically do, but Daria doesn't get nearly enough attention. Having spent the last week revisiting the show, I was reminded of how it stands in the same stead as other cartoon masterpieces like Avatar: The Last Airbender and Gravity Falls. This isn't going to be a review, just an appreciation post for one of the best animated programmes ever made.

Bride for Eight Years (Movie Review)

This was a lovely film.

Mini Reviews: Romance 2018

So here comes my yearly post on the abundance of romantic-comedies I watch but have very little to say about. You know, its hard to flesh out a review if all you can say is 'it's cute' or 'its funny', but hey, you deserve to know which shows are, right? Expect this post to be updated regularly until the end of the year.

Kimi wa Petto 2003 VS 2017

Kimi wa Petto is an old favourite of mine - it's a brilliant josei manga about dependence and healing. It's also one of the two manga (I know of) which have been adapted (in the same country) into drama twice. Are either a perfect adaptation? No. Somehow, both dramas manage to feel massively different. I put off the 2017 version for a while, unhappy with the casting, but now I'm watching it I just have to make some comparisons.

4 Han Hyo-joo Films

Yes, four is a weird number, It was supposed to be five, but I can't bring myself to finish Love, Lies knowing how destructive and tragic it will be. Anyhow, here any some mini-reviews, a product of my impromptu Han Hyo-joo Marathon last week.

Come Here and Hug Me: An Imperfect, Beautiful Drama

I'm very glad I decided to take up Come Here and Hug Me, and anyone watching will agree with me that it somehow surpasses its imperfections. Its a top example of a melodrama done right that I haven't seen since Just Between Lovers, and therefore deserves some more attention. Sadly, the show's ratings are low, even though that doesn't speak for its quality.

Mistress

This is going to be a short and to-the-point review for a short and to-the-point drama. I'm so glad I chose to pick up Mistress after installing the Viki app on my phone, because it's just enticing. Warning now, this isn't for the faint of heart, but for anyone craving a steamy murder mystery, this is perfect.

Hana Nochi Hare: Trash or Treasure?

Few people seem to understand the importance of "ironically good" shows. Have you ever watched something, and thought all the way through: "This is absolutely awful. So why do I love it so much?" That's what Hana Yori Dango has become for me; a nostalgic favourite, but also a seriously outdated romance-melodrama that thrives on chemistry alone. The author of the original manga clearly knew that she couldn't afford to lose her most popular work (although, really, she could have just put more into Cat Street, the only of her works I've actually loved), thus this strange little spin-off came into existence.

Love For a Thousand More: Trash or Treasure?

FINALLY. Proof that good web-dramas exist! Okay, I'm coming clean - when I made that list on web-drama (the first, not the second - the second actually had some good stuff on it), I thought all of those shows were sub-par, and normally they wouldn't be the kind of thing I recommend. Because, sadly, despite the potential of web-drama to showcase unique ideas in a digestible and accessible format, this potential is rarely tapped into. That means the best ones are usually mediocre rom-coms. In some senses, Love For a Thousand More is a stereotypical web-drama, and in other senses it's so much better than every other one I've watched.