Drama or Live Action Recommendation

[poonk]

As for me, I'm a little over halfway through the J-drama Galileo. It's about a physics professor who helps a police detective solve mysteries using science. There are some cheesy aspects about it (like how the scientist has a flash of insight in every episode and starts frantically doing equations, complete with surf-guitar musical accompaniment, on whatever is handy-- the pavement, a table, a window covered in condensation-- I guess it's hard to make science appear visually exciting, but anyway...) and I really wish the police detective were more skeptical herself (how in the world do you get to be a detective and still believe in psychics, magic, etc.?). Otherwise, it's pretty solid. I guess I would recommend it if you could DL it with little-to-no effort (like, plunk down the torrents, or find easy direct-downloads). (Edit 03/12/08: Having finished the Galileo series, I'm now completely a Yukawa-sensei fangirl and have decided that this drama must rank in my Top 10).
QUOTE (JCDRANZER @ Feb 28 2008, 01:52 AM)Anyways, I just finished watching My Boss, My Hero, a J-Dorama, only 10 episodes but it was hilarious and brillant but probably not as great Hanazaraki no kimi tachi E....nevermind....the series was awesome. Even though I'm a romance freak....the lack of complete romance in this series but it did not disappoint me one bit. The pudding, Maki's facial expression.........everything about this series was hilarious.....in a sense it reminded me of Seto no Hanayome.....but better. Its a heart-warming series and I give it my seal of approval.

 

Ah, My Boss, My Hero! The drama that started my thing for Nagase Tomoya. This was so funny (well, I thought the last few eps sorta dragged, but that seems to happen with a lot of dramas, doesn't it?). I went on to watch NT in Tiger & Dragon, IWGP (Ikebukuro West Gate Park) and Mukodono 2003, all (mainly) comedies which I recommend if you liked MBMH and/or Nagase. He's a rather consistently good comedic actor.


QUOTE I'm about to start watching Sang Doo, Let's go school!, Love Contract, this Korean movie called "Who Slept with her ?" or "Sexy Teacher", Lunch Queen and Wonderful Life.I tried watching Sang Doo... a few years ago-- I was like, Rain!-- but after 3-4 eps. it just couldn't hold my interest (having said that, I really liked Rain in the film I'm a Cyborg, But That's Okay, which I recommend; his acting is definitely improving, and that film is a trip). I've seen Lunch Queen and it was acceptable. For some reason, the main actress (too lazy to look up her name) is just not interesting to me. I also saw her in Hosoku Egao (Always Smiling) and that was felt similarly... pleasant, but bland to me.

Oh, and JC? If you're a "romance freak" *laughs*, have you seen Kimi wa Petto, Suppli (a.k.a. Sapuri), Love and Fight, and... well, pretty much any of the K-dramas I've listed (Dal Ja's Spring, What's Up Fox, Miss Kim's Adventures..., Hello My Teacher)? I too am a romantic-comedy junky (I HATE TRAGEDIES) and those are all rom-coms.

Uh, and one last thing: I've heard about a J-drama coming out, called RH Plus, about vampires(!). It looks like it might be on the... low(er) budget side (like, no big-name actors), sorta like Princess Princess D (in fact, I think the boy who played Yuujiro is in it). Anyone else heard about it?

 

[JCDRANZER]

Well....I'm only really a romance freak when it comes to anime....dorama is pretty much a new thing for me. I never really watched it in the majority until recently.....just out of nowhere I started watched dorama more often...it was very surprising for me.

But from what you have listed....I've heard of all of them and only watched a few them though.

BTW, I think a lot of ppl know this already but there's gonna be a 3rd season to Gokusen.

Regarding Devil Beside You....the dorama was EXTREMELY faithful to the manga with only a few added scenes..... I hate the idea of the parents getting married......it just kinda seems wrong.

Who slept with her ? aka "Sexy Teacher" or "Hot for Teacher", I just finished watching this korean movie, it was funny and perverted but pretty meaningless....nothing really happened...I really wanted to know what Ms. Uhm would be in the 2 years later time-skip...ahhhhh.....that sucks. An unexpectedly weak ending but it kept me entertained through most of the movie.....it was pretty unfortunate...I wanted more from this. Its only 100 minutes.....darn.

Kim Sa Rang was the "sexy" trainee teacher in this movie and she lived up to it.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh....I wanted MORE from this.

 

[tomo]

QUOTE Hello Tomo....you know actually I came across "She is Nineteen" aka "My Sister-in-Law is 19" about yesterday in fact. I'm really intrigued from what I've read about it.


Hallo back ... JCDRANZER the drama is great u will like it

oh also thanx for the site http://xfobtroopers.net/ the one u add it on the other topic.. I found some of the drama I was looking too..and what made me happy that, the downloads were fast.

on topic, I would recommend Hello Miss, it's romance and comedy

The cast are Lee Ji Hoon and Lee Da Hae my FAV actress

 

[JCDRANZER]

I just finished watching Sang Doo, Let's go to School!. It was brillant dorama, a wave of emotions hit me during this long adventure.

I would recommend this dorama to anybody.....it's one of the best.

The ending was really good but it was really bittersweet as well......especially (please don't read spoiler if u haven't seen this dorama) when Bori starts to forget what "daddy" looks like and just beginning to forget him..........its just too sad.

I really wanted to cry then.

This dorama.....is really good at making you feel weak and it gets you easily upset too......its quite a tear-jerker.

OMFG.....I just found out that Full House will be getting a 2nd season later this year -----> http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Full_House_2

Tomo, that Hello! Miss dorama sounds really interesting and its probably because I love those "love-hate" relationships.

 

[JCDRANZER]

QUOTE (Ranch99 @ Oct 28 2007, 09:02 AM) @Dragon-of-Rune - You've probably already watched these.

Full House - kdrama
It has Bi-rain in it! Have you heard that song by him? He's singing all korean cool like and the back up girls say, "rain, go rain, it's rain, it's rain". Nevermind. It's the typical kdrama love triangle.
It's pretty formulaic:

Girl gets involved with rich guy. Rich guy has to hang out with girl for some reason. Rich guy's guy friend likes the girl. Rich guy has ex-girlfriend who hangs around to try and get him back. Rich guy pretends not to like first girl but does and yet hangs out with ex-girlfriend. Both rich guy and first girl get jealous of each other. Then something happens and rich guy and first girl fall in love and rich guy's friend get's screwed over and so does the ex-girlfriend. The End.

It's pretty much the SAME for every kdrama but it's still worth it to watch it unfold since they differ slightly how they unfold.
I just finished watching Full House and it was absolutely great....brillant.

I actually was crying in the last 2 episodes.....I just couldn't stop crying for certain parts of episode 15 and 16. Especially when Young Jae was being rejected and let down by Han Ji Eun......ahhhhhhhhh I was actually pouring out tears...OMFG.....that really was the first time for a dorama...I think.

BTW, Full House is gonna get a second season but it hasn't been confirmed that the leads of season 1, Bi and Song Hye Gyo, will return.

Ah crap, bad news -----> "It was said that Song Hye Gyo turned down this series offer due to hectic schedule that's why the production team is already looking for a new lead actress. One of the replacement for Song Hye Gyo is Yoon Eun Hye but YEH's agency will still announce early this year her new project so it's still uncertain."

(~taken from D-addicts~)

Ah damn.....I really liked Song Hye Gyo and Yoon Eun Hye...looks kinda weird.

Full House Season 2 is set to be either late 2008 or 2009.

~(can't wait)~

 

[tomo]

QUOTE (JCDRANZER @ Mar 04 2008, 04:36 PM) Full House Season 2 is set to be either late 2008 or 2009.

~(can't wait)~
I know

I read about this too, can't wait either >_< hope they finish soon

also I really wish if they make another season of My Sister in law is 19

 

[JCDRANZER]

I just finished watching Suppli (or Sapuri) just now. Its only 11 episodes long and it took me so long to watch....I don't know why.

Overall, it was a great series, even though I wanted more......the ending was kinda open-ended even though it tied up "most of the loose ends".

Ogi the Oni is soooooo damn cool and its kinda unfortunate that he didn't get his high-school sweetheart in the end but there was also a good reason why he didn't get her back because she found out how much her husband really loved her, which made her stay with him. I guess this Peking trip (or whatever) might give our Ogi the Oni some time to get over his high-school (or college) sweetheart and allow him to have a fresh start and all.....if he's lucky he might score with a beautiful Chinese woman.

Hmmmmmm......I'm thinking of heading back to anime for now.....I'll probably get back to DORAMA in May.

 

[poonk]

QUOTE (JCDRANZER @ Mar 25 2008, 09:57 PM)Overall, it was a great series, even though I wanted more......the ending was kinda open-ended even though it tied up "most of the loose ends".

Regarding Suppli: I thought that when Minami & Yuya kissed at the vineyard, it was one of the more convincing kisses I've seen in an Asian drama (usually it seems like characters just press closed lips together and "hold the pose").  This kiss was sorta... hot .


QUOTE Ogi the Oni is soooooo damn coolOgiwara! I had previously only-ever seen Eita (who played Ogiwara) as the uptight, stick-up-his-arse character in the Waterboys drama (which I loved, I never thought I'd get so excited by synchronized swimming*), so I enjoyed watching him fully-clothed, as well.

*Although the boys running around in speedos didn't hurt, either... *sweatdrop*

So... I'm currently drama-less. I finished Galileo (obviously, because I've been raving about it), I finished One Pound Gospel *shrugs*, I finished Mukodono 2003 (somewhat older, but still funny), and I would easily put off watching the rest of Yukan Club indefinitely if something better presented itself. However, I have a feeling most everything will pale in comparison to Galileo for me right now, so, like the Sky King above, it might be anime-time for me too until I stumble upon my Next Great New Drama.

 

[JCDRANZER]

Poonk.....do you mind giving me a list of all the doramas you have seen through a PM please, if it isn't too much trouble.

Ahhhh....I was just about to go "fully-anime-mode" but I came across several series that I want to watch now and they are: -

1.) Fated to Love You (Taiwanese)
2.) Why Why Love ? (Taiwanese but its kinda "old"

....not that old...came out last year.

)
3.) Anego

Yipee.....there's gonna be a Hana-Kimi Special (J-drama version) coming soon!!

 

[linx_lee]

hanakimi sp, is that reallllyyy? when? i like that drama

 

[JCDRANZER]

QUOTE (linx_lee @ Mar 26 2008, 07:55 PM) hanakimi sp, is that reallllyyy? when? i like that drama
No idea but its confirmed....check the main thread Hanazaraki no kimi tachi E in the Drama & Live Action section....I put more info concerning the synopsis for the special and a link to the confirmation.

At the moment, they are currently beginning the shooting of the special, which is to be only one episode and the premier date is unconfirmed as of yet but its most definitely coming out later this year.

 

[JCDRANZER]

I just finished watching episode 06 of Sleeping Forest and damn is this drama good....really really good. I only really started watching this drama because it was about to be taken off lolipower's server on the 17th of May (which is today) and recently finished downloading the episodes (only 12 of them). I'll be back once I've finished.

But PPL you should really try watching this one, its got many good reviews and mine will possibly be one.

EDIT:

I finished Sleeping Forest just a couple of hours ago and I must say it was great, very suspensful and a sh*t load of twists!! XD We finally find out who the real murderer is, even though I guessed it was that person......its just that by each episode, a new possible suspect came into the frame. The ending however was confusing.... why didn't Naoki get off the train...why did he stay on ?? Does anyone know the answer to that question ??

 

[JCDRANZER]

I just finished this dorama called Stand Up!! and I must say it was amazing. Incredibly funny and really worth watching....it was 11 episodes in total and I so wish for a 2nd season. Also, soooo many familiar faces in this dorama, which made it even better.

It has earned my seal of approval.....I hope all of you guys can enjoy this dorama.

 

[oppai-ga-suki]

QUOTE (JCDRANZER @ May 22 2008, 04:29 PM) I just finished this dorama called Stand Up!! and I must say it was amazing. Incredibly funny and really worth watching....it was 11 episodes in total and I so wish for a 2nd season. Also, soooo many familiar faces in this dorama, which made it even better. 

It has earned my seal of approval.....I hope all of you guys can enjoy this dorama.

 

As long as its funny I will definitely check it out.

Can any one recommend a show. I havent watched much drama but one that I watched and really liked was Elite Yankee Saburo, If someone has seen it can they please recommend a drama that is similar to it, I would really apreciate it.

EDIT:

Thank for the recommending Stand Up!! JCD, Im watching the first episode right now and it really is funny

 

[poonk]

Okay, I'm only 2 episodes into Beach Boys now, but I am going to say that I'm absolutely loving it so far (and, happily, I just found a batch torrent for all 12 eps that seems to be DLing much faster than the 1-ep-a-week I was managing before, so by this time next week I'll surely have finished watching the whole thing). Our 2 heroes, Hiromi (Sorimachi Takashi) and Kaito (Takenouchi Yutaka) couldn't be more different, tempermentally: Hiromi is sort of the loud, flirtatious free-spirit type, whereas Kaito is the reserved, no-nonsense businessman type. Yet both men find themselves retreating to a minshuku (a small beachside inn) and sort of setting up residence and learning to relate to one another, despite their apparent differences. And there's also the owner, and his teenage granddaughter, and other town residents that come into the story. Okay, I know that's the most generic synopsis ever (go to Drama-Wiki for more details), but like I said, I've only seen 2 eps! Sorimachi Takashi is especially charming in this, and I completely understand why he was launched into stardom with this role-- I mean, he was great as Onizuka-sensei in the GTO drama too (which is why I sought BB out), but I already have a feeling I'm going to end up liking Beach Boys even more. It almost seems to me like each episode is a short movie; I think it's a combination of the great acting/dialogue, the many beautiful outdoor locations (which made me reallllly want to be there), and the lovely use of music. I suppose some people may be put off by the somewhat lesser-quality video (it's not like people in '97 had HDTVs to capture crystal-clear raws like they do nowadays, but I'd say BB is no worse than the first Trick series, for example); honestly, though, I was so into the drama itself that that didn't bother me one bit and I would hope that this wouldn't put off any other drama fans from checking out this older gem of a series. If there is any interest, I'm more than willing to up this to MediaFire for folks who can't use torrents (which can be had at Drama-Wiki-- in fact, the "Sorimachi Takashi Pack" of 3 of his older dramas is the Japanese Series of the Month right now, so the torrents should DL fast...)

P.S. And while it has its moments, no, it's not shounen-ai (although I'll bet it's launched a thousand fanfics!).

 

[JCDRANZER]

I was watching Akihabara@DEEP until episode 07 (I think) but had to stop.....cuz the next episode was to be Extremely ecchi and my parents are able to see what I'll be doing on PC.....so I started watching Dragon Zakura about 2 days ago and just finished it now. Both of these dramas are really good and I got hooked to them pretty quickly. However, I felt a tad disappointed in the ending of Dragon Zakura....I was hoping for it to end a bit differently....ahhh, whatever...I just finished it. I would highly recommend both these series.

 

[poonk]

So, at ep06, Beach Boys has not disappointed yet. My friend/fellow-drama-watcher and I continue to be amazed at the sheer shounen-ai potential-- as I said before, it's not, but it sure could've been. The two (male) leads have that great quasi-antagonistic relationship, punctuated by the occasional moment of vulnerability, that makes for a great romantic comedy (in my opinion). My only complaint is that watching it makes me want to visit the ocean (not happening).

I'm already gearing up 2 more dramas-- the first is Jikou Keisatsu (Time Limit Police) 2. In the first series (which I recommend), police officer Mikazuki (Aso Kumiko) accompanies/tolerates/crushes-on her kinda odd co-worker Kiriyama (the always-watchable Odagiri Joe) in his "hobby" of solving cases past their statutes of limitation (hence the title). Series One had a really subtle/quirky sense of humor-- not over the top antics (a la Hana-Kimi, et al), but more like wordplay & visual gags (a ton of which I'm sure went over my head) and really humorous moments of "eeehhh?" (like the joke about wearing glasses on Sunday

). I'm hoping the second series is more of the same.

Also on my list is Osen (hosted here in FTV!), which was brought to my attention by chiisai_hana's thread. I haven't seen either of the leads star in anything else, but he's a Johnny (NewS/Kanjani8) and in my experience they're better actors than singers anyway. *ducks*

Speaking of cooking/food-themed dramas (which seems to be up there with teaching as a popular drama theme), has anyone seen Bambino! ? (http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Bambino! <=hyperlinks don't like that "!" in the URL). If so, did you like it/recommend it? (I like MatsuJun so I don't know why I haven't watched it already, really...)

QUOTE (JCDRANZER @ Jun 09 2008, 03:41 AM)I was watching Akihabara@DEEP until episode 07 (I think) but had to stop.....cuz the next episode was to be Extremely ecchi and my parents are able to see what I'll be doing on PC...I started watching this late last year and got hung up on ep06 (no particular reason, just got interested in other series). I guess I should go back and see what I missed...

 

[poonk]

So, I know I said last week that Jikou Keisatsu 2 & Osen were the next dramas on my plate but the other night I was looking for something hardsubbed to play on my DVD player (as opposed to my computer, which I need for softsubs) and I remembered that I'd downloaded the 1999 drama Cheap Love as part of Drama-Wiki's current "Sorimachi Takashi Pack" Drama of the Month. I decided to watch ep01 while eating dinner on the couch and... then proceeded to watch the first 6 episodes in one night and the remaining 4 the next night (honestly, I had been severely tempted to stay up 'til 3AM to watch all 10 eps that first night, but I had to be at work at 6:30AM, otherwise...). Soooo good. Between this and Beach Boys, I think I love Sorimachi Takashi (well, as much as I can love someone I really don't know and will never actually meet... let's just say I love him in concept

). I felt this was a little more on the serious/dramatic side compared to his roles in Beach Boys & GTO (esp. the latter), which probably has to do with the plot-- he plays Junichi, a street scout for various sketchy "entertainment" enterprises (read: hostess clubs, AV actresses, etc.) who, through a turn of events, meets & falls for Nanami, a piano teacher and "decent woman" (as he calls her). But it's not really a "good-girl-meets-bad-boy" romantic comedy-- in fact, while it does have it's funny bits, it's actually more romantic drama than romantic comedy, and it really hit the spot (I haven't seen a good romance since I finished Galileo earlier this year, and that was more comedy than drama). I'm so glad Drama-Wiki threw this into the Pack with Beach Boys and Hotman (which I'll be DLing next). *runs off to stalk ST through the Drama-Wiki torrents pages*

 

[JCDRANZER]

I'm going to watch Bambino! after I finish off Long Vacation......Kimura Takuya, is an extremely frightening person......all the doramas I'm seeing him in are exceptional.

 

[JCDRANZER]

I just finished off Bambino!, it was a light dorama and definitely not my type of genre. The first few episodes were pretty sloppy but it gradually picked up drama wise and got to a decent level. It was kinda boring and predictable. Not much romance, not much comedy, which gave me a general negative view towards this dorama but when the actual tension within the drama picked up, you become to appreciate it.

On the other hand, Long Vacation, the dorama I finished before starting Bambino! was magnificent.......a very good dorama.

Anyways, Poonk, I think you should try Bambino!, you might like it more than me, just don't expect too much.