JAPAN: First impressions -- Heat & Death Note (2015)

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Heat is about a real estate agent who wants to use an entire town for one of his clients. In order to buy up the town he becomes a volunteer firefighter so that he can become close to the residents and buy them out. I thought of this as a second coming of a Bitter Blood and started it right away. There are many similarities between this show and Bitter Blood (Partners by Blood) - action packed, funny, and a full cast of characters that are just as important as the main lead. So far, the main lead, Tatsuya Ikegami, is a self-centered workaholic and it's clear that he does not care about actually doing the job of a volunteer firefighter correctly. However, as episodes go on and hi-jinks ensue you can see him start to understand the importance of being a firefighter and hopefully as time goes on he will start to act more like one before someone really gets hurt. The only thing I am unsure of at this point is if there will be a romance in the show. Right now there are two potential matches for Tatsuya: Sakura Azumi and Eri Yuki. Even though it seems that he has a relationship with Eri Yuki, there seems to also be room for him to care about Sakura Azumi too. Right now, that is not the focus of the show but there's always that underlying plot, isn't there? I've only seen two episodes of the show so far but it's very entertaining and endearing. I am looking forward to watching the remaining episodes of Viki.com.

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I can't even remember how I stumbled upon the information for this show, but once I did I had to watch it. I have not read the manga, seen the anime, or watched the movies, but I was not going to pass up a chance to watch the live action television version of the show. [I'm sure I can watch the anime in no time if I really want to and catch up on the movies.] Since I have no real reference for the show I can't say if it's just as good or better than any of the others, but I can say that it is pretty interesting to me as someone who is experiencing it for the first time. As of now I am both fascinated, entertained and freaked out by the show, but I am sure that's the feeling you generally get when dealing with any version of Death Note. If I were to just talk about this version I'd have to say that the acting is good and the actors are definitely keeping my attention. In that regard I guess it may be worth watching to someone who's already a veteran of Death Note.

My Favorite Dramas of 2014

This year was my first full year as a K-Drama addict. I thought it was a great year to be a fan of Korean entertainment and entertainment from other Asian countries such as Taiwan, China, and Japan.

I managed to watch an astonishing number of dramas from start to finish this year, and out of that astonishing number I completed 43 dramas that I consider to be 2014 dramas. Below is the full list of 2014 dramas that I've watched, some if which started in late 2013 and ended in January 2015.

Here's the list in alphabetical order:

A Witch's Romance	Emergency Couple	Joseon Gunman	Plus Nine Boys
After School Lucky or Not 2	Empress Ki	King of High School Life Conduct	Pretty Man
Aftermath	Fall in Love with Me	Love Cells	Pride & Prejudice
Angel Eyes	Fated to Love You (Korean)	Marriage, Not Dating	Prime Minister & I
Another Parting	Golden Cross	Misaeng	Sly & Single Again
Be Arrogant	Grandpa Over Flowers Investigation Team	Miss Korea	Surplus Princess (The Mermaid)
Big Man	Healer	Modern Farmer	The Night Watchmen's Journal
Birth of a Beauty	High School - Love On	My Love from Another Star	The Perfect Insider
Boarding House 24	Hotel King	My Lovely Girl	Tomorrow's Cantabile (Naeil's Cantabile)
Bride of the Century	In a Good Way	Mysterious Summer	Trot Lovers
Deja Vu	Inspiring Generation (Age of Feeling)	Partners by Blood	You Are All Surrounded
Discovery of Romance	It's Okay, That's Love	Pinocchio
Doctor Stranger

MY FAVORITES - In Alphabetical Order

Bride of the Century - This series was surprisingly enjoyable. I think my favorite part of the series was seeing a different side to Lee Hong Ki. The only thing I had seen him in before this series was You're Beautiful, so I thought he might only be cast in cute, funny roles. I thought his stern and cold side was a nice change of pace and showed his acting range. The show itself was actually an interesting one to watch. The mix of romance and horror is one that seemed to become really popular after shows like The Master's Sun. This one may not have been as ground-breaking but it had many good elements and also introduced us to a new leading lady in Yang Jin Sung who successfully carried two roles at the same time. I also thought that the writers handled the death of the first wife issue well, revealing sad family truths for both Kang Joo and Doo Rim.

Empress Ki - I have only seen like 3 productions with Ha Ji Won in it and I have yet to be disappointed. The best thing about this show was Ha Ji Won being her usual boss chick self. Though the cross-dressing element is a little overdone these days it was entertaining because unlike some of the other cross-dressing heroines she actually had masculine traits like being able to fight. However, as awesome as she was as Ki Nyang, I think we can't talk about how great this show was without talking about our two leading men. Joo Jin Mo and Ji Chang Wook literally fought to the death, not just for Nyang but for Goryeo. The political battles were just as heart-wrenching and dramatic as the romantic battle.

Grandpa Over Flowers Investigation Team - This was a really fun show with an impressive cast and an interesting plot. I enjoyed it, plus it was only 12 episodes so it was totally worth watching. One of the most entertaining things was watching Heechul being in an unrequited love. Not sure if that's ever happened to him in real life but it was fun to see his goofy self work through it. Also, watching the senior actors play young men who also had to act like old men was hilarious. The show also had a good bit of action because the characters were cops.

Healer - Ji Chang Wook went from whiny emperor to tough night courier. It was a really awesome transformation. Aside from that, this show was just all kinds of good. First off the OTP had my feels all over the place, I rooted with all my heart for little Park Bong Soo and Chae Yong Shin. The entire cast was amazing and did a good job at either making me laugh or sending chills down my spine. My favorite thing about the show was the smooth mix of Action, Romance, and Comedy. There were a lot of funny moments that grounded the show and made the show that much more enjoyable.

In a Good Way - I really enjoyed this Taiwanese drama. I liked the characters a lot. They were all so distinct even though were in the same place, and the same time, and experiencing similar things. One of the most noteworthy things about the show was the chemistry between the two leads Lego Li as Liu Shan Feng and Kristen Ren as Lin Jia En. They really had me shipping the two actors. The chemistry of the whole cast was one that was really enjoyable to watch, it made me want to hang out with my friends and have cool adventures. Though the show's characters had some fantastical experiences they were believable and enjoyable to watch.

It's Okay That's Love - Definitely my favorite show for the year. So far, following Gong Hyo Jin has not led me astray. I think we all have to admit that the chemistry between the lead characters had us all screaming with envy at our screens, but aside from that I think the show very successfully explored the lives of patients and doctors of psychiatric medicine. There were so many enjoyable and admirable elements to the show: both of the leads had mental illnesses, the bromance between Jo Dong-Min and Park Soo-Gwang, the romances, the dysfunctional relationships all the characters had with each other, and the soundtrack. This show really boasted one of the most enjoyable soundtracks I've ever heard. I also have to give big props to Lee Kwnag Soo for realistically portraying Tourette syndrome while still being his usual comedic self. Just know that I highly recommend the show.

Marriage, Not Dating - This show didn't turn out how I expected it to. From the title I expected a mix of Lie to Me and Fated to Love You, but it was different. It had all the familiar elements but there was a refreshing spin put on it. I can't pinpoint what it was but something about this show made it much more enjoyable to watch than I expected. I actually watched the show all in one go because I was that excited about it once I started. I think one of the things that I really liked was the tangled love hexagon that was put before us. I liked that nobody really hid their feelings for others from each other despite the fact that two of the people were supposed to be "engaged." I also found the friendship of Joo Jang-Mi, Kong Ki-Tae, and Han Yeo-Reum really funny considering that it was a love triangle. It was just a really fun show to watch and wasn't bogged down by too much drama.

Misaeng (Incomplete Life) - A really great show. After watching it I understood why it got such a positive response from audiences. It was amazingly clever and real. I liked that the show didn't try to romanticize the life of an office worker, and any fantastical elements they did add was presented in a such a way that you knew that the writers weren't taking themselves too seriously. The characters were also very special. For me, I could see a little piece of myself in every character and I liked that. I highly recommend it.

Modern Farmer - I think this show was really underrated. It was one of the most hilarious shows I've seen in a while. Just purely funny, not too much drama, not too much romance, but not lacking in those departments either. It was really enjoyable to watch and all the cast members did a great job being funny and endearing.

Partners by Blood (Bitter Blood) - Loved it! Definitely my favorite Japanese drama by far. It was hilarious and full of action. I really looked forward to every episode while watching because I knew that I was going to enjoy the experience of watching it. There were a lot of unexpected but really great elements in the show. For instance, the son, Natsuki Sahara played by Takeru Sato was more sensitive than the other detectives or his father. That difference alone made the contrast between the characters very entertaining.

Pinocchio - This one really gave It's Okay, That's Love a run for it's money. The main couple was just all kinds of sweet even though they had their ups and downs they just couldn't quit each other. The mix of the revenge plot and the life of reporters was an interesting mix that I think came out well. I have to say that my absolute favorite part of the show was the fact that Yoon Gyun Sang and Lee Jong Suk actually looked like brothers. I mean how often do siblings look alike on TV shows or in movies, like never unless they're siblings in real life. For two unrelated people to look so similar, I really never got over how perfect that casting decision was. Also, Kim Young Gwang killed his role as the perfect second male lead. All the characters were really special and had their own place in the show rather than just being background actors for Lee Jong Suk and Park Shin Hye. Example: Who can forget Jang Hyun-Gyu aka Nosy Jang with the headband? I loved it.

What Happens to My Family - A really enjoyable weekend drama. I started this show really late, but finished it just in time. It was enjoyable from beginning to end. Funny, endearing, and had one of my favorite casts of the year. There were popular veterans and impressive rookies who really made the show great with their talent. The writers also did a really good job at mixing in the realism of family with the slightly unrealistic drama that must exist in K-dramas. Although there was a lot of drama it came in digestible streams and didn't make me raise my hands in exasperation during every episode.

I am happy that I got through this many new dramas in my first full year, but this is only a portion of the dramas I wanted to see in 2014. I am hoping that I'll get to watch some of the ones I really wanted to see like Gap Dong and The Hours of My Life soon.

Hope everyone has an enjoyable and blessed 2015. 

Partners by Blood (Bitter Blood) - Japanese Drama Review

This show is by far my favorite Japanese Drama. It had everything one could ask for in an action/comedy. It was funny when it was supposed to be and packed with combat and explosions at just the right moments. And like all Japanese dramas it was short and sweet, which left me wanting more so I am hoping for a season two. 

Warning this review will contain a few spoilers. 

Overview: An estranged father and son become partners at the Ginza Police Station much to their dismay. They fight each other and their impending bond tooth and nail but they realize, case by case, that they care about each and need each other to survive the dangerous world of being a detective. I watched it on DramaFever.

What I Liked:
1. The actors were fantastic. I've noticed that in Japanese dramas, particularly comedies, things get really random but it didn't diminish the acting talents of the cast. Their comedic timing was just as great as their uncanny ability to cry over just about anything. I also liked that each character had a personality and a chance to show of their personality traits.

The cast included Takeru Sato (Natsuki Sahara aka Junior - Son), Atsuro Watabe (Akimura Shimao aka Gentle - Father), Shiori Kutsuna (Love Interest), Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Tetsushi Tanaka, Sarutoki Minagawa, Keiji, Suzu Hirose, Reiko Kusamura, Katsumi Takahashi (Chief), and Mitsuhiro Oikawa (Villain).

2. The main villain. You know dramas, mostly Korean dramas, have a way of making you empathize with the villain in some cases, not all but some. This wasn't one of those cases. Even when the villain was telling his story I still thought that he needed to go. Of course, I don't feel like he ever really got the chance to explain his story but even if he felt wronged he shouldn't have done the things he did.

3. The action. This comedy had a lot of action and though having action in every single episode can be pretty unrealistic, it also made for very entertaining scenarios.

4. The theme song. Probably one of the best theme songs I've ever heard. It added impact to the show before the show even started. It's called Do You Ever Shine by Mayday. It gets you pumped up for not only the show but just for the day.

5. They didn't overly force the father and son relationship between Sahara and Gentle. They let them naturally start caring for each other and understanding each other. At the end of the show they still weren't super close but they were on their way there which gives me hope for a second season.

What I Didn't Like:
1. I felt like the villain never actually got a chance to fully explain his side of the story. We got a brief glimpse into his pain but that didn't help us understand exactly where he was coming from.

2. The unstated relationship between Sahara's sister, Shinobu, and Kota. Kota is the chief's son and after Sahara saved him he all of a sudden was in some sort of relationship with the sister which was never fully explained. Sahara and Gentle still don't even know that they're dating or friends or whatever they are.

In all honesty there wasn't much I disliked. It was so entertaining and just the right amount of endearing that I really have no complaints. I would totally watch it again and I suggest that if you're new to dramas you give it a try. A short drama like this is a great attention keeper.