Saturday, April 13, 2013

Itazura na Kiss ~ Love in Tokyo Review








I had been a fan of the Taiwanese Drama "It Started With A Kiss", starring Ariel Lin and Joe Cheng but I don't have the chance to fully watch its sequel, "They Kiss Again". The chemistry of the lead actors was awesome but sometimes I hate it when the main girl is so stupid and clumsy.
















Korean Adaptation starring Jung So-Min and Kim Hyun-Joong




Then, I started to watch the Korean drama, "Playful Kiss", starring Jung So-Min and Kim Hyun-Joong. I found it really cute and funny but it lacks something which the Taiwanese drama had. It is so anime-ish because of its cute visual effects. Too bad, it is not that popular in South Korea.


Well, it all based on the manga, "Itazura Na Kiss" which means Mischievous Kiss.






I also watched some episodes of the 1996 Japanese drama adaptation of the manga starring Sato Aiko and Kashiwabara Takashi. I think it's good but it's too old and the protagonist is annoyingly overacting. The chemistry between the lead actors are great though. I said so because I watched the behind the scenes. XD
I thought that a new Japanese adaptation of the manga should be made to justify again the series.
After hearing from a friend in Facebook that there will be a new Japanese drama based on the manga, I got really excited and happy.









Furukawa Yuki and Honoka Miki












I found out the guy who will play Irie Naoki is Furukawa Yuki, one of the actors in the romantic comedy film, "High School Debut" I really love him in High School debut because he is so cute but his screen time is very few. Well, at first, I thought that he is too cute to play the role of a very "handsome" and intelligent guy Naoki but his talent proved me wrong. The subtle changes on his facial expressions were really fun to watch. His character grew on me.









Yuki Furukawa in High School Debut







I also love how Kotoko was portrayed in this series because she might not be academically smart but she is not dumb like the Taiwanese Kotoko. But, I sometimes think Honoka Miki's Kotoko is too refined and elegant.I hope she will not be so obsessed with Naoki.











The Plot:


Aihara Kotoko is an ordinary student from class F who have a crush for his fellow senior student Irie Naoki. She gave him a letter while he was entering the campus. However, Naoki refused to read her letter and walked away. After that, she became the talk of the school and some people made fun of her.


While moving to their new house, Kotoko and her father were helped by her friends.





However, a meteorite hit the roof of their new but poorly constructed house causing it to be destroyed.








The best friend of Kotoko's father offered them to live in his house.




Irie and Aihara



She found out that the eldest son of the best friend of her father is none other than Naoki.




A shock Kotoko here



Behind the Scenes


Comment and tell me how you feel about this new adaptation! :)



Disclaimer: Credits to the photo owners! I don't claim any photo as mine :)


 

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Bayan ko (Philippine TV Series) Review

As a Filipino citizen, I would like to hope that the Philippines will be free from corruption, political dynasties and others. I am a pretty idealistic person, I admit, that's why I am really enjoying the 1st original Series of GMA News TV, "Bayan Ko"
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnY5u9CygHAXi654KNRMyweRD34aVVuGP8YV9YUu7LPCIIf798jx-_f-r8A0zr7rGHsp2YM7qCaVPGq1ri7KSnxiRxrba7JuRZ_yYB2cButsq49aBBPMkixZ38_l-URG3-Dw0_IrM57bY/s640/bayan+ko.png
Photo Credit: www.gmanetwork.com
 
The Plot:
The story is about a young, idealistic and newly-elected mayor, Joseph Santiago which is played by Rocco Nacino. He discovered a rotten system in the government of their province. He faced several temptations of corruption throughout the show which he tried to fight. His efforts to fight corruption gave rise to a dispute between him and the corrupt governor of the province, Antonio Rubio played by Pen Medina.
During the first two episodes of Bayan Ko, Mayor Joseph have to change the minds of a bunch of municipal hall employees who have been eaten by the system. He gains the trust and support through his honest service towards the community.
My Thoughts:
The trailer was really interesting with the heart-touching background song of "Bayan Ko"
I also like how they made it in high definition because it makes the series visually entertaining.
The series is not all serious because it was made lighter by a touch of comedy given by Betong and Love Anover and an unexpected romance of LJ Reyes' and Ping Medina's characters.
The scenes are realistic which can the audience will able to relate.
The cast was really great in portraying their roles. It was really natural. I love them all. haha.
This series is very timely for the upcoming election so that Filipinos will have an idea of what a good leader is and to open their minds that their votes are a crucial element for the country's progression and development.
Catch the last two episodes of Bayan Ko on GMA NEWS TV airs Sundays, 6:30 PM. If you missed the previous episodes, you can watch it on YouTube. :)