Why Didn’t I Tell You A Million Times Review – Japanese dramas have always managed to bring out the best of human emotions with their melodramatic and nostalgic approach in the storytelling. Even when presenting a modern, corporate landscape there is a touch of emotion to the stories which make them relatable to the audience. What makes watching a Japanese drama interesting is that in just a handful of episodes, it has you hooked from start to finish.

It demands your rapt attention to the story that is being played out by a seasoned team of actors and professionals. Often times the dramas tap into ideas which might seem unlikely on paper. But trust the Japanese show makers to make those ideas seem very much plausible and also present them in a way you would not expect. Keeping in line with the theme of unlikely ideas, let’s take a look at the latest fantasy romance Japanese drama ‘Why Didn’t I Tell You A Hundred Times?’ which premiered on Netflix.

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‘Why Didn’t I Tell You A Hundred Times?’ Trailer

‘Why Didn’t I Tell You A Hundred Times’ Summary

The drama ‘Why Didn’t I Tell You A Hundred Times’ starts with Yui waiting for her boyfriend Naoki to get home. He appears to be in the same room, but Yui does not feel his presence or hear his voice. A few days later she is seen at the police station filing a report for her missing boyfriend. The police inspector Yuzuru is tad bit cynical about Naoki coming back, and extricates himself from the case.

But as fate would have it, on his way back home Yuzuru spots Naoki. But Naoki is in his corporeal form. Only Yuzuru can see or hear him and after a few push and pull dialogues, Naoki enlists Yuzuru’s help to talk to Yui and also settle his dues in the mortal world.

A slightly funny encounter as Yuzuru approaches Yui with Naoki’s case. Yui is also determined to find her boyfriend and teams up with Yuzuru to get to the root of the case. As the unlikely trio go on to solve the mystery of Naoki’s death, they also uncover a series of murders which could link to Naoki’s murder too.

Why Didn’t I Tell You A Million Times Review

It is often said in mythologies across Asia that the dead don’t leave the mortal realm when they have some unfinished business. ‘Why Didn’t I Tell You A Hundred Times?’ taps into this idea and gives it a romantic spin. Naoki is seen as a ghost who has his dues to settle in the mortal world. He and Yui were dating for two years. They were friends during their childhood but grew apart later. They met again after almost 20 years and began dating.

Yui and Naoki’s story is told in a series of flashbacks which artfully essence of their romance and how it grew overtime. The two have their own quirks which makes their story even more interesting to see. Naoki’s death did not put a full stop to their romance for Yui was still getting to terms with all that was happening even after his untimely demise.

‘Why Didn’t I Tell You A Million Times?’ writes a heartfelt ode to what actually accounts as a goodbye when two lovers separate. Naoki and Yui’s romance was ill-fated but it does not mean it shouldn’t be celebrated. We are shown how Yui says her final goodbye to Naoki. In doing so, she bid adieu to the love she had for him. Keeping it like a treasured memory in her heart. She moves on in her life and also finds meaning in romance again.

Detective Yuzuru with all his delightful quirks and mannerisms adds a good balance to the story. Where Yui was the more emotional aspect, Yuzuru brought in the rational aspect to the story with his investigative skills and logical approach. The trio presented a fine balance and did not overshadow each other when they were sharing the screen space. Spanning just 10 episodes of fine storytelling and nostalgic tone to the story, ‘Why Didn’t I Tell You A Hundred Times?’ weaves a heartwarming web of human emotions and how one comes to deal with those.

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Know More about ‘Why Didn’t I Tell You A Million Times’

Why Didn’t I Tell You A Hundred Times stars Mao Inoue, Takeru Satoh and Kenichi Matsuyama in the lead roles. The drama premiered in Japan in January 2023 on TBS network and was later available worldwide via Netflix from May 12 2023 onwards. The drama is written by Naoko Adachi who is popularly known for dramas like Code Blue, Rich Man Poor Woman, among others. Yamamuro Daisuke and Kaneki Fuminori helmed the director’s hat for this drama. They are known for dramas like Jin and 99.9 Criminal Lawyer, respectively.

Why Didn’t I Tell You A Million Times – JAL Rating

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