Asian Drama

The 49th NHK Taiga drama is Ryoma den, set back in the Bakumatsu period. The story focuses on the life of Sakamoto Ryoma, who lived from 1835 to 1867. He was an important leader in the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa Bakufu, eventually bringing about the Meiji Restoration. He was also one of the founders of modern day Japanese navy through incorporation of western technology, which proved to be a force to be reckoned with during the revolution.

The Kumagawa Hospital which is located in the outskirts of town. Ogami Runa joined as a nursing staff 2 weeks ago. One night, with the lights all turned low, her fellow colleague, Suzuki Ayako is terrified out of her wits when a woman dressed in a school uniform (sailor) with blood dripping all over her, appears before her. A few days later, Runa's childhood friend, Sakai Manami who works at a movie production company, calls her out for a meet-up. Ever since she was a child, when she saw the ghost of her dead schoolmate, Runa realises that she could sense and see the ghosts around her. Bullied by her other classmates, Manami is the only one who had befriended her. Due to her ability, Runa always tries to ignore talks of ghosts sightings by other nurses and patients. Amidst all these, the medical intern Kumagawa Asahi, whose father owns the hospital, has a strange fascination with the mysterious old hospital wing's top floor. One night, Runa goes to the old hospital wing to fetch some supplies, and she hears a voice calling out her name. Entranced, Runa follows the sound and goes up to the top floor. She bumps into the wall at the end of the corridor, and the sound seems to come from within. Perplexed, Runa stands there contemplating the wall, when all of a sudden, a door appears before her eyes... ~ TBS

Ryoma ga Kuru

The 38th NHK Taiga Drama is Genroku Ryoran. The "Forty-seven Loyal Samurai" is one of the most enduring and best loved stories of Japan's history. Generations have grown up hearing the stirring tale of Oishi Kuranosuke, chief councillor of the Ako clan who leads his men through suffering and hardship to ultimately avenge their lord after he is unjustly forced to commit harakiri. NHK's 38th Taiga Drama "Genroku Ryoran" is the ambitious remake of this classic epic and boasts a cast that reads like a Who's Who in Japanese entertainment.

“Jo Mi Ryo” is a drama about Mi Ryo who escapes city life and goes to the island of Anbin for a month to heal from reality. At the island, she sets up a restaurant called Mi Ryo’s Kitchen. The drama will depict diverse island life that is not completely leisurely and relaxed.

The program mainly focuses on "Social Dining", which is what was lacking a lot following an increase in small families and single families. Kang Ho Dong, the main protagonist of the show, has only been eating together with friends he knew for many years throughout his entertainment career and thought he has been tired of it. He rarely had meals together with other casts of his other programs. He attempts to reunite with his old friends and get to know new friends through his own cooking.

The casts and guests invited for this program mostly have experience in cooking or living alone and they will each whip up a dish based on their own recipe(s) that they want to share.

Starting from episode 4, there is a semi-fixed segment in the program titled "Kkura Show", which besides allowing Sakura Miyawaki to strengthen her Korean, she can get to learn hosting, variety skills and interviewing skills under the guidance of Kang Ho Dong.

The program mainly focuses on "Social Dining", which is what was lacking a lot following an increase in small families and single families. Kang Ho Dong, the main protagonist of the show, has only been eating together with friends he knew for many years throughout his entertainment career and thought he has been tired of it. He rarely had meals together with other casts of his other programs. He attempts to reunite with his old friends and get to know new friends through his own cooking.

The casts and guests invited for this program mostly have experience in cooking or living alone and they will each whip up a dish based on their own recipe(s) that they want to share.

Starting from episode 4, there is a semi-fixed segment in the program titled "Kkura Show", which besides allowing Sakura Miyawaki to strengthen her Korean, she can get to learn hosting, variety skills and interviewing skills under the guidance of Kang Ho Dong.

After making a serious mistake in his work in Tokyo, talented surgeon Goto Kensuke is invited to take charge of the only clinic on the small island of Yonaguni, Okinawa. It is difficult to get competent doctors to serve on this remote island, and the islanders are now used to traveling for hours via boat for proper medical care. Despite seeming weak and unreliable (he gets very seasick, and does not have a driving license), he wins over the skeptical islanders with his skill and dedication. Some children of the island make a flag for his clinic, but get his name wrong. Thereafter he is known by all as Koto.

It is New Year’s Day in 1904 (Meiji 37). The Akiyamas of Fukui Prefecture, led by the father, Shuzo, are filled with hope. The eldest son, Shutaro, who has his sights set on becoming a lawyer, has returned home. His only worry is his 16-year-old second son, Tokuzo. Shuzo’s anxiety proves right. Tokuzo is expelled by the temple where he was training to be a monk. Amidst the new year celebrations, Tokuzo is carried into the house in an unconscious state. The Akiyamas fret that he maybe dead, but according to the monk who brought him over, he had debased a monk’s grave in a graveyard while drunk on alcohol. Concerned about the future of his son who gives up on whatever he does easily, Shuzo arranges for Tokuzo to be taken into the Takahamas of Sabae who run Matsumaeya, a kelp wholesale business. Tokuzo thus begins a new life as the husband of the family’s eldest daughter, Toshiko. It is surprisingly easy for him to get accustomed to the job of a kelp wholesaler. Tokuzo is able to distinguish the kelp from different places of origin with his keen sense of smell, and even Toshiko’s father, Kinnosuke who is the owner of the business, gives Tokuzo due respect. Tokuzo gradually fits into the Takahamas, and a smile event appears on Toshiko’s face. Then one day, Tokuzo’s interest is aroused by an indescribable smell wafting out from the kitchen while out on a delivery to the Sabae regiment. In the kitchen, Sergeant Tanabe Yukichi, who has been preparing ingredients that Tokuzo has never seen before, is about to cook meat, which is not part of the dietary habits of the prefecture. Unable to suppress his excitement, Tokuzo continues to watch Tanabe’s cooking with great interest. With some encouragement from Tanabe, he takes a bite of the freshly-fried cutlet and is jolted in a way he has never experienced since he was born. This is the moment that changes Tokuzo’s life. After that day, he starts to lie about making sales pitches, and takes lessons in cooking from Tanabe at the Sabae regiment. He does not grow tired of the food, which he has never seen and eaten, and feels happiness for the first time in his life. This motivates him to have the impossible dream of becoming a chef of Western cuisine. In order to achieve this dream, Tokuzo goes to Tokyo to get a fresh start. He has to face numerous challenges which fuel his growth. He travels to Paris in France for training, which is rare for a Japanese in those times. Battling discrimination and prejudice, he becomes the chef of the grand Hotel Ritz, and eventually takes charge of the Emperor’s kitchen as the chief steward of the Imperial Household Department at the young age of 26. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, he struggles to find out what he can do for his country and mounts diplomacy with food.

Kim Jun Hee, a member of the immensely popular five-membered band, Indigo AREA, has suffered setbacks and deep wounds, and now her boyfriend, the vocalist, suddenly announces that he is leaving the band.

The story depicts the process of Jun Hee escaping from her narrow world of values, regaining her music, and becoming a strong "human being," while also finding the connections that are essential to survive. A new slice-of-life story of healing and courage.

Takeuchi Miharu (Maya Miki) is a capable lawyer with a law firm in Nagoya who gets to handle a divorce case assigned by their head Mizuno Toyohiko (Tachi Hiroshi). Gohara Naoki (Yoshizawa Hisashi), the president of the company, wants to divorce his wife Nobue (Kone Hana) who left their 5-year-old son behind and moved out. Nobue does not want to give up her child. The case seems to complicate Miharu because she had experienced divorce too and was deprived of custody of her daughter Kanae, who she has not seen in 10 years. She hesitantly starts working on the case but gradually gets absorbed in it.

While she is the husband’s attorney, the solution she offers reflects Nobue’s feelings. This offends the client company and the law firm’s advisory contract is terminated. She resigned.

Nobue arrives with the twin sisters. She believes they can count on Miharu who identified with her own divorce issues. Miharu does all in her power to try to pull the twins’ broken family together. She got convinced to start a divorce counselling centre. On the day of the opening of ‘Takeuchi Harumi Divorce Counselling Centre’, a young lady stares at the signboard of the centre with a surly expression. She is Miharu’s daughter, Kanae (Taketomi Seika), who is now an adult.

The daughter of Detective Shibasaki Sachio from the First Investigation Division is found stabbed to death. He goes after the truth with Kawasumi Shigekatsu, a junior detective who respects Shibasaki as his mentor in life and is a close family friend. However, the hard work of the police is in vain and the case goes unsolved. 15 years later, Shibasaki is retired and quietly spending the rest of his life looking after his wife Miwako who is seriously ill. The situation begins to change with the establishment of a unit specializing in re-investigating unsolved cases. Kawasumi also joins them and while the case is reexamined, a man regarded as the criminal emerges. Shibasaki pursues the truth on his own. A single phone call triggers a desire for vengeance and he winds up facing a charge.

Adapted from the novel "Ryoba no Ono" (両刃の斧) by Takeaki Daimon (大門剛明).

The beautiful mystery buff Umizuki Chinami and career elite has been assigned to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigative Division as a rookie detective. However, on her first day of work, she is told that she is not in their future plans. Chinami ends up partnered with the handsome detective Shitara Kyosuke who has a black belt in karate. The First Investigative Division’s ace, Kyosuke had a promising future until he winds up having the blundering Chinami as his partner. Even though the two of them are scolded by veteran detectives and made to feel like a burden, this curious duo confront and solve difficult cases, and save Japan. ~~ Based on original work 'Senryokugai Sousakan Hime Deka Umizuki Chinami' by Nitadori Kei.

Set within a hospital, located on the outskirts of town, mysterious phenomenons occur in sequence around a nurse. The nurse is suspected as the cause for some horrible cases and finds herself in danger.

A story about Oh Ja Ryong, a gregarious and good-natured fellow who stands up to his conniving brother-in-law, Yong Seok, who plots to steal the estate of his wife’s family. By juxtaposing Oh Ja Ryong’s pure heart and devotion to his wife with Yong Seok’s greed and superficial love towards his wife.

Positive and daring in character and always living her life to the fullest, Urara is a 19 year old girl who lives in Japan’s smallest prefecture, Kagawa. On her birthday, she learns that her father who she thought had died 15 years ago is alive somewhere in Tokyo. Urara cannot withhold her yearning to go look for him and withdraws her entire life savings to hop on a bus to head to the big city. But on her first day in Tokyo, Urara realizes that her entire fortune is robbed by a pick-pocket! Broke, homeless, and without a vision, Urara wanders about and meets a woman who introduces her to Takuya, a middle-aged lawyer and bachelor. Something about the man is remarkably familiar to Urara and she gasps in shock, “DAD!?” After their coincidental reunion, Urara’s benevolent curiosity does not stop her from wanting to find out more about her estranged father who urges her to go back to her small home town. Soon, Urara sees that Takuya is being preyed upon by several young and attractive bachelorettes. Innately meddlesome in nature, Urara makes it her duty to see that her father is not played a fool. In her simplistic thinking, Urara decides to move in with Takuya...though totally uninvited! Tokyo Zenryoku Shojo is a drama of a young woman searching for her space in this world while depicting a split family that tries to regain its lost time together in modern day Tokyo. --NTV

Sezaki Kota is a young doctor who runs a boat clinic, Kaishinmaru, that plies the Seto Inland Sea islands. Kota is a very capable doctor, but he has one big flaw... he falls for women easily. He romances each island's madonna when they come to him seeking treatment. However, his efforts at romancing them seem to fail each time, and thus with tears streaming, he sets off for the next island; Ever in search of a true love.

Kitada Gaku is gifted in mathematics. He dreamed of becoming a mathematician, but he gave up on his dream. He now spends his days without purpose. One day, he happens to meet a genius chef named Asakura Kai. Asakura Kai leads Kitada Gaku into the culinary world. Kitada Gaku soon joins Asakura Kai's two star restaurant K, where talented chefs from all around the world work together and learn together. There, Kitada Gaku also learns about cooking and develops his own recipes derived from mathematical thought.

(Source: AsianWiki)

Adapted from the manga series "Fermat no Ryori" (フェルマーの料理) by Kobayashi Yugo (小林有吾).

Episodes: 10

Duration: 54 min.

Aired On: Friday

National Theatre celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006. In January 2007, the theatre begins its 51st year with “Asakusa Fukumaru Inn,” a new drama where every episode is self-inclusive, set in an old-line inn in Asakusa. Fukumaru Daikichi, the owner of Fukumaru Inn is played by Nishida Toshiyuki. The inn has been in business for over 60 years, and Daikichi is its third owner. Known as “nosy Dai-san” from people of Asakusa, Daikichi pries into the affairs of others and ends up making matters worse. As social conditions change, his inn business faces difficult situation, but he cannot help but stop being nosy. In each episode, various guest actors/actresses appear to take the key role sometimes as a guest to the inn or as a someone Daikichi meets in the neighborhood area. Exchanges between guest actors/actresses and Dakichi will definitely make the viewers cry and laugh in all episodes.

National Theatre celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006. In January 2007, the theatre begins its 51st year with “Asakusa Fukumaru Inn,” a new drama where every episode is self-inclusive, set in an old-line inn in Asakusa. Fukumaru Daikichi, the owner of Fukumaru Inn is played by Nishida Toshiyuki. The inn has been in business for over 60 years, and Daikichi is its third owner. Known as “nosy Dai-san” from people of Asakusa, Daikichi pries into the affairs of others and ends up making matters worse. As social conditions change, his inn business faces difficult situation, but he cannot help but stop being nosy. In each episode, various guest actors/actresses appear to take the key role sometimes as a guest to the inn or as a someone Daikichi meets in the neighborhood area. Exchanges between guest actors/actresses and Dakichi will definitely make the viewers cry and laugh in all episodes.

Akiyama Shuntaro (Ryusei Ryo), a fourth year university student who attends a third-rate university in Tokyo, has had a good upbringing and skillfully overcomes everything with his tact and charm. Because his father is a member of the board of...

February 2006, Shikina Island. Dr. Koto is riding his bicycle to visit his patients. He is told by one of them that Takehiro-one of the boys who was brought up on this island-has passed the entrance exam for a junior high school in Tokyo. The island is filled with excitement at the wonderful news. Meanwhile, the island's only nurse, Ayaka, is in Tokyo. She said that she is going to attend a rehabilitation seminar. But actually, she has gone to Tokyo for a medical examination... -

The story focuses on the relationships of Kasumi Kishimoto, a high school student. When she enters Myōjō High School, she moves into her aunt's boarding house, where four boys attending the high school are tenants. Despite her steadfast determination to stay loyal to her boyfriend, who is studying abroad, Kasumi finds herself slowly falling in love with one of the boarders, Yūsaku

Yue Qian Ling has had a crush on Gu Xun for a very long time, She finally confessed her feelings for him as he was about to graduate, but it ends in a rejection.

A disheartened Yue Qian Ling vents her frustration in game and takes 18 heads. Her gaming friend notices and shows concern. He is secretly happy to learn that she was turned down because he has been crushing on her for a long time even without meeting in person. Who would've thought that his crush is actually Yue Qian Ling whom he rejected earlier in the day.

(Source: ChineseDrama.info)

Adapted from the novel "Bie Dui Wo Dong Xin" (别对我动心) by Qiao Yao (翘摇).

Episodes: 24

Airs On: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Tokuzo Akiyama is a young man from a rural area who is married with a child along the way. One day, he eats a delicious breaded cutlet which inspires him to strive to become a chef, specializing in Parisian cuisine. He travels to Tokyo, then Paris, France to learn the culinary arts. Despite facing discrimination and prejudice, he becomes a chef at the Hotel Ritz in Paris. At the age of 26, he becomes the Emperor of Japan’s personal chef.

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After Satoru Watarai graduated from elementary school, he dropped out of school and decided to live within his apartment complex, never to venture outside. Satoru Watari then meets his old friends as they are coming back from their middle school classes. Satoru has now gotten a job at a cake shop within the apartment complex and eventually gets engaged to one of his friends. Satoru, still lives within the apartment complex only, but, as time passes, more of his friends leave ...

The Japanese 38th South Pole research expedition team are at the Dome base. Located 1,000 km away from the main Showa base at an altitude of 3,800 m, it is called the most inhospitable place on earth with an average temperature of -54 deg Celsius. No living thing or even a virus can survive in such an environment. Three of the seven-member expedition team are researchers and the remaining four are support personnel. However, they are common men who have to live together in the confined space of the Dome base for one year. The only joy they can speak of is the time when everyone eats delicious food. There is little else except starkness, oppressiveness, stress, anxiety, apprehension of living in such extreme conditions with nowhere to escape to and no one to rely on besides fellow team members.

Based on the hit South Korean movie, My Sassy Girl, the character backgrounds and plot details will be changed for the drama. While the protagonists in the original film were college students, this time the pair will be a marine biology professor, Masaki Saburo, and Takami Riko, an aspiring writer

Takeuchi Ryoma suddenly gets a break from filming dramas and movies and visits a spice shop. After he tells the female owner that he wants to make a spice curry, she coaches him on the spices. The two of them end up making curry together. Then a man (Shibukawa Kiyohiko) arrives at the shop all of a sudden