Dorama of the Year 2003-I Winter - Bijo ka Yajuu

When there's no clear favorite, I just choose some decent non-remake Jdrama, and the only such one this season is Bijo ka Yajuu

1. Kou Kou Kyoushi 2003  [高校教師] (Finished 2/11) Tags: Romance, Life, Youth, Drama Hina, a student at Nikko High School, goes out one evening with her classmate Beniko. They get split up and Hina ends up in a strange meeting with a man named Ikumi in a game arcade. The next day, Ikumi turns up as the new teacher at her school. Ikumi doesn't seem to recognize Hina but the wheels of fate are slowly moving to reunite them in what is a passionate story of forbidden love. One of the main underlying themes of this drama is death. Another important theme is the struggle. Hina and Ikumi have in trying to realize the difference between love and dependence... or is there a difference? Not just a remake of the 1993 version; it takes place at the same school, but with different characters and situations. Why? Original was great, so why make a remake? That was my main intention to know. The possible answers are that they tried to perform better in a more complex setting and second answer is just to redo it for new generation of viewers who never saw original. What I see is that everything here is worse and even additional complexity is illogical and artificial. It should only work for those who did not watch original before, and it's hard to understand how someone can like it more than absolutelly natural and organic original.   Overall Rating: 6/10

2. Love Letter (2003)  [러브레터] (Finished 2/16) Tags: Romance, Drama, Melodrama As a young "orphan", Lee Woo Jin / Andrew received horrible treatment while growing up under the care of his aunt (father's sister). When his uncle (mother's brother), a priest, found out what happened, he took him under his wings. Growing up in the church orphanage, Andrew longed to become a priest. Years later, Jo Eun Ha came to live in the orphanage after her mother passed away. Although at first, Eun Ha was hostile to everyone, Andrew succeeded in becoming her friend, and the two became inseparable throughout their high school years. They rented a place of their own and became roommates after moving to the city to attend university. Eun Ha hides her feelings from Andrew, knowing that his goal is to become a priest. While in college, they made friends with Jung Woo Jin, who fell in love with Eun Ha. Andrew also discovered that he had feelings for Eun Ha. To complicate things, Jung Woo Jin's stepmother was actually Andrew's birth mother, who abandoned him to remarry. Will he choose love over priesthood? Typical early Korean stuff with unimpressive actors. Seriously boring.   Overall Rating: 5/10

3. Musashi (2003) [武蔵] (Finished 6/49) Tags: Action, Historical, Drama, Political Many are familiar with "The Book of Five Rings" which was written by Miyamoto Musashi in the 17th century. Musashi's treatise on strategy and the way to lead instantly became the business executive's bible when the translated version hit the bookstores more than three hundred years later. This is his story: Orphaned when he was not yet ten, Musashi grows up skilled in the martial arts. During the Battle of Sekigahara, he fights on the side of the losing Toyotomi forces but eludes the enemy as they hunt down the vanquished soldiers. He then spends years wandering the countryside mastering the sword. As his fame spreads throughout the nation, men seek him out to test their skills against him -- most notably Sasaki Kojiro who faces Musashi in the ultimate duel at Ganryujima. I don't consider it a taiga, really. It's more of historical ronin travel adventure with growing in skill and about countless dules. Even if it gets more political later on, it would be surface scratching, so decided to drop it.   Overall Rating: 5/10

4. All In  [올인 ] (Finished 6/24) Tags: Romance, Crime, Drama, Melodrama As a kid, all Kim In Ha ever did was follow his uncle around and help him cheat in gambling. As a high school student, he hung out with his friends at the basement of a theater. As Kim In Ha gets to know Choi Jeong Won, a model student and also the son of a very rich family, In Ha tries to tempt him into doing mischievous deeds. Both Kim In Ha and Choi Jeong Won falls in love with Min Soo Yeon and as they try to take revenge for Soo Hyun’s father, their life spirals into very different directions. Not fond of gangs, gamble and fate that keeps separating leads... got plenty of it here. Not fond of these leads either. Since it's 24 episodes, concept is very lousy, and hardly anything meaningful happens each episode. The overall quality is nice and there's not many irritations while some small details are nice, so can't put low score, but this is nowhere near masterpiece level.   Overall Rating: 6/10

5. Good Luck!! [グッドラック！] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Business, Romance, Life, Drama Having achieved his life-long dream of being a pilot, Hajime is first officer on an international jetliner and is now working to become a captain. He can't seem to please Captain Koda, who has become an exacting taskmaster since an air incident many years ago. To complicate matters, he begins a relationship with stubborn and straight-talking mechanic, Ayumi, whose parents died many years ago in the plane crash for which Captain Koda feels he is responsible. What follows is a story of 21st century love, dreams, and passion. Don't remember any good story about piloting, so such concept is rather a minus for me. Struggled through first episode, to be honest, just flight banalities presented as something worthy.   Overall Rating: 5/10

6. Itsumo Futari de  [いつもふたりで] (Finished 4/11) Tags: Romance, Drama Tanimachi Mizuho has big dreams of living in Daikanyama and becoming a famous writer. In the middle of the winter, this strong-willed 26-year-old moves to Tokyo from the snowy countryside. Never doubting her ability, she keeps telling herself that if her desire to realize her dreams is strong enough, they will come true. What is waiting for her in Tokyo though, is something altogether different. Morinaga Kenta is an up-and-coming variety program scenario writer. Kenta moved to Tokyo five years ago, and with luck on his side, he became well-known in no time. Kenta and Mizuho are from the same hometown, and were friends growing up, but their friendship never blossomed into anything else. "Hachiko," as Kenta was known as when he was growing up, just goes with the flow and doesn't really have any big aspirations for himself. These two, who aren't having much luck with work or with their love lives, suddenly run into each other one day in Tokyo in the middle of winter. Being 26 is a tough point in life because it's too late to think of new dreams, but on the other hand, it's too late to abandon old ones... It's so unserious and immature that it pains me to watch it, actually.   Overall Rating: 5/10

7. Sky High (2003)  [スカイハイ] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Action, Horror, Drama, Supernatural The horror series is adapted from a popular manga series written by Tsutomu Takahashi, each episode directed by a famous director. Izuko, the gatekeeper of the "Gate of Rancor" (a gate between this world and the afterlife), the destination for all assassinated people, listens to the tragic tales of murder victims and gives to the dead three choices: give up their hatred to reach the paradise and to reappear; refuse to accept their death and haunt the world of the living as a spectrum; or be avenged by maudissant and killed alive, then to go down to the hells. Pretty sure that supernatural horror actions are made primarily for teens. It leaves me indifferent.   Overall Rating: 5/10

8. Snowman  [눈사람] (Finished 3/17) Tags: Romance, Drama Although at first unwillingly, Seo Yun Wook and Han Pil Seung later become the best of sister/brother-in-law. They depend on each other for help, trouble, and fun. Seo Yun Jung, Pil Seung's wife, is grateful at the happy relationship, but things go astray when Wook grows a greater affection for Seung. When Wook confesses her feelings for Seung, the two start to grow apart. Although they later end up in the same police department, they try hard to avoid each other, and Jung starts to realize the reason why. Cha Sung Joon is Wook's friend and the son of a rich hotel owner. Although he knows that Wook likes her brother-in-law, he never gives up his feelings for her. Things seem to turn out alright when Wook starts to date Cha and forget about Seung , but her sister Jung dies. The dangerous yet innocent love for her brother-in-law puts Wook in a terrible situation...how is love different in a family? Watchable, but since main heroine is absolutely irrational teen who cannon control her emotions, it's quite a pain to watch with all those constant wailings.   Overall Rating: 6/10

9. Thousand Years of Love [천년지애] (Finished 2/20) Tags: Romance, Fantasy More than a thousand years ago from the present time, Puyeoju is the Baek Jae Empire's princess. Unlike other princesses, she is active and skilled in the arts and in sports. When the Baek Jae Empire crumbles due to a spy, Kum Hwa, she runs away with her bodyguard General Guishil Ari and falls in love with him in the meanwhile. The new conquerer, Kim Yu Suk, is also in love with the princess but only receives hate in return. In a desperate attempt to win her, he kills Ari, but the princess runs away and jumps off a cliff to kill herself. While falling, she travels more than one thousand years into the future, which is our present time of 2003. Only she remains who she is, and she encounters Ari, an aimless fashion designer, Kang In Chul, with a warm heart and bad temper. Although he is annoyed at her ignorance of the present world, he comes to fall in love with the princess again. Fujiwara Tatsuji is the son of the Fujiwara dynasty and once again is mysteriously attracted to the princess. Only she knows the past that holds all three of them together, but will things become an exact replica of the situation back then? Time travel is one of my least favorite tropes. Still, the outcome is slightly better than expected, so giving it a raise. But overall not interested in it in the least.   Overall Rating: 6/10

10. Toshishita no Otoko  [年下の男] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Romance, Melodrama Yamaguchi Chikako (30) is a woman who's longing for love and marriage. Because of her 30 years of age, she's finding it more difficult to find a man who will marry her. Her brother Taku (22), who's still attending law school, hangs out with his best friend Kengo (22) and his girlfriend Asami (19). Kengo is in love with Chikako, but she keeps turning him down (who would want to date a man eight years her junior?) Hanae (51), Chikako's mother, is also looking for love, seeing she's not getting it from her husband Mitsuru (51). With both Chikako and Taku grown up and basically self-sufficient, Hanae finds herself alone, "over the hill" and un-attractive. Within the first episode alone, the entire storyline is set in place. At the local gym, Chikako meets up with Izaki Shun (43), an advertising executive. Right out of the gate, she's in love with Shun. Outside of the gym, she asks Shun to marry her. Shun immediately responds her with a NO. He didn't even think about it! The next day, Shun visits a bento shop, where he runs into Hanae. Hanae manages the shop. Shun is intriqued by Hanae, so he asks her out to dinner. A bowl of shark fin soup for dinner at a fancy restaurant, and by the end of the night she's counting ceiling tiles. What makes the story interesting is that Hanae has no knowledge of Chikako's relationship with Shun, and Chikako doesn't know that Hanae is having an affair with Shun. But like other Japanese dramas, a town is only so small, right? Toshishita no Otoko is about older women who are seeking purpose in their lives. The series is also about a family of four who each keep even the darkest of secrets to themselves, while living under the same roof. When the truth about everything finally surfaces, it's like the old saying: When it rains, it pours! Can't currently find in full, so only watched a sample episode. And since it's a typical love square melodrama full of agism and with no great characters, it does not stretch beyond medoicrity for me.   Overall Rating: 5/10

11. Yoiko no Mikata  [よい子の味方 〜新米保育士物語〜 (よいこのみかた しんまいほいくしものがたり) ] (Finished 1/9) Tags: Youth, Drama Ask any nursery-aged little girl what she wants to be when she grows up, and she's bound to say nurse, florist, or ballerina. Ask any nursery-aged little boy what he wants to be when he grows up, and he's bound to say policeman, fireman, sports player, or pilot. As for 20-year-old young man Taiyo Suzuki, however, he's had different aspirations all his life. Moved by his elderly nursery school teacher, Taiyo decided then and there that he too, would also become one. Now, having passed the nursery school teacher examination, bright-eyed and eager Taiyo is out to make his mark in a totally female-dominated world. Posted at the Himawari Nursery School to cover for another teacher on maternity leave, Taiyo has but a few short months to prove himself to the female teachers and children's mothers who are arrayed against him that he is every bit as capable as the women. And more importantly, along the way, he'll make his mark with his sparkle and energy to be a true best friend to the children at the school as well. Still not interested in problems of kindergarten/elementary school children and their nurses.   Overall Rating: 5/10

12. Koi wa Tatakai! [恋は戦い! ] (Finished 2/11) Tags: Comedy, Romance A comedy featuring three single women working hard in a big city and one love counselor who gives them glimpse of their true feelings toward love, marriage, relationship, and ultimate happiness. The game of "love" begins with a gong!! Equal focus on several heroines is always a minus in my experience. Love is battle concept is terrible. The result is as expected.   Overall Rating: 5/10

13. Into the Sun  [태양속으로] (Finished 2/20) Tags: Comedy, Romance, Drama Lieutenant senior Kang Seok-min(Kwon Sang-woo) joined the navy to follow in his dead father's footsteps, with the dream of becoming an admiral. At the hospital where Seok-min's sister, Soo-jin(Kim Jung-hwa), a young doctor who is still an intern, Seok-min runs into Hae-rin, a female doctor at the hospital. He tries to get close to Hye-rin(Myung Sae-bin) but she has shut others out since her boyfriend from college died. Hae-rin's senior from the medical school Seung-ha, who is also the son of the director of the hospital, has been in love with Hae-rin since the college days. However, he could only love her from afar since his friend confessed his love first. After the death of his friend, Seung-ha plays the role of a guardian for Hae-rin, but only to win her love. Seok-min's honest and yet impulsive behavior throws Hae-rin off. Nevertheless, ever since Seok-min gets involved in a critical situation on the naval base Hae-rin finds her heart drawn to Seok-min... Indigestable mess with repulsively stupid personalities.   Overall Rating: 5/10

14. Crystal Boys  [孽子] (Finished 1/20) Tags: Romance, Life, Youth, Drama Taipei in the 1970s was a very intolerant place for homosexuals. This story is about a young man named A Qing whose family cut him off because of his sexual orientation. I'd block it if it was tagged BL, but, sadly, it was not. First episode is total misery with everyone constantly wailing or fighting or some amateur musical sounds tearing the ears. Nothing happens during first hour at all - just atmosphere of 70s... for me it's a waste of time.   Overall Rating: 5/10

15. Bijo ka Yajuu  [美女か野獣] (Finished 3/11) Tags: Comedy, Romance This drama pits two protagonists against each other. On the one hand there's Makoto, a woman who believes that the TV program is a product and that viewer ratings are the proceeds, and who believes any method is fair in getting those ratings. On the other hand there's Hiromi, a flashy sort of guy who claims that life is to enjoy and boasts that the program is simply a tool in that process. He loves wine, women and gambling. Such a pair is bound to mix like oil and water, but following a fateful reunion, they come to understand each other in the midst of confrontation. It's so similar with Tabloid - just looking for new scoop each time and correcting actions due to circumstances upon seizure. Main difference is participation of Takamiya Makoto, but that alone is not worth a masterpiece, and it does not entertain or grasp me in any way as a whole.   Overall Rating: 6/10

16. Country Princess [위풍당당 그녀] (Finished 2/17) Tags: Romance, Life, Drama Two girls with a twisted fate, born on the same day, Lee Eun Hee and Lee Keum Hee live their lives as sisters. Living a life of poverty with their family, kind and considerate Eun Hee sacrifices her educational chances to better herself for her older sister Keum Hee. Eun Hee's true identity unbeknownst to her, one day a wealthy older man comes to their home requesting the return of his long lost granddaughter. Due to an accident that caused the death of her husband, in spitefulness, the girls mother returns the wrong granddaughter to the older wealthy man and leaves the real granddaughter in a life of struggling and hardship. Freaking hate this constant misery circle. All these negative emotions mean only one score.   Overall Rating: 5/10

17. Age of Warriors [무인시대 (武人時代)] (Finished 2/158) Tags: Military, Historical, Drama, Political This drama is set in a tumultuous time in Korean history, where warriors led by Jung Joong Bu, Lee Ui Bang, Lee Go and Chae Won rose in rebellion against King Ui Jong of Goryeo and his government, dominated by scholars and ministers, with the aim of establishing military rule. I hoped to see something like Sengoku period. What I see is ridiculously silly parody when palace intrigants belittle warriors so much that they rebel. Pacing is so dreadful that even if becomes something ok'ish, it's not worth it.   Overall Rating: 5/10

18. The Story of a Noble Family (2003)  [金粉世家] (Finished 1/40) Tags: Romance, Drama Jin Yan Xi, a young man from an influential family, falls in love with a girl called Leng Qing Qiu, who comes from a poor background. They continue to date even though the difference in their respective social statuses prevents them from being together. Bai Xiu Zhu, a girl from another affluent family, also falls in love with Yan Xi, who rejects her and goes on to marry Qing Qiu. However, Yan Xi's restlessness, spoiled personality and boredom with life after marriage prompt him to have an extramarital affair with Xiu Zhu. He eventually breaks up with Qing Qiu and leaves her and his newborn son so that he can accompany Xiu Zhu to Germany. When the house where Qing Qiu and his son lived catches fire, Yan Xi thinks that they have died, and he collapses in sorrow and regret. However, Qing Qiu and their son actually survived. Yan Xi tries to find Qing Qiu at the train station and imagines himself hugging her. Qing Qiu is actually near him on a southbound train. Yan Xi gives up and boards a train heading in the opposite direction after seeing that there is nothing left for him at home (his family is breaking up since his father had been robbed of his wealth and died). The once loving couple now parted ways and never saw each other again. Historical tag is missing here as time is between world wars, and I have not seen good drama during this period yet. Quality is fine, but for it's super boring, plus it looks like it's only partially translated.   Overall Rating: 5/10

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