Dorama of the Year 2013-III Summer - Naoki Hanzawa (2013)

Luck's run out already, so no more masterpieces, yet this little thing Naoki Hanzawa (2013) was impressive enough to win. 

1. The Legend of Kublai Khan (2013)  [建元風雲] (Finished 4/55) Tags: Historical, Political The series, spanning over 70 years, tells the story of Kublai Khan and the events leading to the founding of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty in China. Kublai was born in 1215 as a son of Tolui, the fourth son of Genghis Khan. At that time, Töregene, the wife of Ögedei (Tolui's third brother), sees Tolui as a threat to her. As Tolui gains more glory for his victories in battle, Töregene becomes worried whether her husband, Ögedei, will be selected by his father, Genghis Khan, as his successor. Besides, the young Kublai is deeply favoured by his grandfather, and this causes Töregene to feel uneasy. Ögedei eventually becomes the new Khan of the Mongol Empire, and Tolui is chosen to be regent. Töregene secretly poisoned Tolui to death. Tolui's sons, with their eldest brother Möngke as their leader, want to avenge their father. Töregene then accuses Möngke and his brothers of plotting a rebellion and wants to use the opportunity to eliminate Tolui's entire clan. At this critical point, Kublai and his mother, Sorghaghtani, manage to calm everyone down. Kublai and his family escape from Töregene's control and gradually build up their forces. Töregene later conjures a scheme and causes Ögedei's death, after which her son Güyük becomes the new Khan. Güyük is succeeded by Möngke, who entrusts his younger brother Kublai with important responsibilities. A few years later, after Möngke is killed in battle, Kublai and his brother Ariq Böke engage in a power struggle to seize the succession, which concludes with victory for Kublai. Kublai finally secured his position as Khan after defeating all his rivals, and he established the Yuan dynasty in China. Pretty good and coherent overall, but slow, unengaging, partially artificial and stupid even resembling Turkish series at times. With torn impression like this would not want to recommend it.   Overall Rating: 6/10

2. Woman (2013) [ウーマン] (Finished 3/11) Tags: Life, Drama, Family After unexpectedly losing her husband Shin, Koharu works hard to provide for her two children, Nozomi and Riku, despite facing financial hardships. When denied assistance at the social welfare office, Koharu reveals her estrangement from her mother Sachi, who left her and her father two decades ago. The welfare office contacts Sachi, who, surprising Koharu, expresses willingness to offer support. This revelation prompts Koharu to consider reuniting with her long-lost mother after two decades of estrangement. Disability, dire poverty, constant wailing... hoped that things would change after family reunion, and they indeed changed, but transformed into nitpicks and conflicts. Not enjoying the concept and actors here.   Overall Rating: 5/10

3. Asaki Yumemishi (2013) [あさきゆめみし] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Historical, Romance, Drama, Family In February, 1681, a large fire takes place at Hongo Maruyama. The fire spreads to Komagome. Due to the fire, Yoaya (a vegetable store) is burned down. Kihee is the owner of vegetable store Yaoya and he sends his only daughter Oshichi to stay at the Daijo-ji Temple until their store and home are rebuilt. At the temple, there are many children who have lost their homes and have no relatives to take care of them. Oshichi stays with these children. Oshichi then sees Kichisaburo, who works at the temple. Oshichi falls in love with him. Soon, her father's store and home is rebuilt and she must return home. Her father likes Kanzo, who works in their store. Kanzo is a hard working man. Her father has ideas that Oshichi will marry Kanzo, but Oshichi is in love with Kichisaburo.  Story is down to earth and lacks excitement for me.   Overall Rating: 5/10

4. Love Is Not for Sale (2012) [棋逢对手] (Finished 1/37) Tags: Business, Comedy, Romance The drama tells the story of several young people starting a career in a large supermarket, gradually entering the hypermarket and finally becoming a workplace inspirational story of office white-collar workers. Light romance fluff, total averageness.   Overall Rating: 5/10

5. Longmen Express (2013) [龙门镖局] (Finished 1/40) Tags: Comedy, Wuxia The series follows a group of workers at a delivery/security guard agency, where the workday consists of ego clashes, inappropriate behavior and action-packed comedy. I've got a measure for parody drama already - Brave Yoshihiko. This is not even close, plus I'd ban it for martial arts fights, anyway.   Overall Rating: 5/10

6. Machiisha Jumbo!! (2013) [町医者ジャンボ!! ] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Drama, Medical Masayoshi Tsuruda, known as Jumbo, returns to a small port city due to a loan given to the late director of the Baba Clinic. Soon, Masayoshi Tsuruda becomes the director at Baba Clinic. Nurse Asuka Baba works at the clinic. She is also the only child of the ex-director. Asuka is inexperienced with her job, but passionate and tender. Doctor Masayoshi Tsuruda and Nurse Asuka have arguments, while struggling to save patients. Usual rural doctor spiced up by legal high relations. Still no fun.   Overall Rating: 5/10

7. Dragon Gate (2013) [飛越龍門客棧] (Finished 1/15) Tags: Action, Thriller, Drama Qiu Mo Yu is an agent assigned to protect the president's daughter. Her father is suspected of colluding against the president in a terrorist attack. She is determined to prove her father's innocence by investigating the disappearance of the president. She and her lover, Zhou Huai An tackle the case but get involved with some shady characters - Jin Xiang Yu, who is the lady boss of the underworld and Xiao Dao who is a cop that might've gone rogue. Mo Yu and Huai An find themselves getting deeper into something that they never expected.. Taiwanese Action Thriller sucks same way as Korean ones.   Overall Rating: 5/10

8. Fah Jarod Sai (2013) [ฟ้าจรดทราย] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Action, Romance Michelle is a mixed orphaned girl who grew up in a convent. When she graduated from school, she followed her best friend Kasfiya to a distant desert kingdom called Hinfara to teach. As soon as they get there, Kasfiya is assigned to the palace to be a lady of the court (i.e. concubine) for King Admed, the ruler of Hinfara. It was foretold by the Royal fortune teller that the woman who will give birth to King Admed’s heir has arrived to Hinfara. Following traditional custom of the land, Sharif, the King’s beloved friend/royal officer will delivery that woman to King Admed. On the night of the delivery of Michelle to King Admed, Oman, a younger relative of King Admed, created a rebellious uprising and had King Admed executed in front of Sharif, a royal officer. Sharif was very devastated by the lost, he fought with the rebel army and fled with Michelle into the wide and open desert. Together Sharif and Michelle had to face the dry harsh elements of the desert landscape as they were being hunted down by Oman’s rebel army. Adventures of crazy Thai in the Middle East.   Overall Rating: 5/10

9. Legend of Hua Mulan (2013) [花木兰传奇] (Finished 1/48) Tags: Military, Historical, Drama, War A retelling of the story of the strong willed Hua Mu Lan, who ends up joining an all male army in place of her elderly father. It's kinda confusing to see another Mulan story just after Mulan story in previous season of 2013. Well, liked this one even less.   Overall Rating: 5/10

10. Goddess of Fire (2013) [불의 여신 정이] (Finished 1/32) Tags: Historical, Romance, Drama Joseon-era pottery was notable for its best quality and advanced baking method in the late 16th century. Baek Pa Seon, the woman of fire, was Joseon's first female potter and was regarded as the dojo of Shintaro porcelain. Crown Prince Gwang Hae loved her deeply but had to let her go. This TV series depicts her early life in Joseon instead of Japan, where a shrine is dedicated to her. Who's gonna be the greatest Korean potter? Well, why should I care... nothing here sparks interest.   Overall Rating: 5/10

11. Drama Special Series Season 3: Adolescence Medley (2013) [드라마 스페셜 연작 시리즈 - 사춘기 메들리] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Comedy, Romance, Life, Youth Choi Jung Woo is a transfer student in Namil High School. After transferring schools 7 times, Jung Woo learns it is easiest not to make friends! Fine school romance, but there's nothing out of the ordinary here, so can't call it a masterpiece.   Overall Rating: 6/10

12. Dao Kiao Duen (2013) [ดาวเกี้ยวเดือน] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Comedy, Romance, Drama Prakaidao (Dao) is a modern, independent career woman and a confirmed bachelorette looking to have a child through in vitro fertilization and without getting married. Chai Jan is both rich and attractive, but is also very focused on his career. He is a perfectionist and has impossibly high standards for a future wife, which is why he still remains single at 35. Dao starts searching for the best biological father for her child and finds that Chai Jan meets her exacting standards. She decides to become friends with him in order to verify his viability, but luck isn't on her side and through a series of unfortunate incidences he sees her as a troublesome woman and distrusts her. Will she manage to achieve her goal of having a child with Chai Jan without the entanglements of a relationship? Nice to see shift from ultra-conservatism to liberalism, but antics, situations and infantilism are still the same.   Overall Rating: 5/10

13. Naruyouni Narusa (2013) [なるようになるさ。] (Finished 2/11) Tags: Drama, Family Daigo Nagashima is about to retire from his company. He has a wife named Aya, and his children are already married. One day, Aya tells Daigo that she wants to open a "house restaurant," which she has dreamed about for a long time. This throws a curve into Daigo's plans to live peacefully after retirement, but he decides to support Aya's dream. Now, their house restaurant is set to open soon. Younger people, who each have their own stories, come to the restaurant to work. While Daigo talks to these younger people, he realizes how important the family is. When Daigo and Aya raised their own kids, Aya was the only one to take care of the children. Concept is pretty mundane, and I'm not fond of actors. They have to talk through every little thing, so it gets very tiresome for me. At the end of pilot two more characters showed up, so gave them a chance... but it did not work out. Not seeing selling points here while main heroine is straight irritating.   Overall Rating: 5/10

14. Little Daddy (2013) [小爸爸] (Finished 1/33) Tags: Comedy, Romance, Family  Boy returns from USA and learns about existence of father. Terrible in every single way.   Overall Rating: 5/10

15. Tenma-san ga Yuku (2013) [天魔さんがゆく] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Mystery, Horror, Comedy, Supernatural Domoto Tsuyoshi plays the lead character Tenma who has inherited the power to get into contact with spirits but is afraid of his ability to do that. Out of no choice, he has to take on the position of the president of an exorcism company. Kawaguchi Haruna and Minagawa Sarutoki will be Tenma's assistants in his "ghost-busting" missions. Serina will play an elder woman in the neighbourhood who chases Tenma around while Sato Jiro plays Tenma's late father who communicates with Tenma through his dreams. Supernatural, mystery, horror are just enough red flags to drop it early. And comedy is not great here either.   Overall Rating: 5/10

16. Secret Love (2013) [비밀] (Finished 1/16) Tags: Romance, Drama, Melodrama A man who does not believe in love falls for a woman who has been hurt by it. Min Hyeok is wealthy, with everything but a good personality. He’s been enraged and consumed by the need for revenge ever since he learnt his lover was the victim of a hit-and-run accident. Yoo Jeong takes the blame for her boyfriend, the actual driver at the time of the accident. In time, she will feel betrayed for having done so. Now in prison and in a state of despair, Jeong still refuses to give up on life entirely. Pathetic makjang with stupid revenge.   Overall Rating: 5/10

17. Suparburoot Look Poochai (2013) [สุภาพบุรุษลูกผู้ชาย] (Finished 1/16) Tags: Romance, Drama, Family This story is of a young man named Rung who grew up as a poor orphan. He is diligent and hard-working, doing everything he can to not only care for himself, but also to save money for eye surgery for Pinky, a blind girl whom he considers his sister. Whether or not they are well-off, or whether he is living in a cramped house or in the slums, he still maintains a positive attitude. Meanwhile, Rung crosses paths with the young and rich Praewa. Praewa is beautiful, a bit spoiled, but kind-hearted as well. When Praewa gets to know Rung, she tries to enlist his help in her family business. When many obstacles, including their past and social status come in their way, will their determination and love be enough to get them through? Looks as if it competes in boredom.   Overall Rating: 5/10

18. The Patriot Yue Fei (2013) [精忠岳飞] (Finished 1/69) Tags:  Action, Historical, Romance, Drama Yue Fei rose from lowly ranks to become a famous military commander who led the defense of Southern Song against northern Jin invaders before being wrongfully put to death by his own government. In Chinese culture even to this day, General Yue Fei's name is synonymous with the word "loyalty." Martial arts craze with flights, catching arrows with bare hands etc.   Overall Rating: 5/10

19. Ruby Ring (2013) [루비 반지] (Finished 1/93) Tags: Romance, Drama, Melodrama Ruby and Runa are twin sisters, whose characters are the opposite of each other. Ruby is the good and loving girl whose fiancé is Gyeong Min while Runa is selfish and a gold-digger. They come to live each others' life after their faces were swapped by a car accident. Gyeong Min, who doesn't have any clue about this, faces a tragic fate, receiving love from both at the same time, and In Soo, who is abandoned by his ex-girlfriend Runa, plans revenge to her. Psychotic main heroine is instant drop. Strange how this archetype is still not dead.   Overall Rating: 5/10

20. Naoki Hanzawa (2013) [半沢直樹] (Finished 2/10) Tags: Thriller, Business, Drama An idealistic banker takes on corruption and wrongdoing at his large corporate bank. While forging ties with some unlikely allies, he must use his financial expertise, his instincts about human nature, and his skills of improvisation to try to stay one step ahead of his powerful enemies. Almost all time was up in the 1st episode, so just wanted to see how they change pattern. But in the end it's just revenge detective with good actors, so just not my kind of show.   Overall Rating: 6/10

21. Dao Rueang (2013) [ดาวเรือง] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Comedy, Romance, Drama Jin is a newly enthusiastic, inexperienced Deputy (Bpalat) from Bangkok who gets stationed in the countryside. This particular village is a tough gig, not many Bpalats have survived it for more than a couple of months. But Bpalat Jin is up for the challenge. The village is still backwards in their ways and is run by a bunch of ruffians. There are two opposing groups, Poo Yai’s son and Dao Rueng, a tricky girl who is always trying to pick a fight with Jin. He gets entrenched in their warfare. But he is determined to improve the village and their regressive ways. Remakes of ancient lakorns are always bad.   Overall Rating: 5/10

22. Starman - This Star's Love (2013) [スターマン～この星の恋] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Mystery, Romance, Drama, Sci-Fi Sawako was dumped by her husband and since then she has raised her three sons alone. One day, she happens to meet a young man who is dying. She falls in love with him at first sight. The young man also suffers from memory loss. Sawako names him Hoshio. Taking advantage of his memory loss, she decides to make him live with her as the father of her three sons. Now, Sawako, her three sons, her grandmother and Hoshio all live together. Sawako hopes Hoshio never regains his memory. Hoshio also begins to develop feelings for her. Whenever Sawako has troubles, Hoshio helps her out with his mysterious ability. Hoshio's past is also mysterious. A mystery that is finally revealed.  Story is already not good, but Hirosue Ryoko makes it worse, not her kind of role.   Overall Rating: 5/10

23. The Firstborn (2013) [맏이 ] (Finished 1/54) Tags: Drama, Family A heartwarming story of a family, overcoming obstacles with the power of love. A family from the southern end of Korea has always been happy despite their poverty. However, a sudden accident strikes them and takes away the parents, leaving the five children alone. Without parents, they have to live through a harsh reality. The eldest, Yeong Sun, is only eleven years old, but she has to take care of her siblings and becomes a mother-figure. She soon focuses on nothing but family. However, irresistible love comes her way. Hesitant, Yeong Sun decides to give up on romance and live life as it used to be. Will she eventually regain her happiness? “The Eldest” depicts the very noble love of five siblings who have been abandoned by society, and the blossoming of a genuine romantic relationship. Longshot about rural orphan poverty? No, thanks.   Overall Rating: 5/10

24. Flowers in Fog (2013) [花非花雾非雾] (Finished 1/54) Tags: Music, Mystery, Romance, Drama Xue Hua (Snow), Huo Hua (Fire), Lang Hua (Water), and Yan Hua (Fog) are four childhood friends, bonded by their musical talents and a promise to never be separated. However, they are adopted into different families, scattering their paths. Sixteen years later, Ye Fan (formerly known as Huo Hua) hears that Xue Hua, now a singer called Angel in France, is suspected dead, with her ex-boyfriend and Music Academy principal, Qi Yuan, as the prime suspect. Ye Fan, seeking revenge and truth, enrolls in a French Music Academy, planning to seduce Qi Yuan's younger brother, Qi Fei. Yet, her intentions blur as she falls for Qi Fei. Conflicted between her mission and her emotions, Ye Fan returns to Shanghai to support her struggling family and search for her other two friends, Lang Hua and Yan Hua. Qi Fei follows her to Shanghai to compete in a Piano Championship, determined to win her back and uncover the truth about Angel's death. As secrets unravel, true love prevails, and Qi Fei and Ye Fan realize their connection, not only in music but also in life itself. So much silliness that I'm starting to confuse Chinese drama with Taiwanese one. Guess Taiwanese silliness is more cheerful and here we have more stupid silliness.   Overall Rating: 5/10

25. Garasu no Ie (2013)  [ガラスの家] (Finished 1/9) Tags: Business, Romance, Melodrama, Political When Tamaki Rei was a child, her parents died in an airplane accident in France. She grew up in a difficult environment, and money was always hard to come by. Now in her thirties, Rei visits the accident site where her parents died for the first time in twenty-three years. There she meets Shibusawa Kazunari who lost his wife in the same accident. Kazunari is a budget director for the Ministry of Finance. They fall in love and get married. Kazunari has two sons now grown. His first son, Hitoshi, follows in his footsteps and works in the Ministry of Finance. His second son, Kenji, graduated from law school and is now preparing for the bar exam. Because of Rei, who tries to get close to Hitoshi and Kenji, and her beautiful appearance, the Shibusawa family begins to have friction. Hitoshi is attracted to Rei. Rei begins to realize that what she wants from Kazunari is not love, but her late father's shadow. It's very slow, and I'm tired of it. Plus, concept is not extraordinary and there are only actors who I'm not familiar with. Overall, not enjoying this.   Overall Rating: 6/10

26. Cinderella Rong Tao Tae (2013) [ซินเดอเรลล่ารองเท้าแตะ] (Finished 1/15) Tags: Comedy, Romance Haan is a dowdy shoe sales associate at BKK Plaza, a department store that Khunchai’s family owns. Bue is a newly-hired sales associate working in the men’s undergarment department. By chance, Khunchai rescues Haan when she passes out in the restroom. Haan wants to thank him in person but she realizes that she will never get a chance to once she learns that he’s the son of the mall owner. Maprow and Mam, Haan’s coworkers and friends decided to help by giving Haan and makeover so she can attend Khunchai’s party. Haan finally gets to meet Khunchai once again but out of embarrassment, she lies about being a socialite named Honey. But before Haan can explain and thank him, a photographer takes a photo of them together. Out of fear of her secret being exposed, she leaves the party and Khunchai in a rush. As luck would have it, Khunchai has taken a like to Haan and wishes to date her. Haan cannot believe this since it has been her dream of leading a life like Cinderella. So with Bue’s and the rest of her friends’ help, Haan is able to keep pretending to be Honey. Too primitive and thus unwatchable... still.   Overall Rating: 5/10

27. Potato Star 2013QR3 [감자별 2013QR3] (Finished 1/120) Tags: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy, Sitcom Computer programmer Hong Hye Sung dreams of becoming the Korean Mark Zuckerberg. An astronomical phenomenon occurs. A comet that falls onto earth in 2013 and causes all sorts of weird things to start happening. Therefore, the troubling things happen to the Noh family and their neighbours. Just some mundane aimless SOL with horrible comedy in pilot and I could not care less about further 119 episodes.   Overall Rating: 5/10

28. Nang Rai Sai Lab (2013) [นางร้ายสายลับ] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Action, Comedy, Romance Zoe Surikarn is known as the number one nang’rai (villain actress) in the entertainment industry. Her on-screen personalities are complete opposites of her real-life ones. So when her best friend, a fellow actress named Ploynin who is secretly dating Naetarn, asks Zoe to help steal photos that will ruin Naetarn’s reputations from someone, she reluctantly agrees to do it. As luck would have it, Zoe runs into Inspector Naruebate who is at a stakeout trying to get leads on a major drug dealer, Mr. Richard. The item Zoe steals has drugs in it. In order to get off a drug possession and theft charges that will certainly ruin her reputation as an actress, she agrees to work for Inspector Naruebate as a spy and get close Mr. Richard by relying on her skills as an actress. Spy superagents with acrobatics is super cringy.   Overall Rating: 5/10

29. Pin to Kona (2013) [ぴんとこな] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Romance, Youth Kawamura Kyonosuke, the heir to the famous Kishima Kabuki family, has lost his passion for the art, giving lackluster performances that disappoint his father. Chiba Ayame, a high school girl who loves Kabuki, calls him out after one such performance, upset that he’s wasting her money. Coincidentally, they both attend the same school. Inspired by Ayame’s passion, Kawamura starts to take his Kabuki training seriously—and falls for her. But Ayame already has a childhood sweetheart who’s also a rising Kabuki star and Kawamura’s rival. Will he win her heart or his place in the Kabuki world? Not fond of kabuki or these actors. Normal rivalry love triangle manga of older fashion, so surprised manga only dates back to 2009.   Overall Rating: 5/10

30. Sword and Flower (2013) [칼과 꽃 ] (Finished 1/20) Tags: Action, Historical, Romance, Drama Knife and Flower, an action/spy/romance drama, is set in the Koguryo period. It is about how Moo Seol, the daughter of King Young Ryu, falls in love with Yeon Choong, the child Yeon Gaesomun had with a concubine. But Moo Young debates whether she should have her revenge, as Yeon Gaesomun is the man who killed her father. Yeon Choong, was born between a father of noble blood and a servant mother. Despite his talent, he finds he cannot rise higher in rank due to the fact that he is a concubine′s son. He is later ordered by his father to kill the person he loves, he defies his father’s orders to murder the daughter and travels between his love for his prey and his fealty towards his father. Martial arts spy bs - now with additional special effects !   Overall Rating: 5/10

31. Summer Nude (2013) [サマーヌード] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Food, Romance, Drama Asahi Mikuri‎ya works at a photography studio located near the sea. In the past, Asahi Mikuri‎ya dreamed of becoming a famous photographer, but now he is a cameraman for weddings and school events. Asahi Mikuri‎ya was also in love with a woman, but she suddenly left him. Natsuki Chiyohara‎ then appears in Asahi's life. Natsuki works as a manager at a well-known Italian restaurant in Tokyo. During the worst moment in her life, when her boyfriend dumps her, Asahi appears and even takes a picture of that moment. Natsuki begins work as a chef at the "House of Sea," located in the same seaside town where Asahi lives. Asahi's former senior classmate runs the restaurant. Natsuki and Asahi have their past in common, and they begin to get closer. Meanwhile, Taniyama is Asahi's former junior classmate. She holds feelings for Asahi.  Karina poorly fits her role here. Gourmet theme is repulsive as every. And story seems be light seaside one akin to Beach Boys, so not fun enough.   Overall Rating: 5/10

32. Kamen Teacher (2013)  [仮面ティーチャー] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Action, Youth, Drama Gota Araki begins work at a new high school. He is assigned to the school's notorious 2nd Year, Class C as their homeroom teacher. All of the students in Class C are violent delinquents, who have no respect for authority figures. Gota Araki quickly becomes acclimated with the students during his first day. He is beaten by his students, but he doesn't fight back. Gota Araki wants to breakthrough the student's tough outer shells, but he soon discovers that the students are more wounded than he could ever imagine. Gota Araki then turns to his mask. Will it take power or heart to change his students? School gang hierarchy vs tokusatsu action, so no good for me.   Overall Rating: 5/10

33. Madly in Love (2013) [열애] (Finished 1/47) Tags: Business, Romance, Family, Melodrama Kang Mu Yeol is a third-generation chaebol who has both the looks and wealth, seems to have it all on the outside, but grows up with family issues and pain from the loss of his past love, Han Yu Rim. Meanwhile, Han Yu Jeong is a diligent, bright, and very independent woman who has a tomboyish and unruly personality, which helped her overcome the sudden loss of her family. She is Han Yu Rim's younger sister and will get involved with Kang Mu Yeol 10 years later. Both Kang Mu Yeol and his half-brother Hong Su Hyeok will fall in love with Han Yu Jeong. But Mu Yeol and Yu Jeong are star-crossed lovers. Their tragic love story begins because of a tragedy involving their parents. How will they escape their dreary surroundings to succeed? Would block it before if recognized just another huge family longshot from the start.   Overall Rating: 5/10

34. Ton Ruk Rim Rua (2013) [ต้นรักริมรั้ว] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Comedy, Romance Who would have thought Nalin would be married 3 times? Not with any random guy but to her best friend Kob. He lives next door and they had been friend since childhood. First time, they got married to please his dying grandma. It only lasted 7 days. They got divorced right after grandma passed away. Many years passed. They were still best friends. Nalin needed to get married to somebody in order to get a promotion at work. She didn't have anybody. So she asked for his hand in marriage. This time it was different. He started to have feelings for her. But his move was too late because Nalin just fell in love with another guy. What is he gonna be: Her husband or her best friend? Still primitive, but slowly getting to the level of kdrama which is very low, too.   Overall Rating: 5/10

35. The King's Daughter, Soo Baek Hyang (2013) [제왕의 딸, 수백향] (Finished 1/108) Tags: Historical, Romance, Drama King Mu Ryeong was a Baekje king who oversaw a renaissance during his reign while also building his kingdom into a sea power. He had a hidden daughter called Soo Baek Hyang, who did not become a princess due to her evil half-sister, Seol Hee. But Baek Hyang showed deep filial piety to her father and was patriotic. She later became the leader of Bimun, a secret spy group that helped her country in war. She earned eternal recognition in the annals of Baekje history. As if mythical times aren't enough, there's also secret spy group and superpowers... so I absolutely don't get it why why watch this imaginary mess.   Overall Rating: 5/10

36. Her Legend (2013) [그녀의 신화] (Finished 1/20) Tags: Romance, Drama Jung Soo, orphaned young and mistreated by her uncle, loses her chance at adoption to her jealous cousin Seo Hyun. Despite growing up without money, education, or connections, Jung Soo becomes a talented, cheerful bag designer. She lands a job at a top fashion company, unaware that Seo Hyun also works there, still hiding the truth about the stolen adoption. Jung Soo clashes with Jin Hoo, the arrogant but capable director of the company, unaware of his identity at first. As they continue to butt heads, Jin Hoo finds himself drawn to her spirit and passion. Despite obstacles, Jung Soo refuses to give up on her dreams. Childhood segment, fashion, stupid tearjerkers ... don't leaver it a chance.   Overall Rating: 5/10

37. Castella (2013) [かすてぃら ] (Finished 1/5) Tags: Drama, Family Masashi, a 5th-grade student, lives in Nagasaki with his family: father Masato, mother Kiyoko, younger brother Shigeri, younger sister Reiko, and grandmother En. For the first time, Masato agrees to let Masashi have a birthday party at home, though both parents know it will be his last. Masashi enjoys the party, but later that night, Masato reveals they will have to move due to financial troubles. Can't stand autobiography works or similar - too boring for me.   Overall Rating: 5/10

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