Drama season: winter 2013

~JAPAN~

Shitsuren Chocolatier

Trailer
Date: From 9.00 p.m., Mondays, 13 January 2014
Station: Fuji TV
Scriptwriter: Adachi Naoko (Oh! My Dad, Rich Man, Poor Woman, Taisetsuna Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshietekureta)
Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Ishihara Satomi, Mizukawa Asami, Mizobata Junpei, Mizuhara Kiko, Arimura Kasumi, Sato Ryuta, Takenaka Naoto, Kato Shigeaki, Mashima Hidekazu
Synopsis: 20-year-old Koyurugi Sota (Matsumoto Jun) who attends a confectionary school fell in love at first sight with his senior Takahashi Saeko (Ishihara Satomi) during high school days. Like a wish come true, he is in a relationship with her now. After a lot of effort, they started dating right before Christmas. However, Saeko says she cannot meet Sota on Valentine’s Day which they should have commemorated together. He manages to see her on the eve of Valentine’s Day, but she will not accept the chocolates he has made for her with all his heart, knowing that she loves them. In addition, he is even told that she did not mean to date him. However, the single-minded Sota is not discouraged. Resolving to become a chocolatier to make Saeko pay attention to him again, he goes over to France alone. After training for five years, he returns to Japan and converts his father’s (Takenaka Naoto) patisserie Tokio to Chocolate La Vie. Saeko is marrying a much older man (Mashima Hidekazu) by this time. Even so, Sota does not give up. Because she loves the chocolates from the chocolatier Ricdor, he initially views the owner and chef Rokudo Seinosuke (Sato Ryuta) as his rival. However, he gets fascinated by the unique way in which Rokudo looks at the world and makes him his goal. On the other hand, Sota meets a model Kato Erena (Mizuhara Kiko) who also has a one-sided love for another man. They identify with each other due to their similar circumstances, get physically involved and become sex friends.
Why: Let's hope all together that Jun won't play his usual douche, full of himself character. As always I don't know what to expect from his dramas: it could be awesome (Natsuniji) or the most useless crap ever created (Lucky7). But hey there'll be chocolate! And the cast is full of people o_o I'm not so happy about Ishihara Satomi as the female lead though: she's gorgeous but I don't really like her as an actress.
Anyway, we'll see!


Dr DMAT

Trailer
Date: From 9.00 p.m., Thursdays, 9 January 2014
Station: TBS
Scriptwriter: Anbuki Ichiro (Shirato Osamu no Jikenbo), Yoshizawa Tomoko (Kuro no Onna Kyoushi, Koko ga Uwasa no El Palacio, Karyuu no Utage)
Cast: Okura Tadayoshi, Kato Ai, Takimoto Miori, Aso Yumi, Ichikawa Mikako, Sato Jiro, Hosshan, Matsuo Satoru, Takizawa Saori, Takaki Yuya, Hidari Tonpei, Ishiguro Ken, Kunimura Jun, Mimata Matazo (guest star), Okamoto Kotaro (guest star)
Synopsis: The Disaster Medical Assistance Team, known as DMAT, was established in response to the lessons learned from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995. First launched in Tokyo in 2004 and then deployed to other prefectural and city governments, it is a team of specialists that responds to major catastrophes and accidents such as a big earthquakes or airplane and train crashes. They are not full-time staff but have been volunteered by the persons in charge of designated hospitals. DMAT has to work under the restrictive conditions of disaster sites which are not properly equipped. There are times when they have to prioritise the lives to save, and provide improvised medical treatments in some other instances. A split second’s hesitation can mean the life or death of a person. Yakumo Hibiki (Okura Tadayoshi) works at Tokyo’s Arisugawa General Hospital. He was with the emergency room until a year ago but transferred to the department of internal medicine after the shock of being unable to save his younger sister (Takimoto Miori), who was admitted because of an accident. She then slipped into a coma. However, the newly-appointed hospital director (Kunimura Jun) nominates Yakumo to be a member of DMAT.
Why: Ok. I wouldn't watch this drama if it wasn't for that guy on the poster. But it could be surprisingly good, who knows. And Ohkura seems really focused on his acting, in these days, he seems enthusiastic and full of spirit, so I hope the drama will do well. (he was enthusiastic about Otenki Oneesan too though.............. I shouldn't trust him)
ANYWAY DO YOU HAVE FEW SECONDS TO NOTICE HOW SIMILAR DOCTOR OHKURA IS TO DOCTOR AIBA? The first time I saw Ohkura's pics I had a mental breakdown. Crossover with Last Hope please and thank you.


Lost Days

Somewhere in this video there are images from the trailer
Date: From 11.10 p.m., Saturdays, 11 January 2014
Station: Fuji TV
Scriptwriter: Tokuo Koji (Hard Nuts, Soumatou Kabushiki Gaisha), Kato Kohei (Orthros no Inu, Yume o Kanaeru Zou, Yo nimo Kimyouna Monogatari)
Cast: Seto Koji, Ishibashi Anna, Triendl Reina, Yoshizawa Ryo, Kojima Fujiko, Miyoshi Ayaka, Kiriyama Ren, Matsuo Toru, Nishida Naomi, Shaku Yumiko
Synopsis: A group of university students who belong to the same tennis club, Shino Yuta (Seto Koji), Sakurada Miki (Ishibashi Anna), Sasaki Rinka (Triendl Reina), Takano Natsu (Yoshizawa Ryo), Fueki Mana (Kojima Fujiko), Tachibana Satsuki (Miyoshi Ayaka) and Sakurada Wataru (Kiriyama Ren), go on a graduation trip to a cottage in the mountains in winter. Although the seven members seem to be good friends, each of them actually has secrets which they cannot tell anyone about; hidden feelings of love and jealousy. Yuta, the cool and brilliant president of the club, is attracted to the sociable and trusting Miki, and intends to tell her about his feelings on this trip, but things do not work out the way he wants. Miki is dating Yuta’s good friend, the free-spirited Natsu and is so into him that she is blind to her surroundings. The seven friends have conflicting positions and when love starts to go down the tubes, a murder occurs like a bolt from the blue. Amid the fear and doubt, hidden emotions begin to come into the open through exchanges which probe each other’s intentions.
Why: I REALLY like this kind of stories, so I hope this one will be good. The actors are young, but from what I've seen they're all quite good *thinks about popular dramas with young, famous, useless actors*
Anyway, I'm looking forward for this! And when was the last time I saw something with Seto-Duck??


S ~ Saigo no Keikan

Trailer
Date: From 9.00 p.m., Sundays, 12 January 2014
Station: TBS
Scriptwriter: Furuya Kazunao (Kasukana Kanojo, 37-sai de Isha ni Natta Boku, Shiawase ni Narou)
Cast: Mukai Osamu, Ayano Go, Fukuishi Kazue, Ikeuchi Hiroyuki, Hirayama Hiroyuki, Takahashi Tsutomu, Hirayama Yusuke, Motomiya Yasukaze, Fuchikami Yasushi, Fuse Eri, Asakura Erika, Yuki Jutta, Kimisawa Yuki, Yagi Nanaka, Mika, Santos Anna, Honda Hirotaro, Asaka Mayumi, Sugawara Daikichi, Tsuchiya Anna, Takashima Masahiro, Kondo Masaomi (guest star), Omori Nao
Synopsis: The National Police Safety Rescue, or NPS is the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s special assault team which possesses both the mobility of the Special Unit (SAT) as well as the investigative skills of the Special Investigations Team (SIT), and is tasked with bringing criminals into custody alive. This small elite team is a new approach to fighting against heinous crimes. Kamikura Ichigo (Mukai Osamu) retired from the life of a professional boxer and became a police officer after that. In his second year working as a uniformed police officer, an incident leads to him being scouted by the NPS. Armed with excellent reflexes, explosive power and punches honed through boxing, Kamikura is a close combat specialist who is good at getting control over his opponents using barefists. On the other hand, Soga Iori (Ayano Go) is a member of the SAT. Described as superhuman, he prides himself in his sharpshooting and is the SAT’s best sniper. Soga was once assigned to a police precinct because he had aspirations to become a detective. Before long, he arrested three robbers and attracted attention as one of the promising newcomers. He is cool and collected, has great concentration, endurance, perception as well as combat ability; the embodiment of the SAT’s ideal male.
Why: *looks at the cast* *watches the trailer* I'm going to watch it for the plot, of course.
Not because Mukai Osamu and Ayano Go are the main leads.
Not because Ayano Go uses damn guns.
Not because Mukai Osamu was a boxer.
No.
Jokes aside, the drama could be good and I may actually like it for serious reasons, but for now I'm just spazzing over those two men.


Nazo no Tenkousei

Trailer
Date: From 12.12 a.m., Saturdays, 11 January 2014
Station: TV Tokyo
Scriptwriter: Iwai Shunji (Bandage, Hana to Alice)
Cast: Nakamura Aoi, Hongo Kanata, Sakurai Minami, Mickey Curtis, Kyono Kotomi, Saiki Shigeru, Hamada Mari, Takano Hiroyuki, Kanayama Kazuhiko, Miyazato Shun, Uno Narumi, Hayama Shono, Usui Masahiro, Hinoi Asuka, Tozuka Junki, Shiina Kotone, Lily, Sugisaki Hana, Nakano Yuta, Kawahara Sabu
Synopsis: Iwata Koichi (Nakamura Aoi) and Kagawa Midori (Sakurai Minami) are second-year students at Tozaiyama High School. One day, while coming home from school, they discover a shooting star rising up in the sky. The next day, Midori sees a shining figure in school and everyone on the school grounds starts talking about a ghost. At that point, a mysterious transfer student called Yamazawa Norio (Hongo Kanata) suddenly arrives at the school and moves in to live next door to Koichi. Strange things begin to happen frequently around Koichi whenever Norio appears. The reason and objective of Norio’s arrival in this world is gradually revealed.
Why: I'm not sure about this, but it seems nice? And I don't know the rest of the cast, but Nakamura Aoi and Kanata Hongo are really good.
The poster is creepy though.


~KOREA~

Emergency Man and Woman

Trailer 01 - Trailer 02
Date: From 8.50 pm, Fridays and Saturdays, 24 January 2014
Station: tvN
Scriptwriter: Choi Yoon Jung (To My Love, Three Sisters)
Cast: Song Jihyo, Choi Jin Hyuk, Lee Pilmo, Choi Yeo Jin, Clara
Synopsis: Jin-Hee (Song Ji-Hyo) led a satisfying life as a dietitian. She then met medical school student Chang-Min (Choi Jin-Hyuk). Despite his wealthy family's strong opposition, Jin-Hee and Chang-Min decided to get married. Chang-Min's family is full of doctors. Chang-Min though gave up his medical internship and began working as a pharmaceutical salesman. Their marriage life was not happy. Chang-Min's family looked down on Jin-Hee and even Chang-Min seemed to change. Chang-Min began to think terribly of Jin-Hee and they finally divorced.
After their divorce, Jin-Hee became a medical student and now works as an intern. Chang-Min also graduated from medical school and begins to work as an intern. One day, they meet in the emergency room for a hospital where they will both work together.
Why: The story is quite original for a kdrama and seems funny! And I'm really happy these two can finally do a drama as the main characters *.*


Inspiring Generation

Trailer
Date: From 9.55 pm, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 15 January 2014
Station: KBS2
Scriptwriter: from the manga of Bang Hag Ki
Cast: Kim Hyun Joon, Lim Soo Hyang, Jin Se Yeon, Kim Jaewook, Kim Kapsoo
Synopsis: Based in the 1930's of Shanghai, China, is a story about love, friendship, patriotism and desire. Shin Jung Tae (Kim Hyun Joong) is an outrageous and clumsy man, but has an unconditional love for his country and family, and was known to be the best fighter in the alleys of Shanghai.
Why: I'm not really sure, but I'll give it a try because the setting inspires me a lot!

sources: jdramawordpress, asianwiki