Japanese TV Series for Those Who Are in a Rush
Welcome on board this spaceship! It is going to take you—dear reader—to the splendid times of the year 2015 and the precious TV series that were a hit at that time! Buckle up; we are going fast! Don’t forget to pack snacks, comfort animals, and an invalid ID, and most importantly, keep in mind that this spaceship does not have an emergency!
1. NIRVANA IN FIRE |
The top of my list, of course, belongs to the still very highly rated Chinese TV series that hooked people from different places around the world. It was so popular that we got a sequel two years later, but remember, we are in 2015, so do enjoy this Chinese classic! So, what is Nirvana in Fire about? In sixth-century China, the Emperor of Great Liang orders the unjust execution of his brother-in-law Marshal Lin Xie alongside the Lin family, his 70,000 army soldiers, and Crown Prince Qi. Secretly surviving the massacre is Lin Xie's son, Lin Shu, who undergoes medical treatment that changes his appearance entirely and leaves him in a weakened state, unable to ever perform martial arts again. Lin Shu changed his name to Mei Chang Su and later became the chief of the pugilist world and established the Jiangzuo Alliance. Twelve years later, Mei Chang Su returns to the capital with a secret plan after being sought after by Prince Yu and Prince Xian during their fight for the throne. He decides to covertly assist Prince Jing, the unfavoured son of the Emperor, and wisely rids the court of all scheming officials. |  |
2. REPLY 1988 |
Yes! We are back in time, and we finally received a sequel in the very popular anthology, which tells the story of multiple families coming together. And well, they are being cozy and doing what families do: gossip, fight, laugh, cry, and gossip again. After two years, we finally received a sequel, which topped the South Korean charts once again. A quick summary of Reply 1988 for those who forgot about this masterpiece: Five childhood friends, who all live in the same Ssangmundong neighborhood of Seoul, lean on each other to survive their challenging teen years and set a path for their futures. Sung Deok Sun struggles for attention as the middle child in her impoverished family while also carrying the burden of her 999th ranking in school. Kim Jung Hwan only has a one-track mind for soccer, even after his family becomes rich overnight. Sung Sun Woo is the perfect student, student council president and a caring and dependable son in his family. Ryu Dong Ryong is a geek who knows more about girls and life than the rest of his friends, but his poor academic score prevents him from being able to go to college. Choi Taek is a genius baduk player who dropped out of school to go professional. As the group of friends gets into and out of mischief around the neighborhood, what experiences from these memorable times together will they carry with them into their future lives? |  |
3. MINAMI-KUN NO KOIBITO - MY LITTLE LOVER |
It would be cruel of me not to include this classic, which tells a very sweet and cheesy teen love story! It had perfect romance and a perfect cast, and did I mention we got a nice supernatural story as well? So, what is My Little Lover about? Shunichi Minami possesses good looks and does well academically in high school. Chiyomi Horikiri is a bright girl who likes dancing. They were childhood friends and each other's first love. But after Shunichi Minami’s father disappeared, they hardly talked. On a stormy night, Chiyomi Horikiri has an argument with her parents over her future plans and leaves home. While trying to avoid the rain, Chiyomi Horikiri wishes that she could go back to her childhood. Suddenly, Chiyomi becomes 15 cm. tall. Shunichi Minami happens to see tiny Chiyomi Horikiri. She tells him that she doesn't want anyone else to see her, and Shunichi Minami takes her to his home. |  |
4. KISS ME |
Buckle up, dear reader, because we reached Thailand in 2015, which makes it the year the writer of this article—me—went completely mental over the fact that we were getting a new adaptation of the infamous “Itazura na Kiss” story! Indeed, even if the year 2015 was politically harsh on everyone, it still managed to make fans of the infamous story smile once again. A brief summary of this TV series for those who forgot! Taliw, a cute, lively and clumsy girl, has had a crush on popular genius Tenten, who is a new student with an IQ of 200. Tenten just returned from Japan with his family. How will Taliw deal with her feelings towards Tenten? Sometimes, he treats her kindly and cares about her. Yet, sometimes, he teases and embarrasses her in front of all the students in their school. |  |
5. KILL ME, HEAL ME |
Once again, we have landed our spaceship in South Korea, where a masterpiece has started to broadcast, sending the whole nation into a craze over the new pairing – Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum. With the unique plot and well-written characters, it was very hard not to fall in love with this TV series! Let me tell you, dear reader from the year 2024, no one was prepared for the iconic smooch! So, what is Kill Me, Heal Me about? A traumatic childhood experience leaves Cha Do Hyeon suffering from memory loss and dissociation. The latter has resulted in the creation of seven distinct personalities. Wanting to regain control over his life, he asks Oh Ri Jin, a first-year psychiatric resident, to help him. But she eventually falls in love with one of his personalities. Ri Jin’s twin brother, Oh Ri On, a famous mystery novelist, investigates Do Hyeon and his family. |  |
6. LOVE ME, IF YOU DARE |
Brace for impact—we are about to land on the dangerous zone of Chinese romance TV series! Honestly, if I could, I would love to erase my mind and watch this series again because it is just so good. If you are in need of a possessive, smart, handsome, and, of course, rich man, then tune into this 2015 classic. If you are not into romantic series, it is still for you because it has great criminal cases that need to be revisited! A quick summary of the plot follows below. Getting inside the head of a violent criminal is not easy. But Simon, Bo Jinyan, a brilliant criminal psychologist, has the ability to get into the minds of even the most mysterious and violent criminals. He was a professor at The University of Maryland and works as an analyst and advisor on the police department’s most violent or difficult cases. With the help of his young assistant, Jenny Jian Yao, Simon delves into the thoughts and intentions of the criminal mind. As the daughter of a veteran police investigator with a deep sense of justice, can Jenny help Simon open up emotionally as they work together to solve crimes? |  |
7. SHE WAS PRETTY |
If you thought that our spaceship would abandon South Korea for a long time, then you are wrong. After the huge success of other Hwang Jung Eum's eries, we are back with She Was Pretty, which not only gained the fabulous actress another hit but also made her acting partner, Park Seo Joon, rise to fame as well! It was a nice coincidence that they both met on the set of their previous series, which is already on the list. This time, they claimed the role of an unlikely couple! So, what was She Was Pretty about? As a young girl, Hye Jin was impossibly cute and lived a comfortable life with her wealthy parents. Since entering her teens, both her looks and fortune have drastically changed. She currently lives rent-free with a friend and is a part-time clerk at a convenience store. Out of the blue, Sung Joon, her childhood friend, contacts her and suggests they meet. He is unaware that Hye Jin recently spotted him and knows how fit and handsome he has become. Not wanting to disappoint him, she insists her pretty best friend go in her place. What could go wrong? After landing a full-time job, Hye Jin is surprised to find out that Sung Joon is her boss. To add insult to injury, he is treating her with nothing but disdain and contempt. This is not the friend she fondly remembers, so she goes about hiding her true identity from him. |  |
8. DEATH NOTE |
No, you have not traveled to 2006, nor have you traveled to 2003 when the official manga started to be published. You are in the year 2015, which means you are finally seeing the first series adaptation of the famous work written by Tsugumi Ohba. You may be interested in it, but deep down, you still prefer the 2006 movie, right, dear reader? Quick summary of Death Note for those who got amnesia from the rough travel! Light Yagami is an ordinary university student. One day, he receives a Death Note, which changes his life. The Death Note awakens his warped sense of justice and genius. He becomes a murderer, Kira, and punishes criminals. L is a well-known private detective in charge of apprehending Kira. L appears in front of Light Yagami. |  |
Dear reader, we are back in the year 2024! How are you feeling? Dizzy? Light-headed? Or are you perhaps sad that we left such a wonderful year? Wipe away your imaginary tears and write down which TV series we forgot to revisit and which made a big impact on your life.
Also, are you ready for another time travel?
Edited by: Cookie (1st editor)
