Homelessness in Dramaland
Tracking how homelessness is portrayed in dramaland. What kinds of stories are told about it?
"Story spark" is a term I'm using tentatively to describe when being homeless is the initiator of the story. So far, when homelessness occurs in this style, its used as a device to bring protagonists together.
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1. Você é Meu Pet
Japanese Drama - 2003, 10 episodes
One of the protagonists (Takeshi) is homeless and agrees to be the other protagonist's (Sumire) pet so he can live with her.
- Story spark
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2. A Casa Compartilhada das Entidades Sobrenaturais
Japanese Drama - 2020, 8 episodes
The FL starts off the story without a home and ends up moving in with a bunch of yokais out of desperation. She is homeless for a very short amount of time.
- Story spark
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3. Kaso Girei
Japanese Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
The leads both experience homelessness in the beginning of the story
- Story spark
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4. Happy of the End
Japanese Drama - 2024, 8 episodes
Chihiro is chronically(?) homeless until he moves in with Haoren, who has an unstable home life (keeps needing to move into somewhere else)
- Story spark
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5. Palavra de Honra
Chinese Drama - 2021, 36 episodes
The ML pretends to be a homeless beggar in the beginning of the story. There is also the beggar guild, which seems to be made up of people without homes.
(Please note: the Beggar Guild is a wuxia trope of the jianghu setting. Beggar Guilds can be found in many different stories including the OG Demi-gods and the Semi-Devils, though the extent of homelessness within the guild is not always clear or consistent across its many representations in dramaland)
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6. Farewell My Concubine
Chinese Movie - 1993
The lead loses his family and ends up homeless (iirc) before getting taken in by a peking opera troupe in the beginning of the story.
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7. Meu Nome é Chihiro
Japanese Movie - 2023
There is a supporting character who is without a home. Chihiro takes him into her home, but he does not stay long. Eventually he ends up squatting in an abandoned building before passing away.
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8. Apenas Recém-casados
Japanese Drama - 2021, 10 episodes
The second lead is between homes, often staying over with someone he knows instead of having his own stable place to live. By the end of the show he has moved to another town to further his education but the state of his housing isn't explained.
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9. Meu Demônio Favorito
Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
One mysterious and silly character is a homeless beggar. SPOILERS: this character is very powerful despite her appearances. She is homeless throughout the duration of the show.
- Mysterious
- Magical
- Silly
- Gives guidance
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10. Beijo da Morte
Japanese Drama - 2018, 10 episodes
A supporting character is homeless for the full duration of the show. He is mysterious and knowledgeable with hidden secrets
- Mysterious
- Magical
- Silly
- Gives guidance