by Hi there,
Looking for Japanese soap operas?
Wondering what sets these land-of-the-rising-sun shows apart from the rest of the world? Well, you’ll learn a bit about it all in this quick guide.
- Introduction to Japanese Soap Operas
- Unique Points
- Recommendations
1. Introduction to Japanese Soap Operas
Soap operas exist in many countries and yes…
They’re also a big part of Japanese TV. In Japan, soup operas are usually called hiru dora which means “noon dramas.” These dramas are geared towards housewives who are at home while the kids and husband are at school or work.
In order to appeal to housewives, these shows can be full of intense romance and drama. But, unlike Western operas, Japanese dramas can also be more like romantic comedies or about family. Japanese soap operas can have a wide range of genres, topics, and settings.
In addition to hiru dora, asa dora can also be similar to a soap opera. Asa dora, which means “morning drama”, is aired every weekday morning for 15 minutes. This drama runs for almost one full year and the story is always about a young woman who is trying to achieve her dreams. Depending on the year, the asa dora’s story can be based on a true story or fictional.
2. What’s Unique About Japanese Soap Operas?
So, now that you now a bit about Japanese dramas…
What is it that makes them unique or different from the rest of the world’s soaps?
A) They don’t run for too long
Think about American soaps. Soaps like the Bold and the Beautiful and the Young and the Restless have been running for ages…
…the extend that you’d wonder if the characters are still as…. bold, beautiful, young, and restless…
Well, Japanese soap operas usually don’t air for that many seasons. If a series is popular, that drama may sometimes have another season. With a typical western soap opera, seasons can span years. The longest-running soap opera in Japan is usually asa dora, or “morning drama”, which airs from April until the following year’s March.
B) Varied plotlines
Japanese soap operas tend to have different plot lines than the standard definition of a soap opera. Instead of focusing on the drama that can happen in daily life, they can have more freedom with the plotline.
Some Japanese soap operas can be set during historical times, have themes about family, or be light-hearted romantic comedies. In addition, since Japanese T.V. shows often end after one season, they also don’t have cliffhangers and open-ended plot lines that can go on forever. The TV show is designed so the story ends when the season ends.
C) Actors are chosen by popularity
Japanese casting for these shows can also be different. In Japan, actors are sometimes chosen for their popularity rather than their acting skills. This means that there are actors who can appear in Japanese soap operas that don’t have much acting experience but are popular in the entertainment industry as either an idol or a TV talent.
3. Show Recommendations
A) Botan to Bara (牡丹と薔薇)
- Love and Hatred
Botan to Bara aired in 2004 and it is a story about a daughter who is born from an affair. The daughter is kidnapped by the cheating husband’s wife. The husband and mistress end up having another daughter that they raise together. Eventually, the two daughters meet each other, find out about their past, and end up falling in love with the same man. The entire story spans a 30 year period and it is a riveting story full of emotion.
B) Asu no Hikari wo Tsukame (明日の光をつかめ)
- Seize the Light of Tomorrow
- Family drama
This is a heartwarming story about a farm that helps to rehabilitate youth that have a troubled past. It is about a main character named Haruka Sawaguchi who is a lively high school student. However, she begins to have problems when her mother has an affair and her father wants to shut down the farm. As she starts to be bullied, she meets a boy on the farm who has cut ties with his own family. They begin to realize that they have developed feelings for each other.
C) Akai ito no onna (赤い糸の女)
- Red thread woman
- Human drama
The title of this Japanese soap opera means “Red thread woman”. Red thread in Japan symbolizes fate that brings together one’s true love. In this story, the lives of different women are brought together through fate and an intense drama unfolds about their upbringing and romantic relationships. This drama aired in 2012 and is made up of 44 episodes.
D) Love Letter (ラブレター)
This 2008 Japanese soap opera features the actress Rio Yamashita as Minami, a deaf girl. Minami ends up falling for Kaiji who she can only communicate through sign language. She begins to dream about one day being able to hear his voice. Because they are both young, there are many obstacles and the drama portrays the painful and bittersweet moments of first love.
E) Shiawase no Jikan (幸せの時間)
- A Happy Time
- Family Drama
This is a drama that aired in 2012 that was originally a manga. The soap opera is told from a female perspective which is different from the original version. For a Japanese drama, it sparked controversy for having too much sexual content and led to some employees being dismissed from the TV company. The story itself is about various extramarital relationships and how it affects people around the main character.
F) Hanayome Noren (花嫁のれん)
- Behind the Noren
- Family Drama
Hanayome noren is about the owner of an old Japanese-style inn and her daughter-in-law who was formerly an active career woman. The daughter-in-law decides to go and work at the Japanese inn. It is a story about the struggles between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law. Airing in 2010, it has been a successful drama that has continued for 4 seasons.
G) Okaeri Mone (おかえりモネ)
- “Welcome back, Mone”
- Drama
The 2021 asa dora, or “morning drama”, Okaeri Mone is about a young woman who is aspiring to become a weather forecaster. While she was working as a forest guide, she is suddenly inspired when a weather forecaster tells her that they are able to tell the future. Starring Kaya Kiyohara as the lead role, it is a drama that is deeply moving.
Conclusion & Back to You
Now you know a bit about Japanese soap operas… or “dramas” whether morning or noon.
Have you seen any on this list?
Do you have recommendations?
Leave a comment below.
Team IJ