▸ Theme: family is blood and pain
Stories, notable in my opinion, which centred around exploring the good, the ugly and bad of families bound by blood or law.
Unafraid to portray dysfunctionality and complexity of familial relationships. Explores what it means to be family.
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1. Royal Nirvana
Chinese Drama - 2019, 60 episodes
Dysfunctional father and son relationship.
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2. Kazoku Game
Japanese Drama - 2013, 10 episodes
Deconstructing a family in order to rebuild it, was a brilliant way to analyse the fundamentals of what it means to be family.
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3. The Story of Ming Lan
Chinese Drama - 2018, 78 episodes
One of the best nuanced and symbolic explorations into the dysfunctionalities of Chinese/Asian families. At least for me, it hits home.
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4. Kahogo no Kahoko
Japanese Drama - 2017, 10 episodes
Kahoko is the agent of honest communication, which is much needed in a typical Asian family. Be honest with your love, be honest with your concern, but never restrain them in the name of your self-righteous "love".
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5. Yuube no Curry, Ashita no Pan
Japanese Drama - 2014, 7 episodes
Being blood-related may make you a family, but being a real family doesn't require blood relations.
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6. Gochisosan
Japanese Drama - 2013, 150 episodes
Binding the family together with food.
Marriage is not about two people, but also the other party's family. Learning to live with the husband's family, however unaccommodating they are, is a harsh truth women in the past (and even in the present) still have to put up with.
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7. The Story of a Noble Family
Chinese Drama - 2003, 40 episodes
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8. Tokyo Story
Japanese Movie - 1953
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9. Bloody Romance
Chinese Drama - 2018, 36 episodes
Note: Only for Gongzi's character arc.
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10. Ashita, Mama ga Inai
Japanese Drama - 2014, 9 episodes
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11. Home Sweet Home
Chinese Movie - 2021
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12. Love and Deception
Thai Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
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13. KinnPorsche
Thai Drama - 2022, 14 episodes