Educational
Help each other out and add titles that are educational. These are the types of titles where there is a clear teaching aim, such as learning how to play Go Stop or Mahjong, sex education, teaching about important historical cultural places or practices, LGBTQ rights, parenting guidance, religious teachings, climate change, insight into medical conditions, meditation, forest preservation or how to fly a kite, forage for mushrooms, play an instrument, or just improve a practical life skill… This is not the same as the school genre, but it is possible there may be dramas set in schools that aim to teach viewers, too. While you are at it, why not vote for the ones you like! Feel free to explain your choice in the comment section or send us a link of your own to a list with titles that fit the description to this Essential.
- "The world average age for the first sexual experience... 17.3". Is that early? Late? Seino Sakura has a serious personality. Hara Tsumugi has never liked a member of the opposite sex before. ...more
- About two people who are aromantic and asexual and begin living together. Sakuko finds it difficult to live in a society which operates under the assumption that people will fall in love ...more
- Black and White are twins with a powerful connection. After their parents' separation, though, White’s father took him abroad, and their family effectively severed in two. It isn’t until fifteen years have ...more
- Yaichi is a work-at-home suburban dad in contemporary Tokyo; formerly married to Natsuki, father to their young daughter, Kana. Their lives suddenly change with the arrival at their doorstep of a hulking, ...more
- 15-year-old Ikeuchi Aya is an ordinary girl, the daughter of a family who works at a tofu shop, and a soon-to-be high schooler. However, odd things have been happening to Aya lately. ...more
- A warm, friendly, considerate person, Hee Jae is surrounded by people who claim to know and love her. The problem for Hee Jae is that she isn’t really sure if she really ...more
- Akaza Yukiko attends a high school for blind. She has amblyopia, which causes her to recognize colors only vaguely and she can recognize large letters with a magnifying glass. When she walks ...more
- Kokoro Kurosawa used to be a contender for the Olympic Judo Team, but she had to give up on her dream due to an injury. In the end, she ends up working ...more
- Alex breaks the oath he made to his mother forbidding him from losing his virginity before turning eighteen, causing chaos he never could've anticipated. In 2011, seventeen-year-old Alex lacks self-confidence and his ...more
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10. 3 Nen A Gumi: Ima kara Mina-san wa, Hitojichi Desu
Japanese Drama - 2019, 10 episodes197 points by 2 votersWith graduation 10 days away, homeroom teacher Hiiragi gathers all 29 students of class 3-A and proclaims them as his hostages. His last lesson regards the death of a student that passed ...more - Set in a small restaurant in the corner of a shopping district. The unusual eatery is only open after midnight, and its standard menu consists of just a single choice. However, the ...more
- The story of a young, idealistic teacher who enters Shirokin Gakuen in hopes of making a difference in the lives of students. However, Yamaguchi Kumiko is in for a rude awakening when ...more
- Half a year has passed, and Shirokin Gakuen has closed down. Yamaguchi Kumiko finds herself a teacher of a few young kids, who don't really benefit much from her style of teaching. ...more
- A passionate teacher, Kumiko Yamaguchi, a.k.a. Yankumi, is now overseeing the new students of Class 3D of Akado High School, who still have not opened up to her and are giving her ...more
- Sawatari Goro now works at Akado High School as a vice principal. Although the head director of the school board specifically orders him to handle the problematic class 3-D, the students are ...more
- A tough guy with a knack for housework tackles household tasks with meticulous care in these comedic live-action vignettes. (Source: Netflix) ~~ Adapted from the manga series "Gokushufudou" (極主夫道) by Oono Kousuke ...more
- "Us in Your Distance" is a special drama by KBS to raise awareness about those living with disabilities. It tells the story of Seung Mo, a high schooler with autism struggling to ...more
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18. It's Not That I Can't Marry, But I Don't Want To
Japanese Drama - 2016, 10 episodes100 points by 1 votersTachibana Miyabi is 39-years-old and hasn't had a boyfriend in 5 years. This doesn't bother her though as she is pretty and confident and enjoys her life as a single woman. She ...more - Five people who invested in the stock market take part in a mysterious stock meeting. There, they learn about life, love, and friendships through investing in stocks. Yoo Mi Seo is set ...more
- Azumi Nayuta is a young prodigy game developer who produces games privately under the name "John Doe" without any link with major company or distributor. Nayuta is often known as the "Banksy ...more
- Takeshiro Shikota is a 27-year-old pediatrician in Hokkaido, Japan. He was born and raised in Hokkaido. One day, Takeshiro is transferred to the newly established PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit). The unit ...more
- The story revolves around five first-year students and the challenges they face on and off campus. The web series brings awareness to gender issues. (Source: MyDramaList)
- This docuseries examining the chilling true stories of four Korean leaders claiming to be prophets exposes the dark side of unquestioning belief. (Source: Netflix)
- Jung Da Jeong and Hong Dae Yeong have been married for almost two decades, raising their twins together. Despite appearances, their life is far from ideal, filled with Dae Yeong's incessant nonsense. ...more
- Su Nian Nian, a driven student aiming for top universities like Beijing and Tsinghua, faces a setback when a traffic accident causes her to miss her exams. As a result, she ends ...more
- The story revolves around 3 new interns in the Sengse Group's marketing department and the challenges they face related to gender discrimination both in and out of the office. This is the ...more
- Lee Ba Duk dreamed of being a champion in the game of go but hasn't played for a long time. She takes up the game again for the prize money and meets ...more
- Kyoto, with its old, traditional landscapes, is also a city of students. Konoe is a century-old student dorm that still exists today and has kept the feel of the 1960s and 1970s ...more
- Xiao Nai is a gaming expert who, courtesy of his basketball skills, academic excellence, swimming talent, and game company presidency, also happens to be the most popular student on campus. When he ...more
- Mashiro Moritaka ("Saiko"), with his superb drawing skill, is invited by his writing genius classmate Takagi Akito ("Shujin") to tread the difficult path of the mangaka. His sights are set on his ...more
- In these times when it is difficult to completely guard "oneself" due to social and gender issues, the friendship story of four people delivering warm comfort to all the wounded people in ...more
- Ramyun Brothers go to a famous tourist spot and open a ramyeon restaurant. They prepared 21 ramyeon recipes that can show the taste of Korea to people. As they serve various kinds ...more
- Asami Inaba is a temporary worker at a company. One day, her boyfriend leaves his smartphone in a taxi. Since then, mysterious things take place around her like her credit card bill ...more
- Somewhere in Tokyo, Osamu Shibata and his wife Nobuyo live in poverty. While Osamu receives occasional employment and Nobuyo has a low-paying job, the family relies in large part on the grandmother's ...more
- After an absence of four years, Kinpachi Sensei, everyone's favorite teacher, returns to the television screen in a new series. When the series first went into production in 1979, delinquency and on-campus ...more
- Geum Bi is a spirited 8-year-old girl who suffers from Niemann-Pick Disease Type C (NPC), a rare genetic condition that makes her body unable to properly metabolize cholesterol and other lipids. The ...more
- Japan's emergency medical care system faces a labor shortage, leading to increased overtime for doctors, especially at night when care is even more strained. In response, the Hakuoukai Asahi Kaihin Hospital introduces ...more
- Sakuraba Junko, an English language school teacher, has had no boyfriend even before her 29th birthday and dreams of working in New York. But one day, she encounters a handsome monk in ...more
- Ha Eun's girlfriend breaks up with her because she's scared of people knowing she's a lesbian. After a push from her best friend, Ha Eun meets Min Seo on a dating app. ...more
- Tojima Asahi is a first-grade high school student. She is small and weak physically. Asahi decides to change herself. She enrolls in the naginata (Japanese blade) club at her school. She works ...more
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41. Falling in Love Like a Romantic Drama
Japanese TV Show - 2018, 10 episodes94 points by 1 votersA reality TV show, hosted by Watanabe Naomi, that follows 8 young actors and actresses performing kiss scenes for dramas. The show asks the question, "if two actors share a kiss on ...more - Aikawa Kazuki is a university lecturer who teaches ethology, which is the study of animal behaviour. He has just started work as a lecturer at the recommendation of Professor Samejima Shun whom ...more
- A mysterious creature destroys 70% of the moon. The creature then warns that if he is not destroyed by March of next year, Earth will be next. The creature also demands that ...more
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44. Falling in Love Like a Romantic Drama Season 2
Japanese TV Show - 2018, 12 episodes93 points by 1 votersA reality TV show, hosted by Watanabe Naomi, that follows 8 young actors and actresses performing kiss scenes for dramas. (Source: MyDramaList) - Totono Kuno is a university student. He has curly hair, which he has a complex about. He doesn't have any friends or a girlfriend. His memory and observation skills are very good, ...more
- Can I be happy if I meet someone's standards? How to love myself as I am?
- Story continues with the students' own conflicts, Koro Sensei’s identity and the fate of the world. The time limit for assassination is approaching.
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48. Falling in Love Like a Romantic Drama Season 3
Japanese TV Show - 2019, 12 episodes92 points by 1 votersA reality TV show, hosted by Watanabe Naomi, that follows 8 young actors and actresses performing kiss scenes for dramas. (Source: MyDramaList) - Nao Yoshino has failed the entrance exam for her target high school. Devastated and defeated, she enrolls in a technical high school called Kenritsu Asuka Kougyou Koukou, or "Asukou" for short. Out ...more
- Despite being a bit of a prickly pear, Jang Jae Yeol has become famous for authoring mystery novels and for hosting a popular radio show. While sitting on a talk show panel ...more
- This is a love story between Akira Kuroiwa, a 15-year-old boy who knows nothing of love, and Hijiri Suenaga, his new 25-year-old homeroom teacher. One fated summer, Akira begins to realize he ...more
- The film revolves around a girl who is being bullied at school and her relationship with a tough street kid, with whom she is implicated in the murder of a teenage girl. ...more
- Kururugi Yuni is a smart high school student. She excels in all subjects except for English. A new English teacher begins work at Yuni's high school. His name is Sakurai Haruka and ...more
- Follow the joint operations of a police force and a fire department, who together will tell a thrilling story. Fierce detective Jin Ho Gae is all about catching low-lifes. He solves cases ...more
- High school student, Kamishiro Yu, doesn't fit in and is constantly bullied; fed up with the abuse, Yu secretly trains in boxing and takes revenge on those who once bullied him. Eventually, ...more
- Middle school teacher Moriguchi Yoko's life comes crashing down after the murder of her 4-year-old daughter. Eventually, Yoko suspects some of her own students to have been responsible for her daughter's death. ...more
- A woman’s life is turned upside-down when a dangerous man gets a hold of her lost cell phone and uses it to track her every move. (Source: Netflix)
- About Amai Koichi who is good at baking and making sweets trying to help ikemens (good looking, handsome guys). If two people look into each other eyes for 8.2 seconds they will ...more
- Sakuragi Kenji is a destitute lawyer and one-time member of a motorcycle gang trying to guide failing high school students with an average score of 36 into Japan's most prestigious educational institution, ...more
- Sim Eun Seok is an elite judge with a prickly personality who hates juvenile offenders. After she gets assigned to a local juvenile court, she tries to balance her aversion to minor ...more
- Dream High tells the story of six students at Kirin Art High School who work to achieve their dreams of becoming music stars in the Korean music industry. Go Hye Mi is ...more
- A few years ago, a group of struggling students at a low-ranked high school made it into Japan’s top college, Tokyo University, thanks to Kenji Sakuragi, a down-on-his-luck lawyer-turned-teacher. But since he ...more
- A high school student dreams of becoming an architect. However, she had to drop out of school after suffering from brutal school violence. Years later, the perpetrator gets married and has a ...more
- Moon Dong Eun's silent fury against those students that horrifically abused her during her high school years continues to burn inside of her. She meticulously executes her plan to inflict ultimate pain ...more
- Fame. Money. Power. One young woman fights to become the next hottest celebrity in the glamorous yet scandalous world of influencers in Seoul. (Source: Netflix)
- The ending of the series, the remaining days until graduation. ~~ Adapted from the manga “Gokusen” (ごくせん) by Morimoto Kozueko (森本梢子).
- It's only a week till graduation and everyone is happy about their "what to do in the future" But in a wink of an eye, everything turned the other way around when ...more
- Yamaguchi reunites with her students after the end of season 2. ~~ Adapted from the manga “Gokusen” (ごくせん) by Morimoto Kozueko (森本梢子).
- Onizuka Eikichi is a graduate of a third-rate University and the leader of a motorcycle gang, whose lifelong dream is to become a teacher. After being hired by a seemingly eccentric director, ...more
- Eikichi Onizuka, who barely earned his teaching degree at a second-rate college, rolls into Horobonai, a small rural town in Northern Japan on his motorcycle to take a job as a substitute ...more
- Through the introduction of his friend Danma Ryuji, Onizuka Eikichi, the former legendary bike gang member, visits Meishu Academy to tend to the trees in the garden as a part-time gardener. Learning ...more
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72. GTO: Final Chapter - Farewell Onizuka! Graduation Special
Japanese Special - 2013, 1 episode76 points by 1 votersThe national university entrance examination is coming up, and the students of Class 3/4, which Onizuka Eikichi is in charge of, enter exam mode. Onizuka, who conducts career counselling for the students ...more - Onizuka is sent as a temporary teacher to the high school he graduated from in Shonan, Japan. At the high school, he faces difficult problems including a high school student’s pregnancy and ...more
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74. GTO: New Year Special! Winter Break with A Hot-Blooded Class
Japanese Special - 2013, 1 episode74 points by 1 votersA mother leaves three kids in the care of Saejima and it's up to Onizuka and the gang to track her down. Meanwhile Miki is having some problems with her dad all ...more - The special will be set several months after the events in the drama. ‘Onizuka’ gets wind of the imminent closure of the ‘Smile Duck’ (‘White Swan’ in the original manga) orphanage due ...more
- Onizuka Eikichi is assigned to a new school - a girls-only school.
- In recent years more Taiwanese students have been studying at Japanese universities. To help foster a better understanding between the two countries, Onizuka has been invited to a one-week teaching assistant program ...more
- The story revolves around an eccentric home tutor named Yoshimoto, who is hired to teach the second son of the Numata family. While being tossed around by the weird and unconventional home ...more
- Michi, a 26-year-old high school math teacher, tentatively accepts her boyfriend's proposal of marriage, uncertain of her love for him, but feeling pressure from her father and society to do what is ...more
- Sophomore and representative of the archery club, Shimada Hibiki is a 17-year-old student who has never been in love. During her high school's entrance ceremony she sees Kosaku Ito, her 26-year-old world ...more
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81. Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta
Japanese Drama - 2011, 10 episodes67 points by 1 votersNatsumi Uemura and Shuji Kashiwagi, are two high school teachers due to marry in six months. On the eve of the new school year's opening ceremony, Shuji becomes involved with the young ...more - Kudo is a Yakuza gangster who has no experience with children or parenting. He is tasked with running a nursery school to appease his late boss Kabukicho's last wishes. (Source: asianwiki)
- Backdrop of drama series is at a fictional school which sends many students to Tokyo University every year. Aoshi is a new teacher. He becomes the baseball coach for the school. The ...more
- University student Izumi is contacted by her drama club advisor in high school, Hayama, who wants her to participate in the graduation performance for a younger club member. Izumi received the support ...more
- A 35-years-old former elite business employee becoming a principal who manages a private high school facing poor management.