SCANDAL is a Japanese drama that was shown in Japan around August to December in 2008. I came across this drama out of nowhere really, I can’t even recall where I first saw it and why I downloaded it but I’m glad that I did. I have to say that THIS DRAMA IS AWESOME, and I haven’t been watching such a nice one for quite a while, maybe ever since Karei Nru Ichizoku / ??????. Well in fact, three out of four main characters from SCANDAL had performed in Karei Nru Ichizoku about two years ago - Suzuki Kyoka / ????, Kyoko Hsegawa / ?????, and Kazue Fukiishi / ????. I didn’t really know any of them except for Kazue Fukiishi whom I knew long time ago since her debut drama Tokimeki Memorial / ????????? in 1997. She was considered one of the best looking Japanese teen girl back then as I heard that the main character for Tokimeki Memorial was chosen from 1000 interviewees. Anyway, the 4th character Momoi Kaori / ?????, who is a 57 year-old mom in the story, was very well performed as well and I liked the way she is extremely laid back and funny at times.

I’m not sure how to start about talking about the story..lol. It’s really such a complex story with loads and loads of twists, mysteries, surprises, and comedies. I would say it is a mystery type of comedy. The story begins at the wedding of this girl where she’s invited four of her friends to the ceremony (these four ladies are the main characters of the story). After the ceremony 5 of them went to a bar and the girl asked her four friends to play a game of nanpa (dating guys) since it would be the last “chance” for her to date any guy once married. Each of them has to date a guy anywhere in town and bring him back to the bar, the ones that couldn’t do it will have to treat everyone else drinks. Oh by the way, these four girl friends of her are all married, ranging from age 28 to 5x. Most of them aren’t willing to play the game since they are all married but the newly wed girl forced them to. The four ladies basically haven’t seen each other before. So each of them began the search for a guy, and this was where the story began.

Each of them were able to find a guy except for one of the them. Eventually they returned to the bar but the newly wed girl did not return. She’s gone missing. The entire story is basically about how these four ladies try their best to find their missing girl friend, and how they got to know each other very well and became very very good friends. During the search, they have uncovered lots and lots of mysteries behind the real cause of the girl’s disappearance - mysteries involving each of their husbands, their friends, even themselves. I can’t even remember how many different miniature stories have been told in the plot. As the mysteries uncover, it gets very exciting and will definitely keep you watching. A character based mystery show with an excellent cast and writing. Everybody has some to hide, and it’s the revelations of these secrets which drives the plot, but at no time does it feel forced. The ending was a little anticlimactic, but satisfying. While watching it I actually learned a lot about relationships between housewives and husbands, and that between males and females.

Here is a short intro from dramaplot.com

Another story about family life, four married women from different generation. From their days of living, they seem so blissful, peace and so harmony with their family. But underneath that their days are strewn with betrayal, misery and deceit.

Takako is one of them, from outside she look like a perfect housewife. But her family life is a mess as she deals with a rebellious daughter and an unfaithful husband. At the wedding party she meets her co-friend worker Risako, and three other women with same trouble with her.

When Risako suggests they play a “game” to see who is the last to pick up a man at a bar, the women get caught up in an incident that brings them together as friends.

This is just too good to miss. You would just want more after watching each episode. I finished everything in about 3 days, lol. This is a MUST watch, highly recommended drama.

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• Japanese drama review - 7 Days between Father and Daughter / ???????7?? (Papa to Musume no Nanokakan)
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