Wowowowowow hold on! hold on! I only watched the first episode yet for this reason I only read the beginning of your comment by from what I heard I think you're exaggerating. Yes, there's "sexism" in the story but the part about the protagonist "being there" just because of her gender and famous father isn't true! I'll come back to this comment after I finished, be prepared!
This is a must watch drama. Also all the special episodes leading up to the 2002 recently got english subtitles…
Talking about Hidetaka Yoshioka his character is the only bad thing in all of this, but not in the original at least, in half the sequels when he's character Jun grows up. He grows up to become a really disgusting human being like I commented on the other entries, seriously... But what I wanted to comment is that I watched the 1980 movie, "A Distant Cry from Spring". It's setting is a small farm in Hokkaido and he plays the son of the main character. I think it's funny, it's like he was already working there in Hokkaido when the producers needed some kid to play Jun and he was conveniently selected for the role...
What is it that people didn't understood about the ending? Yes, I agree that it's confusing because when you think about this we aren't seeing Yun-jeong or Min-a "story", we are seeing Ji-won's and she only knows that those tow tells her. I think that Yun-jeong and Min-a where only distant, not officially broke up, that's why the two where communicating so intimately. When you think about it it was Min-a who really used Ji-won to try to force Yun-jeong to get close to her again. "Poor" Jin-won, I don't like what she did, but she was probably just discovered that she was bisexual and that actual love (be either between man and woman or woman and woman) is not idealized like she thought it was and wrote in her stories. In the end she asked Min-a is she was "the man" in the relationship, and ended being "the woman" in her story at the beginning, feeling all hurt and wanting to die after being unceremoniously discarded.
I liked this movie, the destiny of the two fathers, how the protagonist became "valuable" and how the characters ended together. Aside the classic "woman hysterics" from movies of those times the script is tightly tied.
So I wasn't alone in thinking this. Also Kahori's character was really poorly written...
Too late, I'm trying to survive a case of crippling depression right now. Watch movies is the most I can do to district the mind (Izumi Ashikawa is helping a lot, not only because of her looks, mostly because the characters I'm seeing her play makes you feel good).
This entry is all wrong. There's a 1980 first season with 13 episodes. A 1981 second season with 21 episodes. A very long 1982 special. A long 1986 special. A 1989 third season with 4 episodes. And lastly, a 1992 good bye special.
For what I understood watching without subtitles this movie is not good, but it was worth watching for the sole Kiki Kirin's scene. She performance was so good! Clashes with everything else in this movie, almost feels out of place.
the lead actress was so cute, sadly, she's stopped her carrer after two films
Do you have any idea where I can find that other movie? Yes, she is very beautiful, but don't you think korean women where much prettier until the 1990's before all those plastic surgeries made then looks like the same aliens? I know that the actresses where already selected by their beauty even before, but still, it was a different kind of beauty.
It happened. Kouji's wish cured Mineko's illness, he payed the price with his life, Natsume (the care) guided her to the temple before she moved away to make her own wish.
K-Drama 
I only watched the first episode yet for this reason I only read the beginning of your comment by from what I heard I think you're exaggerating. Yes, there's "sexism" in the story but the part about the protagonist "being there" just because of her gender and famous father isn't true!
I'll come back to this comment after I finished, be prepared!
But what I wanted to comment is that I watched the 1980 movie, "A Distant Cry from Spring". It's setting is a small farm in Hokkaido and he plays the son of the main character. I think it's funny, it's like he was already working there in Hokkaido when the producers needed some kid to play Jun and he was conveniently selected for the role...
By the way, there are other shorts with Min-a actress?
Yes, I agree that it's confusing because when you think about this we aren't seeing Yun-jeong or Min-a "story", we are seeing Ji-won's and she only knows that those tow tells her.
I think that Yun-jeong and Min-a where only distant, not officially broke up, that's why the two where communicating so intimately. When you think about it it was Min-a who really used Ji-won to try to force Yun-jeong to get close to her again.
"Poor" Jin-won, I don't like what she did, but she was probably just discovered that she was bisexual and that actual love (be either between man and woman or woman and woman) is not idealized like she thought it was and wrote in her stories. In the end she asked Min-a is she was "the man" in the relationship, and ended being "the woman" in her story at the beginning, feeling all hurt and wanting to die after being unceremoniously discarded.
Aside the classic "woman hysterics" from movies of those times the script is tightly tied.
Watch movies is the most I can do to district the mind (Izumi Ashikawa is helping a lot, not only because of her looks, mostly because the characters I'm seeing her play makes you feel good).
There's a 1980 first season with 13 episodes.
A 1981 second season with 21 episodes.
A very long 1982 special.
A long 1986 special.
A 1989 third season with 4 episodes.
And lastly, a 1992 good bye special.
Yes, she is very beautiful, but don't you think korean women where much prettier until the 1990's before all those plastic surgeries made then looks like the same aliens? I know that the actresses where already selected by their beauty even before, but still, it was a different kind of beauty.
I'm liking her.
Kouji's wish cured Mineko's illness, he payed the price with his life, Natsume (the care) guided her to the temple before she moved away to make her own wish.
This fantasy/supernatural side was a core part of the story, read my response to him.