Don't be a cry baby

After a car accident kills both her parents, the 16-year-old Ayumi (Fukada) and her brother are adopted by their aunt and uncle respectively. Their nightmares begin after they move in with the two families. Ayumi is forced to quit school and work in Water Inn, which is owned by her aunt's husband, who seems to be filled with hatred for Ayumi. In the inn, Ayumi is surrounded by people who seems to either hate her or dislike her. Her only friend is Lin (Chen) who is an illegal foreign worker. When she runs into troubles, she has 3 guardian angels who takes turn to help her: her aunt, Lin, and Sasaoka Yuzuri, the son of a politician and who has a promising future. Yuzuri's interest in her, however, incurs the jealousy of her cousin and the wrath of her uncle who loves his own daughter Yuriko (Nakamura) very much. In the meanwhile, she also has to find ways to bring her brother under her own

Directed by —, Don't be a cry baby leans on a strong ensemble — Kyoko Fukada, Naohito Fujiki, Kelly Chen Hui-Lin — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1999.