NHK連続テレビ小説として放映され、大ブームを巻き起こし、海外でも人気の高い国民的ドラマ「おしん」を映画化。おしんの少女時代に焦点を合わせ、苦しい家計のためにやむなく奉公に出された彼女がさまざまな苦難に見舞われながらも、たくましく生きていく姿を描く。おしん役は、オーディションで選出された新星・濱田ここね、母親役に上戸彩、父親役に稲垣吾郎と多彩な顔ぶれが集結。『星に願いを。 Nights of the Shooting Star』などで知られ山形県出身の冨樫森が監督を務め、極寒の山形県で全てのロケを行った。
TV movie based on the novel "The Tale of Genji" by Murasaki Shikibu, which tells about the life of Prince Hikaru Genji, who was nicknamed "Shining" by people for his dazzling noble beauty. In 1991, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of TBS' founding, it was released with a total production value of around 1.2 billion yen and aired in two parts.
Seven-year-old girl Shin is sold off as a servant. She takes with her the 50-cent coin her grandmother gave her. However, at the master's house, Shin is accused of stealing the money and beaten. Shin escapes to mountains where she falls into a faint. Jin-ho, a student soldier, runs away from the army into mountains. He saves Shin and they live in the mountain where he teaches her how to read and fall in puppy love with each other. After the winter, Shin and Jin-ho go down the mountain. But they are discovered by soldiers who end up killing Jin-ho. Shin takes the harmonica that belonged to Jin-ho and goes home. When her father beats her and plans to sell her off again, Shin leaves in search of her mother. Shin finds her mother who is a kisaeng. Understanding that she can't stay, Shin leaves to become a servant. Learning that her grandmother is near death, Shin returns home and vows to overcome their poverty.
