Tell me, when was the last time that you watched a Korean drama which has reached your can’t-wait-for-the-next-episode stage? I’m not talking about high-caliber dramas, but rather the chick flick kinds. The kinds which really flesh out the (fan) girl in you. For me, it was so long ago that I can’t name one from the top of my head. But I have one right now. At episode six, or even earlier than that, Boys over Flowers has finally reached the stage of what I call “fan girl high.” I don’t even think guys watch this the same way we do, you know. All the squealing, giggling, smacking…or is it just me, myself, and I who do that?
Anyway, as I watch more of this version, I came to realize that viewers should not compare this with the Japanese Live Action. I mean, they could, but what I’m saying is it’s closer with Meteor Garden than it ever is with Hana Yori Dango. I get more flashbacks of the scenes from Meteor Garden than from Hana Yori Dango while watching Boys Over Flowers.
And since I don’t mind trashing Meteor Garden, I’m going to compare to my heart’s content. Boys Over Flowers is like Meteor Garden that got some plastic surgery. Not only with the wardrobe, the props, the setting – that just meant BOF has a bigger budget, but more so on scene execution. Some of the manga-fans might argue with me, but for myself, I could really say, “Ah, that’s how I felt while reading this on paper.” Now, of course, Rui is an entirely different case. Rui, or rather Ji-hoo (Kim Hyung Jung), is the biggest mistake that BoF has made so far. Rui has always been a big component of the story line. We need a strong Rui to make the love triangle work. He is after all, Makino’s first love. That is why, be it with the Taiwanese, Japanese, or the manga, viewers have been split into the Rui team and the Domyouji team. However, in BOF, I am guessing, 95% of us are now all in Domyouji’s side.
Kim Hyun Joong killed Rui. Look what he’s done in episode six. Jun Pyo isn’t just mad because of the kiss, he is mad because Ji-Hoo used Jan-di to salvage his pain. Manipulative weak bastard. Can you just please disappear? Oguri Shun’s Rui might have the same intent when he kissed Makino, but I didn’t really hold it against him. Oguri Shun built a Rui that Makino would logically fall for. I’m not getting that from Ji-Hoo at all.
Bad Hair Day
Anyhow, that’s my Rui rant. I have always been a Domyouji follower but Lee Min Ho’s interpretation and Ji-Hoo’s crappiness just made me love Domyouji even more, bad hair days and all. I could see people getting annoyed with Jan-di (Koo Hye-Sun) but fortunately I am not which is really strange because she reminds me of the late Jung Da Bin, whose acting I am not a fan of. Another thing I am looking forward to is the potential development between Jandi-s friend (Kim So Eun) and Soujiro/Yi Jung (Kim Bum). The HYD counterpart has never gotten anywhere even in the movie, so I am crossing my fingers there will be some development.
Jun Pyo, the smarter, more talented, and not just the baka "Domyouji"
Episode 7 next week. I can’t wait!!!!!!!!!! Gosh. I feel like re-watching the Japanese Hana Yori Dango or perhaps, re-reading the manga to distract myself from the waiting.
By the way, I would like to thank arashi.vox for the lightning speed subs. Unbelievably fast, I tell you.
*gives a girlish sigh*
I usually watch dramas that everyone has already seen. This is the first new drama that I checked out and ended up enjoying it. Yes, the wait kills me.
I can’t help but chuckle whenever they have GJP flashbacks when he was a kid. He still wears the same hair style. Also, please hand this guy a copy of Aladdin so he knows who Genie is!
I am rereading the manga!!! and like I have read that behemoth of a series for like 3 times already not counting this current reread!!!
Well as for your Rui rant… I agree on some points. He is a weak actor primarily due to being a green horn so he should be given some slack. However, maybe that is what he is getting at. They mentioned about the autistic part of Rui so maybe they are going for that route. This is not to offend any autistic person out there. Korean dramas tend to give a big weight on dialog and more often than not the script are like self fulling prophesies. (That is why I like Korean dramas, symbolisms are as plain as day and words and actions are coherent easy to follow) They mentioned that and I think they would like to point out to that! He zones out to his own world more often than wanted. Anyway, Rui in the original manga and in the Japanese one is chronically aloof. That is what gives him his charm. I can somehow say that because I have met with some Japanese guys that are just like damn Rui(with regards to being aloof ). Maybe that is why I can understand what is with Rui in the manga and Oguri Shun’s portrayal.
Doumyouji is just a plain old brat with sometimes a weak head in the manga and is probably done well by MatsuJun in the Japanese remake. He lacks some social skills and can be violent at times but bottomline is that he is a freakin big kid. In the korean one, though many people are liking Doumyouji’s character, I am really scared of him sometimes. He is a cold cold person in the Korean one. Jun Pyo has stubbornness and arrogance in a whole new level that is really scary. He can be oh so soft with Jan di but with anyone else he does not give a flying fuck just as long he gets what he wants.
Also the other f2 are not so much wallflowers anymore. hehehe. I like this take. They kinda flesh out soujiro and yuuki very different from the original story so that we can have the cumpolsary “second side love story” to the mix right at the start. Well maybe that is the consolation of having more experienced and better actors relegated to the sidelines. Heheeh..
I like what you said about BOF is the Meteor Garden with better everything (but the damn music/OST). That is quite funny because Meteor Garden (1st one only) stayed true for the most part what the manga has except for Sakurako and the Miss Japan arcs.
Im in the same boat as you! Cannot wait for Monday! hehehe
Sorry this became long…
Oh my, I guess I was wrong to assume guys react differently to these kind of plots. Geezzz, maaku, I had no idea you’re a hardcore HYD manga fan! You’re wayyyy more knowledgeable than me. LOL. Now I really have to reread the manga so you can’t pick on me. hehe,
Akira is still a wallflower and I don’t mind if he stays that way.
Ii dunno… i think that Hyun Joong is alright as compared to the taiwanese version but for the most part, hands down the best Rui Hanazawa is and so far Oguri Shun.. That made me go “I’d rather Makino end up with Rui” for the first time!
I wish I could see this so that I could compare with you. The funny thing is that I thought the guy kissing the girl was another girl. Too feminine looking at least from that angle. The first guy next to the girl in red is really handsome, I think he is also in the last shot you have there.
UGH I have to watch this! But it makes me sad when you mentioned the Kdrama Rui isn’t that Rui-ish
In all versions of HanaDan (anime, japanese, taiwanese) Rui is my favorite! T_T
Haha, another MG hater. I know a lot of people who hate MG but well I’m not one of them since MG is my very first asian drama. That’s why it’s special and the cast will forever be my favorite HanaDan cast ^_^ But I know its flaws *ehem bad acting, bad outfit, etc.* It’s everyone’s first drama anyway XD
I am so excited to watch this but I usually wait for dramas to finish first before I marathon it XD The Korean Domyouji is HOT. PERIOD. So far, I think he’s the most good-looking Domyouji ^_^ He somewhat resembles Jerry Yan but he’s waaaaay prettier.
I just hate that the Korean Makino is so ermm, unpretty (and a lot older!)unlike Barbie Xu and Inoue Mao. But I guess that’s what she’s supposed to look like?
Oops, long comment ♥ I shall go back to your BOF posts once I get to watch it ^_^
Yoli & Mayumi: you guys should start watching now! The more the merrier…so we can all gush together…or bash, if that’s the case.
thank goodness for now I knew I am doing perfectly NORMAL! hahaha.. thought I was the only one sit in front of my computer and yelled “DIE YOU WITCH!!” and wait for Mondays, Tuesdays.. not forgetting Sundays for replay, clicking youtube.. downloading it so I can wathc it again… and again.. and again… *sigh*
hello, it’s good to know that someone likes the drama. I gave up after episode 5 because…well, i love baka domyuji and jun pyo here is too smart and not baka or careless enough. that part of his charm is gone and turns me off. as for jan di, she’s just downright annoying and not adorable at all. gurrhhh sorry but that’s how i feel after reading the manga, watching meteor garden and the japanese live-action version.
ahahaha! am i way tooooo late posting my comments here?LOL anyway, BOF’s currently airing in a local tv station here in the phils. bought the dvd and yes, have finished watching it non-stop for 2 weekends.i was in zombied zone during weekdays due to lack of sleep.hahaha *sigh* this is a feel-good,yey-happy ending flick and i’m just a soon-to-be-spinster sucker for love stories!
* i love kim hyun joong!!!…hahaha…don’t care what others may think of him, after all we vary in opinions and perspectives, eh? ok, so kim hyun joong didn’t give 100% justice to his role and he may still have not honed his acting skills BUT i think he carried out ji-hoo well…did you see the looks he gives jan-di? aaaaah, i could just melt! i just wish it was me he was looking at! harharhar…soooo much for daydreaming…oh, man i’m drooling over kim hyun joong hahaha…not to mention he has good singing voice. have you listened to his single thank you? i don’t really understand the song although i have the english translation BUT it’s a very moving song…i wish someone would sing that to me too (ambisyosa talaga ako hahaha).
* i enjoyed watching lee min-ho as the bratty jun pyo.hahaha.it’s a good thing he and jan-di (koo hye sun actually looks pretty w/make up and long hair ha-ha) ended up together but truth is, i cried during ep24&25. poor ji-hoo, he ended up up with no one…LOL i wish yi jung and ga eul kissed! why didn’t they let them kiss? aaaaaahhhh!!!…that was such a spoiler!…also, it would have been nicer if woo bin’s character was given ‘more life”…anybody agreeing to this?lol…i heard there’s no sequel.is this true?awwwwww too bad,too bad.
* no, jaycee you’re not just the one doing all the squealing, giggling and smacking! my sis and i squealed, giigled, have become victims to the “smack me-pinch me habit” hahaha…oh dear, BOF makes me smile a lot. i WAS NOT a korean flick junkie (i even have the BOF OSTs downloaded now) before but now it seems like i’ve become addicted to it. by the way i have not watched meteor garden and hana yori dango yet but i will, soon.lol.
i will be watching more k-dramas.i recently finished kim sam soon, stairway to heaven and am starting on spring waltz.more to come hahaha…
damn! i have written way toooooooo much…excuse all my rantings, but thank you for this site. i can write it down!!! i’m just soooooo happy to find people who are interested (addicted? lol) w/ these stuff too.can i just gush and gush?hahaha…i wouldn’t mind watching BOF for the nth time!!!
*** whoopeee!!!wrong term!should have been excuse all my “ravings”, not rantings.hahaha.i got it mixed up w/another comment.bwahahaha
I’m loving your reviews btw!
I was actually really split with BoF – I liked it as much as I did HYD. I’m not even going to start on MG – I gave up after the first two episodes. I have no clue why some of my cousins thought it was so amazing. The acting was SHIT and F4 bugged me out of all tomorrow. Thank god for MARS saving Vic Zhou’s reputation with me, but like you said, BOF and HYD probably had a bigger budget.
ANYWAY!! I was 50-50 with the JH and GJP camp – I think was GJP at the beginning, then JH for a lot of the middle then GJP again. I got into SS501 due to KHJ, but he’s a bit 4D in real life too…XDDDD
I loved how the other two F4 had more of a role in this one too and they were ACTUALLY HOT unlike MG, and dare I say HYD (though I find Shota rather hot too…I reaaaaallllyyyy don’t like MatJun but I guess the six foot pole up his ass worked well as Domyouji)
I reaaaaallllyyyy don’t like MatJun but I guess the six foot pole up his ass worked well as Domyouji)
Hehehe, good one!
I’ve rewatched BOF like 3-4 times already … well not that I’m still addicted to it since it died down already. But from those 3-4 times watched because of my cousins. You know thinking about it, BOF has some major obvious flaws (considering its the same director of my most hated K-drama Goong) … but still it is undeniable that it’s addicting to the MAX!!
To sum up, HYD was the perfect manga adaptation while BOF had the doki-doki shock attack we loved from shoujo mangas.