This review may contain spoilers
Overhyped
Boys over flowers was my first ever korean drama and my 7th grade self loved it. I tried to look for the same giddy feels in the chinese adaptation but couldn't find it. The Thai version was recommended by a lot of people which I watched it but honestly, it was pretty overhyped.
Likes-
-Thyme's character development was the best in this adaptation. In most scenarios they were able to differentiate between the right and wrong and give a clear messaging to the audience that everything you do comes with consequences. If I recall correctly, this bit was not addressed well in Boys Over Flowers. They were too busy bringing out Gu Jun Pyo as the hero/ saviour/ messiah whenever Geum Jan Di needed saving.
- This version is much more realistic. It doesn't have the weird island vacationing bit and the bit where Jun Pyo is almost marrying the girl his mother picked for him.
- Gorya is a much better version of the female lead than Jan Di. Ofcourse there's the useless screaming and hitting for no apparent reason bit. But I kind of feel that her character didn't over do "oh look i am so cute, oink oink" bit. (sorry if i sound bitter, but i really dislike even the slightest manic-pixie-dream-girlification of female leads.)
Dislikes-
- THEY ARE IN SCHOOL!!!! Did these rich brats ever go to a university WTH?
- How does Kaning not know where her bestfriend's parents live? I know it when my bestfriend's parents even go for vacation!
- I know I said that Gorya's character is better than Jan Di but her character is still not great. In my opinion, she is very physically harsh. Like imagine a person who recently had brain damage and you are just forcing your love (or whatever the fuck that is), asking him incessantly to swallow a pill. What happened to all the love, kindness and delicateness which you were preaching throughout the entire series?
- Our boy Kavin liked a girl, never admitted it to her and never came to visit her when she called him to meet, went on with his life, meets this another girl, who is now going to every rooftop in the city and showing her sincerity, love and what not. WHY? WHAT DID THE GUY EVEN DO TO DESERVE THIS? WHY ARE WOMEN CHARACTERS ALWAYS WRITTEN WITH A "SHE IS GOING TO FIX HIM" ATTITUDE IN THEM?
- Gorya was on a sports scholarship? Did we ever see her do any sports????? Did she ever talk about sports????? Any sports metaphor atleast????
Having said all this, maybe I am too old now for a series like this. Maybe if I had seen this back in 7th grade this would have appealed to me. It's a better adaptation than Boys over flowers korean and much better than the chinese version because I couldn't even sit through one episode of that one. However, there are much better watches than this one in the market.
Likes-
-Thyme's character development was the best in this adaptation. In most scenarios they were able to differentiate between the right and wrong and give a clear messaging to the audience that everything you do comes with consequences. If I recall correctly, this bit was not addressed well in Boys Over Flowers. They were too busy bringing out Gu Jun Pyo as the hero/ saviour/ messiah whenever Geum Jan Di needed saving.
- This version is much more realistic. It doesn't have the weird island vacationing bit and the bit where Jun Pyo is almost marrying the girl his mother picked for him.
- Gorya is a much better version of the female lead than Jan Di. Ofcourse there's the useless screaming and hitting for no apparent reason bit. But I kind of feel that her character didn't over do "oh look i am so cute, oink oink" bit. (sorry if i sound bitter, but i really dislike even the slightest manic-pixie-dream-girlification of female leads.)
Dislikes-
- THEY ARE IN SCHOOL!!!! Did these rich brats ever go to a university WTH?
- How does Kaning not know where her bestfriend's parents live? I know it when my bestfriend's parents even go for vacation!
- I know I said that Gorya's character is better than Jan Di but her character is still not great. In my opinion, she is very physically harsh. Like imagine a person who recently had brain damage and you are just forcing your love (or whatever the fuck that is), asking him incessantly to swallow a pill. What happened to all the love, kindness and delicateness which you were preaching throughout the entire series?
- Our boy Kavin liked a girl, never admitted it to her and never came to visit her when she called him to meet, went on with his life, meets this another girl, who is now going to every rooftop in the city and showing her sincerity, love and what not. WHY? WHAT DID THE GUY EVEN DO TO DESERVE THIS? WHY ARE WOMEN CHARACTERS ALWAYS WRITTEN WITH A "SHE IS GOING TO FIX HIM" ATTITUDE IN THEM?
- Gorya was on a sports scholarship? Did we ever see her do any sports????? Did she ever talk about sports????? Any sports metaphor atleast????
Having said all this, maybe I am too old now for a series like this. Maybe if I had seen this back in 7th grade this would have appealed to me. It's a better adaptation than Boys over flowers korean and much better than the chinese version because I couldn't even sit through one episode of that one. However, there are much better watches than this one in the market.
Was this review helpful to you?