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This review may contain spoilers
A Story Retold Across Asian Dramas - Another Great Twist on a Great Story
9/10 is my rating. This is a 2009 South Korean drama that is a re-make of a series of books (Japanese manga) entitled "Boys Over Flowers" written by Yoko Kamio. The series spans 25, 60 minute, episodes.
Geum Jan-di (Ku Hye-sun) saves a student of an elite high school earning her a "scholarship" and entry to the school. While there she gets bullied by the leader of the school's "F4" - four of the richest, talented, and most sought after boys in the school of the wealthy and connected. Jan-di is not one to be "put in her place" and stands up to F4 an action which earns her their grudging admiration. Gu Jun-Pyo (Lee Min-ho) pulls a series of mean spirited pranks on Jan-di in an effort to bring her around to the fear and worship like behavior that most bestow upon him. Yoon Ji-hu (Kim Hyun-joong) is another member of F4 but he has a streak of kindness and sticks up and/or saves Jan-di on several occasions causing her to develop feelings for him. It is not long before Gu Jun-Pyo starts to fall for this very different girl. The other two F4 members Song Wui-bin (Kim Joon) whose family owns a construction business and So Yi-Jun (Kim Bum) who is a skilled potter whose family owns an art museum, are the other two boys who have been friends since they were young children. Yi-Jun later falls for Jan-di's best friend and gives up his lady's man ways. The central story is about Jun-pyo and Jan-di. Is love enough to overcome the expectations for the heir of an empire?
Spoiler ? I watched "Meteor Garden" (2018) Chinese drama prior to watching this. I found that, having watched that, I understood certain aspects of Boys Over Flowers (BOF) that were covered more in-depth in Meteor Garden then in BOF. To me, in BOF, it did not explain, as much, what the big deal was about F4 and how they came to be so revered in the school. There is a much more in-depth focus on each boy and their special talents. I think each character was cast well in each rendition but I personally liked Yoon Ji-hu (Kim Hyun-joong) character in BOF. I was more torn in this one over the love triangle than I was in Meteor Garden. I agree with another blogger that said the additional episodes in "Meteor Garden" 2018 allowed for a lot greater character development than BOF and a lot of the plot details were explored more fully. I am a fan of Lee Min-ho which is one of the reasons I wanted to watch this and he didn't disappoint. Strangely I liked the beginning and ending of Meteor Garden more because I felt like it did better setting it up and closing it out. But I loved the grand nature of BOF and I like the characterizations. I think it is worth watching all the various renditions as each brings out different aspects of this very compelling story. What girl wouldn't want four gorgeous guys watching out for her?
Geum Jan-di (Ku Hye-sun) saves a student of an elite high school earning her a "scholarship" and entry to the school. While there she gets bullied by the leader of the school's "F4" - four of the richest, talented, and most sought after boys in the school of the wealthy and connected. Jan-di is not one to be "put in her place" and stands up to F4 an action which earns her their grudging admiration. Gu Jun-Pyo (Lee Min-ho) pulls a series of mean spirited pranks on Jan-di in an effort to bring her around to the fear and worship like behavior that most bestow upon him. Yoon Ji-hu (Kim Hyun-joong) is another member of F4 but he has a streak of kindness and sticks up and/or saves Jan-di on several occasions causing her to develop feelings for him. It is not long before Gu Jun-Pyo starts to fall for this very different girl. The other two F4 members Song Wui-bin (Kim Joon) whose family owns a construction business and So Yi-Jun (Kim Bum) who is a skilled potter whose family owns an art museum, are the other two boys who have been friends since they were young children. Yi-Jun later falls for Jan-di's best friend and gives up his lady's man ways. The central story is about Jun-pyo and Jan-di. Is love enough to overcome the expectations for the heir of an empire?
Spoiler ? I watched "Meteor Garden" (2018) Chinese drama prior to watching this. I found that, having watched that, I understood certain aspects of Boys Over Flowers (BOF) that were covered more in-depth in Meteor Garden then in BOF. To me, in BOF, it did not explain, as much, what the big deal was about F4 and how they came to be so revered in the school. There is a much more in-depth focus on each boy and their special talents. I think each character was cast well in each rendition but I personally liked Yoon Ji-hu (Kim Hyun-joong) character in BOF. I was more torn in this one over the love triangle than I was in Meteor Garden. I agree with another blogger that said the additional episodes in "Meteor Garden" 2018 allowed for a lot greater character development than BOF and a lot of the plot details were explored more fully. I am a fan of Lee Min-ho which is one of the reasons I wanted to watch this and he didn't disappoint. Strangely I liked the beginning and ending of Meteor Garden more because I felt like it did better setting it up and closing it out. But I loved the grand nature of BOF and I like the characterizations. I think it is worth watching all the various renditions as each brings out different aspects of this very compelling story. What girl wouldn't want four gorgeous guys watching out for her?
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