Boys Before Flowers: Episode 4
Episode 4 was much better than Episode 3 — although really, like that was hard. Episode 3 was funnier, but 4 was more grounded in reality, which makes it much more watchable, imo. Is this going to be a pattern, with Tuesdays outshining Mondays? I suppose if we must have it one way or the other, I’d rather the good episode be on Tuesday to leave us with a better impression to last us till the next installment.
SONG OF THE DAY
1sagain – “사랑은 떠났어” (Love has left). There are a lot of really lame spellings/acronyms for kpop artists (Fin.K.L., H.O.T., 8eight, Buga Kingz (booger kings?), Pe2ny, Se7en — yeah, I said Se7en), but “1sagain” — pronounced “once again” — probably takes the cake. (It reminds me of how the Wonders, the band in That Thing You Do, originally spelled their name the “Oneders” to be clever and everyone mispronounced it the “oh-nee-ders.”) But I do like this song. [ Download ]
EPISODE 4 RECAP
After Ji-hoo yells at Jan-di for interfering, she walks off with tears in her eyes. He looks upset with himself, but the next day, when everyone gathers at the airport to send Seo-hyun off, Ji-hoo is conspicuously absent.
Jan-di is in a mopey mood, thinking of Ji-hoo. She asks Jun-pyo in a dejected voice, “Can I ask you something?” Jun-pyo responds, “If I said no, are you going to not ask?” Referring to her (formerly assertive) attitude, he tells her, “Just act like you did before. This doesn’t suit you.” For what it’s worth, Jun-pyo has said this a couple times before, which I think is telling — he might complain about how she always talks back but that’s obviously why he likes her. He’s got no use for weak, defeated girls.
Jan-di asks if it’s a good idea to “push down your feelings and not show any emotion” when you like somebody a lot. He tells her that’s crap; it’s the same as ignoring them. If the earth caved in the next day, wouldn’t she die of regret?
A little surprised, Jan-di responds, “You know, you may not be an idiot in everything.” He acts as though that’s a compliment, and says he’d rather regret doing something than regret not doing something.
Seo-hyun says her goodbyes to F4 (I suppose it’s F3 right now), and it’s nice to see them acting like longtime friends. She hugs Jan-di and asks her to remember her request (to make Ji-hoo smile again).
As she walks to her gate, she looks around, hoping to see Ji-hoo and disappointed when he doesn’t appear.
Just as the guys sigh that Ji-hoo’s acting pretty cold by not coming, he appears. He’s actually been here for hours.
Jan-di thinks Ji-hoo’s being a coward, and takes him to task: “What are you doing? Is this all you can do? Follow her!”
At that, Ji-hoo produces his ticket and passport: “I’m taking the next flight.” Woo-bin wonders what made him change his mind; Ji-hoo says that Jan-di did.
Before leaving, Ji-hoo turns to Jan-di: “Thank you. It’s because of you that I realized I’d have to be honest. You taught me that sometimes you need the courage to hang on. I’m glad I got to know a girl like you.”
He leans forward and kisses her on the forehead — Jun-pyo watches, bothered — then leaves.
Afterward, Jun-pyo and Jan-di stand outside his car, watching airplanes take off. He breaks the silence by facing her, leaning over her to say something. Unlike the last time he tried (and failed) to kiss her, this time her heart starts pounding.
Jun-pyo: “I’m only going to say this once, so listen up.” She nods nervously, and he continues: “Geum Jan-di, ___ with me.”
And just when he says that bit, a plane flies above and drowns out his words. BWAHAHA. (I think he says, “Go out with me,” but we can’t be sure.)
Jan-di blinks uncomprehendingly, not having heard those crucial words. But Jun-pyo straightens and smiles in satisfaction to himself.
So while it’s no surprise to us, it is to her when Jun-pyo walks up to her in the lunchroom and says, without preamble: “Saturday, 4 pm, in front of Namsan Tower.”
He starts to leave, then turns back: “If you’re even one minute late, you’re dead.”
Jan-di looks after him, a little confused but mostly unimpressed with his high-handedness. She doesn’t notice that Min-ji is looking on with a stricken expression on her face.
Since Jun-pyo doesn’t give Jan-di any chance to respond, she dismisses it from her mind, going shopping with her mother instead on a bargain-sale hunt. And I do mean hunt. They grapple with other thrift-loving ajummas for the massive discounts, and by the time they leave, it’s evening. It’s also snowing.
Feeling guilty pangs for ignoring Jun-pyo, Jan-di asks her mother if anyone would wait in the snow for four hours for a promise that was never made. Her mom says that’s crazy, but Jan-di isn’t reassured. Making a sudden decision, she tells her mother she has to go somewhere and runs off, heading toward Namsan Tower.
Jan-di looks almost disappointed to find the courtyard empty, until she spots Jun-pyo huddled on the side, shivering in the cold.
She holds her umbrella over his head; he asks where the hell she’s been: “Didn’t I tell you not to be late?” He isn’t outright angry — irritated might be a better word. Jan-di returns, “When did I say I would come?” He replies, “You’re here.”
She protests, because she wasn’t intending to come. He persists, “But you did.”
Feeling bad, she offers to buy him a hot drink and helps him up. He staggers to his feet and leans heavily into her. Misinterpreting his intentions, she kicks him to get him off.
Indoors, she buys him coffee from a vending machine and calls it “thirty thousand won coffee” (about twenty bucks). By way of explanation, she tells him to follow along.
On top of the building, they look at the cityscape from the observation deck — this is just like watching from the expensive Sky Lounge.
She marvels at all the stars. Jun-pyo laughs at her, “Those aren’t stars, those are satellites, you stupid girl!” Jan-di retorts, “Aren’t you the idiot? You think there are that many satellites?”
The watchman comes up to the doors to lock up for the night. He only gives the deck a cursory look and is distracted by a phone call, so he misses the two of them.
The lights shut off, alerting Jan-di and Jun-pyo, and they hurry to the doors. The handles have been chained together, and there’s no way to get out.
Jun-pyo doesn’t panic, since they can always call for help. Unfortunately, he left his phone behind, and Jan-di doesn’t own one.
Now worried, he blames her; she says it’s his fault for waiting foolishly for hours. He protests, “This is the first time I’ve ever waited for anyone.”
They wander into an enclosed area, which offers a little shelter but is still freezing cold. Jan-di tries to keep her distance while Jun-pyo starts to cough, and says, “Sorry.” When she asks where his driver is, Jun-pyo answers that he sent him home — he wanted to try things commoner-style.
Shivering, Jun-pyo asks, “Can I be honest?” She eyes him warily as Jun-pyo leans in her direction, then collapses on top of her.
Thinking he’s trying to get fresh, Jan-di shoves him aside, then realizes he’s burning up with fever.
She takes out some of her new purchases — a woman’s scarf and shawl — and wraps him with them. They fall asleep like that until morning, when they are let out.
Fearing her parents’ reaction, Jan-di declines Jun-pyo’s offer of a ride home; she’ll use the bus ride to think of an excuse to tell her mother.
Jun-pyo moves closer to tell her the excuse he’d make: “Since we spent the night together, I’ll take responsibility.” (That phrase, used in that context, is misleading and suggests that something actually DID happen between them. Jan-di kicks him in response.)
Unbeknownst to them, they are seen, and photos are taken.
When she gets home, Jan-di falls on her knees and begs forgiveness, but her family is in fantastic spirits. The guy she saved is the heir to Shinhwa Group! Of all the people to help!
Furthermore, they’ve received a whole slew of gifts in gratitude. Jan-di is bewildered — how did they know? Where did this come from?
Her parents rave about Jun-pyo, who dropped by — taking advantage of her slow bus ride home, no doubt — to ask them not to scold Jan-di because she’d been helping him all night.
News spreads quickly, labeling Jan-di as Jun-pyo’s new girlfriend. Suddenly, everyone is eager to befriend Jan-di (except the mean girls, that is), and the unexplained attention creeps her out.
Jan-di discovers the reason when she comes to the TV screen in the lobby. Displayed onscreen are the pictures of her and Jun-pyo that morning, making them look a lot chummier than they are. When the F4 guys arrive, Yi-jung asks Jun-pyo if the rumors are true.
Jan-di hurriedly insists, “No, it’s not! It’s not what you think at all!”
Jun-pyo ruins that by interrupting, “Yes, it’s true.” Everyone gasps in amazement, and Jun-pyo slings an arm around her shoulders and steers her (unwillingly) down the hall. The students gossip in excitement, with one notable exception: Min-ji, who watches tearily.
Min-ji goes home early that day, so Jan-di drops by with the same consolatory stuffed sheep that Min-ji had previously given her. Withdrawn and depressed, Min-ji asks cautiously if the gossip is true.
Jan-di hesitates, then answers that it’s all a coincidence and an accident. Min-ji says, “But it looked like he liked you.” Jan-di says no way — even the idea is absurd. Jun-pyo was just playing around. At the denial, Min-ji laughs in relief, suddenly much cheerier. She hops out of bed and announces that she’s all better now. She wants to go out and have some fun.
While Jan-di waits for Min-ji to get ready, she looks around and spots a Shinhwa Kindergarten yearbook. Curious, she pulls it from the shelf just as Min-ji walks in. Panicking, she grabs it from Jan-di, yelling at her not to go through other people’s things.
Taken aback to see this side of the normally demure Min-ji, Jan-di apologizes. Min-ji recovers, saying more calmly that she’d written weird comments in the book, so she doesn’t want anyone to read them. She apologizes.
Whereas Woo-bin and Yi-jung took a lot of amusement in Jun-pyo’s clashes with Jan-di, now they ask more seriously if he’s “for real” about her. Yi-jung reminds him that where they’re concerned, their parents have final say in their relationships.
Jun-pyo scoffs, as this is a bit weak coming from two supposed players:
Jun-pyo: “Were you just calling yourselves men in name? Were you acting all cocky without being real men?”
Yi-jung: “What’s a real man to you?”
Jun-pyo: “A man takes responsibility from the beginning to the end.”
Woo-bin: “To the end?”
Jun-pyo: “Yeah. To the end.”
Min-ji takes Jan-di to a club featuring live performers and suggests they dance. Jan-di declines, so she sits out while Min-ji goes out on the floor. When Min-ji looks back, she sees Jan-di wandering around, and is bumped by another woman.
Unexpectedly, Min-ji slaps the girl. Suddenly she’s no longer sweet and shy, but a stone-cold bitch. She sneers, “If you’re ugly, you should at least dance well.”
Worried about Jun-pyo’s latest comments, Yi-jung drops by the restaurant looking for Jan-di. Ga-eul tells him Jan-di’s not working today, so he asks if she’s her friend, and how long they’ve known each other.
At her answer (”Since kindergarten”), he smiles and figures that’s good enough: “So you’re best friends. Then let’s go.”
At his pottery studio, Yi-jung explains that he’s afraid that Jan-di will get hurt, and asks Ga-eul to advise her friend. Initially dazzled by the tall, handsome, rich guy, Ga-eul’s opinion drops once she gets his drift: “What kind of advice? That she can’t climb that tree, so don’t bother trying?”
Yi-jung ups the charisma, smiling at her and saying that cute girls like her are scary when angry. She sees through the charm and tells him that he must have thought he could fool everyone with his pretty face, but he misjudged her. She’ll pretend this conversation never happened.
Ga-eul gets up to leave, but stops and comes back for one last word, temper flaring. After all, Jun-pyo’s the one who likes Jan-di, not the other way around: “Jan-di doesn’t care to climb that tree.”
As she’s exiting, she runs into Woo-bin, who wonders what that’s all about. Yi-jung says it’s nothing, and that she’s exactly the type of girl he dislikes (backwards and unfashionable). And yet, his eyes say otherwise…
Jan-di roams the club, feeling bored and out of place. She encounters one of the performers, who senses her discomfort and suggests they head outside, where he plays her a song on his guitar. (I don’t think she really cares for the stranger, but appreciates the reprieve from the club.)
Seeing that her water bottle is empty, the guy hands her his. She sips the water, her vision goes blurry, and she blacks out.
In the morning, Jan-di awakens in an unfamiliar hotel room with no recollection of the night before. On the mirror, written in lipstick are the words, “Thanks for last night.”
She frets all morning about those words, trying to convince herself that nothing happened, wondering why she can’t remember anything.
Of course, this is also the day that Jun-pyo decides to make a little change in his appearance. He remembers Jan-di’s rant against him, when she said she hated “everything about him” from his curly hair to the fact that F4 always dresses in normal clothes when the rest of them are required to wear uniforms.
So that morning, he takes an extra two hours to get ready, wearing his uniform for once and having his hair straightened.
Jan-di is accosted by students, but whereas her reception the day before was sycophantic, today the Bimbo Threesome are furious at her for insulting Jun-pyo and therefore, by extension, everyone at the school.
Jan-di is totally baffled at their attitude until they drag her to the television. On it, photos are splashed of herself and the strange guy from the night before — in bed, half-clothed.
F4 arrives to see Jan-di surrounded by hostile faces, and Jun-pyo steps forward to defend her. Ginger tells him, “Don’t be fooled! Look at this and come to your senses!” And she points at the TV.
Jun-pyo glances over. Jan-di jumps in front of the screen, trying to block it and insist that it’s all a misunderstanding. He pushes her away and stares grimly at the photos, then turns to her: “What kind of mistake could lead to these pictures?”
Jan-di shakes her head, confused, and says, “I think someone set up a trap for me.” In a hard voice, he asks, “Was this all you were?”
Hurt that he’s so quick to condemn her, Jan-di fires back with tears in her eyes, “I don’t care whether you believe me or not. I don’t even know why I have to explain such an absurd situation to you. But this isn’t the truth.”
Jun-pyo grabs her shirt and clenches his jaw. He says in a low voice, “I’ll just ask one thing. Is the girl in that picture you?” Jan-di can’t say no, and a tear falls.
He shoves her back and glowers, “You said you didn’t care whether I believe you or not. You’re right. Geum Jan-di, from here on, I don’t know who you are.”
After he leaves, the mob descends on Jan-di, but you get the sense she doesn’t really care — the damage has been done with Jun-pyo’s dismissal of her.
Jun-pyo’s fury is so extreme that his friends worry about him, never having seen him so upset about anything before. They decide that they’d better get to the bottom of this before someone winds up seriously hurt, and head over to solve the mystery.
Woo-bin, Yi-jung, Ga-eul, and Jan-di look closely at the photos and ask if Jan-di can remember anything odd about the night before. Jan-di recalls the message scrawled in lipstick, which is odd, since it wasn’t hers. Why would a guy be carrying lipstick around?
Furthermore, the way the pictures are shot requires a third person to have taken them, which means there was somebody else involved. The guys take note of the mystery man’s tattoo, and use a combination of their brains and lots of money to get information.
The music club owner isn’t as helpful as they’d like, so the guys use a form of polite blackmail. If they aren’t pleased with the guy’s cooperation, they might as well run him out of business. Yi-jung: “Two weeks should do it.” Woo-bin: “We’ve got our reputation. We’ll have to make it a week.”
Woo-bin owns the neighboring building, which would make a nice venue to set up a competitor to drive this guy bankrupt.
What follows is some of the most ridiculous tomfoolery I ever did saw. To prove their point, Yi-jung displays some of his saxophone skills (to prove they’d be willing and able to make good on their threat). So now the pottery genius is also Kenny G? Look, I ignored the atrocity that is Ji-hoo’s violin-playing, but here I cannot remain silent. THAT’S NOT EVEN THE RIGHT KIND OF SAXOPHONE.
Woo-bin does his part by dancing… is that the Charleston? To cha-cha music?
Naturally, the two guys are successful. (Oh, the power of elevator jazz and ballroom dance!) They track down the guy in no time.
On the other hand, Jun-pyo is still working out his aggression. First it was guns, now it’s a sword.
Min-ji shows up unannounced to hand him a hotel key, which leads him to the room where Jan-di’s photos were taken.
The photos are piled in the center of the bed. Jun-pyo recognizes the familiar setting in the pictures, and his temper erupts. He throws things around the room — pillows, bedcovers, sheets — and after his tantrum, Min-ji steps into the room and tells him, “Please don’t be hurt. It’s ridiculous for you to be like this over a bitch like her.”
Min-ji appeals to Jun-pyo to calm down, saying this is too unfair for him to be so hurt over Jan-di.
Glaring at her with contempt, Jun-pyo grabs her and asks, “Weren’t you her friend? Can a friend talk like that?”
Min-ji whispers, “She stole you from me.”
Jun-pyo shoves her to the ground and heads to the door. Min-ji grabs him from behind and begs him not to go. He breaks free of her grasp and she cries, “Why her, but not me?”
He walks away, remembering Jan-di’s insistence that she was set up and that this is all a misunderstanding.
At school, it’s a free-for-all as Jan-di is knocked from her bike and jeered at. It’s like she’s come full circle, back to how she was tormented as a result of the red card, only this time the harassment is more malicious because she dared make a fool of the Great Jun-pyo.
Jan-di yells back at them, “Is this all you can do? Do more! Go on!” So they do, pelting her with water balloons shooting a fire hydrant at her, till she collapses on the ground.
COMMENTS
I think it’s obvious that the characters show some differences from previous versions. Do you think we could maybe get past that now, since we’re four episodes in?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not decrying comparison-making — I think comparisons are fair. But if half of the comments are purely “This is different from the Japanese/Taiwanese version!” I think the discussion starts becoming irrelevant to this drama itself, which is what I’m more interested in. Gu Jun-pyo is based on Doumyouji, but it’s clear his character diverges in some key points. He is a little thick-headed, but he’s not as blatantly stupid as Matsumoto Jun’s portrayal. He’s not as violent or hot-headed, either. This Jun-pyo is cold, hard, and can be cruel, but he’s not a cartoon character.
Kim Joon is doing really well as a Casanova, but Kim Bum, I think, is hampered by his baby face, which makes it odd to see him hitting on women who are clearly much, much older than him. It’s not the acting that is his problem, just the contrast between his appearance and his behavior. That’s why I was happy to see that he has good chemistry with Kim So-eun (Ga-eul), because she’s age-appropriate and was cast (most likely) with him in mind. She’s also a pretty good actor, and their scenes hold up well. Phew!
Also, he does much better in scenes that have no romantic overtones, such as when he coerced the club owner into giving up information. Nice to see a flash of the Kim Bum I’d been excited to see, because he hasn’t really shown much of his actual acting ability so far.
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Tags: Boys Before Flowers, episode recaps, Gu Hye-sun, Kim Bum, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Joon, Lee Min-ho
first again!
Right now the eng subtitles aren’t up yet on viikii! but thanks javabeans for the recap! Your recaps gives me a better understanding even without the english subs! Although, from the scenes i’ve watched episode 4 was much better than ep.3! And jun pyo
again is acting is amazing! I’m so happy that Ji-hoo was not there for the whole episode! He seriously needs to work on his acting! He has no facial expression and NO EMOTION at all! I tell ya no emotion at all!
But the scenes with Jandi and Jun Pyo! I love! I seriously need to live in Seoul,SK and get me a korean boyfriend! Lee Min Ho or Daniel Henney? lol! Too many good choices! lol!
p.s who was that guy Jandi slept with? hum I wonder!
i’ve been refreshing…thanks a lot… now i’m off to reading your summary
This episode may have been better due to the lack of Ji Hoo. The others were pretty good.
been refreshing constantly for this recap, thanks!
i am a total yi jung/ga eul shipper; can’t wait for more of their scenes together! i think they’re ridiculously cute…and i have a lot of hopes that their arc in this version will be more fleshed out. i almost cried at the end of the hyd final movie when soujirou ran away from yuuki at his book signing. *tear*
anyways, goo hye sun’s acting has, imho, improved over the past few eps. it’s less exaggerated by a fair amount; lee min ho is also holding up well. i love his interpretation of domyouji! i’m also relieved that he’s not trying to cop matsujun’s style.
i think the only character i’m not as enamored about is jihoo. kim hyun-joong is doing alright for his first drama, but still seems overly awkward. which to me will render the whole love triangle between jun pyo, jan di and ji hoo insignificant because the third wheel is thus far weaker than the other two. but i believe that it’ll all progress nicely over the next 20 eps.
speaking of which, the plot in the kdrama version is moving quite fast. not too much of a complaint; i still find it believable that junpyo could start to like jandi already because he’s never really encountered anyone like her before. hope the pace doesn’t drag towards the end of the series; i doubt it will because there are 30+ volumes of manga as a source of reference.
can’t wait for next week and thanks javabeans!
So exciting…Ahhhh I wanted to see what JP would do after he found out it was all a set up…but I guess we’ll have to wait until next week
thanks for the caps. despite its many shortcomings, i think i’m addicted.
one thing i’m confused about was when jun-pyo wakes up and takes the marker from jandi…what did he write if he wrote anything with it?
i love the changes, so far and agree this episode was better. i am completely guessing (and maybe projecting what i want), but i think jun-pyo was mouthing “sa-gwi-ja” (let’s go steady) but it’s hard to tell…hilarious, however. plus, it reminded me of the famous coffee prince line with a funnier spin…it totally redeemed my faith in the writer…at least for now.
i like the korean sourjiro/yuki interaction more than the other dramas (though the actors in the japanese version and rainie yang were beautiful, look-wise) because yuki has more personality and spunk. previous yuki’s were too demure and thankful for soujiro’s attentions that the relationship didn’t seem deeper than a brief fling. this version, however, looks like we might actually believe their relationship could be something special.
You know what? I think the episodes are going to start getting better and better because of the content……
As we dig deeper into Joon Pyo’s unanswered love for Jan Di, and Jan Di’s unanswered love for Ji Hoo….there isn’t going to be much screen time for the cutesy, corny, cheesiness that the later episodes showed…..and which was what was killing it for me in episodes 1 and 2 and somewhat of 3
Then, of course…once Jan Di answers Joon Pyo’s feelings and the problem becomes fighting the mother…i think the episodes are probably going to go back to the cheesiness..but i HOPE not
But anyways…..as seen from the “Forest scene”in the last episode…the episodes usually take a positive (and by positive, i mean good to watch) turn when the focus is solely on Joon Pyo and Jan Di’s relationship……so lets all cross our fingers…..
This series is going to last for about 20 episodes, and so far although the first episodes were bad, they just keep improving. Who knows? Maybe towards the middle of the series and (hopefully) all the way up to end, we will get THE boys over flowers that we were all hoping for!
P.S. I like Joon Pyo as Doumyoji now. He just may be the best (meaning: Most manga-like) Doumyoji around…i still think he lacks that “passion”…but its getting better and better
Hi! Thanks for the summary!! I was just wondering if you could in the future, summarize the preview for the next episode also?
Thank you!
omgosh and I can’t believe that we have to wait almost a wholllee week before seeing the next part of the series ….. Ughhh I don’t want to write spoilers here…but for those of you that knows the series (read the manga, etc)…you know what I’m talking about when I say that it’s going to be a grueling week!!!!!!
ooh man !! THANK YOU SO MUCH for the QUICK QUICK recaps.
I loveee you ! =D
I cant imagine how much work it is though to be recapping 2 of my favorite series at once ! HYD and Star’s Lovers ! But I am grateful nonetheless.
purely superficial note…but as much as i love love loved! ga eul’s spunk and [somewhat] defiance after being initially awestruck during her scene with yi jung, i was initially really distracted when they were in the restaurant because what was up with kim bum and his skinny neck tie that was tucked into a hole in his sweater? heh heh…
oh…and another comment…hahaha….
Korean Sakurako is DEFINETLY the best and prettiest……the Japanese one was just weird and overacted tooo much……..and the TW was forgettable and not even pretty.
I agree, this episode is waaaaayyy better simply put because of the lack of Ji Hoo. I can’t believe he is so wooden, but the rest of the cast is keeping me very entertained. I love the chemistry between JunPyo and JanDi and Kim Bum is cute with Ga eul
I agree with you Javabeans, Epi 4 was better than epi.3.
Overall, I know I’m going to be watching this every week, I am really enjoying it.
Thx for the recaps.
Thanks again for the recap
I am enjoying this drama a lot. Maybe it will be a pattern of having the Tuesday episode more solid than the Monday one, although I agree its better since it makes the viewers, me, want to want to watch the next episode, well thanks again for the recaps
there’s a lot of goofs in this drama, especially their hair. jandi’s hair is short in one scene, and then long in another. Same goes for Jihoo and Yi Jung.
Thank you so much Sarah…It was exciting reading this recap.
Jun-pyo is the star…hehe…I love all his scenes..
While reading…These lines just jump out…my favorites…
“When she asks where his driver is, Jun-pyo answers that he sent him home — he wanted to try things commoner-style.
So that morning, he takes an extra two hours to get ready, wearing his uniform for once and having his hair straightened.
On it, photos are splashed of herself and the strange guy from the night before — in bed, half-clothed. ”
I love the “half-clothed” part…hehe…
It was really fun watching the episode & reading your wonderful recap..
Thank you so much.
i think kim hyun joong is doing a decent job as ji hoo. maybe it’s because i dont understand korean so when he says his dialogue i cant tell at all if he’s saying them kinda emotionlessly or otherwise.
on the other hand, i understand mandarin chinese and i thought vic chou as taiwanese rui was horrible. his mandarin was so off that my taiwanese friends cringe and laughed at him in meteor garden. it’s impressive that now off all the taiwanese F4, he is the one who is the best actor, IMO.
i still cant believe this is the same kim hyun joong as the one i saw in “we got married”. it’s like he undergone plastic surgery or something for this role. could losing weight really change one’s facial feature THAT much? or maybe they put THAT much make up on him. LOL. his skin is like porcelain here.
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i liked the 4th Ep. better too. LMH doing the sword practice was so cheesy like Tom Cruise in Last Samurai. I was sad to see his glorious insane waves flat ironed. It make his face look flat. Also I like that Jandi has started wearing black tights. It looks better with the very short skirt. I wish she didn’t wear so much color and dress so girly and cute. If you going to do a lot of cutesy faces maybe keep the clothes low key. Makino is supposed to be a tomboy. I notice her bangs got razored and so her hair is looking a little edgier. My fav moment in HYD is when they get locked in but I am a little disappointed with the Korean take. It was a little tepid. The airport scene was nicely done especially the interactions between Jun Pyo and Jandi. Kind of reminded me of one of my fav scenes in On Air.
Omg.. I think I’m gonna love junpyoo’s character even I like the more stupid domyouji because of his all wrong words which makes it funnier. I agree it the comment above, jihoo really needs to put his acts together, I hope he improves a bit more with emtions put into it. So far, other than jihoo’s lack of emotions, I find no other complain about the f4 and Jian Di.
why is that poor woo bin has so many cringe-worthy scenes?!? first the ghetto fabulousness (which was NOT fabulous at all) and now, he’s dancing the charleston to cha cha music. AHAHAHAHAAH. javabeans, that comment made my night.
Thanks for the recap! I’ve watched the Japanese version and knows what happens next but it was so funny how you summarized Woo-Bin and Yi-jung getting information about the sleeping incident. Haha! LOL!
I definitely agree with Eb, i like the yijung/gaeun pair a lot more than the yuuki/sojiroh pair, i feel like they’re characters might actually connect although i think it’s funny that they start off “disliking” eachother because the yuuki in the manga was definitely not like that but i still love it! It’s just an amazing series and gu hye sun’s acting has really gotten a lot better, i’ve started being able to connect with her character a little bit. Thanks so much for the recap!
I’m SO excited it seems they’re taking the Yi-Jung/Ga-Eul romance route. While I enjoyed the Japanese adaptation, it always felt like they ignored the other characters. It’s not until episode 6 or 7 that Soujirou gets this story line, and then it’s dropped until almost the end of the series. Akira never did anything at all, so I hope he’s thrown a bone here.
And I have to say…I like Jun-Pyo more than Domyouji. Maybe it’s that Jun’s played Domyouji before (and better) in Gokusen, or that Domyouji took FOREVER to like like Tsukushi. I LIKE that Jun-Pyo’s cold and lonely and angry. Not as violent. And while he’s still impulsive, he clearly plans things out (like the ducks). He doesn’t mind waiting a bit to get a good reaction from Jan-Di.
Mm! It’s actually starting to sound good! I haven’t had time to watch this so far, and was a bit wary since I’ve seen both the other versions and really, what new is there to say? But it looks like they’ve actually done a good job of reinterpreting the story, and I’m super relieved to hear Jun-pyo is not as stupid as Matsumoto(because really. Matsumoto took the cake in that arena. Not that I didn’t like the J-drama).
Thanks for the recap
Lee Minho is doing an amazing job, I agree with you on how he has chosen to portray Doumyouji compared to Masumoto Jun’s, slightly more introverted perhaps, a more anguished and cold demeanor, which has really carried well thus far in this drama. And because for me I’ve always been frustrated seeing how Makino’s character begins to develop towards really falling in love with Doumyouji, I’m really enjoying the chemistry between the two leads. Really looking forward to next week’s episode with the preview of Jun-pyo’s kiss on Jandi’s temple. And once again thanks for the recap!
omgosh i can’t wait another week!!
this is so addictingggg. the scene where jun pyo offers to drop jandi home was especially cute. he was LEANING 
i watched that like five times already eheheh..
im really curious how they’re going to handle the ga eul/ yi jung story. ga eul is pretty :]
thanks!! hmm.. weighing in, a lot happenned in episode 4. wow.
i knew that min ji girl was trouble. ugh. and to be called jd’s friend.
hmm the sax playing portion wasnt yeah great but i loved watching kim bum. lol. fangirling here. and yes, im a yi jung/ga eul shipper too. i hope for more scenes but if this anything like the magnga yi jung(soujiro) runs away from her. lol.
i enjoy it though.
i love how they made JP’s character here.. as much as i liked jun’s tsukasa.. enjoyable.. and i didnt quite care for the tw version.. he was too much i felt.
i really like LMH’s charisma and he carries himself well and puts a lot into the role. so it’s overall a good choice on their part.
GHS is improving too i think. but her makino is kinda of a cuter version so to speak. they are trying to make her cute in the way even if she isnt pretty she is appealing and stuff.
I love that series until now.
That great to begining the year with a solf subjet drama.
Viva korean drama.
me too,,
i agree with your comment,,
finally kim bum has his own destiny,,
I think it’s pretty weird when someone like him dating older woman
and yeah the scene where he and ga eul was pretty intense (something that I couldn’t get from JPand JD at first)
i hope the story between them turns out well
AWESOME!! I hope what really happened will be revealed soon. Although if I was Jan-di, it wouldn’t really matter to me that people didn’t believe. I’m more irritated towards the fact that Jun-pyo didn’t trust me. =P
Hope u continue the recaps and thanks again. I can’t wait for ep 5.
Lovely recaps!
Thanks for the reminder on the comparison. I love Meteor Garden and i think my mind was sort of set on some level of comparison in terms of storyline and characters. Haven’t watched the Jap version so nothing to compare :p
Javabeans-
thanks for the recap of ep 4. Your recaps always makes me think of little things that I don’t normally notice- which is a very good thing.
You are so spot on with your thoughts on Kim Bum and the saxaphone.
When I first saw this- I was like- are they all geniuses?- do they know how to do everything?
As I watch this- I also agree- KB seems so young. At time- is just looks weird to see him flirting with girls older than him. Hopefully KB’s story with the best friend will not be too over shadowed.
Also- I thought that Joon Pyo was silly at times- but I agree with you that in this korean version- Joon Pyo’s character seem more connected to reality. His counter part in the J- version was so weird at times and over reacting too much- pushing girls on the floor and calling them stupid.
I think the Korean vers. is moving quite fast atm. i dunno if, in the middle, it starts dragging itself… but so far i’m enjoying this adaptation.
Javabeans, i’m sorry but i have to disagree with u over the portrayal of Domyouji. i still believe MatsuJun did a better job than the Lee Min-ho now… it was the craziness, the weird mood swings and the violence of Domyouji and the way Tsukushi changes him really made me love hanadan… bt i dunno- this could change as the drama progresses….
as always, thankyou for the recaps…
^_^
Personally, this is my favourite Domyouji out of the 3 versions. There, I said it. Matsujun was, like you said, very caricatured, often goes towards the extreme. Jerry Yan had awesome emotional acting, but he too had a tendency to veer towards the extreme. But Minho does a lot of stuff much more subtly. He’s still the same Domyouji, but one that is more believable.
I’m so glad you commented on that lame ass scene of Woobin supposedly dancing and Yijung getting all sax-y. I mean dude, seriously.
I think Kim Joon is ‘doing well’ mainly because his role isn’t exactly hard. His role basically has no storyline (except for that one in MG2), so far that I know of. At least Yijung would have something with Gaeul (OMG, I am so EXCITED!!, they had great chemistry in that one scene) and I’m hoping this something would be more resolved by the previous two versions. In short, I hope they’d hook up.
I prefer Jun-pyo with the wavy hair! I’m really enjoying this series so far…
Thanks for recapping!
Stop stuffing food into your mouth.
And Jun Pyo and Jandi are becoming too close too quickly. Where is the hatred? He’s not really that violent either. and I can’t see why he would really need Jandi in his life. In fact, he’s too cute to have such a brat as Jandi in his life.
i think i’m the only one who’s not really into this drama. i was really looking forward to it but i just can’t get into the over-acting and annoying silliness of Gu Hye Seon and her family and the non-chemistry between her and Lee Min Ho. i guess i’m just not a big fan of Gu Hye Sun and don’t think she fits the Makino role at all.
thanks for the recaps….i just looked into coolsmurfs domain….n he mentioned that Kim Bum & So Eun’s first encounter made deep impression to the viewers…yeah for that……haha….
wow….can’t wait to see more of them together….it’s really nice to see Kim Bum pairing up with So Eun….
i first like Kim Bum’s acting is the drama called “Rude Women”. he was the son of the main character, Mi Joo. he’s cute, kind, funny sometimes. i love his character in that coz he always so protective to his mum n never ask who his father is bcuz she might be sad to hear it.
in the first part of the last epi, that’s when i fell in love with his acting. he finally realize who his father is n breaks down. he hasd a heart that forgives ppl even they hurt him so badly….aw…if any of u would like to see Kim Bum’s previous acting, this would be the drama that i recommend, even that’s not that much of him in it….
Domyouji was pretty moronic in the manga but I guess MatsuJun took it to another level, with some of the most cutest scenes ever I might add, Im really liking Lee Min Ho but I wish he was a little more agressive, thats when the sparks between him and Makino really flew, even in the manga.
Anyway I’ll wait for subs, im pretty excited.
I would love this version so much more if only Jan Di actually played Tsukishi rather than some obnoxious whiny 10 year old.
Nice recap. LIKE ALWAYS.
However, you left out the part where Jan di got drunk and that guy start playing guitar thingy. but still awesome. I too agree with you about Kb. His face is way too cute and innocent. there’s a part where everyone look at Jandi with a question mark or furios expression, there Kb still have his gentle sweet boyish smile. lol..
I LOVE Kim Hj because of Hwangbuin. love to see them together and I was very excited for this Series because of him. but now, My eyes stuck on Joon Pyo. He’s just the package for good, bad silly guy. Yeah.. I like Joon Pyo character soo much!!!!
Can’t wait for next week!!
One of the troubles with things like this, is well there no real surprise, as you either read the manga or seen one of the other versions. So everyone knows who and why she was set her up. Its really as many are saying the scenes with the two main characters that attract you to the series, rather then the events happening around them.
I can not help but thinking that school like something out of lord of the flies, all vicious little animals waiting for the sign of weakness before they attack. And they are suppose to be the future leaders of the country..lol
@bjharm #42: Isn’t that just highschool though…taken to the extreme? Which is why the manga and all the versions are so popular, because of all the twists and turns, lies and deceit, and of course some lovey dovey stuff too.
Thanks for the recaps!! I love reading your take on it Javabeans after watching it for myself! I completely agree that Kim Bum’s looks hampers his character’s seduction antics, but he’s charming all the other times. Glad he’s finally getting more interaction with Ga-eul!!! I’ve been anticipating this relationship since episode 1. *fangirl squeal*
For some reason LMH’s curls have grown on me…. when he straightened them out it made him a little “flat” for lack of better word. One more thing… am I the only one who was green with jealousy that the F3 are driving those ridiculously expensive looking, colorful, I-wanna-have-one-too sportscars???
Anyone know who sings the ending song for this episode?
abt the storyline, its like a combination of the taiwan version and japanese version to me.. and they do stick a lot to the manga script, unlike the japanese version.. I love the korean domyouji the best so far
.. its makino that made me tune to the japanese hanadan but for the korean/taiwan version its the domyouji character..
kim bum is hot
.. i like baby face!!!
i dun know. but i feel so much better without ji hoo. its like so nice.
somehow in this rendition, i dun see how come jun py likes jan di as well
i mean she’s just like this screaming girl with not a lot of brain.
character comes with brain.
and the short instance for yi jung and ga eul. totally love it.
awesome. i hope something good comes out of it.
Thank you for the recap. I have honestly been waiting all day! I hoped to like this version and by golly I do! I won’t compare because to me there is none. I see this as a fresh take on a story that I just love. I think that we all should see it that way. There is something fresh in Minho that can’t be denied. I love his interpretation. I’m not sure if its him, the script or what but its making for wonderful TV. Can’t wait to see how the rest of the story veers and evolves. Having loads of fun! Thank you again.
Tho I like LMH’s interpretation of Domyouji I like Jun’s too (over the top maybe but remember …..it’s a manga/anime adaption after all. And Jerry’s. They were all different but good in their own way. I thought the Japanese Rui was excellent consistently (acting wise) like LMH and tho’ Vic Z wasn’t as consistent he was gorgeous looking like LMH. I didn’t find the Japanese F4 so compelling in the looks department but they more than made up for it by their all round fantastic performances. And the direction and production values were top notch. I found the soundtrack and score a little too heavy veering on cheesy sometimes. The song Flavor of Life was so un Makino like. I can’t imagine Makino indulging in such emotional wallowing and getting all breathy. I think that’s just me because I know the song was huge in Japan.
I think it’s better to stop expecting the Korean adaptation to be like the Japanese and Taiwanese. It would be actually very boring. But I must say I was expecting it to be better than what we have seen so far. LMH is the only reason I am watching this. Otherwise I’d quite happy just reading Dramabeans’ recaps and analysis. I am hoping Rui will come back from Paris looking all healthy and relaxed and be Domyoji’s worthy rival for Jandi’s heart.
i thought the scene transitions and pacing in this episode were really.. really.. off. a third of the time i was like huh?
and kimbum’s sax-faking >>>>> hyunjoong’s violin-faking.
UGH… i gotta say the pacing is really really fast.
I watched this live without subs and i was actually thinking it wasn’t as good as previous episodes maybe because… i don’t really understand what are they talking about but after i finished watching the chinese subbed, i like it better.
It’s just that i feel pity for Jandi to endure so much torments…
Sigh.. The part where Junpyo left her being bullied by others is really really cruel.
Lee Minho took Tsukasa’s character to another different level.
Both the Japanese and the Taiwan versions had separate seasons 1 and 2. Does anyone know if this version will be same or will it be seasons 1 and 2 combined?
The reason for my question is that the plot is moving very fast for solely a season 1 and we still have 16 episodes to go.
I also wonder if the agreement for the rights to film this drama came with any restrictions as to how much or little it can be similar to the Japanese version.
I also like the Yi-jung and Ga-eul pairing. I don’t know the actress who plays Ga-eul at all. But, she’s very good, as well as pretty.
Thank you, as usual, for the recap. Always a treat to read your writing.
I didn’t miss Ji-Hoon at all. If he could stay gone for a couple more episodes I wouldn’t be sad.
Thanks for the recap.
just finished watching all epi at one time…
i enjoyed Lee minho’s acting so far. He attracted viewer’s attention. i really wish the female lead be someone else coz Gu Hye Seon ’s over-acting and annoying silliness plus the crazy screaming are totally drive me crazy.. She looked so old esp. when she started yelling, her eyes’ crow feet and the loosen skin on her face are so visible.. ..Let her be an HS student is a big joke.
Kim hyun joong looks exhausted and spaced out. That was so awkward when he was with HCY. His charm and glowing with hwangbo at WGM are totally vanished here. i am sorry but i still don’t see him into the role of Rui yet..
Kim Bum is hawt and cute as always. I can’t wait to see his relationship with ga eul.. they look so good together……
Have you guys watched Sang Sang Plus with the cast of BOF, it was hirlarious and everyone from the cast was adorable. Hope Ji Hoo will be able to bring charm to his character because actor himself in real life is quite lovable and witty, and doesn’t lack a bit in the beauty department….Best of luck to him. SO happy with the drama’s high rating!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bmQqkE-d8U
HI there ^^
Wanna say thanks you so much for the summary.
I’m a big fan of ” Hana Yori Dango”
Watching the third version didn’t bother me at all.
I enjoy this korea version and take it as a brand new drama, and trying not to compare it so much with the taiwanese and japanese.
Love this show and love your summary.
thanks
This is my favourite version of Hana Dori Yango. I like the japanese version too, but I thought Domyouji was too violent for my taste. Plus the korean guy is a lot better looking. I really don’t care for the taiwanese version.
This drama is definitely a keeper for me. I even like the music.
thanks for the recap!
i personally think the korean version is doing pretty well.. junpyo is a better portrayal than domyoji who was often over the top
ahhh in the japanese version i loveddddd rui so much that i still have pretty high expectations of jihoo here and plus kimhyunjoong was a cutie in wgm..,,
hmmm when are we gonna see junpyo’s sis?
I don’t think I do much comparision but I do get bored easily if it’s something I already watch (and read) for quite a few times.
Anyway, the story is actually rolling now. I think I can give it another chance.
Thanks for the review. BTW I usually don’t finish reading your recaps. I read the introduction then at the end to see your thoughts on it, not your summary. I mean, I do after all dislike spoilers.
Thanks for the recap!
I’ve seen both the Taiwanese and Japanese versions. I loved both, each being different. At first I didnt really like so much as to how this one was different in a lot of things, but its also a different version.
But now, I really like how its different, it fits well.
The cast, is a lot better than expected, in my opinion. At first i wasnt sure if the girl who plays Jan-di could hold the role well because she seems more cute than sassy. But she does a really good job playing the part. And im totally in love with Lee Min-ho, he fits the part so well- looks, character, everything! His acting is very good, im so glad he got the part!! And i think Hyun Joong plays his part well, for a rookie. At first, i thought he fit the look perfectly of his character. But he could use some improvement in his acting, but overall hes doing pretty well with his character. And i feel the chemestry between Jun Pyo and Jan Di.
I am finding myself loving this show so far, just like how i loved the other versions. Im even getting excited for the next episodes, as if i dont know what is comming next, because i really dont since things are a bit different and unique to the korean version. And i love it! I cant wait for the next episode! If this is going to be like 20 episodes, im going to have so much fun watching!
And i have to say, out of all of the songs on the ost so far, the only one i love is SS501 song “내 머리가 나빠서 ” (Because I’m Stupid)” It fits so well!
IM IN LOVE WITH THIS SONG!! lol
Lee Min Ho, keep it up, buddy, you’re doing great!
LOL…without KHJ the majority of the episode, there isn’t much for people to complain about, haha…(poor guy)
YESSSS! KIM BUM + GA EUL!!!!
Yeah, Kim Bum has the baby-face of century (Jang Geun Suk included), but wow, what a beautiful face it is…you need to give him credit for keeping his character grounded and for generating chemistry with Ga Eul…I love the lip she gave him and the way he went “Oyyyyy…” They’re SO cute together!
In that really tense scene where Jun Pyo’s asking Jan Di about the pictures of her, all I could do was ogle at Kim Bum in the background. SO bad of me.
Also loved the way Jan Di used her coffee cup to protect herself from Jun Pyo…loll…the airplane thing made me burst out laughing…=D
Honestly, the only reason I took a look at this drama is because you were doing the recaps (if you’re doing recaps then the drama is worth a look, at least from my perspective). After watching the first three episodes (and part of the fourth), I have to agree that it is a little rough around the edges.
I guess that I am one of the very few who has never seen any of the other versions, so I had zero expectations and nothing to compare this version to. But I have to admit, that there are moments in each episode that I find so compelling that it makes me want to continue to watch.
Now I’ll have to check out the other versions…I’m still deciding which to watch first, although I am leaning toward Meteor Garden.
it’s hard not to make comparison to the anime, manga, taiwanese/japanese versions that’s being done before this one. I think one thing that really bother me was how those four doesn’t seen like close friends at all. I can put up with the awful music, bad English and all the other things you pointed out before.
I have to admit out of all the versions this one was the one I felt most connected to “Doumyouji”, probably because of the actor himself. Most of the giddy feeling came from the scenes he’s interacting with people.
by the way thank you so much for the recap! I watch the Chinese subbed version but my 8 year old daughter reads your summaries! She commented it’s less painful than watching the hour long show for some good moments.
I like Jun Pyo’s acting so far, I mean he is no Matsumoto Jun, but he’s not that bad. I can’t feel chemistry between Jun Pyo and Jan Di [ well maybe because she is not suppose to like him as of yet but still, you know?!?!? ]. The way the two guys bribed the club owner made me think “WTF”. Anyways I agree with your on the comment about Kim Bum. And what about I Kim Joon’s character I know he’s new to acting and everything but I’m really really not feeling him, well maybe { i’m praying} that he’ll get better!!!
Thanks for he recaps, entertaining as usual
Jun-pyo’s pama is so….. PERMED in the screencap of them at the observation deck. Lols
Thank you so much for this!
I like JanDi’s expression as JunPyo left the cafetaria feeling hurt. She didn’t care getting bullied by other girls, she seemed so sad looking at JunPyo.
i agree! watching this episode was a lot more… bearable. even enjoyable.
i’m loving the ways theyre making this version their own. their being the koreans! thanks again for the prompt recaps~
thanks for the recap. the eps are getting better and better each time. i haven’t watched the japanese nor taiwanese versions. so i hope people will stop comparing the other versions and watch this drama as is. i know its hard but try not to spoil it for the others. =D
Thanks for the summary! Great as always!
When I saw Ji Hoo come back in the preview, I thought…ugh. Who knows? He may suddenly improved. Maybe he finally understood how to play his part instead of being confused like he was in the first three episodes. I hope Jandi lowers her volume. It’s not very…cute. I understand she is supposed to be a strong, tough, and vocal girl , but you can be all three and not be screaming all the time. The only times I think her screaming is appropriate is when she is being bullied or attacked. Other than that, not necessary. But, I do appreciate that she is making her character her own. Oh Lee Min Ho, keep doing what your doing! I like! Me like!
i just loOoOve LMH’s straightened hair. I must say, he carries the permed and straightened hair pretty well for a guy. Ü
I am loving this drama thus far. I think your right that it’s not good to compare it too much with the japanese or taiwanese version even though it’s easy to fall into that, because we will then miss out on the charm of this version and It’s quite charming If we must go into it, and I can’t help but automatically compare some of the facets myself, then I would say I really do think that character development is being paced well in this version versus the other ones. You get a sense of who junpyo is without knowing his whole story and it makes you really want to know his story. I guess like other people said, it’s a bit more realistic in a way to see how his violence and anger are tied to his loneliness, unlike in other versions where the violence seemed sometimes exaggerated and meaningless. And while Jandi seems really over the top, she’s realy normal cosidering the family she comes from.
Anyways. The club scenes at Circle club really brings back some memories. Haha dramas and mvs really like to film in that club.
I have to admit I can’t share the general feeling here that this episode was better than the ones before.
I liked the first half… but as soon jan-di and the evil-friend-in-sheep-clothes visit that club and those completly-pathetic-and-useless-for-the-story music acts start it gets a bit too absurd, IMHO. All of those music acts actually… there was zero point in them and it just wasted screen time. Feeled like MTV from the 80s. Well.. at least it seemes like the guy could play his guitar.
So.. what was with the pen? Did he write something… i first thought he wanted to paint her face for the fun, he’s Jun Pyo after all… then I thought he wrote some little love letter and hid it somethere in their bag… still thinking about this the 2nd half was very confusing. I really thought for some reason Jun Pyo has switched back and wanted to hurt Jan Di again… and he’s the guy in the pictures himself. Well… you see there it started to stop working for me.
The recap unclouded it a bit at least… still it goes a bit too fast and too absurd there. Is Min-ji some kind of kidergarten love by Jun Pyo… and why they acted like they don’t know each other at all in first episode (lick-clean-the-shoe-scene) and now seem to have some kind of akward past.
Oh well… waiting for next episode now… hoping for less of these silly music acts.
I totally agree with you. I’m kinda tired of people always comparing, I mean, I have too, but it doesn’t bother me much. The one thing I think I might have to compare is the scene where they get locked outside together. Alot of people complained that it needed rain. But the snow is very “korean” so I didnt mind that and the roof. The roof was typical, as well. What I wanted more of was the scene where Jan Di takes care of Jun Pyo. This was suppose to make their relationship, or what they have of one, become more… bonded (for lake of a better word). And I didnt think it fully executed that importance, although you see Jun Pyo waking up and happy that she had taken care of him, some what. And what I’m curious of is what Jun Pyo writes?!?! Did anyone notice that? I’m sure its gonna be there for future references, but still, I want to know! And I really enjoyed the scene with Yi Jung and Ga Eul, where he steals her away and talks to her. Like Jun Pyo and Jan Di, you can feel the chemistry between the two working already! I can’t wait to see what happens with them. And I think F3 should wear uniforms more often! They looked so good walking down that breezeway with their lollipops. And also the scene where Jun Pyo comes to defend Jan Di (the pictures incident), I also noticed that when Jun Pyo walks over and Jan Di turns to him, she looks him up and down. Noting that he was wearing a uniform with straight hair. I think this is also a big moment for her, because she sorta realizes that Jun Pyo is serious. Some what, about her. Okay… so enough said on my part. Sorry so long! OH and great screencaps!
so far, im liking this version more than the 2 previous ones for 3 reasons: 1) the character of gu jun-pyo is better played by lee min ho than his taiwanese and japanese counterparts. aside from the obvious fact that he’s most gorgeous of them all, his version of domyouji certainly has more depth. he can play dumb in one instant and all sweet and kind the next without having to overact and over-react — a common mistake of jerry yan and matsujun . he can make that instant shift in character with so much ease — a true sign of his inherent acting ability. he is truly a natural. im sure he will really go a long way and im soo happy that he was given such a big break. he truly deserves all the good reviews about his acting. 2) the story-telling (all 3 eps since i havent watched ep 4 yet) is light years better than meteor garden and HYD combined. this version is funnier (even without the actors trying too hard esp. LMH) and more realistic. the script is better too minus the occasional “yo-yo-yo!” hiphop lingo used. 3) the co-stars are all surprisingly good actors except for ji-hoo. i think joo ji hoon would have played a better ji-hoo. but then again, there is no perfect drama, right? Over all, BBF is so enjoyable to watch. it makes waking up on mondays and tuesdays so much more bearable!!! i cant wait for ep 4!
Thanks for the recap!
I was also a little bit glad that JiHoon and Suhyun only appeared for a few minutes in this episode not that I don’t like them…but I guess Jihoon will be back soon!
JP telling something to JD outside the airport is the funniest scene! He was satisfied after saying it but didn’t confirm if she really heard it! well of course he said he won’t say it again haha
And also the trapped scene–I wonder what he did to the pen, I thought he’s gonna write something on Jandi’s face? or he kept it..maybe they’ll show it in the next few episodes..
Kim Bum really looks comfortable with Kim So-eun, maybe because they’re the same age..I hope their characters ended up together–to be different from the original
You’re right that Joon Pyo’s character here is not like cartoonish or should I say it’s more on the mature side or reality….where he won’t go hitting just anyone he sees if he’s mad instead he uses material things or stuff to vent his anger, which is better; unlike the jap version–but still matsujun did a good job. And I also like that Joon pyo doesn’t yell alot, like the last scene with Jandi in this episode, normally in korean drama if not based on anime he’ll say it like this “WAS THIS REALLY YOU IN THIS PICTURE? TELL ME! TELL ME!” then storms out and hits everyone on the way. He’s pretty calm for a Tsukasa Domyouji but he still fits in the same way.
i’m starting to enjoy the series.i bet it’s gonna be great.hope so.anyways, minho’s acting is superb!.i think that he’s the best compared to the other lead actor in HND and MG.(no offence.huhu)
I hate Goo Hye Sun. Her portrayal of Makino is terrible. I’m not even comparing this to the other versions but seriously? How miscast can you get? She’s plain, old and a bad actress. I just don’t see how she got the role. Ain’t there a lot of talented young actresses? I’m not being ageistic but logical. Her character is supposed to be young. She looks like 40. Sigh.
She reminds me of that girl from Que Sera Sera.
I have to admit that I am guilty of constantly comparing all the different versions of HYD and the anime/manga. However, I have to admit the K version is really cming into its own now. I always thought that Jun Pyo was just not violent enough for Doumyoji but I’m starting to understand that this is Lee Min Ho’s own interpretation and actually it works pretty well too. And I have to say out of all the Soujiro/Yuuki pairings, the Kim Bum/Kim So Eun is the one which I am liking the best. In all the other versions, Yuuki was a bit of a fangirl, following Soujiro around like a lovesick puppy but I like Ga Eul’s guts. I really hope they develop this storylie more than they did the other versions. Yes yes, more comparison but hey, it’s all positive! =) And thank you for the recaps. They keep me going while I impatiently wait for the subs.
I like reading your recaps!
Anyway, I’m loving this version! It would be boring if it was exactly the same as the japanese or taiwanese version.
The thing I like the most of ‘Boys Over Flowers’ is Lee Minho’s Tsukasa/Jun Pyo. I think he’s doing great as the character and his acting is natural and convincing. He’s the best thing on the serie at the moment. Every time he’s on a scene I get excited (and I’m not saying in a fangirling way) because his Tsukasa is so appealing in his own way. I think he’ll probably be the best Tsukasa in all version.
(I know you asked not to compare all the versions, but I didn’t liked Matsumoto Jun’s portayel of Tsukasa because first of all he’s short and too thin and it was hard to believe he was the leader of a group with boys that looked more stronger than him and also to believe that other people were scared of him. Besides he made his Tsukasa look too stupid and too dumb, it was funny, I admit, but that’s not how the character is. Tsukasa is supposed to be strong and almight, but he’s not dumb, he only doesn’t know how to speak his own language properly but he speaks lots of other languages perfectly and at some times he even represents his family’s company when his mother is not home – a dumb person wouldn’t be like that, right? Also I think Matsumoto was not convincing on showing how he was attracted to Makino.)
As for Koo Hye Sun, I’m starting to get used to her portrayel of Makino/Jandi. At first I didn’t like how she tried too hard to look cute and to convince that she was a high school girl. I was disapointed by her acting because I always thought she did great on other tv series so I was expecting she would do the same on ‘Boys Over Flowers. But on the latest episodes she’s acting more natural, specially on the deep or sad scenes. (Anyway, I think her looks are perfect for Makino because F4’s beauty really stand out next to her because of her commoner face)
Other that improved besides Koo Hye Sun is Kim Hyun Joong, he is acting more natural and less stiff than on the previous episodes.
Kim Joon is doing great for a newbie, his acting is natural and if I didn’t knew he was a newbie, I’d thought he had experience in acting.
As for Kim Bum, I think he’s doing fine.
there were really good caps with kibum in it.
DD
ZZZOMG! THIS IS MY FAVE EPISODE BY FAR & I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE FIFTH ONE
( Huhu, the sneak-peak is so frickin’ exciting!!!!!
Yes, Yi Jung and Ga Eul…..waiting for something different in the Korean version.
And MinJi……she’s the best!!! LMH is getting better in each episode.
Re. Jihoo….
Rui in the manga is emotionless, with his marble childlike eye.
He start to have emotion and smile after he met Tsukushi. Rui’s biggest change is after he went back from Paris. Interesting to see how he will show/act it in future episode.
why do men always grab the women by the collar in kdramas… is it suppose to make them look macho?!?!?
“He is a little thick-headed, but he’s not as blatantly stupid as Matsumoto Jun’s portrayal. He’s not as violent or hot-headed, either.”
^ I can’t agree with this more, I disliked Jun’s portrayal of Domyouji, it just made him very stupid and hot tempered! Thus, I really like how Lee Minho portrayed Domyouji, with just the right amount of arrogance, temper and stupidity XD This is the first time I’m liking Domyouji more than Rui lol.
And I absolutely ADORE the Kim Bum x Kim So-eun scene, I think they make a veryyyy cute couple! Definately looking forward to more of them, and more of Kim Bum
Thanks for the review, I’ve always enjoyed reading them
I think that each actor–and their portrayal of their respective characters–is finally growing on me. It helps to have low expectations going in. Especially for singer-turned-actors.
I am quickly reading (scanning, more like) the manga to get a better sense of the characters, and I am quite happy with most of the acting, which is why it’s so jarring to see the moments/stretches of poor acting and weak directing.
I thought that this version was going to be less cartoonish, as we have been witness to some very “real” aspects in the plot (i.e., how Jan-di gets admitted into Shinhwa), but the portrayal of Jan-di’s family and those “tomfoolery” moments throw me off. I’ve not encountered Makino’s family in the manga series as of yet, so I don’t know if the production is trying to be true to the manga writer’s interpretation, but honestly, must Jan-di’s family be so flat (in their money-grubbiness/fascination with high society)? If they go from these one-dimensional characters to being more complex and involved persons in Jan-di’s life in future episodes, I am going to scream in frustration.
And lovely, thanks for the link, I’d been looking for it.
Thank you so much for your recap!
I can tell from all of the comments that everyone appreciates them as much as I do! Like someone mentioned, you do a great job of pointing out small moments in the drama, and you always characterize and analyze them perfectly. I always find myself re-watching the moments you mention, too.
Your recaps are also why I am keeping up with the drama, because some of the weaker points are hard to sit through and it helps to have an overview of events of the episode. Otherwise, I really think I might fast forward to any Yi Jung or Jan Di/Jun Pyo moments and not pay much attention to the rest.
I also think you are spot-on in your comments about the direction. It feels off and not in-sync because sometimes the director (or whoever is in charge of this part) will use cutesy sounds and slow-mo, but it seems like it was thrown in there at the last minute. I’m not trying to make too harsh a criticism, though, because I can’t decide if I want them to tone it down or amp it up. It always occurs to me when I watch the previews of the next episode that the sound effects and moments play well in a teaser but sometimes don’t mesh too well in the actual playback of the episode.
Thanks again for updating, and I’m sure we’re all looking forward to next week!
I really don’t understand why everyone keeps complaining about Kim Joon – that’s his character: stiff, wooden, and completely outside of everything. Like reverie said in above post – its his return from Paris that we’ll a more animated guy. I think that everyone who complains about his stiff acting is actually a compliment to Kim Joon’s acting ability since that is his character.
KHS has a crush on Kim Joon’s character right now – his act of kindness in the midst of all that madness, yeah, I’d be crushing and think a bit better of him. When he comes back from Paris is when we’ll see the real love triangle.
Javabeans.. I totally agree with you.. this episode is much better.. and its going at a somewhat quick pace but its also has a different spin.
I’m glad that its starting to break away bit by bit by the other versions and see scenes and storylines that’s different. I think it definately creates more interests for the viewers. I also do agree though that I was a bit confused with the whole saxophone and dancing scene, but I’m guessing they were trying to keep it the whole romantic comedy idea.
And I hate to point this out, but at first i had a difficult time trying to line up the korean actor who plays tsukasa: Gu jun pyo? but in that one scene where he asks her to go on a date with him and he had the beanie on, he looked very much alike with Jerry Yan (Taiwanese version of Tsukasa) and that look started to rub off on me, so now he’s finally getting to me..
Thanks to all your screencaps.. will continue watching!
i also liked the acting in this episode but the music!!! argh! the music has seriously got to go. it really hinders the drama because the music sometimes makes the drama seem like it’s from the 90s trying to act hip for 09. and i wish they stopped using “paradise” so much.
but thanks for your hard work javabeans! i’m actually excited for mondays and tuesdays now!
I agree with you Bebo. This serie is more and more horrible.
What is laughable is people seing Jun Pyo is anyone but Domyoji (because if you read the manga you will see Domyoji is a Stupid, Brat, arrogant, violent, impulsive, rich man and Jun Pyo is simply not Domyoji (maybe Min Oh can’t portraying this kind of character and like someone say “lack of passion” so Jun Pyo is like that). Domyoji is all but cold (Rui is ), weak, mature, with zero chemistry with the lead actress. Jun Pyo can’t be the best Domyoji because he doesn’t play Domyoji. Jun Pyo is not Domyoji and it getting more and more obvious!!
@Maria maybe you are in love with Min Oh physic but Tsukasa character is Dumb, brat, stupid while Rui is the opposite (That’s why in all versions Tsukasa was hated while Rui was loved at first). Jun did A GREAT JOB to make believable his portraying (Playing extrovert, dumb, brat, violent stupid people is a Hard ). work)
thank you for the recaps!
i find it quite amazing that after reading the Hana Yori Dango manga, watching both the Japanese and Taiwanese drama versions, I still feel giddy seeing the story unfold. ^O^
one thing i will say is, the Korean version is probably (so far) the TRUEST to the manga. the Japanese version was over-the-top and diverged in many aspects from the original manga, while the Taiwanese version was I guess, low budget and had an older cast (but was amazing nonetheless). this Korean version, for me, is like reading the manga all over again, but enacted by people. it’s a pleasant surprise.
i understand your comments about how sometimes the drama feels skippy, not edited well and if you will, corny, but i applaud this version for being so true to how the story was told in the manga, and for keeping up with the original settings and time line. =)
thanks alot..
i always check this thread nowadays ~~~
can’t wait to watch this ep..
i don’t know why jun pyo got curly hair like matsujun..
he should just stay with straight hair lol..
thanks alot..
i always check this thread nowadays ~~~
can’t wait to watch this ep..
i don’t know why jun pyo got curly hair like matsujun..
he should just stay with straight hair lol..
LMAO “The truest to the manga” I can’t help but LAUGH!!! Maybe if you say MG (Because this horrible drama followed the manga to the T) I would say yes. But…
-Talking about overracting look at Jan-di Poor Girl can’t stand a chance against Mao Inoue LOL
-Rui zero charisma, looks like a retard off character, People are Happy because he is not here anymore (”Truest to the manga” Are you kidding me?
-Jun Pyo is Mature (he is more mature than Akira), supporting, nice, weak, cold, looks like a prince charming but a little stupid (Are you sure it’s the truest to the manga???) Maybe we didn’t read the same book. Maybe you like Jun Pyo character (because it’s all about look) but I wonder if you liked Domyoji’s character at first in Manga (If you said yes I would think we didn’t read the same manga). Domyoji all but what Jun Pyo is at the moment. Domyoji is extrovert not cold. LOL
-Kim bum looks like a child who is trying to not be virgin anymore
-Korean gangsta man Akira…No comment (yo yo yo) WTF???
And LMAO “the elevator” scene supposed to be the Dommyoji-Makino relationship key point fell flat because Jun Pyo is already a charming prince so you can’t distinguish the harsh, violent, baka, stubborn, brat Jun Pyo(??) of sensible, weak, nicer, calm domyoji OMG what a wasted.
I also want to see more of Kim Bum… he was really good in East of Eden, so I hope the PD will give him more on screen time… I guess we’ll just have to find out in next weeks eps…
sheesh i feel like im watching a replica of the taiwanese version.. wish they could adopt more loosely..
This show is fun and very amusing! I am looking foward to the next episodes.
I just want to say…i love this drama…love it…and as always love the racap as well…^.^
Didn’t really like the EP 4, the pacing was so off in the latter end of the ep, the first half was really good tho.
And yeah I agree Jon Pyo was too nice to begin with, the contrast isn’t there when he’s nice to her, the directors not getting the characters right at all.
i’ll make this 100th comment~~
I <3 LEE MINHO!!!
—
ok..back to my point.
this drama is better than my initial expectation. I love the fact that it diverges from much of the original plot, settings, and characters. It’s refreshing for me because I had watched the other two versions. So far, I still believe that the Japanese version is better overall, but this one definitely has the potential to top the other two. (TW version just sucked, imo)
Lee Minho amazes me, so does Gu Hye Sun…since I actually had trouble liking her in Strongest Chilwoo. I doubted her when she was casted as Makino’s character, but she proved me wrong
I would say BBF is the most realistic version of HYD (minus the awful CG and the horrible soundtrack of course). I think both lead casts have done great job so far. I could actually feel their emotions especially joong pyo without him had to do much. Well done Min-ho!!
We must keep in mind that HYD is a Japanese manga so of course there would be changes once adapted to Korean storyline. I found it interesting how 3 versions of the locked out scene took place at 3 different places (HYD in the elevator, MG an the staircase and BFF in the outside lift?). My favourite for that scene is the HYD version. I can still remember Makino gave Domyoji her period pain killer. Just a small act but yet so sweet and memorable!! Anyhow looking forward to the next episode of BFF:)
YYOU said it KOK. (I may be wrong) I think people like it because they want to support this Kversion drama so that it won’t be a failure (because frankly it doesn’t follow the manga at all and the acting is really a Let down especially Korean M. MG followed the manga on everything but the execution and acting were very bad)
You Said it KOK. I couldn’t be more agree. (I maybe wrong) I feel like people support this “Kversion” so that it won’t be a failure. concerning Jun Pyo it’s all about Look.
Thanks for the recap and review. I’ve been a long time reader and great admirer of your writing and commentary. This is my first time joining in for discussions.
I’m curious to know how you interpreted the scene where Jun Pyo took Jan Di’s pen in the over night scene. At first I thought he was going to draw on her face with it. The camera did linger on it longer than it should if it held no significance.
As for Ji Hoon’s acting, I keep trying to excuse him because of previous attachments I had with him from We Got Married. I figured if he had Asperger Syndrome this behavior could be explained… sort of. I mean I figured he was unemotional because people with Asperger doesn’t comprehend emotions but yet he smiles/ smirks randomly. Ugh.
I don’t envy Kim Hyun Joon’s role at all. It could be hard for a newbie actor to act stoic in a way that doesn’t turn off the audience. I would love him to incorporate subtle acting that hints at his depth of character. Sad to say that even as a fan I’m not buying his acting yet.
Am also surprised that Ga-Eul is portrayed differently in a refreshing way. I was expecting her to swoon and willingly do Kim Bum’s bidding. She is sassy and spunky and full of potential. The only complaint is that I feel as if she is even sassier and spunkier than our lead heroine. I feel more drawn to her than Jan Di.
Oh! And did the random guy that drugged Jan Di not look like a mix of Jun Pyo and Ji Hoon?
Anyways, thanks for allowing a place where I can revel in Boys Before Flower. I stalk your blog. <3
i cant feel any chemistry btwn JP’s and JD.. the storyline is too fast!!
The reason why many fans are praising Lee Minho as Jun Pyo is not because of his good-looks, afterall the other members of F4 are as good-looking or even more handsome than him (in the opinion of some people). Jun Pyo is being liked because Lee Minho is being able to show all sides of his character without having to over-react. His acting is natural and believable and he knows how to make the transition between being arrogant, immature to a lonely or to a boy that is starting to fall in love with a girl but doesn’t know how to deal with it.
If it was because of good-looks, I’d probably prefer Hyun Joong as Ji Hoo because he is looking amazingly handsome and prince-looking, had the exact look as the character and I was already a fan of his. In fact, he was one of the reasons why I was looking foward to this drama.
But me, like many other people aren’t feeling the charisma of Ji Hoo/Rui’s character, probably because he’s still a bit uncomfortable to act or isn’t being able to act naturally as his character. I think he improved on the last episodes, but on the first episodes which was crucial for people to understand why Jandi/Makino falls in love for Rui/Ji Hoo, unfortunelly Hyun Joong wasn’t able to show the charismatic side of his character. I think if Hyun Joong acted as himself he would be more like Rui than when he tries to act as Rui.
Besides that Koo Hye Sun and Hyun Joong has zero chemistry so far. So it’s hard to see their ‘relationship’ as believable.
In the previous versions of the story (manga, anime, japanese and taiwanese serie) people prefered Rui over Tsukasa because they liked Rui too much and not because they hated Tsukasa till death. And in the korean drama, Rui/Ji Hoo isn’t showing himself in a way that would make people love him as much as he should be loved. So that’s why Jun Pyo/Tsukasa is being loved more than Ji Hoo/Rui and it’s not because he’s more handsome than Ji Hoo or because Tsukasa/Jun Pyo is being too gentle.
I think though, Hyun Joong has improved, and as a fan of his I hope he improve even more, I have faith in him. I know how hard he’s working on this drama and how hard he’s working to act well. So I have faith that he’ll improve and be able to show the charisma of his character as much as the charisma that he as a person has.
It’s it just me our does it seem that the airport scene where the other three are calling Rui cute or something like that seem kinda fake or added on during editing. When i was watching that scene it felt really weird for me that they didn’t even show their faces, the camera was on Jan Di the whole time. And the scene after they some how all reappear in their original positions……
I don’t know maybe it’s just me but I feel like they added that part on just b/c people were complaining about the F4 bond….
i don’t think it’s fair to compare matsumoto jun and lee min ho’s acting… how one’s portrayal is better than the other, or vice versa. doumyouji and jun pyo are WRITTEN differently. i think both actors do/did a good job of portraying their respective interpretations of the same character.
i also like how this one is different from the other versions while maintaining the main flow of the story – because frankly, who wants to watch the same thing three times (or four if you’ve watched the anime)?
in regards to kim bum, i don’t really see how his “baby face” is hindering him in portraying a playboy. personally i feel that the youthful, cute look is totally working in his favor.
if goo hye sun can dial it down some more and put a full stop to the shrill yelling that she is prone to (i think she’s going for cute, but it’s really annoying sometimes) then i would be an even happier viewer.
Was I the only one that ROTFL when they saw SS501 (triple s) on the show.
It was so random.
is the ’stranger’ a SS501 member??
omg..
am not sure..but he luuks a bit familiar~~
..
hang on..or is he from FT?
..and oh yeah!!
ive only just realised..
its the first time theyve worn uniforms!
especially love the lollipop scene~~
I think maybe people should just start accepting the drama for the direction it’s taking or just.. you know, not watch it.
In my opinion, I think it’s a pretty satisfactory version of the manga; so were the taiwanese and japanese versions, but I wouldn’t want to watch this if I knew they’d be exactly the same.
Regarding the nuances of Tsukasa’s character as portrayed by Lee Min Ho, I just want to think of him as a reasonable rendition. If Junpyo was as outright ridiculous and violent as in the manga or the japanese version, I don’t even want to think about the korean netizen backlash on the character; it’s a korean rendition, to fit korean standards, so I think some of the criticism on the portrayal is pretty uneven (or at least, it’s not put in very good perspective)
thanks so much for the recaps!
lee min ho is doing great, and chemistry is starting to build. i was actually glad that this ep. did not have much of the ji hoo character in it. goo hye sun is also improving, and the characters are always so well-dressed.
lee min ho will be my new fangirl obsession very soon!
Thanks for the great recap of the episode! I agree with your comments. I thought Kim Bum and Kim So-eun look really good together and people should really stop comparing all the different Hana Yori Dangos with each other. They may have similar story lines, but the way the actors and directors portray everything are entirely different.
At first, I was really skeptical about the drama. But after seeing it here on your blog and actually watching it, all I can say is that I’m hooked! The actors are great (even though Jan-di’s hair annoys the heck outta me!) and I think this will be one of the few dramas I actually finish (I hope!).
I’m so glad that this drama shows every Mondays and Tuesdays.We get so much more of Kim-Bum’s cuteness!! LOL! I wish shows like Gossip Girl had a schedule like that..
Anyways, I look forward to the next recaps!
Ah… I just LOVE your reviews! Haha, but I loved the first encounter of YJ and GE! =D They’re adorable and although YJ says one thing his eyes definitely says another… Gosh, this episode was definitely better than episode 3, AND UGH, can’t wait for episode 5!! =)
Yumi-chan! I also noticed that the performers were SS501 (Triple S) performing ‘U R Man’! Way to bring in a cameo~
i liked this episode
it was better and im begin to feel like how i did when i watched HYD japanese version, hopefully this will continue.
but i really wish this drama wasnt 24 episodes long, long dramas shiro -_-
thanks for the recap..well i just thought that JH was’nt ready for acting.
but im still watching it.
Thanks for your recap! I love it.
The only thing that I’m not that satisfied with this episode is the lock up scene. Maybe I’ve had expected more on that scene since it is one of the best scene in hanadan and it did give a deep impact and turn towards makino and domyouji relationship in hanadan. I know that I shouldn’t compare but I can’t help it.
Overall, I like korean twist on hyd. But yeah, the direction and the editing is kind of all over the place. At one point JanDi push JunPyo away and the next scene she has no trouble pouring all her worries about JiHoo to JunPyo (the bar scene). and she has no problem being alone with the one that she dislike (the airport scene). That’s a bit OOC for her. Maybe it just an excuse to have scenes for just the two of them but its a bit unrealistic to me.
The thing that can take me away to continue watching this series is JanDi. I really hate her over the top acting. I know that is the typical korean heroin style. but seriously, that is the reason I can’t finish watching My Girl. Plus I kinda hate JanDi sleeping in class. I know this is a small matter but do the korean has the thing for a stupid, clumsy, loud heroin? I like GHS acting in Nonstop5, Pure19 and even in ChilWoo. and I really like some of her scenes like when she stands up from being bullied from the whole school. I can say that I’m her fan for a long time and I’m a bit exited when they first announce that she got the role.
About JunPyo.. I like to see him as separate entity than Domyouji. Their characters are different. I like him and the changes in his character that is more towards korean style. As in he is more mature. I’m glad that they didn’t cast some boyband for this role.
and I can see why Domyouji fans getting defensive. I don’t think he is stupid as many people think he is. he is really just simple minded and bad at japanese (always mixed up kanji and hiragana/katakana) that leads to misunderstood on his part. A lot of time we can see him in deep thought (the puzzle scenes). I like the scene where he is chasing Makino. It is just japanese gag is different than korean. Like the way he pushes the girls on the floor and calling them stupid (chiaki sempai always do that to nodame). Its just the japanese comedy style. Sorry if this is getting a bit long. I’ve just finished re-watching hanadan you see..
The thing is LMH is perfect for JunPyo and MatsuJun is perfect for Domyouji. If they change places then it won’t work.
Dramabeans…i love your posts. you’re so funny. i started cracking up when you wrote…
“So now the pottery genius is also Kenny G? Look, I ignored the atrocity that is Ji-hoo’s violin-playing, but here I cannot remain silent. THAT’S NOT EVEN THE RIGHT KIND OF SAXAPHONE. Woo-bin does his part by dancing… is that the Charleston? To cha-cha music?”
i really enjoy all of your recaps! Keep them coming.
i’m loving the drama..
i love lee min ho! Ü
I rewatch Hana Yori Dango yesterday and was surprise how they manage to stay with the same plot storyline and the same pace. one difference might be JunPyo first kiss was CPR while Domo-”something” first kiss was accidental fall
There are however obvious difference in the character dominant personality…. I enjoy both versions…
awesome recaps; one comment: the song of the day’s intro sounds a lot like one of Gotan Project’s songs I forgot which one but I wonder if it’s on purpose…
I think the scene where they’re stuck in the cold isn’t as STRONG (emotionally) as the Japanese version in my opinion and the BGM is not really that appealing but I’ll get into the series anyways haha. For a commoner Jan Di seems to have a warmer outfit than Joon Pyo…
This episode was crazy good. I did not expect Min-Jin to go crazy bipolar bitch on me…well, maybe for some they knew it was coming but this is the first time I’ve watched this series. I was really expecting Jun Pyo to come and save GanDi at the end…maybe episode five? Anyways, I’m also curious about what Jun Pyo wrote with the pen! I’m loving this series…I’m glad to be excitied about a drama again no matter how ridiclious it might be.
Oh yeah, Kim Bum and GanDi’s friend…freaking adorable.
Anon I agree soo let’s say in Oh is good as Jun Pyo but not the best Domyoji because relating to the Manga(which is japanese), Jun Matsumoto remains the best Domyoji he was Domyoji.
and concerning the directory it’s so bad that The key points of the relation Korean Makino/Domyoji fall flat.
Hi just letting you know that i can’t seem to be able to listen or dl the music link you’ve provided. Can you re up or fix the broken link.
I’ve been looking forward to this version of HYD and I’m happy to say that I haven’t been disappointed. Now there have been some down right wacky moments like every time Woo Bin has his “gangsta” outbursts, Jun Pyo’s irrational fear of bugs, and that kiss between Seo Hyun & Ji Hoo (That had to be the worst kiss ever lol). But like you’ve said, this is definitely one of those dramas where you have to laugh along and analyze less.
As far as the comparisons…they’re bound to come up. And I can understand that for many people its going to be hard to see past what they liked about the Japanese and Taiwanese versions, as well as the manga But the Korean version is going to be different and that may actually be a good thing. If it was a carbon copy of MG & HYD, then what would be the point? I, along with other people, want to see the story in a different way. If I wanted to see the HYD then I’d just watch it again and not bother with this one.
“He is a little thick-headed, but he’s not as blatantly stupid as Matsumoto Jun’s portrayal. He’s not as violent or hot-headed, either.”
^And I can say that I’m glad he’s not. The stupidity of Domyouji in the Japanese version, was a bit irritating after a while IMO. I understand that it has a lot to do with his character and the story, but his behavior and comments were so out of left field that I couldn’t picture Makino ending up with him and wanted her to be with Rui.
Another change that I’m glad to see is the obvious chemistry between Yi Jung Ga Eul. In the Japanese version, I hated how her friend was mesmerized by his charm and reputation…just like every other woman. Hopefully, something will happen between them along the way. I’m totally cheering for them.
So Anon let’s say Min Oh is Good as Jun PYO because only Matsumoto Jun acted entierly as Domyoji. He was Domyoji!
@ Jheannelle I understand you. But you say yourself “I couldn’t picture Makino ending to him (Domyoji) but Rui”, so isn’t it the goal of the Manga. Two different people who love each other in spite of all misfortunes and misunderstandings between us. To be able to perform an simple minded person, violent, person who overracteS in everything he does because of his passion, it’s very difficult and Hard. Jun did a very Good Jod.
I love this drama so much that I can’t hardly wait for this week to be over.I knew from the beginning that Koo Hye Sun will be a perfect Jam Bi but Lee Min Ho is a complete revelation.Love him!!! HE and Jam Di are perfect together. I love Koo Hye Sun way back in Heart of 19 and she is doing justice to her role here.Her portrayal of Jam Di should keep all those who were against her( being picked for this role cause of her age) quiet and appreciate the fact that she was the chosen one. I can’t see anybody else portraying Jan Di and Jun Pyo except for these two adorable actors (KOO HYE SUN and LEE MIN HO).
I love domyoji character.from taiwan dao ming se,japanesse domyoji n korean goo jun pyo.he’s my fav character.i think LMH did a good job so far.love him.he’s so adorable:)but he is too adorable to be the mighty goo jun pyo.theres not enough reason for jandi to hate him so much.he’s a prince charming.i hope he would do violent thing like other domyoji character did.domyoji does not easy to get along with other ppl.jun pyo must ’smashing cake to the girl face thing’ more often:) n later jandi could change him
I think go hye sun a little bit over act.but she can be cute sometimes.i still like her even japanesse makino play by mao was away better.whenever she get angry to jun pyo i’d feel sad 4 him.i feel like ‘u dont have right 2 hate him that much jandi’.i feel pity on jun pyo nim:-( where is mighty jun pyo who made ppl hate him rather than love him?i hope next episode would be better.jun pyo nim should show the real fight with ji hoo to win jandi’s heart! I’m in love with this drama.love LMH n kimbum here!
“Vieny – Jan 15, 2009 at 10:14 am
I think go hye sun a little bit over act.but she can be cute sometimes.i still like her even japanesse makino play by mao was away better.whenever she get angry to jun pyo i’d feel sad 4 him.i feel like ‘u dont have right 2 hate him that much jandi’.i feel pity on jun pyo nim:-( where is mighty jun pyo who made ppl hate him rather than love him?i hope next episode would be better.jun pyo nim should show the real fight with ji hoo to win jandi’s heart! I’m in love with this drama.love LMH n kimbum here!”
LOL because it’s Jun Pyo (all what Domyoji character is not) like your own message says “i think LMH did a good job so far.love him.he’s so adorable:)but he is too adorable to be the mighty goo jun pyo.theres not enough reason for jandi to hate him so much.he’s a prince charming”
LOL, I loved your recap. I did read it before I watched the episode and I was confused why they would use music to persuade the bar owner. I just watched the episode, and now I know why!
The power of elevator jazz and ballroom dance is that the ajumas will all go over “next door” and that will put the owner out of business! Since they are such little cuties and all! =)
Jun Pyo is stealing my heart, he is so naive in the love department! I can’t wait for the next episode and your next recap. Cheers!
i think comparisons would be really hard to avoid, as I find myself often thinking about it while i watch this series. from ep1, i was telling myself that none can compare to MatsuJun’s Tsukasa. but now, I think I like LMH’s JunPyo – not so much violent and stupidity. overall, the character’s the same but the slight differences are so refreshing. still, MatsuJun’s Domyouji’s PERM is way better than LMH’s JunPyo’s PERM. LMH’s kakkoi-ness came out when the perm was gone. rawr.
as always, thanks for the wonderful insights.
@ lily
yes, may be becoz i think i dont want him to be a prince charming too soon:) i’d rather like violent mightyself jun pyo nim…i don’t want him ‘almost’ the same character as rui/ji hoo.
but enjoying this drama…:D
The scenes with Yi-Jung and Ga-Eul made me absolutely giddy
The chemistry was undeniable and Kim Bum used his eyes so well. I think that the actress is so pretty and matches well with Kim Bum, and for once looks age appropriate. I’m interested in seeing how their side story will play out (and I’m really looking forward to this version’s take on the Sojiro/Yuki/Sara’s story). I like how Ga-Eul is strong and can hold her own against Yi-Jung. Different from Yuki, but I prefer this change. It makes their story even more interesting to observe their developing attraction and feelings than in the original tragedy.
As much as I love Matsujun’s Doumyouji, LMH’s take on the character is very refreshing and I really enjoy what he brings to the character: less idiocy, more depth.
My major disappointment was the “locked-in” scene. I felt that it was a pivotal turning point in their developing relationship, and wanted to see Jan-Di’s feelings progress. It was really lacking something for me. I try my best to stop comparing the different versions, and just enjoy each version’s take on the manga. But I couldn’t help but think of the elevator scene in the Jdrama, which was really touching and made my heart ache. And the scene where she finds him still waiting for her was missing something. Nonetheless, the drama is still enjoyable.
GREAT GREAT EPISODE!!! CAN’T WAIT FOR NEXT WEEK! great cast (except for jihoo)!!! i have to say i have gotten used to jandi’s over cuteness BUT LOVING LEE MIN-HO for this role!!!
Woot! Finally finished watching all 4 episodes thanks to the company of my cousin. She was really enjoying it. She didn’t watch the Japanese version but only the Taiwanese one. I realized she really enjoyed it without comparing the two versions. The only comment she made was that LMH looked like Jerry of the Taiwanese version.
So it makes me feel like I have actually lost the sole purpose of watching dramas: entertainment. Lol. I also realized that I have been harsh on the guy who plays Rui. On a side note, Rui is a pretty complicated character. I think he does a decent job so far. I don’t understand what’s wrong with him. Yes, a bit wooden sometimes, but I don’t feel like it’s awkward (well except for the kiss with HCY).
As for LMH and his portrayal of Domoujii, I think it’s quite different. Clueless but not a total idiot. Violent but not to the point of crazyness. Cruel but actually really caring. His expression is pretty good too.
Kim Bum… I haven’t seen much of him but my cousin said “OMG….so cute!” while I, “That smile! To die for!” LOL
The other guy is actually pretty bad. -_- I think he needs a lot of improvement in his acting. I didn’t feel like he was comfortable delivering his lines.
As for JanDi character, the actress is actually getting better. I noticed less exaggeration on her part.
^_^ I guess I’ll stop linking the versions and enjoy each for its uniqueness. BTW, I haven’t passforward any scene unlike the other two versions.
Ooops…:D
I just read your summary after I finished watching. LOL
What follows is some of the most ridiculous tomfoolery I ever did saw. To prove their point, Yi-jung displays some of his saxophone skills (to prove they’d be willing and able to make good on their threat). So now the pottery genius is also Kenny G? Look, I ignored the atrocity that is Ji-hoo’s violin-playing, but here I cannot remain silent. THAT’S NOT EVEN THE RIGHT KIND OF SAXOPHONE.
Yes I couldn’t believe that scene either. So totally stupid and pointless. LOL But I had fun laughing and squinting at the scene for its embarrassment.
I never comment on this site, but I want to say:
THANK YOU for mentioning the “Oneders”…all these stupid kpop band names have made me think of that very thing many times. =D Made my night.
I thought that this will be better then the japanese but i’m actually disappointed…i think the japanese was better and i keep going because of Lee Min Ho…
I rewatched the 3 and 4 episode LMH is so WEAK!! He is all what domyoji is not I will explain why:
“Mary
January 14, 2009 at 3:06 am
I agree
1. it’s not shwing how terrible the red note is
2.Domyojis character is totally messed up
3. You don’t feel the pain the main girl has to go through
before she really stands up against the f4
4. way to much slap stick and sound effects..feels like I’m watching a taiwanese drama
Although Hana Yori Dango Japans version has also a not very realistic storyline, you forget about it when you watch the drama….
in the korean version you seem to think: why is this called hana yori dango it could have been any other typical teenage drama.
-not very funny
-no good acting
BUT I will give it a try..and watch teh other episodes..just because i love hana yori dango”
@ JWpwnsU Isn’t it what BOF’s lovers do since this thing released?”
Please somebody reply me :
“Has even Jun forrest gump Pyoo really talked to Korean Rui (The one everyone seem happy to see gone for a moment)like a great friend or even a brother (Because their friendship is so Great F4 consider themself like brothers)?”
@ Melmel do you know too why Jan-di grabs the attention of F4?
For Makino it’s like in the Manga (if you read it. Remember it’s a shojo). She is the only person Domyoji can feel she is honest with him.
First Domyoji’s family is wealthy very wealthy. his parents (especially his cold mother who harshly raised him because Businessworld is very hard) don’t care about him. So the only persons around him were his domestics and his sister who cared a lot for him and the only person he respected (She didn’t hesitate to beat him whe he did something wrong). But unfortunatly she left the house because she got married to the man their mother decided. So Domyoji was left alone in this HUGE house (Fortunatly he had the other F3. That’s why I complain about the non-chemistry between the korean F4).
So secondly not only he did not get a proper education (His parents are not there!!!) but the only people around him were only his domestics (and they are there to serve Domyoji Sama). In his world he is the “KING”. So all he knows is give orders. That’s why Domyoji is somewhat a Child (not proper education). people give him everything he wants, he gets everything he wants. He did not have the time to grow up because of that. He is a spoiled brad young boy. So that’s why Domyoji is a little simple minded (His bakaness) thinking people are as his toys. And you know yourself the violent and “evil” acts of a spoiled brat child one say “NO”. The Red notes are a way to play with his friends and show the stupid, childish and violent side of the character. that’s why I have some problem with the “Prince charming” and somewhat mature Jun Pyo. It’s simply so not Domyoji (someone even noticed in epi 3 he read a financial newspaper)
At last he is doesn’t trust anyone especially the Boot lickers (in french = lèche-bottes). That’s true he plays with them but he think they look at him and “respect” him because he is wealthy and his name. Domyoji is maybe simple minded but He understand he lives in a world where power and money are masters. So people around him are simply Hypocrite. He really never feel Love, warm. So he is not easy going and treat people badly.
In conclusion Makino grabed the F4 attention because she told him face to face “You maybe the richest man in the world I don’t care about your name, your money” and she had the courage to BEAT him. He saw she got some guts, she is not woman like the ones I know (she acts like his sister). Plus she lives in different world of mine. She maybe not an angel, but she is honest to me. Domyoji wants to know her and he falls for her (that’s why the Makion/Domyoji scenes are so captivating) . The “contrast” between the old Domyoji and the Domyoji “post Makino” is wonderful. And I think they made a mitake by messing up the character in korean version. He is too weak, too nice, too supporting too “undomyoji”).
Sorry I was too long I know but I had to explained why Makino grabed F4 (Domyoji) attention in the Jdrama. And sorry for my bad english (I am french)
When you read the story of Domyoji in the manga we can say he is an unlimited character (because he is a spoiled brat lonely rich man) who has lived in his own world. He didn’t grow up and he doesn’t know how encounter other people. That’s why he is stupid and has no limit in what he does (violence, love possesivness ect..). Jun Pyo it’s not that
People who keep comparing Japanaese HYD to Boys Before Flowers need to shut it.
Gu Jun Pyo is not Domyoji! Of course the character is different, because this is a different drama! It’s based on HYD but it’s not just a copy, and who wants a copy anyway? It’s a Korean adaptation, so if you don’t like it, just go back to your Japanese drama and watch that instead. Why are you here ruining it for the rest of us by complaining over and over (i’m looking at you lily) that this is not like the Japanese drama?
If you are so dissatisfied, just stop watching. Let us watch this in peace.
No You shut it!!! Do you know that the first one who started to compare The Jdrama and Kversion are the BOF’s lovers themself. They didn’t stop trying to put down the japanese version by only saying How the guys are not so good looking (I understand them they can’t find another good reason) and the korean ones are good looking (because jun pyo looks like jerry yan) and how the storyline was the “truest” to the manga (although it’s completly not true) and Blah blah blah…. all I want it proves how korean maker messed the story up by show several evidence concerning the bad acting of the actor, the off characterization of some character (Jun Pyo for example), the bad and silly fliming.
You can keep looking at me but this drama (I was looking foward to it) is a complete disappointment and I am not the only one.
And I am not japanese at all (I am african).
lily, please don’t bash someone else’s opinion. i’m not starting a fight or anything but i’d prefer if you can talk about your disagreements with our opinion in a more communicative way.
i understand where you are coming from, in terms of the CHARACTER of the Korean version leads, it is a bit different.. and it bounds to be because they are different actors. and i also agree this Rui doesn’t have the charm (or connection with the female lead) of the manga Rui. but for me, in terms of how the story is moving overall and a LOT of the scenes just remind me of the manga so much (which I read about 5 years ago). so it seemed the truest to me, esp compared to how (pleasantly) innovative the Japanese version was. that’s all. ^_^
Ok For you it’s the truest to the manga but for it’s not. I respect that and I think the the truest to the manga is MG the taiwanese version and HYD Jdrama makers had the good idea to only take the key and turning points of the manga and they cleverly arranged them.
…can everyone chill and just enjoy the drama?
like seriously, stop comparing it to the japanese/tai version!
just enjoy it……… and if you don’t like it,
don’t watch it!
I hope Kim Joon’s role is meatier than that of his predecessors. Despite how few his lines have been, I actually like him. I’d hope for the same for Kim Bum but his relationship with So-eun seems a foregone conclusion (and yes, I look forward to that too. Her wintry sass in response to his uh…”friendly warning” won me over completely), the two actors play off eachother well here which only heightens my curiousity to see how their relationship will develope.
And I totally get why Lee Min-ho’s fan wave is a risin’. He inhabits his role completely yet manages to do it in a way that clearly makes Jun-pyo -his- character. Whatever the shortcomings of this drama, I think they can be overcome with time (especially in regards to some of the acting, time begets experience or something-vaguely-profound-ish).
After getting such a kick out of watching Jun-pyo’s joy following the stolen kiss (I couldn’t surpress laughter when he cajoled the butler to loosen up after asking, “Don’t you think the employees are a little edgy?” Gee, I wonder why), I’m almost anxious to see how he’ll be when his faith in Jan-di as well as his usual good(ish) humor are restored.
On a side-note, I found I really liked Min-ji. Why, Min-ji? Why? Why are you such a closetful (closet full?) of guano crazy? Hehe…guano. Get it? Bat shi–okay anyway, I liked this girl when she was that seemingly demure, sweet friend. I even liked her wounded self when she thought Jan-di had taken..uh..”her man”. I could almost sympathize with her, even knowing what inevitably lies down the road (that guano crazy I mentioned earlier). Too bad she isn’t here for long, but hey, if I like her this much, I’m optimistic about what lies ahead for the rest of our characters.
P.s. 1sagain………….whose job is it to name these bands? Can I apply?? I promise to offer up steaming piles of nonsensical and memorable (because of the confusion one feels first realizing what it means) names! And uh, that’s how Buga Kingz are pronounced? Hehe. Hehehehehe. I thought it was bug-a at first. Maybe they thought this was a slick version of boogey but, y’know, not. It’s like the guitarist in the oh-nee-ders said; “It’s the oh-nay-ders.” Then again, maybe it’s not like that.
@EunwHui you like the drama you want to support it very good.
What is funny it’s after 4 poor and flawed epi, BOF’s lovers went like “this is so much better than the other version This…….the guys are so hot That ect…”. After when you come with some evidences to prove how this version is a mess up (especially the acting), the same persons started saying “No it’s 4 epi , wait the end to say it’s bad, don’t say that they are new, if you don’t like it don’t watch….”. I watch what I want (you know) If the drama is Bad I will say it with arguments, same if it’s good. LOL
Peace
Actually, I think the discussion shows that most people do NOT think of Boys Before Flowers with complete love or complete hate. I’d say most of the reactions are conflicted, which is why I prefer keeping the Japanese/Taiwanese comparisons out of the discussion. There’s so much to discuss without falling back on “Jun-pyo isn’t as good as Doumjyouji!” or “This is so much better/worse than the manga/anime/jdrama/tdrama!” complaints, you know what I mean?
You’re free to hate this drama, lily or anybody else, but let’s keep things civil, righty-o? I think someone can love (or hate) the drama without reducing their opinion to fangirling or hating. Not all people who defend the show are blind fangirls, and not all people who attack it are HYD lovers. I see a lot of oversimplified judgments being made.
@ javabeans, i agree that people shouldn’t compare him to domyouji. wouldn’t that be boring? i think it’s good to see something new. did anyone notice that SS501’s song played for almost 10 minutes in this episode? i thought that was hilarious.
Poor Javabeans!
I haven’t read all the comments – but honestly, you have to expect quite a bit of fangirlism in conjunction with a drama which is positively *fueled* by fangirlism. I mean, the casting – total fangirl heaven. And the whole franchise, which robust enough to stand its umpteenth adaptation. The compelling spunky Cinderella story, the sheer girly joy of having 4 gorgeous, rich young men be on your side, the romantic appeal of the man with a dark side (and a pitiful past) who is madly in love with you and waiting to be Redeemed by the Love of a Good Woman (and it doesn’t hurt that he’s rich and powerful).
So I appreciate that this drama doesn’t just ride on its franchise, but tries to be its own thing. I’m not sure its own thing always works – the burlesque is never far from the surface and personally I don’t go for that style so much. I can’t stand weepy melodrama, but on the other hand I liked to be touched. The slapstick moments just don’t touch. And I feel the editing is too choppy to really make this a compelling coherent whole. I do like the good moments – mostly the moments of tension between the two leads, and the internal conflict and confusion that Jan Di feels.
I also like that it has integrity with what I call the “Darcy Dilemma”. I mean, really, how did that haughty, bullying, insensitive and snobbish man get transformed mid-stream into a caring, worthy and scrumptious dude? The bully as romantic hero – yeah, right. It’s a hard one to sell to a thinking audience (though I do realise that thinking is not the point). But I think this drama handles this potential problem well by toning down the bullying. Jun Pyo is pretty coherent – childish, proud, tough and needy right through. And of course the actor is doing a great job realising him.
I feel that the first half of this episode was very good. I liked the pacing and the interaction between jan di and jun pyo was interesting. However, I found the second half to be less developed. The pacing was very erractic (as well as previous episodes). I feel that the drama advances the plot without sufficient background. Like how did jan di becomes friends with that girl? The script didn’t provide for much explanation. Why did she go to her house? Was she scared of being bullied, like in the Japanese version, so that she skipped school? The Min Ji storyline in this episode didn’t fully explain itself. Oh yeah, and the saxophone and dancing part was quite ridiculous.
I am usually very tolerant about Korean dramas because they move quite slowly compared to American/Japanese/Taiwanese dramas. But these few episodes have not been memorable to me at all. The previous drama I watched, The World That They Live In, was much pretty produced. The pacing was very even and the subject matter was interest, even though it didn’t get very high ratings.
Also, did anyone notice how Gu Hye Seon’s haircut is exactly like Song Hye Kyo’s. I think there are similarities between Gu Hye Seon’s acting and Song Hye Kyo’s. It seems like she is trying to copy Song Hye Kyo’s facial expressions. Even the whining sounds the same, although Song Hye Kyo is much more convincing overall (she does have more acting experience). I know this review sounds harsh, but I do think there are better dramas out there right now. I will probably watch the whole series just b/c I’m a HYD fan and I want to watch all of the adaptations. All is left is this and the anime (I seem to not be able to watch anime that looks old unless it’s Sailor Moon).
the scenes could have been better if they chose the right director…..
Wrong director! I liked My Girl but now the PD has turned rotten ever since My Girl.
He is even recycling the shitty ost for this drama. I hate the tree bicycle song
This is a review of someone who watched this version not mine. Read.
“Read Only when Uve seen the first 2 episodes!!!
BBF version changed the very essence of the story and the driving factor that made the story wat it is. it lost its soul due to the heavy changes they did so now its all fluff and no substance.
Its suppose to be about a headstrung girl of unimaginable poverty hu gave back the boy hu has everything what he has lost – his humanity. Now we have a daughter of a laundrymat hu hates 4 rich men she knew nothing about,with an eating problem and acts more spoiled and abnoxious than d supposed rich brats.Constantly going up to the F4 ( hu r btw,minding their own business), yelling at them telling them to do this or do that. We cant sympathize with her in anyway shes stupid,shes arrogant and always go out of her place seriously a Wonderwoman costume? IF you think about it…wat is her reason for hating the f4, a personal reason? is she not the one hu as soon as she stepped in d skul challenged them?
Some scenes wer changed resulting to massive weakening of the pillars of the story and the characters.
When they changed her SES (social economic status). one main factor was taken out.. Shes a weed that endures admist the field of flowers. Its not her place but she struggles and she fights. (of gud reason) that part is taken out.
When they changed how she first met them – In this version she was new to the skul, knew nothing about the f4, and she was unnoticed. First thing she did, stood up in front of them pointed her finger and challenged them Apparently she hates them…But why? personal reason? She just got there! Unlike in the Jversion she put up with it for a long time but only when her friend was hurt that she found the courage to fight back. She had a gud reason to hate them. But wat about Ja Di..
Im here to bring u laundry so dont kill ursel yet! – omg…if he’s so rich how come he only has 2 uniforms,y wud u ask someone hu is obviously tryin to commit suicide to pay u,and ask for a life story shudnt the first objective be, get him safe! ohh ok before I die I shall tell u about F4 coz u know u miight want to go to this skul and give me discount for drycleaning.
The ice cream scene and the lick my shoe – Bad move…the whole point of Makino about to do it marked the breaking point wer she had come to realize that her alone cannot fight against F4. About to give up herself for a friend…Rui saves her – thus explaning more reason y Makino fell for him and how Rui is diff from everyone else. They switch it to what? She pushes him throws ice cream at his face and takes some money and throws it at him one by one. And puts a sticker on his forehead. And..she gets away wit it?
So the F4 are terrible people…wats the worst theyve done to her? the makeover seen was terrible she was conscious! she knew wat was happening the whole time wth didnt she leave earlier?
Therez no impact at all. They try so hard to out do the Jversion…but failed miserably. The casting is terrible. Do u people see that the leads already hv wrinkles and the acting is so terrible. Its doesnt come naturally its like u know they are acting whereas in the Jversion….when u hear Makino u picture Inoue Mao and when u hear Domjouji U picture Matsujun. Case in point they become the very characters.- naturally.
Role of both Doumyouji and Rui are not being given justice either. Tsukasa shud be of like a wild but somewat innocent and childish, Rui is suppose to be “a spacehead” hu wud give off a relaxing but sophisticated aura/feel. But no we have a guy hu luks about 35 (wrinkles!!!) wearing a dead animal on his shoulder hu only gets air time wen they need to remind the viewers Ja Di (main girl) h8s him.
This I guarrantee will be the most overrated drama of 2009! I am deeply disappointed that some people find this a gud remake.
In all standing the Jversion will and forever be the most sophisticated,intricately crafted well casted and developed version of all time. It even manage to omit all the cliche-ic uneeded scnes from d manga. Picture someone else playin Jack Sparrow than Johnny Depp. — Impossible right…”
Sometimes I wonder why she hate the F4. LOL terrible
lily, could you give it a rest? I actually agree with some of your points, but I’m getting a little sick of seeing you post the exact same bitching over and over at least ten times in every post. You’re disappointed, fine, you made yourself very clear! Now you’re spoiling the fun for everyone else.
LOL . If I told good things about this drama again and again, would you get sick? LOL. Reply!!
Anyway I will watch epi 5 And I post my view because I have the right. If the drama is bad I will continue to tell it.
Plus “soigne-toi bien”.
Actually lily, yes I would get sick of it if you repeated the same gushing praise over and over the way you repeat yourself with negative comments here. I don’t care that you don’t like the drama because I’m not one of the people who loves it to death and can’t stand to hear it criticized. (Like I said, I agree with some of the critique.) I care that you’re starting to basically spam this thread (and the others) with the same bashing over and over.
You’ve said the same thing at least a dozen times in this thread alone. It’s tiresome and has the added effect of ruining the fun for everyone. (Gushing praise can get tiresome too but at least it’s not bitter and unpleasant to read.) I won’t argue with you anymore but I thought I would speak up since nobody likes a party crasher, and you seem to take pleasure in bashing everyone who’s enjoying the party.
Peace out.
I bashed the drama not the people like you. Anyway let’s wait for the fifth epi. If it’s bad I will bash it. Otherwise not.
And LMAO at your “party crasher”.
Take care.
lily, i think that person’s review sums up how some of us feel about this drama. However, I bet 100% that that person will end up the entire Korean version. I can only hope that the drama turns out for the better. Even if I don’t like dramas initially, I take some time off. When the series is over, if it receives generally favorable reviews from my peers and the overall internet community, then I will probably finish watching the series. I find this method to be a good compromise. I will probably give this drama another two weeks before homework starts piling up and midterms come around the corner.
Alright. Let’s wait
the drama is quite good not as good as the japanese ver. ofcourse, because this ver. doesn’t back up the resons of why certain things happened, where in the jap ver, everything was clear and more in depth.
the F4 are doing well, except for hyunjoong, i mean they should have chosen a different actor, c’mon, rui is the fresh, mysterious character in HYD, and in this we already know hyunjoong and his character in wgm, it just doesn’t seem right. doesn’t feel new….plus hes not even an actor..-_-
Jun pyo’s character is different from domyouji’s but good. I mean i loved domyouji’s aggressive but silly character in HYD jap. But, this one seems good too, although i can’t explain what. Negative point: the hair, the curls look too artificial…………!!!O.O
omg, Jan di is too much!!!!!!!!!! SHE IS TOO STRONG AND like an every korean girl in dramas that are the bully type. makino is suppose to be a helpless, poor, naive but determined girl that is quiet and shy….but gets strong at times…
jan di is strong and aggressive ALL the freaking time…..and it gets boring when u see the same korean type character in every freaking kdrama…..there is to be times where she has to be helpless infront of the main male lead, but in this its totally opposite!!! she is the one challenging troubles and always back chatting him…
but the positives are the two F4 guys, they have justified their character as they are the ones that help the main female lead out … i loved the 2 F4 guys in HYD jap. too!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so……
oh also, sakurako!!!!!!! in this its Min ji….loved sakurako in hyd jap.
however in this, the director just didn’t justify her entrance well, but it seems to be good now since we get to see the wild and crazy side to her!!! LOL XD
I like the drama and i know it shouldn’t be compared to other ver. however, if it was as good as them, then it would have been a much better hit in korea, beating that boring east of eden crap!!!! lol sorry to any EOE fans……
This is my first time posting but I tought it was worth it. I LOVED the japanese version, i saw Meteor Garden but got bored a couple episodes through, and the korean version is growing on me. Although I know I may be biased because I loved and saw HYD first, I just dont’ think BBF is made well. I understand what people say when not to compare but I can’t help to compare them. As of right now, and I know it’s early being only 4 episodes, I just don’t think BBF is as good as HYD. Hopefully as the season goes on it gets better.
[Production]
The way BBF is made doesn’t feel as high class/professional as the HYD. I think the production team for HYD was far superior than BBF. When I first saw HYD I was mesmerized by its sets and how the scenes were shot. In BBF I just don’t feel that same feeling. I think the main fault of this drama is the director and the producing team. The acting is adequate (minus Rui/Hyun Joong), but the plot and how the episode is framed just seem so..fragmented. Also I believe the story line isn’t as comprehensive. Unless you know the storyline of HYD I don’t think people would understand necessarily whats happening. For example the character of Sakurako, I don’t believe they portray her as vindictive and evil as the Japanese version. While in HYD we know the reason behind why she uses Makino to get to Domyouji and her obsession over wanting to be with him, in BBF I get the feeling she has a minor crush on Jun Pyo and that she is just compelled by jealousy. Also in BBF we have no idea why she’s “sick” and out of school.
[Acting]
I’m pretty content with the acting. It isn’t GREAT but it doesn’t overly suck either.
Jan Di’s Family- I don’t kno…the mom just bothers me sometimes. and I think the brother just needs to be a little more ridiculous. xP They just don’t have the craziness that Jan Di’s family is supposed to have. The dad isn’t too bad tho.
I think Hyun Joong could portray Rui a little bit better. He doesn’t emanate the charisma like Oguri Shun in HYD. He seems stiff and the chemistry btw him and Jan Di doesn’t click. He looks like Rui but doesn’t seem to portray him well outside the looks.
Soujiro/Akira (Yi Jung/Woo Bin)- I like where they’re going with the Soujiro/Yuuki storyline. I like the portrayal of Yuuki as more headstrong in BBF than in HYD. Hopefully they don’t mess this up like they did in HYD (-_- i wanted them to be together SO BAD). Woo Bin is :/ I can’t get past the YO YO YO in the first ep.
F4- I dont’ get that brotherly/friendship bond in BBF as I do in HYD. Hopefully it gets better as the series goes on but I just don’t feel the same bond as in HYD. In HYD I could feel that they truly cared for each other and were there for each other. In BBF I don’t get that same feeling…yet. It just seems they were put together cause they were all rich, and never really became friends. Like when they try to find who framed Jan Di, in HYD I feel like Soujiro and Akira really truly wanted to help Makino because they cared for her and wanted to sincerely help her. In BBF I didn’t get that same feeling. It felt like they had nothing better to do so they wanted to do something that would occupy their time. Since it’s only the beginning I’ll caught some slack, but hopefully it gets better/ they become closer as the series progress.
Jan Di- As the series progresses she’s growing on me/getting better. In the beginning I thought she overacted a little bit too much and didn’t really have the same spunk. She was just overenthusiastic and had expressions that didn’t fit in context. In this episode she was a little a more calm so I’m thinking she’ll get better as the series goes on.
Joon Pyo- Now I must say I definitely like his portrayal as Domyouji. Although I understand Jun wasn’t trying to be overly stupid in HYD but I still got the feeling that he was an idiot. Joon Pyo seems to be more compassionate and Lee Min Ho portrays him as being something more than a rich kid. Joon Pyo seems to have more to him and shows that he is actually a caring individual. But don’t get me wrong Jun as Domyouji was GREAT, the only part that bothered me was how idiotic he came off and I believe Joon Pyo has a good mix of both.
[Music]
I don’t know about you but to me the music just doesn’t work with this drama. They need to have more than 3 tracks they play over and over, and when they use the track they have to use in the appropriate places. The music for this drama doesn’t add anything special to the scenes. In fact I think it kind of hurts it. So hopefully they revamp it or something
Although I know it’s only the beginning, I can’t help but compare BBF to HYD. Hopefully it gets better because it does seem that as more episodes are released that it’s growing on me. With HYD it instantly mesmerized me by the way it was shot and how it was produced, but the shooting of BBF doesn’t emanate the richness it should. It feels a little cheap but also the storyline I feel doesn’t flow together as well. Random things happen that I have NO idea how or why (ex: sax playing? tango dancing? like wtf? was that just me thinking that or am i crazy?) I love korean dramas thus I had high expectations for BBF, but as of right now I’m still a little underwhelmed/disappointed. I know I’m probably a little harsh on BBF but I again realize that I may be biased as seeing how much I love HYD so i’m trying to be open to BBF. I’ll continue watching BBF to see if the series gets better but as of right now it still doesn’t live up to its expectations. I believe it still has a lot of potential (acting/storyline) so hopefully it does get better as the series progresses.
Spot on, ayu. You basically expanded on what I was trying to say, further describing the directing/producing, acting, and music.
lol. so much talk. and debate.
anw, is there like two lily down here or what?
the lily in 141 is french
then lily in 144 is african
how interesting.
LOL. I am african( Yes from Ivory Coast) but the Lily “I am french” is not me. Indeed the comment was another’s one. If you want don’t believe me!! Anyway I suppose you are a BOF’s lovers
I copied/posted the comment 141.
Even thought the story line is the same as HYD, I think the korean version is trying to be more “realistic”, whereas HYD was trying to make a real-life version of the manga. In the korean version it’s still a cinderella story, except that our cinderella is tempered and righteous, thus she dislikes the F4. And of course, there is still the love triangles and squares and the drama.
In many ways I find the korean version more enjoyable to watch – Jun-Pyo is not as stupid as Tsukasa in HDY, it got annoying and Ja-Di somewhat reminds me of Yoon Eun Hye in Goong. We’ve seen this type of character in Korean drama before unfortunately, and I agree with javabeans on the technical drawbacks of this drama. At least you have the pretty people wearing preppy clothes!
All in all, it’s entertaining, but you what you’ll get. Wasn’t planning to watch it at all, but I got a few hours to spare, haha. I hope that they don’t leave a frickin cliffhanger for every episode, if not I’m just going to wait until March and read the recaps in the meantime
Whoa – lots of comments! Thanks for the very fast recaps Javabeans! As always they are hugely entertaining. Although the show definitely has its weak spots, it’s adorable and fun (most of the time) – glad that you’re recapping.
Random aside – does the show remind you of Gossip Girl? The whole texting thing in this episode reminded me of the text alerts in GG. Also, the school uniforms are fairly similar.
I have seen 4 episodes of the show and feel that show has some cons and some pros.
On the con side , we have lousy music (I don’t understand what went wrong, Pd’s shows normally have good music), Hyun Joong (he is really uncomfortable in his role but maybe that will improve with time) and a very fragmented editing. I have a hard time keeping up with the flow and there are holes in the story. For example Why does Jun pyo like Jan di so much despite all the insults ? or Why do his friends not wonder about Jan Di’s presence in Jun Pyo’s house early in the morning? Why was Min Ji so upset ?or if she had any role in setting Jan Di up for a fall?
The biggest pro of this show is undoubtedly Lee Min Hoo playing the character of Jun Pyo. He is an odd eccentric mix of naivety and maturity. His character is definately more circumspect and wordlywise here. I found it interesting how he throws out innuendoes with a wicked smile. I think it is very hard to ignore the charisma of this character. In fact I think this is the first version where you fall in love with the leads right away. In both the other versions , you can’t help but wonder if Rui was a better choice for Makino. To top it JanDi and Jun Pyo have a great chemistry.
I just hope the storyline will get less fragmented as we move on with episodes. I also waiting to see how they play around with the storyline since the manga is not completely grounded in reality
lee minho is just awesome for this drama. i love his interpretation of the character – it’s got just the right amounts of manga outrageousness and the emotional depth that a live action production needs to make it work. YAY MINHO<3
it is so funny how k fangirls love the faces over the series itself………When i read post bout Hyd—usually fan girls would say—”excellent acting!”..but so far, reading bbf posts ,everywhere, i get irritated by the way fans say–” i love this series coz they’re all hot”…..????eh, doesn’t make sense to me>>
I want to abstain my judgement over this series….but i’d just like to clarify, that Jun was’nt selected coz there was no one to choose from…in fact—there are many jap. actors who are physically fit to act out as Domyouji. …
(ofcourse, many doubted Jun)
People may have concluded this coz they’re not familiar with d Jap. Artist pool…..
bu the point for Jun’s casting was that—he can act; the way he portrayed Domyouji befits the portrayal of Inoue as Makino…..
……..
I couldn’t be more agree with you Garçon.
And why Min-ji doesn’t go to school anymore
wow there are so many good comments here worth reading… ive been readin a quarter of the comments here and im loving the response to the drama so far. im glad it didnt turn out to be failure so far as it is getting better but im still anticipating for a good series otherwise i will be overly disapointed. =( i agree with many who said that jun pyo has portrayed the japanese domyoji very well and it seems like his characteristics are slightly different to the manga since this time teh actor who plays jun pyo doesnt exactly mimic domiyoji. i tihnk jun pyo is portrayed as arrogant, cold and self centered but yet he is caring and is showing alot of emotions. i can almost feel what he feels especially when he is jealous of the jandi/ji hoo interaction. moreover im starting to love jun pyo and not so much ji hoo compared to domiyoji i did not like at all at first but love rui. so yerh its going to be a turning point for me because so far the story is beginning to show its own style and not simply a mimicry of the japanese version. hopefully this series will not be disappointing. =)
ohhhh i just love it
A COMMENT ABOUT COMPARISIONS:
From the start I want to admit that I haven’t watched the korean version yet (but am an avid fan of HYD). What I have done is read all of Javabeans synopsis’ for the show (thanks a ton! always enjoy reading your analysis!) and most of the comments–including all of those for this particular thread.
I don’t think there’s a point in me summarizing the above arguments (people before me have done more than enough) but I just wanted to say…I actually ENJOY reading the comparisions between BBF and the previous interpretations. I understand the faults–as in lots of mindless critiquing or blind adoration without considering the other version–but I think the comparisions are also like a cross analysis. I can better understand people’s various opinions when the give examples. When people say they didn’t like Doumyougi/JunPyo’s character I really appreciate their reasons why.
It’s foolish to expect a blind copy and (although I haven’t directly watched all of the episodes yet) I appreciate the drama being developed into its own entity. I just think the comparisions can better help us realize the faults (yes) but also areas of the drama in which it does excel.
If anything at least now I really want to see LMH in action…I not familiar with any of the actors, but I’ve heard surprisingly good things about his acting and handling of the character
. Even if I’m not too excited for the show I think I’ll still tune in and hopefully, though somewhat unexpectantly, get swept off my feet!
LEE HAE WOO- thats the guy that drugged jandi. i thinks its newly added on the BBF dramawiki page, because im pretty sure his name wasnt there before. hes a cutie !
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Lee_Hae_Woo
JUN-PY0 L00KS H0T WiTH HiS HAiR STRAiGHT. HEHE. ^_^
thnx javabenas for the recaps! this series is getting better each time & can’t wait to see the next one! Li Min Ho rocks!
i do adore yi jung [kim bum]. he’s such a cutie i would totally be swept away by that smile of his. i AM….
i love the part when jun pyo straightens his hair and puts on his uniform for school its so cute how much he wants to impress her. i didn’t want to do the whole comparison thing but i agree with javabeans:
“Gu Jun-pyo is based on Doumyouji, but it’s clear his character diverges in some key points. He is a little thick-headed, but he’s not as blatantly stupid as Matsumoto Jun’s portrayal. He’s not as violent or hot-headed, either. This Jun-pyo is cold, hard, and can be cruel, but he’s not a cartoon character.”
i definitely like jun-pyo more than matsujun’s domyouji. there is more depth to the character.
hey..i just wondering. What’s the title that sang by the boyband in the bar (where Jandi go) ? And what’s the boyband name ?
Now I know that Min-ji is the one who did that to Jan-di…. I HATE HER ALL OF HER…. EVEN IN TRUE TO LIFE…
Hey, can anyone tell me the song which is played when jandi looks for junpyo under the namsam tower? Thanks alot.
Hi anyone know what is the song that Jan Di and Min Ji went to the club where a group of guy singing on the stage?
i love you jenjen!
le minhoo km itu ganteng banget sih mending km jd pacarku aja
i love you
jandi km cantik seperti i
dddddddddddddaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh
ADIS