Boys Before Flowers: Episode 23
by javabeans
I watched Episode 23 with the critical dial turned down and enjoyed much of it — it was cute at points, and touching at others.
Then I turned my brain back on to address the commentary section and found a lot of bothersome points to take issue with. This makes for a somewhat lengthy commentary section today, but I’d like to preface it all by saying that despite the critique, I really did enjoy this episode. I’m watching with fondness, not bitterness, really!
SONG OF THE DAY
Instant Romantic Floor – “Lie” [ Download ]
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EPISODE 23 RECAP
Jun-pyo and Jan-di’s zoo date marks their first chance in a long while for quality time, so Jun-pyo asks how she’s been holding up. He tells Jan-di, “I’ll take care of you,” explaining that Witch Mom isn’t the type to let the broken engagement and aborted merger slide — he’s preparing himself for her next assault.
However, Jan-di tells him she doesn’t want to be protected. Jun-pyo balks, because in his mind it’s natural to want to protect her, but Jan-di says, “I don’t like being supported by someone, or protected and taken care of. I’ve received many things from you, F4, and Jae-kyung. I want us to be equals, so I’ll face what I must.”
(And then the boy, Chan, whispers to Jun-pyo for a little bathroom assistance. He is so cute. Jun-pyo rushes him off, and the three enjoy their day at the zoo.)
I really like this walk home, which is characterized by calm contentment. Jun-pyo reflects, “It’s strange, it feels like I’m in a scene in a hazy dream right now.”
The words are spoken casually and Jun-pyo doesn’t mean anything by it, but they sure do make me uneasy. Their walk is cut short by a phone call from Mr. Jung telling Jun-pyo he ought to return home. Jun-pyo isn’t eager to go but he knows he should; he hands over the sleeping boy and reluctantly leaves.
Yi-jung’s studio. He examines the puzzle piece given to him by Eun-jae, and remembers when she’d first given him the present. When he’d asked what the characters meant, she had answered that it indicated “a once in a lifetime fate.” I suppose the point is that if it’s once in a lifetime and he had let her go, like the wind that never returns to the same spot twice, the relationship truly is over.
Ga-eul bursts in, nearly wilting with exhaustion but pleased to announce, “I found it.”
Ga-eul brings Yi-jung to the rooftop of a tall building and points in the distance, just as the rising sun illuminates the city skyline.
The billboards are advertisements for two different products, and when the sun hits, the light breaks and washes out the extraneous parts, leaving only “I love you” and “Yi-jung.”
Ga-eul explains how she came to discover this — three years ago, Eun-jae had asked Yi-jung to meet her at sunrise the next morning. That day’s recorded sunrise had occurred at 7am, so Ga-eul had been tracking down various locations until she found the right one, which displays this message only for a few seconds each day.
I’m sure Yi-jung has guessed the gist of Eun-jae’s message, but seeing it like this hits him hard. He breaks down, overwhelmed with regret, and sobs out wretchedly that he wants a do-over.
Ga-eul lets him cry, but his pained reaction affects her too, as she watches with pity (and probably some hurt feelings at this evidence of how deeply he cared for Eun-jae).
Ji-hoo and his grandfather fish together (while Jan-di prepares the fish stew that Grandpa Yoon likes). Dr. Yoon brings up the death of Ji-hoo’s parents, explaining that he was afraid of losing Ji-hoo as well, which is why he pushed him away. However, he’d thought of it as suffering alone — punishment for his lifelong pride — as though he hadn’t realized that Ji-hoo would misinterpret and shoulder the blame.
With things cleared up now, Grandpa Yoon is at peace, and feels he can die content. He asks Ji-hoo to take over his arts foundation and clinic when he dies.
That’s an idea that Ji-hoo isn’t ready to think about yet, and he doesn’t get much of a chance to protest because Jan-di announces that lunch is ready.
At the pottery studio, Ga-eul arrives with some apprehension, having been called there by Yi-jung. He’s in a much better mood than their last emotion-charged encounter, stomping on a mound of clay, barefoot.
Yi-jung has bad news and good news, then guesses she’s the type to want to hear bad news first, and indicates his right hand. He isn’t sure how it will hold up, and he won’t be as good as he was before. However — and this is the good news — he isn’t going to run away again: “Thanks to a certain someone, I’ve realized how much you can regret something after you’ve given up on it.”
Ga-eul smiles in relief, and he invites her to join him in working with the clay. As they stomp on clay together, she wonders how he knew she’d prefer the bad news first. He replies: “Good girls all want happy endings.”
She stumbles, and he catches her. There’s a brief moment between them, so Yi-jung reminds her, “I may be cool, but I’m not a good guy.” Ga-eul returns that he should get over his misconception that good girls always want good guys.
At that, Yi-jung leans in for a kiss, and Ga-eul closes her eyes… which is when her phone rings.
We don’t hear what the problem is (yet), but it’s bad news from her mother. And unfortunately, this time her bad news isn’t followed by good news or an almost-kiss.
Dr. Yoon’s heart condition is triggered when he receives an upsetting phone call, which sends Jan-di fumbling for his medication. However, Ji-hoo is frozen in shock, and Jan-di’s words all sound muffled to his ears — it’s like he can’t focus on anything, lost in his own fears.
Grandpa’s okay (or as okay as he can be). At the hospital, Jan-di tells Ji-hoo that his grandfather hadn’t wanted him to know, thinking all would be well if he was careful.
Mama Kang is once more on alert. Not only is she still upset about the broken merger, she has seen a TV news report that included footage of Shinhwa Zoo — which happened to include glimpses of the Jun-di date.
Madam Kang’s next plans are so harsh that even Mr. Jung speaks up, reluctant to carry out her orders to proceed. Having seen Jan-di’s attachment to Ji-hoo and Grandpa Yoon, she plans to take advantage of her Achilles heel. Namely, she will retaliate by lashing out at Jan-di’s loved ones, starting with Ji-hoo’s grandfather’s art foundation. She says, “We have to take this opportunity to yank out the roots. It’s fortunate that there’s something more important to that foolish girl than money.”
It works out nicely for her, then, when Jun-pyo comes in with a request. He owns up to the broken engagement and says he’s sorry. However, while their relationship with JK is shaky, it’s not destroyed — he promises to restore the alliance and asks Witch Mom to entrust him with the task. To show he’s serious, he will accept all her rules and restrictions, whether that that includes being followed around or being locked indoors. In exchange for one thing: “Just leave Jan-di alone.”
He’s told her this before, but he’s never really offered up serious collateral, which makes this time different. Mom asks, “You’re saying all I have to do is not do anything to Geum Jan-di?” At his yes, she agrees: “I’ll promise. I won’t lift a finger against her. But don’t forget what you’ve just said.”
Jun-pyo assures her, “Don’t worry,” and leaves with an almost puzzled expression — he was expecting more of a fight, so he’s unnerved by her easy acceptance.
Grandma Housekeeper echoes those sentiments, warning Jun-pyo not to let his guard down: “Don’t you know your mother yet? This isn’t the time to rest.” Granny also wonders how he means to manage Shinhwa when he can’t even watch over his girlfriend:
Granny: “I didn’t raise you to be so pathetic. Just being born male doesn’t make you automatically a man. One must take time — experiencing anger at losing, the injustice of stepping aside, shame at running away — until he can overcome his weak self to finally become a man.”
Jun-pyo finds encouragement in those words, and grabs her in a sudden hug, saying, “Thanks.”
As Jan-di packs Grandpa Yoon’s things to take to the hospital, she comes across a box, which she hands over to Ji-hoo once she realizes what’s inside.
The box contains items from Ji-hoo’s childhood, such as his school backpack and child’s shoes. It also includes a series of drawings of his family, from when he was very young to the present day. Because his parents are in the pictures, I’m guessing this is Dr. Yoon’s own creation (and not based on, say, photos or real life) of how Ji-hoo and his family would have aged over the years.
And then, Madam Kang strikes. First, Ga-eul’s father is forced into early retirement, without warning. Jan-di overhears Woo-bin discussing the matter with Yi-jung, both of whom guess that this is the work of Witch Mom. Rather than hitting at Jan-di directly, she’s exerted her influence with Ga-eul’s father’s company, a Shinhwa subsidiary.
Furthermore, signs indicate that Ji-hoo will be next; it looks like she intends to shut down the art foundation entirely.
This weighs heavily on Jan-di’s mind when she visits Grandpa Yoon, who by the way fires up his matchmaking again by urging the two kids to go out.
(Given his statements to Ji-hoo in the last episode, I’m inclined to believe that Grandpa was pointing out their character differences — that Ji-hoo is too cold for Jan-di’s bubbly personality — rather than trying to drive them apart. But I’m still not entirely sure what his intentions are — whether he really means to marry the kids off or whether he truly feels that Jan-di and Ji-hoo aren’t compatible.)
Ji-hoo spies a piano in the lobby and takes the seat, starting to play. He smiles at Jan-di several times, but she can’t quite return them because she’s preoccupied with the knowledge that his foundation is about to be ruined because of her.
As they walk along the river, Ji-hoo says that he hadn’t ever wanted to protect anything before meeting her. But now, there are more things in his life he wants to protect, such as his grandfather, the foundation… and her.
Just as he says that, his words are drowned out — the bridge lights up and fountains roar to life. It’s kind of hilarious how Ji-hoo, twice thwarted now from making a sincere confession, is so exasperated that he rolls his eyes.
Timing (and therefore fate?) is clearly not on Ji-hoo’s side.
Jan-di, meanwhile, is lost in her own thoughts: “Now that you have your grandfather by your side, I’m glad. You don’t know, do you, that you were always like sunshine to me. Goodbye, Geum Jan-di’s honorary firefighter.”
Why the goodbye? Jan-di’s made a decision in light of recent events. She tells her unconscious patient of her intentions:
Jan-di: “Sir, I don’t think I can keep coming by. I wanted to see you improve and read you more books, but I’m sorry. I can handle being hungry and cold, but there’s one thing I can’t handle — when people I love are hurt because of me. It’s not anything I can fix by working hard. It’s really unfair, isn’t it? I’m not running away, you know that, right? Even without me, you must get healthy.”
Just as Jan-di leaves, his hand moves.
She then visits Madam Kang, but we don’t see the scene play out yet, and instead resume as she’s leaving the meeting. Jan-di walks through Gu Manor, for once not tiptoeing around, instead chatting openly with the housemaids, who wish her well, as well as Granny Housekeeper.
She even calls loudly for Jun-pyo from the hallway, which makes him think at first that he’s hearing voices. Seeing her there, he panics and drags her inside, afraid that she’ll be noticed by Witch Mom, not understanding why she’s being so boisterous.
Jan-di suggests they go on a picnic and outing, as they’d once agreed to do.
(And now I can rest at ease, because Jun-pyo finally sees his Jun-pyo Face Rice!)
The following date is super-cute, although it’s almost so sweet that it makes you worry (or maybe that’s just me? — scenes like this that are so full of contentment always give me a sense of impending doom).
As they walk along the beach, Jun-pyo wonders if this is some kind of special day for her. He’s enjoying it so much that he wishes every day could be like today — after all, she came to him first to ask him out, and they haven’t fought once.
Going with the good feeling, he asks one more thing: “Why haven’t you said that you like me? I’ve told you several times.”
Jan-di: “Do I have to say so in words?”
Jun-pyo: “I want to hear from you what I mean to you.”
Jan-di: “I like you. So much that I couldn’t stop myself even though I tried, and got angry that I couldn’t forget you when I wanted to.”
This time she’s the one who draws him close, surprising him as she pulls him in for a kiss.
On the drive home, Jun-pyo can’t stop smiling, but Jan-di’s expression grows more and more somber. We find out why as she flashes back to her meeting with Madam Kang.
Jan-di had asked Mom to leave Ga-eul and Ji-hoo alone. Ever the cold businesswoman, Mom had asked what Jan-di would do in return, not expecting Jan-di to be able to offer anything worthwhile.
But Jan-di surprises her: “I’ll leave. I’ll leave Jun-pyo. I’ll change schools and homes and go somewhere he can’t find me. Will that do?”
Oh, that’ll do. Madam Kang accepts. Still, Jan-di feels the need to clarify:
Jan-di: “I haven’t lost to you, and I am not running away either. You’re the worst person I’ve ever met. I’m leaving because I don’t wish to connect the ones I love to you. I’m just sorry that I can’t save the one person I love the most from you.”
This explains the date: Today is really a farewell trip for Jan-di. Coming back to the present, she asks Jun-pyo to pull over, then she gets out with her luggage.
He laughs, wondering if she’s planning another surprise event, and doesn’t immediately grasp her meaning when she tells him, “I’m not going to see you again. Today was our last day together.”
He grows more serious but still doesn’t understand, and asks if something happened with his mother. Jan-di answers simply (and coldly), “I’ve decided to remove you from my life.” She tosses out a casual “Thanks for everything. Take care.”
Jun-pyo knows this has to do with his mother, even if she won’t admit it. She contradicts him:
Jan-di: “This time I realized that you and I are from different worlds. We met as though in a dream, but now it’s time for us to return to our own worlds.”
Jun-pyo: “You’re lying. Tell me, I’ll figure it out. I’ll protect you!”
A bus stops, and Jan-di heads to board it. Jun-pyo follows her and asks her not to go: “You said you liked me. Is this what your love is like? You say you like me and end things so easily?”
Leveling a firm gaze at him, Jan-di explains that her love must have had its limit, and she’s reached it: “It must have been exactly this much.”
He asks, “Taking away Shinhwa or my chaebol status, have you ever once just seen me as one man?” Without hesitation, Jan-di responds, “No. No matter how you try, you’re still Shinhwa Group’s Gu Jun-pyo. I’ve never forgotten that for one second.”
Her answer leaves him stunned. He doesn’t snap out of it until she boards the bus and it starts moving, which is when he starts to run after it, yelling for the bus to stop.
Inside, Jan-di cries, looking back as Jun-pyo grows smaller in the distance. She thinks, “After I fell for you, I’d always wished you were a normal man with no relation to Shinhwa. I’m sorry, Gu Jun-pyo, for not keeping my promise. I’m really sorry.”
So Jan-di arrives in the remote fishing town where her family has relocated, and finds her mother in the marketplace. After the initial giddy reunion, however, she’s dismayed to hear that the family situation is no better than it was before — faced with growing debts, Dad had to go away on a boat (to escape debt collectors, I assume?).
Jan-di wishes they’d told her, but they didn’t want to worry her. They didn’t want her to drop out of school to work, which is exactly what she would have done. She has to finish high school and go to university. Because of her mother’s reaction, Jan-di is unable to admit that she’s left Seoul for good, and merely says that she’s here for a family visit.
Meanwhile, Woo-bin and Yi-jung sigh at the way things have changed following Jan-di’s departure. They’ve looked everywhere, but she’s hidden herself well. They’re worried about Jun-pyo, who is apparently acting out worse than he was even in Macau.
Even worse, they fear more for Ji-hoo. He may be getting along with Grandpa, but Yi-jung points out that immersing himself in foundation and clinic work — for a guy who used to laze around napping all the time — is a drastic change.
I suppose the difference between Ji-hoo and Jun-pyo is that the former is internalizing his pain, exerting strict control over himself and his environment, while the latter is all about acting out and losing control. He sinks into self-destructive behavior.
For instance, when being driven home after a drunken night at a club, Jun-pyo sees a toy machine on the street, and recalls the double date when he failed to win Jan-di a toy prize from the claw machine. Now he staggers out, intent on winning the prize.
I was thinking there would be a beautiful sort of irony if he were to succeed now where he failed before — because now he doesn’t have the girl so it would be a pitifully empty victory — but no, Drunk Jun-pyo is not any better than Sober Jun-pyo.
In a rage, he lashes out at the machine, kicking and beating it until he attracts the attention of the police, who arrest him for (I’m guessing) causing a public disturbance. It’s in the holding area of the police station that Jun-hee finds Jun-pyo, staring emotionlessly in the cell, alone.
COMMENTS
Before commenting on this episode, let me add a few thoughts on the previous one:
I was reading some of the dissenting opinions on the Jun-di relationship, seeing who sided with Jan-di and who sided with Jun-pyo. It’s probably not fair to charge those who think Jun-pyo acted more understandably with being clouded with Lee Min-ho affection, because (1) Well, yes, I think he’s quite a good actor, but (2) I figure at this point I’ve written enough on this drama, and in enough depth, to escape the tag of judging purely based on a hormonal reaction. (Honestly, y’alls, he’s cute but he ain’t my type.)
Here’s what it boils down to, for me: Both Jun-pyo and Jan-di have been shown, unfortunately, to be weak. This is problematic and has significantly hindered my regard for the second half of the series. I wish both had more backbone and were more forthright about their true feelings. Of course, if they did that and had a functional relationship, we wouldn’t have much of a drama to tune into every week.
Both parties have reneged on promises; both have been guilty of giving the other person mixed messages. Jun-pyo called Jan-di a stain, which is pretty harsh stuff, and obviously Jan-di has a right to be hurt. On the other hand, Jan-di has given Jun-pyo no indication that she wants to be with him following Jae-kyung’s arrival on the scene. She may not feel she’s in the position to do anything about it, but she did actively step back and even aided Jae-kyung in getting together with Jun-pyo — that certainly sends the message that she no longer cares for Jun-pyo. She also said that her promise from Episode 10 is no longer valid.
With that being the case, Jun-pyo has no reason to believe he has a future with Jan-di, and he walks down the aisle believing that his One True Love is over. In real life, we know that we get second chances and that a person can fall in love more than once, but in dramaland and in Jun-pyo’s heart, as he explained to Jae-kyung, he knows that it’s Jan-di or nobody. Therefore the question isn’t “Should I marry Jae-kyung or not?” but rather, “Is there any hope at all for a future with Jan-di? — because if not, I really don’t care about marriage and might as well do this political union.”
Meanwhile, Jan-di has been the poster child for passivity. WE know she loves Jun-pyo, but she sure as hell doesn’t let anyone else know that. As some commenters said, perhaps she’s not in a place to demand a relationship with him, but if she hides all her feelings and mopes privately, well, that’s just wallowing in one’s self-pity. She tends to just accept whatever happens to her, and that frustrates me. Jun-pyo is also weak, but at least his feelings — and his desire to escape from the influence of others — are clear. He’s bad at following through on his feelings, but Jan-di doesn’t even get that far — she keeps hers bottled up and unspoken, and that does nobody any good.
And yes, I recognize it’s a pointless exercise to say who was MORE wrong in this situation — but it’s always fun to do it anyway.
Now, for this episode:
I understand Jan-di’s actions and her rationale for leaving, and I actually kinda agree with her decision. Or at least the reason for her making the decision. However, this plot device suffers from overuse — it’s a tactic used in all those classic (read: outdated) Cinderella kdramas, where the girl selflessly gives up her love — even though the guy is prepared to fight for the relationship — to save those around her.
I suppose we’re supposed to feel admiration and pity for the woman who sacrifices her own happiness for the greater good, but what she’s really doing is taking away the choice from the other person, who deserves to have a say in this. Just as Jun-pyo (wrongly) asserted his will one-sidedly earlier in their relationship, she’s disregarding his feelings under the excuse that “I know what’s best for him.” I hate that.
Now, IF she had believed everything she said before getting on that bus — and I think her words had a point — then I wouldn’t have complaints and would probably back her up. (I think it makes sense on one level to want to say, “I gave it my best shot, got my heart broken a couple times, and want to believe that Love Conquers All — but maybe all this fighting isn’t productive if I’m just fighting a losing battle against this all-powerful, evil force who is going to hurt everyone I love.” It’s not fair, but sometimes you have to think of self-preservation.)
However, that’s not the case here: As we can see from her reaction afterward, she lied purposely to get Jun-pyo to let her go, believing that he didn’t need to know the truth. And that her decision was right no matter what he thought. By the way, they’re both guilty of this — him most notably when he turned Jekyll-and-Hyde in Macau — so it’s not like I’m only blaming Jan-di for the tendency.
I might have let this go otherwise, but it really doesn’t help that PD Jeon’s prior two series also employed this exact same scenario (girl leaves selflessly to spare the guy pain, but in a way that removes his choice from the equation). When Chun-hyang in Delightful Girl Chun-hyang did it, I actually enjoyed the ensuing angst (and the anticipated reunion!), but I watched that series earlier and didn’t have a slew of similar dramas to compare to. Also, Jae Hee really rocked the emotional turmoil in that drama’s breakup and reunion.
In My Girl, I hated the ploy because it seemed like a direct ripoff of Chun-hyang (same director, same writers), plus it seemed more forced into the story for manipulative reasons.
Here, I don’t hate it as much as in My Girl but I think it’s definitely less effective as a plot device than it ought to be, because (1) it’s so overdone at this point, and (2) this whole drama has been full of dramatic angsty moments like this, so this one doesn’t particularly stand out for me.
But on the upside, we’re so very close to the end that all this analysis is really just extraneous stuff. Mostly I’m watching with half my brain turned off, and at least there isn’t enough time to drag this storyline out into as painful an arc as the Jae-kyung one.
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Tags: Boys Before Flowers, Gu Hye-sun, Kim Bum, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Joon, Lee Min-ho
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151 Watergirl2442
March 25, 2009 at 11:31 AM
23 Bambooshoots:
According to Greek mythology, when Achilles was born, his mother, Thetis, held him by his heel and dipped him into the river Styx. By doing so, wherever the water touch him, he would be invulnerable and protected. However the only spot that did not touch the water was his heel where she held him by the thumb and forefinger. That was the only spot where he was vulnerable....meaning his weak spot. Thus, when a person refers to someone's "Achille's heel", they are referring to that person's weakest point. It doesn't necessarily mean a physical spot, but could mean a psychological or emotional area. In this case of Jandi, it is her sense of not wanting those she loves getting hurt because of her.
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152 Snikki
March 25, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Now that the end is drawing near, I've got mixed feelings about it. I don't need to explain the sad part of it, I know most of us share the same sentiment. On the other hand though, I'm kinda relieved that there is no time for them to squeeze in the "amnesia storyline". I really hope they leave that out.
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153 IcanhazGJPyo
March 25, 2009 at 11:58 AM
@Snikki,
Because the PDs are very good about not having a clue about pacing (e.g., 9 episodes for JK) and for messing up what should have been a terrific adaptation (e.g., making JP and JD pathetic and doing long, pointless love shots of JH), I will assume that the amnesia arc WILL still be thrown in. Because, you know, the PDs are out to make this the worst HYD adaptation ever. I think that's their entire purpose in life.
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154 1234
March 25, 2009 at 12:03 PM
When they mention that Jandi's father is on a boat, this doesn't mean he was runing from debts. It means he is working in fishery boat(ship) that doesn't return for at least several months. I guess you can see it as he was really taking desperate measure.
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155
March 25, 2009 at 12:07 PM
To all griping about the lousy Jun-Di kiss: THEY CAN'T HAVE A KISS LIKE IN COFFEE PRINCE!! Understand that BOF production team already got warned about kisses being.... um, "too hot". Not sure but think it happened after ep with Jun-Di's kiss in playground aired. Maybe you weren't watching closely but past scenes show that LMH definitely knows how to kiss (and by this, I mean sexy kissing, not sucking face) so he has to hold back to keep it "Korean PG", as I call it. I remember one of the NGs at the end of an ep showing taping of the Jun-Di kiss after JP found JD on the mountain. Someone (PD?) was saying to LMH something like "just touch lips. why do you keep opening your mouth? Are you eating from a lunchbox?" lol, he looked so embarrassed after that!
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Sakshi3631
May 25, 2023 at 4:12 PM
WHAT?? With all the barely touching lips, BOF still got a warning? That is ridiculous. The show has the most chaste kisses ever. And the swing scene was done so well! I would have preferred more lip action but the actors barely touched their lips together even then! How could they have a problem with that
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156 pak
March 25, 2009 at 12:08 PM
what i think is stupid is that they are going to have a RUSHED one episode wehre junpyo magically loses his memory...are tehy freaking kidding me???? what teh hell are they thinking???? they shoud've extended it some more just to fit the whole amnesia act in a little better...how lame!!! i guess if yijung gaeul end up together it'll be fine....but another hting that bugs me the most is poor woo bin got no story and no girl!!! hahaha...
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157 sky
March 25, 2009 at 12:11 PM
my favorite scene is the bus scene, acting was amazing.
full of emtion. i cried
i don't think they don't deserve each other.
GJD's 19. just a girl.
and her dad lose his job because of her.
she's apart from her family. dad's on a boat.
she said to mister(GJP's dad),
"i cannot put up with at all. it's those that i love having a hard time because of me."
Seeing her family tortures is a most painful situation for her. but she DID bear and forbear. she did her best for being able to keep their promise.
GJP's 20. He grew up to be a SHINWHA's successor.
of course he cannot leave group' s matter unsettled.
GJP cannot abandon dad's dedication to SHINWHA.
and i think GJP love GJD more than before.
in season one, GJP cannot stand without her,
in season two, GJP can't stand seeing her tortures.
SO he can put up with missing her. you know he's not good at this.
i admit they're rather passive butbecase of that,
i can feel empathy for them.
getting myself into this series so much.
sorry for poor english~~just my opinion
thanks javabeans
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158 sky
March 25, 2009 at 12:21 PM
sorry~~not javabeans ^^
thankyou dramabeans~
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159
March 25, 2009 at 12:25 PM
@#155
LOL yes I remember the NG and I agree with you. I also remember the first kiss scene they shot was the highway one and it got edited for being too 'hot'. Judging from the BTS pics and NG (plus the sweet playground kiss), LMH definitely is not inexperienced. He just had to restrain himself from kissing GHS ever so passionately. GHS is well, just a shy gal and I hope she gets rid of that shyness soon.
So yeah, too bad they had to tone down every single damn thing from violence to kissing scenes.
I read somewhere the playground kiss was shot by Lee Minwoo PD not JunKisang PD. (There were set of crews in season 1 Team A and Team B) Maybe that's why the kiss was better there. I remember replaying that scene many times >3 It was beautiful.
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Sakshi3631
May 25, 2023 at 4:14 PM
Yeah god knows I have watched it so many times too. And kept wishing for more lip action
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160 queen_of_the_game
March 25, 2009 at 12:49 PM
easier said than done..that's what i would say to all of us who thinks Junpyo and jandi are both pathetic and weak...i guess if this happens in real world..that everything you do doesn't seem enough to get you what can make you happy but instead end up hurting the people around you...yourself and the other person..i think you too would think if this is even worth fighting for...in the real world..figthing for your one true love isnt ideal especially if you know that it will end up hurting a lot of people....
but this is a drama though....do they really have to make it that complicated..hehehe...but im loving it...grrrr
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161
March 25, 2009 at 12:55 PM
@#160
"easier said than done..that’s what i would say to all of us who thinks Junpyo and jandi are both pathetic and weak…"
i can't agree more
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162 In Lalaland
March 25, 2009 at 1:00 PM
@#155: I guess I'm unfamiliar with the "Korean PG" rating (LMAO at the terminology by the way). I agree that LMH at least puts in a little effort of semi-puckering or lip movement, but GHS is like a marble statue. I mean, there's stiff and then there is STIFF. Yeah, I can understand that since this drama is aimed at tweens, it should be toned down (too bad, no Coffee Prince kisses), but COME ON! I mean even kissing in the HSM movies were more "realistic" and those were rated G!! But alas....."American G". I mean, it's suppose to be acting, so at least a little puckering up/movement with mouths closed but MOVEMENT PEOPLE! The kiss Ji Hoo had with what's her name that I already forgot was completely LAUGHABLE.
OK - waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy too much fixation on the kissing. Gotta move on..........2 epi's to go. No more kissing scenes please. Just googly eye oogling or ***GASP****..............................are the 2 leads
...........*******GASP**********..........actually HOLDING HANDS?!!!!!!!!!!! CENSOR! CENSOR! ;P
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163 Imee
March 25, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Just like KHJ, I am already feeling empty knowing that BBF will end next week and I'm not sure if I am ready to watch another Kdrama soon.From what I've read is that it will have a very happy ending.I am hoping for this scenario if rumors are true that the ending is like many years after. I hope it will be a HS reunion or building dedication at ShinHwa University and these guys will be meeting again for the first time after so many years. Being honored is Jun Pyo the CEO of ShinHwa Corporation with his wife Jan Di and many curly haired children. In attendance will be Art Foundation President Yoon Ji Hoo and his fiancee and first love Seo Hyun, Yi Jung who is now married to Ga Eul and expecting their first child and Woo Bin with finally a surprise girl friend. Just dreaming!!!!
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164 HaraJuku
March 25, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Is there going to be a special episode after the final one?
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165 Dramaworld
March 25, 2009 at 1:07 PM
I agree with everything you said about the problems in this episode and with Junpyo and Jandi in particular; they're both very weak characters, which bugs the heck out of me and in many ways has ruined this drama for me. It's very odd because the Makino character is written as a highly spunky, self-sufficient, mentally and emotionally courageous character who doesn't need anyone else, whether friends or a boyfriend, to get by, but this rendition of her portrays her as almost the exact opposite; she falls apart as soon as Junpyo breaks up with her and doesn't really get it back together until they're together again. She doesn't ever even really stand up to Mama Kang, for heavens sake! Both Junpyo and Jandi are frustratingly and consistently passive however; their relationship is defined and propelled by other people - everything they do, from breaking up to getting back together, is as a result of the efforts of other people, their friends and family. Personally, I find Junpyo's passivity more widespread and frustrating - Jandi has more reason for it in my opinion - but both are far, FAR too weak in general - I consider them as characters essentially ruined. It's a pity especially since the manga characters they're based on are defined by their driving(sometimes even over-done) forcefulness.
I'm all about Jihoo and Jandi in this series - even their reactions to everything show how much better of a man Jihoo is than Junpyo. Jihoo reacts to his grief over Jandi's absence by throwing himself into work for his grandfather and looking after his grandfather, while Junpyo goes out and starts drinking and toying with girls and eventually ends up arrested. Which is the more mature? Jihoo would be deeply awesome in and of himself - the ultimate best friend/amazing boyfriend material - even without the contrast with Junpyo, but the contrast with Junpyo only highlights even more all of his amazing qualities. He and Jandi have such a warm, deep friendship - so many of their interactions are so Main-Couple/OTP-like. One the one hand, we have Jandi/Jihoo, who frankly have many more scenes together, showing them doing fun, happy, ordinary things and integrating into each other's world's perfectly, and on the other hand we have Junpyo and Jandi, out of whom we get a few big splashy scenes(is it must me or is there always fireworks/stars going on around them) and some nice little touches like how they look back at each other as Junpyo leaves their date in this episode - but overall precious little time together and 80% of that time taken up by fighting/bickering/angsting. It's no wonder, given this and what a disappointment Junpyo's character is and how awesome they made Ji-Hoo and how much time they spent building up the Jandi/Ji-Hoo relationship, whether friendship or no, that so many of have gone over to supporting the Jandi/Jihoo pairing.
I am very frustrated with this drama overall.
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166 thisiswhyi'mbehindonmymastersthesis
March 25, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Thanks for the recap. As usual you clarified some things for me... mainly, JP's reason for marriage.
I don't know but was I the only one pissed when the door opened and he was fully dressed!!! I just can't seem to get over that point but reading today I can concede that like YJ's father "all become the same" (to him) after JD.
I also liked how you pointed out the differences in JP and JH's reaction to JD's leaving. Again, this (unfortunately) proves JK's point. JH's actions seem on the surface to be harmless, taking over a business, actually working, living life, while JP's are a blatant cry for help, he's with women and he's in jail! I don't know about anyone else but the women just floored me. Its so outside his character to have (excuse my term) hoes...
But it's wonderful how their true friends see that they are both living out extreme versions of themselves.
Third, I agree with your assessment of JD's departure. I am certainly the type that believes if you put in a good fight and continue to lose or its too hard on both parties, then its better to say "I love you but..." Unfortunately, JD doesn't wholeheartedly believe this,(and in her shoes, she shouldn't) nor half the words that she spoke. It would have been better to just tell him she was going to visit someone and disappeared or just let him go home safely completely ignorant. I would have liked that better. Because in truth, wouldn't she have waited, stayed by his side if not for this last Mama stunt? I truly believe so.
This leads me to the promise she broke. In a previous ep she said that she wasn't keeping that promise or she eluded that she had already broken it. This ep tells us blatantly that today was the first time that she had done so.This doesn't seem odd to me because when she made that statement it just seemed like a JD lie. She's good for that and yet again, this ep proves that.
Last, I read the speculation over when JD fell for JP. A few weeks ago, when I was overly pissed or "passed the point of pissivity" as my friend often says concerning this drama, I went back and watched some earlier (better) eps. I was having this trouble concerning JD and I didn't see where we could pin point her or believe in her "love." Like someone said I think that it was in NC(ep 6-8). Though it was a weird sequence, the fortune teller informs and evokes fear from she and GE when she mentions she'd be losing something "important to a woman." I was wondering what the heck that could have been, the bracelet(symbolic of JP's love/heart), first kiss, etc, but I concluded that it was actually her heart. Later, when she steals a glance at him during the fireworks display, you see it, something changed. To me that is the only point that explains her actions from then on concerning JP. Yes she does have that incident with JH but that was out of pity and deep concern, this is addressed after JH's sudden return from Paris when she tells GE that something was "different." I don't think that she was referring only to him, but to herself as well.
Oh and not to start an uproar but are there seriously still JH/JD supporters? I mean if the writers have done nothing else right, they have, in the last couple eps. proven that JP and JD are happier, livelier,more contented, carefree people, when they are together. No manner of silent love and constant firefighting can overcome that truth. JD spent weeks with JH giving him sympathy smiles and courtesy laughs trying to drive down her depression, but the moment she was with JP the facade faded.(It was a wonderful shift for you actually felt the weight lift from her.) Though, I was never an advocate for JH, I was truly trying to be understanding of JH-JD-shippers(due to the fiance fiasco) but at this point, NO. Honestly guys, love truly isn't about comfort or apparent compatibility.
And umm (shyly looks around, and whispers) was it just me and my two eyes but didn't HyunJoong look a little too attractive in ep 22? I'm just saying....I was a little taken...
Aback.
Trying to live without spoilers....(two more to go).
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167 Debbie
March 25, 2009 at 1:11 PM
Isn't it weird/funny that Jun Pyo has on numerous times just called Jan Di by her name, i.e. just "Jan Di"... but everytime Jan Di calls Jun Pyo, it's always GOO Jun Pyo (with the last name). She has never just said his name, Jun Pyo, which seems to be more personal and endearing.
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168 nanun
March 25, 2009 at 1:16 PM
i read somewhere (sorry, i forgot the site), that the BOF team already casted someone to play umi,and therefore there will be amnesia arc in the last two episodes, is it true??
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169
March 25, 2009 at 1:24 PM
do you guys realize something differnt from WOOBIN's facial expression?
when IIJUNG told him "she drops the infamous F4 in such a chaos and then disappears" some kind of bitter-sweet,,,,,,,in my opinion
WOOBIN liked JANDI TOO???
AND Good to see that JD finally vocalizes how much JP means to her.
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Sakshi3631
May 25, 2023 at 4:18 PM
In the original manga, Akira admitted to liking Tsukushi in an extra chapter but didn't pursue it because he did not want to hurt Tsukasa
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170
March 25, 2009 at 1:32 PM
@#168
i read somwhere too. i heard umi's part is very short and trying to be cute but GJP doesn't care about her that much.
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171
March 25, 2009 at 1:37 PM
If I hate a drama or find it sucks , I'd stop watching it completely. I find it funny when some ppl bash BOF but they still continue watching - 23eps to be exact! I think that means they must love it in somehow. (I'm talking abt bashing/hating here, not intelligently discussing)
Ppl who bash without watching are worse.
This version may have not been perfect, but I like it best out of the 3 adaptations. I don't recall being this emotional watching the other two.
BOF-bad writing and directing for most parts, but saved by the gorgeous and talented casts (well except maybe for KHJ in the talent department lol)
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172 nanun
March 25, 2009 at 1:42 PM
@i69:
if i'm not mistaken, in the manga, woo bin (akira?) did have some feelings for tsukushi,but bcoz he is the type of person that think of friendship as the most important thing in the world, so he kinda cut off his feelings for her before it becomes to deep. (sorry for the bad english).
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173 lily
March 25, 2009 at 1:58 PM
@ 155 Anonyme "Someone (PD?) was saying to LMH something like “just touch lips. why do you keep opening your mouth? Are you eating from a lunchbox?” lol, he looked so embarrassed after that!"
So does it mean he can't kiss since the PD STATED "do you eat a lunch box ?"
Maybe he can't kiss that's why the PD said that ! Indeed look at your own sentence
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174
March 25, 2009 at 2:01 PM
@171
If I hate a drama or find it sucks , I’d stop watching it completely. I find it funny when some ppl bash BOF but they still continue watching - 23eps to be exact! I think that means they must love it in somehow. (I’m talking abt bashing/hating here, not intelligently discussing)
Ppl who bash without watching are worse.
This version may have not been perfect, but I like it best out of the 3 adaptations. I don’t recall being this emotional watching the other two.
That's exactly what I thought
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175 This is freaking long! lol
March 25, 2009 at 2:05 PM
I have to completely disagree with everything you just said. Lol.I think that Joon Pyo was mostly at fault here. While i do think that Jan Di should have at least shed a tear or something when he asked her to tell him not to get married, it would be too much to expect from her to be the one stopping him. I mean, think about it. She went after him in Macau. She even worked in his house as a maid (eventhough she clearly didn’t want to). But, still. He had opporutnities. Plenty and plenty and plenty of them. There was the whole date with Ga Eul & Ee jung. And during that whole time. Not once. Not ONCE did he even try to explain why he acted the way he acted. If Jan Di did wrong by making the decision to leave without caring about his input, then JoonPyo did that times 1000 because that’s basically alllllll he has been doing these past 10 episodes. He is keeping Jan Di away to protect her from crazy mom but he won’t tell her that that is the reason he is so cold.
As for Jan Di just “accepting whatever happens to her”, it is annoying, but it’s really understandable. After F4 entered her life, she has gone through a series of unbelievable events (losing the dry cleaners, having her parents move away, falling in love and have it taken away, not being able to swim anymore, and then theres the whole thing in being practically chased by the world’s most powerful woman). The girl can’t get a break. And idk if this is intentional or not, but it’s been a pattern throughout the series that when something happens, Jandi just detaches and moves forward. She puts the problem behind and just does what she’s gotta do. It’s what makes her strong, but it’s what makes her weak. It’s how we see how much she truly loves Joonpyo. Because as much as she wants to detach. As much as she wants to just move on and let go, as much as she needs to focus on her future, she cannot do it. She mopes. She gets depressed. She becomes uneasy. Because her usual technique for dealing with her (freaking many) problems in life doesn’t work when it comes to Joonpyo. Then enters stupid freaking JaeKyung. Jandi is realistic enough to know her position. She doesn’t live in the clouds like Joonpyo. She sees right away not only that JaeKyung would be an appropriate match for him, but that she is a cool girl. And then Joonpyo goes and grabs her hand and runs away (at their engagement party). And then whenever JanDi is around, Joonpyo has this real mad look on his face (We know that it’s because he can’t deal with Jandi seeing him with another girl, but to JanDi it looks like he’s angry that she is still around). She has no reason to think he loves her. We know cuz we can see his expressions through the eye of the camera. But she interprets everything by what he said in Macau. And freaking joonpyo doesn’t even throw the girl a bone. Not a wink, not a smile, not a nothing. And just when she thinks that he totally hates her and loves JaeKyung (she saw them kissing, hugging), he starts acting nice to her! Wth. But by this time, she’s detached. She’s going through major, major, major problems in her life (what with her parents being chased by loan sharks), she has no time to think of anything else (especially since she quit swimming and decided to be a doctor, which means lots and lots of studying).Once or twice, her heart wavered towards Joonpyo...but then there would be Jaekyung. She was sick of it. And it really didn’t make any sense in her mind as to why Joonyp was being nice to Jaekyng. And then the wedding came and she saw Joonpyo trying to break his arm. I’m not sure that she automatically put 2 and 2 together. She called him cowardly, but she didn’t see that he wanted to break the wedding for her sake. She saw that he just did want to get married as an order form crazy mom. And then he tells her to tell him not to go. What. The. Hell. After alllll this craziness, NOW? And you want ME to be the one to confess? Pleaseee...Like i said, she should have def def def cried or something. But i don’t believe for even one second that it should have been Jandi to tell him not to go. It shouldn’t have. All of this was joonpyo’s fault cuz he couldn’t just be honest with her and freaking tell her that it was cuz of a promise made to his dad and blah blah blah...plus im old fashioned and i want the guy to be the one to fight for the girl.
And as for the “jandi leaving and doesn’t tell joonpyo the reason why”, that scene just had to be in there. It had to be. It’s one of the most touching scenes in the manga. Instead of saying that the PD is just re-using scenes from his other dramas, the more accurate statement would be that he is finally filming the original scene on which his other dramas were based. Cuz, c’mon. Hana yori dango manga is wayyyy before all the dramas that you cited. I just wish that they had done it just like the rain scene in the manga. I didn’t like that they used the running after the bus scene for this. I really wanted the rain scene! Lol...i can’t even remember that far back in this drama to remember if they already did the rain scene. They didn’t, right?
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Sakshi3631
May 25, 2023 at 4:54 PM
Agreed with your analysis of Jan di's actions. I too think that it is JP who has to earn her love at this point.
Just one thing though- I really liked the bus scene. I thought the two leads acted really well. Jan di's quiet determination and Jun pyo's heartbreak really moved me. I was impressed with Jan di's stand in this episode.
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176 yayfinishassigment
March 25, 2009 at 2:12 PM
This is the first time that bbf was able to get some sort of emotion (other than the odd laugh or scoff) out of me...........I thought the part when Jandi was shouting out to her dad was just so touching....*sniffs*
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177 nanun
March 25, 2009 at 2:15 PM
i quote somebody's comment in other site here:
"I think HanaDan is like Dr Who, whichever you watch first remains your all time favourite."
That is sooo true. and for me, meteor garden is my all time favourite:)
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178 This is freaking long! lol
March 25, 2009 at 2:19 PM
@#173 lily
@ 155 Anonyme “Someone (PD?) was saying to LMH something like “just touch lips. why do you keep opening your mouth? Are you eating from a lunchbox?” lol, he looked so embarrassed after that!”
So does it mean he can’t kiss since the PD STATED “do you eat a lunch box ?”
Maybe he can’t kiss that’s why the PD said that ! Indeed look at your own sentence
The PD didnt say that. He said 'Just touch lips. Don't open your mouth" Then the next sentence was from the script "..lunchbox..blabla..picnic.."
It's ridiculous when ppl twist things around to make a point.
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179 yumi-chan
March 25, 2009 at 2:21 PM
ALMOOOOOOST OVEEEEER!
:]
I waited for this to kind of rush by and give us the ending.
I wonder if they'll pull off the season 2 ending of hanadan or will they go a complete different route.
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180 Lurve-
March 25, 2009 at 2:36 PM
i guess the ending should be JD with JP. =] since the Taiwan and Jap version the ending is like that. hope the ending will be nice. thank for the recap. =D
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181 KOK
March 25, 2009 at 2:36 PM
I think its unfair to criticise the goodbye scene when it was in the manga and that came well before Delightful girl/My Girl, the scene where Jan Di sacrifices everything is one of the best scenes in the HYD manga and Tv series but honestly the show did it really bad. Jan Dumb is an annoying character but can anyone blame her for this? I do blame her for not really fighting for him at all but Jun Pyo has acted the same, they both don't seem bothered at all.
Oh and I want Jan Di to get with Ji Hoo, much better couple.
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182 Bzbz
March 25, 2009 at 3:59 PM
I have so much fun reading the recap, and comments. A lot of fun, indeed! :o)
Woaa....Jihoo and his ethereal beauty! He was breathtaking beautiful in the last two episodes. Lol....
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183 lily
March 25, 2009 at 4:15 PM
@ 177 "doctor who thing"
That's weird I watched MG first before HYD but I still prefer HYD. Can explain me WHY ?
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184 ollivia
March 25, 2009 at 4:20 PM
Just highlingting that THE ESSENCE of this DRAMA to me - is all about BROKEN PROMISES by the 3 top leads- mom KANG, GJP and GJD.
I adored how the 3 leads did not dissapoint their characters-Korean Style.
The majoring threads are that the F4 + GJD are still High SChool Students just plainly GROWING UP!
Ofcourse there are going to be immediate gratifications shown by some and contained or preserved emos by the others. Human nature lets those emos erupt sooner or later....
The storyline and characters certainly live up to their maturities levels and hopefully in the end, the writer will redeem their " done grown-up now" and 3 leads are hugely credited for their professional skills here.
Actually writer is growing into these characters as well. Or else the storylines from episode to episode would have been building up to Huge Climax....but is seamless to explode the climatic ending...
Broken Promises should be mended ASAP.
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185 Ve
March 25, 2009 at 4:35 PM
I am quite dissapointed after watching episode 22-23. The plot is just going weaker, stay lame and same with the previous one; Jandi and Jung Pyo just could not do anything to prove their love is bigger than witch mom!
I thought after HK left, a fter wedding called off, there would be a new more excited story that make me will be more addicted to BBF, instead I lost my interest after watching episode 22-23, because the characters and the flow of the story is slow and remain just the same. I wish after called off wedding, JP & JD will grow even more powerful love, trust that they fate is to be togther, then would fight together toprove the witch mom, Love can canquer everything! For instant, JP would growing stronger and wiser, in which He would be willing to leave ShinHwa Co, willing to leave behind his chebol status just to stay together with his JD (Isn't sweet? and touching every viewers' heart?) then he would embark as a new ordinary guy? get any job he could do of ? by doing so, he would get public attention and it's like witch mom eating her humble pie! Well, this is only my imagination though, somehow watching a scene of Love story that endures hardship and torture just makes me move and carried away.....
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186 4thDimensional
March 25, 2009 at 4:45 PM
ACtually, I do not believe that LOVE Conqures ALL. So this episode is being true to real life....evil moms will always exist, Some Young Men will always try to give the PATH of NON-RESISTENCE the first go. Some Girls will humbly bow out and there is nothing wrong with that. It's really signifies inner strength and deep love..... wish there were more SELFLESS people in the world ...less HORMONAL people crowding our neighborhoods.
GO GJP and GJD...........even if it's 20 years later, your love will always be....true life has shared those storylines as well. We also shed tears when it is turned into movies
EX. NOTEBOOK.
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187 lily
March 25, 2009 at 5:27 PM
About school thing they don't go to school anymore. Ga Eul has never done.
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188
March 25, 2009 at 5:28 PM
@186
GO GJP and GJD
me too. (and go JIHOO II JUNG GAEUL AND WOOBIN)
WE KNOW you've been through So much pain.
and i really hope these characters be happy.
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189 icancrackanegg
March 25, 2009 at 5:36 PM
I was FURIOUS at this episode, because after all that suffering Junpyo and Jandi caused for each other in the last arc (that has now finally ended), you'd think their relationship would be even stronger. But alas, no--Jandi, oh, Jandi, how you have disappointed me!
Why in the world would you go out on a date with your boyfriend, tell him you love him, and then break up with him on such cold terms on the same day? It doesn't even begin to make sense to me. To me, it's frustrating because Junpyo did the same thing in the last arc, and while it makes sense, it's just so... aggravating nonetheless! I know Jandi's caught between a frying pan and the fire, but to be so cruel after their loving date doesn't exactly solve anything. I understand she had to leave, but if so, leave silently at least. That's how I feel.
And Jihoo? Jihoo, my dear, this is definitely NOT the right time for you to admit your feelings to Jandi. You could have done that in the last arc, but not when it's clear J & J have rekindled their relationship.
Argness.
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Sakshi3631
May 25, 2023 at 5:03 PM
I agreed with Jan di's decision of leaving too. Madam Kang is just too strong. What I dislike is that the series does not let the main couple spend much time together. They are a couple for five minutes and broken up for five episodes.
The reason why Jan di asked JP out on a date is because she promised him a picnic before he went to Macau. I think it took real strength on her part to spend a loving day with him knowing all the time that it was their last day together. I think this was the one change that BOF got right. I was moved by both JP and JD in this scene
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190
March 25, 2009 at 6:02 PM
In Lalaland@162: "Korean PG" means exactly what you wrote - like a marble statute, lips tightly closed and no movement whatsoever. God forbid the kids watching learn how to kiss from a drama - GASP!!!
lily@176 wrote: So does it mean he can’t kiss since the PD STATED “do you eat a lunch box ?” Maybe he can’t kiss that’s why the PD said that ! Indeed look at your own sentence
Um, no, why don't you read and more importantly, UNDERSTAND, what I wrote? Eating = opening mouth. Lunchbox = usually something good to eat. Now put that together with the other things the PD or whoever said. Do you get it?
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191 yubikiri
March 25, 2009 at 6:08 PM
HEART ATTACK!
Just wanna say thanks for the recap javabeans...i ll come back to comment about the episode!
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192 bjharm
March 25, 2009 at 6:21 PM
A word on the kissing. I believe that there is government control over Tv drama in what they are and are nor allowed to show/portray on TV. Like no matter how crappy the elders are the younger people Have to in the end show respect to them. If companies making the dramas fail to hold up to this code of conduct they can be fined, enough I would guess to make it hurt enough to make it unprofitable for the company to want to risk such a fine. When one thinks of kissing in Kdrama, Coffee Prince will naturally come to mind, because it looked real! clearly too real for the government controls, thus the warning and back to the normal Kdrama kiss in the 'peek' kiss or the classic turn away head kiss.
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193 momo
March 25, 2009 at 6:48 PM
ok, but take Goong, also a high school drama. that kiss was out of this world and they were like eating each other's faces. how come that didn't get the same regulations? this kissing thing is sooooo stupid.
anyway, to those of you saying we shouldn't criticize JP and JD for being pathetic because we don't know how we'd act in real life, uhh who cares what we would do in real life? this is an adaptation of a MANGA, where things are supposed to be very black and white and love conquers all and right is right and wrong is wrong. i don't watch this shit for realism, i watch it for poetic justice and couples standing up for each other and fighting for their love no matter what. and unfortunately, BBF is straddling that line between manga and reality in the WORST way. it doesn't deliver in the ways of manga-world love conquers all and almost unrealistic strength of character, but it's also highly illogical in most of its story arcs. so most of us, we're left highly dissatisfied.
and also, i saw MG first and hated it. BBF second (i enjoyed it at first) and then mid way through i saw HYD. after i saw HYD, BBF instantly appeared like a piece of garbage. so yeah, i don't think it's true that the first one you see is always gonna be the best one. if the quality of the final products were similar, then i could see your point. but that couldn't be further from the truth.
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Sakshi3631
May 25, 2023 at 5:05 PM
Well said. Why bother licensing the manga when you are not going to maintain the spirit or the theme?
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194 Javabeans
March 25, 2009 at 7:02 PM
BBF kissing scenes suffered also because of the added criticism of the excessive violence and extreme situations (kidnapping, bullying). Had that not been the case, I doubt kissing alone would have been cause for complaint, but all piled together, it became part of the hot-button areas to be dialed back.
And Ga-eul has never been shown at school because she's not a Shinhwa student.
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195 greenmushroom
March 25, 2009 at 7:17 PM
@ 193, momo
I didnt' watch MG, but I agree with you that the first version of HYD won't necessarily be the version you fall in love with.
I actually watched up to episode 17 of Boys before Flowers, and then learned about the earlier Japanese version. I watched the first episode and was automatically hooked. I watched Hana Yori Dango 1 and 2 in five days, its just that good.
I think I'm most interested in the two soulmates now. If they don't get together, i'm going to die! and I've really been missing the Paradise song, even though I hated it in the beginning.
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196 annieee
March 25, 2009 at 7:20 PM
like dramabeans, i stopped taking things seriously/hoping drama will improve quality/thinking a long time ago. the plot devices here were expected and overused, but hey, its a teen kdrama. i still enjoyed this week's episodes alot though.
i havent watched the other versions of bbf before, so i cant make the comparisons about the characterizations and storytelling, but kkotboda namja seems to me like a typical damsel-in-distress kdrama with lots of angst. i'll give the actors credit for making the angst watchable by acting their parts superbly, but still, bbf is mindless entertainment to me. i wonder how they'll fit in the whole junpyo's dad/memory loss/new character thing AND wrap things up within 2 episodes.
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197 AJ
March 25, 2009 at 7:21 PM
I completely agree with you, Javabeans......I loved the tough, stubborn version of JanDi (like in that episode where she LEAPS over a wall and beats up GaEul's ex-boyfriend), but I hate that she won't just verbally admit her feelings for Gu JunPyo, even in the most crucial moments. I am, however, really enjoying the GaEul+YiJung storyline, though. That doesn't have as many kinks to it (or as much action, for that matter). I just wish the writers would have taken more time to establish better/more stable characterization of JanDi...nevertheless, this drama is still one of my all-time favorites. Thanks so much Javabeans for recapping and sharing your insight! :)
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198 Hiura
March 25, 2009 at 7:36 PM
i understand ur comparisond to delighful girl and my girl, but did you take into consideration that this ploy is used for the hana yori dango series...its obvious that the writers are following parts of the manga, where jan di's character lies to jun pyo and goes off to her family in the fishing village. later ofcourse jun pyo will arrive and lose his mempory. if you have seen the japanese version, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that it went this way. I would have loved if it went in another direction but maybe the filming crew and writers are tired and cant come up with an alternate ending. From what i see, it may head almost in the same direction ad hyd, ofcourse things will be different but same storyline. maybe there will be a surprise. its just that you sgould know atleast why they decided to use the classic, girl sacrifices for the person she loves ploy
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199
March 25, 2009 at 8:01 PM
oh i thought jandi left to protect everyone she loves besides junpyo? aka jihoo, jihoo's grandpa and gaeul? i thought she lied to junpyo because she doesn't want him to lash out as his mom and create more trouble by blaming her for driving jandi away. correct me if i'm wrong please! my korean isn't too stellar.
thanks for your recaps and comments! i always love reading them
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200 nyeet
March 25, 2009 at 8:10 PM
I seriously surprised with some comments saying that Jandi is COWARD?! Or that she's running away from the problem... WTH
1) Gaeul and Jihoo
She solved that when she made the deal with Madam Kang. How can she be call coward?! Is that running away?! If you mention easy way out, yes, that I agree. But then, what could have Jandi done in her capabilities (being 19, alone, homeless, poor, etc..) and isn't normal for human to seek the easiest way out anyway. So why we surprised or shocked when she did it? Isn't it human nature? Just because this is an adaptation from manga, shouldn't the writers allow to have this character some human flaws?
2) Gu Junpyo
She fix this problem by leaving him. How can that be coward or running away? She dealt with it right and made that decision? Again easy way out. But do you think its easy to leave someone that you love? Or how hard it is to tell a lie? That shiver feeling? It really took a lot of guts to do that, right? And I'm not saying that she's doing the right or wrong thing here. But that it's not coward. More like a brave thing to do. She face that problem and decided to leave. And she is also in pain leaving her true love. Is that what you called coward?!
So, she only be called brave if she didn't care about others and continue to be with Junpyo and let him protect her like he wanted to? But the problems didn't solved if she did just that, it may be continue to get worse. Judging from her situation, what can she done eitherway to make all things better?.
I guess people still stick to the moral value to much, having that idea on what's right and what's not but its just mere talking! I bet when you face the problem hands on, you'd probably be one of these characters.
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