I had thought that the Korean remake was just a rumor but now i'm soooo looking forward to it!!! I had enjoyed both the Taiwanese & Japanese versions. Hopefully for Group Eight, we can have a feast for our eyes with amazing sets ^^

I have also heard of a rumor that Big Bang's TOP has been approached to act as Doumyouji. Personally i think that TOP fits the deal. And he's pretty new as an actor (I am SAM) yet popular among teens these days.

Hmm....i wonder who will be acting as Rui.....i had loved both Vic Chou and Oguri Shun!

OMG! ^.^ I am so excited! I've watched Meteor Garden (kind of cheesy and exaggerated) and HYD Season 1 and 2 (absolutely loooved it!). I haven't been so excited about an upcoming drama since Coffee Prince. I do agree w/ the majority of the comments. The storyline is strong already but the casting AND screenplay is the utmost important. If the writers can't accurately depict the familar parts (i.e. the conversations at the fire escape w/ Rui and Tsukushi), you'll just have a 2nd rated drama where the viewers are constantly comparing "the Taiwanese/Japanese did it better."

My biggest curiosity is who will be cast for Hanazawa Rui? I've always been "Team Rui/Tsukushi."

personally, i like k-dramas better than j-dramas because... the people are prettier. i know! probably biased and mean but that's what i think.

@ Lenrasoon

Ahh, I've just realized that I suddenly referred to Hana Kimi rather than Meteor Garden. Thanks for the correction! How shameful of me, especially since I was completely in love with Meteor Garden when it came out. The second season I wasn't very into, but I definitely loved F4 and Barbie in MG.

love the jap hyd! one of my all-time favorites!
so looking forward to the korean version!

Barbie was . . . okay in Meteor Garden. But I can't watch Meteor Garden without comparing it to MARS. It's like you watch Vic and Barbie in MG, and you feel like it's a "preparation" for their performance in MARS. You can tell they were in love with each other when they did that show.

Seriously, Japan, when are you going to step up with that MARS adaptation that everybody wants, hmm?

Siwon as domyouji. i have a harder time picturing his as Domyouji than him as Rui (as others want him to be) i think Heechul would be a Domyouji. he's already got all that same air around him that Domyouji has. i don't think it'd be that much of at stretch. only thing is... hmm, maybe his face is too feminine? although, Heechul can still pull off hot when he wants, so that wouldn't be that big a prob

I have never seen Choi Siwon acting, but for now I'll disagree with that. He just looks so...nice and kind, that it's impossible to even imagine him being as mean as Domyouji is. I'd go for someone along the lines of Lee Wan, but he probably looks a bit too old for Domyouji. As for Makino, MGY would really do great, or Goo Hye Sun would too. They both have that spunky, strong Makino type of character.

I loved Hana Yori Dango, but isnt the story line getting a bit old? I mean, there is always a cold angry guy, a work hard girl, and the cold cool guy. Know what I mean?
ITS GETTING OLD T____________T

@Jo,
The pro with doing HanaDan is that it's like a typical Cinderella screwball K-drama. The con with doing HanaDan is that it's JUST like a typical Cinderella screwball K-drama.

Korean netizens are buzzing but also split, because even ardent HanaDan fans pretty much know the story itself is well-worn K-drama territory. Never mind the money to compete, that's a given. The real challenge is casting and chemistry.

Questions abound. Do as the Romans do and cast a Kimchi Four of boy band idols, alienating the general female audience (who, yes, in Korea, demand decent acting to go with the face?) Do you go with popular, though older actors (Jo In Sung for Doumyoji?!?), thereby alienating the HanaDan fanbase. Or do you go with talented unknowns and pray this VERY EXPENSIVE show connects on its own terms?

Sarah, I am SO there too!!! ^^

The 3 top newbie actresses that netizens want as the role of Makino are :
Han Hyo Joo, Wondergirl's Ahn Soo Hee and Girls Generation's Yoon Ah.

But if I am to recommend any one for the role of Makino, it will be Kara's Han Seung Yeon. Hey, this girl really looks like a Makino type of girl among the new generation new artists. She is not especially pretty but is cute when she smiles and looks fiercely stubborn at times as well. These factors are so Makino..

whoa! I'm excited! I've only watched Meteor Garden (no time for dorama) and this news certainly bring back memories of drooling over F4! I wonder who will the Korean F4 be?

I must be the only one who doesn't care for this anime/manga/drama. I still don't get the whole excitement over this. I guess it's a matter of taste, but still, I don't get it. :T

jolee- great comment
every1 else- i read ur comments.
--i think if they stick to the perfect/fantastic storyline already, but then korean version won't be original.
--if the korean version takes the risk and changes the plot/story line around, there's a risk, a big risk to ruin the drama, but also an opportunity to break the old story for something new.
i love HYD!!@@@
---------------as for the characters, it doesn't matter if the actors for those roles are famous or not, they need to know HOW TO ACT, no just pretty faces that are stiffed and can't act.
--------JAPANESE VERSION IS BETTER THAN THE TAIWANESE ONE, less draggy and more addicting.
-----------RUI IS MY FAV OF ALL TIME!!

Gossip girl i gotta say your so rite..^^ w/ your comment..
YAY!!!...^^
i watch the j-version...which was the S.H.I.T.E...
Shun is so fuckin haute... :9
Taiwanese version was my very first asian drama that i every watch...
i thought to myself...
damn the guys are fione....
i went crazy over Zaizai and Jerry...lols ...
i cant wait for this....
i know imma love it...^^
thnx for the post...
i wounder whos gonna play the girl?...

This news makes me really excited because i love romantic comedies and i love Hanadan. I hated meteor garden and couldn't finish it. I've reread the original manga heaps of times. I love HYD1 but i disliked 2 because it was so draggy. But HYD1 was perfect.

I think the Koreans are going to have a hard time finding a talented newbie for Makino. Whilst Inoue Mao was considered a newbie as this was her first lead role, the girl has been acting since she was 5 years old. She was in a television drama called Kid's War where she played a tomboyish, hot tempered girl who can't get along with her stepfather's children. That series had 5 seasons. Inoue Mao was the perfect Makino. She had the right looks i.e. she wasn't pretty but she was cute when she smiled and she is an excellent actress. The best thing was that she has incredible chemistry with all the leads, especially Matsujun and Oguri Shun.

And i think thats part of what made Hanadan so great. That and the script. It was great. Even though they didn't make the story exactly like the manga, it was still enjoyable because they made sure to keep the characters the same. No one was forced to act out of character and the new scenes are just as funny as the ones in the manga.

That being said, if they find the right cast for the Korean version, this version will definitely be a hit. Like everyone has been saying, HanaDan has all the elements of a korean drama. As long as they don't adapt the last third of the manga series (where things got a little TOO melodramatic) then this drama will be awesome. Even after i watch the Hanadan movie (its being filmed atm) I would still watch this.

I can't wait.

P.S. I am so voting for Choi si won. Doumouji or Rui is fine. Since i saw Hyang Dan, i've been wanting to see him in a long romcom and Hanadan is perfect. I'd prefer it if he acts as Doumouji but i can see how he can be Rui. Rui's smile is very stunning and Choi Si Won actually has the right kind of smile. And yeah, i wouldn't really want to see him in curls either-> he would look so weird in them.

i've been a fan ever since i was introduced to the manga and anime by my friend (who loves all things Japanese) about 8 years ago and have enjoyed watching parts of the taiwanese (beautiful actors, not so beautiful acting) and japanese versions (love the harry potter-esque feel and the actors were great, though sometimes too exaggerated--i get that it's based on manga but still). as an aside, i like the soujiro actor cuz he looks so cool! plus, liar game was also a fun j dorama (though i'll admit his acting is...ehh).

a fun past time for korean fans was to cast our own hyd people, my favorite pairings were ha ji won and jo insung/won bin in the lead (when they were all younger). i agree, however, that fresher faces are the way to go and i love your shiwon suggestion and maybe someone like lee eun song or go ara for tsukushi but not quite as beautiful (sohee is cute and apparently acts but does she have "charisma") since she's supposed to be a weed. it'll be harder for this 3rd remake to differentiate itself from the previous versions since it's basically the same material, but fingers crossed.

is "margaret" the copyright holder? i guess they are trying to squeeze as much money out of hyd as they can, though i guess i'm in the minority when i say that i didn't like group 8's previous works since their settings seemed too synthetic and confused (especially in goong s: i'm all for fusion, but they could have combined trad korean with european styles in a more sophisticated manner, like you said about hyd s1, goong s's sets "veer on camp"--okay, i get that it's based on a manhwa but still). i like my settings beautiful AND believable.

AHH, totally gettin hyped up now!
Can't wait for the cast to be revealed, it better not let me down like how Goong S did

I was fishing around vox and found this post about the HYD movie....

http://jdrama.groups.vox.com/library/post/6a00e398df6d6a000400e398e1a2510004.html

wow! i didn't expect to see so many comments...i guess a lot of people are excited about this!....which makes me hope that it won't fall flat on its face.

has anyone talked about the female casting? who would be top candidates for female lead?

I heard everyone's been commenting about HYD, especially the J-drama (fact of life, soo much better than the T-drama.)

That being said, a lot of people have already mentioned HYD is a Cinderella story. But I think that they're forgetting the fact that A) Makino isn't very Cinderella B) Domyouji isn't very Prince Charming. But that's the point. That's what makes it so great....It's very very comedic, twisting that lil worn-cliche into something new. Koreans better stick to that freshness!! I DO NOT want to see a mopey, like-any-other Cinderella Makino. The characters must must remain themselves.

Changing the plot (to tighten up the story, or to give spice to a well-known story) would be good, but it's very risky. It must make sense and still be true to the characters. It must seem like something the characters would do. And as Asia knows the characters by heart by now...trust me. They'll see the discrepancies. Same with the writing. It must be witty, funny, and yet true to the story and characters. HYD j-drama also had something going for it, which was that the manga-ka, Kamio, worked with the cast and the writers to keep it close to the manga (or at least the characters close to the manga.) In fact, I saw a variety show where Inoue Mao and Matsujun showed off the things she drew for them (:P I burst out laughing when Inoue Mao showed Rui's pic, saying that she requested for Kamio-sensei to draw Rui instead because she was a Rui fan.) But I don't think Group Eight will have that advantage.

Keeping my finger cross it won't become too dramatic. HYD first and foremost is a comedy mixed with bits of drama. NOT a tearjerking story. I'm still haunted by the middle/ending of Goong, where Cinderella suddenly started crying every scene. K-dramas are known for tearsjerkers, or romantic comedies suddenly getting too serious at the end. Please please not let that happen. I would've loved to see Kim Sam Soon's people work on this....they got a great mix of comedy and drama, with comedy the upper hand, in that drama. Perfect tone for this, I would think.

hehe i found http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwxUPs2HX84

omg ok dramabeans u have made my life! lol
i cant believe this!
this is soooo exciting!
i wouldnt say i am exactly 'apprehensively' excited. i would like to see how koreans can do the story. i dont want to be too worried how well they stick to the plot and all the details. i'd rather see them go crazy and do their own thing with it, than just seeing the same show in another language. it will be reeeallly interesting to see who can play domyounji and makino, and of course the others. would they go all traditional korean? and the music and scenery! o this is soo cooool! thanx! and o the HYD movie is also exciting! when is this korean version supposed to start recording? 24 episodes? does that mean they will combine both seasons? way cool!

@Miki,

Yeah but the Korean Cinderella story usually involves a feisty poor girl and an arrogant chaebol. They fight; they fall in love; family objects; they end up together again in Paris, Prague or in a full house, and then the entire nation of Korea starts saying "aja!" In that way, Hana Yori Dango IS the prototypical K-drama, and this should be a homerun. A solid screenplay for a 24-episode HYD should be pretty easy (you have Meteor Garden as a guide); it's again, the production and moreover casting that's the real challenge.

It would be a real coup if they decide to pull a Meteor Garden and move the story to college. THEN, your cast pool seriously opens up!

A Korean HanaDan is, by default, a HALLYU drama. Once the show is in production, the studio can start selling distribution rights to pretty much all of Asia. If the show is actually good, then it'll be bigger than Goong, and it'll hold the tent for the next generation of international hit K-dramas. If the show is bad, it'll be more disastrous than Goong S. It's like the Olympics of Asian Drama!

@belleza

You are spot on - this is the Olympics of Asian drama! In fact Meteor Garden was one of those landmark dramas that drew people into Asian drama. And if the K-version does it the MG way of having uni as the setting, the casting pool could be much wider. But ultimately it's the script, casting, chemistry and the production value that will make the trick.

Yay! Sounds interesting and I can't wait to watch it!!! I've just finished Season 1 & 2 of Hana Yori Dango and I truly enjoyed the series!!! You're right, Season 1 of HYD was infinitely more likable than S2 but I still enjoyed it anyway... I don't know what to think now about this Korean version, part of me goes "I'm still gonna LOVE the japanese HYD more!", while the the other part goes, "Yessssssssssss! More HYD!"... I like the Japanese version a LOT more then the Taiwanese.... Sorry guys, I can't stomach meteor garden, it just won't go down with me... *choke*

ohhhhh i share everyone's excitement for this!! i watched the taiwan and japanese versions so far, saw parts of the manga.. i watched Meteor Garden first, and that got me addicted.. but watching the Jdorama made me enjoy it ten times over. so much fun!!

i think CSW (Choi Shi Won) would be perfect for Doumyouji... i think he can very well pull it off... ^^ but he can also pass for a very soft hearted Rui. Hmmm.. But I sorta like JIL for Rui..

For Makino, LYH would be cool... I heard rumors about Ara playing it too...

Hmmm.. Id like to see one of the coffee prince boys in it too... Ahhhh im excited as heck!! I hope the kdrama puts their own spin on things too. I loved the ost of HYD 1 & 2 though.. nice.

I liked both japanese and taiwanese version. Cinematically, (err... is that how its called?) for japan i think one of the best jdo i have watched so far. am looking forward to the movie special. although the casting i think was decided on on who's currently popular in japan , acting is great but i think they fall short in the charisma as the taiwanese F4 who was for me more enigmatic than the hana yori guys of japan. I would expect the korean version to be presenting more than enigmatic young actors rather really talented ones and not be theatrical in their acting and at the same time present a very cool presence on the screen. For me hana yori dango means boys whom would be admired more than beautiful flowers. Because they're supposedly more than eye candy, they should be enchanting, charismatic and embodies ones' teen fantasy of a boyfriend. I wouldn't mind too if the korean version would present a different twist to the manga like the taiwanese did in their version since i think i have had enough of the original story line to watch another version that's an all out copy. If only this was made prior goong i would think the Rui would be played well by ji hoon and Makino by eun hye and the likes of so ji sub to play the role of domrouji (i haven't seen him play an ultra rich kid role yet though, has he?) and soujiroh played by lee jun ki and minki to play mimasaka akira. Although the taiwanese came up with the 2nd wave, i find missing out on the soujiro love angle. and the fact it ended still with domrouji and makino together ( i was hoping on the 2nd run as the plot thickened rui ('lei') and makino (san cai) will end up together they had more chemistry then. I'll probably wait for the korean way of doing it. Again, I will expect the korean version to present a balance between the technical aspect like how jdo did it and yet come up with its own twist like the taiwanese version.

hahahaha I'm a little bit worried about a Korean Hanadan, but, like someone commented up there, it is kind of essentially like a lot of Kdramas. I'm excited. If Siwon was in it, I'd DEFINITELY have to watch it! Now I'm excited!

p.s.

to g35733 ella didnt do HYD she did Hana Kimi...yes she was OA in that series. The one who played Makino in taiwan HYD is Barbie Xsu which for me was just right coz she's pretty and cute yet looked very effective as a tough POOR girl trying to make it in the up scale university with her mom pushing her to it. ...

i dunno about young actresses from korea, but i think Nah Eun Kyeong (ttp://www.hancinema.net/photos/photo12750.jpg) who played as friend to eun hye in goong also present a wacky tough attitude ( am sure not everyone would agree), she isn't as pretty as eun hye, but i was just thinking that the character of makino being the strong weed was the very charm she had thus domrouji having to fall for her and not because she was pretty and beautiful. HYD anyway was about the 4guys being the most beautiful ones not necessarily makino.

i believe the korean HYD would be able to present more beautiful fresh young actors: face, physique and voice quality fitted in the role, plus with real acting talent where its predecessor had only one or two of these qualities not all.

still, can't wait!

I really think that having the Korean version is really pushing it. Its like the directors can't think of any more new drama plots and hence just decided to adapt from the manga. It would be hard to live up to the Japanese version. Some of their characters played by the actors are irreplacable like Hanazawa Rui and Makino.
Next they'll start having their version of Hana Kimi?

the previews for the Hana Yori Dango Final movie are already out on youtube, and now kdrama HYD!!! thanks for the news, can't wait to know more details!! :)

I really hope they pick a good cast to star for the Korean version. Both the Taiwanese and Japanese versions had well known/Popular members to play the roles.
Also, if they are going to do the 24 episodes, I'm thinking they'll probably combine the 2 seasons like in the Taiwanese version rather than to split it up like the Japanese version. I'll be a bit disappointed if it gets draggy and boring.. :D

Guess the only thing we can do is wait. :)

This news got me really excited. I wish it would be as good as the Japanese version or even better. We know that the strength of k-drama is its cinematography and music so I do hope that it will be obvious in the korean version of HYD.

I can't wait to see who will be casted as F4. I was watching HYD1 a few weeks ago and I thought what if it will have a korean version, who will play Domyouji? It was really funny that during the time I was thinking about that, it was actually becoming a reality. hahaha! I already have a few guys on mind (I was actually casting DBSK but there's five of them and F4's only well, 4). I know the producers can find someone who will be capable of portraying the F4 and Tsukushi. I don't care if they are old or new...we just need someone perfect for their roles.

maybe one of 'em will play as the brother of makino .. ha ha ha ha

i REALLY hope theyL put YOON EUN HYE as MAKINO... but how will it be?gaaaah..

hmnnnn how about UKNOW YUNHO of DBSK as Doumyouji?? Just a thought....

Omg... i am so psyched about this. So please, whatever info you have on this, can you please post it up and i will look for it everyday.
We know how famous the taiwanese version have become but i still prefer the Jdorama version.
But now that they're doing the korean version, they must have high expectations. It would be a disappointment if the actor for shun oguri's/ vic zhou's character are not as expected. Hopefully, the korean domyouji would be better than jun matsumoto (no offence to him, he was brilliant in it).
anyway, i am looking forward to cast and crew.
this looks like the next best kdrama of 2008

i caNt waiT fOr it!!siwOn miGht bE a caSt!!suju...

Go Ara, she has a pretty face, but her acting is still border line....but I love her face
she's so pretty
Personally
I hated doumouji
HANAZAWA RUI!ALL THE WAY!! (except for his crooked teeth lol)

I love all versions, and i have complete faith that the korean remake will be just as good. Although, my favorite is the japanese dorama

they should put T.O.P as Doumouji
he's so sexyy..>^^

Choi Si Won Choi Si Won Choi Si Won Choi Si Won Choi Si Won

IDK about the "too old" thing....

after all, matsumoto is, what, 24?

And MG was shot like they were college students.

Regardless of whether that worked or didn't work, it is still considered one of the most popular asian dramas, so I don't think the producers are going to necessarily discard the college idea.
Maybe if they find a really good Domyoji (cuz, c'mon you can have all the other characters fit to a T, but if you don't got Doumyoji, you got nothing) they will probably plan the rest of the drama around his age...

So, i don't think we should throw away the possibility that this might be shot in a college setting......

Actually, I think I may even prefer it in a college setting.....

HYD manga has some "adult" stuff (not that it shows anything, but there is lots of sex talk between D and M) and I know the Japanese version had alot of complaints from some net fans that there wasn't enough "contact" in the series... contact that I would guess would not be deemed so appropriate for a high school series...

My guess is if they want to maintain the sexual tension scences and whatnot, they will probably make it a college-based drama........

Who knows....either way.....I hope this drama will be subbed by a fast group (LOL) because I won't be able to wait........hehe should I just learn korean before then?...................