Dramas

Boys Before Flowers a failure

An article on the Korea Herald stated that the YWCA, a group whose mission is to promote ethnic diversity and empower women, viewed the hit drama Boys Before Flowers as a total flop.

 


I have not watched the drama, but I did read the manga. I was curious to hear your thoughts. Below is what the article stated:

“According to a group of university students who participated in the assessment of the drama, the Cinderella story became immensely popular thanks to its good-looking cast and easy-to-understand storyline.

However, the group pointed out that the drama failed to deliver more than a worn-out story involving violence in school, teenagers indulging in pleasure and prejudice toward others based on their appearance and social class. It added that the leading female character named Geum Jan-di particularly failed to convince being passive and dependent, yet cocky at times.

The report concluded that the 25-part drama series was the epitome of materialism and the Cinderella complex, and has set a bad example for Korean dramas.”

– From the Korea Herald

Did it fail? Well, I suppose if you don’t count the ratings. But it’s all about the ratings, isn’t it?What do you think K-poppers?

76 thoughts on “Boys Before Flowers a failure

  • For me, the Korean Adaptation of Boys Over Flowers is the Best So Far!

    Those Koreans who were skeptical about this drama CANNOT ACCEPT THE "INNOVATIVE" THEME of this DRAMA, because of their FASCINATION with their CONVENTIONAL DRAMAS (mostly historical). They are reluctant to accept changes and are in favor of preserving the status quo and traditional values and customs, and against abrupt change.

    Secondly, many of the Koreans were skeptical about this drama because for them it does not transcends reality because for them their dramas should reflect the realities of their PAST and PRESENT lives! This is so because, they considered their Dramas as one of their best exports, hence, they want to show the whole world what REALLY THEY ARE, WHAT REALLY HAPPENS IN THEIR COUNTRY, WHAT A NON-KOREAN SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY GO TO KOREA! Well for me its nothing but being pretentious!

  • i think the Japanese version was much nicer….. though the boys in Boys before Flowers were better looking… but the Japanese version of Hana Yori Dango has better acting skills…

    the taiwanese version.. which is meteor garden…erm frankly speaking… i just enjoyed part one …the follow up of part two was a waste of time….

  • years back when the Taiwanese version was out, Mainland China also criticized the show for teaching youths to be materialistic but now…there are rumours that they r doing their own version! Ha…Hmm, I've watched the Taiwan version n in terms of the editing, music, choice of music etc..i think it's pretty good. It gets abit draggy halfway(partly becos' i already know the plot)but i still look fwd to the show. I hardly watch Korean dramas but after BOF, i think i have developed an interest in Korean culture. That said, this is certainly a very interesting site!

  • hey, every drama could have its strong & weak points. mind you, they're inevitable. but no matter how much people think that this piece was a failure, i'm sure you would agree that this did teach us valuable lessons, right? like the significance of love, friendship & family. it might not have been that faithful to the original story but it made a great plot through its own individuality. they deserve every bit of praises from us.

    sorry for the haters-slash-narrow-minded people. relax. haha.

  • I have watch different series and watch MG, Hanayori as well as BOF although a lot may say its a Cinderella story who cares?? I mean its a fact of life. Such thing really happen even to King and Prince and Princess in real life. We want to see the drama since we want to be entertained and we are entertained watching..So Far what I love most of Boys over Flower is Soeul couple story..The rest I dont like

  • there’s no need to overanalyze this drama. Overrated or not, Boys over Flowers is really making me smile these days. =)

  • there’s no need to overanalyze this drama. Overrated or not, Boys over Flowers is really making me smile these days. =)

  • bof is sure hit here in philippines…
    i guess its not a failure…

  • it was a Freaking DRAMA. its not like this actually happens in real life! i mean yeah it showed the violence and other stuff but it was purely for entertainment. and in my opinion, i think that the drama was DEFINITELY not a failure..and so does half the population of korea.

  • honestly, it’s just a drama so why take it so seriously. the ultimate aim of entertainment is to entertain.

  • as you said…this drama is full with handsome boy but still it can’t attract viewers with boring plot line. they should come out with fresh story line at least a little bit different from the japanese one. meteor garden is a good example as it doesn’t follow the manga 100%.
    i admit that F4 korean is better than the two version. thruthfully, i doesn’t like japanese version at all. the lead actor can’t act good enough and lack of feeling. its kinda funny when he lough. lol..like a crazy man.
    i know that there is a different between the three version and whatever it is, all of them is unrealistic. its okay cause korean drama is always full with fairy tales.
    i think BOF is better than the japanese version which i thought it lot of unrealistic scenes

  • Anonymous

    love the drama, love the casts. love everything about it. heheh, ’nuff said. but for those that said bbf didnt “work” for them, or it sucked, or the hype was overrated, or whatever it is that was said, u at sure took time to write it out and bashed it. just found that funny =]

  • calmreitaenvy

    Well, as many people have said, it matters the viewer.
    I, myself are not into drama really, but Boys Over Flowers was a funny, charming and an all-around good story.

    If they think that Boys over Flowers was a “total flop” well, that’s their opinion.

    Even if the fans say something completely opposite.

  • fullmetalalchemist

    its so funny when HYD fans comes over like a bunch to a KOREAN POP blog just to satisfy their anger(?) jealous(?) unsecure(?) feelings here. seriously looks too pathetic.. -_-‘

  • come on guys.. we know that there is no chemistry between jandi and junpyo..

    this show only brags about the F4’s fortune..

    if you want a good story i suggest you try to watch the japanese version HYD because it is 999trillion times better than BOF.

    EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT korean F4 are hotter than japanese f4 but just a little only!!

  • this is the worst kdrama and worst remake of HYD i’ve ever watched.

    they suck!!!!

    this is a fucking drama to watch!!!

  • during the first few episodes, i enjoyed watching the drama but then, after a couple of episodes, maybe around episode 8 or 9, i started to get ANNOYED WITH THE CASTS. Most especially geum jan di. I PERSONALLY THINK THAT THIS DRAMA GAINED HIGH RATINGS DUE TO THE HANDSOME F4 GUYS. WITHOUT THEM, PEOPLE WOULDN’T WATCH IT. I think the one that should be criticized here is not only the POOR PERFORMANCE OF THE CASTS but also the writer of the drama (not the creator of the manga itself). The story develops poorly and I CAN’T EVEN FEEL THAT JUNPYO AND JANDI LOVES EACH OTHER. IT’S MORE OF JANDI-JIHU.

    sorry guys, BUT FOR ME,, ITS A FAILURE.

  • **or walk even if their houses are far from school/work to avoid using those new cars?
    i mean.

    & i JUST LOVE IT.
    the actors & actresses. the plot. and everything!

    if you don't find it interesting nice or is you don't like it. stop posting bad comments about it. leave it all there! watch another drama! & if you don't find dramas realistic, might just watch the news or go out from your house and watch things happen around you. that would be more realistic!

  • as far as the rating is concerned, it was a TOTAL HIT!
    but..
    materialistic? when did you ever find a korean drama where the cast wears the same clothing for different ep's even just twice?
    it was a 2009 drama, don't tell me you want them to use those old phones with antennas? or walk even if their houses are far from home to avoid using those new cars?
    unrealistic? do you think all dramas are realistic? how about Goong (Princess Hours)? is it realistic? and who would want to watch a drama that would happen EVERYDAY in real life? c'mmon! this drama? you don't see this everyday when you pass by a street!
    Cinderella story? who wouldn't wish for it? in this century, people would really wish to be Cinderella, even guys!

    to one of the anonymous who commented – don't your country do remakes? why not stop your country from doing remakes instead of stopping koreans.

    YWCA & Korea Herald, can you suggest me a drama that's very realistic, not materialistic & opposite to your description of BOF? HOPE YOU DON'T STRUGGLE FINDING ONE!!

    in any case, it was BASED from a Manga, why not blame the author/writer of the manga instead?

  • Anonymous

    I agree BOF is a total flop.
    I watched it once and will never watch it again. Such a waste of time. Plus, the plot is too slow, I’m having a heart attack everytime watching it!lol!
    Nothing against the actors and actresses.

  • Anonymous

    I agree about the acting part of the cast..it wasn’t really that great, but I understand KHJ acting skills since from what I’ve been reading, this is his first actual leading role in a drama..so i did not really expect any Oscar Award acting skills from him. I do agree about the eye candy F4 casts, I think that’s the only reason the ratings and hype are so hot because of the gorgeous cast..about the violence and the social class that the show is portraying..I don’t know if they have been to a real high school campus, but that is what high school is all about..its about social class, violence, peer pressure..basically the have’s and the have not..thats the reality..its human nature..for me, even though the story line is based on a manga world idea, its an escape from the reality of what people are facing now…so I don’t see the point why they even made the article.

  • ultranguik

    *sigh* i have to agree the show being shallow, overrated, and so annoying. altough i watch first coupla ep just for pure guilty pleasure. but i just cant handle the annoying’ness of ku hye sun and drop at ep 14-15. makes me want to throw brick at the scriptwriter for making her look like an idiot here.
    meteor garden was very popular because its original back then. japan make their ver because of pride, hyd manga is one of the most famous shoujo manga in japan and they just let it go to some other country? no way.
    while korea’s ver just for puuuure profit.
    its one of the weakest kdrama ive ever seen. but i still want to thank the crew for introducing lee min ho. i cant believe i watch this hot guy in sgb way back then and not noticing anyhing but “he got big nose”.

    @anonymous: kekkon dekinai otoko is one of my fave drama too. hiroshi abe’s act=superb. hope they wont butcher this one.

  • C’mon, the drama’s based on a Manga! If u wanna critisize the drama as being unrealistic and shallow, shouldn’t u be blaming the Manga instead?

    To on of the anonymous up there, Lee Min Ho def deserves to be recognised as a talented actor. He is by far, the most natural budding actor I’ve ever come across! Ku Hye Sun on the other hand, was kinda disappointing I feel. A little exaggerated at times and she cldn’t rly qt bring the emotions across.

    Didn’t Meteor Garden become a hit also ‘cos of their F4 Cast?

    Whatever it is, BBF Kr def deserves the recognition it has now. So what if it is overrated? The cast has put in so much time, effort and energy to produce ep after ep. Cut them some slack.

  • Anonymous

    Never saw the Korean nor Taiwanese adaptation, but I saw the Japanese one – LOVED IT! Actually I tried to watch the Korean one and it just didn’t do anything for me…now I hear they’re going to remake the Japanese Drama, The Man that Can’t Marry, …I seriously wish they wouldn’t.

    I want Korean dramas to get back to doing their own stories! I know they started getting very predictable and for a while every one involved a terminal illness, but there were some gems…they just need to stop trying to spread the Korean wave and focus on quality work. If they do that, then the wave will succeed without fail.

  • Anonymous

    I watch the drama for its “unrealistic”ness.
    why would i wanna watch something that is real and happens everyday? wasting my time infront of the TV to watch something that i can see or experience in real life? the “cocky”ness and “unrealistic”ness is what differentiates it from others. that’s why Cinderella is so popular even until now.

  • Anonymous

    I just felt it was a very weird ending, and it rushed a bit too much. But overall i liked the comedic parts and the middle episodes

  • Anonymous

    Korean F4 madly attracts Japanese girls; making $21,540,000 NTD in a day
    (Source: Liberty Times, asiafanatics)

    Yesterday the Korean [Boys Over Flowers] F4 Lee Min Ho, Kim Hyun Joong, Kim Bum, Kim Joon and female lead Koo Hye Sun held a fans meeting and press conference in Tokyo.

    Following Taiwan and Japan filming the television drama of this, the “Boys Over Flowers craze” has once again been set off in Japan.

    Yesterday the Korean “Boys Over Flowers” cast members held two fans activities in the afternoon and at night.
    One event had 3000 people, with an entrance ticket costing $10,500 JPY (approx. $3590 NTD); in one day they made a total of $21,540,000 NTD.

    There were media from over 100 companies at the press conference that evening,
    this was most surprising in comparison to other Korean stars who have come to promote in Japan lately.

    The Japanese media seems to still be very supportive of the “Boys Over Flowers” name.

    Lee Min Ho who acts as male lead Gu Jun Pyo in the drama (originally known as Domyoji Tsukasa) appeared dressed in white like Prince Charming.
    He joked saying, because his character in the drama was very rich, personally he has also developed a habit of spending money.

    Kim Hyun Joong reveals he isn’t gentle, afraid this will shock people

    Kim Hyun Joong said many people think that he is similar to his character (originally known as Hanazawa Rui), that he speaks just as gently but in fact, the real him is not like that, he hopes everyone won’t be shocked at hearing this.

    Lee Min Ho said even though there are already Taiwanese and Japanese versions, the Korean version has a different taste, and also has many interesting little insert tracks, he hopes that everyone will like it;
    while Kim Hyun Joon said the plot for the Korean version is more realistic and the love aspect is portrayed much more deeply; Goo Hye Sun supported this saying, the Korean “Boys Over Flowers” presents Korean emotions not found in the Taiwanese or Japanese version, so everyone can notice and compare them.

    Koo Hye Sun who was surrounded by 4 handsome guys, had her head down all along, nervous; she said she has always been very shy.

    However, due to the very cheerful personality of the female lead, she has been influenced and has now become much more lively compared to before.

  • missglasses

    we need this drama to amuse ourselves and forget our problems for a moment. We are all know that now we’re facing the bad economic condition, and we can’t keep fighting in that situation, we need something to refresh our minds.

    I agree with the comment above, as long as we can seperate what’s real and what’s not, it will be okay…

  • ilfiyantri

    well…i personally agree that this drama is so shallow…and yes, i think it’s so unoriginal…despite the high rating…

    for example,, i think Geum Jan-di and Gu Jun-pyo are too serious about their relationship. i mean, they’re just a highschooler! why are they so serious about it?? i think a high-school lover wouldn’t take any realionship THAT serious.

    but, i enjoy watching it! because the story is flowing. and i think this drama is best to watch, if you’re looking for something uncomplicated,, and just for your sparetime…

    i think as long as you can separate what’s real and what’s not,, what makes sense and what doesn’t,, it’s OK..

    to put the whole thing in a nut shell, i think this drama is just another kind of fairy tale–shallow, light, expectable,sometimes doesn’t make any sense–but we enjoy watching it!

  • I think the japan version is better (Hana Yori Dango)…but boys before flowers is enough interesting…

  • @Anonymous
    >>>Among all three versions, Korean version female character is the strongest: She had a dream and tried to build up her career.<<<

    ^This is an excellent point. JanDi is striving to be a doctor even though it is known that academically she isn't the most blessed but her hear to help others overrules all. This is a very fundamental part of the Makino character.

    On top of this, Jan Di never betrayed her own character & was always thoughtful of people around her w/o any hidden agenda.

    When it comes down to it, she was playing an "ordinary" high school girl. They're not meant to be in-your-face, bust-your-balls independent feminists at that age anyways. The fun times of youth should be embraced!

    And yes, JiHoo (& some others) may have given her alot of support but I don't think there is anything wrong w/ leaning on someone's shoulder when you need to. It takes much more courage to admit that you are having a weaker moment than to fake it & pretend you are never needing of any help. Accepting help graciously is something we should all learn to do & I think JanDi showed us the meaning of this beautifully.

    One last thing: let's not forget it is BASED on the manga & not necessarily intended to be a 100% true to heart rendition of the original storyline. Character tweaking is essential to keep things fresh & appropriate for the demographic audience. Had Goo Hye Sun played her role the exactly same way as Inoue Mao &/or Barbie Xu we'd all be criticising her for doing so. It's nice to see personal interpretation from artists.

  • Whoa, the hateration here is astounding. The whole reason people watch TV or movies is to see something different from real life. If every show had to be P.c. and deep and mirror real life, everything would be an after school special. LOL Why do you think the story of Cinderella is so popular?! I think the two main leads did a good job and it’s only natural for the cast to become “golden” after such a popular drama. Uh, ever wonder why are people still stalking Yoon Eun Hye? So maybe the cast is *everywhere* now, but that’s no reason to hate on them. It’ll die down like it always does unless they continue to do good work. Chill.

  • most of the people who watched the drama (including me) knew that the drama WASN’T that great! the storyline was kinda off at some parts. But the special thing about Boys Over Flowers is that everyone watched it got hooked till the very ending and missed it LOADS when it finished!
    so I guess it at least succeeded commercially.

  • Anonymous

    I’m not a korean drama fan neither I pay attention to korean movie and music. Somehow,while I was looking for a good movie to watch on that particular day,when i stumbled upon the Boy over flower episode 1,what attract me was their beautiful music and how a girl brave herself to save a boy from falling, so keen am I to follow up the story, as i continue to watch th drama.not bad after all.thumb up for this drama. highly recommended

  • any drama that cause fans and non fans to argue about it an create such a national hype is a success regardless of how ‘real’ it is. if it manage to make u frustrated, wanna kill a character, fall in love with a character, make u buy random stuffs just cuz its ‘junpyo’s’, cause a fashion phenomenon, make people get crazy hair (aka pama)..well, isnt that want make a drama real in the first place ? a drama that make u wanna enter the screen and be part of it. i’s day..screw the review. the BOF people is already raking in all the cash anyway and we as fangirls edi spend the best 3 months evenr (for 2009) at least =)

  • Anonymous

    WHATEVER!!! I STILL LOVE GOO JUN PYO AND GEUM JANDI… HELLO ITS BASED ON A MANGA SERIES, ITS JUST A STORY BUT SOMETIMES ITS HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE!!!

  • This part ALWAYS comes after hit main dramas… It’s like after the crazy fan wave, people start dissecting the drama, announcing that it’s overrated, horrible acting, etc and the people who couldn’t stand the drama start voicing out their opinions. It happened after Coffee Prince too. After that wrapped up everyone started hating on the series too, calling it overrated etc. I wouldn’t take all this too seriously, all I know is I enjoyed it while it lasted.

  • nanienooraini

    it’s a fantasy drama! enough said… if u don’t like to fantasize, don’t watch! i enjoy fantasizing, so i totally digg bof korean version (don’t like the jap n taiwanese versions)!

  • Anonymous

    Yo, yo, yo, YWCA, listen up.

    1. FOR GOD”S SAKE, the drama is based on the Japanese manga,
    thus cannot deviate too far from the story!!!!!

    2. Among all three versions, Korean version female character is the strongest: She had a dream and tried to build up her career.

    How many teenagers at that age, know what they really want to do in their future?

    Jandi sets a good example in that regard.

  • KoolKdrama

    My resposes to YWCA's criticism:

    >>>involving violence in school, teenagers indulging in pleasure and prejudice toward others based on their appearance and social class<<<

    Sad, but the above actually are all true in reality!

    The drama reflected Korean teenagers' problematic behaviors at school.
    Drama reflecting life..

    >>It added that the leading female character named Geum Jan-di particularly failed to convince being passive and dependent<<<

    She had to be careful and cautious (construed as being passive),
    as Jun-Pyo was the heir to Korea's biggest conglomerate.

    I thougt she was a very strong character in the drama, always bright and smiley and kind to others despite her family's destitution.
    Jandi did countless part-time jobs as well as her unpaid volunteer work for the sick.

    She often had to refuse Jynpyo's date proposals because of too many part-time jobs, which made Junpyo pissed off.
    Also, often nosebled due to too much work.

    And in the end, she becomes a medical student after failing three times.

    YWCA should have seen the end of the drama.
    It's not a typical Cinderella story!

    Jandi reminded me of Candy (from the popular manga), a very strong character.
    Like weed, despite all kinds of hardships, she was very optimistic and tried to overcome admosities & life-threating situations.

    >>yet cocky at times.<<

    Like "LynnEunJae" said…
    ((She had to be cocky because she was the underdog @ school.

    I would be cocky too if I went to a rich school just so I wouldn't get picked on 24/7.

    Besides, isn't she teaching people to stand up for themselves and speak their mind in a sense.))

  • @ peepoo
    Wow I just read your comment and no, its not only you..Hey, I even tried to watch it..and after I think 3 minutes of the 1st episode mind you, I can’t stand the lead! so I went to the part where the F4 cuties were shown, probably it will spark my interest to go on watching, but nothing really exciting..I got sleepy..I dunno maybe its just me in my easily-bored-state..So I give up..I’m not watching it..

  • LynnEunJae

    okay…-__- sorry for the long writing ahead of time
    1) She had to be cocky because she was the underdog @ school. I would be cocky too if I went to a rich school just so I wouldn’t get picked on 24/7. Besides, isn’t she teaching people to stand up for themselves and speak their mind in a sense.
    2)The cast worked their butts off to the point where they fainted and there was so many bad things happening but they still pulled through.
    3)The drama isn’t over-rated. Nothing is over-rated. It’s the fans that makes it OVER-RATED (no offense…but seriously how many of us viewers told someone that they “HAVE TO WATCH IT BECAUSE IT’S GREAT!”)
    just my opinions….

  • Rooster

    Wow, many interesting points of views.

    Where I think there are some valid points in YWCA’s claim, I’m sure we can all agree that there are more blatant examples of sexism, materialism and social discrimination in today’s media.

    Thanks for all your thoughts and for playing NICE. 🙂 Keep ’em coming!

  • I don’t watch this series(but I know the story because I watched Meteor Garden) but all the headlines I read whenever I enter k-pop sites speak for itself..I mean, story-wise, its simple, you know, poor girl meets rich guy and you-and-me-against-the-world stuff..But the viewers love it, maybe because of the cast? I dunno..But what boggles me is why will they be considered as failing to deliver violence in school, teens indulging in pleasure, blah blah blah…did I miss something?did the directors and producers actually announced that this will be some youth-enlightening series? If it were rating poorly, I bet they won’t even mind it..But I guess I also understand them, because of the wide popularity it gained among the youth, it has to serve some purpose of educating, serving as good example, etc..And they mentioned the lead girl as cocky? Shouldn’t she? I mean I always thought she was strong, head-held-up-high type of girl..Were they wanting to deviate from the original storyline..

  • although i HATED Boys Before Flowers…i think these “analysts” should take a chill pill. i agree with someone who pointed out earlier…since when are k-dramas realistic??? that’s why we all go crazy for them!

    as for BBF or BOF or whatever the name is…am i the only one who just can’t get myself to finish the damn drama??? i fast-forwarded through ep 8 and have 9-25 downloaded but can’t seem get interested in it again. even the cute F4 boys (although i’m SO sick of hearing about LMH) can’t get me back and the worse is geum jan di…what horrible casting…absolutely NO chemistry with ANY of the boys, let alone with the lead!

  • Anonymous

    “It added that the leading female character named Geum Jan-di particularly failed to convince being passive and dependent, yet cocky at times.”

    Cannot agree more. How can it be that the point of the story, Geum Jan Di… the element that the story can begin AT ALL can lose all kind of common sense, her ability to fight and stand up for herself?? The point of Hana Yori Dango is this amazing girl who won’t take crap from anybody. And time and time ago, the korean drama fails to show that. If anything, it highlights that this girl is weak and senseless and clearly needs to be taken care of at all times or else she’ll screw something up.

  • Anonymous

    just enjoy the drama lah.. no need to over-analyse…

    handsome guys appear on the TV – what more could you want.. 😛

    i rather watch handsome men rather than ugly men, where previous experience have shown me that i couldnt even finish a drama… haha

    Hyun Joong rocks! (u will love him more when u watch him in We Got Married – strangely funny coz yet adorable!)

  • Anonymous

    this show was way overrated
    especially the actors who played the f4 was SERIOUSLY overrated (minho, hyunjoong, bum)

  • I watched this drama for entertainment and liked it. As for the drama itself, yes in many ways a failure.

    It’s not because of the manga, but how the drama wasnt really that great cover of the manga.

    ” Geum Jan-di particularly failed to convince being passive and dependent, yet cocky at times.”

    Agreed. She didn’t seem at all like the Makino in the manga. Jandi just seemed so stupid in the drama at times and left you going “eh?” most of the times.

    AND PLEASE STOP SAYING IT’S FAILURE IN AREAS IS BECAUSE IT’S MANGA-BASED.

    Do you guys even know HOW MANY SUCCESSFUL DRAMAS/MOVIES WERE BASED ON MANGAS?

    (Old Boy, Antique Bakery, and 200 Pounds Beauty were based on mangas… but theyre movies)

    (And Goong, Gourmet, Return of Iljimae was based on Korean manhwas.)

  • Anonymous

    Okay people i don’t understand this. I thought this drama was one of the best for a while. I understand that Korean Drama are more emotionally based but this Drama i thought was really good. Is it overrated? Yes becasue it’s from a Japanese manga and NO becasue I’ve seen more overrated Dramas. Also I think this is the better version of BOF. And of course the cast was good. Handsome guys and a perfect match for JANDI. BYES!

  • finally! someone who agrees with me ^^ i hated this drama! i watched like 6 episodes then got sick of it, i mean i thought it would get better…it was really unrealistic but then again it was based on managa what did i expect?

    i just think it was waste of time!!! thank GOD its over …i just hope people stop talking about it!!!

  • savvyval

    I watched all of BOF but do think it was overrated. There really wasn’t much that was new, and it didn’t really go in depth. BUT I love Gu Joon Pyo =]. Maybe that is the problem they are talking about. LOL.

  • SpicySALSA

    First of all, sorry for the long writing~ ^_^_^

    daisyjane said:

    >>As many have mentioned, the drama is based on a manga – so the storyline or characters cannot wander far from the original version.<<

    EXACTLY!!
    I totally agree with daisyjane. YWCA, then, should have criticized the original Jap manga, not the remade drama version.

    YWCA people are a sort of hardcore feminists; they are against any drama that deals with cinderella story.
    In their theory, most of the Korean dramas that were extremely popular around Asia would have been flops!
    I remember vividly they blamed 'Lovers in Paris' some years ago, too.

    Honestly, if you ever watched Korean version of BOF, Jandi loves Junpyo so much she would rather prefer if he would be an ordinary guy than a Shinwha heir, but he wasn't.
    So, she wanted to give him up many times.

    And in the last ep, they don't end up getting married and happily ever after.
    Jandi, after getting her arm injured, she couldn't swim any more, so she kept searching her purpose in life..

    Through Jihu's grandfather, she decided to become a doctor and she finally becomes a medical student after failing the uni entrance exam three times
    (Oops, sorry, for the spoiler for those who haven't finished the dramas).

    And we can imagine if BOF sequel were to be produced, it would be about her busy medical student life, not her marriage life with GJP.
    We are not sure whether she will marry Junpyo or not. I loved the ending. Open ending that leaves some space for imagination.
    I honestly hope the sequel would be made.

    Regarding acting skills of the cast:
    I thought Lee Minho's acting was super-excellent.
    If not, how come he received the "Best New Actor" awards from the prestigeous 'Baek-sang Awards' recently?!

    If you can understand Korean, his voice is very good, resonant, and clear like a stage actor.

    And he's very expressive with his eyes (e.g. subtle trembling of eyes or voice ep. 23 or 24)
    He refused to appear in variety shows unlike other BOF cast members in order to remain in Goo Jun Pyo mode (not to turn into Lee Minho)
    Loved Kim Bum's acting, too.
    Kim Hyun-joong and Kim Jun were nice, too, considering the fact that this was their first acting experience.

    In my opinion, dramas or movies are there to give us FUN — all kinds of fun, actually, primitive fun, intellectual fun, arty fun, etc.

    In this bad economy, when suicide rate was soaring, there was a reason women in Korea looked forward to waking up every MONDAY.
    They were starting to have fun again in their lives thanks to BOF!!

    After being remade twice, the Korean version still had the power to grab so many people's attention.

    Even guys I knew loved watching it!

    You don't have to take YWCA's standard of 'flop' seriously.

    When they described Jandi in that way, it's clear that they didn't watch the drama till the end.

    With all the BOF staff sleeping barely two hrs per night, they have done such a great job.

    Do you remember as soon as the drama was over, Kim Joon and Kim Hyun-joong collaped and got hospitalized?!
    I want to give all the BOF staff a big hand!!

    (Thanks for reading, guys~*
    And k-popped, thanks for everything! Keep up the great work u've been doing~)

  • aiwasonic

    I agree with the study. Even though the storyline was easy to follow and the cast was extremely eye-pleasing to watch, this drama does not do the kids who watched and idolized the cast/characters any social good.

    I am thankful that artists nowadays aren’t looked on upon as they were in the past. They now possess a strong ability to influence their supporters and viewers alike. That is why production companies and artists themselves as well should bear their social responsibilities in mind when creating/choosing what to show on air. It shouldn’t just be for entertainment. However, the sad truth is that that is all most focus on today because that is what makes $$$…

  • agree with i.prfer.kpop..
    dun care really about all the violence n stuff..
    but still, their skill-acting are just OK..
    kinda bored with some of their expression actually..
    i juz watch it halfway.

  • I.prefer.Kpop

    Frankly I love Korean music more than dramas. I didn’t anticipate it from the beginning. But anyway, one day I ended up watching a random episode with my mom. My mom was hooked to it since then, because to her as long as the casts are funny and cute and the story line is interesting, nobody should hog the TV except her.

    But to me, it’s just a so-so drama, if you want to talk quality dramas, see Goong, Coffee Prince etc. There is where you see good looking people, NICE and funny story lines and most importantly GREAT+NATURAL acting skills.

    In a nutshell, is it overrated? It should be, otherwise it’ll be some plain crap. Is it funny? I have to admit it, for some part, it is. But are the roles portrayed naturally? Not really, check out KHJ, don’t tell me how hot he is playing Jihu, I’m sick of that, no Golden Globes for him I say lol The contrast is clearer when KHJ and LMH were put together and that’s the BIGGEST reason why I don’t stalk this drama AT ALL!!!

    But it isn’t a big deal anyways whether it’s a flop or not. High school violence? teenagers indulging in pleasure? I mean as a normal viewer I don’t give a damn about it because I’m watching it, I’m not studying it.

    Flop not! It pleases majority of the drama fans which doesn’t include me LOL

  • 진혜인

    aiyo.. already mention manga already… so what do you expect?? fairytale story is like that one….

  • i only have 1 comment: since when k-drama is realistic to real life???

    so, if people out there think BBF is unrealistic, same goes with other k-drama…

    plus, BBF is an adaptation from a manga with a lot of ‘unrealistic’ story in it…

    as being overrated, maybe this drama got too much attention even a year before they start filming it! and people might having a high expectation of the drama!

    well, whether they think it is a failure or not, BBF is still one of the most popular drama from south korea!!!

  • as the ultimate HYD fan,
    the 25 series drama shot was just an OK. apparently, BBF failed to actually bring out the story well unlike the Jap version.

    honestly, what made BBF stands out among all the three version is their amazing-looking casts and its fantasy easy-to-understand storyline.

    therefore, the high rating is the result of it.

    well who doesn’t love looking at 4 HOT man every monday and tuesday morning?

    nonetheless,
    i think BBF production definitely failed in taking care of their casts. fullstop.

    with all said and done,
    can i have my joongbo back? =D

  • Anonymous

    I think that Korean version is the worse. But it was ok since kim bum & hyun joong is in it. Bt overall japan version rulezzz

  • Sigh, if everything should always be P.C. and appropriate, TV land would be one sad sad place to be.

  • lol People analyse into dramas too much sometimes.

    If you want something realistic, watch the news. I, myself, much like daisyjane, enjoy these fairytale-like stories because you get to escape reality. Who has never dreamed of being Cinderella?

    I agree, the acting never had to be great as the story is a near fail-proof classic but the chemistry btwn the main leads was something special. Plus, it's not exactly a piece of cake to be the 3rd in line to remake it as a series & still succeed & keep viewers hanging after each episode.

    And if they are blaming BOF for setting a bad example for K-dramas materialistically, then show me one Korean drama where an actor or actress actually wears a same item of clothing TWICE.

    I bet even the YWCA will struggle to find one.

  • Anonymous

    How can it be a total flop when the ratings are so high? That’s nonsense!

  • daisyjane

    I enjoy watching BBF BECAUSE it’s OTT (Over The Top), cheesy and oh-so-not-real. It makes great entertainment for me because, it takes me into a fantasy world – where i can escape the harsh realities of this world!

    As many have mentioned, the drama is based on a manga – so the storyline or characters cannot wander far from the original version.

    I am enjoying this Korean drama adaptation of the manga tremendously. Although the main characters are towards the younger generation, this drama transcends age as it appeals to teenagers all the way up to grandpas and grandmas. It’s a family drama. One where you can watch with your parents or grandparents – without too much violence, sex and if you can get past envying the gorgeous looking cast, you’ll find that there are some good values in the drama.

    Kudos to the cast and production crew! They’ve worked hard on it.

    As for Lee Min Ho being over-rated, he didn’t get to where he is by being a BAD actor, that’s for sure!

  • Anonymous

    Where the ratings are concerned, I think they did one hell of a job! ^^

  • Anonymous

    Agree with jane & joo ^

    It is based on manga lah~
    Isn't it normal for mangas to be OTT?
    If this drama doesn't suit your palate, then well, fair and good~ Go look for something that suits you, but don't go around bashing just because you've got issues~

    Cut them some slack, ppl. You know how much the cast and crew slogged to get this drama produced week after week? And you dismiss it like that??? Puh-leez lah~
    I feel it's so unfair to just label the drama as 'sub-standard' because you don't agree with the drama.

    Sorry, but I disagree with what's been said.

  • Anonymous

    Hankyung was smart not to act in the chinese version of BOF.

  • Anonymous

    stop at ep16.. dont have interest to finish the series. i annoyed with their unrealistic love stories and should i say poor acting.

  • Anonymous

    I know I will offend a lot of Boys Before Flowers fans here…but I have to be honest, this series was totally overrated and so was its casts.
    And I agree with this:

    “the Cinderella story became immensely popular thanks to its good-looking cast and easy-to-understand storyline.”

    Had it not been for the F4 eyecandy, this would have been a total flop, cause it sure wasn’t original and award worthy performance.

    The ratings dont mean anything to me, cause any Hana Yori Dango remake is bound to be a hit and although the acting sucks, the actors and actresses in these will become overnight stars…cause I have yet to see a hana Yori Dango remake that flops.

    Everything now is Lee Minho is hot or Lee Minho is a great actor or Lee Minho is a top star…which is getting so ridiculous. Him a top star for what? For looking pretty in Boys Before Flowers? I’m sorry, but that performace makes him not worthy of top star status, he has yet to prove himself and that goes for the other casts except Koo Hye Sun.

    the fanaticism for this ridiculous unoriginal series is absurd!

  • i enjoy watching this drama. there are many parts that is unrealistic but its an idol drama. In addition, its based on japanese manga. they must do every important part from the manga or they will be violating the contract. furthermore, most drama these days are all almost the same. its impossible to create a drama with students with good discipline. what plot or climax can be made out of that?

  • Anonymous

    the main focus is on the actors and promoting the idol groups who sing the music.all the heavy promotion for the drama,exaggeration.

  • omg ppl, how “real” do you want this drama to be? it was based on a manga- enough said.

  • penpen09

    I believe it depends on the viewer. If you are going to look for a love story then watch it. but if your going to look for the UNREALISTIC violence and high class living of the elites I think you should just watch gossip girl. BOF kr I believe the show was a hit because of the very good plot and the unique story that made the show a big hit.

  • i thought the drama was overrated..it’s the same ole same ole..it lacked real depth, or maybe i just like to watch something that’s very raw to the human emotional complex..but that’s hard to find. and i’m tired. hehe. but it had a good looking group of cast members. that’s a plus.

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