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Boys Before Flowers: Episode 2

I feel better about Boys Before Flowers after Episode 2. The drama is still very flawed, and I think I’m going pretty easy on it — I could snark much more if I wanted to — but I don’t want to be mean about this series. I have a lot of affection for it.

But the reason for my liking hinges mostly upon one character, and that is the tough-guy-masking-a-soft-heart, Gu Jun-pyo. Lee Min-ho, manseh!

SONG OF THE DAY

Loptimist – “갈증” (Thirst) [ Download ]

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EPISODE 2 RECAP

Jan-di fights off her trio of attackers, who grab her from the girls’ locker room and hold her down.

They stop at the arrival of Ji-hoo, who asks what they’re doing in his languid, casual manner. His presence flusters the guys, because they’re acting on Jun-pyo’s orders, and Ji-hoo is obviously Jun-pyo’s friend. As though oblivious to the scene going on in front of him, Ji-hoo peers down at Jan-di and asks if she’d left something out of her pancake recipe from before. Something went wrong when he tried it. Still held down by her attackers, bewildered at the non sequitur, Jan-di mentions baking powder. Rather an awkward way to discuss cooking techniques.

Ji-hoo addresses the three minions: “Why are you still here?” Faced with disobeying Ji-hoo to his face or Jun-pyo behind his back, they skedaddle.

Ji-hoo covers her in a towel, and as he turns to leave, Jan-di tells him, “Thank you.” In his even tone, he answers, “I wasn’t helping. These things just annoy me.”

In his mansion, Jun-pyo hears of Ji-hoo’s interference. To show us that Jun-pyo isn’t completely heartless, he criticizes his minions for their extreme measures — he’d merely instructed that they scare her (to show her a “bitter taste”).

Ji-hoo’s kindness lingers in Jan-di’s mind for the rest of the day. She happens to come across him when she bicycles past him fondling a poster of a famous model at a bus stop. Not so sure you want to be getting that intimate with anything at a bus stop, buddy.

Jan-di says as much, telling him that a bus stop poster is bound to blacken his hands with dirt. Still, she admires the poster of Min Seo-hyun, who is not only famous for her beauty but also for her charity donations and her brains; she recently passed the law exam in France. Ji-hoo asks, “Do you know her?” Jan-di answers, “Of course. She’s my idol.”

Ji-hoo enjoys her reaction, smiling at Jan-di’s wide-eyed adulation. But his smile fades when she says that Seo-hyun, who is bound for great things, could marry royalty, or a president, or something of that sort to become a “world’s princess” like Princess Di. At that, Ji-hoo says, “She’s just a model.”

Jan-di sticks to her fantasy of a foreign prince falling for her idol. Mood killed, Ji-hoo turns to leave with the parting shot, “What do you know?”

At home, Jan-di’s computer-obsessed brother finds scandalous news online about one of the students at Shinhwa High School, a second-year who’s supposedly pregnant. Identified merely as Miss “K,” the family tries to guess who it could be, like a Miss Kim or Kwon (or Keum — which I wrote as “geum” since it’s closer to the phonetic reading).

The next day, Jan-di notices the stares of the other students, but is busy wondering which of them is the notorious Miss K.

Jun-pyo is in a good mood, and when Yi-jung asks what’s up with “2,500 Won” (Jan-di) today, he says, “Just wait. She’ll come here soon.” (It’s too cute to see that this — her coming to see him — is his obvious goal, although he convinces himself that it’s all because Jan-di needs to be humbled.) Ji-hoo wonders, “What prank have you pulled this time?” Jun-pyo: “Why, so you can save her again?”

Yi-jung and Woo-bin wonder what that means, while Ji-hoo says that picking on one girl like this “is ridiculous and childish.” Jun-pyo retorts, “Do you see her as a girl?” because to him, she’s like a horse, or a dog. After all, she dared defy the Great Jun-pyo-nim (using the “nim” suffix on himself is, as one might guess, exceedingly arrogant).

Jan-di’s classmates identify her as the notorious Miss K, and news spreads fast. In class, both chalkboards have been covered in slurs like “filthy,” “get lost,” “who’s the daddy?” “crazy bitch,” etc.

The Tarty Trio leave a pile of dirty rags on her desk and taunt her. Pushed too far, Jan-di fumes, “I can’t take this anymore!” Ginger mocks, “So what are you going to do about it?”

Jan-di’s arrival at the F4 lounge brings Jun-pyo much satisfaction, but he covers it with disdain: “If you came to apologize, you’re too late.” She throws the dirty rags in his face and warns him that she won’t sit back and take his abuse anymore.

Jun-pyo’s arrogance turns to confusion when Jan-di clenches her fists and assumes a fighting stance. Puzzled, he asks what she’s doing, and she repeats: “I told you, I won’t sit back and take it anymore.” With a shriek, Jan-di jumps in the air, and whirls into a rather impressive spinning back kick — catching Jun-pyo right in the face.

The other F4 members look on in amazement as Jan-di clomps over to the fallen Jun-pyo, demanding, “Did you see me sleeping around with a man? Did you even see me holding hands? How dare you say all that about a chaste and pure girl who hasn’t even had her first kiss yet!”

She warns one last time, “If you keep up these filthy tricks, I’ll really kill you then!”

One might think that this show of defiance would piss off the Almighty Jun-pyo, but later that night, he sits alone, chuckling to himself. Woo-bin asks why he’s so amused. Jun-pyo: “Haven’t you guys caught on yet?”

With supreme satisfaction, he announces, “That chick’s totally into me.” That makes no sense to the other guys, but Jun-pyo elaborates:

Jun-pyo: “Think about it. She didn’t want the guy she likes to misunderstand, so she came herself to insist she was pure and innocent.”
Yi-jung: “Following that logic –”
Woo-bin: “– saying she hadn’t had her first kiss –”
Jun-pyo: “– is her way of saying she’s waiting for her first kiss from me.”
Yi-jung, clapping: “Bravo. Impressive, Gu Jun-pyo. You’re my friend, but that’s really something.”

Relieved at this gratifying revelation, Jun-pyo attributes Jan-di’s extreme hate of him to “thinking she could fool me by acting mad.” It is HILARIOUS, and Lee Min-ho is adorable.

The next day at school, Jan-di lies low, wanting to avoid more encounters with the Almighty Jun-pyo. Men in suits approach and ask her to accompany them, but won’t identify their boss.

She declines, and hides (in a painfully exaggerated sequence) as she sneaks her way across campus, only to be accosted at the last minute. She’s shoved into a waiting vehicle, then drugged.

She awakens on a massage table in a luxurious room, and is subjected to all sorts of painful beautifying processes like waxing.

Here, I wish they’d employed a bit more logic, because Jan-di goes along with the makeup, hair, and dressing sessions — confused, but not really protesting. Never mind that she still doesn’t know whose home she is in, or why she is there. Then again, I suppose if someone were lavishing clothes, jewels, and spa treatments on me, my guard would be down too.

The attendant (butler?) tells her that this is the first time that “the young master” has brought home a girl, although I suppose that requires a pretty loose definition of “bringing home.”

The butler can’t tell her why she’s here, because he doesn’t know, either. He deposits her at a door where someone is waiting for her; Jan-di enters cautiously and sees a tall figure standing at the window, and guesses, “Ji-hoo?”

Disappointedly realizing she’s at Jun-pyo’s family estate, Jan-di is immediately suspicious, and puts up her dukes: “What are you going to do this time?”

Jun-pyo turns her toward a mirror and tells her to look: “See, money can turn even an ugly duckling into a heron.” Jan-di: “Don’t you mean swan?”

Indignant, Jan-di retorts that she didn’t ask him for this, but he’s wrapped up in his own smug misconception, and tells her, “If you like me, just say so.” When she doesn’t respond, he recalls, “Right, you like to talk in opposites, don’t you?” (O, delusion, he is King of it.)

Jan-di accuses him of illegally kidnapping her. Jun-pyo assures her, “Nobody’s around, so you can be open about liking me here. From now on, I’ll be willing to make an exception and recognize you outside of school.”

Jan-di is completely speechless. He continues: “If you just do as I say, when nobody’s around I can treat you as the Almighty Jun-pyo’s girlfriend.”

Jan-di wonders if his brain has been addled by too much greasy food, and turns to leave.

Showing the first sign of anxiety, Jun-pyo blocks her from leaving. He tells her that she’s currently wearing 100 million won’s worth ($77,000), “But that’s nothing. If you’re with me, you can enjoy more than that every day. Are you saying you don’t want it? Are you crazy?”

Jan-di bristles: “The moment I see your face, it feels like bugs are crawling all over my body.” She takes off her jewelry and throws it on the ground, then reaches to unzip her dress (before remembering Jun-pyo’s watching — rather intently, I might add — and insists he return her uniform).

Jan-di: “You don’t seem to know this, but you can’t buy friends with money. Friends bond through feelings.” Jun-pyo replies, “There’s nothing you can’t buy,” and tells her to contradict him if she can. She can’t think of anything.

After Jan-di leaves, Jun-pyo rages against his employees, stomping on the discarded dress and telling his butler to throw away the dress and fire everyone who worked on Jan-di today.

Jan-di remembers too late that she’s still wearing the borrowed high heels, takes them off, and throws them over the gate — just as Ji-hoo finds her outside and wonders what she’s doing. He laughs: “You’re always in a dramatic situation.”

Jan-di asks Ji-hoo, “Is there anything in the world you can’t buy?” Dejected, she figures there isn’t, but perks up when Ji-hoo answers after a moment of thinking, “Air.”

Amused at her happy reaction to finding one unbuyable thing, Ji-hoo ruffles her hair and calls her “a really fun kid.” As he gets up to leave, he tosses her his sneakers, since she’s now barefoot. Jan-di watches him zoom off on his motorcycle with a smile.

She tries to return the shoes the next day by visiting the F4 lounge, but Yi-jung and Woo-bin inform her that Jun-pyo isn’t around. She grumbles that she doesn’t care about him, and asks them to give the shoes to Ji-hoo.

The guys know they owe their recent entertainment to Jan-di, and invite her to have some tea while she fills them in on her latest encounter with Jun-pyo. Seeing a commercial of Min Seo-hyun on TV, the guys mention that Ji-hoo ought to be happy that Seo-hyun is coming back to Korea soon.

She asks if Ji-hoo is acquainted with Seo-hyun, and learns that after his parents’ death, he’d retreated into autism (I remember hearing it was Asperger’s, which is a mild form of autism). Seo-hyun was the only one able to draw him out of himself, and became something of “a first love, girlfriend, and mother.” This information drags Jan-di into a funk, so much so that she even cuts dinner short, feeling inadequate next to the glamorous model.

In fact, she’s so distracted that in gym class, she fails to react swiftly when Ginger hurls a ball at her (in a game of dodgeball), and gets hit in the face. She leaves the group of laughing mean girls while the F4 guys watch, and Jun-pyo finds her washing up in the bathroom.

He tries to helpfully wipe the blood from her face, but Jan-di, fighting tears, doesn’t want his help. It’s clear (to us) that he wants to make her feel better but is woefully ill-equipped with the social skills; not knowing what to say, he chides her for being absent-minded enough to get hit in the face, and tells her not to cry. Jan-di counters, “Do I have to get your permission to cry now? And weren’t you the person who was happiest to see me crying and hurting?”

Jun-pyo: “Is that all you can say to the person who came to help?”
Jan-di: “Who asked for your help? If everyone died and you were the last person on earth, I still wouldn’t accept your help.”

It’s a bit cute — and sad — when Jun-pyo stops her from leaving and demands to know, uncertainly, “W-what is it you hate so much about me? I’m good-looking. I’m tall, I’m smart, I’m rich. How — how can you hate Gu Jun-pyo? Are you stupid?”

Jan-di shoots back that she dislikes the way he looks, the way he walks, his curly hair — “and picking on weak kids for fun with your red cards or whatever with your thoughtlessness — that’s the worst!”

Jun-pyo stutters in disbelief, but Jan-di’s not quite finished: “In short, I hate everything about you! Everything!”

Is the obligatory shower scene supposed to be moving? I don’t know; it was just so obvious that I had to laugh.

But shameless half-naked water shots aside, Lee Min-ho does a good job of showing Jun-pyo’s frustration, first as he engages in a particularly rough game of rugby, then as he stares in the mirror in self-loathing.

It’s only when Jun-pyo spies the notice for a class trip that he cheers up. All second- and third-years will have the chance to go on a month-long school trip to Europe.

It doesn’t even occur to Jun-pyo that 20 million won ($15,500) is a bit rich for a commoner like Jan-di. Thus on class trip day, he spends the whole time at the airport pacing anxiously, wondering where Jan-di is. Ji-hoo is similarly distracted, but for a different reason — today marks Min Seo-hyun’s return to Korea. Seo-hyun (Han Chae-young, looking gorgeous) greets Ji-hoo warmly.

With Jan-di nowhere to be seen, Jun-pyo is a fidgety ball of nerves until he receives a call, (ostensibly) informing him where Jan-di is.

Jan-di cannot afford to go on the trip, and to make things worse, her father has run afoul of some gambling debts (ah, it wouldn’t be a kdrama without gambling debts!).

Therefore, she and her friend Ga-eul decide to make this a working vacation, so they can enjoy themselves while earning some money. Through Ga-eul, they find a job on a fishing boat. They’re enjoying the experience, until one loud, obnoxious voice cuts in on their sleepytime.

To her shock, the entire class looks down on her from a Shinhwa cruiseliner, with Jun-pyo manning a loudspeaker. Now that he’s found her, he’s happily back to taunting her (like a little boy tormenting a little girl he likes, not knowing that chocolate and flowers FIX EVERYTHING. Oh, yeah, and also a little basic kindness.).

Jan-di can’t believe her vacation is to be ruined thusly. She asks why they aren’t on their class trip, and he replies that he’s been there before and wanted a new, interesting place. He’s here on “someone’s” recommendation: “What a total coincidence, huh? I had no idea you’d be here, Dry Cleaner.”

I don’t care if you think this is corny, it is TOO CUTE.

When Jan-di and Ga-eul dock for the night, they note with dismay that Jan-di’s classmates have arrived and seem to be waiting to check into a hotel (or something).

Jan-di’s spirits further sink when Ji-hoo arrives with the radiant Min Seo-hyun on his arm.

Jun-pyo addresses Jan-di, saying, “Dry Cleaner, be honest, aren’t you happy to run into me at a place like this?” Jan-di retorts that she was having a grand time before he came along.

Jun-pyo invites her (in his careless way) to join the rest of the class. While she’s quick to turn him down flat, she has an entirely different reception for Ji-hoo. Jun-pyo looks on in displeasure when Ji-hoo breezes past him, invites Jan-di to a welcome party for Seo-hyun, and sees Jan-di’s immediate acceptance: “Yes, I’ll go, absolutely.”

The Tarty Trio, however, seize the opportunity to have a little fun, and give Jan-di some “advice” for the dress code. It’s not too hard to predict that this goes awry, and that they must have told her it’s a costume party. The instant she walks in, she realizes she’s been tricked, and berates herself for falling for the lie.

Embarrassed, she tries to leave, but is forced to enter the room to escape Jun-pyo (who, by the way, spends all his time looking around for her). When the Mean Girls find her, they taunt her and try to pull her coat off her. The result is inevitable but still humiliating: They grab Jan-di’s jacket, she tries to escape, falls into a tray of hors d’oeuvres, and lands with a loud crash.

The girls laugh gleefully, calling her delusional — perhaps she started believing the hype that she truly was Wonder Woman? Others snort in amusement, but Jun-pyo looks angry (on her behalf). He’s about to move toward her, but once again is one-upped by Ji-hoo, who arrives at Jan-di’s side with Seo-hyun.

Seo-hyun sizes up the situation immediately, and faces the Mean Girls with disgust: “I know why you did this. But do you know that this proves how low you are, not her?”

With Ji-hoo and Seo-hyun by her side, Jan-di is ushered up to Seo-hyun’s room to clean up.

Seo-hyun takes an immediate liking to Jan-di as she dresses her up and helps her with her makeup, saying that any friend of Ji-hoo’s is a friend of hers.

Jan-di brushes off the compliments, saying Ji-hoo was just being nice, but Seo-hyun knows him better and assures her that he’s not that type. This is the first time she’s seen him step in to help someone else.

Jan-di doesn’t want to give herself too much credit, and answers, “But Ji-hoo’s just attentive by nature.” To Seo-hyun, this is just proof of the opposite, that Jan-di is an exception to the rule.

She also has heard of Jan-di’s vow not to let Jun-pyo beat her down. She voices her support and wishes Jan-di victory, but explains, “It’s because he’s lonely.” Being the child of a parents who are fixated solely on their business empire has made him lonely, and his outer demeanor is just a cover-up for it.

Seo-hyun finishes the look with a pair of shoes, telling her, “Good shoes take you to good places.”

When Jan-di is ushered back to the party, people look on in surprise, but no one’s more shocked than Jun-pyo — who drops his plate in his astonishment at the purty, purty girl.

And yet, he is beaten to the punch once more, because Seo-hyun pushes Ji-hoo toward Jan-di, saying that a gentleman doesn’t ignore such a beautiful lady. So Ji-hoo walks over to Jan-di and offers his arm.

 
COMMENTS

All through Episode 1, I was thinking Lee Min-ho reminded me of someone, and it kept niggling at the back of my mind. I finally put my finger on it, and it’s Lee Dong-wook (La Dolce Vita, My Girl — aka, this guy). Lee Min-ho isn’t nearly as good as Lee Dong-wook (yet?), but he shows a lot of promise, in addition to the fact that he delivers some of his lines in a similar way, and even has similar bone structure to boot.

Sorry to say, however, that while I was holding out hope for Kim Hyun-joong, I don’t think he is going to do much in this drama other than look pretty. In Episode 1, he was quiet and enigmatic. In Episode 2, the more lines he had, the more clear his inexperience became, which makes him seem stiff and unnatural. Let’s hope he’s given as few lines as possible, to let his quiet mystique carry him.

On the other hand, Kim Bum is doing all right playing Yi-jung (nothing to scream about, though), and I actually do like Kim Joon‘s Woo-bin — in the absence of his gangsta “Yo, yo, yo!” posturing (which was still present in Episode 2, though pulled back a little). Unfortunately, Kim Bum looks years younger than his castmates, as he’s the only one actually playing his age (19), other than Ga-eul, who’s also 19. Speaking of whom, Kim So-eun is pretty good for the newbie she is, and she also happens to be currently acting in the large-scale sageuk drama Empress Cheon-chu, playing Chae Shi-ra‘s childhood role.

 
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Lee Min Ho is going great!
I'm a big fan of Kim Bum but his role here is just so, so.
He deserved better.
I'm rooting for Lee Min Ho in this drama.
Hope he keeps getting better.
Javabeans is correct about Kim Hyun Joong,
he looks like he's good for display in this drama
but good exposure for
him though.
Lee Yeon Hee would have been better to play the role of
Jan-di.

*..*

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I can't help but love those cheesy parts too of LMH...calling her dry cleaners (so cuute), acting oblivious but not awkwardly stupid (2x's cuter), and the shower scene (reflecting his true character - interject dramatic music here). I think what also helps me enjoy this drama rather than constantly comparing the J-drama and T-drama version is the advice to approach it as if this is something new. I do agree there is some overacting, bad 'Engrish,' and some similarities too close to the J Drama version but not true to the storyline. EP 3...I think 'us' fans know what to expect next....(drum roll) the 1st kiss?

I wish Kim Bum had a more prominent role but I know its just because of the character her plays.

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Hope! (post # 98) - I checked out the youtube you had referenced. She would've been more like Makino (in appearance) if she kept the hair longer.

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Lee Min-ho, what can I say that has not already been said, he is perfect for this role. You can't help but love him as Go Jun Pyo.

As for people who hope that Kim Hyun Joong as Yoon Ji Hoo have less of a speaking role, I read somewhere that they're going to elaborate on his side story, so expect more of his acting/stiffness. But he's suppose to disappear for the next few episodes, but again maybe that's the elaboration.
** And after watching the first two episodes, it looks as if this drama is going to follow the other 2 with a few slight changes. **

Again, the scene with the bee, oh how the mighty has fallen. It was so cute with him firing everyone while ranting/raving but then cowering behind a chair at the sight of the smallest bee. LOL

After watching the raw and then the subtitles on Viikii, when Geum Jan Di takes off her black shoes by Goo Joon Pyo gate, she throws a red one over the fence. (ha, ha) Also, the scene where their in an enclosed space, when Go Jun Pyo think Jan Di likes him, you can see the puff of smoke from Go Jun Pyo mouth. They must have been extremely cold shoot this.

Well, can't help but like Kim So Eun, she is really beautiful. Thanks for the re-cap but it looks as if there's going to be no new development with this show. Not disappointed but I'm losing interest, no longer waiting to watch this.

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#69 - believer020, I agree with everything you said. However at what you don't like, in terms of the pace, I really think they're going to cover everything. The anemisa, the twin, the second love interest. They also have to get through the sister as well as the scenes with the mother. I mean for 11 years of a manga, they're trying to cover it with 24 episodes. Who knows they could be a 2 . . . .

#95 - Sparrow, "I think Hanazawa Rui should be a proper foil to Domyoji". I agree with you that is the perfect way to state it and so far Kim Hyun Joong is not doing this. Not sure if he's going to come around when the level between the two gets intense. Aaah, you did well in your English lit. class.

#96 - dramafreak19, "The lead pair have ACTUAL CHEMISTRY". I saw that, when he was helping her with her nose bleed. I got that giddy feeling, you know the one, when the two leads finally get together. I felt it in that scene and a little smile was on my face. But oh, the pain we'll have to go through with Geum Jan Di until we get to that level. But then again, it was his sweet moment not her's. So, there's hope.

Sorry, it I'm spoiling it, but it's hard to comment when you've already seen the script. (LOL)

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didnt anyone notice that da school cafeteria in ep1 look like da one in Palace S it did 2 me n i was like is did palace S the cateteria n i was it looks so similar 2 it

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Don't like Jun Pyo!!! :(

i thikn that Doumyoji is supposed to have a certain craziness, almost wildness to his personality that isn't portrayed here. He isn't desperate enough, not mean enough, not psycho enough.........

cuz Makino is supposed to change him.....and i don't think there is much to change..... Jun Pyo is just arrogant.....but hes not really that mean....u know?

I'm dying to see the jealousy, though and him and Ji Hoo fighting....

So far im really disapointed with Jun Pyo...this being a K-Drama and all, I wish Jun Pyo would show more emotion....he just makes teh same mad face all the time.........

And I also think Jan Di is much better in this episode. She toned down the overacting a smidge...................

and Han Chae Young isn't so bad of an actress....she's doing a nice job so far as Shizuka (Seo Hyun)

Maybe it's cuz i know the story too well already....but this is kinda boring :(

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mans. you are too cool. the subs are perfect.
hmm. i actually kind of kind min ho from the first ep
usually i like him after he becomes nice.
but i dunno.

the tw dms was too psychotic and crazy + dumb.
the tsukasa was good, but short. and not that cute.
lee min ho actually is nice-looking and the character comes out just nice
he actually makes you think like this kind of human can exist.
the other two was too exaggerated.

what do you for a career. you are like a pro. =]]

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omigosh, this is the 1st time im drawn to the character of domyouji more than rui,
im giggling like a hs girl. im lovin it! love it, lee min ho!
im still trying to find the lee dong wook similarity u said above

gosh im a fan of ss501 leader for his antics and sarcasm on tv show, but when he said he even bring his acting teacher abroad just to study, i want some proves,
this is the stiffiest (is that a word?) rui ever, even more than vic chou
sorry, i cant help but comparing, but i must say this ver is really fresh and kdrama-like

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but on a positive note, i must say that episode 1 is a vast improvement of 2. and i hope that the series just continues to get better and better

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Thank you for the swift recaps! I loved the manga, but didn't care for any of the adaptations (the Japanese version was the best, but still not great). Despite its flaws, I think this may be the best adaptation yet.

The reason: Lee Min Ho is perfect as Doumyouji, even though they toned down the "wild animal" aspect of his character. "Adorkable" is the word. Jan Di is also closer to Makino in terms of spunk (I liked that they preserved the head kick from the manga), and overall, I think this lead pair has the best chemistry of any adaptation.

I also like how the filmmakers have condensed certain parts (the cruise sequence with the Shizuka party) and added K-drama/individual twists to things (gambling debts, the bee scene, netizens, etc.).

Of course, it's still cheesy--but so was the original manga. And you can't start out with cheese & get cream.

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Thanks Lola!!

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first learned F4 thru Meteor Garden, didn't watch tha Jap version though, coz I have yet to find a good Jap actor/actress, though I must admit I've watched only a handful of their films....take a quick peek at the Jap version of HYD and can't find any eye candy there so I lose interest watching it......but of course Korean version is a way different from the other two.....and the BIG difference?.....has a lot of eye candies! plus the fact that I find Koreans better acting wise compared to Jap and Taiwanese.....AND they also have more eye candies! LOL......

first time to see Kim Hyun Joong and my first impression of him is he looks like a younger version of Yonsama Bae Yong Joon?? especially the eyes.....still yet to see Lee Min Ho's similarities to Lee Dong Wook....anyways have yet to finish Eps 1 to see it.....

MILLION THANKS FOR THE FAST RECAPS!

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I don't know if most of you are just following Javabeans' opinions or what but personally I disagree on the judgement on Kim Hyun Joong. Obviously he's a newbie and I certainly respect Javabeans' critique and opinions, but personally I quite like the Rui he's playing. It could be better, but I feel he's certainly doing a better job than the girl playing Jandi. It's actually really disapointing- she's going way overboard with the cutsie angry faces and yelling. Anyway, moving back to Rui. Personally, in the manga/MG/Jap.Vs. I've always liked Rui much better than Dom. Because of his autistic traits... shouldn't he be awkward and stiff? He's not supposed to be smooth and extremely cool or anything. That's the two players over there LOL He could act better, but maybe it's his own interpretation of Rui. Oguri Shun was really great, but definitely different from HJ. I hope people will look at him in his own light and stop comparing him with Oguri, whether he's better or not! This drama is it's own entity.
Much thanks for the recaps! Thanks a lot Java :]
BTW subs are up on mysoju.com for anyone who wants to watch.

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I know this has been said a million times already but I need to say it too: I LOOOVE LEE MIN HO/JUN PYO. He's definitely carrying the show forward with his acting skills. I think there's room in my fangirl heart for two Domyouji's though: I love Matsumoto Jun as well.
I think this may be a difference... with the Jdrama it was a little refreshing to see him breaking things, getting violent and wild like in the manga. So far the angriest I've seen Jun Pyo's character was when he was playing rugby... or when he angrily placed the glass of water on the table... I really really hope that the korean take on things won't take the frustratingly repressed route (emotionally and physically).

Makino/ Jan Di - I really dislike Goo Hye Sun. Maybe I'm judging her too early but as of now her acting is just excessive, cartoonish and annoying. And she's ALWAYS stuffing her mouth with something. The director may be responsible for that but it's not cute. It's kind of gross and difficult to discern what she's saying. Her one redeeming moment was when she was a bit starstruck/vulnerable when Hanazawa Rui (I still can't get used to the Koreanized names... give me time) handed her his sneakers. GHS is good when she tones it down a little :)

and ugh Kim Hyung Joon... I really really hope that his acting miraculously improves. Me and a thousand other fangirls watching are sending him good vibes, willing him to get better ...

I like Han Chae Yeon's Shizuka better than the Japanese Shizuka. HCY's less stiff. Plus she fits the role as she's genuinely gorgeous.

-- geez, the white wintry puffs appear again. The Korean drama industry must work these actors like dogs... Didn't the same thing happen in Hong Gil Dong? I felt cold just watching the actors' breath appear in white fog...

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Okay. First episode finished and midway through second episode. I must say I really like LMH playing Domouji because he is so adorable in his cluelessness and I think he fits the role really well.

As for Jandi...I was actually really annoyed with her character portrayal the first episode but I think she has tone it down just a tiny bit. Anyway, I hope she really doesn't overact in the later episodes. So far, she is cute though. I think Makino is actually calmer in the acting yet still remains very adorable. Hmm....now that I think of it, somehow she kind of acts like LDH in My Girl. Is it because of the same director?? I do realize though the way she talks with her mouth so exaggerated is a bit...annoying to the eyes.

The guy who plays Rui - sorry cannot remember much Korean names so I'll go with my familiarity - is actually okay. I think he smiles a bit too much but somehow Rui is a hard to understand character and so fall I think he is doing quite fine. He is not exceptional but his acting is alright - better to the eyes than Jandi at least - in the first episode and midway second. I'll see. I think he is really beautiful (wrong word for a guy? lol) though.

The rest...I never really think there is much character developments for them. Lol.. Well, I was cracking up at the English and bullying scenes though. Seem a bit too much...

Yapping aside, this is actually something I enjoy even though I have read the manga and watched 2 version of it already. I can just sit back and bring out the hidden girly side in me and pamper my eyes with good looking guys. Yum!

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thanks for the recaps....!!!!
i really had a lot of doubt about this drama....so i had to extremely lower my expectations and in doing so I'm really enjoying it now! Episode one was a bit awkward for me but Episode 2 totally pulled me in... and Jun-pyo, gosh! for me he is the heart of this drama...i could totally skip the other people's line and watch his scene over and over again...I wasn't initially ecstatic about Lee Min-Ho taking up the role of Domyouji but after seeing the last 2 episode he's now beginning to be my favorite actor out of the last 2 that portrait Domyouji!

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This drama korea good than drama taiwan ? lOVE gOO HYE sun. She so cute & casting of her beauty! (**)

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As a die-hard fan of hanadan, I cannot say that I am shamelessly comparing eveything to the Japanese version. Everything I see, all I say is "NO! Stop copying them!"...sigh...I have to stop doing that...

But I'm still in love with the most romantic story ever created...:D

Anyway, thanks for the recaps...

But I have to say, I honestly thought MatsuJun's hair was hilarious in hanadan [and I couldn't really believe that they were "natural" curls as the manga makes them out to be]...but Jun-pyo's hair? ROFL...

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Han Chae Young is love...<3
I hope that she would have more parts here even though Shizuka is actually a minor character.

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"i am liking this drama so far…i like hyun joong but the rui played by shun in the jap version and vic zhou in the taiwanese version was much better mayb coz they were played by professional actors…"

uhmmm..that was the first ever acting job for Vic who didn't intentionally auditioned for the role. shun was already acting when casted for HYD.

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Qoute: 69 -- 2. KHJ is a better fit than most people are giving him credit for. If you read the manga and have watched the other version - KHJ is doing the role. In the Tversion, Vic made him too broody(?) & the Jversion O.Shun was too dreamy & princely(but I confess I loved him!!!). KHJ has the awkwardness, the stiffness of the role right because Rui/Ji Hoo is the guy that distances himself from everything, sees everything from a 3rd person-like vision, so when he steps into the situation, he doesn’t fit exactly right into any situation because he’s not personally invested. ---

I agree. I remember envisioning Rui to be unfitting for any situation because he's personally uninvested in anything.

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I am trying not to be jealous that you are guys are getting to see this already

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Telling people to stop comparing BOF to the T or J version would be unrealistic.
I myself can't help but compare that to the T version (for the setups, the acting, the music, their twists to the original plot.......)

I would love to defense KHJ by saying he acts that way because of what his character is. His character supposed to be quiet, reserved due to the mild autism (problem with social interaction, language skill). However KHJ went much further than that. He makes Ji-hoo so dead (if not creepy) & awkward. Having said that, it's KHJ's first major acting project so we should cut him some slacks. Hope he warms up and the acting will get better in the coming episodes.

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I like this version of Hanadan very much. I think that this is the best looking F4 cast from all the previous versions. But I have to give the credit to Lee Min Ho for doing such a good job as Jun Pyo, because his character is rather very appealing, and I actually keep sympathising with him, GJP. As for KJH, his acting is just meh... sorry fans, I can't lie... I mean even if the character was always sleepy, deppressed, emotionless and quiet, Oguri Shun as Rui was splendid. KJH is stiff... especially when he speaks. But Kim Joon is doing pretty good as Woobin. His gangsta slangs are actually funny. When I watched the HYD or MG, I could care less for the similar character. But Woobin is fun to watch

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i love your recap! thank you so much! Im just wondering if you know any fansub subbing this series? i hope someone will sub this! thank you for your witty recap. they make my day! thank you! i hope you continue the recap of this series!

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just finish watching epi 1 and 2 with sub.... and thankfully my wish was granted as i found some defining moments and characters in this version...

1. i really like the dad of jandi having seen him in other kdramas wherein he was so adorable... a really good actor and his over the cting role here just suits him

2. KHJ ... his acting just doesnt always leave you with breathless anticipation but definitely someone you would want to see on screen especially when you can capture him in your mind in certain angles... duh too dreamy... (the acting will hopefully get better .... the last part in episode 2 where he approach jandi... i immediately belive the awkwardness of that moment... wait is that ji ho or KHJ... hehehehehe......but still adore him)

3. Ki Bum... Honestly... i never thought of him as handsome or cute but here he is way hotter than KHJ (sorryt girls... have to tell the truth)... his smile can really melt you.. can't help but smile as well...him and the other rapping dude is really into their character... kudos for casting them...

4. LMH.... wow his tall (especially standing beside jandi)... he has not totally won me over but his eyes when he was telling jandi just to tell him he loves him got into me... i actually believe that he was begging her (in his arrogant way) to tell him that she likes him..... i agree that he is not as idiotic as the way matsumoto jun played domyuji (btw he did not wow me with his looks but the way he played the character) or did not have the arrogant, manliness, cutesy, dumb look that jerry had ahhh that smile) but he definitely has a lot of potential especially everytime he gets jealous (perfection)

5. jandi might look too old for her age but when i am not to concerned about it i think she is acting the role really well....(however, the wig did not work for me and neither was that perm? she got on the cruise... come on she's a pretty girl... they can better than that)

Verdict: this is a show that i would watch coz it's entertaining..... the rich boy poor girl....love against all odds....love triangle with a friend will never grow old with me.... and eventhough my neurons cant help but often analyze every minor detail about the show the fun moments that make me giddy and smile is worth the time i am spending on watching it.....

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Actually I think Lee Min Ho looks a lot more like the actor who played the Taiwainese equivalent of this role.

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Kim So-eun is really doing a good job with her part but Kim Hyun-joong is having some problems he really looks lost and not sure about the character.... The entire cast except for the family ( who is very natural with their parts), looks unnatural... it has its funny moments but I hope as the show develops the chemistry between the cast will become stronger and not seem over done.

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i really really appreciate you doing all this work & i have to say, i LOVE YOUR WRITING STYLEEEEEEEE. & going to boys over flowers,
i am starting to really like lee min ho also, lol
and i just want to say that i like how your banner has
ko ah ra and yoon gye sang from who are you.
i read your reviews for that drama
and fell in love with your writing style & summaries!

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ignorant... you've got to be joking....

the fact that you're so offended by my opinion is both sad and lame.

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I am really enjoying this drama. I didn't go into it expecting much because I didn't want to be disappointed (Iljimae), but I am pleseantly suprised. Could it be better? Yes. Could someone please turn down the over acting? Yes. One of my main concern with the show is KHJ. KHJ's (Rui) character is not too bad to me. A lot of earlier comments dissaprove of his acting. I know we are not suppose to compare, but... In the T and J version, the Jun Pyo character was mean. In the beginning, he was vicious and we all hated him. Hating him made it easier for us to love and root for the Rui character. They were direct opposite. In addition, Makino and Shan cai were both afraid of the Jun Pyo character. Their being afraid made the declaration of war more dramatic. Jan di hasn't shown that she is really afraid of him at all. Also in the K version, Jun Pyo has shown us dozens of time that he is a fake. He's not a really bad guy, just insenstive, clumsy, and clueless. So instead of being angry with him, we feel sorry for him. Feeling sorry for him, how can we possibly like KHJ's character. We have no reason to like him or hope that he ends up with Jan di. That relationship angle is one of the things that made the the first two movies interesting. Here it is obvious that he doesn't stand a chance. So, I place the blame on the writters and the director for showing us Jun Pyo softer side so early. They didn't give KHJ's character an opportunity to distinguish himself from LMH (Jun Pyo) character.

BTW, Thanks so much for the episode recapes.

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LOL. Judging by the number of comments in this entry alone, I think we can safely say that BOF is this year's mania drama. Not since Coffee Prince have I seen such enthusiasm and buzz over a kdrama. Hanadan Fever strikes again!

Lee Min Ho is LOVE! I had a very good feeling about his Domyouji since seeing his screen shots. Seeing him in action just confirms it. His Jun Pyo has Jerry Yan's manliness and dorkiness, but he shows more depth and subtlety than Jerry. I loved Matsujun's Domyouji too.

Goo Hye Sun looks a little like Hong Kong starlet Gigi Leung Wing Kei (I've been trying to place her, and it finally came to me....). Other than their looks, they share another similarity: stiff, overexaggerated acting. Jan Di is too over-the-top, and Hye Sun needs to tone her acting down. She's nowhere as good as Inoue Mao.

Agree with everyone who says that KHJ is just not cutting the mustard as Rui. Vic Zhou had the broody mystique, while Oguri Shun's Rui was really charming and princely. KHJ appears unnatural and stiff in his line deliveries. He also smiles too much.

Good casting choice to have Jae Hee's dad in Delightful Girl Chun Yang play Jan Di's dad. He's a good comic actor and fits right into a manga-ish role. Too bad they couldn't get Jae Hee's mom in Delightful Girl Chun Yang to play his wife again. She's got chemistry with this actor, and is a better actress than the one playing Jan Di's mom.

Lastly, the soundtrack is just ineffective and forgettable. It's pales in comparison to the TW soundtrack or the Jdrama soundtrack. I could play Ai Otsuka's Planetarium over and over again and not get sick of it. This korean soundtrack sounds too generic. There's no outstanding song that captures the spirit of the drama.

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lol... i was wrong. you're not ignorant. you're just a moron. but i guess one can't argue with stupidity, so why bother.

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For me Jun stays the best Domyoji. Indeed he is the first who really understood the character of domyoji and he nailed it (although he doesn't physically looks like dom character). The hatred, the Love, the bakaness ect... Jerry acting was mediocre (no offence ) and he was classy (he drinks coke sorry but Dom will never do that).
Joon Pyo is not classy either (dom doing sport??? Are you kidding me).
And the way F4 of japan was first untroduced you can feel the power, money .

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I understand why people like Min Oh' domyoji because of looks but please Domyoji is supposely stupid and absurd, impulsive with very bad Japanese (How is Korean Min Oh???) when I watch min oh acting I can't help but think about the prince of Goong. Domyoji character is a Psycho (the look when he tried to rape Makino) and Jun played it very well (look at the scene when threat the studends by drowning them in his pool or when he punches his friends). The way Jun can be absurd, stupid, and a lover and at the same time powerful, threatning and very mean is simply great. The way Jun,Domyoji sits, walk you can feel he is a rich guy. (He doesn't do what commoners do like sport with)
You can hate Jun dom because of look but Please The only one who first understood Domyoji character is Jun (Maybe Min Oh watched his work). And at least Shun and Jun had chemystry what is not the case there.

Peace

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@ Lucille --

Quote "In the T and J version, the Jun Pyo character was mean. In the beginning, he was vicious and we all hated him. Hating him made it easier for us to love and root for the Rui character... In addition, Makino and Shan cai were both afraid of the Jun Pyo character... Jan di hasn’t shown that she is really afraid of him at all. Also in the K version, Jun Pyo has shown us dozens of time that he is a fake. He’s not a really bad guy, just insenstive, clumsy, and clueless. So instead of being angry with him, we feel sorry for him. Feeling sorry for him, how can we possibly like KHJ’s character. We have no reason to like him or hope that he ends up with Jan di... So, I place the blame on the writers and the director for showing us Jun Pyo softer side so early. They didn’t give KHJ’s character an opportunity to distinguish himself from LMH (Jun Pyo) character."

(I know I should've quoted less of what you wrote but all of it was so true I kept most of it.) I think you hit the nail on the head. One of the main reasons why I was disatisfied with the kdrama Makino character was that she wasn't scared or intimidated by the F4 or Domyouji AT ALL. Plus, Jun Pyo/Domyouhi isn't hateful enough...

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thanks for the recap! I only watched the episodes after reading your recaps...I loved Delightful Girl and My Girl...I also enjoy the mean male lead and the lovable and self-righteous female lead..the series kind of reminds me of Goong. I am trying to get use to the female lead, she does overract sometimes. As for KJH's actor..he does seem dull but you can tell he is trying, I do love his smile though...that's just the girlyness in me. I also really like Han Chae Young's character, so classy! I never watched the Japanese/Taiwanese version of this series..so I'm glad, I am coming into it with a clear perspective. Maybe, I'll try to catch the Japanese version of it after. Oh yes, Lee Min Ho's character, I don't actually think he is attractive because his horrible perm is totally distracting me, HAHA :D maybe netizens will make enough noise that they will change it. Other than that, I like his character and cannot wait till more episodes come!

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@ Lucille –

Quote “In the T and J version, the Jun Pyo character was mean. In the beginning, he was vicious and we all hated him. Hating him made it easier for us to love and root for the Rui character… In addition, Makino and Shan cai were both afraid of the Jun Pyo character… Jan di hasn’t shown that she is really afraid of him at all. Also in the K version, Jun Pyo has shown us dozens of time that he is a fake. He’s not a really bad guy, just insenstive, clumsy, and clueless. So instead of being angry with him, we feel sorry for him. Feeling sorry for him, how can we possibly like KHJ’s character. We have no reason to like him or hope that he ends up with Jan di… So, I place the blame on the writers and the director for showing us Jun Pyo softer side so early. They didn’t give KHJ’s character an opportunity to distinguish himself from LMH (Jun Pyo) character.”

@ Rory

omg, i so agree w/ u guys. the first episodes should have been an opportunity for KHJ's character to shine, because Doumyouji was all being rude and violent, and Rui should be a stark contrast to him. and that's where he gets the focus, and also where Makino should see it and notice Rui. but they made Dounyouji's character all so likeable in the first 2 eps already. i don't know how the changes in the character be more visible in the latter eps.

also, in both T & J version, people would be divided between the 2 F4, that's actually the thrill of the story, having 2 f4's for the girl. but here, they don't make Rui stand so much as opposed to Doumyouji. he was the runaway winner.

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The lead actress' portrayal really hampers my enjoyment of the drama. All the shouting and face twisting and overacting is really bothering me >_> I wanted to see what kind of Makino she would show, but I just can't love her version of Makino like I loved Inoue Mao and Barbie's versions. She doesn't look like how I think Makino should be: naturally cute (but not cutesy, Makino didn't have time to be cutesey when she's standing up for herself/others and as well as dealing with poverty), spunky, conscientious, and still innocent. Inoue Mao just did it for me.

LMH is just amazing at Gu Jun Pyo. He seems to embody the arrogance and naivety with just his eyes and the snark of his lips. I'm disappointed in KJH's portrayal since Rui was my favorite out of F4 and Oguri Shun played him perfectly (and had me swooning). I'm sure that his acting will improve over the course of the series as he gains more experience.

Han Chae-young is so classy and gorgeous, and played the Shizuka role very well :) The other 2 actors for F4 are doing a decent job for me, and I hope to see more out of them. Kim Bum is such a cutie but I don't think he gives off the playboy vibe. His eyes are too innocent.

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You said it Anonymous Jun Pyo is so Kind and nice that people like Him (too bad) And when I go to sites like dramaclick, mysoju ect.. People ratings is sooooooooo average. 2 or 3/5 for this kind of drama is quite disappointing

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that was redundant

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Hehe..i've always been reading dramabeans recap on k-drama never post a single word until i saw somebody's mentioning that Go-Ara will be perfect for Jan Di part.OMO..i felt the same tooo...I think she will make a perfect Jan Di...Huhu...Saw her acting in 'Who are you?' and i think she's very talented...and pretty..and young...and owh did i mentioned she's pretty?LOL..envy her eyes..but anyway there's no way the casting will be change anymore right..We just gotta bare it all people..i just hope KJH will give more spirit into Rui's character..and give us all a chance to to fight and choose him for Jan Di because in this version of hanadan its seem that Go Jun Pyo will kick his ass either in the drama or real-life acting skills..for sure~ Yo Yo people ;b

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yeahhh junpyo really really looks like lee dong wook and kinda like kim rae won too...and ji hoo looks like se7en and ahh i agree i could totally see go ara doing jandi ;)
butanyways, the guys are all so cute~

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oh god you're right; he did remind me of Lee Dong Wook at some points! similar, but ultimately different. I like how he's all GLEEHEEHEE at his head-deskly antics. I liked Ga-eul's natural role, and omg she is younger than me? When did this happen!!

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Ahck! =) I totally love Min Ho too! =D And I agree, that part where he finds Jandi is super cute though its corny its CUTE! =) I'm really loving this drama! =D

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It's inevitable to compare with the J counterpart but -

Okay am i like the only person who doesnt like this series? Everything doesnt match up to what Hanadan is really all about. Sure, the cast in the Jversion didnt sport the look but they definitely played the part.

The writing and direction here is messy. There is no chemistry among the 4 guys. I love GHS but she is not Makino. Jun pyo seems too nice as Domouji. I'm not feeling the characters at all. The 2 episodes arent working for me much.

Han Chae-young was probably the only saving grace.

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I'm sorry. I hold back my expectation and really didn't compared this version with others. But I can't stand GYS acting. It just tooo much to bear for me. Too annoying, overacting and unbeliaveble. Yeah, if the character is annoying i can still tolerate it but this is the acting. Oh man! It just soo tiring just to watch her!

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Lee Min-ho.... the shower scene was necessary!

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@ Joan I couldn't be more agree

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