Boys Before Flowers: Episode 25 (Final)

629 March 31, 2009January 24, 2016

by javabeans

Last episode!

I was pretty satisfied with this finale. It didn’t feel rushed, but it wasn’t too dragged out either — it wrapped up everything much as you’d expect, but managed to insert enough details to keep it interesting (because I was fearing that the ending would go down too predictably and therefore be lame). Oh, and you know the part that they kept saying would deviate from the Hana Yori Dango original? I LOVED IT.

(First) SONG OF THE DAY

Toy – “Bon Voyage” with Jo Wan-sun of Roller Coaster. [ Download ]

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Oh my god, this recap is so long. Sorry, guys! You are forewarned.

EPISODE 25 RECAP (FINAL)

Jan-di visits the hospital in the early morning, while Jun-pyo is still sleeping. She makes a joking comment trying to magic back his memory (“abra cadabra, make Gu Jun-pyo remember Geum Jan-di”), then drops off her dosirak lunchbox at his bedside.

Later that morning, Yumi comes by. I want to give her the benefit of the doubt (so far she’s annoying, but not evil), but really, she’s got boundary issues to be slipping into a sleeping patient’s room and applying a skincare device to his face while he sleeps. That wakes him up.

Glancing over at the side table, he wonders what the lunchbox is doing there. Yumi opens the containers, and as she pulls out the Jun-pyo Face Rice tray and the egg roll-up snacks, Jun-pyo furrows his brow, a thought niggling at the back of his mind.

He tries one of the egg rolls, and the taste jogs his memory — it gives him a vague (good) feeling. Jun-pyo asks if she made the food, and for a brief moment Yumi hesitates, as though wondering how to answer, then nods. He says, “I remember. The thing I forgot — it was you, right?”

Although you get the sense she hadn’t intended to lie at first, this is too good for her to pass up, so she goes with it.

F2 arrive at the restaurant for some lunch, while the girls watch in puzzlement, wondering why they’re here. Finally, when they’re done eating, they announce the good news: Jun-pyo’s been released from the hospital.

Jan-di perks up. The guys encourage her to go to him, and she rushes off excitedly.

Yi-jung remains behind, because he has something to say to Ga-eul. They watch clay baking in a kiln as Ga-eul muses, “They look happy, those plates inside. For some reason, rather than thinking they’re hurting in that heat, it feels like they’re happy. They’re full of hope that if they endure this, they can come out and receive love.”

Yi-jung has two things to tell her, and starts with the bad news first, the way she likes it: He’s leaving. He adds, “I guess that may not be bad news to you.” He plans to remain abroad for four or five years.

Ga-eul tries to be optimistic, saying it’s actually good news because he’ll be sure to return an even better potter. She asks for the second part, so he tells her, “When I come back, I’ll come find you first.”

That’s even more startling than the first, but makes her much happier. Perhaps Yi-jung is a little uncomfortable to have opened up, because he adds, “I mean, if you can’t find your soulmate by then.” But that’s enough of a confession for Ga-eul, who breaks into a smile.

Eager to see Jun-pyo, Jan-di rushes into his room, calling out a welcome greeting, then stops short: Yumi is already there. Jun-pyo just tells her that Ji-hoo’s not here, and that she should take care of her boyfriend before rushing to check up on him.

At his ungracious non-welcome, Jan-di figures this was a mistake, and turns to go. Yumi steps in to admonish Jun-pyo for being mean, and urges Jan-di to stay for tea. It’s an odd dynamic, because Yumi has usurped Jan-di’s position as hostess, and I’m not the only one who thinks she’s an upstart: the maids also direct dirty looks at Yumi.

Jun-pyo acts pretty friendly and relaxed with Yumi, which is hard for Jan-di to watch, so she gets up to leave. Jun-pyo tosses out casually, “Don’t come by again.” (He doesn’t say so in a mean tone, but maybe it’s all the more hurtful that he’s so blasé about something that means so much.) He adds, “When I see you, I feel really bad. It bothers me.”

Jan-di retorts, “Fine. I’m sorry! I won’t come by anymore!”

Yumi reads the tension and follows Jan-di outside to ask, “Are you the person Jun-pyo oppa is supposed to remember?” She sees that Jan-di is, and takes a tone of concern as she says, “But as you can tell, I think it’s worse for him to see you. If he sees you, I think his condition will deteriorate. So for now, I think it’ll be better if you don’t drop by. Don’t worry, I’ll do my best to bring back his memories of you naturally.”

Yumi’s words are reassuring, but Jan-di is also a little doubtful; after Yumi rejoins Jun-pyo, Jan-di peers inside. Jun-pyo asks Yumi to make the lunchbox again — proof that Yumi had taken credit for her lunch, which probably means she’s lying about the rest, too.

Upset, Jan-di rushes down the stairs on the way out and bumps into Ji-hoo, who tells her firmly, “Don’t run away.”

Jan-di tries to escape, but Ji-hoo says, “You can’t be pushed aside like this.” Pulling Jan-di behind him, he heads for Jun-pyo’s room. Unfortunately, they find Jun-pyo and Yumi napping cozily on the couch together.

That hurts. Jan-di rebuffs Ji-hoo’s attempts to reason with her (and persuade her to fight for Jun-pyo), telling him that it’s over, she’s done: “Even if he lost his memory, even if we started over from the beginning, I had faith he would recognize me. But I was wrong.”

Ji-hoo starts to protest, but Jan-di isn’t swayed:

Jan-di: “No, it may be upsetting and unfair, but I have to acknowledge the truth. The Gu Jun-pyo I loved is gone now.”
Ji-hoo: “I told you that you couldn’t be the little mermaid. I can’t let you two break up over such a ridiculous thing.”
Jan-di: “This isn’t because of Yumi. In the end, Geum Jan-di and Gu Jun-pyo could only make it this far.”

Yumi presents her lunchbox to Jun-pyo, who eats an egg roll with anticipation. However, the moment he registers the taste, he frowns: “This isn’t it. The taste is different from before. Did you really make it that time?”

Yumi stutters, “O-of course! Who else could have made it? That’s just because every time I make it, the taste is a little different. I’ll make it right next time.”

But something’s not right, and the taste of the food just enhances his bad feeling. He says, frustrated, “That girl. That Jan-di weed girl — I can’t forget her expression.”

Yumi: “That’s too mean! How could you say that? I’m the one who was with you, from the hospital up till now, but you feel so bothered by a girl who just dropped by and bugged you a few times? Your friends all treat me badly and take her side, and her boyfriend totally ignores me. But still, I put up with it because of you. If you act like this too, what is Yumi supposed to do?”

For us who know the truth, she’s obviously way over the line with this speech — but if she really WAS Jun-pyo’s girlfriend, I suppose this is how she would react, and she’s acting her part to the hilt. She cries, and makes Jun-pyo feel uncomfortable.

The guilt trip works, because the next thing we know, Yumi and Jun-pyo are jointly hosting a “surprise pool party.” (I’m wondering what the surprise is, if they’re handing out formal invitations.) The setting is absolutely gorgeous. In fact, this entire episode is pretty visually stunning, on the whole.

Yumi wastes some screentime with a harp performance — and seriously, Mr. Jeon PD, do you really have to pay tribute to yourself (again!) by using a My Girl theme song here?

Feeling pretty low, Jan-di steps aside to be alone. Yumi finds her by the pool and keeps up the ruse that she’s been working to “help” Jan-di. She has news to report, but it’s not good: “He doesn’t remember you.”

Yumi speaks obnoxiously about herself in the third person (because we don’t already hate her enough?): “I’m sorry to tell you, but Yumi likes Jun-pyo. I didn’t try to deliberately, but I ended up falling for him, so much that I can’t break up with him. Oppa feels the same as Yumi. But you can understand, can’t you? We can’t control our hearts.”

Yumi draws everyone’s attention to make a big announcement: She and Jun-pyo are going to study abroad together to the States. They will leave in one month.

F3 marvel in a sort of disgusted fascination at Yumi’s fast maneuvering. Ji-hoo leads Jan-di away from the crowd to the pool, where he leaves her while for a moment to get her a drink.

Alone, Jan-di takes out her star-moon necklace, just as Jun-pyo walks by. As soon as he sees her, Jun-pyo turns to leave, but Jan-di asks if he remembers the necklace she’s holding, or the names engraved on it. Jun-pyo takes a look at the “JJ” and says irritably, “How would I know that?”

Jan-di holds it out to him: “I’m giving it back. Take it.” None of this makes sense for Jun-pyo, and he retorts, “Why would I take something like this? If you want to get rid of it, do it yourself.”

He hands it back. Jan-di says, almost defiantly, “Fine.” She throws the necklace into the pool, where it settles on the bottom. But she’s not quite done:

Jan-di: “Gu Jun-pyo. I’ll ask just one more thing. Do you know how to swim?”
Jun-pyo: “Swim? I don’t swim.”
Jan-di: “You don’t, or you can’t?”
Jun-pyo: “I have a bad childhood memory, so I don’t swim. I’ve never learned.”
Jan-di: “No. You did know how.”

Jun-pyo bristles at the way Jan-di is talking about him so familiarly, but her words start to unnerve him, particularly as she tells him what kind of person he truly is (including a few of the sayings he’d messed up previously):

Jan-di: “You’re hardly afraid of anything in this world, yet you shake in fear over a bug. You’re an idiot who thinks it’s better to get all your ribs bashed in than see one of your girl’s fingers break. You’re a dummy who can’t tell the difference between the words privacy and pride, who insists like a train that swallowed its heart that the 38th Strategy [of ancient China] is running away [it’s the 36th]. You say you hate kids, but you want to be a devoted father who watches the stars with your son. You’re a lonely person with a lot of love.”

Uneasily, Jun-pyo demands, “What are you really after?”

Jan-di tells him, “Say my name,” then starts to step backward, slowly, purposefully. At the edge of the pool, Jan-di pauses… and then lets herself fall backward into the pool.

It’s an eerily beautiful image as she hits the water, stiff as a board.

In the pool, Jan-di picks up the necklace, but doesn’t come back up to the surface. Clutching the necklace, she remains submerged.

The rest of the party rushes to the water’s edge, alarmed. Jun-pyo stands frozen in shock… and then, memories come flooding back.

In quick succession, he flashes to all the other water-related emergencies earlier in the drama (if I didn’t love this moment so much it would be funny that they have enough of those to compile a montage).

He whispers, “Jan-di.” Then, jolted out of his stupor, Jun-pyo shouts her name again, and dives in.

Memory now back in full force, Jun-pyo pulls her to safety, where he tries to revive her. In a panic, he administers CPR and calls her name repeatedly, until Jan-di sputters awake.

She looks up and asks weakly, “Do you remember now?” He tells her he’s sorry, and she asks him to say her name again.

He clutches her to him and obliges.

(Yumi walks off, petulant. Good riddance!)

And then, it’s back to everyday life, kinda.

Jan-di and her family are back at their old place in Seoul, and she’s about to graduate. She doesn’t intend on going to her graduation party, although her mother urges her to.

Jun-pyo calls her out to congratulate her on her upcoming graduation. He also asks if she’s really serious about medical school, teasing about how she’s not smart enough.

He’s also here to request a date. Echoing an early scene, Jun-pyo traps Jan-di against his car, leans in closely, and says: “Tomorrow, ___.”

Naturally, just as he relays that crucial bit of information, a passing motorcycle drowns out his words. Jun-pyo thinks his message is clear and warns Jan-di that if she’s late this time, she’s really dead.

True to her word, Jan-di doesn’t plan on showing up to her graduation party, but a stretch limo pulls up (presumably from Jun-pyo) to take her — so when she arrives at the formal party, she’s still wearing her school uniform. (Let’s ignore the horrid dancing and the familiar set, shall we?)

F3 greet her warmly, and Woo-bin steps up first to ask her to dance. This allows each person a send-off as each gets his moment with Jan-di. As she dances with Woo-bin, she thinks, “Song Woo-bin, he’s always reliable and caring, as though he was the eldest in F4. I know now that he understands better than anyone how to comfort a person’s feelings, while standing one step behind.”

With Yi-jung, she thinks: “He acts cold and like a bad boy, but in reality he’s warm and innocent. Thanks to Yi-jung sunbae, I think Ga-eul has really become a lovable woman.”

Ji-hoo’s last:

“I was like Alice dropped into Wonderland. Could he know what a huge solace he was to me, that I was able to meet him whenever I went to that emergency door? He’s like a ‘bonus’ given to me from heaven. I won’t ever forget him. My soulmate Ji-hoo sunbae, thank you.”

When Jun-pyo doesn’t make his appearance, the guys wonder what’s keeping him. Jan-di thinks back to his drowned-out words, and now realizes what this reminds her of — and rushes off to Namsan Tower.

Sure enough, Jun-pyo’s waiting for her and asks, “Didn’t I say you were dead if you were late?” But he’s not upset, and with a snap of his fingers, lights fill the courtyard.

Jun-pyo comments, “It’s nothing magical. Stuff like this is really easy — compared to tending to the Jan-di-baht.” (Literally, “maintaining the grass.”)

Since this is a reenactment of their first date (albeit upgraded), Jun-pyo buys her coffee, then leads her to the viewing deck. In a cute moment, Jun-pyo brings her to the cable car, intending on pointing out the graffiti he’d written on their first date, but Jan-di’s embarrassed and blocks his view.

She complains, “Why’d you write this, and make it impossible for me to get married?” (This means that it makes her look promiscuous and would therefore be a stain on her character.)

Jun-pyo doesn’t see the problem: “Then just marry me — who else are you thinking of marrying?” In contrast to her grimace, Jun-pyo looks at the scrawled words proudly, announcing, “Now you can’t get married.” (To anyone else.)

But now it’s time for them to get down to some serious talk. Jan-di tenses nervously when Jun-pyo’s tone turns solemn: “Let’s marry.”

Jan-di doesn’t know whether he’s joking — he isn’t — and is completely taken aback, since she just graduated from high school. Jun-pyo explains, “I have to go to America. This time it’s not because of my mother, or the company. I decided this.”

He’s decided to take his future into his own hands: “I’m going to do my best. If I can save the company, that’s good. If I can’t, I’ll shut it down with my own hands.”

Jan-di’s dismayed when he says that he’ll be back in four years at best, asking, “That long?” Jun-pyo: “So come with me.”

But that’s not the magic solution, and it’s Jan-di’s turn to grow (more) solemn. She can’t go with him: “When you went to Macau, I made a decision too, regarding my dream, my work, what I want to be. Like you, I have something I want to devote myself to, and it’s here.”

It’s not a rejection, it’s reality butting in. Jan-di says with a hint of a smile, “Go, and come back. In four years, if you come back as a really impressive man, I’ll think about it again then.”

At this, the mood lightens. Maybe it’s not an ideal solution, but the compromise will work for them. Jun-pyo asks, half-jokingly, “Do you mean that? If you lose me, you’ll really regret it.” She teases back, “Hey, if you lose me, you’re the one who’ll regret it.”

Jun-pyo has no problems admitting, “I know that if I lose you, I’ll regret it till I die.”

Once again repeating some words she’d formerly told him, Jan-di says, “Gu Jun-pyo. You may not be a complete idiot.”

And now, we’re four years later.

Jun-pyo has made significant progress as a managing director with the company, and is being interviewed on television. While it starts with his business successes, the interview segues into personal questions. Naturally, as a rich, young, handsome chaebol, Jun-pyo’s the target of a lot of crushes and romance speculation.

When asked whether there’s anybody in his life to help him through the hard times, Jun-pyo responds, “It would be a lie to say I haven’t had tough times or been lonely. But because of a promise I made with somebody, I drew upon that as support and was able to endure.”

Watching proudly are Jun-pyo’s family — Mama Kang actually shows warmth as she watches alongside her husband, showing him affection that we’d never seen from her. It looks like she’s finally showing the personality that the others have hinted at — the kinder version of herself before she’d become Shinhwa chair.

And maybe the biggest surprise in this epilogue is that Jun-hee has now taken over from her mother’s position — she’s the new Shinhwa chair.

Next up: Yi-jung, who arrives at the airport with dark shades and a swagger. (I’m sorry, Yi-jung being badass just makes me giggle.) True to his word, he heads first to Ga-eul, who is now a teacher. He watches as she leads her young students in a pottery session, then steps in.

It’s adorable how one of the little girls looks at Yi-jung and asks, “Ajusshi, did you come from abroad?” He’s surprised that she guessed right, and she follows up, “Did you come from Sweden?” Is he their teacher’s boyfriend? ‘Cause, y’see, Teacher Lady mentioned something about someone in Sweden… A little embarrassed, Ga-eul moves to shut the girl up, but Yi-jung enjoys this proof that she’s been talking about him to her kids. (SO CUTE.)

Now, for Jan-di. And, somewhat surprisingly, also Ji-hoo.

She is a student at Shinhwa University’s medical school, as is Ji-hoo. As we might expect, Jan-di’s sorta struggling along, klutzy and bumbling as ever, while Ji-hoo is doing very well and about to graduate.

Today, they’re on a sort of medical outreach trip. During a break, Jan-di sighs to Ji-hoo about her tough time, and he teases her about failing.

A sudden disturbance interrupts their conversation — a helicopter hovers above, and a familiar voice comes over the loudspeaker. Just like a prior scene when Jun-pyo crashed Jan-di’s working vacation on the fishing boat, he now announces, “Oy, commoner! Can you hear me? Geum Jan-di!”

He instructs her meet him at the beach and zooms away.

When she arrives at the beach, well, now THIS really is almost paradise! (Yes, I’ll admit it — despite making my ears bleed earlier, I was glad to hear the return of “Almost Paradise” after its extended vacation.)

Jan-di approaches with gladness, but a little disbelief to see Jun-pyo here in the flesh .

Indicating her white coat, he teases that she looks like “an ugly duckling playing at being the white egret” — another callback to a previous Jun-pyo-ism (he means swan). At that, Jan-di laughs, “It really is you.”

Pulling her to him in a hug, Jun-pyo says, “I missed you to death. I’m not letting go again.”

He reminds her that she’d agreed to marry him when he came back. Jan-di returns, “Look here, Dummy Gu Jun-pyo. If you want to get technical, I said when you came back in four years, I’d think about it.”

Jun-pyo drops down to one knee, pulls out a ring box, and makes it official: “Geum Jan-di. Marry me.”

And of course, at that moment a voice calls out:

Ji-hoo: “I have an objection to that proposal!”
Yi-jung: “I do, too!”
Woo-bin: “Me too! You two can’t agree without our approval!”

THE END (finally)

And, okay, another Song of the Day, just because:

Rumble Fish – “사랑해 마지막 그날까지” (I’ll Love You Till My Last Day). If this were a movie, this would be the point halfway through the ending credits where the main song ends and a second song starts up. [ Download ]

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I’m going to start off with the criticism, because ultimately I was happy with the ending and would prefer to end on an upbeat note. So I’ll pull a “Ga-eul” here and start with the bad:

WEAKNESSES (aka, Stuff I Just Let Slide):

(1) Madam Kang’s witchy opposition. Poof, gone now? To be fair, I don’t really think it’s a logic flaw, because after Jun-pyo recovers his memory, I take it we are to assume Mama Kang gave up her opposition. It actually does make sense — there’s nothing like contributing to your son’s near-death to give you a wake-up call. But on the other hand, we didn’t see that explicitly, which might give the impression that the Jun-di reconciliation happened too easily, when goodness knows it came anything but “easily.” Not after all those episodes of separation and angst.

(2) Dr. Ji-hoo. Uh, but what about The Music? Where did his doctorly pursuits come in? I get that this probably has as much to do with his grandfather as Jan-di, but it felt random. Like it was conjured just to prove again that Ji-hoo is Jan-di’s soulmate, only now it emphasizes that they’re platonic soulmates, since they’ve remained friends even though Jun-pyo’s been away.

This leads me to:

(3) Soulmates (not to be confused with Soeulmates). I’ve never been a big fan of the “Ji-hoo is Jan-di’s soulmate” aspect. Maybe we’re all conditioned to think that soulmates are a romantic thing, and maybe I resent how much time was overwhelmingly given to the soulmate and not the actual love interest. I think Kim Hyun-joong has improved a lot over the course of the drama, but I still don’t really feel the chemistry between Ji-hoo and Jan-di. The fact that they had SO many sweet, intimate moments throughout the series and I still never jumped ship indicates just how lacking their pairing was for me.

(Intellectually, I thought Ji-hoo was better for Jan-di, but I never felt their emotional connection on a gut level, and their interactions never got me excited or giddy or otherwise invested.)

On the other hand:

STUFF I LIKED:

(1) Callbacks, yay! I enjoyed all the revisited past moments and bits of dialogue that were injected into the finale. I’ve seen dramas do this in the past, but a lot of times they feel forced in. Boys Before Flowers surprised me by doing a good job of incorporating past lines or interactions to build the action here. It didn’t feel like a mere rehash but a natural use of these characters’ personalities.

For instance, I liked how all of Jun-pyo’s misstated sayings came back and were worked into dialogue — both in really serious scenes (the pool) and lighter, more upbeat scenes (the cable car, the beach). In some dramas, it feels like characters are suddenly altered/forced into making the ending work, but I like that this was an example of continuity done right. Done wrong, we get blatant fanservice, but done right, it’s pretty emotionally satisfying.

(2) The epilogue. The time-skip epilogue is a risky device and is sort of an easy out. Epilogues can be problematic in that they provide a “perfect” wrap-up for characters, kinda like sticking a band-aid over a more serious problem. BUT, in an over-the-top, feel-good romantic comedy like this, I’m all for it. I know there’s no such thing as a true-life Happily Ever After, but this is what I want from a giddy, lovey romance drama. The perfecter the better!

An epilogue gives us a little more time to deal with goodbyes, so we avoid the let-down feeling of a resolution that comes too quickly. I would have been sorely disappointed if we ended after the cable-car kiss — and for a few dreaded seconds, I actually thought they’d ended the drama there — but the “four years later” gave us (okay, me) that needed buffer to let myself down gradually. LOL.

(3) Soeulmates. I expressed my ambivalence about how they would wrap up, but I was pleased with their ending. I don’t think they really needed a huge finish — that would’ve taken time away from the other romance — but I like that we have hope for their future without necessarily seeing it.

The time skip works for them because they, perhaps more than Jan-di and Jun-pyo, needed to grow up and live their lives and mature some more before getting together. As much as it might have been romantic for Yi-jung to have made a big gesture at the age of 20, I wouldn’t have the hope for their future that a time skip sorta automatically takes care of.

(4) The amnesia fix. Just as I was pleasantly surprised about how the amnesia plot came about, I was pleased at how it played out.

Example: The taste thing was one part that was well tied in, because Jan-di made those foods for him in the past, and when she did, they had some significance. The first time Jun-pyo asked for those egg rollups, it was after the snowstorm. It also symbolizes something of their class differences — or rather, emphasizes the “Hey, maybe we’re not so far apart” aspect of their statuses, since Jun-pyo loves this commoner food for what it is, even though he has gourmet stuff all around. (Hey, metaphor!)

But I was glad that the taste issue alone wasn’t enough to get Jun-pyo’s memory back. Here’s where the plot diverges from Hanadan, and I was really happy with it — and frankly wished they’d diverged more often. The taste was enough to remind Jun-pyo of his newer, warm-n-fuzzy feelings, but not enough to identify all the details (like, for instance, WHO those warm-n-fuzzies were directed at).

That leads Jun-pyo to be chummy with Yumi (grrr), because he’s correlating his memory of Jan-di’s warmth (evoked by her food) with Yumi. I doubt he feels anything for Yumi specifically; it’s more like his wires got crossed so the affection he feels for Jan-di is being misdirected at Yumi.

(5) The pool. OH, the awesomeness of the pool!

Here’s why I love that Jan-di fell into the water:

(a) It proves that despite what she tells Ji-hoo, she still does have faith in Jun-pyo. At first I thought she would merely fake being in “trouble” underwater till he jumped in to save her, but she committed to her last-ditch effort so much that she was really in danger. Was it foolish? Perhaps. But it’s also evidence of how much she believed that he would come around, because even if his conscious memory can’t recall her, she believed in their other connection — that intangible, indestructible love they feel, that connection that’s so strong that forces much stronger than plain ol’ amnesia weren’t able to sever them. (Namely, Madam Kang.)

(b) I love Jan-di’s speech to Jun-pyo, because it appears that his selective amnesia (as evidenced by his belief that he can’t swim) has blocked out the past year or so. Any feelings that resemble the Newer Jun-pyo (post-Jan-di) are mostly expressed subconsciously; everything he knows and does consciously is from pre-Jan-di times. So in her speech, Jan-di speaks to the Jun-pyo who changed for/because of her. The things she tells him may not even be things he realizes concretely — they’re things he’s forgotten as well — but as she talks, he feels them resonate. He can try to deny that he knows her, but he can’t deny the truth of her insight into his character, and that scares the bejeebus out of him.

(c) And most importantly, Jan-di’s jump into the pool forces Jun-pyo’s subconscious to act. Sure, all throughout the episode, Jan-di (or F3) could have told Jun-pyo the truth of their relationship, but it would’ve done little good to merely announce, “Hey, I’m your girlfriend, you idiot!” Maybe it would have helped, but it wouldn’t have provided the jolt that would return the rest of his memory — not like a good ol’ scare to the subconscious could, anyway.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Was Boys Before Flowers a GOOD drama?

Well, no.

In all honesty, I can’t really call it good — insofar as a “good” drama requires strong acting, masterful directing, tight storytelling, and overall high quality. And it can’t just have one of those elements, but most or all of them, expressed in skillful balance.

On the other hand, it depends on how you define the word “good” for yourself. “Good” might not mean “artistic” to you; it might not mean “eloquent” or “insightful.” Good might mean entertaining, or emotionally provocative. Excitement-inducing. Enjoyable to watch and rewatch and participate in fan culture. And in those measures, I’d say BBF delivered.

Because sure, an Academy Award-winning film deserves its praise, but to be frank, they’re not always entertaining. Or they may be beautiful and meaningful, but not move the heart.

Boys Before Flowers was kind of a glorious mess — the acting was sometimes very good, sometimes horribly bad. The music was decent, but applied carelessly in messy spurts like a five-year-old who’s sneaked her way into mommy’s makeup stash for the first time. The writing had its moments, but more often than not was poorly paced, and as we know you can’t build an entire drama upon random nice moments.

But it also had its weird brand of narcotic magic. If you stuck around till the end, you know what I’m talkin’ about. If you didn’t, well, you may still know what I’m talking about, even if you were never under the influence. A film snob may sniff at “the masses” — and I’ve been that person too — but so what? Let the snob enjoy his lofty solitude while we masses can commune with each other and laugh and cry together.

I was actually reading a book somewhere around the middle of BBF’s run, and a paragraph leapt off the page and just about smacked me in the face with its aptness. And who can argue with the words of the (late, great) awesome David Foster Wallace?

“At root, vulgar just means popular on a mass scale. It is the semantic opposite of pretentious or snobby. It is humility with a comb-over. It is Nielsen ratings and Barnum’s axiom and the real bottom line. It is big, big business.”

Truer words, y’all.

Okay, okay, I’m done! Finally!

I’ve had SO MUCH FUN, you guys! I think the drama has reached its time to go, so I’m not sad that the series is over, but I will miss the insanity of this drama. All the discussion, the fangirling (myself included), the plot dissection, future predictions, kvetching about story insanity, snarking about ridiculosity, and yes, even bitching about everything that drove us crazy.

Honestly, I haven’t been this entertained following a drama in a while. True, in a vacuum, this product itself is far from perfect — but thankfully, I don’t consume my entertainment in a vacuum, but out here in the wilds of the internet as part of an enthusiastic community.

THANKS FOR ALL THE FUN TIMES!

629

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301 MQ

April 1, 2009 at 7:10 PM

Argh.. i can't believe that it's over!! haha.. Im glad tt KHJ's acting improved in the end! Hope I can see him again acting in some other drama.. I hope Korea will follow suit in doing an adaptation for shows like Hana Kimi or It started With a Kiss... hahahaha... All these will be a nice change for the korean romance drama scene, where its always about contracts with an exception of a handful. I've always liked manga's storylines!! they are like fantasies for any girl!! hahaha... Hope I'll get swept away by such a craze again!! In e end, I love all 3 versions of Hana Yori.. and am glad that each has its own flavour... sigh.. Love loves... Thanks Javabeans!!

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302 j3ssicas

April 1, 2009 at 7:12 PM

i completely agree with everything you said about the ending and about it being a "good" drama. It was a fun drama to watch but as for artistically good, not really. acting was pretty good but plat fluidity, not really. Because I never watched the Japanese or Taiwanese version, I didn't know what some parts were about when they would suddenly change scenes which happened in some episodes. I think the director could have thought about those who didn't know about the plot, although I know most people have watch either the Japanese or the Taiwanese one.
Overall though, I thought it was pretty good. and boys are HOT!!<33 kim bum<333

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303 jinjoo

April 1, 2009 at 7:21 PM

It's so sad to see this BBF series ended! I'll surely miss watching these cute/handsome F4 Korean version guys! Thnx a bunch javabeans for your excellent recaps that you've shared with all of us. Reading your recaps sometimes made me feel I've watched that particular episode already -- really great! As for the overall BBF series, it was really entertaining although sometimes a lot of us may have noticed some flaws here & there but it's just one of Kdramas that I wouldn't get tired watching! I can't wait for the DVD to come out ! Bogoshiposo BBF guys! Hope to see each one of you doing another project!

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304 Mo108

April 1, 2009 at 7:30 PM

Thank you, Javabeans. Watching BBF wouldn't have been anywhere near as enjoyable without your invaluable contribution--the episode recaps, comments, news bytes, everything... and the wit, oh, THE WIT! Really, THANK YOU! I've said it before and I'll say it again; when the DVD of the series comes out, it HAS to have a Javabeans commentary option in the extra features. Just to, y' know, keep it real :)

This whole experience--following each episode obsessively, the insane fan discussions and ebates, mad fan culture--it's really been something... a big learning experience. BBF is the first k-drama I've followed beggining-to-end, and i've learnt heaps about Korean dramas and pop culture in general... not to mention a phew choice words and phrases (bless you fan-subbing!). I really am going to miss this whole BBF vaccuum...

Though I wonder what this site will bring up next... I'm definitely going to stick around and see if I can get an addictive fix from the next-big-(k-drama) thing...

Guess you could call me a k-drama convert, now. BBF really became my guilty pleasure, which only my Korean friend knew about, and I even made her promise not to let on to anyone that I'm following it and seriously compromise my 'macho coolness' (pffft... bah!... snicker... :P) I don't care anymore: "yes, I watched a girly, trashy, romantic k-drama. Yes, I enjoyed it. Got a problem with that, man?" :P

Thanks again, Javabeans, and all you fellow mad BBF addicts :)

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305 Mo108

April 1, 2009 at 7:40 PM

I really liked this episode, and was rather impressed with how well they managed to wrap things up. I was actually surprised that, even though I've always been a dedicated Ji-hoo shipper (probably due to my total absence of knowledge about k-drama formulas, trends, characteristics) I almost immediately warmed to Jun-di this episode (after like 24 eps. of "meh... I just don't see why..."), and was really happy with the way things turned out for them. The pool scene, I think, was (along with the bridge scene in Macao) one of the best, if not the highpoint, of the series. Superb.

Ah, Ji-hoo... poor, poor Ji-hoo. You didn't get the girl you loved... You still love her, don't you? Yeah, I know, man... but that's life... But at least you're not "sad Ji-hoo" anymore...

I'm happy with Ji-hoo and Jandi as soulmates. It makes total sense. Of course, there is no place for sense, rationality, and reason in love--they're all overridden by chemistry, impulse, inexplicable gut instinct. And that JH and JD did not have, at least on screen. The idea of the couple felt more right than the actual reality of the couple. So, I totally agree with what you said, Javabeans, that all their closeness and friendship, all the really sweet, intimate moments between them, meant that a romantic connection between them would make more sense, that it's right on an intellectual level, but not ona gut level.

As for Mama Kang's sudden, mystical conversion into a warm, compassionate human being? Hey, if it can happen in Bible stories, why not on a k-drama? She actually does have a nice smile...

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306 reluctantbutaddicted

April 1, 2009 at 7:43 PM

First, thank you, for wonderful, satisfying, critical recaps and commentary. I started reading your recaps in the "2nd Season" of BBF, and I have to say, without them, I would not have been able to get through that agonizingly overlong fiance narrative arc. This is the first time I've ever watched a Korean drama in 'real time' and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your comments and the responses from the many, many other English language viewers/recap-readers following your blog.

I agree completely, this was a "glorious mess". i would even go so far as to call it an "epic mess". So much potential, so much wasted. But addictive and enjoyable nonetheless.

A few comments (and apologies to those who don't want comparisons, but sorry, this was not an original script but already a well-loved story deserving of respect in its own right):

1. It's really a shame that BBF didn't live up to its potential (a few truly impressive actors--mainly Lee Minho and ?Evil Mama Kang--and clearly a really generous budget) and surpass HYD, but in many instances I felt the writer/s didn't really 'get' the characters. Jandi was no Makino. I have to ask why. Is it really lack of understanding? or some sense that Jandi as portrayed in BBF was more believably Korean than Makino in HYD would have been? Even if so, why go for believable when this is clearly fantasy? Given how well developed and clearly developed Makino’s character is in the original manga, I felt that somehow the writer/s just simply didn’t like her and weren’t willing to give her the respect she deserved and the strength she owned. And frankly, Gu Jun Pyo was no Domyouji. Someone commented the other day that BBF lacked HYD’s joyfulness and energy (or words to that effect). Precisely. Lee Minho is a wonderful actor and could easily have matched the Domyouji guy, but was given little of his charm, boyishness, and unwavering (apart from HYD’s short NYC/fiance interlude) devotion to Makino. Lee Minho’s success in the part came more from what he added than what he was given—the depth he brought to simple interactions, the angst he conveyed (non-verbally) in his conflict between sacrifice and personal fulfillment.

2. The ending was both better and flatter than I'd expected. I liked the pool scene much more for your analysis, dramabeans. First go, I was swayed by Jandi's dialogue but not by the drowning tactic and certainly not by the way everyone else just agreed to let her drown until JP woke up. The final finish needed much more oomph than it got, and much more explicit admission from both JP and JD about their feelings for each other. JP got some way, but where Domyouji was heart-wrenching honest, JP was just okay. Jandi needed some help which she didn't get from the writers (all the way through the series, and most especially after the 'first' part).

3. The few places where BBF successfully deviated—the pool scene and retrospectively the whole (otherwise incomprehensible) swimming narrative; the ‘happy’ ending for Ga-Eul and Ee-Jung (? Spelling?); the unrelenting viciousness of Mama Kang; … made me wonder why it failed so miserably in so many other really quite basic ways:
-the wan and vapid Jandi (so many times I was tempted to smack her right through my laptop screen) (and why, in this last episode, when she can’t hear what Jun Pyo is saying so very intently to her, doesn’t she JUST DAMN WELL ASK HIM TO REPEAT HIMSELF???? Why didn’t she ask him the first time it happened?);
-the overplaying of the Jandi-Jihoo relationship;
-the overplaying of the Jun Pyo-fiance storyline;
-the unused coma-Daddy-Gu (whom I assumed was taking the place of the computer genius inventor who saves the company in the J’ese TV version, thanks to Makino stopping him from committing suicide, but in the BBF end came to nothing);
-and the waste of Domyouji’s conviction, which Jun Pyo rarely demonstrated— Domyouji was willing to renounce the arranged marriage unilaterally and Domyouji was willing, repeatedly, to give up his family and his fortune for Makino, and he did so before coming to see her in the fishing village (and getting amnesia)-- and Domyouji’s patience in waiting for a definitive answer from Makino despite repeatedly and unmistakeably declaring himself. In the end, I appreciated Domyouji so much more than Gu Jun Pyo, in spite of the fact that I think overall Lee Minho is a better actor. They both grew, which is the joy of the episode drama format over the film format (16-20+ hours vs 1.5), but Domyouji, looks or no looks, corrected teeth vs corrected nose, ended up much the better, more expressive, man. And they included the poignant "Have you ever thought of me as just a man" line, but left out one of the loveliest, most romantic dialogue interactions in HYD (TV and manga) over the question Makino poses to Domyouji: “What is your dream?”. Where was that in BBF?

Oh, I’ve spent much way too much time thinking about this.

Things I've learned about Korean culture/society from BBF:

1. No one knows how to do mouth-to-mouth.
2. There's little awareness of the dangers of spinal cord injury (someone pointed this out a couple of days ago and I meant to comment I'd thought exactly the same thing, even without any medical training!)
3. Koreans have very acute hearing. They can converse on their mobile phones right through their motorcycle helmets (dramabeans, I wish I'd been drinking with you while watching this).
4. Koreans take a lot of naps. Anywhere, anytime. Most of the time it was Jihoo demonstrating this characteristic, but in the last episode I was impressed that in the time it took Jandi to descend and go charging back up one short flight of stairs (dragged by Jihoo), Jun Pyo and Yumi went from animated conversation to sleep deep enough they didn’t hear Jihoo and Jandi barge in.

Random question:

When Jandi sees on TV a drama showing exactly the scene she had played out with Jihoo at the airport, urging him to go after (I can’t remember her name) to Paris, what was that supposed to be? How was that supposed to have come about? She wrote a screenplay in her spare time?

OK, I should have stopped with this commentary a long time ago. All this to say, thanks for providing such great analysis of the episodes and for encouraging others to do so too. I’ve really enjoyed this experience.

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307 Mo108

April 1, 2009 at 7:43 PM

Now, time to watch HYD, before the serious drug withdrawel starts kicking in...

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308 ella

April 1, 2009 at 7:55 PM

OMG. so cute.

you're right--the show was a "glorious mess" and drove so many people crazy, but it was pretty epic. hahaha.

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309 In

April 1, 2009 at 8:08 PM

Mucho thanks for th recap and reviews. I love reading them. Hehe. Im gonna miss th insanity of this drama too. Finally, th fangirl inside of me can rest.

PS; I was kinda disappointed when th costume director decides to recycle some outfits in th last episode. If you notice, th white and black stripes top Jun Pyo wore with black cardigan in the scene where he and Yumi was in his room, ahhh, tt top, he wore tt before in th ep where he gave Jan Di th necklace! Sigh! But all in all, I guess th costume director did a great job, except th part where he decided tt Marc Jacobs bag was appropriate for Jan Di. Tsk!

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310

April 1, 2009 at 8:09 PM

BBF was really something,

no matter what
it seems that Even those critical of the drama, watched it till the end.
thank a lot~
I can’t wait for the DVD to come out

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311 Jane

April 1, 2009 at 8:19 PM

Thanks for the recaps which I preferred to read over actually watching the drama which I gave an honest try, but couldn't take without your insightful filter. XD

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312 christine

April 1, 2009 at 8:32 PM

javabeans thanks for your wonderful recaps on this drama though as you said it's not a "good" drama as i loved coffee prince (hiding for the possible things thrown my way by the angry mob of bbf fans ^__^v) but hey you also said it depends on how one defines "good" right?!

though this drama didn't give me the feelings i felt while watching coffee prince. ooohhh.. the perfect music, great/convincing acting by the actors esp. gong yoo and the awesome directing by the pd (i think that's what they call the director in korea)...

yeah it had some flaws, bad acting/directing and annoying music sometimes but bbf still gave me the feeling of a giddy fangirl. so in all, i want to say is i liked it despite all its flaws.

so here's a toast for javabeans for her wonderful/ insightful recaps(handsdown to you javabeans m^__^m) that keeps us coming back and refreshing like crazy... (certified javabeans/dramabeans junkie here!!!^__^)

another toast for bbf despite its imperfections it keep our week (well, for me) entertaining which a good drama should do to its audience...

and lastly...
toast for us the fans... for all our crazy antics, comments, etc..

toast everyone!!!!! till next time!!!!

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313 someone

April 1, 2009 at 8:33 PM

reluctantbutaddicted--- i completely agree with you and couldn't have said it any better!

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314 @312

April 1, 2009 at 8:38 PM

toast for us the fans… for all our crazy antics, comments, etc..

toast everyone!!!!! till next time!!!!

yeah~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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315 SKY

April 1, 2009 at 8:44 PM

@90
this feels like when i finished the last harry potter book. so. sad.

ME TOO.
I’m so sad that it’s over
because IT has been my entertainment for the past three months
Thanks for the fun times BBF AND JAVABEANS

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316 jun pyo's fan

April 1, 2009 at 9:32 PM

hi.. thanks a lot for the update all this time.. I really like reading your review.. :p
I'm sure gonna miss jun pyo and jan di.. also ji hoo.. but i'm glad that jun pyo and jan di end up being together forever and ever.. ^__^v

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317 bbm

April 1, 2009 at 9:45 PM

finally it's over...
thank you soo much javabeans for the prompt recap of all episodes...
i won't comment on the finale coz i haven't watched it yet...
it's like you said, i'm not sad because the drama had to end, but because i won't get to see Lee Min Ho any time soon (or maybe he already had future projects ahead, please come!!)... it's my fangirling that's going to end, sniff sniff...
well, see you next time folks...

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318 AshleyL

April 1, 2009 at 10:03 PM

I read the translation for the song "One More Time" which was in BBF and can see how fitting the song was for Jandi and JunPyo.

"I will love all of you and only you, forever."

I will miss JunPyo's intense looks, his longing stares he gave JanDi, his yelling which for some reason made him more hot, and his sweet love he had for JD which sometimes came out in clumsy ways.

... Ahh, the beach/proposal scene -- if only JanDi had given him a stroke on his cheek, a hug, or even a happy "Yes!" it would have made my day...

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319 happy

April 1, 2009 at 10:06 PM

i watched the show before reading this.. i didnt know Junhee took over president's kang position! haha!

i like how the ended the show... showing all the characters what they are doing. except i was wondering.. why wasnt there a family reunion scene for JD & her whole family? it'll be better if JD's dad was back from his fishing boat thing & had a job which he could stay with the family..

& also, (although i understand they probably wanna keep things short & simple), Yumi going overseas with JP was a total 'huh?' moment for me. why didnt more people tell him about JD?? wheres junhee?

Also, i thought they will show a scene where JP mom shows that she sccepts JD. Plus i thought JP dad would say that during his coma, he could hear JD & knew she was around.. i mean, if not why did they have JD take care of him when he was in a coma right? whats the point of those scenes?

Anyway, anyone noticed the same blanket kept appearing? the one with squares which JP dad was using.. it was also used in 2/3 other scenes of JP/JD right?

Just sharing some questions i thought of while watching the show.. :)

thanks for the recaps! i'm glad i found this website.

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320 Liza Yusof

April 1, 2009 at 10:34 PM

Thanks for all the recaps though it sort like a spoiler for me coz in Malaysia, we are now at Episode 15 and becoz of your recaps, it make me impatient to wait to get hold of the DVD soon....

Love and agreed with most of your comments and also for the songs...

KAM SA MIDA

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321 Liza Yusof

April 1, 2009 at 10:43 PM

in addition will miss all the characters and my Monday and Tuesday nite will be so dull n boring once BFF or BOF ends....

BTW i loved the actor who played Ji-hoo (forgot his name) hehehehe...does he have an official fan website whereby i could correspond with him...JJ - Ji-hoo n Jandi forever...but i love Lee Minho too (junpyo)....i loved all of them!!!!!!

Im such a romantic at heart...that's why i absolutely loved with this kind of story no matter what....

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322 stranger

April 1, 2009 at 11:11 PM

Thanks for all the awesome recaps....I may have not agreed with all your comments but they were still very amusing and insightful perspectives. I had almost as much fun reading your recaps as I did watching the actual drama. HOORAY it's over!

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323 Pammy

April 1, 2009 at 11:17 PM

Really sorry but I'm gonna rant. Thanks for the space and such great recap review as usual. So happy you said this is not a good drama. All along i thought you thought it was.
- - - -
OK. Damn pissed off. This drama was a freaking waste of my time and a waste of people and a possible excellent story.

What the hell the quality of this drama is SO BAD. It's TOO BS and TOO unrealistic to a point it pisses me off. Talk about overrated, damn EOE was SO MUCH better no matter how overrated and bad it was. at least it teaches morals. I need things to make sense like it's Forensic science and in this storyline, BS just happens EVERY minute. I know kdrama will NEVER ever make sense but this is BS even for a kdrama. It's like a torture watching it. At first I was kept excited by the pretty people and the hype by audience like all of us but there is just NO substance to sustain me. After a while, after a few many episodes of keeping the faith, i was like, "er.... this is BS."

This drama is SO SHALLOW, superficial, serves as eyecandy as if for shallow audience. I don't know how it pleases people and satisfy them but it pisses me the hell off I dont even have patience to type proper english now. I'm so pissed off that all the hype is about a stupid drama like this. Why are people crazy for this stupid show??? I also got into the hype along with the flow of others but by the 10th episode at the latest, people should realize what a BS drama this is.

Plus, it's TOO RUSHED. It doesn't build the feelings or audience up properly. And when I thought it did, it crumbles with nothing. I also think everything is too fake as if things really happened in 3 months. Can they make it not so obvious that the entire drama was filmed in a matter of weeks? Everything is same. Even though they went macau and that beautiful island, the places are so boring, so same. Even after 4 years, jihoo still blonde and same jaejoong hairstyle just with glasses? please.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, the LOVE relationships in this drama is the MOST pissing-me-off item. SO unsatifying. Even after being dragged for so many shiiitty episodes, the reunion or love was sooooo unsatisfying. You are waiting for the height ... wait wait. wait. and damn, none. SUCH A TURN OFF. you suppose to reward the audience after BS-ing much. IDK it's because Jandi and Joonpyo were not so... great? They're just BLAH. It's not like I feel i will die if they don't end up together. A good lead couple is supposed to make us slave followers. Even in other lousy dramas, at least I will defend the lead couple in my heart with such a fire and passion. but joonpyo is so dispensible to me.

which leads me to jihoo. I so feel that Jihoo is so much better suited for JAndi. In NO REALISTIC sense, would a girl choose joonpyo over jihoo. At least not me. the freaking joonpyo is a COWARD, hurting jandi SO many times in such a jerk way. He could have salvaged it like a man MANY times MANY ways like I would expect my man to do but he failure. While jihoo NEVER fails. in fact, he always prevailed. i thought you're supposed to choose a good man? Plus, this drama just naturally builds up the relationship and atmosphere for jihoo x jandi BUT it's soooooo apparent to me that they were just forced to separate because of the original storyline. I'm such an original supporter of the real domyouji and tsukasa or daomingsi and shancai. But this korean version just make it IMPOSSIBLE... to not NOT support jihoo x jandi. it's so obvious and they are so meant to be but just because they're not supposed to be, they were not.

like, wth??? ok fine.

TOO bs. period. The whole drama. it's like you aroused to death but cannot come. it's like blue balls. that's so crude but best describes.

thanks javabeans or i learned your name is sarah. many thanks.

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324 Mo108

April 1, 2009 at 11:55 PM

@ #208 - StarryNight:

YES!!! I agree a thousand times with you about Ji-hoo and Jan-di. Damn my romantic side, but it's true... all those moments, all the dynamics of their relationship, their deep friendship, their understanding and compassion and caring for one another so much, all the little day-to-day details... THAT is what makes true love... those characters, in my imagination and not in the BBF world, should be together... and it just wouldn't be a true romantic story without a little bit of tragedy, sadness, and letting go... In a perfect world and an ideal reality, I'd liek to think they would be together... and in my mind and heart-of-hearts, they are :)

I had a feeling... right from the New Caledonia episode and the fortune teller's prediction, that Ji-hoo will not be Jan-di's husband, but her soulmate - the one soul in the world destined to walk by her side in life, but couldn't be with in any 'official' way... why kill true love and romance with marriage, right? hehe... The BIG ONE, the REL DEAL, when it hits, when the reality of what such a love means to each of their lives and how it will affect the people in them... it's often scary, frightening, and more often than not, impossible to make happen 'out there' in their real lives. Privately, we know Ji-hoo will always have romantic feelings for Jan-di, even if she can't return that aspect of his love. But see, this is why I like Ji-hoo: where he could've easily just totally screwed Jun-yo, and been really nasty and calculating and done everything possible to keep Jan-di for himself, he remained Jun-pyo's best friend all the way and in every way--acting like a best friend should: "You're in love with your best friend's girl? Deal with it, man. It's your best friend, after all." i can't help but wonder, if this situation began while they were all in their mid twenties, and more mature, more worldly, would the romantic relationships have worked out differently and JH and JD be together? Possibly, but then again...

Oh gawd, listen to me... Damn you BBF for bringing out my idealistic, romantic side!!! Okay. This post never happened... shhh... teehee...

JH x JD: TRUE LOVE SOULMATES FOREVER!!!

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325 gailt

April 2, 2009 at 12:08 AM

thank you for all the fun times, indeed. i've always enjoyed epilogues (though time-jump ones are hit and miss). this one hit the spot. although, the "TV interview" section and the light show reminded me so much of Kimutaku's "Pride" (which I love to death). i dunno, it kinda took something away from my enjoyment. but "the awesomeness of the pool" made me forget about all the other dramas i've seen. that entire scene sets this korean version apart. *sigh* the thrill of the Hanadan.

thank you for the wonderfully wordy recaps, Javabeans. I loved them!

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326 Mo108

April 2, 2009 at 12:15 AM

@ #323 - Pammy:

"this drama just naturally builds up the relationship and atmosphere for jihoo x jandi BUT it’s soooooo apparent to me that they were just forced to separate because of the original storyline. "

YES! You siad it perfectly!

I'm kinda glad in a way that I'm a Ji-hoo shipper, then. The drama was more of a roller-coaster ride, with twists and turns and will-they-won't-they, and allll those moments between them just totally pointing to their destined romance... rather than the the JP and JD arc reaaally dragging. I really didn't feel anything for that couple until the last episode, because, well, it was the last episode and it was more a sense of relief rather than joy at their reunion.

Ufff, the angst and tension of it all--giving us JH x JD fans more and more last lingering rays of hope right to the very end! When JD threw the necklace into the pool, I immediately connected it to the Ji-hoo moment with the ring-necklance and thought "HA! YES! Now go to Ji-hoo! Go to him!!! Get the ring back! GO!!!" but like two seconds later, they show it at the bottom of the pool and I knew she or JP would get it back and they'd be together. Dammit! Grrr... Then, while JH and JD are there, four years later, talking about their futures... just when Ji-hoo started to say that Grandpa Yoon wasn't the only reason he chose to study medicine... and I thought, "here it comes, he's FINALLY gonna tell her how he feels about her, after all those other interruptions and just bad timing, FINALLY! WOO-HOO!". One second later, Jun-pyo in a helicopter with another grand gesture! GODDAMMIT! Interrupted AGAIN! How could there be hints and signs and moments and just plain SENSE that JH x JD makes perfect sense with like ten minutes of the series left?!!! ARGH!

Ok, stopping now. I need a drink and a smoke... :)

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327 Denn Reed

April 2, 2009 at 12:20 AM

I agree with your comment that the third version is not GOOD but it is NICE. I like how they started this version but because this based on something very popularly watched here in Asia. It will definitely be compared with the 1st two versions.

Just like what I said before I wish that a sequel will be made to develop Ji-hoo's part of the story and even Woo-Bin's. Since Yi-jung and Jun-pyo's stories have their proper ending, the other half of the F4 should be given one too. Hello, creator.... are you listening?

Or maybe, Ji-hoo will forever be a mystery for the fans of Hana Yori Dango, because we may become disappointed with the fact that the girl he (the author) may create (in our eyes) may not be good enough for him.

I like the Korean F4, Jan di is okay. Ga-eul is refreshing. So much loop holes which could have been wrapped up but were not. BUT still love it. I'm sorry, I'm a FAN. Thanks for the recaps.

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328 Nuur

April 2, 2009 at 1:11 AM

# what happened to grandpa? n who's at the clinic?

# jun pyo just accepted jandi after regaining his memory? n jandi just threw away her previous desicion to leave forever? as just she's absolutely sure mama kang had stopped opposing to them

# why must woo bin carry a bag at the ending? is he running away fom home or what? LOL

# but jandi didn't say yes did she?

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329 bbfaddeeeekk

April 2, 2009 at 1:14 AM

the pool scene was A---mazing!!

it wraps up everything i love about this show!! gaadd.. i ultimately love the fact that all my misconceptions in terms of the story was proven to be a killer in the end..

i really hate the fact on the first few epi that jun pyo doesn't know how to swim.. i mean that was lame.. jun pyo should be invincible!!

but the way they put the swimming thing to the essence on the pool scene really really was an amazing thing that BOF has done.. gaad again it made me cry..

but the ending.. naaahh nothing fancy.. but it was adequate..

and i agree with you that jihoo being a doctor was lame.. i mean come on!! stick with what you do best right??

gaeul and yi jeung's story was amazing because it doesn't conclude that they will have a relationship at the end (most dramas do for the sake of a "happy ending") but they did offer some promise.. and something that will leave us fans thinking.. at least we could let our imaginations roll that is..

ahh its done.. yeah.. it will be a very very long withdrawal.. but yeah!! I can still watch it at KBS world and ABSCBN.. by the way i am a Filipino.. and get ready beacuse Filipino fans will definitely rock BOF!! woohooo..

its been a nice journey with you guys.. :)

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330 Jessica

April 2, 2009 at 1:36 AM

329 (now 330) comments?! Wow! Is that a record? The last time there was this many it was for Coffee Prince.

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331 Dee

April 2, 2009 at 1:57 AM

Hi, you're now in my favorites list...thank you so much for your recaps, you're so objective and take us to see from other sides as well not only the fun sides. Dramabeans...fighting!!!

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332 Jess

April 2, 2009 at 2:01 AM

Hey there! Thanks a million for your recaps! I have always looked forward to them every Monday and Tuesday. We don't have it in Singapore and I think It'll take ages before the DVD comes out. All I have are your recaps because the Videos on Youtube are either poorly subbed or takes a long time before it gets subbed. So YUP, once again, Kudoes to you! I will miss BOF but your daily updates will certainly satiate my thirst for Kdramas! Keep up the excellent job! =)

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333 Eva Abe Nelmida

April 2, 2009 at 3:58 AM

thanks! looking 4ward to new drama recaps...

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334 Asmaa

April 2, 2009 at 5:54 AM

WAIT

I just noticed something!

Jandi is wearing sandals before throwing herself in the water, and right before she is about to fall there are no shoes on her feet. Same when Jun Pyo takes her out from the water.. doh >_<

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335 sleeplessinwgtn

April 2, 2009 at 5:57 AM

AMEN is all I can say to your post-recap comments.

I love the journey that F4 and GJD have taken. There are flaws, and which drama does not, but it is addicting and entertaining and stirs up one's emotions and makes one remember the giddiness of young love. Oh, to be young and to love...

A million thanks to your comprehensive and insightful recaps. You clarified some of the confusing sub-titles on the video uploads.

More power to you and looking forward to your future Kdrama recaps.

Cheers!

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336 Vivianna

April 2, 2009 at 6:31 AM

To: 334 Asmaa
I saw her wearing a pair of green satin high heels while backing her way to the edge of the pool. Of course, this is one of the flaws in the production.

Javabeans: You are so influential. I have been your daily visitor since the Coffee Prince era. It is my habit to click your site after checking my email every day.
Thanks for your commentaries. Without your recaps, I would not have interest in watching those dramas. Please, keep up with your good work.
I guess my next drama will be "the Return of Iljimae." I did not continue with this drama after the first episode. But reading your recap, I think I will give it a second look.

BBF is by and large the most entertaining show, on screen and off screen. It is rude to say that. But what other shows would give you so much parodies, so much car accidents off screen, one suicidal scandal and award winning half way through the show. One comment writer said it is the 9th adaptation of the original manga. Still the Kdrama gurus could pull things together to arouse new interest from the audience. What a great effort.

Of course, it is full of flaws and irresponsible job-handling from the PD and scriptwriters. But who cares. It has enriched my life for the past three months with all the "glorious mess". However, I would not go out to buy its DVD.
I have a good collection of "Goong" drama, so why bother to get another one which uses the same string background music as Goong ( as in the second season ). I don't like the noise generated from "Almost Paradise". But I am more than delighted to hear it again for the ending. When I hear that music, my mind is conditioned to address it as BBF.

I will miss all the beautiful faces in the drama, and of course Madame Kang for her impression image. She is the best evil mother amongst all the adaptations.

I like the pool scene and the lines that JanDi delivered to recall JP's memory. It proves that the scriptwriter has good writing capability, if he/she permitted to do so. For the past episodes, we saw all the lovely moments of JiHoo and JanDi. We even debated if we should jump to the JD / JH ship instead. There is nothing done to convince us that JD does have love bondage to JP.
How powerful can words be when she brought up all the "flash back" moments and saying between she and JP . All of a sudden, we audience realize that, YES, she really really knows him well and we have been the witness of all that happened. This love chemistry has never been established between JH and JD.

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337 dee

April 2, 2009 at 6:41 AM

Best recaps as always.Thanks for your hardwork

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338 Peeps

April 2, 2009 at 8:30 AM

Hey... someone said that there's gonna be a second BBF...
http://boys-before-flowers.blogspot.com/2009/04/boys-over-flowers-season-2-on-february_02.html

Before my heart breaks into a thousand pieces, I'm here to ask you, javabeans, to please, PLEASE check it up for me. I trust no one except you...

Girls, stop screaming!

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339 Javabeans

April 2, 2009 at 8:37 AM

Peeps (338), I call bullshit.

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340 Peeps

April 2, 2009 at 8:39 AM

ok!! i thought so too. it was a cruel april fool's joke.

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341 StarryNight

April 2, 2009 at 8:55 AM

#324 Mo108
Yes, the script writers have crafted JH's character well - he could have been selfish yet he was not - and that makes his feelings for JD all the more special and points to the strength of JH&JP's friendship. He was always there to keep JD's faith in JP, urging her not to give up and doing all he can to bring them together.

But just as he didn't allow JD to become a mermaid, he wouldn't too. That's why the ending for JH feels appropriate, him becoming a doc, with a purpose in life. As to hinting at his other reason for going to med school, it ties in well. Throughout the show, the audience is left without doubt how much JD means to him, so he will always be devoted to JD even if she can't return his feelings.

JH will remain JD's bonus from heaven...a decent enough ending for the honorable firefighter.

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342

April 2, 2009 at 9:19 AM

i loved the last episode I totally loved the pool scene
i had fun so thank you
it was a drama worth watching.
sigh ; ;

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343 Aster

April 2, 2009 at 10:26 AM

Once again, thank you for your very accurate review of this consistently flawed yet entertaining drama. I did enjoy it but I can't say I will miss the since I really didn't feel Jandi's love, or the intensity of her love for GYP. You were right about her not deserving him. I would have wanted her to be more excited, thrilled, passionate and displaying some PDA when they met for the first time after 4 years. GYP made a dramatic return via helicopter and she couldn't even give him a spontaneous embrace - wasn't she happy to see him, at last?

In real life, a one-way relationship like that is bound to go kaput in a few years, or maybe months.

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344 cingdoc

April 2, 2009 at 10:37 AM

It's been a pleasure to follow another Kdrama from Javabean. I have been addicted to Javabean since Coffee Prince. Another great job from you. I thought the ending of BOF was ok; very idealistic, very Kdrama. Like other readers, I noticed that Jandi never gave Jun Pyo an answer, and poor Ji Hoo, why are you still yearning for Jandi( "Grandpa is not the only reason ...went to med school...will repeat med school...to keep you (Jandi) company). Ji hoo, you are tooo romantic; I think Jandi will also treasure you, but I think she loves GJP. Thank you Javabean for all your great work...til another good Kdrama.

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345 Two Cents

April 2, 2009 at 11:26 AM

Re Peeps @338-

I think that is probably just rumor at this point, but I really, really, really got the sense from episode 25 that they set things up in a way to make it ripe for a follow-up sequel. I would not be surprised if they decide to do a Kkotboda Namja movie just like they did with Hanadan. It just seems to be set up that way because they left so many things unexplained and hanging. Netizens out there, it would not surprise me at all if we either get an official announcement of a BBF movie or at least follow-up special at some point. And no one would be the happier but me.

I do have to say though, that I am so very much relieved this thing is finally over. Hopefully now my life can go back to being functional again. Talk about BBF additiction.

Thank you Javabeans for your great recaps. I particularly liked your insights into the last episode and the quote- so true. And thank you to the Netizens and commenters- BBF has been that much more special and fun sharing it with you all. And it has given me much comfort to know that I am not the only BBF obsessed fan whose life has been disrupted by this crazy but utterly enjoyable drama. BBF will be a hard act to follow in terms of the addiction factor.

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346 yvree

April 2, 2009 at 11:32 AM

THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH Javabeans~ I will surely miss the craziness, love and chemistry between J♥J♥J♥J :D:D:D Your efforts for doing these recaps are just priceless and thanking you wouldn't be enough...

Fighting java java javabeans!ÜÜ

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347 Becca

April 2, 2009 at 11:37 AM

Thank You!!!! Dramabeans, you are the depiction of sheer awsomeness! Thanks!!!!

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348 Syb

April 2, 2009 at 11:56 AM

oooohhh the end!!! I agree that this wasn't a good drama, but was entertaining. cute guys, all the luxury displayed and beautifull scenaries...It was pretty ejoyable.

kind of broke my heart Ji-hoo when he said he was in school med not because of his grandfather...letting us know that obviously he was there because if Jan-di...soooo sweet and sad at the same time.

I found absolutely stupid the fact that Jun-pyo and Jan-di didn't see each other during all those years...I mean, wasn't he multimillionaire? didn't them have time to see them not even during holidays? that was stupid....makes NO SENSE AT ALL!!!

I TOTALLY LOVED when Yi-jung showed up to see Ga-eul!

The pool scene? THE BEST OF THE WHOLE DRAMA!!!! loved how she talked to him and when she let her drop to the water...WOW it was beautifull! when he remembered all...love it!

I'd like to thank you for your great recaps...they make me laugh a lot! lets see what we see next! I'll be reading you! bye :)