It feels nostalgic talking about Boys Over Flowers. It is a rom-com drama South Korean television series of 2009. Boys Over Flowers aired on KBS2 and is also available on Netflix. Yoon Ji Ryun wrote the series under the direction of Jeon Ki Sang. The series has 25 entertaining and watchable episodes.
Each episode covered the topic of school bullying, a love triangle, and how poor children were treated by their evil parents. The first one was released on the 5th of January, and the last episode was on the 31st of March 2009.
The story of Boys Over Flowers deals with a poor-family girl who accidentally came in contact with a group of affluent young men, popularly known as Flower 4 or F4, who owned the Shinhwa High School. And it showed how this encounter would bring an intense change in their lives. Sometimes few episodes would frustrate but then make you realize the reality of the society we’re living in.
Characters of Boys Over Flowers
Every character in the series has diverse personality traits and own different unspoken stories. And after every episode, you will end up waiting for what’s coming next. Their character arcs are the grounds to look forward to the series. Some characters are likable, and some are kind of bearable.
Gu Jun Pyo
Lee Min Ho played the role of Gu Jun Pyo. A narcissistic, alluring, wealthy leader of the F4 group and also happened to be the inheritor of one of South Korea’s largest conglomerate firms, Shinhwa Group. He considered money as everything and thought he had power over anything. Jun Pyo was a fiery and stubborn person, but deep down, he was all lonely with a kind heart, incapable of conveying his emotions.
His mother was a terrible person who believed only profitable relationships were allowed. At first, jun Pyo bullied Jan Di with other students, but afterward, he fell hard for her and saved her from bullies. Lee Min Ho has worked in wonderful dramas, including City Hunter (2011), The Heirs (2013), The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016), The King: Eternal Monarch (2020), and Pachinko (2022).
Geum Jan Di
Koo Hye Sun played the role of Geum Jan Di. A daughter of dry cleaning family, who got a swimming scholarship offer from one of the most reputable schools, Shinhwa High School. Jan Di was a high-spirited, festive, and lovely person who always protected her friends from bullies. Because of one incident, She got in Jun Pyo’s bad books and even stood up to him
. It led to her bullying and non-stop tormenting by Jun Pyo. But later, he realized he had feelings for her. And after many complex situations, Jan Di also realized that Jun Pyo was the one she loved the most. Kim Hye Sun has appeared in numerous dramas, including Angel Eyes (2014) and Blood (2015).
Yoon Ji Hu
Kim Hyung Joong played the role of a member of the F4 group, Yoon Ji Hu. He was the grandson of South Korea’s former president. He had a phobia of driving as his parents were killed in a car accident, making him the sole survivor.
He had musical talent, and Ji Hu developed feelings for Jan Di after spending some time with her. But she refused his love. Kim Hyung Joong has portrayed great roles, including Playful Kiss (2010) and Inspiring Generation (2014).
So Yi Jung
Kim Bum played the role of a member of the F4 group, So Yi Jung. He was known for his pottery skills. And his family owns the largest art museum in the nation. Yi Jung was a playboy and a total womanizer until he met Ga Eul, Jan Di’s best friend.
He fell head over heels for her. Kim Bum is a recognized name and has worked well in the industry, including his roles in That Winter, the Wind Blows (2013), Tale of the Nine-Tailed (2020), Law School (2021), and Ghost Doctor (2022).
Song Woo Bin
Kim Joon played the role of a member of the F4 group, Song Woo Bin. Woo Bin’s family owned the biggest construction corporation in the nation and had ties with the gang as well. He also showed interest in girls after suffering from his ex. Nonetheless, Woo Bin was fascinating and a qualified businessman. Kim Joon is an actor, rapper, and model in South Korea.
The Plot of Boys Over Flowers
It’s been 14 years since this drama was aired, but it’s still in talk. Boys Over Flowers was an adaptation of a Japanese manga series Hana Yori Dango, written and depicted by Yoko Kamio. It has many versions, including Meteor Garden 2018 (Chinese), F4 Thailand 2021, etc.
Boys Over Flowers talked about a girl Geum Jan Di who belonged to a dry-cleaning shop-owned family. Jan Di visited a reputed school, Shinhwa High school, meant for a high-class and affluent family to deliver a uniform to a student.
She saved a bullied student who tried to take his life by committing suicide. And because of her courageous act, Jan Di was offered a swimming scholarship from the school. After graduating from middle school, she gave up on becoming a proficient swimmer.
Geum Jan Di accepted the offer at her parent’s behest. In school, she encountered F4, a famous group of wealthy, attractive, and annoying young men who had no fear because they belonged to an influential and exceptionally prosperous family.
They thought they had every right and power to do anything in the school and with the students, including bullying students to the core. Gu Jun Pyo was the leader of F4, heir to one of South Korea’s largest firms, Shinhwa Group. After feeling like a castaway, Jan Di made a friend.
One day while protecting her only friend in school, who enraged Jun Pyo, Jan Di became the new target of F4. Later, she found a red card in her locker, which led to bullying from the other students. Since that day, bad things keep started happening to her.
After tormenting her, and Jan Di for not stepping down, they start having feelings for one another. When Jan Di saw the kind side of Jun Pyo, they both eventually fell for each other. This relationship was the best for them as individuals. It helped these characters by giving each other an equal amount of inducement and compelling for development.
Boys Over Flowers Review
Boys Over Flowers is not everyone’s cup of tea. The show vigorously delivered multiple assaults, bullying, slut-shaming, and sexual offenses as awful as possible. They portrayed it with its adverse effects and kept it in the sense that it should never get encouraged. Promoting and negligence of such acts is more sinful than the one doing it.
The fact that Boys Over Flowers started the Korean high school series and enabled the accumulation of the Korean or Hallyu Wave. For most Kdrama lovers, Boys Over Flowers was their first drama. That’s why it’s precious and holds a special place in their hearts. It became a gateway to the Kdramaland.
It would be ridiculous if we didn’t talk about the magnificent star cast. The actors did an incredible job of portraying each character. Lee Min Ho as Gu Jun Pyo remains iconic. Lee Min Ho is not a new name in this industry. He has been serving us for a long now. But he got his biggest breakthrough in his career when he played Jun Pyo. Min Ho garnered worldwide popularity through this role.
His performance was praiseworthy, even though he was a jerk at times. Jun Pyo was the biggest narcissist, but deep down, he had a golden. It’s just he was bad at expressing himself. The audience loved his character development and how mature and responsible person he became.
Koo Hye Sun as Geum Jan Di, also in her way, did the best in the show. Sometimes acting all dumb, vulnerable, and sometimes the smartest, bravest, and considerate was the specialty of Jan Di, which made Jun Pyo fall for her. As she came from a poor family, and all they cared about was money which was very stressful for her as they wanted her to take responsibility for everything.
Even their character development at the end of the series was not that likable. Jan Di gave us an ambivalent feeling throughout the series. But there were scenes where we enjoyed her a lot. The chemistry between Jan Di and Jun Pyo was the reason for many to watch the series. They were adorable and natural and tried to understand each other.
This series left us with one of the biggest second-lead syndromes. Though, few people won’t agree with this statement. Kim Hyun Joong as Yoon Ji Hu did wonders in the series. He can be the most charming guy at times and the whole goddamned obnoxious at others.
Yes, he was there looking after Jan Di but betrayed Jun Pyo as a friend as well. There was a love triangle between Jun Pyo, Jan Di, and Ji Hu, where both the boys tried to win her heart. Other side characters did great as well. There was one more couple other than Jan Di and Jun Pyo, So Yi Jung, a member of F4, and Chu Ga Eul, best friends with Jan Di.
Yi Jung changed only after falling for Ga Eul. They both made a cute and lovable couple. Friendship served as the backbone of the series. From the beginning till the end, these characters had ups and downs, but one thing that didn’t change was their strong friendship and faith in each other.
This series has taught us many things, including that it doesn’t matter whether you’re rich or poor; you can’t run away from your struggles and hardships in life. And that one should know how to manage friendship and love. One more important thing, you need to be yourself. No matter what life throws your way, you should not let your guard down.
Conclusion
Boys Over Flowers followed the typical trope of a rich boy falling for a poor girl. But it still successfully presented an entertaining and engaging series. Despite many drawbacks, it made us affixed throughout the story and made us wait for what would happen next.
The setting used in the series was worth mentioning, especially Gu Jun Pyo’s house, which was a big grandiose mansion and became a dream place for many. Even other backdrops used worked well with the themes. The soundtrack and OSTs were commendable and expressed the emotions perfectly.
Boys Over Flowers will remain memorable, notably the unforgettable star cast and how flawlessly they portrayed the characters. And not to forget about their odd hairstyles and fashion, which made it a hot topic. It’s a fun experience until or unless you try to find the logic and sense in the series. Nevertheless, the actors didn’t leave any chance to impress us. Their character development was a much-needed thing in the series. It is also worth noting that Boys Over Flowers incredibly well and earned South Korea’s highest viewership rating.
Our Rating: ⭐ (3.3/5).
Also Read: Where To Watch Boys Over Flowers K-Drama Episodes?
