When I heard about the Korean adaptation of Boys Over Flowers (aka Asia’s Twilight), I was amped. I love the original manga, and felt that, for all their popularity, neither of the two previous drama adaptations captured it. Meteor Garden (Taiwan) lacked the budget & acting talent; Hana Yori Dango‘s (Japan) two seasons were incredibly well-done, but the characters weren’t right. Rui was too likable, Doumyouji too dislikable, and Makino (as much as I loved Inoue Mao in the role) was a shadow of her former self. Plus, the split seasons cut short Doumyouji’s & Makino’s initial courtship, my favorite part.
So I had high hopes that the K-drama, in looking to surpass the previous versions, would avoid their flaws. Four episodes in, and I can say that it has–it’s just replaced those flaws with new ones. That said, it’s highly entertaining, and will probably end up as my favorite version.
What works:
