Boys Over Flowers
1233793982 boys-over-flowers.jpg
Promotional poster for Boys Over Flowers
Also known as ??? ??
Genre Comedy, Romance, Drama
Format Television series
Created by Kamio Yoko
Written by Yoon Ji Ryun
Directed by Jun Ki Sang
Opening theme "Paradise" by T-Max
Ending theme "Because I'm Stupid" by SS501 (Season 1)
"Making a Lover" by SS501 (Season 2)
Country of origin South Korea
Original language(s) Korean
No. of episodes 25
Production
Location(s) Korea, Macau
Running time Mondays Tuesdays at 21:50 (KST)
Broadcast
Original channel KBS2
Original run 5 January 2009 (2009-01-05) – 31 March 2009 (2009-03-31)
Chronology
Related shows Meteor Garden
Hana Yori Dango
External links
Boys Over Flowers official homepage
Korean name
Hangul ?????
Hanja ?????
Revised Romanization Kkot Boda Namja*/
McCune–Reischauer Kkot Poda Namja

Boys Over Flowers (Hangul: ??? ??; Hanja: ?????) is a South Korean television drama series starring Ku Hye Sun, Lee Min Ho, Kim Hyun Joong of SS501, Kim Bum, Kim Joon of T-Max and Kim So Eun. It premiered on Korean Broadcasting System (KBS2) on January 5, 2009 on KBS2 and ended on March 31, 2009 after 25 episodes.

It is based on Japanese sh?jo manga series, Boys Over Flowers (????? Hana Yori Dango?), written by Yoko Kamio. The series is the fifth television adaptation of the manga following the Taiwanese Meteor Garden and its sequel Meteor Garden II and the Japanese Hana Yori Dango and its sequel Hana Yori Dango Returns.

Contents

Plot[edit]

ShinHwa School is a school for rich people, where Goo Jun Pyo, the heir of the global corporation ShinHwa Group, Yoon Ji Hoo, Soh Yi Jung, and Song Woo Bin attend school. They form a gang called F4. Goo Jun Pyo, the leader of F4, is the main ruffian.

Geum Jan Di, who is not from a rich family, ends up attending ShinHwa School when she saves a boy from jumping off the rooftop and is given a scholarship to quiet down the publicity the incident caused. The entire school worships the F4 except for Geum Jan Di. However, she likes Yoon Ji Hoo, who appears to be different from the other three. Geum Jan Di finally speaks up against F4 to defend her friend. From then on, she becomes Goo Jun Pyo's main rival. Almost every time Geum Jan Di is bullied, Yoon Ji Hoo helps her in some way. Geum Jan Di and Goo Jun Pyo's rivalry intensifies, but at the same time it is a source of amusement for him as Geum Jan Di has now caught his attention.

The story develops and Goo Jun Pyo slowly starts falling for Geum Jan Di. On the other hand, Geum Jan Di's attention is on Yoon Ji Hoo, her savior, but ultimately, as the story progresses, her heart is with Goo Jun Pyo. The couple faces many obstacles as they continue to struggle for their love.

Cast[edit]

Geum Jan Di is the headstrong daughter of a dry cleaner. While on a delivery run to Shinhwa High School, she saves a bullied student from committing suicide. Geum Jan Di is offered a scholarship to attend the prestigious school, and ends up getting on the bad side of Goo Jun Pyo but the end is that she is going to fall for Goo Jun Pyo because of the way he fights for his love for her.
Goo Jun Pyo is the leader of F4 (the most popular guy at Shinhwa High) and heir to the Shinhwa Conglomerate. Being the hottest of the group, he torments Geum Jan Di after she stands up to his bullying ways, but ends up falling for her instead.
Jang Geun Suk mentioned in an interview that he was originally offered the role Goo Jun Pyo, but he chose instead to take on Beethoven Virus.
Yoon Ji Hoo is a member of F4 and grandson of the Korean former-president. His musical talent catches Geum Jan Di's attention and she begins to develop feelings for him. In the end, he developed feelings for her. He was involved in a car accident which leaves him the only survivor for his both parents have died in the accident. He has a "Driving Phobia" due to the accident.
Soo Yi Jung is F4's Casanova. He is a skilled potter and his family owns the country's biggest art museum. He eventually changes his playboy ways when he realizes that he is in love with Chu Ga Eul (Kim So Eun).
Song Woo Bin is known as F4's Don Juan. His family runs a large construction company and has important connections to an underground organization, hinted to be the mafias.
Geum Jan Di's best friend and works with her at the porridge shop. She eventually told So Yi Jung that she liked him and he, eventually, reciprocates those feelings.

Extended cast[edit]

Cameo:

Manga[edit]

Reception[edit]

The series became a huge hit, creating another Korean wave throughout Asia and the cast members shooting to super-stardom overnight. After the series ended, several of the actors and actresses became the faces of various endorsements and commercial advertisements.

Boys Over Flowers became a hit throughout South Korea during its broadcast, to the point of influencing the behavior of the public. The drama series influenced men to take their appearances even more seriously and try to gain the "pretty boy" image that existed among the F4 characters in the drama. More South Korean males started to wear cosmetics and viewers in South Korea and beyond started to notice the overseas filming locations of the drama as possible holiday destinations.[1]

The series became a hit beyond South Korea in other states in Asia, including Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Nepal, Philippines, the northeast Indian state of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Taiwan, amongst others, and the actors and actresses that played the main characters shot to super-stardom, and held various events, often Boys Over Flowers-related, across Asia. The show is credited with launching the career of its lead actor, Lee Min Ho, who had previously appeared in a small number of low budget high school dramas.[2]

International broadcasts[edit]

DVD licensing[edit]

Music[edit]

Album # Album Info Tracklisting
1st Boys Over Flowers Original Soundtrack: Part 1[5]
  • Artist: Various
  • Released: 23 January 2009
  • Label: Doremi Media Co Ltd
  • Language: Korean
  • Format: Studio album (CD)
  • Genre: K-pop
2nd Boys Over Flowers Original Soundtrack: Part 2
  • Artist: Various
  • Released: 16 March 2009
  • Label: Doremi Media Co Ltd
  • Language: Korean
  • Format: Studio album (CD)
  • Genre: K-pop
3rd Boys Over Flowers OST 2.5 - F4 Special Edition
  • Artist: Various
  • Released: 18 March 2009
  • Label: Mnet Media Co.
  • Language: Korean
  • Format: Studio album (CD)
  • Genre: K-pop

Awards[edit]

Award Category Recipient Ref
2009 KBS Drama Awards Excellence Award - Actress (Mid Length Drama) Koo Hye Sun
Netizen Award Koo Hye Sun
Best New Actor Award Lee Min Ho
Best New Actress Award Kim So-eun
Best Couple Award Lee Min Ho and Koo Hye Sun [6]
Seoul International Drama Awards 2009 Best Actor Award (Popular Prize) Kim Hyun Joong [7]
Best Drama Award (Popular Prize) Boys Over Flowers
45th PaekSang Arts Awards Best New Actor Award Lee Min Ho
Popularity Award Kim Hyun Joong

References[edit]

  1. ^ Bae Ji-sook, Kwon Mee-yoo (26 February 2009). "TV Drama Getting People Travelling". The Korea Times. 
  2. ^ "Korea?s Flower Boy". My Sinchew. 2009-03-29. Retrieved 2012-11-17. 
  3. ^ "Boys Over Flowers Hulu Page". Hulu. Retrieved 2010-08-01. 
  4. ^ "Bringing the Korean Wave to North America". YA Entertainment. Retrieved 2012-11-17. 
  5. ^ (Chinese) Yesasia.com Boys Over Flowers Original Soundtrack: Part 1 album info 23 January 2009. Retrieved 2010-12-27
  6. ^ Korea Times 2009 Drama Awards Wrap Up With No Surprises 3 January 2010. Retrieved 2011-10-20
  7. ^ SDA Popular Prize winners - 4th SDA 2009 Retrieved 2011-10-20

External links[edit]