Kdrama Review: Boys Over Flowers

Drama: Boys Over Flowers
Genre: high school drama
Starring: Lee Min Ho, Ku Hye Sun, Kim Hyun Joong, Kim Bum
Rating:❤❤❤❤❤


Oh my word. This drama. It killed me. And I'm not sure I have the words to articulate this experience properly. But I'll try.

First of all, I think this one of the more "popular" dramas in the "normal" world. Meaning, people who aren't huge kdrama geeks may have actually heard of this one. Also, it helps that it's actually available on Netflix. (Though I think that might change June 1 according to the little notification I had as I watched the last few episodes.) So the fact that it's more known tells you something. I'm not sure what.

But I must say, that's kind of sad because though I LOVED watching it, it is a TERRIBLE representation of the whole kdrama experience!  (But since I loved it... five hearts from me!)

Here's the thing: It was so bad that is was good. So over the top angst and drama... over the top I tell you... and yet... because of that... you as a viewer are totally SUCKED in. Totally overcome with the feeling of "must keep watching" and "more more more!"

Our girl, Jandi

Okay. Here's the story. It's about this girl, she's poor of course, and she ends up getting invited to attend this rich school because she intervened as a suicide was about to happen and saved the boy. And so, as she starts going to this high school, she becomes aware of a group of flower boys (remember this term from a previous drama review?) who run the school. If they like you.. great. If they don't... then life is BAD for you. They are awful. Especially the leader, Joon Pyo,  who is ruthless and terrible. (And who also happens to be played by my most favorite Korean actor so far which is painful as it's hard to separate the actor from the character!)

Our guy, Joon Pyo (aka. JP)  as played by Lee Min Ho

Anyway, when JP sets his sights on our girl Jandi, she fights back. And he is blown away by this. No one has EVER fought back. And this attracts him to her and bam, he falls hard and fast. She is bugged by him still and is in fact much more attracted to his friend, one of the other flower boys,  Ji Hoo.  He is the soft sensitive artist type and comes to her rescue over and over and over again.

Our other guy, Ji Hoo  (aka. JH) as played by Kim Hyun Joong

And so, when JP starts giving her attention, she's not sure what to do. Because having his attention is kind of a cool thing. And it turns out, he might not be so bad after all. It's just that he sort doesn't now how to play well with others. But he wants to learn. I think. Most of the time.

And so it goes from there. Back and forth. JP or JH? Which one??? They actually end up competing for her. Which is just crazy.

The other love story
(friends of the main characters)
which also made me crazy because... reasons!

Meanwhile, we start getting their tragic back stories. And boy they rip your heart out! And then you want to root for both of these dudes. (At least I did, as you know from Megs' review from the other day, she could never stand JP and was always firmly JH!) As for me, I ached for our bad boy and wanted so hard to believe him good at heart. Which I think he is/was. And so I wanted for him to survive, like, really really bad. And I think the only way for him to survive was to have Jandi in his life.

Reasons this drama made me crazy:

• they use every single trope to manipulate us... every single one!
• a main girl character who was so wishy washy and often stupid
• so many things happened that were completely unrealistic
• ridiculousness at every turn!
• a painful love triangle
• long and drawn out... I thought I would DIE before it was over

Reasons I loved this drama:

• swoony and sweet in so many places
• beautiful flower boys who ARE truly good at heart
• awesome soundtrack
• um... Lee Min Ho (aka. bad boy Joon Pyu) and every single freaking time he smiles
• I supposed I loved the addicting nature and I have since felt massive withdrawals, and so despite the long-ness of it, I also hated for it to end!
• the heart, the emotion, the thought provoking-ness of it all

Bottom Line: Watch this one at some point because it's so popular, but save it until you are more familiar with the nature of dramas and when you are already in love with Lee Min Ho so it doesn't matter that he is playing a mean boy. 

(P.S. His mean boy-ness did not affect me much I guess because I'm completely smitten. SOME PEOPLE though still couldn't stand him in this even despite his extreme cuteness. You have to be strong to do that! STRONG I'm telling you!)

This was the kind of viewing experience where you moan and groan all throughout, but then you watch until your eyes blur shut. You say... "are you kidding me" and "give me more" in the same breath. I don't know how they do that!! I could go on and on about this one but I'll leave it at that. It was quite the ride I must say and I'm still recovering. I need to watch something else ASAP!

No real trailers for this one, but here are some clips set to my favorite song from the drama showing the intense love triangle:

And more clips set to my other favorite song from the drama showing the crazy angsty-ness:

Sigh. I kinda sorta want to watch it all over again. Someone help me.