[Drama 2009] Boys Over Flowers / Hana Yori Dango 꽃보다 남자

[Guest effie]

http://down.clubbox.co.kr/codndwh/4gqno1

this is final ep by clubbox

[Guest shuling87bit]

wow.. the ending for ep 25 was acceptable.. just now i was watching it at TV ants and there are 6088 audiences watching online at the same time at a point ..

[deka_if]

an article from Yonhap

March 31, 2009

TV drama ends amid lingering popularity, controversy

SEOUL, March 31 (Yonhap) -- Some loved it, some despised it. But no one will deny KBS TV drama "Boys over Flowers" became an unprecedented phenomenon in South Korea's television industry.

Since its first episode aired on Jan. 5, the series found itself at the center of a storm of rumors and controversy: one of its actresses committed suicide, all four main actors were injured in car accidents while rushing through a tight schedule and the show received several warnings from the media watchdog for excessive product placement and vulgar depiction of teenagers. To top it off, the series was repeatedly and harshly criticized for its "unrealistic and silly" plot.

But fans stuck with the 25-part series, which recorded an average 30 percent viewer rating at home and was sold to 11 Asian countries including Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. "We could do better if we were to make the drama all over again," said Bae Jong-byung, the drama's planning director, in a recent interview. "But we are quite satisfied with what we achieved the first time. We managed to create a brand new type of drama."

"Boys…" is based on a 37-volume Japanese "manga" series which was serialized in a bi-weekly magazine there from 1992 through 2003. Receiving a top manga award in 1996, the hit comic series has already been adapted into TV dramas in Japan and Taiwan. The story centers on a working-class girl and four scions of wealthy families who call themselves the "Flower Four (F4)." While struggling to survive in an elite school of rich students, the young girl finds herself falling in love with the group's curly haired leader, who undergoes a transformation sparked by the relationship.

Despite a weak plot and flawed story line, fans say the Korean version still presented the "greatest eye pleasure" among the three adaptations thanks mostly to the show's four main actors. "I loved the comic books back in middle school and was delighted that the TV characters matched my imagination perfectly," said 27-year-old office worker Lee Ja-young. "Despite all its shortcomings, the Korean version has the best looking actors and I was happy just at the sight of them."

Including Lee Min-ho, who starred as the F4 leader, the four actors were relatively new faces before becoming major stars within a few weeks of the drama's first episode. "Our main focus was to cast the most handsome, cutest and freshest F4, and keep them that way throughout the show," said director Bae. "Everything else came after that."

Fans idolized members of the F4 like pop groups on stage and appeared ready to forgive their awkward acting and the show's weak plot that went from strange to stranger as the series wore on. "The drama could never have earned so much popularity if F4 had been any less attractive," said Nam Sung-eh, 30. "Women want to look at pretty actors and fantasize about them: just as men do about actresses."

The show's popularity also managed to attract fans from across generations, with mothers and daughters able to share in the joy of seeing their favorite F4 member on screen. "They were adorable," says Lim Mi-young, whose daughter attends middle school. "It felt strange but pleasant to watch the series with my daughter and discuss who was the cutest among the four."

The show's portrayal of high school students has been another source of controversy. Manipulative youngsters who use compromising photos taken in hotel beds to blackmail one another or drive cars and go clubbing, with classes unattended for days during extended holidays to exotic islands is not reflective of the typical South Korean teen, critics say.

There were also a number of unexplained plot twists between episodes, with characters appearing and disappearing seemingly at random. Fans of the show dismiss the criticisms and defend the show's tendency to depart from the reality of everyday life. "Fiction is, after all" they say, "fiction." "I hated it," one blogger posted on a local Web portal. "It seems to me that producers of this drama have no idea how to create a plausible plot and characters. I was disgusted looking at teenagers making out in the middle of the day, driving cars and drinking."

"Who says drama has to be realistic?" refuted another. "I actually loved the drama so much more for its silliness. It helped me escape from the reality and forget my problems for a while. The last thing I want is a head-scratcher of a drama." The weak story was largely a product of the drama's tight shooting schedule, producers said. "With the actors and actresses becoming so popular and busy, we had a hard time mapping out schedules that work for everyone," the drama's main producer Jun Ki-sang said. "While the plot might not have been dense enough, we did our best to create visually impressive scenes. Being a fantasy, I think audiences were ready to overlook some of the logical flaws as long as they liked what they were seeing."

As the drama's popularity surged, everything F4 members ate, held and wore became hot items. Sales of the main character Jun-pyo's (Lee Min-ho) favorite snack doubled while his curly top has now become the latest fashion trend. Companies poured in money to secure placements for their products in the series, while members of the F4 became the "most wanted" among advertising models. "My teenage sister demanded that my parents buy her a mobile phone the F4 carry around in the series although she already has a decent phone," said college student Lee Yun-ha. " I would have probably done the same if I had liked the show half as much as she did, seeing as it was virtually everywhere in the show."

With critics slamming the drama's producers as "gold diggers," the Korea Communications Standards Commission issued a warning against the show for its excessive product placement, or PPL, a widely-known advertisement method among local television producers.

The show's producers shot back. "At first, we had a hard time finding firms and broadcasters willing to fund the production costs, especially because the show lacked big name actors," director Bae said. "With each episode costing nearly 300 million won (US$220,000) to make, we had no other means but to rely on advertising fees." "With the Japanese and Taiwanese versions already a hit throughout Asia, we needed more money to create flashier and more sensational scenes," he added. "This was why we did overseas filming despite the tight budget and schedule."

Despite its obvious frailty, "Boys…" proved big name actors, playwrights and directors are no longer essential in creating a hit series, signaling new hope for a local TV industry struggling with tightening budgets and a limited number of stars. But thorough preparation will be essential for the second and third generation of such dramas, experts say. "I regret the fact we did not have more time to spend on the scenario and the overall story," producer Jun said. "Everything was new to us as it was to viewers and we panicked. We hope we can manage to create something of a better quality next time."

Dubbing the drama "an unexpected jackpot," media critic Kang Myung-suk said producers should learn to be more patient in creating high-quality products. "'Boys...' could pull it off because it was the first of its kind, but viewers may not be so easily fooled next time," he said. "Instead of focusing on short-term profits, producers should really think about spending more time, money and effort in creating something better."

Credits : Shin Hae_in (Yonhap News )

[Guest del32]

Is there gonna be a BOF special after the episode over or not?

[Guest chae_shin]

owww i can't believe its finally over.

how are we going to survive the next few days? omooo.

i've hope for a longer ending. however im satisfied with everything i have seen.

the NAMSAN SCENE was the best scene tonight. im just dissapointed woo bin has not enough exposure till the end. HE DESERVES A SPIN-OFF. hahaha.

and also the pool scene. it was so intense.

waiting for the subs. hoping for a special (do korean dramas make specials? i guess this is a japanese trend). haha.

congratulations to the staff and the actors of BOf. you made our 3 months worthwhile and worth living. )

[Guest minjee]

구준표 안녕 보고싶을거여요 means what??

it means "goo jun pyo, goodbye i will miss you!"

[Guest scarlet135]

so in the end Jihoo will be alone??? no gf?

[Guest Aiensya]

Hello, first time being here..

I've stalked this thread since its started..

I've watched all the episode..except for last episode..**still waiting for link**

I love all episode...it shine my day..

My mom also like this drama and always asked for the newest episode..**hahah**

For me...this version is the best...I've watched all version for this drama...

I love.....Ga Eul, Yi Jung and Woo Bin the most.....i love them more than Jandi, Junpyo and Jihoo...

I would like to bow to all production for giving us a great drama...hope it'll not be forgotten..

The best drama will always everlasting forever in the fans heart...

Go all casting and crew..hope to see the other great drama again...

this is totally the great!!!

GOODBYE TO BOYS OVER FLOWER...

Hope the cast will travel around the other countries to promote the drama...

Come to Malaysia too...hehehe

J <3 J FOREVER LOVE!!!

[audriena]

btw, is ep 25 uploaded in utube?

you can watch it here

but the video is short segmented...

nevertheless enough to dry your thirst!

[Guest lucky_moon]

Torrent Link Ep25 Final (Ental):

http://www.box.net/shared/jtbiq5bo3n

I'm done with the drama..

[Guest marloupat]

to tell you the truth, i am more contented in the ending of Hana Yori Dango season 2 (not the final movie)...

[RiverB]

I'm so sad it's over but also really disappointed with the ending...sigh....

[Guest honeydice]

Goodbye boys over flowers, 3 months is really fast, i sure have enjoyed this show very much and stalking this comm everyday became a habit.

The Junpyo with stubborn character, but who doesn't know he doesn't mean whatever he say?

The Jihoo who loves Jandi, always by her side supporting, her firefighter, the best guy out there i can find.

The Yijeong with the killer smile, his dimples and everything that fits the playboy role of him, the soeul mates we've always loved with gaeul.

The Woobin who stood by his 3 friends and Jandi whenever they needed help, this guy, you can't love him more, the best friend.

The Gaeul who loved yijeong, who showed yijeong the building sunrise, the sweetest girl who is always there for her best friend Geum Jandi.

The Jaekyung who was irritating at first, the beautiful lady who gave up friendship for love, for Junpyo and Jandis friendship in exchange for her love for Junpyo, the lady who cherishes nothing more than friendship.

The Jandi who makes bento for junpyo, who gives Jihoo many first times, who stalks yijeong&gaeul in some hotel, who got saved by woobin in macau, the girl who actually can make any guy melt, her strong character, her family the cutest of all, her love for junypo, so strong, she never gives up.

The Junhee that always worries for her younger brother Junypo, and tried all her best to bring Jandi and Junpyo together, thank you noona

Thanks to them, they went into wonderful memories of me and 3 months of boys over flowers. I'm sad that this ended, i'm really hoping there'll be a sequel as i'm a shippe for soeul mate~ I would want to see something out of it. Take care!

[azzurri]

OMIGOD. Let me just say this first...waa..its over...!!! But Ep 25 left me feeling a little empty - granted, I don't understand Korean except for a word here and there, but I was SO expecting more:

1. I wanted Daddy Goo to wake up, and welcome Jandi into the family with open arms. He remembers her reading and talking to him while he was in a coma somehow.

2. Darth Mama renounces her ways, apologises to JD and also accepts her into the family with open arms. I was so not satisfied with the scene of her feeding Daddy Goo and smiling at JP's interview. I guess we're supposed to deduce that she has now accepted JD.

3. I wanted JP to give Yumi a good telling off like in the manga. She just slipped away quietly when JP's memories of JD returned. I mean WTH? The girl was pure evil - she lied and pretended she made the doshirak, she told JD to stay away, she told JD she's fallen for JP and he her with a smile! (God! I was almost about to kick my computer screen!! ) JP didn't even toss away the doshirak she made when he realised she lied to him. And what's with trying to make her feel better after? Arghhh!!! Tsukasa doesn't do that!

4. There was only one kiss - which lasted about 3 SECONDS!! I mean, come on already!! Wanted more lovey dovey moments!

5. There was no wedding scene - I was so hoping for one, and I am SO DISAPPOINTED.

6. And no sign of that honeymoon scene in new caledonia. I mean what was that ending? She didn't even say yes, F3 came butting in, and then they all face the sea for some bizarre reason. And that was THE END.

And I was still hoping they would show something more during ending credits but no - just BTS. Ahh....I feel so bummed. Hopefully I'll feel a bit better once I watch the subbed version, so I can understand all those conversations.

[Guest Bb_kelsie]

aaa....i'm missing our dramma already...can't stop thinking of this dramma....this's the first dramma that i have a strange feeling for...thanks BOF for giving us such an incredible time...already love and gonna miss our BOF....our Goo Jun Pyo whom i love the mose...and all of the cast...and thanks for sharing me all of precious information...soompi's mem...love u guys so much :*

[Guest sweet_maple]

hey guys, KBS , Pds, Script writer really richard simmons me off with "a happy ending" with smile and smile . I'm so frustrated , we know that , don't bash KBS here, come there

we can voice our opinion to KBS and don't let BOF thread close ^^

BOMB KBS FOR BAD ENDING

Here for the opinion in polite way( actually to tell the truth how bad they did with the BOF season 2 ) Go guys

KBS opinion

[Guest scarlet135]

maybe there will be surprise additional ep...

scully JP and JD married..then got kids...then etc... lol

jkjk..

[ohatoms]

구준표 안녕 보고싶을거여요

can someone romanize it?

[Guest effie]

need userid n password?

u need to login and pay

if u want to download it without pay , please wait until tml!!

there will have anther free clubbox to supply!

[Guest]

I feel like flying to Korea right now and slapping the director(or whoever it was who wrote the ending script) left, right, down, up, center.

Maybe he accidently yelled CUT~! just before Jandi could've said YES to Junpyo's proposal.

Or the scriptwriter could've accidently left out the word YES on the script.

Either way, I just feel like kicking and slapping them. Why would they do that on the last episode?!?!?!

Is it so hard?

Ok fine, if they didn't want Jandi to mouth the word Y-E-S......they could have at least made her NOD HER FREAKING HEAD. That would have made the ending so much better. I don't want to just ASSUME that Jandi accepted the proposal. I want confirmation with a YES or a NOD OF HER HEAD.

And and....what did the director say about a "different" ending for Gaeul and YiJung? Different, my foot!

LOL....I saw it coming, so I am OK

I think the best was the swimming pool scene. GHS was really good there.

And it was so ridiculous funny. I don't think one is supposed to spend 10 minutes thinking before jumping after someone who just disappeared under water.