The New Craze...

They seem to get obsessive over things quickly around here.. and it's easy to see how.

The latest hype is all about this 25-episode drama on KBS called 꽃보다 남자 Boys Over Flowers (or Boys Before Flowers). This drama is a re-make of the super popular Japanese drama, Hana Yori Dango (the story is originally from a manga [a Japanese comic]).
Everyone (and I mean everyone) is anxiously anticipating the 18th episode today and then 19th tomorrow. To encompass the gist of it in short, it's about two high school students: Gu Jun Pyo (the guy in the middle, don't mind the hair), a cold, wealthy heir to the most powerful family in Korea and Geum Jan Di (the girl), a poor commoner whose family owns a dry cleaning business,. These two try to keep their relationship together while all sorts of problems that have to do with family, values, status, misunderstanding, money, and bullies are thrown at them at full force. This "summary" doesn't really give the plot justice at all... there's so much more to it.

The reason why I was MIA yesterday was because I was sucked into the hype. At first, I was a bit skeptical on how good it could be because it was set in a high school so I thought it might be too immature, but people assured me it was really good... and oh my is it ever! I love it! I even recommended it to Kayla and she woke me up this morning with a text "holy shmoly is Boys Over Flowers amazing!" haha

Korean dramas are addictive... once you watch the first episode, it's hard to pry yourself away (especially when they're filled with good-looking characters haha). They're always full of unexpected twists and moments that make you horrified, laugh out loud, go awww and cry. You really become one with the characters. When they feel sad, my heart starts to hurt... when they're bullied, I get so angry.
Korean dramas are infamous for their love triangles - there are always one or two people that get in the way of the love of the main characters.. but even though it's expected, the plots are always so different from each other, you don't even notice.

Gu Jun Pyo, the main male character (whose name is Lee Min Ho in real life), is definitely a fan favourite and is currently one of the biggest stars in Korea... for good reason, too! He's a wonderful actor and is one seriously handsome guy! I was actually in awe of how someone could look so perfect... anyway, he's the leader of the 4-boy group called F4 in the drama. The other 3 guys aren't too bad looking either. One is considered the heartthrob of a boyband called SS501 and the other one is the "cutie-pie" actor from other recent movies and dramas. All 4 of them are so popular now... they're even featured in a Haptic (cell phone) commerical!

In Seoul, you see posters for this drama everywhere...
Want a pillow of the main actors?
Or how about just your favourite actor?
Too bad it's not too practical to bring a pillow around with you...
Oh, but Korean marketers are smart.
Socks, anyone?
I even found F4 in my stickers!
My roomie said she noticed that the fashion style in Seoul has changed to the same preppy look as in the drama! So true.. I see people wearing the school-girl look... uniform-type blazers (copies from the one in the drama) are available everywhere in Ewha.

Then there's also drama outside of this drama... "Sunny" or Jang Ja Yun, one of the three evil girl bullies at the high school, commited suicide (hanging) on March 7th. How sad! Also, four of the main actors have been in numerous car accidents since filming and the main girl was just involved in a car accident that required stitches!

Anyway, yea it can be sappy at parts.. and unrealistic now that I've watched Episode 13, but I recommend this drama... so go watch it (with English subtitles) at

www.mysoju.com!!