Boys Over Flowers (TV series)

For other uses, see Boys Over Flowers (disambiguation).

Boys Over Flowers
Promotional poster for Boys Over Flowers
Also known as	Boys Before Flowers
Genre	Comedy, Romance, Drama
Format	Television series
Created by	Kamio Yoko
Developed by	Go Joon Pyo
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
No. of episodes	25
Production
Location(s)	Korea, Macau, New Caledonia
Running time	Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:50 (KST)
Broadcast
Original channel	Korean Broadcasting System
Original run	5 January 2009 (2009-01-05) – 31 March 2009 (2009-03-31)
Chronology
Preceded by	Worlds Within
Followed by	The Slingshot
Related shows	Meteor Garden Hana Yori Dango
External links
official KBS website

Korean name
Hangul	꽃보다남자
Hanja	꽃보다男子
Revised Romanization	Kkot Boda Namja
McCune–Reischauer	Kkot Poda Namja

Boys Over Flowers (Hangul: 꽃보다 남자; Hanja: 꽃보다男子) is a 2009 South Korean television 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 aired on Korean Broadcasting System (KBS2) from January 5 to March 31, 2009 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:50 for 25 episodes.

It is based on Japanese shōjo manga series, Boys Over Flowers (花より男子, 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. It spins the modern-day Cinderella tale of a poor, but spunky schoolgirl at an exclusive academy who attracts the interest of the four ultra-rich and ultra-handsome princes of the school known as F4.

Plot

Hardworking Geum Jan-di (Ku Hye-sun) attends the exclusive Shinhwa High School. She finds her shallow, privileged classmates unbearable, especially the notorious F4. Rich, handsome, and arrogant, Goo Jun-pyo (Lee Min-ho), Yoon Ji-hoo (Kim Hyun-joong), So Yi-jung (Kim Bum), and Song Woo-bin (Kim Joon) are the kings of the school and no one, not even the teachers, dare challenge them. No one, that is, except Jan-di. Angry at their rudeness, Jan-di tells off F4 leader Jun-pyo, bringing a world of trouble upon herself. The proud and persistent Jun-pyo falls hard for feisty Jan-di, but she shares a connection with the quiet, sensitive Ji-hoo. Caught between the two friends, Jan-di's heart is torn.

Cast

• Ku Hye-sun as Geum Jan-di

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. She is offered a scholarship to attend the prestigious school, and ends up getting on the bad side of Goo Jun-pyo. She eventually falls for Goo Jun-pyo because of the way he fights for his love for her.

• Lee Min-ho as Goo Jun-pyo

Goo Jun-pyo is the leader of F4 and heir to Shinhwa Group. As leader of the most popular and powerful clique in Shinhwa High, 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.

• Kim Hyun-joong as Yoon Ji-hoo

Yoon Ji-hoo is a member of F4 and the grandson of a former president of Korea. His musical talent catches Geum Jan-di's attention and she begins to develop feelings for him. He has a driving phobia after being involved in a car accident that killed his parents and left him the only survivor. He is initially in love with Min Seo-hyun, but eventually falls for Geum Jan-di and acts as her protector.

• Kim Sang Bum as So Yi-jung

So 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. Although he does not develop romantic feelings for Jan-di, he does eventually become fond of her and becomes good friends with her, and at times is seen to be rather protective of her.

• Kim Joon as Song Woo-bin

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 mafia. Like Yi-jung, he eventually befriends Jan-di and cares for her, and is also protective of her at times.

• Kim So-eun as Chu Ga-eul

Geum Jan-di's best friend who works with her at the porridge shop. She falls for So Yi-jung after he helps her get over her cheating ex-boyfriend. He eventually reciprocates those feelings.

Extended cast

• Kim Hyun-joo as Goo Jun-hee - Goo Jun-pyo's elder sister, and one of the only people he listens to. She wants the best for her brother and constantly shows him the error of his ways. She also supports his relationship with Jan-di, and befriends Jan-di, and acts towards Jan-di like she is her little sister.
• Lee Hye-young as Kang Hee-soo (aka President Kang) - Goo Jun-pyo's mother and President of Shinhwa Group. She vehemently opposes her son's relationship with Geum Jan-di and does everything in her power to stop them.
• Ahn Suk-hwan as Geum Il-bong - Geum Jan-di's father and a dry cleaner. His friend takes out loans under his name, and as a consequence he is chased by loan sharks.
• Im Ye-jin as Na Gong-joo - Geum Jan-di's mother. She is very money-minded and constantly pressures Geum Jan-di to attract and marry a rich man.
• Park Ji-bin as Geum Kang-san - Geum Jan-di's younger brother who is very technologically inclined.
• Han Chae-young as Min Seo-hyun - Yoon Ji-hoo's first love and a famous Korean model. He is still hung up on her when Geum Jan-di develops feelings for him. Like Jun-hee, she befriends Jan-di and develops a sisterly relationship with her, and just like Jun-hee acts like a big sister to Jan-di.
• Lee Min-jung as Ha Jae-kyung - a successful CEO's daughter who becomes Goo Jun-pyo's fiancee. Although the engagement was arranged by their parents, she develops feelings for him, which he doesn't return. Because of that, she backs out of the wedding.
• Lee Jung-gil as Yoon Seok-young - the former president of Korea and Yoon Ji-hoo's grandfather. He believes that he caused Yoon Ji-hoo's parents' fatal car accident and has been too guilt-ridden to face his grandson ever since.
• Jung Ho-bin as Jung Sang-ruk - President Kang's Chief Secretary. He is sympathetic towards Goo Jun-pyo and often helps him out when it comes to Geum Jan-di.
• Lee Si-young as Oh Min-ji - Geum Jan-di's first and only friend when she transfers to Shinhwa High. However, she harbors deep feelings for Goo Jun-pyo and ends up sabotaging Geum Jan-di to get closer to him.
• Gook Ji-yeon as Choi Jin-hee (aka Ginger) - one-third of the Mean Girls Trio (Jin Sun Mi).
• Jang Ja-yeon as Park Sun-ja (aka Sunny) - one-third of the Mean Girls Trio (Jin Sun Mi). Jang Ja-yeon committed suicide shortly after filming the drama, allegedly due to the inability to withstand the pressure of entertaining and having sex with program directors and corporate and media executives.
• Min Young-won as Lee Mi-sook (aka Miranda) - one-third of the Mean Girls Trio (Jin Sun Mi).
• Im Joo-hwan as So Il-hyun - So Yi-jung's estranged elder brother. He leaves the family home and abandons So Yi-jung in order to live a normal life.
• Park Soo-jin as Cha Eun-jae - So Yi-jung's childhood friend and first love. She winds up teaching pottery and crosses paths with So Yi-jung after disappearing for 3 years.
• Kim Min-ji as Jang Yu-mi - a patient at the same hospital Goo Jun-pyo is admitted to. She pushes her way into Goo Jun-pyo's life by taking advantage of his amnesia.
• Jung Eui-chul as Lee Min-ha (suicidal student)/Min Jae-ha (model Haje) - two characters played by the same actor. The first is the suicidal student that Geum Jan-di saves, and the latter his vengeful brother who vows revenge against Goo Jun-pyo by hurting Geum Jan-di.
• Haiming as Ming - Yoon Ji-hoo's friend from Macau.
• SS501 - special performance of "UR MAN" (cameo, episode 4)

Differences from the manga

• In the manga, the characters are in high school in season 1, but F4 (minus Domyoji) attends Eitoku University in season 2. In the Korean version, the characters are also in high school, but the F4 move on to Shinhwa University from episode 13 onwards. Shinhwa High School and Shinhwa University are located within the same campus.
• The relationship between the two characters Sojiroh and Yuki (Yi-jung and Ga-eul in the Korean version) is merely hinted. In the Korean version, their relationship gradually develops throughout the series, having their own significant plotline instead of acting as a subplot.
• Yoon Ji-hoo has a more significant role in Geum Jan-di's life than the Taiwanese and Japanese versions, more strongly depicted as a romantic companion for most of the drama.
• Yoon Ji-hoo is depicted as an orphan in the Korean version, whereas in the Japanese and Chinese versions as well as the manga he has a family and is set to follow in the family business.
• Woo-bin's family does not appear in this version, nor is he only interested in older women.
• How Geum Jan-di came to attend the same school as F4 is changed completely. In the manga version, Makino's parents sent her to Eitoku against her wishes to attend another high school with her middle school friends because they thought in order to increase chances for Makino to marry a rich guy, she will need to go to a school full of rich people. In the Japanese TV series, Makino decides to apply for Eitoku after seeing Shizuka Toda at the briefing session, wanting to become an amazing person like her. Yet in the Korean version, Jan-di saves a student from committing suicide while delivering laundry (her family owns a dry-cleaning business), and in order to subdue the negative press from the incident, Shinhwa Group offers her a scholarship to the school. Geum Jan-di is reluctant to attend and at first declines, but complied because of parental pressure and because the school has a state-of-the-art swimming pool (she is a competitive swimmer).

Reception

Boys Over Flowers attracted high viewership ratings and buzz throughout South Korea during its broadcast in 2009, and created another Korean wave throughout Asia. The cast members became household names and shot to stardom overnight, and after the series ended, several of them became the faces of various endorsements and advertisements. 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.

During its broadcast, the series influenced South Korean men to take their appearances more seriously to copy the metrosexual or "pretty boy" image (kkotminam, lit. "men as beautiful as flowers") of the F4 characters in the drama. This led to an increase in South Korean males wearing cosmetics, preppy and cruise outfits, and clothing in traditionally more feminine looks like the color pink and floral prints.

The drama's local filming locations became tourist attractions, such as Damyang Dynasty Country Club in South Jeolla Province; Ragung hanok hotel in Silla Millennium Park in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province; Hilton Namhae Gold & Spa Resort in South Gyeongsang Province; Grand Hyatt Seoul ice rink; Lotte Hotel World's Emerald Room; Farmer's Table in Heyri; and Yangpyeong English Village. The overseas locations featured such as New Caledonia and Macau also became sought-after holiday destinations.

The series' international popularity extended to Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Nepal, Philippines, Taiwan, the northeast Indian state of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and among others. The cast members held various sold-out events across Asia, such as concerts and fan meetings.

The Seoul chapter of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) criticized the series for being the epitome of materialism and the Cinderella complex, saying it sets a bad example for Korean dramas by depicting school violence, and teenagers indulging in pleasure and prejudice toward others based on their appearance and social class. The YWCA report also singled out the leading female character (Geum Jan-di) for being passive and dependent.

Ratings

Date	Episode	Nationwide	Seoul
2009-01-05	ep. 1	14.3% (7th)	14.4% (6th)
2009-01-06	ep. 2	17.6% (4th)	17.4% (4th)
2009-01-12	ep. 3	20.8% (4th)	21.1% (4th)
2009-01-13	ep. 4	21.4% (4th)	21.6% (3rd)
2009-01-19	ep. 5	24.8% (3rd)	24.3% (3rd)
2009-01-20	ep. 6	24.8% (3rd)	24.6% (3rd)
2009-01-26	ep. 7	19.5% (1st)	19.4% (1st)
2009-01-27	ep. 8	25.9% (2nd)	25.3% (2nd)
2009-02-02	ep. 9	29.7% (2nd)	29.4% (2nd)
2009-02-03	ep. 10	30.5% (2nd)	30.2% (2nd)
2009-02-09	ep. 11	31.5% (2nd)	31.8% (2nd)
2009-02-10	ep. 12	31.4% (2nd)	31.2% (2nd)
2009-02-16	ep. 13	31.5% (2nd)	31.5% (2nd)
2009-02-17	ep. 14	31.9% (2nd)	32.0% (2nd)
2009-02-23	ep. 15	32.4% (2nd)	32.3% (2nd)
2009-02-24	ep. 16	33.2% (2nd)	32.9% (2nd)
2009-03-02	Special	21.8% (3rd)	22.4% (3rd)
2009-03-03	ep. 17	29.9% (2nd)	30.6% (2nd)
2009-03-09	ep. 18	35.5% (1st)	35.7% (2nd)
2009-03-10	ep. 19	31.2% (2nd)	31.3% (3rd)
2009-03-16	ep. 20	32.6% (2nd)	31.6% (2nd)
2009-03-17	ep. 21	33.6% (2nd)	33.8% (2nd)
2009-03-23	ep. 22	31.8% (2nd)	32.4% (2nd)
2009-03-24	ep. 23	31.8% (2nd)	31.6% (2nd)
2009-03-30	ep. 24	30.2% (2nd)	29.2% (2nd)
2009-03-31	ep. 25	34.8% (1st)	34.9% (1st)
average		28.5%	28.4%

Source: TNS Media Korea

DVD licensing

In North America, YA Entertainment released the series in two DVD box sets; volume one was released in November 2009 and volume two in December 2009.

International broadcast

• In the Philippines, the ABS-CBN network acquired the TV rights to air this series. It premiered on May 11, 2009 until August 21, 2009 in the primetime spot, and it aired from Mondays through Fridays.
• The series was also aired on Malaysia's free-to-air television 8TV (ASTRO channel 708), started from December 16, 2009.
• In Japan a special preview of the series aired on March 21, 2009. The series then officially aired on Hallyu Channel Mnet every Sunday at 7:30pm starting on April 12, 2009.
• Taiwan's CTV acquired the rights to air the series and started from May 10, 2009, on Sundays at 10pm. GTV also aired the series starting from May 16, on every Saturday at 9pm.
• Mediacorp's Channel U in Singapore acquired the rights to air the series, starting from May 16, 2009 every Saturday at 9.30pm, together with Taiwan's GTV (Channel U broadcast the Taiwan version).
• Hong Kong's biggest television network, Television Broadcasts Limited, gained the rights to broadcast the drama, and it was aired on its channel intended for a younger audience TVB J2, and started airing in 2009.
• Indonesia's TV channel Indosiar acquired the rights to air the series, and was aired every Monday and Tuesday at 10.30 pm, starting from June 1, 2009.
• Thailand started airing on July 4, 2009, every Saturday and Sunday at 9.15 am. Broadcaster was BBTV Channel 7 Bangkok.
• Vietnam started airing on June 24, from Monday to Thursday every week at 9pm on H1 (Hanoi Television). The copyright was held by TVM and was legally aired on HTV3 every weekends at 9:00 pm from August 22, 2009.
• Asia's Xing Kong aired the series on July 8, 2009, as part of the Boys Over Flowers Trilogy along with the Taiwan and Japanese versions.
• Canada: Aired in Vancouver on SHAW Multicultural Channel (119) weekdays from 7:30-8pm (local time) with English subtitles.
• Israel: Started airing on September 3, 2010 on Viva Platina Channel, 2 episodes every Friday.
• United States: Hulu started streaming the full 25 episodes on August 2010. All 25 episodes are also available on Netflix as instant streaming.
• Peru: Started airing on May 5, 2011 on Panamericana Televisión.
• Panama: Started airing on June 19, 2011 on SERTV, Channel 11.
• Botswana: Started airing from January 2011 on BTV.
• Ecuador: Currently airing on Ecuador TV.
• Romania: Started airing on October 12, 2011 on Euforia Lifestyle TV.
• Puerto Rico: Started airing on October 19, 2011 on Puerto Rico TV.
• Kazakhstan: Aired on El Arna.
• Chile: Started airing on April 16, 2012 on Etc...TV and sister station MEGA where it became a rating success during its current timeslot.
• Turkey: Started airing on December 1, 2012 on TRT Okul.
• Saudi Arabia: Started airing on March 23, 2013 on mbc4.

Music

Album #	Album Info	Tracklisting
1st	Boys Over Flowers Original Soundtrack: Part 1 Artist: Various Released: 23 January 2009 Label: Doremi Media Co Ltd Language: Korean Format: Studio album (CD) Genre: K-pop	Tracklisting Paradise - T-Max Because I'm Stupid - SS501 Do You Know - Someday Stand By Me - SHINee Lucky - Ashily Starlight Tears - Kim Yoo-kyung A Little - Seo Jin-young One More Time - Tree Bicycle I Know (Saxophone Inst.) - Lee Jung-sik Dance With Me (Inst.) Blue Flower (Inst.) So Sad (Inst.) Opening Title (Paradise Intro.) - T-Max
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	Tracklisting Say Yes - T-Max Wish Ur My Love - T-Max feat. J Yearning Heart - A'st1 Making A Lover - SS501 What Do I Do - Jisun Love Is Fire - Kara Love U - HowL Almost Like Love - Brand New Day Tears Are Falling - Lee Sang-gon Cellogic (Inst.) - Kim Young-min 다가가다(Inst.)/Approach (Inst.) - Dong Yo Stranger Sun (Inst.) - Park Hye-ri For The Sake Of Love (Inst.) - Park Hye-ri
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	Tracklisting A Thing Called Happiness - Kim Hyun-joong Something Happened To My Heart - A&T (A'st1 & T-Max) Fight The Bad Feeling (Ballad Ver.) - T-Max Fight The Bad Feeling (Dance Ver.) - T-Max Fight The Bad Feeling (Club Ver.) - T-Max Emptiness - Kim Joon of T-Max I'm Going To Meet Her Now - Kim Bum A Heart Cannot Be Hidden - Lee Ji-hye Bang Bang Boom - T-Max My Everything - Lee Min-ho

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Recipient	Ref
2009	45th Baeksang Arts Awards	Best New Actor	Lee Min-ho
		Popularity Award	Kim Hyun-joong
	Seoul International Drama Awards	Popular Actor	Kim Hyun-joong
		Popular Drama	Boys Over Flowers
	Yahoo! Asia Buzz Awards	Best Asian Actress	Ku Hye-sun
		Asia's Best Star	Kim Hyun-joong
	KBS Drama Awards	Excellence Award - Actress in a Mid-length Drama	Ku Hye-sun
		Netizen Award	Ku Hye-sun
		Best New Actor	Lee Min-ho
		Best New Actress	Kim So-eun
		Best Couple Award	Lee Min-ho and Ku Hye-sun
2010	Cyworld Digital Music Awards	Best OST	"Because I'm Stupid" - SS501

External links

• Boys Over Flowers official KBS website (Korean)
• Boys Over Flowers at KBS America (English)
• Boys Over Flowers at HanCinema (English)