Let me just say this: Be it the blindness caused by nostalgia, be it my appreciation for Matsumoto Jun and Inoue Mao as actors or something else... If this isn`t your favorite, or at least your second favorite adaptation of this material, then I cannot trust your judgement. It might seem harsh to a bystander, so let me elaborate on my strong opinion.

This version of the well-known shoujo manga classic "Hana Yori Dango"(or Boys Over Flowers) should`ve just been a way to cash in on the popularity of its material, which is probably why they only made 9 episodes at first. Even the cast seems picked at random to a careless overseer. What I`m sure both the producers, as well as directors didn`t expect, is that they`ll end up creating one of, if not the most influential manga adaptation of all time. That is, for a lack of a better word, Hana Yori Dango has become the golden standard for me, of how a rather vapid and clichéd material should be improved upon and handled.

Let me make something very clear: Hana Yori Dango, the drama adaptation, is significantly better than both the manga and the anime. Yes, I`m perfectly aware that what I`m saying is almost unheard of, but that doesn`t make it any less true. Is the story clichéd and at times, nonsensical?Sure, it is based off of a shoujo dramatic manga, after all. However, it is miles better than its source material and the reason for that is both the IMMACULATE cast, their chemistry AND most importantly, what the director chose to shoot and present to the audience as such. The fact that most important characters are shaped by this, and thus different than their later counterparts, coupled with the way they are acted, makes this a show that improves upon the manga and the anime indefinitely.
Now for the cast that I keep praising to high heavens. Another fact that you should know: Each actor embodies his character PERFECTLY. As in the characters become the actors themselves. Many praise the Korean version of this, AKA Boys Over Flowers, and especially Lee Min-ho`s portrayal of the despotic, ruthless and chaotic Gu Jun-Pyo(Doumyouji Tsukasa) but after being treated to the layered portrayal done by Matsumoto Jun, (who`s just about one of the most talented people I`ve ever seen working in Japanese entertainment industry today), any other will seem one note or even unsatisfactory. Same goes for Inoue Mao, Oguri Shun etc. You would think that in 9 episodes, the timing would be off and the episodes would be rushed but that also, couldn`t be further than the truth. Everything flows remarkably well with no boring parts in between. To put it really simply, I think that this version, at first, was supposed to be done just for financial benefit and that`s it. But, along the way, the actors, the writers, the directors, chose to instead offer something bursting with effort, feelings and talent. At first glance, physically, none of the actors other than Mao Inoue, fit the characters that they are playing. Matsumoto Jun is not tall, buff or aggressive-looking. Oguri Shun is not extremely delicate, pale nor that elegant. But due to their talent, the characters that were supposed to embody the actors, ended up being embodied by the actors instead. There`s a reason why, to this day there is talk about Mao and Jun still being together. It`s the overwhelming chemistry that`s to blame.

As for the cons of this classic, I would say that they either harken back to the original material(love triangles, misunderstandings) or the acting of one villain in particular, which seemed overwhelmingly cheesy, so I have to be objective on that. However!If you`re unsure of which adaptation of this manga you should watch, I warmly suggest this one, because it excels in every way and will stand any test of time.