Shan Cai, an 18-year-old girl from a struggling family, is accepted into the country's most prestigious school, where she meets F4, an exclusive group of the wealthiest and most handsome boys—Dao Ming Si, Hua Ze Lei, Xi Men, and Mei Zuo. Despite Dao Ming Si's bullying, Shan Cai remains defiant and resilient. With Hua Ze Lei’s support, she endures the boys’ pranks and starts to gain their respect. As she uncovers their true sides, her determination and the boys’ evolving feelings lead to friendship and eventual romance. (Source: MyDramaList) ~~ Adapted from the manga “Hana Yori Dango” (花より男子) by Kamio Yoko (神尾葉子). ~~ Two versions available: 50 episodes (TV) || 49 episodes (Online; DVD) Edit Translation
- English
- 中文(简体)
- Arabic
- Русский
- Native Title: 流星花园
- Also Known As: Meteor Garden 2018 , Meteor Garden Chinese Version , Liu Xing Hua Yuan , 流星花園
- Director: Lin He Long
- Genres: Comedy, Romance, Youth, Drama
Cast & Credits
- Shen Yue Main Role
- Dylan Wang Main Role
- Darren Chen Main Role
- Caesar Wu Main Role
- Leon Leong Main Role
- Li Jia Qi Support Role
Reviews
A plot as thick as Dao Ming Si's eyebrows
Only real trash connoisseurs will understand the true value of this masterpiece. The most irritating finale i've ever seen but would this show really be as entertaining with an average vanilla finale that doesn't feel like you're tripping on LSD ? Think again... Like a river, the plot flows and flows. Not a single dull moment except for the whole episode exploring the unnecessary drama between Mei Zuo and Caina. You can skip it without feeling guilty.Last but not least: Thomas powerful, gripping and iconic performance at the London restaurant will never be forgotten.
1. I have watched all licensed live versions of this story (Taiwan, Japan, Korea and now this China remake).
2. I grew up watching the original Meteor Garden.
3. Japanese Hana Yori Dango became my ultimate favorite adaptation.
Here’s my review.
It was clear from the very first episode that there were going to be many changes made to the origin story in this new remake. One being the iconic F4 banner in the locker symbolizing F4's desire to challenge you to a poker match. Two being the noticeable absence of bullying and flaunting of wealth (due to China censorship)... which left me asking, whether this was truly Hana Dango. Why does it look so different? Third being DMS is actually quite the gentleman in this version. He is still arrogant and hot tempered but not really a bully per say. His rocky start with Shan Cai is very "Pride and Prejudice-ques" in that, it stemmed from misunderstanding and poor communication on both sides rather than bullying. Despite all of the noticeable changes, I was addicted by the first episode. The acting wasn’t very good. The story line was familiar but not at the same time. Yet, curiosity and awe at how this version looks and feels kept me going.
I compare the feeling of watching this version to falling in love when you are in your early teens. It is clear that this version of Meteor Garden is marketed towards that age group. The actors are all new people. Their youthful looks and clear inexperience with acting actually helps with the portrayal of these seemingly innocent and naive characters. These characters are not deep nor well developed at all. You can say they are one dimensional and kinda cartoony. So if you are expecting some well fleshed out story with deep characters and development... this show is definitely not for you. But, if you take this version for what it is meant to be, which is a highly entertaining, childish story of two characters falling in love despite ridiculous obstacles... then you will love this version. Hana Yori Dango is the king of all that is good and bad about cliche Asian Rom Coms and this version delivered the cheesiness in unapologetic style. Ultimately, it is silly to expect anything more from the king of all idol dramas.
Personally, I watched this version for Dylan Wang and Shen Yue. I grew to be very fond of the two actors and loved seeing their natural chemistry on screen. Despite being newbies, these two delivered strong performances in difficult scenes that really moved me. I didn’t care much for the other characters but didn’t mind them that much when they were on screen. I also grew to love the blatant product placement. It was so in your face that you couldn’t help but laugh. I also enjoyed the new scenes and the faithful adaptation to the original manga. This was the most faithful adaptation to the manga which is probably why the original author, Yoko Kamio, is also a fan. She drew Dylan as Tsukasa... so if that’s not a sign off, I don’t know what is...
As much as I loved this version, there were many moments in this drama that were so ridiculous that I wasn’t sure what the hell I was watching... it almost felt like the screen writers flat out gave up.
So, the jury is pretty split on the reception of this version. I think it’s best to watch and decide for yourself whether you enjoy it or not. I liked it and I had a good time watching.