F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers (2021)

One of my top favorites of F4 versions

At least for me, it shot to the top pretty quick.
I'm not going into details of the plot we already know about for approximately 20 years or so. I'll just write my opinions and thoughts on it.
Disclaimer: I'm a stubborn bias for the original drama version, Meteor Garden 2001, because it was my childhood and I was a huge fan of F4 aka JVKV. Henceforth, I would always compare any version to the original with bias views. Nothing would ever replace that top spot for me.
I would say Thailand version officially tied for second along with Japanese version.
Why? Thailand version took a slight turn with the modern twist - cyberbullying and all the social media obsession gossip, cancelling, etc. Ofc, the physical bullying is worse and wrong as well. Definitely showcases how toxic people can get no matter what age we're in.
Other than that, I feel this F4 was openly loving towards one another - MJ literally says "we love you, that's why we support no matter what." It feels liike you don't see that often in dramas for men, at least, to be affectionate towards their friends. Male or female, or whatever gender, friends are kind of like relationships where you show case your love for one another platonically. I really appreciate this show for showcasing that. The connection between the boys were definitely strong! In terms of F4 ranks, they're my second favorite honestly.
As for the acting, they're not the best actors or actresses, it's passable. Then again they're new just like most F4 shows it seems. The side characters like the mom, sister, and fiance were actually good actresses - seemed realistic to me. I notice Gorya screams a lot, and if I were to compare it with Shancai(MG 2001), she wasn't screaming that much, she was stern with her voice, and strong. Gorya's screaming got a bit too much towards the end, I didn't realize how much she was screaming when she's mad, but I suppose that's normal at least to those who give in to their emotions. Unable to control it through the way they talk. Regardless, would I recommend this show? Yes, definitely because its quite heartwarming. I even cried through some of the episodes, it was quite relatable with my emotions and what I've been through. I really enjoyed the drama and would recommend to anyone. Albeit, do not expect a lot of romance, its like a teen show.

Read More

One of the best casting!

F4 thailand: boys over flowers has the best casting amongst all the adaptation of the series. Every character is given equal importance. Thyme (Bright) & Gorya (tu) has the best chemistry. Background music is og. The sequence of events were shown logical compared to other adpatations which were bit confusing. The character of Ren is justified here. MJ defines us what friendship is actually all about. Though wanted more of Kavin And Kanning they played their part beautifully. Thyme and Gorya is a perfect couple and cute fights b/w them makes it A must watch. Already watched it thrice ♥️ I hope we get
to see them together again 🌾🐯

Read More

Downhill we roll, as the quality drops with each episode.

Here’s the thing - I was extremely vocal on feeds and while talking to my friends about how this will be my favorite adaptation of the story and how much they improved with making it more realistic and less over the top toxic. And then, slowly, with every episode my enthusiasm started to drop. A show I started with genuine love, I finished as a hate watch. I cried watching the last episode, cried from laughing so bad.

Rich guy with family issues falls for a poor girl with financial issues - we all know the stories like that, most of us watched at least one adaptation of F4. Was this a fresh and groundbreaking take on this cliche plot? No. It started really well with a more realistic approach to the characters - Gorya was less in your face superhero bully fighter and Thyme, while still rude and cruel, had some type of limits to how far he is willing to go. I truly enjoyed how it was more grounded in reality - they managed to make me like the female lead more, and hate the male lead less. Then it lost that spark as it played into all the toxic over the top semi-makjang ideas.

Honestly speaking, the biggest issue was Thyme. To people saying he got amazing character development, where? There was one episode left for the drama to end and he still needed his friends to tell him what is good and moral and what is not. Dude literally threw a chair in Gorya’s direction when he was angry. How was I supposed to root for him, when I saw close to zero improvement in his behavior - every time things got tough or he got angry, he went back to his old abusive and impulsive ways.

Saying it’s realistic that he did not change so easily would make sense if the drama was realistic as a whole - it was not. They clearly did not care about realism, so why try to excuse the character with that logic?

Gorya was fine during all scenes, except the ones with Thyme. They both used violence against each other and sometimes it was played as a fun little comedy bit. On the other hand, she strived for better and grew as a person when she was with Ren.

And here we face the biggest issue - they made Ren too good to be true. Yes, he made one mistake and acted rather toxic towards Gorya with the misguided actions based on his good intentions, but he learned from that and never did that again. He was so fine. That’s that.

Then we have that completely useless and not developed romance between Kavin and Kaning. I am not going to lie, the side couple was my favorite part of the Korean version - the story was interesting, the conflicts were well built, the resolution was satisfying. Here, we’ve got none of that. They made zero effort to convince me why Kavin was hesitant to start things with her. They were just in the background, occasionally being cute.

I don’t even want to talk about M.J. getting his plot thanks for KFC commercials at the end.

I did enjoy the friendship of F4 a lot. Their scenes, excluding the bullying ones, were fun to watch. They always had each other’s back and tried to solve issues as a team - well, the 3 of them tried to solve Thyme’s issues while he acted like a moody toddler either turning them down or running away.

Putting characters aside, the show did attempt and made some good remarks about the social differences, the responsibilities and struggles people might have depending on their social status. I appreciated how it was not all black and white - rich people have all the privileges and no real issues, and poor people are the only ones struggling.

Acting wise I don’t really have complaints. I’m not the biggest fan of Bright’s acting, but he was truly born to play this role. Thyme was rather dumb of a character, and the faces this guy was making just elevated it, making me crack a smile quite a few times. Tu did an amazing job as Gorya - I bought everything she was selling on screen. I would say, the only performance that was questionable was Win as Kavin - his delivery was a bit on one note and the lines just did not sound natural at times.

Production wise though, probably one of the best quality we have seen from Thailand for some time. The show was simply beautiful. It was impossible to watch even one episode without taking countless screenshots. They played with angles, depth and light and I appreciated that alot.

Music was fine? I honestly cannot remember one song from it. They were not that memorable, but if they were bad, I would for sure remember them not fitting the scenes.

Overall, what a journey it was. By the end I was rooting for Thyme’s mother to keep them apart. What a badass she was. Might be evil, but with a class. The most terrifying mother of all the adaptations.

I don’t regret watching, I enjoyed it a lot during the first half, and had fun making fun of it during the second half. It’s like, slightly better than Boys Over Flowers? In some aspects… but not all.

Read More

Well Worth Watching !!!!

This drama is so dam good that i literally binged watched twice after the last episode aired this past weekend.

I loved everything about the cast the music the story line the plots the twists the tears and the exceptional funny moments between Gorya and Thyme.

I am not going to compare to the others, but for me personally, this adaption was the absolute best , the cast was so amazing and they all got along very well, and were well matched for there roles. They wonderfully modified the story. I really liked how they portrayed Thyme's character in terms of other versions. Gorya 's character was top notch. She nailed it. Ren 's character is also my favorite since he was the bridge between Gorya and Thyme. for me they way portrayed Thyme's mother was like on another level, wow she was extremely nasty and so cunning espically towards the last few episodes. she was right there till the end, she was like a villainess to me. I also loved how the story shows the strong friendship between Gorya and other F4 members. In 16 episodes ,they really covered the whole story. But it would be great if they had the wedding part, but it definitely ended on a nice note and did it justice.

F4 friendship- it was a good amount of screen time to show how close and strong their friendship is and they had their bromance moments. Kavin and MJ were a funny pair! You can see how close the F4 are super close to each other. these two were good and well matched and they had funny moments, I would like to see kavin end up with Kanning and MJ with his iris story at the end of every episode was also a nice touch. Ren was the best version from the others in my option He supported Gorya whenever he could., and was always there for her and encouraged her to never give up, the chemistry between the leads - I loved it! the casting choice was well done. Bright's acting; he was able to portray his character pretty well by pulling of a variety of wild emotions from acting angry, sad, confused dork, and love he gives Gorya takes a lot of energy to pull of this character.

The Music OMG was the best in this drama, I loved every single song that was done, and each song was well matched to what was going on, this is absolutely on playlist!!

Overall: THIS DRAMA IS WELL WORTH THE WATCH and the Leads and the Music!! Urgh Just go watch this!!!

Read More

The best version

Trust me. To me who have seen all the versions of Boys over flowers, the thai verdion is the best one. I really really loved it. With no matter how the plot moved forward, the base or the essence of their character doesn't change but they only get deeper and deeper. And damn, the way the actors protrayed it is a cherry on top, especially P'cindy. She just nailed it. She is my first favorite cast in this version and then comes others.

The fact that gorya doesn't change from start to end, how the layers and depth of each characters and why they are like this are so detailed.

The best part is the innocence of thyme which is hidden so deep inside himas he never got to enjoy that in his lifetime but longed for it and when he get to enjoy it he is just a gaint baby.

I loved the fact that they didn't dragged the memory loss track much. He crying for hurting gorya after getting back or I must say reliving their moments once again in his memory and the way thyme's mother, Roselyn realizes her way of loving thyme is dragging him away from whst his true happiness is and shouting open the gate to let her son get the happiness he want. And that showed that she loved thyme in her own way.

Over all, this is the best.

Read More

A worthy remake

I am one of those who have watched (and obsessed over) Meteor Garden Taiwan 20 years ago. It might have something to do with it being a phenomenon in our country because everyone and their mamas knew who Dao Ming Si and San Chai was. I was so young back then I didn't know all the red flags the series have. I also watched Hana Yori Dango but it was aired right after the F4 fever so it wasn't that memorable for me. The last version I watched was Boys Over Flowers Korea and I hated that show. So my last memory of this remake is so long ago I can't recall clearly if some scenes were better or not from the other versions.

I am familiar with Bright and Win . The other actors are all fairly new so I won't be that critical of their acting. This is about F4 but we all know this series is focused and hard carried by the two main leads. Bright and Tu have chemistry. Before I started watching the series, I saw some promotional videos of them endorsing couple stuff and I saw that potential in them. I think they missed a lot of opportunity to show that chemistry. Bright has definitely mastered that infatuated and in love gaze. As for Tu, she looked uncomfortable in those long staring. I was convinced of Thyme's feelings but I wasn't really convinced of Gorya. Bright also improved on his acting. He nailed the comedic parts just right although he still needs improvement on some melodramatic scenes. Tu did her best as a newbie and she actually embodied the strong-willed Gorya really well. The other F4 members have delivered what they have to. It wasn't much work but they did their parts okay.

This franchise has been remade gazillion times so there is really nothing much we didn't see from the other versions. The times have changed though and there are a lot of parts that are already frowned upon.  I liked this modernized version and I think the show really delivered. I know they cannot go all out and fancy like the other versions (e.g. travelling to abroad) because of the pandemic. It's a pity how the show could've had a grander production but it did its best with all the restrictions. Thyme and Gorya needed more moments together. The only thing I liked in the K-version was Yi Jung and Ga Eul's story so I had high hopes for Kavin and Kaning. However, they felt so forced to me because the writers decided to wrap up their love story all in one episode. I'm not familiar with Prim but out of all the female characters that the show introduced, her portrayal of Kaning feels the weakest.

Another thing I loved in this show are the women. F4 is the star but I think the female casts were scene stealers. Cindy is impeccable in her role as Thyme's mom. She screams power not in the crazy mom obsessed way. She just reeks of sophistication and intimidation. I think the casting team did amazing because Cindy, Bright and Maria all looks ridiculously gorgeous as one family. Maria did a softer interpretation of the big sis role and it was refreshing. Fah caught my eye and I think I found a new girl crush. She appeared only for a very few scenes but she made her impression. Milk also has a really strong screen presence and her chemistry with Bright is also palpable. I wish we could she them reunite in another drama too.

Overall, I think it's a great remake. Definitely worth watching if you are a fan of the franchise.

Read More

Happiness comes in various shapes

F4 Thailand is one of its kind.

Story:
The story picks up at a school, where bullying is severe and seem very dark.
Poor girl meets rich arrogant guy, who eventually fall in love and become a couple, facing the issues of their social standards.
The story is nothing new, it is basically every cliché put in a drama, yet F4 Thailand managed to do it in the most intriguing and charming way.
Especially the usage of social media as bullying medium is implemented phenomenal and just shows how fast a little spark can turn into a huge wildfire.

Each episode was build to have its own arc, making me go on a rollercoaster ride of emotions every time and anticipate every week.
Within' the episode, the antagonists got introduced.
We get to learn about them during the episodes, making them coming alive and emphasis with them.
The director and screenwriter did an excellent job creating those characters and make them not feel one dimensional only.
But that came with a price.
As much as I liked to get to know the side characters, they took away the screen time of the main cast and their story, which already had to be cut down to 16 episodes.
Making the F4 Thailand a fast-paced drama, that sadly, did not go in depth with the main story arc.

The cinematography is outstanding.
Every shot picked out carefully, showing a lot of symbolism and really emphasizes the story and the feelings of the characters.

Acting/ Cast:
- Main Cast:
The main cast is chosen out perfectly.
I could not imagine any other portraying F4 and Gorya now.
The cast showed multilayered characters, who were portraying the emotions in a raw and vulnerable way.
Making me laugh, cry and at some point trying to hit them.
The bond the cast share was natural, and you could tell, that all of them cared for each other.

- Family:
Goryas Family is a safe place for her.
Whenever she felt down, she knew that her family can and will cheer her up in the most loveable and fun way.
The characters were portrayed nicely. Fun, supporting, and just a joy to watch.

OST/ Music:
The music itself is great. I really love the "Who am I" which perfectly describes breaking out of your habits and go on a journey to find yourself.
Other than that I like all the other OSTs too, except some were used in odd places, which led to the score.

Overall, F4 Thailand is a modernized approach of the other BoFs.
It started really well, and I was intrigued, showing off to my friends as one of the best dramas I probably have seen in a while, but that excitement slowly faded away at the last quarter of the show.
It might be due to the fast progressing storyline, but I missed some crucial parts and was not really satisfied with the ending, like I was supposed to be.

Read More

‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’; The Adaptation That Could’ve Been So Much More…

When ‘ Meteor Garden’ first introduced a mainstream audience to the world of Kamio Yoko’s shoujo Cinderella story back in 2001, very few individuals would’ve been able to have predicted the ongoing legacy and impact of Yoko’s work. Indeed nearly two decades and multiple adaptations later, a new generation has been introduced to the world of ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ through the Thai adaptation of the mangaka’s work ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’. The sixteen-episode series has gained popular attention by fans and critics alike. However despite its praise, it is important to acknowledge that the series hasn’t escaped the realm of scrutiny and criticism either.

Similar to its predecessor adaptations , ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ introduces viewers to its main female leader and heroine "Gorya" Thitara Jundee ( Tontawan Tantivejaku). An ordinary girl coming from a humble background, Gorya has entered Kocher High School, a prestigious school for the heirs of Thailand’s wealthiest families, through a varsity scholarship.

Gorya’s parents are over the moon with her attendance at the illustrious institution. Despite not being able to afford new shoes for their daughter, they are determined to ensure Gorya will finish high school with a praiseworthy diploma from Kocher. Yet despite rubbing shoulders with some of Thailand’s wealthiest heirs, Gorya has become weary of drawing attention to herself, especially with regards to her family status.

Aside from befriending classmate Hana (Wanwimol Jaenasavamethee), Gorya is determined to keep her head down until graduation. Indeed instead of partying or enjoying a hedonistic lifestyle like some of her classmates , Gorya spends her time predominantly divided between her studies, home and her part-time job at florist shop ‘Maytee O Garden’ ( a word pun homage to ‘ Meteor Garden’) where she works alongside best friend Kaning ( Yongwaree Anilbol).

However, Gorya’s hopes for a quiet life at school are soon dashed when she ends up on the wrong side of notorious F4 leader "Thyme" Akira Paramaanantra ( Vachirawit Chivaaree). With fellow F4 members “ Ren” Renrawin Aira ( Jirawat Sutivanichsak), "Kavin" Taemiyaklin Kittiyangkul ( Metawin Opas-iamkajorn) and "M.J." Methas Jarustiwa ( Hirunkit Changkham), Thyme’s tyrannical reign of bullying and authority over the school are suddenly challenged by Gorya’s defiance to become a scapegoat.

Despite Thyme’s bombardment of bullying tactics to make her back down, Gorya finds the determination to carry on through her growing unrequited feelings for F4 member Ren. Suave, mysterious and yearning over his childhood friend Mira ( Yongwaree Anilbol), Gorya finds her heart torn between her crush and her convoluted feelings for Thyme.

Of course it is important to to acknowledge that while ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ is an adaptation from mangaka Kamio Yoko’s bestselling work, ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ is respectfully ( like nearly all of the adaptations) a standalone production in its own right. Therefore, this has allowed certain opportunities and limitations by screenwriters Waneepan Ounphoklang, Jarinee Thanomyat and Suwanun Pohgudsai in order to encapsulate their respectfully young target audience.

One of the most efficient ways of keeping the audience intrigued came through the evident prevalence of technology in the series. From smart phones to social media, ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ placed heavy emphasis upon the sphere of modern youth culture. ( Especially through issues such as online harassment and cyber bullying in the early first part of the narrative.)

Nevertheless despite the grandeur shown through the everyday lifestyle of Thyme and the F4 , it is hard to ignore that issues such as abuse and bullying being glossed over by the series have been the subject of mixed-reception also. ( Especially with regards to the divisive relationship shown onscreen between Thyme and Gorya, arguably more lighthearted in comparison to other adaptations though not without its more controversial moments either.)

Tontawan Tantivejaku took on the role as main female lead and heroine "Gorya" Thitara Jundee. Actively involved in the world of modelling, it may surprise some that ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ marked the model’s acting debut . Nevertheless despite Tontawan Tantivejaku offering a fresh face to the role of the “tough and defiant” female lead, it became apparent that Tontawan’s inexperience at times often led to several awkward line deliverances over the duration of the series.

Of course this isn’t to entirely blame Tontawan Tantivejaku for her acting. Considering that it was respectfully the model’s first acting role, Tontawan carried herself surprisingly well throughout most of the drama , adding a surprisingly sweet and dynamic edge to her onscreen persona.

As an onscreen character, Gorya is admittedly a mixed-bag of writing strengths and flaws for the female heroine. Where other adaptations have struggled to encapsulate the female lead’s wider interactions with her family as well as their economic struggles, ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ added a surprisingly sentimental touch by focusing upon simple and daily interactions with Gorya’s family during most of the series.

However for a female lead who could be surprisingly resilient and laidback in comparison to some of her predecessors, Gorya could often feel as though she had hit a writing rut by the halfway point of the drama. This was mainly due to the fact that despite her initial growth by warming up to the F4 and attempting to navigate her own ambivalent feelings for Ren and Thyme, the second-half of ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ attempted to enforce Gorya into the leading role of the “ fickle heroine”; showing open affection, before seemingly changing her opinions out of an inconvenient dilemma and then dragging out major misunderstandings between herself and Thyme.

Although this cannot be entirely faulted as a bad writing decision per say by helping to intensify the tension of the series, ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ could sometimes inhibit further opportunities to see Gorya fully explore her mixed feelings in depth, or at least being given opportunities to grow or be explored beyond her specified role. ( This often resulted within Gorya’s later role in the series feeling somewhat stunted and enforced; rarely allowing her actions such as bending to the will of Thyme’s mother, feeling well-matched against her disposition and character.) Nevertheless despite a rocky first performance for the young model, there is certainly potential to see Tontawan Tantivejaku taking on future projects.

Then of course costarring alongside Tontawan Tantivejaku was Vachirawit Chivaaree ( alternatively known as ‘ Bright’) playing main male lead of the series, “Thyme” Akira Paramaanantra. For those familiar with Bright’s acting career, specifically for his role in the ‘2gether; The Series’, then most will probably agree that the actor certainly seemed an unusual choice. Nevertheless, Bright could be surprisingly tactful at times within his performance as Thyme; adding a nuanced touch of uncertainty and mixed-emotions through intonations and even micro-expressions onscreen.

However despite a superfluous amount of effort put into the role by the actor, it is hard to ignore that Bright’s approach to his onscreen character could feel somewhat overacted . This is not entirely the actor’s fault per say. Thyme’s written dialogue could often overblown at times and in addition to an onset of niche setups, Bright’s performance as Thyme was often somewhat inconsistent as a result.

This of course brings us onto one of the biggest elephants of the room within ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’, main male lead Thyme. There are certainly some positive attributes to comment about Thyme. In comparison to some of his previous incarnations who were defined purely by their haughty exterior and sardonicism, Thyme could often be said to be a “ kinder” version of his predecessors. Indeed, Thyme was often defined by his petulance and fractiousness around the female lead ( such as his demands and desires) , but he certainly often wore his heart upon his sleeve also.

However although it could be said that Thyme offered a more open and empathic version of the main lead in comparison to other incarnations, there is still a divisive issue for critics and fans alike surrounding the relationship between Thyme and Gorya throughout the duration of the series.

Writers Waneepan Ounphoklang, Jarinee Thanomyat and Suwanun Pohgudsai arguably did present the notion that Thyme was hopelessly infatuated by Gorya. However it is hard to excuse that despite his seeming bursting affections for the female lead, his treatment towards Gorya’s could sometimes be unnerving.

To explain this further it is important to point out that Thyme isn’t the first incarnation to come under rapid fire for his treatment of the female lead. Surprisingly this is not to say that these actions and problems should not have existed in the series. (In fact it could be argued that they could’ve allowed an open platform to address these issues, especially with consideration to the target audience.)

On the other hand it is hard to ignore that Thyme’s frenetic actions were often a sticky subject in the series. Respectfully while Thyme was held accountable for some of his actions, it will still provoke debate and discussion surrounding the initial aftermath of his actions also. ( In particular having resorted to often “ blowing up” around Gorya; resorting to yelling, throwing things or becoming openly aggressive with his body language during arguments rarely being addressed with more script .)

Then of course there’s another big issue to discuss with regards to ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’; Thyme’s “complicated” relationship with his mother and major antagonist of the series, Roselyn Paramaanantra ( Cindy Bishop). In comparison to certain adaptations which rarely ventured into the realm of Thyme’s bond with his mother being on a knife’s edge, the narrative often did present some early indications towards Thyme’s relationship with his mother being a difficult subject.

However instead of offering potential room for growth, Thyme’s estranged relationship with Roselyn was often widely disregarded until it was necessary for specific plot points. This was mainly due to the fact that
Thyme’s mother was often shoehorned ( like many adaptations) into the specific role of the antagonist; expediting the plot and dilemmas as well as giving the necessary introduction for Gorya and viewers to his older sister Tia ( Maria Poonlertlarp) but rarely being explored further. ( This was particularly shown in the latter-half of the series, leading to a dissatisfying conclusion for many.)

Then of course there’s Jirawat Sutivanichsak ( know alternatively by his nickname ‘ Dew’) as second male lead Ren. Similar to his costar and fellow model Tontawan Tantivejaku, ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ marked Dew’s first acting debut. Dew’s performance was decent enough by channelling into the mystique charm of his character. However whilst the rookie actor certainly made a decent acting debut, his performance in ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ could admittedly feel a little lacklustre with certain line deliverances.

Admittedly Ren served as a good example of writing an intriguing love rival for the main lead and a potential love interest for the main heroine. While he did not arguably quite possess the same joie de vivre as some of his counterparts, it was hard to ignore the fact that Ren possessed an element of enticing mystique and suave charm as an onscreen character . Nevertheless similar to some of the writing issues of the series, Ren’s character arc and development could feel somewhat flat lined by shoehorned plot events. ( In particular his character-arc and ambivalent feelings for his sister-figure Mira suffering from an anticlimactic conclusion.)

Tontawan Tantivejaku’s chemistry with costars Bright and Dew is admittedly variable from scene to scene. Nevertheless there is a certain charm especially from Tantivejaku’s onscreen and potential chemistry with Bright ( despite some arguably more divisive issues surrounding their onscreen characters), that helped to bring scenes to life and keep viewers enticed.

In addition to our main leads it is important to acknowledge the subplot revolving around supporting characters, M.J. and Kavin . Kavin’s potential wavering onscreen relationship with Kaning was placed on the sidelines of the narrative as a filler-in subplot to the main narrative ( though somewhat rushed by later plot events) , while M.J.’s “side story” was forced into a brief sponsorship sketch with KFC at the end of episodes. ( Often resulting in a conspicuous placement of a KFC food or drink product onscreen.)

However this is naturally where a major rut did hit the writing team for ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’. Instead of having the opportunities to cram in myriads of chapter titles and arcs into a space of twenty, forty or fifty episodes, the series was limited with a short and compact time space of sixteen episodes. Naturally this enforced the writers to be cutthroat at times with certain plot lines and attempting to accommodate itself to fit its restricted format.

As a consequence of this time frame, ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ often seemed to fall into the honey trap of heavily relying upon several trope-induced storyline events of its predecessors in order to pad out the narrative. While the drama did make some executive decisions with plot revelations and decisions, it could often enforce certain plot events to feeling somewhat rushed. ( This was shown in particular with the delivered ending. Although helping to deliver a satisfying conclusion for viewers with regards to the delivered verdict of the main leads’ potential onscreen relationship, the heavy reliance upon endings from previous adaptations as well as failing to wrap up some counterplots were apparent.)

The production and filming for ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ has admittedly been through a bumpy ride under the leadership of directors Patha Thongpan and Aticha Tanthanawigrai through COVID-19. As a consequence of these issues, it was noticeable that ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ could sometimes be somewhat choppy with its editing approaches and style. Admittedly this was not entirely the fault of the production team per say. Yet rather than attempting to work around production problems and missing scenes, it could often lead to these sporadic editing cuts feeling starkly presented against some of the drama’s slicker production edits and glossy gradients. ( This was apparent in particular with episodes around the halfway point where at the ending of an important scene, the episode suddenly cut off into a less than smooth transition with little context or relevancy hinted at for viewers.)

The OST of ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ is predominantly composed of an array of gushing love ballads and pop songs, upbeat and lovelorn tempos gradually blending into one another as BGM during various scenes of the series. Nevertheless despite some respectfully less memorable songs throughout the duration of the series, there were still some surprising gems such as emotional solo track “ One Last Cry” by Violette Wautier and “ Who am I” by BRIGHT, WIN, DEW and NANI arguably remained particularly ear-catching throughout the drama.

‘The series offered an ambitious and intriguing direction to mangaka Kamio Yoko’s series with updated subject areas and topics attempting to resonate with a new generation. A young cast with many notable leads being played by acting rookies served as a good launching pad ( similar to many other previous adaptations) towards potential new projects and careers. Nevertheless whilst the series could often feel flawed by its inconsistent acting, storyline direction and production problems , ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ has offered a fresh and revamped adaptation for a new generation. Although perhaps ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ may not appeal to everyone, it is certainly a satisfactory binge-watch.

Read More

Uniquely compelling, modern adaptation; making it a worthy addition to the world of Hana Yori Dango

I'm astounded by how good this version is. It had been years since the arrival of the versions I loved that I thought this would simply be another uninspiring regurgitation of one of the most well-known stories in dramaland. But F4 Thailand provides a uniquely compelling, modern adaptation; making it a worthy addition to the world of Hana Yori Dango.

Before I go further, I wanted to mention that I adored Meteor Garden (2001) and Boys Over Flowers (2009) and it was to the point of obsession for both at the time I watched each. But looking back now objectively for the latter, I will admit it was a bad rendition. Having said that, I am certain that the praises for F4 Thailand currently are warranted that even when we look back 10 years from now, we'd feel the same way.

The heroine in this version, Gorya, is my favorite. Her introduction as an ordinary student on scholarship at an elite school otherwise attended by wealthy students convinced me, especially because of how pragmatic she sounds in her assessment of her environment. With disillusionment about the school after having learned the true nature of the students, with being well aware of her standing within this crowd and her purpose in attending the school, she had resolved to put her head down and focus on graduating without incident. But, of course, fate had other plans for her and so she ends up standing up to the most powerful person in school, Thyme, despite knowing full well the hell she'd face getting on that collision course with him, all because she does not have the heart to disregard a friend in trouble. She is courageous not because she is fearless but because she faces Thyme in spite of her fears. That makes her a rock star in my book; an ordinary girl who is extraordinary. That iconic kick to the chest WAS SO SATISFYING.

That leads me to Thyme. I will always be Team Thyme. This boy is such a brat but he's our lovable idiot. I LOVED how Gorya just renders him speechless on multiple occasions. We come to learn that he is a product of the upbringing by a mother who is less of a mother and more of a ruthless businesswoman molding Thyme to be just like her in order to run the family empire one day. Needless to say he changes to become a better person after meeting Gorya. He often looks incongruous in Gorya's world and yet is the perfect match for her. I enjoyed their bickering but it was the subtle, sweet moments between them that were so moving and dear to my heart (midnight birthday and zoo dates come to mind).

I was truly charmed by this group of F4. I'm at that age where I don't easily go crazy over hot guys but there is merit in all the girls fawning over their hotness here. I found them cool and hot and stylish that it is totally believable that they are the most popular guys in school. Aside from keeping with that aspect of the original, I thought the F4 boys are portrayed as an ensemble cast here compared to other versions. I mean, Thyme and Ren's characters hold significant roles being the main and second leads respectively, so it's no surprise that they get a lot of screen time. My reference here is more toward Kavin and MJ. They didn't feel like the 3rd and 4th members. They are vital to the story and so supportive of our leads and just plain awesome and I was happy to see them featured just as much as others.

As one of many who is extremely familiar with the original story, some of the main dramatic plot points could have turned predictable, as if I would need to patiently wait to pass so I could watch the "good" parts; in particular, in connection to the villains in the story, like the kidnapper. Often these tropes feel as if they were there to serve the advancement of the main characters, and the "villains" would then be disregarded or forgotten at the end of their time. But instead, I was at the edge of my seat here due to the gripping suspense felt throughout, thanks to the wonderful directing and editing, music and acting. Whenever there is a focus on the side characters, it transported me to their world. I paid attention. I listened to what they had to say. I did not have the urge to skip to move forward to the main characters. Everyone had a role to play and with purpose and each of their message is clearly conveyed. I particularly enjoyed Kavin and Talay's arcs. As an aside, I do want to note that I wasn't a fan of Lita, as I've never been a fan of this character no matter how good she is as a person as I've always been a steadfast supporter of our One True Pairing.

In terms of production, this team deserves just as much praise as the cast. I would consider the production team highly intelligent. They knew exactly what they are offering to us. Every detail is carefully crafted and marvelously executed. If you witnessed something on screen, even subtleties, it is because they wanted us to notice. I felt they are effective in influencing you; clever in how they use social media to contribute to the story without taking away the original feels. They pay homage to the original premise while modernizing it, as well as incorporate Thai cultural aspects into the story and all of this is seamlessly executed for such great entertainment for the viewers.

I'll end with this: if you really think about it, you have to admit that as much as we all love it, the premise of Hana Yori Dango is pretty superficial, and at times ridiculous. But somehow, F4 Thailand manages to paint this world in realism, with a lot of heart, through a smart script, amazing directing, evocative music, thoughtful characterization, and a talented young cast. I don't think any other version will ever top this.

Read More