double-and triple- play

many of our favorite dramas have several incarnations. i thought it might be fun to discuss the different versions of some of these. i'll start with the obvious juggernaut that is Hana Yori Dango. how many incarnations is this thing up to? a manga, four dramas and an anime series? can you AVOID it? my first experience with asian drama was the 1st 5 minutes of Boys over Flowers. when i got around to watching the whole thing i was plesantly surprised. sure there is some less than stellar acting at moments, but it's fun in a ridiculous asian drama kind of way. the ending was reeaally bad for me. i waited a year to watch Hana Yori Dango b/c i thought Jun looked like a drowned sewer rat. still kinda do. i liked the lead girl MUCH MORE in HYD. Jan Di irratated me and her skin looked like over powdered latex. Domyoji is a completely different character from Gu Jun Pyo, so for me it's really hard to compare. the shorter series length was both a good thing and a bad thing for me. it didnt give time for things to develop, in all honesty when Domyoji got on the plane at the end of season one i wasnt even sure if makino liked him more than rui. then again, i wasnt as entertained as i had been w/ BOF so i might not have finished it if it were much longer. in the end BOF got an 8 and HYD1 got a 7, HYD 2 got a 6. i've recently started watching Meteor Garden and have to admit that i laughed OUT LOUD when they 1st showed tiawan's F4. they are better looking than japan's IMO (well except for that one dude in the sweater vest, what gives there?) but who dressed them? and why does it look like it was shot with my sister's old kodak camcorder? i'm 3 episodes in and i find Si to be a good mix of Gu Jun Pyo and Domyoji. hopefully it'll be good enough to overcome bad wardrobe and production value.

I watched all the versions : japanese, korean, taiwanese and even chinese but i have to say that nothing can be compared to HYD ! Speaking of several incarnations , i have to mention that i've seen all the versions of Itazura Na Kiss, i read the manga and i liked it then i went to anime adaptation and i fell for it even more then i watched the japanese version (i was disappointed) then the korean version (playful kiss) it was a great compensation after the japanese version, and my favorite was It Started with a kiss and they kiss again, i'm glad that i ended it with the taiwanese version, it was the best out of all of them. Hana kimi too, i read the manga , watched the japanese version, the taiwanese version then the japanese remake. I really like many dramas adaptations, that makes you have several thoughts about the same story. Now i really want them to make a korean and a japanese version of "Skip Beat" , i liked the anime, currently reading the manga and i loved the taiwanese drama so much. Several incarnations are awesome !

thanks to this thread..i remembered i had watched Meteor Garden too...but somehow i never added it to my list..adding it now..nope, i did not like it...maybe because i watched BBF first...

Rourou wrote: I watched all the versions : japanese, korean, taiwanese and even chinese but i have to say that nothing can be compared to HYD !
Speaking of several incarnations , i have to mention that i've seen all the versions of Itazura Na Kiss, i read the manga and i liked it then i went to anime adaptation and i fell for it even more then i watched the japanese version (i was disappointed) then the korean version (playful kiss) it was a great compensation after the japanese version, and my favorite was It Started with a kiss and they kiss again, i'm glad that i ended it with the taiwanese version, it was the best out of all of them.
Hana kimi too, i read the manga , watched the japanese version, the taiwanese version then the japanese remake.
I really like many dramas adaptations, that makes you have several thoughts about the same story. Now i really want them to make a korean and a japanese version of "Skip Beat" , i liked the anime, currently reading the manga and i loved the taiwanese drama so much.

Several incarnations are awesome !

Like that...:p
Rurou explained it perfectly... Just my thinking!!!:p
Hmmm let's see.... My grade system did begin with HyH (10h, bOF( I think it was 8 or 9), then the chinese and the Meteor Garden version with about 7 points I think :D

I still can't watch more than half of episode of BOF, even though I'd like to watch something with Lee Min Ho, or Meteor Garden, because HYD is one and only for me. I usually don't like the repetitions, because I get attached to the characters created in one version, and they seem wrong when I see them played by someone else. I also can't watch other versions of Hana Kimi (after falling in love with the first Japanese one), same with You're beautiful ( as I liked it mostly because of Hongki's Jeremy).

The only exception for me was It started with a kiss and Playful Kiss. Because, against popular opinion, I liked the second one more. OK, I get the Korean girl was obsessing too much over a guy and lost some self-respect, but I've seen this happen to normal people in real life, so I could understand that, but the girl played by Ariel Lin was just plain dumb I mean really dumb.. I couldn't stand her. The Japanese version I dropped after 3 minutes so...

The other remake I would give a chance, if they ever make one (I hope so....) would be Skip Beat! I really liked that drama.. I liked it so much that I started reading manga, and that story still have so much to offer, I think I wouldn't mind seeing it again with different actors.

There is still one, not yet mentioned here - Gokusen. Every season seems so similar and repetitive, but I always think of it as an actor's introduction it seems that most Japanese hotties started with one of the Gokusen series :)

cityhunter83 wrote: i think i'm going to give the japanese version a try sometime. i have heard good things but been reluctant b/c i really liked YB. You're beautiful was my first drama and i loved it to the point of obsession when i first saw it, but i rewatched it a while back and have to say most of the magic was gone. both male leads being equal levels of hot, min nam is just stupid for mooning over tae kyung whilst he bullies her. yea he has his moments, but they are few and far between. sure there are people who would actually behave that way, but it turns out it's not something i want to watch more than once.

add to that the fact that no one and i mean NO ONE with a set of eyes who has ever seen an adult human female would think that Min Nam was a dude. the only gender bender i've seen pulled off with less believeability was sung kyun kwan scandle. and lest we forget that Park Shin Hye doesnt seem able to speak with out pouting or mumbling most of the time.

I'm currently reading your episodes reviews of Ikemen... wait, reading's the wrong word, they are so short, hahaha. Let's say I'm following your progresses with interest. :D
LOL at your expecting all those geniuses in YaB to see the difference between a pouting nun and a manly guy, and I must admit Ikemen isn't much different or more believable in this department. However, I'm still curious to know how you're liking it.

Regarding your comment about YAB, I think some dramas should be better watched once and never again. My very first Korean drama was My Girl, 4 years ago, and I liked it at the time. But I don't even want to approach it with a 10 mt pole now, because I know that I would hate it. I would recognize all those cliches/makjang traits I found funny at first watching and which now get on my nerves royally. Therefore, I'd rather keep the good memory of it - albeit very vague - and try to thin my never ending plan-to-watch list. ;)

goldenseal50 wrote: I think metor garden was filmed in 2002 and just converted to digital by amatures:) and Metor Garden is my favorite incarnation.

Agreed! A lot of dramas from before 2004 used lower quality camers so that explains that. The clothing: 90's fashion. It was in at the time lol The characters are spot on! The wardrobes actually fit in with the manga as well. The manga series is old.

Meteor Garden was the first live adaptation of the manga series and is the most faithful.

I love that they flesh out the characters more and make them seem more real. :)

amrita828 wrote: I'm currently reading your episodes reviews of Ikemen... wait, reading's the wrong word, they are so short, hahaha. Let's say I'm following your progresses with interest. :D
LOL at your expecting all those geniuses in YaB to see the difference between a pouting nun and a manly guy, and I must admit Ikemen isn't much different or more believable in this department. However, I'm still curious to know how you're liking it.

Regarding your comment about YAB, I think some dramas should be better watched once and never again. My very first Korean drama was My Girl, 4 years ago, and I liked it at the time. But I don't even want to approach it with a 10 mt pole now, because I know that I would hate it. I would recognize all those cliches/makjang traits I found funny at first watching and which now get on my nerves royally. Therefore, I'd rather keep the good memory of it - albeit very vague - and try to thin my never ending plan-to-watch list. ;)

i'm trying to do it with out posting too many spoilers, that's why they're so short. i think i'm going to stay away from rewatching my girl too. like a ex in a band, it was fun while it lasted but we do not need to go there again.