I know my review would be hated by most of the fans of hana yori dango / boys over flowers / meteor garden because it's basically a rant, so if you decide to read my rant please be prepared.
Also, I'm just expressing my opinion, I'm not dissing anyone, actors, writers or whatever.
I probably let some minor spoiler slip away, but I've seen only 17 eps so you know.
First of all a note: I know this story was written in 1992 but if they found the necessity to update the time in which the drama is set (a smartphone is the symbol of the main leads first encounter), why not updating or cutting some very very crappy scenes? There was a scene that I found very uncomfortable to watch, especially knowing at the end the two people will end falling in love to each other...I imagined them in a future married telling their friends "oh dear, do you remember when I almost punched you and I kissed you by force? Holy moly the good old times". I mean...no. Forcing yourself to a girl is not the best move... but okay I get it: he's spoiled, he's arrogant, he doesn't know what a "no" means and he doesn't know girls or love and he has some anger issues but still, times are changed, there's that #metoo stuff and are oversensitive about it... there are other ways to let the audience know he has those issues.
I honestly don't get why this and mischievous kiss (itazura na kiss) are so popular...why abusive rich brat x naive girl is so shipped?? Because I didn't felt any chemistry/romance vibe at all, I just wanted to beat up both of the main characters all the time.
The major element of my anger tho is the girl. She's supposed to be the typical anonymous girl with no breast (because that is widely emphasized LOL), naive, that find something good in everyone and everyone ends up falling for her (we have a record that is absurd even for dramaland tho...I counted at least 7 people who fallen or felt attraction to the girl!) and maybe (that's optional) with a bit of attitude - which she had, but just for three episodes. Then she declined to become the dumbest human alive. She just went with the flow every time, letting all sort of things (mostly bad) happen to her.
The worst thing is that she must have some sort of selective amnesia because she plays dumb about the guy's feelings even tho he clearly expressed the words "I like you" in her face and he kissed her (with consent). So what game you're playing girl? You don't like him but you like strolling around the world (they went on vacation like four times in 17 episodes) and she's not even intentionally toying with the guy so I felt like there was an error in the chronological order of the storyline (?). One minute they are a couple, the other minute they're back to square one. And repeat. And repeat
I liked the culinary competition and the fact they decided to gave her some ability! That was interesting and even if it was a bit cringey, the support of the male lead was cute.
The most interesting characters were the second fem lead, the chef guy and the chef girl. I enjoyed their storyline but they seemed a bit too mature for the standards of this show LOL the second male lead seemed a real zombie, he was so passive and everytime I watched him I tought of a sloth LOL
At the end I decided to surrender at episode 17, there's a limit on the quantity of shit I could've taken and if I am not enjoying, I don't see the point of watching it anymore. I was expecting a bit of renovation... more "based upon" than just "transcribed as it is" but okay, let's just say the leads really deserve each other xD