How 'Boys Over Flowers' Nearly Made Me Stop Watching K-Drama

I do admit that I'd watch Korean adaptations of Japanese shows (or better said, localizations because they go from one country to another rather than from one medium to another) - I do still feel the need to talk about this "abomination". If you did like it then chill. But for me - I still feel Boys Over Flowers is perhaps one of the biggest blots ever in K-Drama. The problem doesn't have to do with anything that it's an adaptation. The problem has to do with how the cast is weak in several levels of stupid for me.

I always had an issue with how the show runs its own version of the Hana Yori Dango characters. Maybe, I'm just too used to how well Jerry Yan acts out as Tsukasa Doumyoji. Lee Min Ho is fine but I think the show just has bad writing. Kyu Hye Sun really makes a very bad Tsukushi Makino. Maybe, I'm just too used to Mao Inoue's cuteness OR Barbie Xu-Wang made an incredibly convincing Tsukushi! Need I mention how Jun Pyo's mother is so badly done? Jun Pyo's mother is practically what I'd call nothing more than a bland villain.

For all the elaborate stuff added to it - the drama just failed to do what the Taiwanese version did. The Taiwanese version invested more in the acting than the cool elaborations. The expulsion match in the Taiwan version carried all the necessary emotions. Here, it just feels very robotic in many instances. This show nearly gave me a bad impression of Min Ho. I nearly didn't watch City Hunter because of this show. The bad impression was so bad that I really developed some biases.

If I had any "good reason" to watch K-Drama after that - I'd probably say it was the attractive leading lady. I remembered watching Spring Waltz while lusting after Han Hyo Joo. I remembered watching Love Story in Harvard, IRIS, and Forbidden Love because I had the hots for Kim Tae Hee. I still can't forget that I watched Full House because I had a heavy crush on Song Hye Kyo. Then I thought that these shows were more watch-worthy than Boys Over Flowers not because of the attractive actresses - it's all about the good plot! The hot girls are but garnish - it's the plot that matters!

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