Addicted to Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) June 17, 2009
Posted by jennipot in Books, Film, Television.trackback
It’s been a while since I got really addicted to a telenovela, and lately it’s Hana Yori Dango. First I heard about it was when it was when the popular Taiwanese Meteor Garden came out. I watched both Season 1 and 2 and enjoyed it. Then came the Korean Boys Over Flowers, which came on ABS-CBN a few weeks ago. I came across it by accident, but out of curiosity, decided to watch it. I was hooked! At that time it was after another favorite of mine Us Two “Tayong Dalawa” hehehe, but later they changed the time slot to right before TV Patrol.
I was able to watch the whole thing though on the net, and I’m in love with all 4 of the F4 guys. I found myself laughing and crying during the whole thing, and even stayed up all night to watch. Took me 3 nights since I have to work on days. I was sad to see it finished, but then I heard about the Japanese version so that’s next.
Hana Yori Dango season 1 and 2 were really nice too! Even though all 3 has the same base story, each version has different twists and additions that makes each of them interesting, and would have you hooked to watch the next episode.
I’ve always preferred feel good movies, and usually I’d rather watch something which I know has a happy ending. That’s why I love these telenovelas so much, I know in the end they end up together.
After that I repeated all 3 again. Yep, I’m nuts. And then I decided to go back to where it all started and read the manga. Again I was surprised that I was hooked, mainly because all 3 telenovelas and the manga itself have different twists or where they put the “episodes”.
Why I got hooked? I asked myself that. It makes me feel good, and makes me remember my teens and 20’s when I was full of hope and life is one long journey ahead of me. Most of all, it fascinates me how Domyouji loved Makino, it was really intense, and even though this is a Cinderella story, and I’m now 40 years old, somehow I still believe that such love exists. Then there’s the comedy parts and the kilig moments as well. Made me feel nostalgic.
Of all 3 versions, I love the Japanese version best. Mind you, all 3 are great, but Hana Yori Dango pulled at my heartstrings most. Makino played by Mao Inoue was also the best among all 3, when she cries I cry with her 
The songs are all great also, but again, the Japenese songs I really love. Right now I love most is Flavor of Life by Utada Hikaru . Even now it moves me because it is usually played when there’s a dramatic scene in HYD. My brother knows her, and I found that she sang the OST of Kingdom Hearts which I used to watch him play on PS2. Her style is reminiscent of Evanescence but less nasal meaning I like Utada Hikaru a lot better! I just wish I remember more of the Japanese language (I minored in Japan Studies in my La Salle days).
As for actors, my favorite now is Jun Matsumoto, who played Domyouji. Actually compared to Jerry Yan and Lee Min Ho, he’s the shortest (I like tall men hehehe) but I love his acting. I decided to watch some of his works, and I love “Myo no anyo Papa ni Ageru” or “Myu will give Papa Her Legs”. He’s also a member of the boy band Arashi. Shucks I feel karma coming. I always laughed at my mom’s obsession with Jerry Yan, but I’m really getting bad too 
I also now understand my sister’s love of reading manga. It all came back to me. I have one huge drawer full of manga, translated in Mandarin which I used to read when I was in my teens. They’re still here. I want to donate them somewhere but I don’t know where. I think I should scan them before the bugs get them huh?
It goes a bit deeper though. For the past years I’ve mostly focused on work and survival. I didn’t allow myself to feel such tender feelings, mainly because it also makes me sad at times to remember some of my old memories. But then I guess the moratorium is finished. I feel again, and I’ll just have to focus on the good memories instead of the bad ones, the same way I deal with life, focusing more on the blessings than the disappointments.
If you got time and liked Meteor Garden and/or Boys Over Flowers, do watch the Japanese Hana Yori Dango as well. They also have Hana Yori Dango Final, which is a movie made after the 2 seasons, worth watching too since it’s about Domyouji and Makino before they got married. I wonder if there will be future versions of HYD.
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