Hana Yori Dango ( Korean Version )

I just watched the first episode of Kgotboda Namja, (꽃보다 남자) the Korean version of Hana Yori Dango, which I've been meaning to watch weeks ago. (I've been caught up with other things. ) This version is actually the third adaptation I've seen of the popular japanese comic book series by Kamio Yoko (神尾 葉子) The first one is Meteor Garden ( 流星花園 ), popularized by the Taiwanese foursome formerly known as F4, now JVKV. The second one, Hana Yori Dango, japanese version, therefore, taking the original title of the comic book series.

The first scenes gave me a backdrop of how grand, luxiorius and actually it is somewhat of a previlege to study at Shinwa, a school for the rich wherein, education only comes in second to financial / economic standing and their version of F4 which is no different with the other 2 versions, cute and handsome in their own right.

Now the part where Jan Di (the heroine in the series) saves a customer of her family's dry cleaning business (a student of Shinwa) from committing suicide because of constant bullying. (He tried to jump off top of a school building.) is something different than the other two versions, because it actually became Jan Di's ticket to get admitted to Shinwa.

Of the two versions I've already seen, the character of Hua Zi Lei (Meteor Garden) or Rui (Hana Yori Dango) gave a big thug on my heart's strings and I'm not sorry to say that in this version, I still fell in love with him, this time as Yoon Ji Hoo (윤지후 ) I don't know, I'm just into the nice, quiet type I guess... in this series, in all of its versions made, the character of the arrogant Dao Ming Si or Domyouji (Goo Joon Pyo 구준표 in the Korean version) is always the handsomest of the group, but here I am still hoping that Lei/Rui/Yoon Ji Hoo end up with the heroine. (Of course, most of us know, who she'll end up with... )

As an ending note, this version seems still good to watch, not just because of the curiosity that I've had eversince I heard a Korean version would be made, but because of it's classic story, of young love, crossing the bounderies created by financial and social differences.

Episode 2 is definitely on for tomorrow.

MORE : Finally got disc 7 of Hong Gil Dong, just when I thought I won't get to finish the series.
One more disc to go....