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dangermousieI watched about half of ep 2 last night/this morning and wow, this gets better and better! If it doesn't fall into a mid-drama slump, like a lot of kdramas tend to, this will not only end up being my favorite adaptation of the manga, but somewhere on the list of my favorite kdramas, as well.
As I posted in a reply somewhere, this is like Meteor Garden (my previous fave version), only with a budget and an F4 which can act from the start.
I love all the cast, from the mains to the secondaries like Yuki, the Lillies, or Makino's family, but my favorites so far are (happily) Lee Min Ho, who plays this version's Domyouji (he might end up my favorite Domyouji ever, what with the combo of being physically imposing and able to do a total hilarious doofus, with a teeny hint of woobiness) and Go Hye Sun, who plays this version's Makino (she is hilarious, and tough, and endearing, and a complete dynamo).
Anyway, if ep 1 was a sort of introduction to the characters and themes, ep 2 is where the story really gets rolling. And rolling so well! They are sticking fairly close to the manga, but the changes they make I like very well (like the explanation for why Makino goes to this school).
Without further ado, first half of ep 2 of Boys Before Flowers, in caps.
The scene of Jandi's (Makino's) attack was viscerally horrible to watch. Of course, you can never be sure they were going to gang-rape her, but that's what I think was going to go on, and the creepiest thing? They were only going to do it to earn Joon Pyo's (Domyouji's) favor, which is just...God, I'd forgotten how much I hated the kids at that school. Gives a whole new meaning to 'school is hell' comment people make.
And then Rui comes across this and intervenes, in his own inimitable, spacy-guy fashion. God, I love the boy! (Also have you noticed, he is always in white and Domyouji is always in black). I love the weasely wannabe rapists trying desperately to decide what to do. They don't want to incur JoonPyo's wrath, but they don't want to incur Rui's either...
The thing that is most problematic for me about Rui is that he is kind, in his detached fashion, but he is passive. He knows his best friend's actions almost led to a girl being gang-raped, but he never even thinks to remonstrate with him, or try to put the brakes on his out-of-control buddy. Still, when he drapes that towel around Jandi's shoulders...awwww.
JoonPyo finds out his flunkies did not succeed and throws a tantrum (since I don't understand Korean, I have no idea if he ordered her to be gangraped or just told them to do whatever it takes to get her to quit school, without thinking through what such an order could lead to, which would be less reprehensible. I really liked how in MG he was all 'I didn't authorize you to go that far' when he found out their idea was to gangrape, but who knows how Koreans will do it. ETA: just found out he did get mad when he found out about attempted gangrape so yay. Good).
Yuki and Jandi. I love the girl who plays Yuki, so pretty!
Guy who works at the shop with them...
Jandi sees Shizuka in an ad and is mesmerized...
Not as mesmerized as Rui, who's loved her since childhood...
But Jandi doesn't know they know each other, so she is probably thinking this is a height of weirdness, even for him...
God, this drama is so prettily shot!
She has a tissue but instead wiping Rui's hands, she wipes the smudges on Shizuka's poster. LOL.
Rui is as amused as I am.
Bonding time...
Her sweater is really adorable!
And so is her little brother!
Jandi, always a model of refinement!
Somebody at her school is pregnant! Horrors and shock!
I love Makino parents.
I love how tough and unfazed she is by all the whispering upper-class twits. The girl is pure tough. If she lived in the times of Legend, she and Sujini would go drinking together.
I love the three bitchy F4 groupies. They are so stupid and LOltastic. I really hope they leave in the scene where Makino shoves them into the pool.
All the graffitti says things to the effect of "Makino Tsukushi had three abortions." LOL. I love that part in the manga!
Oh yes yes yes YES my favorite scene in the whole story, bar none!
F4 are sitting in ther private lounge, being useless as always...
JoonPyo is reminding me of Wile E Coyote, in his endless groundless optimism of belief in his super-clever plans to get Jandi, which are nothing of the sort...
"Ahahahaha, I got her" thinks poor dimwit, who assumes she came to grovel.
But I think Rui, being brainy, knows better.
Yup, Jandi lays into him, everything she thinks...
And throws stuff at his face:
I love how he is a foot taller than her, and is not exactly of stringy build either, but she is completely uncowed.
Fighting stance:
You can see his brain screech to a halt and go 'whaaaaa?'
AND SHE KICKS HIM IN THE FACE. IN THE FACE. God, Jandi is AWESOME. There are no words.
Here she is, taking on a guy who could probably wipe the floor with her, not to mention the one who rules the school and comes from a super-powerful family, and she does not care.
I think she is daring him to come up for seconds :)
Something tells me F3 are quite pleased to see someone bring their friend down a notch or dozen, for once.
But he isn't coming up for seconds because...methinks...yes, I think he's fallen in love! LOL. How very like him. Heeeeee. (I could probably write a whole pragraph on how this probably ties in with his parental issues, or upbringing, but I am lazy and I won't. I'll just say that he is smitten by Jandi's galaxy-sized nerve and spunk).
Sojiro and Akira are having a good time.
Yup, still staring.
So is Rui, even if with different emotions. I think Jandi amuses him, which is something very rare for him.
Some time later. I cannot help but think that this is not a normal reaction to being kicked in the face :)
Soujiro and Akira discuss that Jandi reminds them of Janpyo's sister. I knew this was a perfect manga for a kdrama adaptation, because we have hints of sibcest issues :P
"She must really be into me." Whatever planet he lives on, it's clearly not our own.
Rui, so very pretty!
Next morning, Jandi is literally creeping to school, because she isn't sure which way JoonPyo will retaliate...
But she is nontheless kidnapped by JoonPyo's goons, who drag her into a car by force and chloroform her:
In order to give her a makeover! LOL. JoonPyo is clearly an alien from another world.
An alien with a really nice house, though.
The butler takes her to meet his master:
And Jandi gets to gawk on the way.
She is curious as to who it is...
Until she sees who it is, of course. Because then...pissed-off is more of her emotional state :)
He tells her that she can confess her feelings now. LOLOLOLOLOLOL.
(He is a hot maniac, though)
I think any feelings she will confess will not be of a variety he finds pleasing :)
She throws all his expensive stuff on the floor and even starts taking off her dress until she realizes what that would expose, LOL.
She storms off and he is MAAAAAAD. Get used to being thwarted, boy. There will be a lot of it, and it will be good for you. You might actually emerge a human being.
Oh God, I want this table setting!
Ahahahaha. A bee got in and he is running around, hiding from it and terrified of it, until the butler assures him it left. He is clearly 5 years old.
And then I had to stop and the rest of the ep summary/commentaries/caps will be coming later, but how could I leave without posting caps of the shower scene, later on, after she rejects him and tells him everything she thinks of him and he is actually thinking about it and who and what he is for the first time in ever, probably. Plus...fanservice! Self-reflective angst tastes better wet.
He's really tall, isn't he?
As I posted in a reply somewhere, this is like Meteor Garden (my previous fave version), only with a budget and an F4 which can act from the start.
I love all the cast, from the mains to the secondaries like Yuki, the Lillies, or Makino's family, but my favorites so far are (happily) Lee Min Ho, who plays this version's Domyouji (he might end up my favorite Domyouji ever, what with the combo of being physically imposing and able to do a total hilarious doofus, with a teeny hint of woobiness) and Go Hye Sun, who plays this version's Makino (she is hilarious, and tough, and endearing, and a complete dynamo).
Anyway, if ep 1 was a sort of introduction to the characters and themes, ep 2 is where the story really gets rolling. And rolling so well! They are sticking fairly close to the manga, but the changes they make I like very well (like the explanation for why Makino goes to this school).
Without further ado, first half of ep 2 of Boys Before Flowers, in caps.
The scene of Jandi's (Makino's) attack was viscerally horrible to watch. Of course, you can never be sure they were going to gang-rape her, but that's what I think was going to go on, and the creepiest thing? They were only going to do it to earn Joon Pyo's (Domyouji's) favor, which is just...God, I'd forgotten how much I hated the kids at that school. Gives a whole new meaning to 'school is hell' comment people make.
And then Rui comes across this and intervenes, in his own inimitable, spacy-guy fashion. God, I love the boy! (Also have you noticed, he is always in white and Domyouji is always in black). I love the weasely wannabe rapists trying desperately to decide what to do. They don't want to incur JoonPyo's wrath, but they don't want to incur Rui's either...
The thing that is most problematic for me about Rui is that he is kind, in his detached fashion, but he is passive. He knows his best friend's actions almost led to a girl being gang-raped, but he never even thinks to remonstrate with him, or try to put the brakes on his out-of-control buddy. Still, when he drapes that towel around Jandi's shoulders...awwww.
JoonPyo finds out his flunkies did not succeed and throws a tantrum (since I don't understand Korean, I have no idea if he ordered her to be gangraped or just told them to do whatever it takes to get her to quit school, without thinking through what such an order could lead to, which would be less reprehensible. I really liked how in MG he was all 'I didn't authorize you to go that far' when he found out their idea was to gangrape, but who knows how Koreans will do it. ETA: just found out he did get mad when he found out about attempted gangrape so yay. Good).
Yuki and Jandi. I love the girl who plays Yuki, so pretty!
Guy who works at the shop with them...
Jandi sees Shizuka in an ad and is mesmerized...
Not as mesmerized as Rui, who's loved her since childhood...
But Jandi doesn't know they know each other, so she is probably thinking this is a height of weirdness, even for him...
God, this drama is so prettily shot!
She has a tissue but instead wiping Rui's hands, she wipes the smudges on Shizuka's poster. LOL.
Rui is as amused as I am.
Bonding time...
Her sweater is really adorable!
And so is her little brother!
Jandi, always a model of refinement!
Somebody at her school is pregnant! Horrors and shock!
I love Makino parents.
I love how tough and unfazed she is by all the whispering upper-class twits. The girl is pure tough. If she lived in the times of Legend, she and Sujini would go drinking together.
I love the three bitchy F4 groupies. They are so stupid and LOltastic. I really hope they leave in the scene where Makino shoves them into the pool.
All the graffitti says things to the effect of "Makino Tsukushi had three abortions." LOL. I love that part in the manga!
Oh yes yes yes YES my favorite scene in the whole story, bar none!
F4 are sitting in ther private lounge, being useless as always...
JoonPyo is reminding me of Wile E Coyote, in his endless groundless optimism of belief in his super-clever plans to get Jandi, which are nothing of the sort...
"Ahahahaha, I got her" thinks poor dimwit, who assumes she came to grovel.
But I think Rui, being brainy, knows better.
Yup, Jandi lays into him, everything she thinks...
And throws stuff at his face:
I love how he is a foot taller than her, and is not exactly of stringy build either, but she is completely uncowed.
Fighting stance:
You can see his brain screech to a halt and go 'whaaaaa?'
AND SHE KICKS HIM IN THE FACE. IN THE FACE. God, Jandi is AWESOME. There are no words.
Here she is, taking on a guy who could probably wipe the floor with her, not to mention the one who rules the school and comes from a super-powerful family, and she does not care.
I think she is daring him to come up for seconds :)
Something tells me F3 are quite pleased to see someone bring their friend down a notch or dozen, for once.
But he isn't coming up for seconds because...methinks...yes, I think he's fallen in love! LOL. How very like him. Heeeeee. (I could probably write a whole pragraph on how this probably ties in with his parental issues, or upbringing, but I am lazy and I won't. I'll just say that he is smitten by Jandi's galaxy-sized nerve and spunk).
Sojiro and Akira are having a good time.
Yup, still staring.
So is Rui, even if with different emotions. I think Jandi amuses him, which is something very rare for him.
Some time later. I cannot help but think that this is not a normal reaction to being kicked in the face :)
Soujiro and Akira discuss that Jandi reminds them of Janpyo's sister. I knew this was a perfect manga for a kdrama adaptation, because we have hints of sibcest issues :P
"She must really be into me." Whatever planet he lives on, it's clearly not our own.
Rui, so very pretty!
Next morning, Jandi is literally creeping to school, because she isn't sure which way JoonPyo will retaliate...
But she is nontheless kidnapped by JoonPyo's goons, who drag her into a car by force and chloroform her:
In order to give her a makeover! LOL. JoonPyo is clearly an alien from another world.
An alien with a really nice house, though.
The butler takes her to meet his master:
And Jandi gets to gawk on the way.
She is curious as to who it is...
Until she sees who it is, of course. Because then...pissed-off is more of her emotional state :)
He tells her that she can confess her feelings now. LOLOLOLOLOLOL.
(He is a hot maniac, though)
I think any feelings she will confess will not be of a variety he finds pleasing :)
She throws all his expensive stuff on the floor and even starts taking off her dress until she realizes what that would expose, LOL.
She storms off and he is MAAAAAAD. Get used to being thwarted, boy. There will be a lot of it, and it will be good for you. You might actually emerge a human being.
Oh God, I want this table setting!
Ahahahaha. A bee got in and he is running around, hiding from it and terrified of it, until the butler assures him it left. He is clearly 5 years old.
And then I had to stop and the rest of the ep summary/commentaries/caps will be coming later, but how could I leave without posting caps of the shower scene, later on, after she rejects him and tells him everything she thinks of him and he is actually thinking about it and who and what he is for the first time in ever, probably. Plus...fanservice! Self-reflective angst tastes better wet.
He's really tall, isn't he?
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Date: 2009-01-07 07:44 pm (UTC)I think I might watch the first episode later, because my head is killing me right now. D:
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Date: 2009-01-07 10:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-07 07:46 pm (UTC)Sadly I did not get to watch it when I got home as I had an assignment to write :( Stupid Summer School
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Date: 2009-01-07 10:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-07 07:56 pm (UTC)First of all, I feel the EXACT same way about Lee Min Ho. He's the perfect mix of Jerry and Jun, it's crazy how perfect he is for this role. I also really love Go Hye Sun. She is also perfect for the role. I can't decide if I like her or Inoue Mao better as Tsukushi.
I too often find myself wondering what Meteor Garden would have been like with a better budget...
I adore how Rui is always in white, and Domyoji always in black. It's a real (blatant) statement.
In general I'm rather fanatical about Rui, but man, Jun Pyo is really making me rethink that position. He's so adorably clueless (lol a bee!) I can't seem to help loving him utterly. And while it's only episode 2, I think he might be my favorite Domyoji as well.
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Date: 2009-01-07 08:38 pm (UTC)I so completely agree with all your comments!
This is the first version where I'm completely shipping the Domyoji/Makino couple this early in the story. And just because the Korean Dom is so fantastic. I love the shower scene!!!
I wonder how good Meteor Garden might be now, with a better budget and a cast that has learned a bit more about acting...
Still, this might be the version where I'm in love with the Domyoji character right from the start of the drama. With the other other two versions, I always started with loving the Hanazawa Rui character more...
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Date: 2009-01-07 10:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-08 03:43 am (UTC)Same here! Well, actually, I shipped them in the anime too, but that doesn't really count... He really IS fantastic, isn't he? I just finished the second episode, and totally love him completely. And yeah, any shot where there are hot, half naked, wet guys is a good thing.
It would be interesting if they remade it. Especially using the same cast!
Same with me. I definitely love Rui, but I think I like Domyoji more in this one!
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Date: 2009-01-07 10:56 pm (UTC)Jun Pyo is really making me rethink that position. He's so adorably clueless (lol a bee!)
That was beyond hilarious. I can't wait till their first date, it will be loltastic.
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Date: 2009-01-08 03:45 am (UTC)It will be! The whole series just excites me!
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Date: 2009-01-08 06:10 pm (UTC)LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!
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Date: 2009-01-07 08:31 pm (UTC)Edit: Already iconing it XD.
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Date: 2009-01-07 10:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-07 08:39 pm (UTC)and that screencap you have of chae young in the commercial. she's so gorgeous. i totally forgot just how gorgeous until i saw that cap.
seeing your caps, i love the strong contrast between Ji Hoo and Joon Pyo. where Ji Hoo is all pretty and gorgeous with his smiling, Joon Pyo's all hot and and smoldering with his stares. i really don't know which i like better.
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Date: 2009-01-07 10:57 pm (UTC)where Ji Hoo is all pretty and gorgeous with his smiling, Joon Pyo's all hot and and smoldering with his stares. i really don't know which i like better.
How about a sandwich? *feels like a bad girl*
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Date: 2009-01-08 12:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-07 09:07 pm (UTC)Also have you noticed, he is always in white and Domyouji is always in black
I totally noticed that too! I love BOF even more for it!
And I liked that in the kdrama like in MG they made sure that Domyouji didn't order a gang rape because that always really really bothered me.
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Date: 2009-01-07 10:58 pm (UTC)Maybe before Junpei et al beat him up, they decide they don't want to ruin his clothes and request him to remove them? LOL.
And I liked that in the kdrama like in MG they made sure that Domyouji didn't order a gang rape because that always really really bothered me.
yeah, the fact that they went the MG route here made me very very happy. Some things aren't very redeemable and for him to order her gangrape would have been one of them.
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Date: 2009-01-07 09:08 pm (UTC)Everyone seems to be in love with the cast, ha. Innit great? I really hope they'll keep the momentum till the end! The seakpeeks to next few episodes at least are looking good.
Darn, my sleep pattern for this week has been totally destroyed now. I'll probably drop dead by tomorrow.... *yawwwwn*
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Date: 2009-01-07 10:59 pm (UTC)I can't wait for more eps! I hate waiting a week!
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Date: 2009-01-07 09:18 pm (UTC)I'm with boycottbananas, though. wth Leader's faint mustache thing is quite distracting, lol.
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Date: 2009-01-07 10:59 pm (UTC)I didn't even notice his mustache because I am sort of unobservant like that :)
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Date: 2009-01-08 04:58 am (UTC)http://arashi.vox.com/
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Date: 2009-01-08 06:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-08 08:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-08 10:23 pm (UTC)Once the drama is done, I'll dl WS2 because they are better, but for now...arashi.vox (she used to be the psycho-fast Hanadan2 subber, too) rocks!
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Date: 2009-01-07 10:37 pm (UTC)*more glee*
This drama is making me utterly happy ^^!! And Jan-Di being a Sujini in a Nodame's disguise might be the best thing ever!
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Date: 2009-01-07 10:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-08 12:17 am (UTC)I LOVE IT. He is getting so obsessed and she wants nothing to do with him. *glee* MORE ROUNDKICKS PLEASE!
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Date: 2009-01-08 06:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-08 01:42 am (UTC)And I'm finding myself liking this Doumyoji better than I usually do at this stage of affairs. The bee! He thinks she's there to apologise! She must be in love with him (which, yes, is INSANE, but also actually how things end up. So he's actually quite genre savvy)! No one can resist his charisma!
Also: why does he have a mirror in front of his shower? Bizarre.
I can't wait for next week.
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Date: 2009-01-08 06:13 pm (UTC)he must have read shoujo manga in secret a lot :)
why does he have a mirror in front of his shower?
If anybody would, it would be Domyouji. How else would he admire his perfection.
Hmmm...pardon the brief interruption but thinking further about this topic, my mind went straight into the gutter.
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Date: 2009-01-08 03:31 am (UTC)Did Domyouji know Makino before she punched him? Because I've only known the jdrama and in that one, I think he didn't know her at all until she punched him.
Now I'm getting all confused.
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Date: 2009-01-08 06:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-08 06:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-08 10:57 am (UTC)I am not too convinced with the Gu Hye-Sun yet but i'll probably come round in a few more episodes. Rui, reminds me of a young Mr. BYJ and when i used your suggestion of telling apart WooBin and YiJung with their hair colour, it worked! So, many thanks!
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Date: 2009-01-08 06:15 pm (UTC)LOL. I kept wanting Makino to stick the ice-cream cone there. It would never come off and he'd be forced to throw out that item of clothing.
although DM never struck me as someone who did that (reflect that is, i assume he must shower on a daily basis!)
But the real question is, if people put on his clothes for him, does he normally have servants to hold the soap or shampoo his head? Heee.
I did like that brief (too brief :D) moment of self-reflection, until he reverted to his usual doofus self. It's a bit different than the other takes on it, but I think it's a cool new take on it.
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Date: 2009-01-08 01:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-08 06:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-16 02:41 am (UTC)