Asian Drama of the Week - May 3/16 - Classics Part 1

To introduce this new series, I will be basing the next couple of posts on the "classic" Asian Dramas. So for the ones that are new to Kdrama or all Asian Dramas, this is for you. When I got introduced to this crazy world, I was always recommended the same ones even though they were a few years old but I guess they definitely left an impact because I remember them to this day! So the first one that everyone should have at least heard of is "Boys Over Flowers""Set at a famous high school for the super-wealthy, this is a puppy love story centered on a poor girl and the F4 gang of rich kids headed by the rough and fearless Jun-pyo Koo.Geum Jan-Di (Hye-seon Ku) is a girl from a poor family but has an unrivaled sense of optimism and drive and is by chance admitted to a prestigious private high school.There she meets the infamous group of four astonishingly good looking and rich boys who are known as F4. The group's leader is Koo Jun-Pyo (Min-ho Lee), who is a spoiled heir to world-leading conglomerate Shinhwa. He is joined by mysterious and breathlessly handsome Yun Ji-Hu (Hyeon-jung Kim), So Lee-Jeong (Kim Beom), and Song Woo-Bin (Kim Jun)." - AsianWikiThis drama started off as a Japanese Manga called, "Hana Yori Dango" and since then has been made into animes and has been remade a few times in Japan and Taiwan. I would also recommend watching the Japanese one because it's the same story idea but there are a few plot differences. I didn't read the manga so I am not sure which one is closer to it. I have been tempted to watch the Taiwan one. Nowadays, if I try to re-watch it, I find it corny but no one forgets it and it is still quite popular. One of my favourites have to be "Coffee Prince"."Coffee Prince’s Flagship Store is a TV series that revolves around the love life and dreams of four young people who meet together at a cafe.Han-gyeol (Gong Yoo) is a smart young man who hates to be tied down to one career in his life. Abhorring the idea of joining the family business, he is ordered by his grandmother to manage a cafe. Unable to disobey his grandmother, he reluctantly takes over the responsibility of running a cafe and begins to immerse himself in the gourmet coffee business. One day, he meets Eun-chan, a cheerful girl who has an unpredictable personality, and learns the meaning of true love..." - Asian WikiAlso starring: Yoon Eun-Hye, Lee Sun-Kyun, and Chae Jung-AnI don't have much to say about this show. Because of this show, Yoon Eun-Hye is one my favourite actresses. Her and Yoo Gong's chemistry was amazing! Next on the list is also one of my favourite firsts, "It Started with a Kiss"... both season one and two..."Yuan Xiang Qin (Ariel Lin) is a bumbling, intellectually challenged, naïve, but optimistic high school girl. Ever since she met Jiang Zhi Shu (Joe Cheng) at the freshman orientation, she's been in love with the genius with an IQ of 200. After two years of having a crush on him, she finally musters the courage to confess her love to him at school with a love letter. Zhi Shu is not impressed, and Xiang Qin is left humiliated publicly in front of their entire school.That afternoon, the new house she has just moved into with her father collapsed in a minor earthquake. She and her father are instantly left homeless because they lacked the foresight to pay for earthquake insurance. Fortunately, her father's old college friend extends a helping hand and invites both of them to live at his house. Little does Xiang Qin know that the kind Uncle Li is actually the father of Jiang Zhi Shu.Zhi Shu's mother aspires to bring them together, coaxing Zhi Shu into tutoring Xiang Qin and taking numerous pictures of the couple together. Zhi Shu remains cold towards Xiang Qin, thinking her to be one of the dumbest people he has ever met, and refuses to speak to her at school. Through the course of the series, Zhi Shu slowly warms up to Xiang Qin, who tries her hardest to do better in school for him, as they deal with romantic rivals, their futures, and their relationship." - WikipediaThis drama is also based off a Japanese manga. The original Japanese version aired in 96 which I haven't watched yet but have watched the updated Mischievious Kiss: Love in Tokyo and it was alright. The Korean Version was Playful Kiss" which I didn't enjoy as much. Maybe because it was a lot shorter than the Taiwan Version and I can't put my tongue on it but I didn't really enjoy the chemistry the two Korean leads... Taiwan wins this ^.^ Just have a lot of time... I am pretty sure this was the only long one I enjoyed without skipping parts! Check out part 2 next week!