(From left to right)
Koo Hye Sun as Keum Jandi (aka San Chai/ Makino) Lee Min Ho as Goo Joo Pyo (Doumyoji/Dao Ming Si) Kim Hyun Joong as Yoon Ji Hoo (Hanazawa Rui/ Hua Ze Lei) Kim Bum as So Yi Jung(Nishikado Soujiro/ Xi Men) and Kim Joon as Song Woo Bin (Mimasaka Akira/ Mei Zuo)
** If you want more info on the Korean version cast members, then CLICK HERE
But before that happens, let's recap at the other 2 hugely popular spin-off of the series...
METEOR GARDEN
Yup folks, this is where it all began (well, at least for me of course). This is where I initially didn't think that Jerry Yan is all that & prefer Vic Zhou instead. Well, it only took me 2 episodes after that to be a devotee of Jerry! The first season of Meteor Garden is fantastic. The boys were looking fine & Barbie Xu is the perfect San Chai (aka. Makino in the manga). The stories were somewhat based on the actual manga so we get to see (and enjoy) lots of action, funny moments & tears along the way. But then came Season 2, where I think everything went downhill for me. The producers stretch the 'amnesia' plot far too long (which makes me bored seeing that Ye Sha hovering over Dao Ming Si 24/7). I know there's a bit of 'creative differences' on the set but still they could at least make the story art interesting right? But I was rather surprise that Barbie & Vic actually hooked up in real life (although it started when they filmed Mars & broke up recently) though. I always thought that she would be better off with Jerry (yes, the MG effect). Anyways...
Yup folks, this is where it all began (well, at least for me of course). This is where I initially didn't think that Jerry Yan is all that & prefer Vic Zhou instead. Well, it only took me 2 episodes after that to be a devotee of Jerry! The first season of Meteor Garden is fantastic. The boys were looking fine & Barbie Xu is the perfect San Chai (aka. Makino in the manga). The stories were somewhat based on the actual manga so we get to see (and enjoy) lots of action, funny moments & tears along the way. But then came Season 2, where I think everything went downhill for me. The producers stretch the 'amnesia' plot far too long (which makes me bored seeing that Ye Sha hovering over Dao Ming Si 24/7). I know there's a bit of 'creative differences' on the set but still they could at least make the story art interesting right? But I was rather surprise that Barbie & Vic actually hooked up in real life (although it started when they filmed Mars & broke up recently) though. I always thought that she would be better off with Jerry (yes, the MG effect). Anyways...
HANA YORI DANGO
I have to admit that I'm not that interested in watching the Japanese version of HYD at the beginning, since I thought that I'm being disloyal to MG if I do (yeah, my obsession is that bad!). Besides, apart from Matsumoto Jun, I honestly think that the cast members were not that attractive either (sorry!). But after my sister persuaded me to watch it with her, I'm amazed! The Japanese version is even funnier & more comical than the Taiwanese version. And by the end of Season 1, I'm an avid fan of the series (with my favorite character in the series is actually Akira - hehe!). And unlike MG, HYD also delivers rather well for its Season 2, with more plots taken from the manga. I can tell you now that the Japanese actors are definitely not scared to make a fool of themselves, as well as taking a more serious role at the same time. And the wedding scene in Hana Yori Dango Final? AWESOME!
I have to admit that I'm not that interested in watching the Japanese version of HYD at the beginning, since I thought that I'm being disloyal to MG if I do (yeah, my obsession is that bad!). Besides, apart from Matsumoto Jun, I honestly think that the cast members were not that attractive either (sorry!). But after my sister persuaded me to watch it with her, I'm amazed! The Japanese version is even funnier & more comical than the Taiwanese version. And by the end of Season 1, I'm an avid fan of the series (with my favorite character in the series is actually Akira - hehe!). And unlike MG, HYD also delivers rather well for its Season 2, with more plots taken from the manga. I can tell you now that the Japanese actors are definitely not scared to make a fool of themselves, as well as taking a more serious role at the same time. And the wedding scene in Hana Yori Dango Final? AWESOME!
SO MY PERSONAL FAVORITE PICKS (EXCLUDING THE KOREAN VERSION)?
Makino = Barbie Xu (just too kawaii!)
Doumyoji = Matsumoto Jun (he's really like the manga description of the character)
Hanazawa Rui = Vic Zhou
Nishikado Soujiro = Matsuda Shota
Mimasaka Akira = Vaness Wu
Best Makino-Doumyoji Couple = Inoue Mao & Matsumoto Jun
Best Makino-Rui Couple = Barbie Xu & Vic Zhou
Funniest Scenes = Hana Yori Dango (hands down!)
Most Tearful Scenes = Meteor Garden
Best Soundtrack = Hmm... It a tie! (Flavour of Life by Utada Hikaru for HYD, Ni Yao De Ai by Penny Dai for MG)
Best Overall Version (so far) = Hana Yori Dango!
Labels: live action
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