Hana Yori Dango, Meteor Garden, Boys Over Flowers Visited 2

"That is so codependent!" my mom huffed in exasperation when she saw that I was reacting emphatically to a scene in Boys Over Flowers.

I bit my tongue. BOF is not worth an argument with the Queen Mother.

I wanted to say, "Aren't most love stories codependent?" (Save for A Walk to Remember which was very inspiring and spiritual.) But I kept mum...

Her Western preferences are so full of S-E-X! Betrayal and violence. What makes it any different from my preference?

Though I concede HYD, MG and BOF have more than their fair share of violence and betrayal, the sex thing is not so blatant. In fact, the kissing scenes are tame and decent (save for the episode in MG where DMSz forces his kiss on Shan Cai in the school balcony. His lack of social skills and restraint was made evident in that scene. Either that, or I'm defending the story hahahah! In fact in the manga version, there are "up yours" hand signals and expletives). But for all 25 episodes of the Korean Version, there are only a few kissing scenes which are more sweet than sensual.

Besides, the redemption of Tsukasa/DMSz/Jun Pyo's role were threshed out clearly (from my point of view) that his wrongdoings are forgivable if only as a TV show. I haven't thought about the real life plausibility of his character's evolution.

After all, I'm all in it for the fantastic relief. After all, it is a most girls' codependent dream to be a catalyst for change. After all, in A Walk to Remember, Jamie Sullivan was a catalyst to Landon Carter's improvement.

One more thing that fascinates me about HYD/MG/BOF is that Tsukushi/ShanCai/JanDi's role as a middle class girl thrown into the world of the spoiled, rotten and rich and overcoming obstacles just to get by is a feat many of us would like to achieve... And of course turning the frog into a prince just by being oneself is the height of that dream. Though Shan Cai and Jan Di's role of being violently oppressed by the F4 is too much for reality, it sadly resonates most women's capacity to suffer. The healthier thing to do is WALK AWAY, but Tsukushi/ShanCai/JanDi is a radical activist who stands up for her "rights", to the point of putting herself in harm's way. Oh well, that's why it's called fiction. The danger is that impressionable minds might think it's okay to brave it out; in real life it's called being foolhardy (but that calls for another discussion).

Going back to the fantasy, it is every person's dream to be the kind who doesn't give up even in the face of destitution and humiliation. To still have that strength to stand straight, chin up, shoulders back and walk steadily, confident that the world is still a friendly place despite all the hardships. And getting the happy ending - which Tsukushi/ShanCai/JanDi got in the end, after many twists, turns and tears.

And those back up guys, the rest of the F4. I love saying that the F4 in MG are hunks, while in BOF they're cuties. But nonetheless their characters which are seemingly shallow eventually revealed men whose loyalties are towards the righteous (Tsukushi/ShanCai/JanDi) - to the point of them being there for the T/S/JD at every whiff of trouble - is again, another favorite fantasy. In real life, we know that people only help to a point, because they have their own lives to lead; besides nobody likes to be anyone's charity case. But the genius of Yoko Kamio lies in that Tsukushi/ShanCai/JanDi was never portrayed thus. At the same time the F4 were not portrayed as guys who keep tabs, what is given is a gift; and it is implied that after all things in each characters' lives are taken care of, they attend to our protagonist.

Is this codependent or not? LOL...

Oh my, count on it, there's a part 3 of this...Jaa Ne for now!

Hana Yori Dango, Meteor Garden, Boys Over Flowers Visited

Jerry Yan is texting me through his Sony Ericsson cellphone. Tonight, he's saying, "Miss U".

Fantasies are for free!

Jerry Yan has been the leading man of my dreams since I went crazy over Meteor Garden back in 2003.

Before Meteor Garden, I've always been a snob in my viewing preferences; always rationalizing my choices of shows and leisure time activities etc., and mostly, if not always patronizing Western shows and literature.

It irritated me when the buzz at work was all about Dau Ming Sz and Sancai. Who the hell were they? Finally, I decided to watch an episode to see what the frenzy was all about.

Before I knew it, I was hooked to the max. After work, I would cozy up at the couch in front of the TV and cross the threshold between reality and paradise.

After the show ended, many months later, I ordered the VCD set online and would use MG as my background noise while doing paper work.

***

I think I have viewed the two seasons of Meteor Garden five times over and still get that giddy feeling while watching and even after.

***

Last year, a friend of mine introduced me to Itazura Na Kiss, an anime series, and I was sucked into the colorful world of Irie-kun and Kotoko. The same friend recommended Hana Yori Dango the anime series.

After 6 years of Meteor Garden, I found myself entrenched in Yoko Kamio's drama.

So much so that one of my bestfriends sent me the first four books of the original manga (which are part of my prized possessions).

***

And now, the same co-workers who were crazy over Meteor Garden are busy updating on Gu Jun Pyo, Geum Jan Di and Ji Hoo...

What's a girl to do? I joined the band wagon, and am hooked.

***

The Real Star of the show I must say is Yoko Kamio. She has retold the Cinderella and Little Mermaid stories in the modern day Asian setting. Who could resist a fairy tale?

It is every girl's dream. Unabashedly, it is mine.

And of course, in a jaded, heartbroken era, happy endings are best sellers. If it eludes us in the ground we tread, we get the vicarious victory through the TV screen for that moment in time.

Sayonara for now, xie xie ni... Jaa Ne! Till my next musing...

Fated To Love You

OMG!!! I am soooo loving Fated to Love You, starring Ethan Ruan & Chen Qiao En. I am still at Episode 10 but definitely captivated (addicted?!).

I thought no Asian drama would beat the different versions of Yoko Kamio's Hana Yori Dango (haven't seen the Japanese version though).

After having finished Boys Over Flowers, I was recommended by my cousin, who's resides in New York, to watch Fated to Love You. She, herself, hasn't seen FTLY but said that her bff recommended it.

So I decided to give it a try. After all, Ethan Ruan looks cute, and I like Chen Qiao En's "ordinary" cuteness - very refreshing.

Watching FTLY is what I use as a reward after 3 hours of paper work, and my oh my, this jaded writer feels the flutter of how fate plays tricks to satisfy Cupid - at the expense of unwitting people :D :D :D

I won't put any spoilers here... Maybe later. But here's the trailer... Whoopee!!!


P.S. DEFINITELY ADULT STUFF

Weekend First

Jaa Ne! I googled this Japanese expression which is an informal way of telling your friends, "See You!"

Just About Anything, Ne!

During my waking hours, I find myself thinking about different kinds of things: books, situations, my favorite story Hana Yori Dango and its versions, parenthood, aging, friends, money, going to my counselor, anyyyything that catches my fancy.

Right now, I am distributing my energy among chatting with one of my bestfriends (who's abroad), writing this first entry and watching Boys Over Flowers Korean version (my background noise).

Jaa Ne!