The leader of F4 in each version of “Boys Over Flowers” has a different charm.
Adapted from the all-time best-selling Japanese manga “Hana Yori Dango”, “Boys Over Flowers” became a well-loved TV series in different Asian countries. Since there are different versions of “Boys Over Flowers”, the male lead in each version has a distinct charm.
Lee Min Ho
Lee Min Ho‘s character Goo Jun Pyo was introduced in the 2009 K-drama “Boys Over Flowers”. Lee Min Ho was born for this role as his effortlessly rich and intimidating aura suits the character of an arrogant chaebol son perfectly. Although Goo Jun Pyo received so much love and brought Lee Min Ho’s fame to the next level, the K-drama version of F4 leader actually received mixed reactions from fans of the original manga due to many differences.
Shosuke Tanihara & Jun Matsumoto
In 1995, the first live-action of “Boys Over Flowers” was released in Japan with Shosuke Tanihara being cast as the male lead Tsukasa. With his traditional beauty, Tanihara successfully portrayed an attractive and interesting rich guy. After 10 years, Jun Matsumoto is the next Japanese actor chosen to take on the role of Tsukasa. He remains the most successful and famous version of Tsukasa in Japan and even across Asia.
Jerry Yan & Dylan Wang
In 2001, the Taiwanese version of “Boys Over Flowers” was released under the name “Meteor Garden”. Jerry Yan created a buzz across Asia at the time with his attractive, manly, and memorable portrayal of the male lead. A Dao Ming Si who is cold and cocky on the outside, but warm-hearted on the inside, played by Jerry Yan, succeeded in stealing plenty of viewers’ hearts, setting high standards for later adaptations.
In 2018, “Meteor Garden” was reborn in Mainland China with Dylan Wang as the male lead. Although the drama itself drew mixed reviews, Dylan Wang still managed to make viewers fall in love with him as Dao Ming Si.
Bright Vachirawit
In 2021, Thailand produced their own version of the iconic series and titled it “F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers.” Rising actor Bright Vachirawit was selected for the male lead role. The character’s name is Thyme in the Thai version. Although there were mixed reactions to the drama in terms of plot and acting, “F4 Thailand” is still widely popular. After it ended, the cast even went on a concert tour across Asia.
Source: K14
