16 years since “Boys Over Flowers”, where is the cast now?

Hit K-drama Boys Over Flowers, the Korean remake of the popular Japanese manga Hana Yori Dango, made a major contribution in the spread of the Hallyu wave across Asia in late 2000s. It has been 16 years since Boys Over Flowers came out, so let’s join us to find out what the cast of the legendary drama is doing now. 

Lee Min Ho 

In Boys Over Flowers, Lee Min Ho plays Goo Jun Pyo – the handsome, arrogant, wealthy chaebol heir and leader of F4.

The male lead role of “Boy Over Flowers” brought Lee Min Ho his first big break after entering the entertainment industry. Following the drama’s success, Lee Min Ho shot to fame and became one of the most popular K-drama stars. And over a decade later, Lee Min Ho still maintains his status as the most famous actor out of the cast of “Boys Over Flowers“. 

After Boys Over Flowers, Lee Min Ho continued to work hard and got himself the leading parts in many successful dramas such as “City Hunter”, “The Heirs”, “The Legend of the Blue Sea”, “The King: Eternal Monarch“, and “Pachinko“. In 2023, the actor will return in the sci-fi romance comedy, “Ask The Stars”, where he will star alongside Gong Hyo Jin.

Lee Min Ho is listed among the highest-paid A-list Korean actors along with Kim Soo Hyun, Jun Ji Hyun, Song Joong Ki and many others. He is also the first Korean actor to have a wax figure in Madame Tussauds museum.

Regarding his personal life, Lee Min Ho dated Park Min Young in 2011 but the two called it quits not long after. In 2017, Lee Min Ho was confirmed to be in a relationship with Suzy, but they eventually decided to break up and stay friends. Last year, he was reported to be dating ex-MOMOLAND’s Yeonwoo but his agency denied the information. Since the release of The King: Eternal Monarch in early 2020, Lee Min Ho has consistently been involved in dating rumors with co-star Kim Go Eun. However, he has never spoken out about these rumors. 

Now, at the age of 35, Lee Min Ho still retains his popularity, and was even listed among the richest Korean actors with a net worth of 26 million USD in 2021.

Goo Hye Sun 

When she took on the role of Geum Jan Di in Boy Over Flowers, Goo Hye Sun was 25 years old. But with her timeless and refreshing beauty, Goo Hye Sun successfully transformed into a bubbly high school girl.  

After Boy Over Flowers, Goo Hye Sun has proved herself to be a multi-talented artist when taking on many roles, from acting, directing to painting and composing. Although her acting skills often draw mixed reactions, she still achieved success with her roles in “Take Care Of Us”, “Captain”, “Blood”, and so on.

In 2016, Goo Hye Sun married fellow colleague and junior Ahn Jae Hyun. The two fell in love after co-starring in the medical drama “Blood“. When they first became husband and wife, Goo Hye Sun and Ahn Jae Hyun gained much admiration from the public because of how lovey dovey they were around one another. However, Goo Hye Sun announced their divorce only a year later. 

After breaking up the marriage with Ahn Jae Hyun, Goo Hye Sun has been focusing on writing and directing. Taking a break from acting, Goo Hye Sun is now comfortable working behind the camera and enjoys exchanging ideas with her creative colleagues. In 2019, she published her own book and has been actively doing art exhibitions since 2020.

Now, Goo Hye Sun is mostly focusing on directing, and in 2021, she introduced the 2021 film “Dark Yellow”.

Kim Hyun Joong 

Yoon Ji Hoo in “Boys Over Flowers“, one of the characters that gave birth to the “Second Lead Syndrome” in K-drama was played by Kim Hyun Joong. 14 years after the drama ended, this role is still considered the peak of Kim Hyun Joong‘s career. Kim Hyun Joong started out as an idol and a member of the popular 2nd generation boy group SS501. 

After “Boys Over Flowers”, he successfully took on the male lead role in the 2010 drama “Playful Kiss” alongside Jung So Min. In 2014, he got into a lawsuit over domestic abuse and assault with his ex-girlfriend. Kim Hyun Joong later sued her for lying and defamation. This legal battle lasted for many years, causing Kim Hyun Joong’s career to be severely damaged. Eventually, Kim Hyun Joong won the lawsuit, but his image in the public’s eyes is no longer the same. 

Kim Hyun Joong’s most recent drama is “When Time Stopped” in 2018. In 2022, he surprised the public by announcing his marriage to his non-celebrity girlfriend. The couple gave birth to a son in the same year.

Now nearing the age of 40, Kim Hyun Joong focuses on his music career, and is leading a happy family life with his wife and child.

Kim Bum 

Although he only took on a supporting role in Boys Over Flowers, thanks to his irresistible charm, Kim Bum enjoyed no less popularity than the leads. In fact, the “Pottery prince” So Yi Jung of F4 was Kim Bum’s first breakout role. 

Having both the looks and acting skills, yet it still took Kim Bum quite some time after “Boys Over Flowers” to get back into the limelight. Nevertheless, Kim Bum‘s career has been on a great track, with notable roles in “Tale of the Nine Tailed”, “Law School”, and “Ghost Doctor” – where he teamed up with singer-actor Rain. 

In 2023, the actor will be returning with the drama “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938”.

In terms of personal life, Kim Bum used to make a cute couple with “nation’s little sister” Moon Geun Young but their relationship sadly did not last. Not long after, Kim Bum started dating his senior Oh Yeon Seo but the two were confirmed to have ended their romantic relationship in 2019. 

Kim So Eun 

Meanwhile, the gorgeous on-screen co-star Kim So Eun, who plays Chu Ga Eul, also became the focus of attention during the broadcast of the drama in 2009. The love story between So Yi Jung (Kim Bum) and Jung Ga Eul (Kim So Eun) in “Boys Over Flowers” stole the hearts of many viewers. 

Kim So Eun’s role in the drama helped the actress turn to a new page in her career, thereby receiving more invitations from producers. Like her co-stars, Kim So Eun has had various drama projects afterwards.

Kim So Eun continuously made her mark with dramas such as “Liar Game”, “Ghost Busters” and “Lonely Enough To Love”. In 2022, she managed to draw attention with a role in the hit weekend series “Three Bold Siblings”.

Kim So Eun regularly starred in dramas and reality TV shows to maintain her reputation. She is also known for having a clean image and private life. 

Kim Joon 

Another character that steals viewers’ hearts in “Boys Over Flower” is Song Woo Bin, played by actor Kim Joon. However, the actor made many feel regret as he has put his career on hold and got married in 2015.

In 2015, Kim Joon announced his retirement. In June 2018, Korean media reported that the actor was secretly married and had a daughter.

Kim Joon comes from a little-known group T-Max whose only hit was the “Boys Over Flowers” theme song “Paradise“. He also starred in the dramas “Development Driller”, “Endless Love” and “City of the Sun”.

In 16 years of ups and downs, some in the main cast of Boy Over Flowers hit it big, while others floundering and disappearing. Either way, the drama and their roles will still leave the audience with good memories. 

Source: Yan