Boys Over Flowers – F4′s Music Drama

Boys Over Flowers‘ F4 will release their album, F4 Special Edition, on April 28. This album will consist of songs sung by Lee Min Ho, Kim Hyun Joong, Kim Beom, and Kim Joon, who each chose their own songs to sing solo. Currently, the teaser video of the album’s corresponding music drama that was released this week is drawing netizens’ attention.

The 25-minute music drama is based on their lives, five years down the road. (KP’s note: Five years after Jan Di’s graduation? Five years after the engagement scene on the beach? Not sure….) The video will be from Woo Bin (Kim Joon)’s perspective as he reminisces about days past. The production company, Planet905, said that the story of each F4 member will get an equal amount of screen time.

The music drama will be unveiled on April 28 – the same day as the album’s release – on http://www.mnet.com.

Minimix 17

An out-of-the-country edition:

• Wheesung had his first solo concert in Japan.  ‘Super Live Concert 2009-WHEESHOW in Tokyo’ was held on April 12 at C.C. Lemon Hall in Tokyo. Wheesung brought all the equipment and staff required for the performance from Korea so that the Japanese concert would be the same as the Korean one. He sang about 20 songs including “With Me”, “Love is Delicious”, and “Insomnia”. The 2000 fans at the concert fervently watched the performance, standing from the first song to the encore. A representative of the performance agency in Japan said that after the performance about 90% of the audience responded in a survey that this was a performance they wanted to watch again. The rep also added that they are in discussions with Wheesung’s agency about holding more performances in different Japanese cities such as Osaka because the feedback from the concert was better than expected. The concert will be aired in June on Mnet Japan.
  

  Wheesung's WHEESHOW

• Lee Min Ho, Kim Hyun Joong, Kim Beom, Kim Joon, and Ku Hye Sun – BOF‘s F4 and Keum Jan Di – attended two promotional events for the Japanese release of the drama at Tokyo JCB Hall on April 16. In total, approximately 5000 fans got to see the cast in person. When asked if there’s been any change in himself due to playing Gu Jun Pyo, Lee Min Ho answered that his expenditures have gone up – he thinks it’s from getting a taste of all the luxurious locations and good food while acting as a millionaire the drama. In response to the question, “Would you confess your feelings to a friend’s girlfriend?”, Kim Hyun Joong said jokingly, “As long as it’s not [SS501] member Park Jung Min’s girlfriend, I would.”
  

  Boys Over Flowers in Japan

  

  Boys Over Flowers in Japan

  

  Boys Over Flowers in Japan

• Actor Won Bin spent April 4 to 13 in Gambia as part of his duties as UNICEF goodwill ambassador. During the trip, he visited slums and schools in the capital city, Banjul. He also went to the eastern region of Basse to deliver mosquito nets and vitamins for malaria prevention. Won Bin stated, “I’m grateful that I got the opportunity to do something for children.” Clips from his volunteer trip will be broadcast on April 24 on MBC’s current affairs program, W, as part of it fourth anniversary special.
  

  Won Bin in Gambia with UNICEF

• Kim Min Ji (Boys Over Flowers) captivated Chinese fans through her appearance on the popular talkshow Tian Tian Xiang Shang on April 11′s broadcast. She gained recognition in China last year as a model for a domestic mobile phone brand.
  

  Kim Min Ji on Tian Tian Xiang Shang

• Epik High has put up the finalized dates for their world tour in spring.
  

  MAP THE SOUL World Tour 2009

• In May, Ju Ji Hun will hold fan meetings on May 15 and 16 in Osaka and Tokyo, respectively. The Tokyo event will also serve as a birthday party, since Ju’s 27th falls on the same day. The fan meetings will be in advance of the Japanese premieres of two of Ju’s films, The Naked Kitchen (in June) and Antique Bakery. On a related note, Ju has been cast as the male lead (opposite Kim Ji Soo) in the adaptation of Japanese hit novel and movie, Tokyo Tower.
  

  Ju Ji Hun

KP’s Note 3

Dear readers,

Just a heads-up – we’re going into a two-week period of major deadlines so we may not be posting often. If we DO post often, that probably means we’re procrastinating and in big trouble. Also, can anybody tell us why it takes over an hour for most of our posts to show up on Google Reader? Does this mean that our updates are lagged on people’s blogrolls too?

We updated Minimix 16 with photos of Kim Myung Min’s current 58 kilogram physique – and it’s not pretty.

Keep reading for Ku Hye Sun’s clarification on a Season 2 of BOF, two photos in response to lafea‘s interest in Gong Yoo, and information (wanted by langit biru) on Kim Tae Woo’s upcoming performance.

Park Ji Bin’s Celebrity Connections

Update (4/13): Two more photos!

• With Lee Min Woo on April 11, following M’s performance in the ‘Sparkling Concert in Seoul Spring’ and dinner at T.G.I. Friday’s

Park Ji Bin & Lee Min Woo

• With Shin Ae

Park Ji Bin & Shin Ae

Boys Over Flowers – Final News Review & Comments

Dear readers,

So this is it! THE END!

Actually, I’ve had so little spare time this week that I’m watching the final episode as I type right now. Originally I was planning to write a concluding commentary; however, I’ve decided not to because….. I need to sleep. Hehe. Actually, I didn’t want to analyze it much – Boys Over Flowers is a drama that is best enjoyed by not taking it seriously. Just a few random BOF-related thoughts:

• I was ALMOST happy to hear the return of “Paradise” in the last episode after a long (much-needed) hiatus.
• I usually don’t criticize a person’s acting skills much but – in his brief appearances, Kim Jong Jin (who played Yi Jeong’s father in the drama) displayed the worst acting I’ve seen in a long time. Maybe that’s how his character was written, or maybe that’s how he was directed to act – but wow….his dialogues with Yi Jeong were just painful to watch.
• I didn’t mind the prospect of not having Yi Jeong and Ga Eul to get in the end, but I really like how they wrapped things up. Adorable!
• The most annoying part of the entire drama was playing background music when the characters were supposed to be playing instruments.
• I’m so sad that Secretary Jung wasn’t in the final episode.
• Lee Min Ho (Gu Jun Pyo in BOF) and Matsumoto Jun (Tsukasa in HYD) both played their parts so well in their respective dramas that I can’t imagine anyone else in their roles.
• Hurrah for Chairwoman Gu Jun Hee!

Feel free to post your final thoughts (BRIEFLY) in the comments section.

Anyhow, lots of readers have been asking us for information on what the main cast of BOF will be doing in following months. Beyond the jump (below) is a review of some recent events, as well as a peek into their near future. This will be our last official BOF news review, so enjoy!

P.S. We’ve read some comments here and there saying that Hana Yori Dango (manga)’s author, Yoko Kamio, basically shut down licensing requests from the Philippines and China to create their own national dramas. However, the decision wasn’t really up to her; it was because she signed a contract with Group Eight (the production company for BOF) agreeing not to permit any other drama adaptations for two years following the Korean BOF. Hence, both the Filipino and Chinese versions cannot follow the Hana Yori Dango storyline closely.

Boys Over Flowers – Episodes 24 & 25 Previews

Update (3/31): KBS actually did put up a written preview after awhile. (KP’s note: LAST UPDATE ON THIS POST – EVER! HURRAH!………. And there go half of our readers….)

Episode 25 Preview, translated from KBS:

‘The Gu Jun Pyo who I liked, and who loved me, is nowhere to be found.’

Jan Di looks sadly at Jun Pyo who can’t remember her, and secretly leaves behind a lunchbox for him. After Jun Pyo eats the homemade lunch, a piece of his memory returns with difficulty. However, Jan Di’s last hope is snatched away by Yu Mi’s nasty lie.

Ji Hu puts in effort to comfort Jan Di, who is hurt and in despair from Yu Mi taking over the spot at at Jun Pyo’s side. However, Jan Di and Ji Hu are unable to shake their gloom (?? 불길함) after witnessing an affectionate moment between Jun Pyo and Yu Mi.

Jan Di and F3 are invited by Yu Mi and Jun Pyo to an unexpected pool party, where they hear a thunderbolt-like announcement….

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Update (3/29): Season 2 spoilers have been updated with the ending scene’s photo – do not read unless you don’t want to be surprised.

Episode 25’s extended preview link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niTXugIZudg. We have updated to include the important stuff from the clip in Season 2 Spoilers.

Episode 24’s extended preview link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKSeulxDLH4. We have updated to include the important stuff from the clip in the spoiler section below.