Korean drama is better than Japanese (contains spoiler)

The last few days I've been going nuts on Boys Over Flowers (Kgotboda Namja). Having had to stop halfway to wait for the series to complete, I finally got my cravings back and just couldn't stop.

While waiting, I had the chance to watch the Japanese version (Hana Yori Dango) which I think on story line, probably, was closer to the original comic Hana Yori Dango. I was planning on making comparison which I did a bit (http://sweetcumi.blogspot.com/search/label/japanese%20drama). Now that I came to the end of it, I can say that the Korean version was more dramatic. ha..ha..Well, they are king of dramas anyway. I didn't know any famous Japanese drama after Tokyo Love Story (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Love_Story) but that was soooo classic from the 90s. But look at Korean dramas, I can name few that made it internationally - Winter Sonata was certainly one of them; My Name is Kim Sam Soon; My Girl; etc.

All in all, the comic itself had provided good story line. Korean version had better casting for F4, in my opinion. All those handsome and pretty faces made you want to come back for more. While Japanese version didn't really get to me until their second season when some of the F4 members had makeover on their overall outfit and hair style (Mimasaka Akira looked lot cuter with his longer unruly hair).

-- Warning, spoilers ahead --

The Korean version portraying Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung all the way to the wedding day. I liked the chapel scene when they whole thing was cancelled. It was lot better than Japanese version of Shigeru, Domyouji and their parents meeting up in a room. Well, it was a business meeting but it just didn't show much urgency. Like the whole thing was arranged, but there's no urgency for them to get married. But I like the casting for Shigeru better than Jae Kyung. The casting for Shigeru was prettier. Jae Kyung to me seemed a bit ordinary.

On the Korean version, I loved the scene about Jan Di and Jun Pyo's picnic day before Jan Di left him to go to fisherman's village. It's romantic yet ended so sad. It's like eating bitter sweet chocolate. While the Japanese version was breaking up wet soaking under heavy rain. It's just sad.

I also liked the ending part of Yi Jung and Ga Eul seemed to go somewhere promising of a relationship. Their Japanese characters on Hana Yori Dango didn't end with anything but friendship. But it wasn't sad though, it was portrayed playfully like anime. ha..ha.. No sad little girl being broken-hearted.

But too much drama sometimes just didn't do well. I don't understand the part that Jan Di couldn't swim just because she was hit by a chair trying to protect Jun Pyo. Huh ??? That was one serious hit. I also didn't understand why Jun Pyo's mom's assistant asked Jan Di to come to visit JP's dad that was in coma. I thought maybe his dad would wake up and feeling grateful to Jan Di. But it never happened. The whole part about Jan Di visiting JP's dad could probably be deleted and still wouldn't affect much of the story line. Hmm.. ???

all pictures courtesy of www.kbs.co.kr