Those familiar with the Hana Yori Dango storyline may have been anticipating this, the casting of Gu Jun-pyo’s fiancée who will throw a wrench in the budding romance between him and Jan-di.
The actress cast in the role is Lee Min-jung, whom I last saw playing Go Ara and Lee Eon’s best friend in last year’s Who Are You. I think she’s a great fit and a promising up-and-comer (and had even thought she might be a good choice for the role of Jan-di before it was cast).
She won’t be seen for several weeks yet, but the announcement confirming her casting already has fans speculating about the stories she’ll be featured in. Her character has grown up in several different countries and is therefore a bit different from the other upper-class snobs with her easygoing personality.
Lunar New Year is upon us and of course, now that pretty boy Lee Minho has become famous overnight for his leading role in “Boys Over Flowers,” we have to know how the curly-haired F4 member is going to spend his new year.
Lee Minho is still busy shooting for the drama and has to spend the beginning of Lunar New Years on set with the rest of the crew and stuff. He says, “Today we have to start the new year off on set, and even though things are hectic, every time I think about the fans who support ‘Boys Over Flowers,’ I don’t feel a bit tired and hope that everyone will be lucky in the new year and continue to support the show.”
The emergence of the Infinite Challenge F4 has captured the attention of Korean netizens.
On Jan 22, once news was released that MBC’s Infinite Challenge members will be doing a parody of KBS hit drama Boys Before Flowers, the Internet was abuzz with commotion.
Photos of the cast of Boys Before Flowers were also combined with images of the IC members to form hilarious parodies of the actual characters.
The parodies cleverly weaves the IC members’ profiles into the original characters. For example, female protagonist Geum Jandi becomes ‘Geum Soodi’ (Park Myung Soo), the daughter of a fried chicken shopowner, and enters Infinite High School with her singing talent instead of swimming skills.
Gu Joonpyo now becomes ‘Gu Jinpyo’ (Junjin), part of the Hallyu conglomerate Shinhwa, who ends up at Infinite High. Original character Gu Joonpyo is fluent in multiple languages as he lived abroad, but ‘Gu Jinpyo’ can speak at least 5 languages with his concert tour experience.
Yoon Jihoo, played by SS501 member Kim Hyun Joong, is now ‘Yoon Suk Hoo’ (Yoo Jaesuk), the heir to the Grasshopper Conglomerate. In addition, ‘So Yi Chul’ (Noh Hong Chul) and ‘Song Ha Bin’ (Jung Joon Ha) completes the F4 grouping.
Netizens’ comments include ‘the person behind the parody is a genius’, ‘the effects are just spectacular, it’s really fun’.
For the parody of the drama itself, Park Myung Soo is slated to play the role of Gu Joonpyo, Yoo Jaesuk as Yoon Jihoo, with Jung Joon Ha and Noh Hong Chul completing F4. Female lead Geum Jandi is expected to be played by Junjin, and Jung Hyung Don as Jandi’s friend Ga-eul.
F4 members Lee Min Ho and Kim Bum have been nominated as candidates for the Best New Male Actor for the 44th Annual Baeksang Arts Awards held on February 27th.
The two are showered with the love of their fans playing F4 members Goo Jun Pyo and So Lee Jung in current popular KBS drama, ‘Boys Over Flowers.’
Lee Min Ho has been nominated for his role on ‘Boys Over Flowers’ while Kim Bum for his role as young Song Seung Hun in MBC drama ‘East Of Eden.’
Also competing in the same category is Uhm Gi Joon for ‘World’s Within,’ Lee Sang Woo for ‘First Wives Club’ and Jung Gyu Woon for his role in ‘Women Of The Sun.’
The sub-loveline of Kim Bum and Kim So Eun in the KBS drama Boys Over Flowers is drawing increasing attention from viewers.
Gifted potter So Yi Jeong (Kim Bum) and Jandi's friend Ga Eul (Kim So Eun) have started a beautiful "bickering relationship".
As compared to the heartaching love triangle between Jandi - Junpyo - Jihoo, the loveline between Yi Jeong and Ga Eul is lighthearted, which has made the plot even more interesting.
The scenes of this lighthearted couple appeared in the 5th and 6th episode aired on Jan 19 and 20. As Yi Jeong tries to create opportunities for Jandi and Junpyo to be alone together, there has been more interaction scenes between Yi Jeong and Ga Eul.
Although the two are always quarreling, Yi Jeong running in search of Ga Eul after hearing her scream, nonchalantly offering to apply sunscreen for Ga Eul, and helping her up the horse, are all signs of skinship foreshadowing a beginning loveline between the two in this drama.
Because of this loveline, Kim Bum and Kim So Eun who were previously in the spotlight for their roles in East of Eden and Empress Chun Chu, have once again drawn everyone's attention.
Hot topic KBS drama ‘Boys Over Flowers’ will take over even in music programs.
SS501 has decided to start their official activities for drama OST ‘Because I am stupid’ and has confirmed their performances in public broadcasted music programs from next week onwards.
SS501’s representative said on 21-Jan, “They were supposed to continue their promotional activities with another song after ending the activities for ‘U R MAN’. Because the responses for ‘Boys Over Flowers’ are good, we have decided to continue with this OST performance. They are currently practicing for this song.”
‘Because I am stupid’ holds the highest popularity in ‘Boys Over Flowers’ OST in different music sites. This song has also made it to the 1st place on music charts in cyworld and other websites, beating SNSD, YoonMiRae, etc. The song was initially meant for Kim HyunJoong’s theme song, but because the response for it is good, it has been used as the ending song.
Kim HyunJoong, Lee MinHo and others from ‘Boys Over Flowers’ has produced hot topics of ‘Sudden rush of Prettyboys’. From female teens to sensitive middle-aged viewers, securing majority viewers, their ratings hovers at 25%, which is only about 1% less than the 1st place drama ‘East of Eden’. The ‘intense’ triangle love between Kim HyunJoong-Goo HyeSun-Lee Minho gives a dramatic tension in the drama.
SS501 Kim HyunJoong who is acting for KBS ‘Boys Over Flowers’ met up with a minor car collision.
Kim HyunJoong was moving towards the filming venue for ‘Boys Over Flowers’ on 21-Jan at about 5.40pm, but had a rear-end collision with another car in the vicinity of Seoul Kwanghwamoon.
Kim HyunJoong’s representative said “The car in front suddenly thrust in, and we collide onto that car which tried to avoid it. The right side of the car was damaged but fortunately Kim HyunJoong was not hurt.”
The representative added “Kim HyunJoong was startled by it but after he settled down, he decided to go ahead to get to the filming venue. In order not to disrupt the filming schedule, he went ahead for the filming. However, we will be watching over him and decide if there is a need to go to the hospital.”
There used to be a time when a topless Song Seung Hun was more than enough to burn TV ratings through the roof. But that was so 2008.
Lee Minho, the star of the hit drama “Boys Over Flowers” is being hailed by TV critics as the ‘Surprise Star of 2009’ and it looks like their predictions are right.
Tuesday’s episode of “BOF” brought in their best rating so far with 24.8% (based on TNS Media) inching closer to “East of Eden” (26.5%). Episode 6 featured the cast vacationing in the beautiful island of New Caledonia in the South Pacific.
Female fans of the show gushed over Lee Minho’s “slim and muscular body” during his scenic beach-side date with Jandi (Goo Hye Sun).
It surprising how the fans have slowly warmed up to the show. The actor revealed in a recent interview that being part of a huge production like “BOF” is not easy. He admitted that after the first episode, numerous message boards were filled with harsh criticisms towards him.
But just after three weeks since its initial broadcast, the drama and cast are receiving much love from the public.
F4 member Kim Hyun Joong was involved in a car accident while headed to a filming location.
While heading to the Shinchon filming location in Seoul on January 21st at 5:30PM, the van Kim Hyun Joong was riding in collided with another vehicle at the Gwanghwamun intersection.
The right side of the vehicle occupied by Kim Hyun Joong sustained some damage but luckily he was seated in a different location and didn’t sustain any traumatic injuries. He merely seemed startled by the sudden accident but a judgment will be made as they reach a hospital in the vicinity.
After receiving a thorough examination at the hospital they will decide whether or not they will continue with filming said Kim Hyun Joong’s side. If there is any serious injury then filming today will be difficult.
In the meantime, Kim Hyun Joong is currently acting as F4 member Yoon Ji Hoo and in the middle of a love triangle alongside Koo Hye Sun & Lee Min Ho in KBS ‘Boys Before Flowers.’
Wednesday January 21, 2009 Korea
The Lee Min-ho fervor continues: The 21-year-old has been selected to promote LG Telecom, and will appear in an ad with Boys Before Flowers co-stars Gu Hye-sun and Kim Bum. He’s also deliberating over modeling contracts for clothing brands, cars, beer, etc. [Sports Khan]
Lee Min-ho is still a little surprised at his own fame, though; he’s been busy working and first felt the impact of his sudden popularity when he was filming an outdoor scene last week and the arrival of a mob of 3,000 fans forced shooting to shut down and move elsewhere. [Sports Khan, Asia Economy]
He’s not the only one, though: Kim Bum and Kim So-eun were shooting a scene at the girls’ restaurant job last week, and because so many neighborhood bystanders stopped to watch, police had to step in and manage traffic. [Sports Khan]
Gu Hye-sun is also benefiting from Boys Before Flowers‘ popularity; like her co-star, she’s also fielding multiple CF offers, both domestically and from Japan. The offers range from mobile phones to cosmetics and food products. [Joy News]
And look who else is jumping on the BBF bandwagon: Singer-actor Lee Ji-hoon (You’re My Destiny) recently launched an online shopping mall called “Paris Homme.” Thanks to the drama, the line’s prep-school look has experienced a sharp increase in sales: up 50% from the previous month. [Mk.co.kr]
Actress Kim Hyun Joo will be joining the BOF cast on the 20th.
The role Kim Hyun Joo will be playing is Shinhwa Group’s Eldest daughter and the Sister of Goo Junpyo, named Goo Jun Hee. A person who always has to know everything and feels best when she helps solve people’s problems. Wild girl who had to raise her little brother herself with an iron heart.
Kim Hyun Joo in BOF will help Goo Junpyo and Geum Jandi’s loveline and will always be the one who will be the problem fixer for the two. She plays the older sister that even the almighty Goo JunPyo cannot defeat.
Jung EE Chul will be playing LEE Je Ha. He will be playing the younger brother of the student who had tried to comitt suicide in episode 1, Lee Min ha. ( EEchul plays 1 person 2 role here.) He will play the role who will try to take revenge against Goo Junpyo for causing his brother to be in a emotional/mental disaster from the bullying. Minha is currently recovering. He will be playing the role trying to break jandi and junpyo off. Jung Ee chul will be playing 1 person 2 role.
LEE min Jung will be playing the fiance of Goo Jun pyo named Ha Jae Kyung. The only daughter of the world reknowned multicorporate JK group. Because she has been living all over the world instead of having the bratty, self centered rich elite daughter personality, she will be leaning toward the more friendly happy go lucky, tomboyish image. BUsiness marriage will start the relationship with Junpyo and Jae Kyung but soon she will start to like JP seriously. Jae Kyung will be the person that will help realize Jandi’s true feelings fo JP as she starts to get jealous.
Senior actor, Lee Jung Gil will be also joing the cast as Jihoo’s grandfather AKA past PRESIDENT OF SOUTH KOREA. He is a everyday costumer at Jandi’s Porridge place and says he is just a common charity volunteerer. He always has the regret and feels sorry for Jihoo because of the terrorist attack Jihoo’s parents dealt with causing Jihoo’s parents to die and Jihoo to have the autism.
SO EE Jung’s FIRST love CHA EUN JAE’s. The actress playing this role is still undecided. Eun jae, Ga Eul, and So EE Jung will crate a love triangle which will create another stir among the viewers.
Actress Kim So-eun is currently pulling double duty with roles in two different KBS productions: On Mondays and Tuesdays, she’s the sassy best friend in the trendy drama Boys Before Flowers, and on weekends she plays the childhood counterpart to Chae Shi-ra’s grown-up warrior leader in historical series Empress Cheon-chu.
The latter has given her the nickname “Little Chae Shi-ra,” which is pretty high praise for a rookie actress given Chae’s respected veteran status. Kim’s performances have been well-received and, following her first appearance on Empress Cheon-chu, Kim’s name shot to the top of online searches.
On an entertainment program on the 17th, Kim said, “At first it didn’t seem real. Thank you so much for supporting me… I don’t even have much experience acting, and I hardly feel like I deserve to be called ‘Little Chae Shi-ra.’” She did, however, spent months training in action school for her role, enabling her to perform her own horseback riding and falling stunts.
Boys Before Flowers‘ ratings are high for its new episodes, but even re-broadcasts are holding strong — Sunday reruns recorded an 8.6% for Episode 3 and a whopping 13.4% for Episode 4. Not only is it unusual for a rerun to pull in double-digit numbers, it’s even outperforming Sunday’s new programming, such as MBC’s variety show We Got Married (10.2%).
(Compared to other reruns: Golden Age of My Life had a 6.4% and 7.4%; East of Eden a 5.1% and 8.8%.)
Granted, We Got Married hasn’t been as popular since losing a lot of its initial couples, but that’s still got to hurt. Especially when many critically acclaimed dramas can’t even pull in double-digit ratings in their first-run broadcasts.
Boys Before Flowers will see Goo Hye Sun playing a leading role. She expressed, “It would be a lie if I said I was not feeling the burden.”
The Korean version sees Goo Hye Sun playing Yeon Woo who is an average girl and whose family owns dry-cleaning shop that is located near the luxurious and well-known Shin Hwa College. Yeon Woo meets the four richest spoilt boys when she delivers laundry to the school one day. The boys are known as F4 and causes trouble to those who dares to oppose them. More surprises are in store for F4 when Yeon Woo surprisingly enters the college for studies.
Goo Hye Sun have participated in two period dramas in King and I and Strongest Chil-Woo in the earlier part of 2008. Both saw her acting in roles that were more mature than her actual age. However, for Boys Before Flowers, she will be wearing school uniforms and play a high-school girl.
Goo Hye Sun expressed, “It would be a lie if I said I was not feeling the burden. But I feel that I can assimilate myself into the role as time goes by. I have never been more happy just preparing myself for the role. I hope that this drama will meet everyone’s expectations and I will give it my best effort.”
In other casting news that’s confirmed, Han Go Eun will play Goo Joon Pyo’s (Lee Min Ho) sister while Han Chae Young has been confirmed in a cameo role as Yoon Ji Hoo’s (Kim Hyun Joong) first love. The 24 episodes Boy Before Flowers is likely to air just before 2008 ends in December on KBS2TV.
Add one more big name to the cast of Boys Before Flowers (Hana Yori Dango): the lovely Kim Hyun-joo, last seen in last year’s drama Insoon is Pretty, has been cast in the Tsubaki role, older sister to main character Doumyouji Tsukasa.
Kim Hyun-joo’s character is named Gu Jun-hee in the series and is the chaebol successor to the family enterprise, one of the nation’s top corporations. She lives in the States, but has taken care of her little bro, played by Lee Min-ho, since their youth, in the absence of their busy business-minded parents.
I’m a bit surprised, since Kim Hyun-joo’s image is a little softer than the sassy, kickass Tsubaki I saw in the Japanese version, but I don’t think this is necessarily a bad move. The older generation needs solid actors to back up their principal cast, which is on the green side, and she’s a stronger actor than her fellow “older” castmate, Han Chae-young (Han does fit her image to a tee, though, and plays Shizuka, Rui’s (Kim Hyun-joong) first love).
The new Monday-Tuesday drama will air on KBS in December.
The latest heartthrob for Korean women is the young actor Lee Min-ho, the hero of the new hit KBS 2TV drama (airing Mon-Tues) “Boys Before Flowers.” His casting as the hero of this drama series, extremely popular across Asia, created a buzz from the start. Any handsome actor would covet the role of one of the members of the “F4,” a group of rich and popular boys at a school where the story takes place.
The Korean cast for F4 was finally revealed and the casting of a complete novice actor, Lee (22), for the role of F4 leader “Gu Jun-pyo” was almost shocking.
The series has kicked off and Lee has literally become a star overnight, silencing doubts of how he would handle the heavyweight role. His name tops various Internet search-word lists and 100,000 fans visit his Internet homepage each day.
The “F4 craze” has hit Korea since the drama series was also made in Taiwan and Japan, and Lee is at the center of it all. But he had his share of trials thus far. He debuted in the 2006 EBS drama “The Secret Campus” but had to take a year off after a car accident. After his rehabilitation, he landed his first lead role in the SBS high teen drama “Mackerel Run!” but the series ran short.
Lee said, “If I didn’t have the accident and continued acting I might not have been able to meet ‘Jun-pyo.’ I shiver at this thought. What I suffered led me to this breakthrough role. I worried about the role because I’m unknown to the public, but of course I was thrilled to be cast.”
But the title role of the super popular Asian drama series is actually a heavy burden to shoulder.
Jun-pyo is the heir to Korea’s number one conglomerate group and a typical spoiled and arrogant character. He is hot-tempered and rough, but also has childlike innocence. A polar opposite of his friend Ji-hu (played by Kim Hyeon-jung), Jun-pyo has his heart firmly set on Geum Jan-di (Gu Hye-seon), the daughter of a working class family who runs a dry cleaning store.
Women viewers empathize with the rich F4 boys doting on Jan-di. They also get to love Jun-pyo as more of his sides are shown and say he is attractive in many ways. Women want to take care of him and be embraced by him at the same time.
He is a high school student in the drama, but Lee is actually on leave from Konkuk Univ. where he majors in cinema/art. What is Lee really like? He said, “I think I’m somewhere between Jun-pyo and Jan-di. I have both sides of them. This cute handsome guy role is unfamiliar though. I can totally carry a pathetic role as well (laugh). But for now, I hope to be Jun-pyo and him alone.”
Koo Hye Sun as Geum Jan Di aka Makino Tsukushi
Lee Min Ho as Goo Joon Pyo aka Domyoji Tsukasa
Kim Hyun Joong as Yoon Ji Hoo aka Hanazawa Rui
Kim Bum as So Yi Jung aka Nishikado Sojiro
Kim Joon as Song Woo Bin aka Mimasaka Akira
Lee Min Ho, who became wildly popular after acting as Goo Joon Pyo in “Boys Before Flowers”, recently revealed that he will have more love scandals in the near future.
Lee Min Ho plays the leader of the legendary F4 in the drama. Shortly after the broadcast of episode 1 on the 5th Jan, rumours regarding him and Davich member Kang Min Kyung in a love relationship were circulated on the internet. Hence, he was a little embarrassed recently because of the rumour.
During the interview, Lee Min Ho said: “Even before broadcast, I have already predicted that there will be such rumours regarding Kang Min Kyung and me. My intimate photos and KTV videos taken with her were widely discussed and spread around on the internet. But before this drama ends, there will be 3 others about to be in a rumour with me. They are Park Bo Young, Moon Chae Won and Choi Eun Seo.
Coincidentally, these are all the rising stars in the current Korean entertainment circle. Kang Min Kyung has maintained a very close relationship with Lee Min Ho since debut while Park Bo Young (Speed Scandal) and Moon Chae Won (The Painter of the Wind) have collaborated with him in “Our School E.T”.
Lee Min ho said: “They are like ‘brothers’ to me. I like to be close with my very good friends. I have two ex-girlfriends after 19, but none since then. I’m definitely not the one who steps on two boats (having 2 lovers at the same time) and will also not easily enter into a relationship. I like pure and demure girls.”
