Episode Guide
Based on the manga Hana Yori Dango by Yoko Kamio, F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers tells the story of a love that has been delighting fans since the 1990s. The series is set in Bangkok, and GMMTV’s delivery is no different.
The story of a young girl’s journey from poverty to wealth is told through the eyes of her young protagonist, who is forced to leave her home in Thailand for fear of being deported. She must find a new home and start anew, but along the way she makes new friends and learns about the world. The story is full of adventure, love, and heartbreak, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.
Director Patha Thongpan has honoured his word and re-told the classic Thai story with a local flavour. The weekly episodes are completely worth watching and may have you returning to – or watching for the first time – the classics that began it all.
The story centres around a school for the elite, which is ruled by four guys with an overabundance of privilege, money and good looks. So much so that they’re both feared and revered by those around them. ..
Gorya, a girl who is not from within, upsets the applecart of the F4 members. She is clueless about the rules and does not seem interested in learning them. She just wants to go to school, until clashes with the leader of F4 occur. This leads to a series of battles that eventually show glimmers of romance. ..
Thyme is a young woman who falls in love with Gorya, an ordinary man who is forthright and straightforward. However, she soon realizes that Gorya also has a secret: he is in love with Ren, a woman who is beautiful and popular. Thyme must decide whether to continue her relationship with Gorya or pursue her feelings for Ren. Meanwhile, Kavin, a playboy who Thyme has been dating for some time, begins to show interest in her friend MJ. ..
The most significant transition in the novel is not with the main character, Gorya, but with the antagonist, Thyme. He shifts from blind anger and retaliation to introspective cognizance after interacting with Gorya. ..
In a hierarchical society, the high-ranking almighty is just as powerful as he was raised to be. His gang of Flower Boys seem just as bad, but they’re street-smart enough to spot someone who makes a difference.
In this latest episode, we follow the gradual build and shift on the main characters as they move from their small town in Japan to a new country. This is done in a few chapters compared to the 49-chapter Chinese Meteor Garden (2018), which was all about the main character’s journey. If we compare Hana yori Dango, which was written in 2003, to Hana yori Dango Returns, which was written in 2018, we can see that the story is told in only 9 chapters. This makes it easier for readers to follow and makes for a more concise story.
If you’re interested in checking out any of the previous tales, here’s a little guide. There’s an audio book plus several musicals and unofficial series as well.
Each version of the story has its own charm, from Domyoji’s curly drawings in the manga to the pre-programmed Star Wars “Imperial March” ringtone in the 2005 Japanese version to the “either side of the door” moments in China’s 2018 drama. You’ll find little unique nods in each as they all keep to the original map. ..
In a new storyline, the police are investigating a murder that has been committed with a deadly weapon that has never been seen before. The new characters are the detectives who are working on the case, as well as the victim’s family.
If you’re a fan of Netflix’s Meteor Garden series, F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers has a similarly modern vibe. However, to be fair, seems to select ‘best of’ from many of the iterations.
On Saturday, we all eagerly awaited the next installment in the TRG series. But as we read through the comments and clicks, we realized that some of us were a little more excited than others. Some of us loved the references to previous versions, while others found them a little too familiar. But regardless of our individual opinions, we all wanted to see where the series would take us next.
Our full season review comes to a strong 9/10. However, it’s quite tempting to bump it half a star, as overall it’s been such a pleasure to watch.
If you’re looking to start watching this series now, head straight to YouTube where you can search for GMMTV or F4 Thailand by episode number. Unfortunately, they haven’t yet organized the series into a playlist, so you may need to pick through and search. Each weekly is broken into 5 little chunks. But persist – the payoff is worth it. ..
The GMMTV team did a great job in keeping the story moving and incorporating Thai-ness into the mix. The look and feel was spot-on for the most part, but there were a few things that could have been tightened up. For example, Kavin and Kaning! Several of our readers wanted something a bit more on that strand.
We hope for a Season 2 of “The Crown” because of the clear indication that Ren has more story still to be told. We’ll explore this thought further in a Renewed or Cancelled story to come.
For Season 1, the popular shoujo (romance manga) story with over 61 million copies sold in 2015 is hardly surprising, as it has been remade again and again. Each time, we hope that anyone can change given the right motivation. ..
- Here are my thoughts on the latest installment in the “The Walking Dead” series: I enjoyed this episode as much as the last one. The characters were well-drawn and I found myself caring for them. I was also interested in the plot, which kept me engaged throughout. I would like to see more of this story arc, but overall I thought it was a good episode.
Kristen Lazur is a freelance writer and content creator. She has been writing for various publications since she was a high school student, and has worked as an editor, copywriter, and content strategist for several companies.
