Meteor Garden

I think I’ve watched all the Meteor Garden version, from Taiwanese Meteor Garden at 2001, Japanese Hana Yori Dango and Korean Boys Over Flower. For me, this Chinese Meteor Garden 2018 is the best version. Not only the F4 casts are stunning (fangirling mode ON), but the plot and the content is the best too.

First, the bullying still make sense, there’s no exaggerated bullying from F4, they’re challenge the Joker Card receiver with poker game, no bullying from the entire school.

Second, Daoming Si told to be the clever student. That’s more reasonable since he’s the heir of the clan.
Third, there’s a story part for Meizuo too. The story not only focused on Daoming Si, Shan Cai and Huaze Lei, but the rest of F4 get the story too.

Fourth, even the plot still similar, but the dramatic part feels more real and that makes the pain feel real too. I don’t know for the rest of you, but for me the male and female lead really get the chemistry. They act so naturally. Maybe because of that the entire scene really get the feeling.

Me, for sure, will be watch this movie again someday <3 <3 <3

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I think that Meteor Garden was a great drama. However, I haven't read or watched other adaptations or the original. The Chinese adaptation simply caught my eye on Netflix. I was quickly engrossed in the show. I couldn't wait for more episodes to be released. The actors were all incredible and the soundtrack was great. The rewatch value is a little lower because it is very lengthy and sometimes repetitive, but that may just be how I view it. The story rating is only 8.5 because I was disappointed with the ending. I was very confused and I felt like it could've been explained a lot better. I thought it could've just been me but my mum watched it and was also disappointed with the lack of explanation during the final episode. Overall, I think it's worth watching. It has a few funny moments, many heartwarming moments, and sad moments. It definitely makes you feel a range of emotions.

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This was the first asian drama that I have watched and finished. I am glad that I watched it because it got me onto other shows but the story itself was a little long. The plot of the drama starts of good but it does run on a lot where Dao Ming Si does chase Dong Shan Cia for a long time before she actually gives in. I also do not like how he basically tears her down in the beginning and then brings her into all his family drama. Dong Shan Cia drove me a little nuts because she never admitted that she loved/liked him until the very end. Lastly, the story line/plot drove on forever where one person would give up on them but the other wouldn't and then it would switch. Overall the acting was really good and I love how the characters evolved throughout the story but some of the side stories didn't have happy endings and that was kind off upsetting.

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Let's fall in love with this two couple❤️

Bagay na bagay tlga sila..sana magkaroon ulet sila ng drama hshahahahjahahhaha....I really love sanchai and dao ming SI..nakakaleleg ung mga scene nila..super duper nakakainlove..Lalo na pag pinanuod mo behind the scene😍😍😍 parang super real nila ganun ung vibes..kaya sana magkaroon ulet sila ng drama para nmn sumaya mga fans nila..we love u dyshen❤️❤️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️❤️

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(20190407-20190419)
I finished watching this show a few days ago but it took me a while to get over the fact that it was really over. It was the first time I watched a drama this long in less than two weeks. I couldn't stop watching!! It definitely has something special about it, which I will discuss in this review.
Boys Over Flowers (Korean version of this story) was my first drama ever. I gave it 7.5 stars because the nostalgia is real. When Meteor Garden aired I was like... this story isn't the most passionate so I'll watch this later. Looking back now I wish I had watched it sooner!
There might be some spoilers from now on so read this review at your own risk!




Plot/Story: ...so draggy. It dragged and it dragged and it dragged. Every two episodes they would break up then get back together then two episodes later they were breaking up again and so on. But for some reason I still enjoyed it??? This story is clearly the queen of the clichés but it's so charming at the same time. That's why there are so many versions. And I do like the changes in Meteor Garden 2018 because they had to adapt it to modern days, and it was done well. The humour was great and there were some breathtaking scenes in this show. Some of my favourites:
-Huaze Lei and Shancai at the beach (lol who am I joking, every scene with Huaze Lei in it is GOLD. But I could see the pain in his eyes in that scene and it hurt but it was beautiful)
-The cooking competition making Daoming Si almost have a heart attack. That scene with him trying to get Shancai's attention with that big poster... such a meme.
-The goodbye scene at the Tower Bridge. I cried my eyes out for HOURS. And not that related but the jacket Daoming Si was wearing was my absolute favourite. Those scenes of them visiting London look so good... that jacket gave him the perfect boyfriend look.
-F4 reuniting to help Meizuo make Caina feel like she was young again and that train trip hahaha Lei and Si were hilarious.
-Ximen and Xiaoyou... ah some good stuff.
-Daoming Si and Shancai's father talk when he asks her to marry him. He was so humble!
-Bed scene with Lei and Si. You know what I'm talking about.
-Si and Shancai sleeping together at Si's rented apartment next to hers.
-Lei eating Si's cookies Shancai had made for his birthday.
-Every scene with Lei and Shancai on the rooftop.
-F4 walking together. Every. Time.
-Meizuo being a mature af man and letting Caina go.
-And finally, my most favourite scene, THE BEACH PARTY SCENE WHERE JING HELPS SHANCAI GET READY AND THEN SHE SHOWS UP LOOKING EVEN MORE STUNNING THAN USUAL AND SHE'S LOOKING AT LEI WHO IS TALKING TO JING AND THEN THERE'S DAOMING SI LOOKING AT HER WITH HEART EYES LIKE LITERAL RAINBOWS AND HEARTS AND PINK AND SWEETNESS AND LOVE IN HIS EYES AND THAT'S THE MOMENT I FELL FOR DYLAN WANG.
I have to admit the ending was too weird for me. I wish they had just gotten engaged. Them not eating because of his mother and then Shancai fainted and then she went home, apparently, and then she was kind of kidnapped to attend her own wedding and ah Si's sister was there dancing... it was too strange for me. I wish they had found a different way to end the show but oh well, at least it looked good.
What a rollercoaster these 49 episodes were!


Characters/Cast/Acting: While I was watching BOF, I remember being soooo frustrated at Jandee because to me it was obvious Jihoo was a much better option than JoonPyo. Jihoo was a better character and a better match for her. However, I didn't have the same problem with Meteor Garden 2018. Huaze Lei is still my favourite character in the show (Darren Chen aka Kuan Hong stole my heart since the first scene he was in) BUT I do think Shancai and Daoming Si are just great together. A lot of people might disagree with me on this but, in my opinion, Daoming Si is a very endearing character. Certainly a very flawed human being, but still endearing. I was rooting for him since the beginning and I was so proud of him throughout the show because his development was amazing.
I have to say this F4 was way better than I was expecting. I liked every single one of them. Maybe because they weren't as douchebaggy as in the other version I watched. And, obviously, they are four of the most handsome men in the history of television, you guys know it's true. Their friendship is EVERYTHING. Honestly, couldn't have loved that part more. I also liked Shancai way better this time because even though she was flawed too, I think she wasn't as... dumb. She did kind of annoy me sometimes because she wouldn't say "I like you" when it was obvious that she did like him; but then I remembered that Daoming Si was actually very pushy and wanted to be with her while she was crushing on Lei. She might have feel conflicted too, and afraid to attach herself to him by admitting her feelings out loud, because of all the drama going on involving his family. Nevertheless, I think ShenYue did an amazing job. Her expressions are so convincing and her crying scenes were the best. And I don't know about you guys but to me she is absolutely stunning. I know some people didn't like her that much as Shancai because of her looks but... hello??? The girl is beautiful! Dylan aka Wang Hedi did a great job too; he made me love a character so flawed and that I previously didn't really like, and that means a lot to me. In episode three, during the beach party... That whole scene of her looking at Huaze Lei and Daoming Si looking at her was... majestic. Ah, Kuan Hong. I have found the love of my life through this drama. If you knew how many screenshots I have of him smiling... I have never seen anyone like him, I swear. All the other characters were great, as well as the acting. Meizuo and Ximen, XiaoYou, Jing, Shancai's parents and friends, Daoming Si's mother and sister... Couldn't have loved them more. But I have to say I wish they had worked more on Si's mother. Okay, we know she was greedy and she hated Shancai and wanted to protect her company but it was to a point where Si was dying in his bedroom and she was like "nope, I'm not giving up" and then she sees a video of him saying some BASIC BUSINESS RULES to innovate the company and suddenly she was sleeping peacefully with her oldest daughter (whose life she basically ruined) next to her??????????????????????????????????????????? Give me some character development please. Don't make her look like the literal ice queen of dramaland who doesn't let her son be happy and then break at a simple video.


Music: I. Love. Every. Single. Song. In. This. Soundtrack. River? ICONIC. Don't even have to think about it? Stunning (IT TURNS OUT THAT TRUE LOVE, TEARS ARE FALLING DOWN, YOUR LOVE UNRAVELS ALL REGRETS). ForYou? I would never skip the intro! Love Exists? The best song (If it weren't because of you, I wouldn't be crying and smiling like a child--- shut up I'm crYING).


Rewatch Value: I'm thinking about rewatching it right now hahaha.......help.




To conclude, I finished the show and thought "Okay, I love this but since I have to review it seriously I'll probably give it 8.5 stars because of all the flaws and draggy plot.". Then a few days went by and I created a fan account for the show lmao, meteor garden trash right here. Today, I rated the drama before writing the review and ended up giving it 9.5 stars because giving it 10 stars is giving it the same rating as my all time favourites, such as Weighlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo. But as I was writing this review, I decided to give it 10 stars anyway because I love this so much! I even created a fan account like... this is serious (by the way, follow me on twitter lol @kuannhongg). Even if it has flaws, even if it's dubbed (the sad life of c-dramas), even if it's a remake, even if it's full of clichés and impossible scenarios... I still love it and I'm absolutely in love with the cast. So if you're thinking wether you should watch it even if you didn't like the other versions, my honest answer is: obviously.

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this is one of my favorite shows

esse tem meu coração e minha alma, simplesmente tudo nele é incrível, a história, atuação e ate na escolha dos atores, toda vez que ouço a música de abertura meu coração se enche de emoção e fico com tanta saudade e nostalgia. Minha nota pra esse seria 1000+
e faço questão de preencher os 500 caracteres chatos daqui, falaria muito e muito mais se pudesse, apenas assistam e contemplem isto.
apesar de que o relacionamento no início era meio tóxico isso foi se desenvolvendo e se tornando algo lindo e um verdadeiro amor, não tem como odiar o casal principal sabe TT
EU AMO O AMOR DELES E ELES ERAM FOFOS DMSS

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To each their own when they're watching a drama and many people came into this one expecting the same feel as the complete original one which will always be a true classic. I came in to this show with high expectations and I honestly truly was not disappointed at all. This whole show brought me back into watching drama's after a long hiatus of a few years and it was really refreshing. I would say it's just as good as the original in my opinion and there was just something about Dylan Wang and Shen Yue that really got me, especially with how amazing Darren Chen is as an actor as well. Something about this one really pulled me in and had me sitting on the edge of my seat while netflix was still slowly but surely uploading episodes; to the point where I couldn't even watch Shen Yue in "A Love So Beautiful" until now because I absolutely loved the combination of her and Dylan Wang; even though this was his first show technically. Something about this show just made me feel a wonderful nostalgia and happiness and connection and I laughed, I smiled, I cried and all around was happy with how this went.

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OK to me this show was perfect some ppl may disagree but i loved it so much it was the first ever asian drama that i watched, probably the main reason why its one of my favourite dramas out there. I watched it when it was still airing so i couldnt get enough of it when new episodes were out. I have watched all the versions of boys over flowers/hana yori dango/meteor garden whatever u would like to call it but this is by far my favourite version. I couldnt believe most of them were rookies bcz I thought the acting was rlly good but something about leis acting i found weird maybe it was his character but i found him so plain and boring but i enjoyed everyone elses portrayal of their characters. In the beginning i couldnt help but hate daoming si but like i fell in love with his character throughout and shancai i loved how she stood her ground and wasnt weak tho the amount of breakups and get back together the main couple had annoyed me. The story isnt obviously original but i stll find all the versions unique in their own way. To some ppl this drama was way too long but i still want a season 2, my mum was also a big fan of the drama as we watched it together. The music was amazing i loved it the entire OST i found catch and i still listen to some of the songs. I would rewatch it but probs some time in the future bcz like i have way too many dramas to finish off already:) overall i would highly recommend it but if u dont like long dramas then this probs aint for u but idk watch it if u want dont if u dont:)

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Took me FIVE YEARS to slog through this drama

In the time it has taken me to scrape and crawl through this drama I have:

– Lived through 5 Covid lockdowns
– Changed jobs 4 times
– Moved house 3 times
– Learnt 2 semesters of Mandarin, and
– Breathed the 1 biggest sigh of relief when I reached the credits of the final episode.

Class dynamics, who even is she? I'm a hard agree with Graeme Smith who describes this version of Meteor Garden as "unwatchable". In his article for The Interpreter, he says, "A drama about class divisions set in present-day China – where class divisions aren’t up for discussion – was never going to work."

It's true. Everyone in the series looks like they're acting in a laundry commercial. The sets are sparkly clean, all the actors have amazing teeth, and there is no way Shancai would be able to survive off the occasional shift she does at the bubble tea store.

By removing the class tensions that drove the Taiwanese version (and that was still relatively sanitised – it is a soap opera, after all), the creators gutted the life out of the drama.

It's also just hella boring. I felt no chemistry in any of the romantic relationships. I didn't particularly care about anyone's fate. And I say this as someone who *loves* championing an underdog. But because the class divisions "aren't up for discussion", Shancai isn't really an underdog. And so I found it hard to care much about her so-called struggles.

It got to the point where I was using diversions to keep myself watching. One fun game was tracking the disappearances and re-appearances of Daoming Si's earring/s. It was like playing Spotto with continuity errors.

For the sake of pushing through the last dozen episodes, I put the playback on 1.5x speed (as fast as Netflix would let me), which added an unintended comedic element. It also demonstrated how much screen time went to waste.

However, I'm going to be reeeeeally nice and end on a couple of (backhanded) positives. I did appreciate the music covers and the cameos from the Taiwanese version (but this is nostalgia and should be attributed to the 2001 series). I did also enjoy bits of Darren Chen's performance as Huaze Lei. He made the character seem almost complex, particularly in comparison to the cardboard cutouts that accompanied him on screen.

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