Meteor Garden

might contain few spoiler

"Meteor Garden 2018" is an engaging and captivating drama that took me on a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish. I was pleasantly surprised by how well this remake of the classic Taiwanese drama stayed true to the essence of the original story while bringing fresh and modern elements to the table.

The storyline revolves around a group of elite college students and an ordinary girl, Shan Cai, who is entangled with the four handsome and wealthy members of the F4. The character development in this drama is outstanding, and I found myself growing attached to each member of the cast. Shen Yue, who played Shan Cai, delivered a strong and convincing performance as the feisty yet compassionate heroine. The chemistry between her and the F4 members was palpable, adding depth to the romantic subplots.

The drama's pacing was well-done, with each episode leaving me eager for more. It's filled with humor, heartwarming moments, and intense conflicts, all of which kept me hooked. The love triangles, rivalries, and friendships are beautifully woven throughout the narrative, making the characters' personal growth and relationships feel incredibly real.

One of the standout features of "Meteor Garden 2018" is the stunning cinematography. The luxurious settings, fashion, and even the subtleties of facial expressions added to the overall appeal of the series. The OST (Original Soundtrack) perfectly complements the mood and adds depth to the emotional scenes.

Though the drama occasionally borders on melodramatic, it never loses its charm. It successfully highlights themes of love, family, friendship, and societal pressures. I could relate to the character's struggles and triumphs in their personal lives and academic pursuits.

"Meteor Garden 2018" is a delightful drama that brings the timeless story to a new generation. It blends nostalgia with a fresh perspective, making it a must-watch for fans of the genre. With its compelling characters, beautiful visuals, and a well-balanced mix of drama, romance, and comedy, this series left me eagerly awaiting each new episode. If you're a fan of heartwarming, coming-of-age stories with a touch of romance, this is a drama you won't want to miss.

Read More

Alright. I think for this drama i have to jump directly to the point. "NOT MY CUP OF TEA" . The drama itself is a lighthearted and bubbly adaption as compared to all the meteor showers.The first two episodes were intriguing but i was bored out of my mind through the rest. I haven't been much into the drama only the first six episodes but i can say that there is no such background story. Not payed much heed to F4's family struggle.

The acting at some point was a bit lousy?For me Rui hanazawa's character did not get much justice, the chemistry didn't work well for me. The rest of the cast for me did an okay job not much to applaud but not as bizarre either. Although you can clearly see that there's quiet some money spent on the shooting. Cinematography was nice.

HOWEVER i like the fact that this adaption did not follow up to heavy bullying and potential rape scenes. If your'e more into soft slice of life romantic comedies then the drama is for you.

Read More

I was never a fan of the F4 series, I watched it just becoz everybody's going gaga over it, and becoz i had a crush on Barbie Hsue. that's probably the reason that amongst the versions, i like the Taiwanese one, though critics rated the Japanese version the highest.

Hana Yori Dango (Jap), Boys Over Flower(Kor) and Meteor Garden (Twn) are all F4 Series.
It also catapulted the main casts to full stardom.
Shun Oguri, Jun Matsumoto, Shot Matsuda, Tsuyoshi Abe made their mark. Shun Oguri and JM were my fav Jap idols. Love Shun on Nobunaga Concerto and Rich Man, Poor Man.
The Korean version boasts an array of good-looking casts, Lee Min-ho, Jonghyun, Kim Bum and Kim Joon. After BOF's high ratings and popularity, these boys were literally put to pedestals.
My favorite version, of course, is the Taiwanese version of Jerry Yan, Vaness Wu, Ken Chu, Vic Chou and of course Barbie Hsu. Jerry Yan, Vaness Wu and the rest of Meteor Garden cast became international celebrities.

And now the new Meteor Garden. Seen the first 5 episodes. My verdict is that Dylan Wang will be the next Lee Min-Ho/Jerry Yan. This will also open up doors for Darren Chen and the rest of the main casts (Liang Kang, Shen Yue and Wu Xi Ze). So far so good, I like the new take, it's fast and crisp, the casts are not only really hot good-looking but are good actors too. And BTW the OSTs were dope too.

Read More

In summary the 6 episodes felt like I was watching a fast forwarded version of a drama. Things escalated fast, like too fast. Despite being one that does not like draggy dramas, the plot was kind of rushed and out of the place. There were many 'wait whatttt' moments while watching the 6 episodes with things and situations happening out of nowhere. I would have preferred if the story development was a little slower.

Despite what I've mentioned above along with the horrible dubbing, I must say that I am getting attached to the show. shenyue and dylan wang's chemistry is starting to show and I am actually looking forward to their scenes together. It helps that they are playful and comfortable with each other behind the scenes too!! Being a sucker for cliche af plots also helped I guess.

So if you have some time to spare and is in the need for some cliche and cheesy storyline this is the drama for you. The visuals of the cast as well as great cinematography is an added bonus too lol

Read More

Disappointing Hanadan Adaptation!

As a manga purist and a huge fan of Meteor Garden (2001) and Hana Yori Dango (2005), I really tried giving this drama a chance since many people claimed it closely follows the manga. However, in addition to stripping away what made HanaDan a great story - a strong girl who withstands class issues and bullying and transforms the most violent and troubling guy into a human being - this adaptation was reduced to just a mediocre tale of an arrogant jerk and a normal girl who occasionally have unpleasant interactions.

Because these crucial elements were missing, neither the characters nor the love story were convincing to me. I understand China's censorship laws and all, but even with those constraints, the writing fails to build a coherent story that makes sense and lacks meaningful developments. Additionally, the acting and dubbing were major turn-offs. I tried skimming through a couple of episodes, but it didn’t get any better. This is like HanaDan for kids at best - if you prefer a good story, stick to the 2001 Taiwanese version or the Japanese version. Otherwise, skip this one.

Read More

I know that rarely I like shows from China, at this one was the one that I've really hated.
Overexaggerated acting is a thing that I hate in Chinese shows, and this one is full of it. Even the scenes are beautifully shotted the story is predictable since the beginning, I mean, this show is literally everywhere on the internet and even people who never started it, knows the ending...
It is the classic drama with the poor girl and the beautiful rich boy with his whole gang of majestic friends, I found the second couple to be pointless and boring most of the time...

Read More

Ya'll... Listen up. This drama is really cliche and hard to get through. The storyline was not interesting or realistic enough for me to actually enjoy. The actors/actresses are good looking, however their acting was unnatural. There are many scenes with sexual harassment. As a female myself, this drama makes me go "Nope. No. I can't watch this anymore." The F4 leader has immature and physcopath-like tendencies in my opinion. Overall, it was one of the most cliche and annoying dramas i have watched yet. It is a shame that Yue Chen was in this drama because A Love So Beautiful was an excellent drama...

Read More

It was ok for about a couple of episodes until I reached that horrible and terrifying rooftop scene. After that I couldn't continue the series. I watched the next episode hoping that they were going to address the sexual assault and sadly they continued on like nothing happened. I'm fully aware of the Boy's over Flowers legacy and heard how it was even worse in the manga, but still this is 2018 they could of done something different and omit those horrendous scenes. As someone stated earlier, this drama was a huge letdown when comparing Shen Yue's role in A Love so Beautiful, which was a lovey and relatable show that allowed the main female lead to grow into her own person.

Read More