A GRASS WILL RISE TO THE STARS – F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers
Fans are always extra attentive to details when it comes to remakes. F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers, adapted from the Japanese manga Hana Yori Dango by Yoko Kamio, was no exception. First published in 1992, this famous manga has been adapted in various forms of media over the decades, including live-actions in Japan, Taiwan, China, South Korea, and now, Thailand. The series starts with a poor girl enrolling in an elite school and meeting a powerful group called F4, made up of four heirs of conglomerates. Since then, her world collides with theirs, and the next series of events changes their world.
As someone who despises the typical poor-kid-meets-rich-kid trope (and avoided other versions because of it), I never expected to fall in love with this show. From the moment I hit play on the first episode, and the first scene came into view, the first thought that came into my mind was, I’m going to love this. The cinematography was top-notch, and the words tugged at your heartstrings.
My Review of F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers
The story starts with an intense bullying circle that goes on in the school led by F4 and their ‘red card’ rule. No outsider knows of the ‘game’, and any evidence is removed within seconds. Just when I had made up my mind that there’s no way there can be a satisfying redemption for F4 after all they had done, they proved me wrong.
The main female character Gorya played by Tu Tontawan, was not only the best among all versions but definitely one of my favourite female characters of all time. This little but strong-willed girl showed how kindness could change people’s lives and that the right decisions can also be the ones that hurt you the most. This show being her debut, Tu Tontawan did an excellent job.
Even though the storyline was reduced owing to the 16 episodes in contrast to the other bigger versions, the supporting characters played their parts well, taking the story forward and making each episode exciting.
F4 Thailand followed a much-modernised format in the drama, bringing changes to cliche story arcs and making them more realistic and healthy. The use of social media and screencast videos in different parts made it fun to watch too. Albeit some cringy, there were a lot of humorous scenes throughout the episodes, which made me laugh out loud and smile giddily the entire time I was watching. Likewise, there were quite the angst and tear-jerking scenes thanks to the excellent work by the actors.
The drama’s soundtrack had songs by the artists who played F4, also a tradition of the production company. Besides each of them having their own solo OSTs, the main ost, Who Am I, sung by Bright, Dew, Win and Nani, who play Thyme, Ren, Kavin and MJ in the show, is even more heart-touching when you connect the lyrics to their characters on-screen.
The ending was fulfilling yet left gaps here and there that viewers could draw conclusions to. There were fairytale-esque scenes and parallels from previous episodes, truly showing the change these characters have been through and the growth in their personalities.
Undoubtedly, the show was a success on all platforms. Whether you are already familiar with the story or are hearing about this for the first time, I would strongly recommend giving this series a shot.
The entire series is available on the official GMMTV YouTube Channel.
Follow The Interlude for more.
