China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

I can’t with these constant remakes. XD Filming will begin in May 2017 and run for 6 months with 48 episodes. No news yet on the casting. Dun! Dun! Dunnnn! For those who have no idea what this is about, it’s based on the Japanese shōjo manga, Hana Yori Dango (花より男子) written and illustrated by Yoko Kamio, following our poor heroine as she fights against the elite group of rich boys known as F4 at a privilege school. Complicated stuff that needs to be remade every few years, yunno.

Lolol. I’m such a troll.

Let’s go down Memory Lane with the Drama Adaptations All Over Asia (minus sequels):

First drama adaptation that created the first drama wave is Taiwanese’s Meteor Garden in 2001 with Barbie Hsu and the real F4 – Jerry Yan, Vic Zhou, Ken Chu, and Vanness Wu.

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Second adaptation is in 2005 by Japan called Hana Yori Dango with Mao Inoue, Jun Matsumoto of Arashi, Shun Oguri, Shota Matsuda, and Tsuyoshi Abe.

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Third Adaptation is from South Korea in 2009: Boys Over Flowers with Lee Min Ho, Gu Hye Sun, Kim Hyun Joong, Kim Bum, Kim Joon, and Kim So Eun.

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Fourth drama adaptation is in 2010: China’s Meteor Shower with Zheng Shuang, Zhang Han, Yu Hao Ming, Vision Wei, and Zhu Zi Xiao.

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There appears to be an Indian version as well in 2015 with 337 episodes called Kaisi Yeh Yaariaan with Niti Taylor and Parth Samthaan.

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Take the Ranking Survey! Rank Your Favorites!

If you can’t see the posted survey, click here to start the ranking survey (with instant results). I will post the results directly here after 1 month.

My Ranking Choice:

1. Meteor Garden (2001, Taiwan): This will be my favorite version FOUREVER! I think it’s because Barbie did so well as Shan Cai that I rooted for her whole-heartedly. She wasn’t acting to look cute or cartoony. I felt like she was just a struggling weed and I adored her inner thoughts, it wasn’t over-the-top, but mundane and stayed logical. And when they said POOR, they meant it. She wasn’t sponsored by iPhones, expensive handbags, and glorious hair that stayed intact despite the storm.
2. Hana Yori Dango (2005, Japan): I loved Mao and Shun the most in here, and immune to Jun. Heh.
3. Meteor Shower (2010, China): I have to give it to this version for making changes and refreshing the plot by making the boys not friends at first. It was sweet and adorable.
4. Boys Over Flowers (2009, S. Korea): ♫♪♫ ALMOST PARADISE!! YOU’RE NEVER GONNA BE THEREEE!! ♫♪♫

Via: 01

  1. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    WHYYYYYYY.
    But no really. Why?!

    I have to say personally that Japan’s is my #1 because it was the truest to the story. – the almost brutality of it and of course Makino’s badass self.. #2 would have to be Meteor Garden because F4!!!! 3rd would be the korean version – it was defnitely crack…but if they’d made Jandi more badass and didn’t turn her into a typical Candy …and also didn’t butcher the last half of the drama along with ALLLMOOOSTTTT PAAAAAARAAAAADISSSSSEEEEEEEEEE then it’d probably be tied for number 2….

    I couldn’t handle any more remakes and so haven’t seen the chinese version tbh..

  2. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    didn’t watch the original manga but i really like the taiwanese version. barbie was amazing.

    the only thing that didn’t gel well with me with the jap version was how animated some of the expressions were. which is an issue with a lot of the adaptations, both good and bad, sometimes it works, sometimes it wont.

    the korean version was addicting but they made jandi really childish and the gu hye sun just looked too old to play such character. lol.

    my ranking:

    01. hana yori and meteor garden
    02. boys over flowers (didn’t finish the end)
    03. zhang han and zheng shuang. ZS was cute but zhang han too skinny and no aura as f4 leader. lol. its like a baby version.

  3. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    Does China only know how to do remakes these days? Is creativity dead? >_<
    On another note, That picture of Taiwan's Meteor Shower shows how the early 2000's was a terrible time in fashion LOL.

  4. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    Mine goes 1, 2, 3, 4. From top to bottom. I never saw Meteor Shower 2010, so it ranked last by default. If anything the Korean version ranked third by default.

    Meteor Garden started it all. It was the most memorable for me. And the funniest. The school looking dirt poor for supposedly being rich. And F4 introduction! Who could forget that entrance? They look like clowns walking out of the car. And running on the beach, splashing water at each other during the theme song credit? That was awesome! lol

    Oh, and that OP theme song!

    As for Hana, Oguri Shun is cool, so it ranked 2nd for me.

    And there’s an Indian version? Never knew. I wonder if it’s a musical. 😀

    Since we’re at it, there’s also an American version, called ‘Boys over Friends’. Aired in 2013. I actually saw a bit of it. It was bad! lol

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      Lol. Gege, you might like 2010, it was less crazy and more light-hearted. I think the only rich part about MG is Jerry’s mansion! It was huge! =D

      Oh the American version…. *cringe cringe* Good thing I put in Asia! 😉

      • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

        I probably will like the 2010 version, since I like Zheng Shuang.

        But it’s 2017, no going back. And now that there’s a new one coming, I can’t. 😀

  5. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    yes yes yes yes Yes! People keep saying there’s too many remakes but people keep watching!!! Japanese version was by far my favorite. Loved all three leads. They acted the parts well. The rest ranged.

    Zheng Shuang was soooo good in Meteor Shower. She was so natural and spunky. I dont know what happened to her. The closest she got to hitting that peak again was Love O2O and even then she wasn’t quite the same.

    Can’t want to see the new cast. China has gotten much more polished with their dramas since then so I feel like quality wise it’ll be much better. There’s also way more handsome young actors now to choose from that give of that vibe the main lead needs. If Zhang Ruoyun was younger he’d be perfect. Same with Zhang Binbin.

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      Agree about the comment on ZS. I have said in quite a few posts that her peak in terms of acting skills was in Meteor Garden (surprisingly, because that is her newbie drama I believe), she had such great potential but everything somehow just went downhill from there. I could never understand how she could initially act well and then over the years just deprove instead of improving, which was weird. She was alright in O2O, better than most of her other works and I hope she continues on from there.

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      But as I watch, the less I’m inclined to finish the remakes. Hee! I rather rewatch the outdated fashion and sit there in nostalgia of childhood. 😉

      Agreed though, lots of pretty, handsome boys nowadays!

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      I like the 2010 China Remake Casts. The two boys out of the four on the right side in the pic above were not handsome (not Zhang Han (good looking but thin) and the other one on the left).
      However, by “not handsome” I mean that they stay true to image of average guys in the society in China in around 2010. I gave benefit of the doubt, and I don’t mind much about the appearance aspect in actors as long as they can act.
      but some people may have just ranked the 2010 China Remake drama as the least “good ones” in term of looks. This affects their opinion on the whole drama too. I saw many people disliked it coz they based on that.
      Some people may argue that if they are “flower boys” why didn’t the casting directors pick better looking guys for the roles?
      Now, that is harsh. I think most people know the Korean one prior, and the Korean one has good clothes, and they think it has good looking casts.

      I have a feeling that China in 2017+ will have better arrangements, and like you said, “got polished with their dramas”, so I’m hoping to see good looking casts for the four guys too. I want it to WIN all the other countries’ previous adaptations in term of sets, clothes, and hot guys. I actually don’t hope that they pick male rookies that are slender like in many China web dramas or like the ones in Master Devil Do Not Kiss Me. Those types are forgettable to me. It’s not that their faces are not handsome; the vibe is just not prominent enough to be memorable. I am not making any sense here. Sorry for this reply.

      When the 2005 Japan Hana Yori came out, I thought only 2 of those 4 guys are really good looking. Then right now I’m a huge fan of Shota Matsuda (after Liar Game, I gotta plug this amazing dorama) so I think they’re all good looking now. It’s amazing how when one ages, one will have a different point of view on what is “handsome/good looking”.
      In this case, I age, so my eyes change LOL I mean my observance changes; and Shota Matsuda ages, and he ages like fine wine (he’s not even that old). He has some good instagram photos.

      I tried watching but dropped the Korean one. I don’t like the actress. Yes, she looks old for her role like someone commented here. Only 2 of 4 guys in that Korean drama were good looking.
      All in all, they have a pattern here. They always casted the least good looking ones as the “Mei Zuo” actors
      (not Taiwan’s Vanness Wu, he’s good looking; and coz i’m biased, I like the Japan’s Mei Zuo even though he’s not conventionally handsome). I hope I don’t offend anyone by expressing this opinion. The Korean’s Mei Zuo is not good looking. Kim Bum and Lee Minho is the okay looking of the four, but Lee Minho’s hairstyle (everyone agrees) is noooooooooooooooooooooooo.

      WOW long reply. Truly Srry for my shallow opinion. ?
      I don’t even want to go on about story-wise, the plot, coz the visual is a topic here.

      • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

        Any plug for Liar Game is always appreciated. That drama also made me fall for Shota as well. A smart man is sexy! heee!

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      oh why I can’t choose my profile picture on this comment. I swear i don’t look like i’m angry like that. LMFAO. ?

  6. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    There was one more japanese version as well. I think it is in 1994. However I am not sure if it was a movie or series. One of the actor was Fujiki Naohito

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      Fujiki Naohito played as Rui Hanazawa ~
      It was a 1995 movie 🙂

  7. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    They need to stop all these Meteor Garden drama adaptations! At least allow a 20 years gap before another modernised version is adapted to our screens! By then, we may be enjoying 4D invisible screens with modern gadgets featured in the drama. No point recycling this same story within the same generation!

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      Funny I was just telling my brother how in a few years, we don’t need them ipad covers no more because we won’t be having a tangible screen! Everything digital! XD

  8. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    All those adaptions are like a whole post on the evolution of hairstyles– the guys went from longer locks to shorter hair with lots of gel lol
    Meteor Garden is my fav because of all the memories and it was the one that I really,really got into.
    Hana Yori Dango- closer to the manga, plus all my fav japanese actors are there lol Shun Oguri <3
    Then Boys Over Flower came and boomed, it started the kdrama chain of addiction ?
    I stayed away from the Indian version; why is it 337 episodes?!

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      Meteor Garden really started my craze for long-haired boys. LOL. My first crush had curly hair up to his chin!! OOMMMMIIII.

  9. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    Japan’s version would be the best for me. I realised Japan always has the best version when it comes to remakes from their own shoujo manga, like Nodame Cantabile (best drama ever!!!). Hana Yori Dango was my 1st Jap drama and I enjoyed it so much! Oguri Shun made it even better for me, amazing actor! And the fact that Inoue Mao and Jun had great chemistry and is dating in rl heh!

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      Mao and Jun dating? Have this been confirmed by either party? I know they have a new rumor every year but no official confirmation. The latest news of them was just a few days ago too, and still nothing.

      • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

        It’s pretty much a well-known secret among fans since about 2008-ish. The Japanese are even more secretive when it comes to relationships especially Jun’s agency.

  10. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    Meteor Garden and Hana Yori Dango are my favorites.

    I watched about 2 episodes of the Korean version and immediately regretted it. Haven’t touched a single Kdrama since then lol.

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      You know what! In 2015 I watched Meteor Garden first, which is a 2000s show and everything is older, but I enjoyed it. Then I tried Boy Over Flower, in the same year, 2015, but the plot about the female lead going swimming makes it so unwatchable. That K-drama is just from 2009, right? I can barely enjoy it.
      Nothing about it was memorable. It has gotten Rain’s Full House and Yoon Eun-hye’s Princess Hours Goong’s directing and lighting and bright filter vibe to it too. Now that I think about it, I hate that vibe. So cheesy.

  11. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    Did anyone ever hear anything about the US adaptation of Meteor? I clicked away a pop-up advert for it years(?) ago. I only saw the following when I searched: https://www.dramafever.com/news/american-adaptation-of-boys-over-flowers-announces-lawsuits-against-actors/

    I was not into Meteor Shower. I don’t like that kind of plot. Barbie Hsu was good in it, but I don’t like F3 acting: Aaron Yan, KC. I thought there were some pretty crappy TV parents in Meteor Garden. Barbie’s TV parents hit her head with frying pan, pushing her to rich A Yan and more. AY also has another terrible parent. Barbie had terrible parents in multiple series like Corner with Love with Show Luo. I can’t keep them all straight, and may have gotten them mixed up.

    I couldn’t watch the Mainland F3 either and cannot remember a single F3 name to this day.

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      Boys Before Flowers. I had absolutely no interest in it. I think Viki showed it. There was also an ad from the production company about investing in the drama. The actors were in their late 20’s/early 30’s. The lead actress was fired/replaced(?) after a few episodes. Setting was in an exclusive private college. I did not see any detailed comments from people who watched it.

  12. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    If im not mistaken, there’s a Philippines’ version of MG. I saw the trailer but havent watched the drama.
    My fave is going to HANA YORI DANGO. Coming very close at second is Meteor Garden. Oh my, i remember how i totally fell in love with Tao Ming Tse. Going to school with his picture on my bag, hahaha… oh times surely flied so fast.

    while for Korean version, LOLs…. Well… at least i remember their ost, almost paradiseeeeeee… bla bla bla. I remember that i once bought the dvd, but didnt touch it until now. I don’t where it is now, hehe.

    For C-version, hm… i am sorry, but… Zhang Han was just not my ‘A Tse’ type. hehe.

  13. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    I think there is also a Turkish version along with the Viki American one?

  14. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    Palace gong counts too, about 80-90% of it

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      Straight plagiarism. Lol. Wasnt that his first first case??? Hahahaha

  15. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    I only watched Korean & animation versions. Can’t stand Taiwanese version. Don’t bother the rest because same story line why wasting time.

  16. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    Why?????

    I thought there was a ban on the kind of stuff already. If not, there should be one.

  17. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    1. I never liked the original that much but do have a soft spot for it since it was the first one.
    2. Only watched parts of it when my friends watched it at school lol. The cast was likeable.
    3. Boys over Flower – the most good-looking F4 (compared to the other 3 versions). Absolutely hated the main actress’s acting so only watched a few eps =_=
    4. Didn’t watch the Chinese version so no comment.

  18. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    there was something magical about the older versions. the 2005 japan version and 2001 taiwan version were both so good. recalling the first time i saw the 2005 japan version, i was surprised by how dark and violent some parts of it were.

  19. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    My turn: 1. japan 2. Taiwan 3. China 4. Korea
    Why? well:
    1. Leading lady. A tie between Barbie and Mao. Both acted well, both looked right as Tsukushi. That said, I think Mao+Jun chemistry >>> Barbie+Jerry chemistry. Also, Geum Jandi can burn into a screamy, shouty hell …
    2. Leading man. Jun. LMH is close second.
    3. Alt. ship. Ohh , yes, please. Shun+Mao was a ship I could proudly go down with. Same with Vic+Barbie. Actually, now that I think about it, Vic+Barbie was more shippable than Barbie+Jerry.
    3. F4. Japan.
    4. Production. japan (really liked the dream-like feel to the drama, dark and violent parts included), Korea, Taiwan, China.
    5. Random stuff: really liked the Japanese actresses for Tsukasa’s mother and sister. Whoever wrote and selected “ALMOOOST PAAAARADISE ..” for Boys Over Flowers can join GJD in hell.

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      You are so funny about Jandi. I have never fully even listened to the song but I hate it. It is one of those “please don’t stuck in my head, it’s cancer” songs.

      LOL, kidding.

      • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

        Thank you, I’m happy if I make people smile. 🙂
        But, yes, I hate GJD with all my heart. She is nothing like Tsukishi in character, intelligence, honor, humor, perseverance, etc. Nothing at all. And not only that, but GHS and LMH did not match at all. No wonder most fans were more on board with the Kim So-eun +Kim Bum ship.

  20. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    Zhang bin bin/johnny Huang jingyu for domiyouji

    Song weilong/Yang yang /Xu weizhou/ for rui

    Zhang binbin would look fab in curly hair as would Huang jingyu

    the rest are interchangeable. I can see gong Jun in the F4 though

    Probably would be newer stars.

      • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

        He would actually be a great Rui too. ZBB for all the roles!

        • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

          Lol. But I want him to get the girl! He has to be Puppy Leader! He has the body too. heeeheee!

  21. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    Meteor Garden ranks #1 to me. None of the other ones even came close. I loved the soft, sensual theme running in MG. It was quite romantic and pacing was good as well, with dashes of light-heartedness and the drama wasn’t over the top. The cast was also close to perfect, with exception to the rest of the F4 gang. Only Jerry Yan & Vic Zhou were close to their characterizations. I don’t know wtheck was going on with Vanness & Ken Chu.

    Korean one had a terrible female lead; I don’t know WHAT the casting director was thinking. The Japanese one was too dramatic. The Chinese one was unrealistic.

    I hope this remake will at least have the sensuality that MG had and no super dramatic unrealistic plot.

    • 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

      Me too. There was something sweet and romantic about the setting and the old-fashioned zoo date. ;D

  22. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    Nothing can beat the Japanese version, TBH.

    Korean version was pure WTF.

  23. 45 thoughts on “China to remake Meteor Garden 2017: Which is Your Favorite?

    There was seriously an Indian version with 337 episodes!? Like how in the world did they drag it on for that long? Were the episodes like 30 minutes? Even then wayyy too long lol

    I’ve only watched the Korean and Chinese version. I like both, but since BOF was my first Asian drama it’s a personal bias. Mainly, stuck around for SoEulmates though, didn’t care that much for the main couple. I need to Japanese version one of these days.

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