in episodes 7 and 8, the viewer is forced to view the consequences of geum jan di and ji hoo's kiss. i guess if i were to take one view, i am baffled by how geum jan di has become goo jun pyo's girlfriend. is she so young and overwhelmed by his wealth, physical attractiveness, his attention to her not to mention a sense of "loss" at ji hoo's unavailability that she allows her self to be drawn into an intimate relationship with goo jun pyo?
what exactly is a girlfriend? even if there is no physical intimacy (kissing, holding hands, hugging) what about emotional investment and emotional intimacy (sharing secrets, being together, talking to each other, making time for each other) doesn't all this require some degree of volition and commitment toward loyalty? if you allow yourself to have someone call you his girlfriend don't you owe something to this person? if you don't want this obligation or feel confused, can't geum jan di say that she is not ready? she certainly is quite vociferous,
stubborn and pugnacious over a number of other things. is her honor and her well-being not worth the effort of stating to goo jun pyo she doesn't want to be his girlfriend. also frustrating is how she constantly allows herself to be sucked into the lifestyle of the wealthy f4. she makes such a show of being opposed to their tactics and so forth and yet once she gains their interest she so docilely follows along only with a minor show of resistance.
and if in her heart she can only think of ji hoo, does she not owe herself the right to honor that feeling and be true to the extent possible allowed by honor and true regard for ji hoo's and his love's well being? to go out to comfort ji hoo, allow him to kiss her, continue to go on outings with ji hoo even after goo jun pyo declares himself, gives her a token of his love, and so forth really casts our heroine in a very poor light. she is flawed. this is wonderful. she makes a mistake. she is not capable of always doing what is morally correct. she is not even capable of fighting enough for what is true and right by attempting to engage both men in a conversation. goo jun pyo barely gets a few muttered responses. while she is tongue tied with ji hoo. there is limited credibility to the inconsistencies, impulsiveness and immaturity associated with being a high school student. at some point geum jan di's behaviour is simply inexcusable even if you want to believe that she really is trying to do what she believes is right. she fails to act with moral clarity. she fails to discern what is true or right. she just drifts along doing what is easy with only token instances (like swimming for herself - how difficult is this when she swims competitvely?) of standing up for herself.
while boys before flowers is based on hana yori dango, a classic storyline that pits good against evil, it fails to capture this dramatic conflict. it seems as if the director or producer or scriptwriter has failed to understand the true spirit of the japanese hana yori dango which they seek to ape. they have failed to understand that the power of the japanese story comes from a clear, effective capturing on film of makino's fight to do what is right at all times despite all her obstacles, both within and without. and these are not trivial - wealth, power, luxury items, the prospect of living in absolute comfort even as plaything of one these rich young men, physical pleasures of any and all kinds, rare exotic material possessions. it is about a spirit which sees through all this and really really tries to hold on to what is true. it is a spirit which understands and appreciates wealth but also understands it in its full context. those filming the japanese drama were able to capture this struggle effectively so the viewer is aware of her situation, of her internal struggle, her psychological states, and most importantly her unflinching integrity in the face of some really overwhelming situations. boys before flowers on the other hand really becomes a soggy typical korean melodrama with none of the power of the japanese hana yori dango. geum jan di and her friend ga eul have none of makino's moral fiber, her integrity, her honor, nor her determination to fight to the very end even if she loses. geum jan di is neither admirable nor special but a routine female protagonist in a korean melodrama. boys before flowers seek to capitalize on the hana yori dango brand by putting out a product that tantalizes the eyes but fails to nourish the spirit and in the end fails to even be a shadow to the japanese hana yori dango. at least thus far. it remains to be seen whether the show improves in the coming episodes. but i fear there will be no change. the korean producers simply don't seem to have grasped the idea that motivates the japanese filming of hana yori dango. if they have not communicated this theme by this point in the series, it doesn't seem likely they will do so in future episodes.
