dangos would be better, thank you very much.

Ah, who would've thought that a simple hand-drawn manga entitled Hana Yori Dango would be known mostly in Asia(and in some parts of the world). I wouldn't wonder if Kamio Yoko would be proud of her accomplishment by now. Heck, I wouldn't even wonder if Domyouji himself would still be as arrogant as ever, knowing that he's not only just recognized in fiction, but in the real world as well. I mean, who would've thought, that a story about four guys and a girl would be one of the most adapted mangas on this decade. Mind you, this group of men call themselves 'Flower Four'. For the non-fans, you might find it cheesy at first. *reads the synopsis* You might say, 'They're the richest and most well-known people and yet, they call themselves F4? Flower 4? what the hell. But don't worry; some people go through that phase, especially when they are just getting to know the characters.

I was introduced to the first Asian drama Meteor Garden back in 2002, when animes were more popular in our country back then. It all started with this Taiwanese drama, and after that, the rest is history. I have grown to appreciate Korean and Japanese dramas more but it was very recent that I became a fan of Jdoramas. One jdorama that never fail to endear me is Hana Yori Dango.

Some may not appreciate this shoujo manga, since everything(read:drama cliches) just seem to happen to the main character. But just to let you know, and no matter how much you hate the drawings or the characters, this is still the most popular shoujo manga in Japan of all time. And you gotta admit, this is true love and destiny for our characters despite some of the sappy and mushy stories. And because of its popularity, after Taiwan, Japan released their own version in 2005 (following that is the second season in 2007, and the movie in 2008), and early 2009 South Korea had their own F4.

If I were to rate the three versions (and excluding the Mainland China version because its not an official remake and they don't the have the author's copyright), I would say that Hana Yori Dango comes first, then Korea's Boys over Flowers, and then Taiwan's Meteor Garden. Before you start bashing me and telling me that I don't have the right to say this, I want to tell you that this is my opinion (and this is my blog), and I have seen the anime and read the manga, so I know enough on which version is the best, in my humble opinion. And also, I'm the type of fan who doesn't watch a drama just for the heck of it, or because of eyecandy. I maybe a fangirl, but I do have my limits, as I know which drama to like. And I have also seen a wide variety of Korean and Japanese dramas. It may not be enough, but at least not everything is just for my pleasure. Sometimes, I like my brain working when watching something. On to my argument. When it comes to the quality of a drama, the production, the sets, the music, the direction and the actors, I consider Hana Yori Dango to be the best. On the other hand, Boys over Flowers has the loveliest actors and sets. Everyone just seems to be so pretty, that you can't help but be envious of the main girl who hangs out with the F4. And we all know that Meteor Garden is the series that started it all so you could say that they are the original.

Back to the story. They're rich. They're bullies. They're powerful. They're lady-killers. They're good-looking. And anything you do to humiliate them can jeopardize your life at school. This is what F4 can do to you. But why the heck would they call themselves Flower 4 if they have that rough image? And why is the manga's title english title Boys before/over Flowers when in Hana Yori Dango, 'dango' means food in Japanese? (For a more detailed and further explanation, I will now take you to this wonderful site. Nothing to worry; its a spoiler-free post, and the blogger couldn't have said enough.)

For a fan, it all depends on how you perceive the three versions. And if you are a new fan, or if you just want to try something new, you can give this drama a shot. If you did love it, but somehow feel ashamed of liking something like this, that's normal. After all, some women just can't resist the F4's charms.

disgusting yet delicious

Why is it that when Filipinos eat balut, we can't help but love it. But when we look at it from a picture, we can't help but be disgusted by it. Being away from my home country has made me miss a lot, even the little things that I rarely notice in my everyday life back home. I can't remember when was the last time I ate balut, but I'm pretty sure it was years ago. So just imagine how surprised I was to see this delicacy when we went somewhere over the weekend with my Tito (eng:Uncle) who bought it from an Asian food store.

For some, this is what balut means. Funny thing is, while I was browsing through different sites, I stumbled upon this one, wherein balut is one of The 6 most terrifying foods in the world. Well, I've got nothing to say about it, since I have been eating this my whole life, even though my mom did explain to me what it was when I was a kid. Guess my Filipino blood (and hunger) just took over my innocent conscience back then because I have no regrets in eating this food, and I will continue eating it.

like crack II

As I said on the first part, I'll post a pic spam for all the epic Hana Kimi moments, ones that never fail no matter how many times I view them. And some are really just for fun, to introduce the characters of the show.

Don't say I didn't warn you for putting some 'spoilers' (if you consider them as that), because personally, for this drama, you wouldn't care about spoilers as you'll want to watch it right away anyway after seeing the first episode. And besides, would you actually care about the story of the drama if you're distracted by these crazy ikemens?

like crack I

One of the Japanese dramas that never fail to amuse me is Hanazakiri no Kimitachi e. A 12-episode series shown in the summer of 2007 which was originally based on a manga with the same title. A Special was shown in Fall 2008, with the actors reprising their roles, and some new characters were also introduced.

Now, I don't tell stories. What you can only get from me is the main plot of the story, which I'll talk about later on. Before I saw the series, I read the manga first, which was a good thing, in my opinion, and I think it was during that time that the Taiwanese version came out, which I never saw (and probably never will). I have nothing against Taiwanese dramas, I have seen some before, but its just really not my thing. They don't have that same impact that I get from Japanese and Korean dramas, and I guess for me there's just something missing with their shows which I could probably never comprehend.

helpful tips

How to damage your eyes:

1. If you're a kid, and if you're reading this (and I have no idea why), read anything while you're on a moving vehicle. Be it a book, a comic book, or anything you can peruse, just read it. It's good to start reading young. And its better to lose your eyesight at a young age and face the consequences later. The same goes with writing. You can write while you're on a moving vehicle.

2. When the lights are off in your room, grab a flashlight (or much better, your cellphone) and start reading or writing.

3. Spend hours staring at your computer screen, not blinking your eyes or resting them once in a while. This would work better with a laptop, because you use it before you go to sleep, then open it after you wake up. Forget breakfast too, your laptop (or computer) can feed you.

4. After a long day's work, wash your eyes with cold water.

5. If you're already using eyeglasses or contact lenses and you still do numbers 1 to 4, then, you're a lost cause. But hey, just be optimistic and just think about Lasik eye surgery. There's nothing technology can't do nowadays, is there?


Obviously, no one should take this seriously. I've learned my lesson, but being a stubborn girl that I am, I still do it, and I regret it, and for sure, my eyes will have the last laugh. pfft. cheesy.

fangirls and fanboys unite

Holy moly, Hyun Bin and Song Hye Gyo? Nice. When I watched their drama 'The World that they live in', I was thinking that they should date in real life. And now that its happened, all I can say is, wow. Just, wow.

They look so good in 'Worlds Within', they really had that chemisty as the main couple in the story, and this drama is as well, not the usual one because this is a character-driven drama unlike the usual plot-driven Kdramas, which sometimes suck the life out of me. (Will not mention a specific drama that I recently saw, which probably has a million cliches you could ever think of.) Some say that it was boring, but I find it entertaining with its side characters and deep with their meaningful conversations.

You could say they're like the Golden Couple. I mean, it IS Song Hye Gyo (of Full House fame) AND Hyun Bin (of Kim Sam Soon fame). And I apologize for the picture. (It's not their best shot, its from their drama, but you know that they are one of the most gorgeous couples in K-entertainment.)


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