For weeks the KBS2 teen romp "Boys Over Flowers" has been steadfastly gaining popularity. The series has seen its ratings snowball - so much so that its success has grabbed the attention of a U.S. webzine.
In a Feb. 6 report, "Animation Insider," an online magazine specializing in comics and animation around the world, published an article detailing the recent fervor surrounding "Boys Over Flowers" in Korea. The report noted the show had continued the success of the Japanese version in 2001 and Taiwan's 2006 remake.
The Korean version of the show enjoys a 30 percent viewership rating, easily trumping all competitors in its Monday and Tuesday timeslots. Even without strong lead-ins, the show has been climbing the ratings board.
The main draw, according to Animation Insider, has been the series' four male leads, especially model-turned-actor Lee Min-ho.
The latest screen adaption of Yoko Kamio's manga keeps much of the original plot intact. The story revolves around a middle-class girl who is thrust into upper-class society when she enters an elite high school. Most popular in the school are F4 or the "Flower Four," whose leader Koo Joon-yo (played by Lee Min-ho) becomes enamored with the female lead, as she is the only girl who does not fawn over him.
The series abides to the timeless formula in which a rich boy falls in love with a working-class girl. "Boys Over Flowers" -- or "Hana yori Dango" as it is known in Japan -- originally found popularity as a comic book series that ran from 1992 to 2003. The success of the publication led to a TV series and spawned two live action films.
The Korean version of the show is expected to continue to lead the ratings in its timeslot and become the year's most popular television drama.
By Song Woong-ki (kws@heraldm.com)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/dat...00902090019.asp
