Whether the drama world is deserving or not, we finally have a near universally beloved breakout star in 2018 in the form of the dynamic and still very young and inexperienced Dylan Wang (Wang He Di). I’ll leave it to the fans of Hana Yori Dango drama adaptations to fight out who broke out the biggest – Dylan in Meteor Garden 2018, Jerry Yan in original MG, Matsumoto Jun in HanaDan, or is it Lee Min Ho thanks to Boys Before Flowers. I sorta lost interest in MG2018 after around 12-episodes and it wasn’t because I didn’t love Dylan or actually I liked the entire cast and found the directing to be decent enough. I think I am finally saturated with the HanaDan story but clearly this version was fresh enough and with the added lure of finding the treasure that is Dylan to keep me watching for even a dozen episodes. The drama ended it’s run last week right as summer ended, making a nice bookend for a drama that provided just the right amount of cute entertainment to escape the scorching heat outside.
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I gave a break at the time when Lei is helping out the best friend (that story has never been a fave of mine, only in the Korean version it kind of generated any emotion).
Hana Yori Dango is an amazing story really that managed to effect so many people no matter how and how many times it is told.
As for my favorites
Daoming Tze : Jerry Yan – by far (I loved his crazy eyes)
Rui : Oguri Shun (he is simply the best actor.
The rest of the characters are all acted best in the South Korean version in my opinion.
As for Shancai – Everyone did a great job with this character. The performances were all good my least favorite is the Korean actress though simply because she looked old for the character.
My favorite is Barbie but not by far.
The strongest breakout star? Lee Min Ho – no contest there.
Oh I forgot to comment on this version. I think everyone but Shancai and the F4 guy who is not Shimen (the other one I can’t remember his name) are really bad but they all look good. Shancai once again represented by a talented actor and she is really likable too, as far as I’m concerned.
The lead actress in MG2018 annoyed me to no ends and I am probably one of the few who aren’t smitten by Dylan Wang. The long episodes also made the drama kinda draggy.
Having watched all the versions (except halfway only watching BBF) and almost 20 years later since the original MG, I still love Jerry Yan’s Dou Ming Shi the most. There’s that natural adorableness about his version.
I’m annoyed watching it too. Shan Chai have no backbone, always backing off whenever and wherever, if i were Dao Ming Si i would definitely left her, got no sense of loyalty and courage that girl. It’s like Dao Ming Si is not important enuff for her to give consideration to. Although most of the time i think it’s her fault, no one ever reprimand her for doing something wrong and out of sort,they always support her like wtf. i would like to see Ah Si stay away from Shan Chai a bit longer after each their argument/break-up but it’s always the same cliche trope, he will eventually give way to his feelings for Shan Chai and start to chase and beg her again and again. I mean if it’s always like this, when will the girl ever learn to appreciate you?? But surprisingly i think some of the dialogue were quite mature, depicting relationship flow these days, it wasnt as childish and cringey as the previous one. The chemistry is much better than from Jerry and Barbie era also. This kind of stories is better watch with your brain and rationality thrown off somewhere and just simply enjoy the eye candies and fluffiness of the couples ?
I think Shancai got much better after episode 41
I honestly think it’s her character. Hers has to be the worst Shancai (or whatever the names be in different lanagua) ever. Such a shame because Shen Yue was charming in A Love So Beautiful.
@Prettyautumn : Lol, 41 is like, less than 1/4 of the drama left. But I have to agree. It took her a longgggggggggg time to turn around.
I loved Dylan in this, he has been my favorite Dao Ming Si by far! Granted, I never followed the original Meteor Garden series when it was a hit but I enjoyed the Korean and Japanese versions. Previously I adored the J-version the most but I think Dylan topped Matsujun for me but Shun Oguri still wins for his portrayal of Rui! The supporting characters in the Korean version shone more though like Kim Bum.
Honorable mentions in this version: Xi Men and Lei were pretty okay actors, but who wrote the story for Meizuo, it was just terrible or maybe the actor is also not so great? But great visuals for this F4. Shen Yue is adorable and I would love to see her in other dramas. The lady who acts as Dao Ming Si’s mum was perfect too!
For me the best is Dylan. He was Daoming Si. And I really like this version. It was the most similiar to manda which I loved. The actors, drirector and so on really did a good job for this one.
I really recommend this to those who want be in Hana Yori Dango world again:)
Age-wise Dylan is spot on to be Daoming Si. His acting is okay for someone who has no experience whatsoever. It was Shen Yen who was the problematic one for me. She is pretty but her acting was below par for Shancai. I enjoyed this version overall.
DYLAN WANG acting is really good especially in episode 4 he nail it…even other f4 member like DARREN his portraying character as Lei is really realistic while Conneur portraying Meizuo also excellent a young boy who felt in love with elder women….while Caesar who is playing ximen also have a good acting…while the lead actress for me is really problematic in her acting so badly portraying her role I didn’t see the connection of her acting to the lead actor..
I just watch Meteor Garden 2018, I mostly like it. So I tried to watch the 2001 version. I just can’t. Why does it take place in the 70’s? I just can’t watch it, it’s awful ?
MG2018 OST was first of all amazing. Daoming Si was much better than Gu Jun Pyo. Shancai sometimes annoyed me because even after 36 episodes, she was acting like a frigid daycare kid. Daoming Si was either a saint, impotent or he was secretly suffering from blue balls. If Shancai had even a little compassion, she’d at least help Daoming Si with her hands or mouth if for some reasons she wanted to “save” herself for marriage. Anyways, I much prefered MG2018 to the Korean version. I loved the fact that it was set in college rather than high school.
An addition: I totally hated Jing and Huaze Lei’s story. I also hated Zhou Caina and Terrence subplot, it took too much time and at the cost of Shancai and Si. But I was glad that Zhou Caina didn’t choose Meizuo. In fact, Caina and Terrence as a couple was much more realistic and relatable. I hated how they kept dragging and dragging Shancai and Si’s plot. It felt like Shancai didn’t love Daomingsi. That said, I hated how they acted like daycare kids. They are adults studying in university ffs and they still haven’t had sex after a year of dating and instead they act like a couple of frightened elementary school kids. On the side note, Dylan Wang’s voice is nice and I really liked the OST he sang. I also liked Wei Qi Qi’s ai cun zai (love, existence). The western songs were sometimes overused, like Bishop Briggs’s River in badass scenes and A Great Big World’s Say Something in heartbreaking goodbyes. They should have used more songs like some James Blunt, Queen etc. But the OST was always on point. In fact, I didn’t care much for this drama, F4 dynamics was so boring, Shancai was annoying but surprisingly, I liked Daoming Si.
Bunch of nonsense
Is sex that important?? lol they are not a bunch of horny kids who must absolutely have sex once they started dating after a while. Different culture got different take on this issue, and in asia modesty is important also. Having sex after marriage is not out-of-norm even. Calling out on them not having sex as a bunch of adult acting like elementary kids was just ridiculous.
@Hannasj I’m Asian and yes, sex is important
I like jerry yan’s dao ming si the most too. this drama was okay people did watch this drama but it didn’t seem to set the world on fire like the meteor garden did
i don’t like with this version, the plot, the chemistry, and i don’t understand why this version is so weird. but yeah dylan make his own version of daoming tze characters. i still think hana yori dango is the best version of meteor garden or boy before flower
what I remember from the previous version of meteor garden, this story supposed to be about a girl who struggles with the oppression in her school, even dares to fight back f4, because of the strong character of the sanchai, dao ming tze falls in love with her, and the sadly thing is I don’t feel that in the drama this.
I tried to watch this 2018 version but there was so many cringey scenes, plot holes everywhere, some events happened with no logic it was laughable at some point. i couldn’t get the emotions the characters were trying to portray either because the acting was mediocre, Sanchai pissed me off most of the time, she showed zero feelings for daoming si who did so many crazy things for her, she never gave me the impression that she liked him like he did, so the romance felt flat i stopped in the middle couldn’t finish watching.
Yup, couldnt agree more, i even thought Shan Chai is not deserving of Ah Si love?
Korean drama fans swore the Korean version was the best version when BOF ended. I think Meteor Garden and Hana Yori Dango withstood the test of time. Both are special in their own way. The Korean version, not so much. My prediction is that this version won’t as well: F4 as a group seems forgettable, the leads’ chemistry didn’t sizzle quite as much as Jerry and JPN version, and this is tbh a more watered down version imo. I think Dylan can make a bigger splash elsewhere and move on from this role without it following him around, unlike Jerry and Matsujun and even Lee Minho, just for that I think he didn’t quite break out and make this role unforgettable in the same way.
I’m on ep. 9, I don’t like Shanchai here 🙁 . I like Shen Yue on ALSB, but her Sanchai’s character just doesn’t click to me and she seems annoying. I watched the original MG with my husband, and watch this one with him too. He loved the original one, but yawning every minute watching the new one. I guess this version is quite boring. Dylan did a good job and his pineapple-hedgehog-mangaish hair is pretty cool too.
I like certain things in each version. I felt like the music in the Japanese version had the best effect. Best Shanchai goes to Mao Inoue – hands down. The Korean girl was so annoying. I liked all Daoming Si except for Jun Matsujun. Dylan has the best pineapple hair. Best Lei goes to Shun by a long shot. I did not root for the other Lei’s, but in this version, I totally did. Dylan Wang did a great job and can’t wait to see what he does in the future!
For me, still Meteor Garden 2001 and Hana Yori Dango. but, for a first starter, Dylan Wang has nailed it.
As for San chai, Shen Yue is not that good in portraying the character of a fierce and fearless woman, when compared with Inoue Mao and Barbie.
As for the f4, still f4 taiwan and japan.
also, i really don’t like the mother’s character in MG2018, she doesnt seem to be scary at all- especially her voice.
Best breakout – would still be Lee min Ho
I remember by episode 3 – we all knew we were looking at the next boy of Korean drama mania -literally the internet was exploding with the search of Lee min HOT. he was also the best version of DOmyoji in my opinion and I carry a lot of goodwill towards him even as he moves on to other roles just based on how much he impressed me in that drama.
Dylan comes very close – I found him closest in look with the manga – and his interpretation was very close to Jun in the Japanese version – which was kinda cute and less obnoxious while jerry and LMH version had a more violent bad boy vibe
I didn’t like that they had to tone things down A LOt in this version – I guess to get pass censorship in China. The school bullying and elitist culture was a huge part of the story and it’s laughable that it was watered down to playing bridge and Dao Ming Si being great in his studies. Domyoji was also an idiot in languages and that part was a cute facet of his character.
I was a huge manga fan even before the dramas came out – domoji is by far a superb character and guaranteed to make the male lead breakout as long as they get the right person. it’s amazing that each version had the right casting right and I’m really surprised despite having like 4 versions now, I do like each one for different things but like them all a lot in general.
Shancai was ok. The role was never a strong one and I think the Japanese version with mao had the best and most spunky one. Shen Yue is pretty and looks the role but it was not great but good enough.
I hated Korean version and had zero expectations from Chinese version. But surprisingly to me MG 2018 won me over. I admit actors were raw initially but they improved leaps by epi 6 or 7. I haven’t saw original and Japanese version but have saw some snippet and I can proudly says dylan is my fav of all versions. He is closet to manga and fits the characters to the T both in terms of acting and looks. Shancai was decent to me. I guess the character is itself is weak. But can’t deny both Dylan and Shenyue has amazing chemistry.
Ost of this version is best. It goes well with the vibe of the show. I love Darren portrayal of lei. He deserves equal appreciation like Dylan, Ximen was good enough, and they wasted meizuo in caina plot but he was OK nevertheless. chemistry between F4 was decent, lei and Daoming si together were treat to watch. Overall a well made show for me and worth to enjoy. Looking forward to Dylan wang next project.
i think if you said about the ost,the Japanese,korean even the jerry yen version still better than this new version
Lee Min Ho and Jerry Yan were the best Daoming Si. They embodied more than good looks, physique, crazy eyes, talent…all fit the character better than Dylan. Lee Min Ho and Jerry left an impression that lasts a long time, like decades, whereas Dylan as a Si will be forgotten in a month or so. Notice how many references they made in the 2018 version to the original, which means way more impression from the original. I didn’t like Shenyue’s acting and she is not pretty.
It’s too early to write off Dylan’s Daoming Si. Jerry was lucky to be the first so expectations are nonexistent, LMH was very popular and I would agree he was the biggest breakout of HYD franchise. He was so successful as GJP that ten years later he was still GJP in Heirs. Each version has their strengths and weaknesses but being the first version has its benefits. Personally, I believe people should allow the younger generation to prove themselves and not be stuck in the past.
*five years later (not ten)
I’m sorry but Dylan Wang is the cutest. His voice is so manly too. It’s only a good thing that he will not get called Daomingsi for eternity like Lee Min Hoo has been since 2009
Lol stupid autumn
– Best version story and acting: Japanese version.
-Best chemistry between the leads: Tie between Jerry/Barbie and Mao/Jun.
-Best F4: Jerry, Vic, Vaness, Ken.
-Best Shancai/Makino: Inoue Mao
-Best Dao Ming Si: Jerry Yan
-Breakout Star Dao Ming Si: Jerry Yan
-Breakout Star Shancai: Inoue Mao
-Best Look Dao Ming Si: Dylan Wang
-Best Look Shancai: Inoue Mao
Overall, everyone who was attached to MG/HYD has done well and this story has jumpstarted a lot of careers. It’s a cliche storyline but it works.
In my opinion Matsumoto remains the best Domyoji because lookwise he had nothing to go with him (Height and all) to play the role of Domyoji but he still killed the role playing the best and the worst side of character with a lot of fun
It’s the first version where I prefer the lead male than the second one. I prefered Oguri Shun and Vic Zhou in their role. I prefered Matsuda Shota and for the korean version Kim Bum than the main love story.
I liked this Shancai but it’s true that the kisses scenes were a little bit weird. The fact they chose university and not high school should have made her less innocent :p
Dylan is hot af. He looks the closes to the manga, and it’s a plus that he seems the most mainly out of the list of actors who’ve played DMS. JY as DMS was a bit annoying, I hated how moronic and violent he acted.
Forever Meteor Garden. Jerry Yan and Vic Zhou are a force to reckon with.
Dylan was the best thing about MG2018.
This story never gets old for me. I re-watched all versions and read manga whilst waiting for Netflix to release the next episodes.
This version was closest to the manga by far.
I’m gutted I didn’t know they were in London for filming earlier this year. I would have “bumped” into them! 🙂
San cai – shen yue. Actually, I had watched all the other versions. and the character of San cai always been an annoying one. But shen yue interpretation let me understand the girl’s point of view. And yeah!! All the other version were tough. But if you really look at it. The character doesnt really need to be that harsh to Dao Ming Shi.
Dao Ming Shi – Matsumoto Jun. I dont really like the character becuz he was a bully and arrogant one. But matsujun makes me realizE and give a clear interpretation why despite their bad personality the people around them still admire him.
Lei – oguri and darren chen. Cuz they give cool interpretation.
Xi men – Caesar, kim bum, ken
Mei zhou – vaness wu.
Parents of San chai – China Version. The other versions were ridiculous and irritating cuz how can a parents can sell their daughter that easily. But the taiwan version was funny.
Parents of Dao Ming Shi – Japan Version.
Chemistry – japan and Taiwan
wow your so amizing
wow jha
Ok this may be a lot of different opinions but I love d boys over flowers but for me idk but wang he di was the best it was just a lot more cuteness between him and Shancai! She annoyed me tho sometimes but overall I’d give it a 10/10 the ending was odd though