If you do something with heart and intelligence, it transcends its genre and pulls in more than the usual suspects. I normally never watching Korean variety shows since I barely have enough time to watch dramas let alone expand my plate. But the hit new cable variety show Grandpas Over Flowers is pure crack magic. This thing is better than most dramas out there because its got love, bickering, great location shoots, genuine tension here and there, and lots and lots of laughter and fun. I’ve only heard great things about PD Na who used to work on 1D2N and has now created yet another runaway hit variety show that really is the first of its kind. He takes four famous harabojis (grandpas or halbaes) from Korean entertainment and sends them on a overseas backpacking type of trip. But in truth he’s roped in unsuspecting A-list actor Lee Seo Jin to be their guide and luggage boy, and the rest is history as hijinks and genuinely bonding ensues. The four halbaes are Lee Soon Jae, Shin Goo, Park Geun Hyung, and Baek Il Sub, and it’s be hard to wrangle up four more different grandpas who share only one thing in common, their relative high age count. The show premiered to great reception and ratings have only continued to climb. The first trip to France and Switzerland wrapped up in 7-episodes, and for the 8th episode and on the motley crew to traveling to Taiwan to explore the beautiful island.
I already love this show to pieces but to know its visiting Taiwan I literally shrieked in glee. But I do think this trip won’t have nearly a tenth of the anxiety of the first one since Lee Seo Jin knows what to expect now, and the Taiwan Tourism Bureau is assisting in planning in trip, and overall Taiwan is much more similar to South Korea than France is so there is less of a cultural shock. Lee Seo Jin also won’t need to worry about finding Korean restaurants since there is so much food of any cuisine in Taiwan one can literally spend every waking second eating and still not sample all the variety. It’s a testament to how popular this show is right off the bat because it was still airing the France trip when it was announced the next stop is Taiwan and the cast and crew went there for a week to film, and when the first three halbaes landed at Taoyuan airport they were mobbed by over 200 shrieking fans. The first to arrive was Park Geun Hyung, Shin Goo, and Baek Il Sub, and all three were quite taken aback to being greeted with screams like they were idol boys. Lee Seo Jin wasn’t with them but apparently the fangirls helped the halbaes get tickets for the MRT to Taipei from the airport so that was useful. The Taipei trip starts airing this Friday and Sunny of SNSD is also along for this leg of the trip. For reals this time.
Preview for Grandpas Over Flowers “Taiwan Edition”:
Thank you! I have read great things about this show as well…
I have also heard great things about it. It really seems like a fun show to watch. Thus far I’m only reading recaps. Is there anyone subbin this show? I really like the concept and I’m glad that the show has become so popular as everyone seems to be enjoying being part of the show.
Ms. Koala, oh you are so right about the food…food, food everywhere.:) I don’t think they will be suffering for lack of food options on this trip.
It’s a great watch.
The only place that I saw subs in English was this site:
http://mineememe.blogspot.com/2013/08/grandpas-over-flower-episode-4-eng-sub.html
The subs aren’t the best, but beggars can’t be choosers. And it’s soooo worth it. They only have up to Ep. 4 so far and the main blogger is writing her dissertation right now, so she’s on hiatus subbing until a little over a week from now.
If you can read traditional Chinese or Kanji, you could also look up maplestage.com. They have it on there.
Hope this helps.
@Requiem, thank you so much for the info. I will be checking out the link. 🙂
Ohmygod I went on a volunteer trip to Taiwan and the last week they took us to gu gong/national palace museum and a bunch of volunteers saw sunny there!! I wonder if they were filming for GOF or if she was by herself. Its really awesome to see that they went to a whole bunch of places that I went to, will definitely watch all the eps!
I love 1n2d season 1 and PD Na is such variety genius. Love GoF so far and eagerly waiting yo catch the TW leg, thank goodness for Chinese subs.
H4 ! hehehe lovely grandpas…
Hahaha~ that pic of Seo Jinnie just cracks me up. You can see the PTSD-laced memories of the last trip are coming back to him and that at least a part of him is dreading this one. He must really love Sunny to have willingly agreed to go this time ’round. I think that his being all awkward and nervous around Sunny will make up for some of the lost tension.
How great to see the H4 (-1) getting an F4 reception!
i love our H4! always adored them :p haha i agree! Seo jinnie just cracked me up with his face plastered with dread.
The best part of this trailer for me was hearing “Almost Paradise” and lol. After BOF, hearing that song was like psychological torture.
I’m really happy that these veteran actors get the same love from public as some of the idol boys. They deserve it! We always know and love them but they don’t get to enjoy this kind of lime light..
Highly recommend everyone to watch!
I LOVE this show to pieces! It is so entertaining, I’d say, more so than the current dramas! Haha I love how real the grandpas are because at their age, they don’t need to put out a certain personality or fake anything for the camera, you see them for them and more! Best of all, you see the evil PD putting Lee Soo Jin in uncomfortable situations.
Cannot wait for season 2!
I watched season 1 and poor Seo jinnie. But when I heard it was going to Taiwan and it got Seo jinnie back, I was freaking excited. I am curious how na pd is going to make Seo Jin and sunny sweat a little because I know Taiwan is not going to be as difficult as Europe for all the reasons that koala stated. Plus you can probably find a lot of useful fans onhand ready to help out if necessary. 🙂 I must say that watching him sweat it out for real in Europe was part of the appeal. Anyhow really curious how this season will turn out. 🙂 super excited.