If I’m going to be at home all the time, I might as well finish all the shows I’ve started, including Meteor Garden, which I started back in 2018? Early 2019? Wow, has it really been that long? 🤔
Apparently, yes, according to the standards of time, space and Netflix. Anyways, I’m stock-piled on book reviews, and I feel like reviewing all the time can get exhausting. So we’re spicing things up just a little. 😌
The 2018 reboot of Meteor Garden is a remake of the 2001 Taiwanese version of the same name and based on the manga, Hana Yori Dango.
Other versions of the show include Hana Yori Dango (Japanese) and Boys Over Flowers (Korean), with the Korean one gaining wide success when it was first released in 2009. Boys Over Flowers and Meteor Garden are both available on Netflix in the US but may not be available in some countries.
Hana Yori Dango is the first Asian drama I’ve watched, so the show is dear to my heart; I’ve watched every version but the 2001 Taiwanese one. It’s also partially the cause of my K-pop obsession, first introducing me to J-pop artist Utada Hikaru with one of the songs included in the series, “Flavor of Life.” This then resulted in YouTube suggesting similar groups, including K-Pop girl group SNSD, or as they’re more commonly known, Girls Generation.
So when I heard about Meteor Garden being rebooted and available on Netflix, I jumped to watch the show. I wanted to see how the new version would fare, and I tried not to compare it to the others.
(It’s also been at least a decade since I watched them, so do I really have anything to compare?)
Chances are, you’ve never heard of the leading cast members.
Shen Yue (Dong Shancai), Dylan Wang aka Wáng Hèdì (Dao Mingsi), Darren Chen aka Guān Hóng (Huaze Lei), Connor Leong aka Liáng Jìngkāng (Feng Meizuo), Caesar Wu aka Wú Xīzé (Ximen Yan) are the leading cast making up Shancai and F4. All five are relatively new to the entertainment industry, with few (if any) titles under their belt. Don’t let that factor into your decision to watch Meteor Garden, though. The leading cast is talented, and I’m excited to see what future dramas they’ll be in.
While they haven’t been around for very long, they each brought fan-favorite characters to life; as someone who’s been a long-time fan of the series, I enjoyed seeing their own take of the characters while remaining true to the original – Shen Yue brought a certain charm and plain girl next door vibe to Shancai, Dylan a bad boy vibe but also charmingly funny to Dao Mingsi, Darren the quietly mysterious and aloof musician to Huaze Lei, etc.
True to being rookies, though, there are definitely a few awkward moments, especially in the first few episodes of the series. But even veteran actors can be awkward in the first few episodes; I honestly wouldn’t have been able to tell if this is their first/second/third role if I hadn’t looked this information up before watching when looking up the 2018 reboot. Thankfully as the series continued, it felt like they became more comfortable in their roles.
Meteor Garden is relatively similar between the different versions (storyline and main ship-wise)
Anyone who has been a longtime fan of the series or has watched other versions know the ultimate OTP is Shancai and Dao Mingsi. In the Japanese and Korean versions, the character names are different, but the storyline remains the same (with a few changes depending on which version): Shancai is admitted to a prestigious university where she meets F4 and eventually falls in love with their leader, Dao Mingsi. This doesn’t happen easily without the shenanigans that come with the enemies-to-lovers trope.
I do want to mention their relationship is problematic, and there are a lot of issues that I have with the ship. Dao Mingsi is the epitome of a boy who always gets what he wants, and he’ll do whatever it takes, even if he’s rejected. And he definitely gets rejected by Shancai so many times through Meteor Garden.
Their relationship isn’t healthy at all — it’s not something I would personally want, nor is it something I wish others to have since women already get harassed enough as it is. I could go into so much more depth in an entirely different post or even write an essay if I wanted to. (Of course, at a super young age when I first watched the drama, I definitely didn’t think about that; I was there for the shenanigans — toxic romance and all.)
Too bad for the two lovebirds, Dao Mingsi’s mother doesn’t approve of the ship. She does whatever it takes throughout the series to separate them. This tends to be an ongoing trope in a lot of “rich boy falls in love with a poor girl who deserves better,” though that doesn’t stop me from watching.
Meteor Garden is more “fully developed” when it comes to the rest of F4.
We don’t go into much detail when it comes to the Dao Mingsi’s best friends. We do go into Lei’s life, but the others? Not really, at least in much detail (though they still feel well-developed). In the 2018 reboot, though, we do. While the main focus of the series remains true to the main OTP, we get the chance to see the love stories of the rest of the F4 as well. Finally, we can see the others get a happy ever after! Or… maybe not?
In the 50-episode-long show, we go on a little detour for about 10 episodes about halfway through before the focus is brought back to the main ship. I enjoyed getting the chance to see the rest of F4 shine (which they absolutely deserve) and seeing the cast members get extra screen time, but it was a long, tedious journey going through those episodes. Unfortunately, that played a role in my stepping back from finishing the rest of the drama for well over a year. As much as I loved seeing their storylines fleshed out more, it personally felt like there was too much deviation from the main storyline (Dao Mingsi and Shancai).
The ending, however…
Y’all. I think I got robbed of a proper ending. I have a lot to say about the ending, and the rest of the internet seems to think so as well.
I enjoyed Meteor Garden overall, but the ending was a huge disappointment. You’d think knowing the storyline like the back of my hand would make things more clear. But no matter how many times I watch it over again and again (because I tend to notice more details the second or third time), it’s confusing. I don’t even know what happened, and I’m honestly a little pissed and annoyed. It was sudden, and I really don’t know what to make of it even after thinking about it a while after finishing the show (because sometimes you need to take a step back to process).
It processed all right. A process that resulted in just plain confusion.
Did I miss something? Do I need to rewind a little? I think I tried replaying the part where everything got a little confusing, and I’m still confused. The ending is pretty much the only issue I have with the reboot other than how long and dragged out the drama may feel. I’m 95% sure I’m going to associate that with this version years from now when someone asks me, and it’s likely I’ll still be pissed off about the ending. Perhaps I’ll be over that confusion, but I think what’s more accurate is a resigned moving on.
Otherwise, Meteor Garden is an overall good remake for those who have been around with the series for a long time (especially if you’ve ever wanted more from the rest of F4!) and new fans interested in a romantic (although toxic relationship) drama. It’s obvious there was a lot of time put into the process because it definitely shows throughout, and I still enjoyed watching this despite the issues.
It would be absolutely nice if there’s ever a second season because maybe, just maybe, we’ll get some answers on the ending. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t one either, considering there’s not much content, and it would likely be a long process to build further into the world and branch out into a different storyline.
Sophia started blogging in February 2012 for the hell of it and is surprisingly still around. She has a GIF for nearly everything, probably listens to too much K-Pop and is generally in an existential crisis of sorts (she's trying her best). More of her bookish reviews and K-Pop Roundups can be found at The Arts STL.
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“So Soph, how did you come up with choking on a sharp pineapple?“ *wheezes* I cackled aloud omg I can’t bhahahaha sharp pineapple fun times. Also that ending right?! We were robbed of an ending and I’m still pissed but I also want to rewatch the show…but the ending really ticked me off *grumbles* Thanksies for shoving this show at me like last year <3
Always! You know I’m going to shove all the good recs at you, haha. <3 (You should go watch Boys Over Flowers as well…)
It's been about a month and I'm still a little upset about the ending; probably won't think about it and deny it ever happened. 😂
I have not heard of this show and I am not sure that it is one that I would pick for myself. I am really bad at starting shows on NetFlix but never finishing them despite the fact that I did enjoy what I saw. I do hate it when a series ends poorly. It can really turn you off of the whole show. I am glad you enjoyed this one for the most part but do wish the ending was better.
You’re not alone! I don’t know how many shows I’ve started and enjoyed but then almost never get around to it later on (I suppose it doesn’t help that I’m a forgetful person either… 😅). I completely agree; a poor ending can definitely turn you off from the whole show, especially when it’s added on to other major problems (fortunately, there weren’t many here).
Wow, why don’t you call me out Sophia?!
Good on you for finally finishing the series though and getting over that episode detour of struggle. I am sorry the ending left you disappointed, that’s always the worst.
I’M SORRY KAL PLEASE KNOW I STILL LOVE YOU, YOUR PRESENCE AND FRIENDSHIP, YOUR BLOG AND THE CONTENT YOU CREATE. 😭😭😭
My friend and I binge watched Meteor Garden 2018 in the span of a week (it was super aggressive of us, haha) and I 10000% agree about the ending. I was hoping it was a dream sequence! -_- There were other storylines that felt so bizarre, too, like the tasering??? I loved the cute Dao Ming Si/Lei scenes in this version, but I prefer the Xi Men/Xiao You storyline in both the Korean and Taiwanese versions. The Taiwanese version is still my favorite, and the piano scene in it is incredible.
That’s what I thought too at first! I’m not sure if the dream sequence was their intention? It certainly seemed like it, but the more I thought about it and tried going back over, the more I got confused. The tasering wasn’t as bad as the ending since it got explained later in the next episode or two, but that might be my personal preference. I would’ve loved to see more of the Xi Men and Xiao You storyline in Boys Over Flowers though (I never thought too much of it since the main OTP was their main focus, but secretly I wanted more)!
I have not seen the Taiwanese version yet; it’s the only version I haven’t watched. 😭
You made me curious about the ending. Is the ending different from the earlier version of Meteor Garden? I remembered reading a book about it when I was in primary school lol.
I’m not sure to be honest! I never watched the 2001 version, but basing off the other versions I’ve watched, the ending is relatively similar. I don’t know what happened here though! It seems like it’s meant to be the same but it ended up more… abrupt and confusing rather than being clear about it.
(It might’ve been the manga!)
I HAD NO IDEA THIS SHOW GOT A REBOOT! This might be the best thing I’ve read all week. Oh my gosh I’m so excited. I honestly could only skim this review because I didn’t want to spoil it for myself. Can’t wait to watch and will report back! <3
I hope you’ll enjoy! I honestly didn’t know about it either until one of my friends mentioned it casually in a conversation and I went, “WHAT, THERE’S A 2018 ONE? WHERE.”
I’m a huge binge-watcher so I finished the whole series in a week, and I have also watched Boys Over Flowers – I wasn’t gonna watch it at first but then, I wanted to because it had lee Min-ho (who is currently my most favourite actor, and I obsess over him madly) – it turned out great though! I’m glad I made the right choice of watching it! And well, the pineapple head, oh my god, that name is so amusing!
I’m glad you watched it as well! Lee Min-ho is also one of my favorite actors (although admittedly I haven’t been watching any of his other dramas or keeping up lately 😅).
I too think I was robbed of a proper ending of the Reboot of Meteor Garden. I am familiar with the two main character’s.
The series was long and attention getting until the end! After all they had been through, why throw any scenes to the wind? The wedding g set was beautiful, but why make u seem like Shancai had passed away after she and Domen ci bout with a hunger strike? She’s shown walking to him after the hunger strike was over, then she fainted after a man, whom we’ve never seen appears standing over her! Then she wakes up to her Fiances sister dancing with two other women, then His sister gives the bride to be advice about her brother. Then one of the Fan 4 tells her that the wedding already been had. Then she turns around and the crowd consists of everyone who participated in the entire movie. THEN it goes to a kitchen scene where they have been married for three months. The entire atmosphere of the movie changed also! They acted as if they were tired of the movie and ” this is a wrap” type of attitude. I was so hurt by the crazy ending that should have showed us that thus kind of love is possible, instead, we got, DAMN THIS ALL WAS JYST A DREAM AND THE BRIDE DIED AFTER HER HUNGER STRIKE!
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who thought Shancai may have died and everything was just a dream! The sudden change was super awkward, quick, and just all around confusing, especially after the hunger strike too. I completely agree though – it felt like they got tired and just wanted to wrap everything up, which works great sometimes, but I think this backfired.
Thanks for dropping by and leaving your thoughts! 🙂
I am sorry that i am responding to an old post of you, but i really have to vent.
I finished this show in 3 days and couldn’t sleep because of the ending! It was so disappointing and confusing. The whole time i was waiting for her to wake up and go the hospital due to dehydration. And then i was expecting to see some reconciliation between the parents and offcourse the wedding preps! I was also waiting for a romantic bed scene, such as carrying her into the room after the wedding with roses on the bed. I was really glad with the fact that they wanted to wait. Such a romantic gesture. And i missed a nice honeymoon.
I also didn’t like the fact that Si changed as a person. He was so attractive due to his badass personality. Hard from the outside and soft from the inside. He was undefeatable. But he changed into a weak person. The Si i know, wouldn’t let himself get injured with a knife or with a taser. He would stand up to his mother, instead of lying down in bed. He was playing the victim instead of the hero. That totally ruins my image of him. There goes my perfect superman.
47 episodes were amazing and now i feel like i wasted my time! I hardly slept. Kind of addicted/obsessed, i guess. As for the ending… I still don’t get it. Are they both death? Is she dreaming? Or is she in coma? The wedding also didn’t make any sense, looking at the guests and the best men. And the dance scene was horrible. The flashbacks and light changes were excessive. The life after their wedding wasn’t logic at all. She was wearing weird clothes and you didn’t see that he was a busy businessman. That would have suited him. They forgot all about their friends. F4 is gone.
I think i am going to delete the last two episodes from my mind. I want to hold on to my old perception. It was a very nice and strong show, but the ending ruins everything. Such a waste. I really would like to know why the writers did such a horrible thing to us. Were they out of money or something. They could have ended it London. Now, i don’t have peace on my mind 🙈. They owe us an explanation. A movie or a next season is mostly welcome.
Ps: did you know dat Dylan Wang (Si) sang the background music and the cover. He has a beautiful voice. Too bad that he didn’t sing during the show. But maybe that is a good thing, cause his voice was dubbed due to his accent. He looks much older than 19. Very talented actor if you ask me! I couldn’t see that this was his first show.
MY ENDING…
Shan Cai is taken out by Dao ming’s bodyguards to the outside gates of the mansion (although we never saw the entrance gates to the mansion throughoutthe season). SO SHE STAYS THERE SUPPORTING SI WITH his hunger strike. Lei tries to make her leave or at least eat without success. And when he tries to remind her about embracing her dreams he remembers si plans about marriage and his business plans. Lei decides to leave xiao zi watching over shan cai and leaves to look for the business proposal. Ximen and Meizuo help lei on the search. Shan cai’s body weakness gives in and still holding on to bars of the entrance gate she falls to her knees as it starts to rain. Xiao zi can’t bear her collapsing and decides to run to her father to beg him to break the engagement. She argues that she doesn’t want to be a puppet to a family dominated by a fierce and unemotional. Xiao zi’s mother supports her and the engagement is officially over. And before he call si’s mother, the business proposal gets send to si’s sister who shows it to the mom. The mom get overwhelmed and anxiously asks mrs yu to call famiky doctor for si. As the family doctor arrives to the dao ming’s mansion; lei, ximen and meizuo arrived at the gates and find that shan cai has pass out and has a fever. The doctor can’t believe the condition of shan cai and asks the boys to take her into the mansion. Lei carries shan cai. As they entered the mansion they hear si’s mother regretting her attitude. The mother ask lei to take shan cai to si’s bedroom. Dao ming si lays in bed and as soon as he sees shan cai’s dangling body tries to walk to her, but ximen stops him. Lei leaves shan cai next to si. He breaks down into tears and faints. Si’s mother runs to his side and promises that if he recovers he will allow him to marry shan cai. Dao ming si recovers first and as he waits for shan cai’s slow recovery, he works on his business proposal along with his mother and friends. He also makes arrangements for a surprise wedding on a meteor showers night, hoping that by then shan cai wakes up from her condition. As the day approaches, si visits her daily. On the day of the planned wedding, shan cai wakes up shortly after si whispers to her ear that “he wasn’t giving up on her and that he would wait for her even if the meteors disappeared from the sky”. By the time she is wide awake, lei dressed in white is the one next to her bed. She asks for si and he tells her that si is waiting for her. Lei takes her to a hotel’s grandeur suite and si’s sister is there. Ximen and meizuo are there too. Zhuang asks her about how she feels for each of the friends, and after her response, she tells her si is waiting for her up above. Shan cai misunderstands and faints. When shan cai wakes up she is laying in a red couch in her wedding dress. Her three friends smile and lei tells her that she is the sleepy head now. They tell her that si is waiting for her in the terrace. All three lead the way and as they open a pair of double doors, he sees si waiting for her. They both run to embrace each other. Si’s mother and shan cai’s parents happily see them kiss. It is already night time and the meteor shower the sky. All their friends are there. Xiao zi has now gain the interest of lei after he saw her spending time. Caring for shan cai during her recovery./coma. The foreigner meets ximen’s first love, Xiao Geng and both share common interests. And meizuo is introduced to one of zhuang’s friend from overseas. Si and shan cai last scene is in a master bedroom calling each other mr. And mrs. Dao ming finally taking it to the next level.