I was sucked into the world of dramas when I watched Boys Over Flowers. Now, after many dramas, and a little over a year later, I've finally gotten around to watching the original J-drama version of the story. It brought back all the wonderful feelings that I experienced when I watched Boys Over Flowers and I think I may even like this version a little more. Hana Yori Dango is a timeless story with all of the classic cliches. While the story is slightly unbelievable, and can be frustrating at times, I still love it. I actually liked the story line in Hana Yori Dango better than that of Boys Over Flowers. I liked the fact that they spent less time on the love triangle between Tsukushi, Domyouji, and Rui and focused on other things. It got a little tedious in Boys Over Flowers and I was very pleased to see that Hana Yori Dango handled it differently. Basically I really liked the story, though it was, for the most part, predictable (simply because I already know the plot), the pacing was nice, and I liked the vibe. I loved the acting. As much as I love Lee Min Ho as Jun Pyo, I completely fell for Matsumoto Jun as Domyouji. His character felt a little more appealing in Hana Yori Dango. MatsuJun can pull of spoiled-rich-boy like no other and I loved seeing his internal conflict and development. He was such an angry, funny, and occasionally charming character. I also really liked Oguri Shun's portrayal of Rui! Kim Hyun Joong's performance as Ji Hoo can't quite compare. Oguri Shun made the character more likable. Though Sojiro and Akira were both more minor characters I liked them as well. I felt more of a connection to them in Hana Yori Dango than in Boys Over Flowers. Overall, I felt as if the cast really pulled off the whole high-schooler vibe, which is sometimes hard to do in dramas. As for Makino, Inoue Mao was fabulous. She was pretty without being too pretty, smart without being a genius, and awkward without being to awkward. Basically she was a nice balanced character. I remember getting a lot of 2nd hand embarrassment while watching Gu Hye Seon as Jan Di in Boys Over Flowers. This wasn't so much the case in Hana Yori Dango. There were certainly embarrassing moments, but I wasn't constantly cringing. Basically I think I really prefer Inoue Mao over Gu Hye Seon. I just liked her in the role so much more. The music was really catchy, but not overplayed. I loved Arashi's contributions to the soundtrack as well as the other songs. The OST fit the drama really well. When it comes to comparing Hana Yori Dango and Boys Over Flowers, I can't really do it. Hana Yori Dango is probably the better drama, and I think I like it more than BOF, but they're both their own pieces of work with their own styles. BOF was my first drama ever, so I owe a lot to it. It will always have a special place in my heart. But I adored Hana Yori Dango. It had such a different feeling to it and I loved it. But honestly, I love both dramas in their own ways. Overall, I immensely enjoyed Hana Yori Dango and will be starting season two immediately. The finale of season one was definitely satisfying, but a perfect set up for a second season. I can't wait to see what it brings!