Boys Over Flowers

Annyong!

Last week a ten year old girl had a picture in her pencil case. In this particular class, I often steal their pencil cases and announce to everyone what is inside. This causes them to scream with excitement and laughter as I walk around showing all their notes and balancing their pencils on my head. But on that day, 10 year old Jenny was not impressed. She was worried.

"Teeeeeeaachaaaa, picture noooo. Picture nooo rip. Special teeeeeaaaaacher"

I had seen many pictures of boys in their pencil cases. Both boys and girls often carry a picture of their favourite singer in their bag, pencil case, or pocket at all times. But this picture I did not recognize. When I asked who the picture was of, I got the impression that I had said something forbidden. I heard screams, giggles, and frantic Korean words from both the boys and the girls as they discussed how I should surely be kicked out of Korea because of my stupidity. They began yelling something at me in Korean. Then they stopped to think of how it translated into English.

"Teacha- Boys Over Flowers"


When I asked them to explain Boys Over Flowers, again I got the screams, giggles, and Korean words. Clearly this was something I had to get to the bottom of. So that day I asked all of my classes to explain it to me. Not only did I get the answer, but I also got a clear picture of how big of a deal this was/is. Every class errupted into hoots, hollers and giggles when I asked them about it.

So what is Boys Over Flowers?

Well, fellow moronic foreigner, it is the best tv show ever made! It started as a comic book and then was made into a tv show in Japan. The title in Japanese actually translates to boys before flowers. The Japanese have a saying, "dumplings before flowers" which makes fun of all the people who claim to be out enjoying the beauty of the cherry blossoms, but instead spend their time at the food vendors. Anyway, somehow when Korea decided to make their own show, they retranslated it and it ended up becoming boys over flowers.

The show is about a "cute girl" named Jan Di, whose family owns a dry cleaning shop. She is too poor to attend the rich private school near her house. However, one day she saves one of the private school students from committing suicide, and in return gets admitted into the school. There, she meets a group of popular boys who call themselves F4. She goes through some tough times with this group of boys, but ....BUT....then the leader of the group falls in love with her. HOWEVER, so does one of the other boys in the group.


"Teacha.....difficult.....two boys is love cutie girl."

Keep up now......THEN Jan Di and the lead F4 boy, Joon Pyo become a couple. HOWEVER, his mother does not approve of him dating a poor girl and insists they break up, and then finds a fiance for him! Jan Di cries and cries and cries, and the other member of F4, Ji Hoo who also loves Jan Di then takes this opportunity to show her how he can be a great guy. BUT Jan Di is still in love with Joon Pyo.


The show is on every Monday and Tuesday. We decided we had to give it a chance, so last week we tuned in. It is in Korean, which makes it a bit hard to follow. Brett fell asleep in the first ten minutes. I watched it right to the end. Just mentioning the name of the lead male actor makes the girls in my class hold hands and squeal (his blood type is A, just incase that is as important to you as it is to the squealing girls in my classes). And although I can't say I was squealing over any of the actors on the show, I will watch it again....and that will give Brett another chance to have a good nap.