Based on the Japanese manga series Boys Over Flowers (花より男子, Hana Yori Dango) which was written and illustrated by Yoko Kamio,[1] the series, directed by Jeon Si-Kang, tells a story of a working-class girl who gets tangled up in the lives of a group of wealthy young men in her elite high school.

[5] Shinhwa Group is one of South Korea's largest conglomerates and is headed by the strict and arrogant Chairwoman Kang Hee-soo (Lee Hye-young).

When F4 bullies a boy to the verge of suicide, the poor but vivacious Geum Jan-di, (Ku Hye-sun) who is making a delivery, saves his life.

A photo of Jan-di's heroics appears in the newspapers, resulting in media backlash from consumers against the Shinwha Group.

Chairwoman Kang arranges for the commoner Jan-di to receive a scholarship to attend the high school to appease the outraged consumers.

Irked by her strong-headed nature, Jun-pyo singles Jan-di to bully, but she refuses to cower and stands up to him, even kicking him in the face.

After Ji-hoo leaves the country to pursue a relationship with Seo-hyun, Jan-di begins to grudgingly spend more time with Jun-pyo.

Out of guilt for making Jun-pyo wait for her many hours in the snow, she agrees to spend time sightseeing and getting coffee with him, but they end up getting locked in the skylift overnight.

It is revealed that she and Jun-pyo have been classmates since kindergarten and that Min-ji has long been trying to win his attention by undergoing cosmetic surgery.

The photos are suspiciously sexy, angering Jun-pyo as he feels hurt by Jan-di seeking help from someone else, especially a gorgeous man.

After Jun-pyo's father falls ill, his mother forces him to begin training to lead the Shinhwa Group.

He leaves the city, turns cold toward his friends and Jan-di, and begins to accompany his mother to formal events.

Plotting to keep the distance between her son and Jan-di, Chairwoman Kang arranges Jun-pyo's engagement to the heiress Ha Jae-kyung.

After asking him to try to remember her name, she falls into a pool as he watches, causing him to be flooded by memories of them saving each other from drowning.

Jan-di is a third-year medical student, while Yi-jung is a successful architect and returns from Sweden for Ga-eul, who has become a teacher who teaches pottery to kids.

Source: HanCinema Elle Magazine ranked Boys Over Flowers #6 (out of 10) on the October 2020 10 Best K-Dramas To Binge-Watch On Netflix list.

[11] The cast members became household names and shot to stardom overnight, and after the series ended, several of them became the faces of various endorsements and advertisements.

The show is credited with launching the career of its lead actor, Lee Min-ho, who had previously appeared in a small number of low-budget high school dramas.

[12] During its broadcast, the series influenced South Korean men to take their appearances more seriously to copy the metrosexual or "pretty boy image" (kkotminam, lit.

This led to an increase in South Korean males wearing cosmetics, preppy and cruise outfits, and clothing in traditionally more feminine styles like the color pink and floral prints.

[13] The drama's local filming locations became tourist attractions, such as the Damyang Dynasty Country Club in South Jeolla Province; Ragung Hanok Hotel in Silla Millennium Park in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province; Hilton Namhae Gold & Spa Resort in South Gyeongsang Province; Grand Hyatt Seoul ice rink; Lotte Hotel World's Emerald Room; Farmer's Table in Heyri; and Yangpyeong English Village.

[14][15] The series' international popularity extended to Japan,[16] Thailand,[17] Vietnam, Singapore, India, Nepal, Malaysia, Taiwan,[18] Sri Lanka,[19] and Zambia among others.

[20] The Seoul chapter of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) criticized the series for being the epitome of materialism and the Cinderella complex, saying it sets a bad example for Korean dramas by depicting school violence, and teenagers indulging in pleasure and prejudice toward others based on their appearance and social class.