Meteor Garden
Encyclopedia
Meteor Garden is a 2001 Taiwanese drama
starring Barbie Hsu
, Jerry Yan
, Vic Zhou, Vanness Wu
and Ken Chu
. It is based on Japanese
shōjo manga
series, , written by Yoko Kamio
. It was produced by Comic Ritz International Production (可米瑞智國際藝能有限公司) with Angie Chai (柴智屏) as producer and directed by Cai Yuexun (蔡岳勳).
The series was first broadcast in Taiwan on free-to-air Chinese Television System (CTS)
(華視) from 12 April 2001 to 16 August 2001. A supplementary mini-series, Meteor Rain
was produced in April 2001 and the sequel Meteor Garden II
was broadcasted from 11 November 2002 to 25 December 2002. The series is the first live-action television adaptation of the manga, followed by its sequel Meteor Garden II
and Japanese Hana Yori Dango
, its sequel Hana Yori Dango Returns
and South Korean Boys Over Flowers
.
At the conclusion of the series, F4 Jerry Yan
, Vic Zhou, Vanness Wu
and Ken Chu
continued to perform together and released three studio albums as quartet boy band F4
. They ceased the use of the name "F4" in 2007 at the objection of Japanese publisher Shueisha
, who owns the copyright to Hana Yori Dango, to avoid any confusion with the Japanese and South Korean version of the live-action adaptations of the manga. The group has since been re-named "JVKV", from the first initial of the quartet in order of descending age.
), who at the insistence of her parents goes to a university for rich people. The university is dominated by Dao Ming Si (Jerry Yan
), Hua Ze Lei (Vic Zhou), Mei Zuo (Vanness Wu
) and Xi Men (Ken Chu
), four rich and handsome but arrogant students collectively known as 'F4', short for 'Flower 4'. They are heirs to four rich and influential families in Taiwan. They terrorize the school by handing out red cards to those they do not like, which allows other students to bully the victims until they leave the school.
After one of Shan Cai's friends receives the wrath of F4's leader, Dao Ming Si, and receives a red card, Shan Cai stands up to Dao Ming Si and slaps him, which in turn results in a red card of her own. However, Shan Cai's persistence in standing up for what is right gradually gains F4's respect and Dao Ming Si falls in love with her.
The track, "情非得已" (Cant Help Falling In Love With You) is listed at number 21 on Hit Fm Taiwan's Hit Fm Annual Top 100 Singles Chart (Hit-Fm年度百首單曲) for 2001.
Meteor Garden Original Soundtrack (流星花園 電視原聲帶)
Track listing
Taiwanese drama
Taiwanese Drama refers to dramatic programming of television programming extended stories usually dramatizing relationships through the general range of ten to forty one-hour episodes. They are produced in Taiwan and have gained increasing popularity in the Mandarin-speaking community...
starring Barbie Hsu
Barbie Hsu
Barbie Hsu also known as Dà S |Mars]] with Vic Chou of F4. She has also acted in movies, her first being the Chinese movie The Ghost Inside. She also had a singing career prior to her acting career. She was in a duo group called "S.O.S." with her sister Dee Hsu. Their last album was called...
, Jerry Yan
Jerry Yan
Jerry Yan was born 1 January 1977. He is a Taiwanese actor and member of Taiwanese boy band F4. His birth name is Liao Yangzhen .-Career:...
, Vic Zhou, Vanness Wu
Vanness Wu
Van Ness Wu is a American actor, singer, director, producer based in Asia. He was born on August 7, 1978 in Santa Monica, California and worked as a telemarketer before moving to Taiwan...
and Ken Chu
Ken Chu
Ken Chu |F4]]. Educated in Singapore , he speaks Mandarin, Cantonese and English.-Biography:Chu was working as a waiter in Taiwan when he was discovered by Cai Zhiping, the creator of the boy band F4...
. It is based on Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
shōjo manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series, , written by Yoko Kamio
Yoko Kamio
is a Japanese manga artist and writer. She is most famous for , for which she received the Shogakukan Manga Award in 1996. Her work has been translated and distributed in Asia, Europe, and North America.-Biography:...
. It was produced by Comic Ritz International Production (可米瑞智國際藝能有限公司) with Angie Chai (柴智屏) as producer and directed by Cai Yuexun (蔡岳勳).
The series was first broadcast in Taiwan on free-to-air Chinese Television System (CTS)
Chinese Television System
Chinese Television System is a broadcast television station in Republic of China .-History:Founded on October 31, 1971, CTS started off as a joint venture between the ROC's Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Education. At the time of its establishment, CTS was the only VHF-supported...
(華視) from 12 April 2001 to 16 August 2001. A supplementary mini-series, Meteor Rain
Meteor Rain
Meteor Rain is a 2001 Taiwanese drama starring Jerry Yan, Vanness Wu and Ken Chu of F4 and Rainie Yang. It is a supplementary mini-series of the Meteor Garden series which is based on Japanese shōjo manga series, , written by Yoko Kamio. It was produced by Comic Ritz International Production with...
was produced in April 2001 and the sequel Meteor Garden II
Meteor Garden II
Meteor Garden II is a 2002 Taiwanese drama starring Barbie Hsu and F4: Jerry Yan, Vic Zhou, Vanness Wu and Ken Chu. It is the sequel to 2001 Meteor Garden and is based on Japanese shōjo manga series, , written by Yoko Kamio...
was broadcasted from 11 November 2002 to 25 December 2002. The series is the first live-action television adaptation of the manga, followed by its sequel Meteor Garden II
Meteor Garden II
Meteor Garden II is a 2002 Taiwanese drama starring Barbie Hsu and F4: Jerry Yan, Vic Zhou, Vanness Wu and Ken Chu. It is the sequel to 2001 Meteor Garden and is based on Japanese shōjo manga series, , written by Yoko Kamio...
and Japanese Hana Yori Dango
Hana Yori Dango (TV series)
Hana Yori Dango is a Japanese television drama series, broadcast on TBS in 2005. It is based on Japanese shōjo manga series, , written by Yoko Kamio. The series is the third television adaptation of the manga following Meteor Garden and its sequel Meteor Garden II in Taiwan. It also resulted in...
, its sequel Hana Yori Dango Returns
Hana Yori Dango Returns (TV series)
Hana Yori Dango Returns is a Japanese television drama series, broadcast on TBS in 2007. It is the sequel to 2005 Hana Yori Dango TV series, based on Japanese shōjo manga series, , written by Yoko Kamio, and followed by movie adaptation Hana Yori Dango Final.-Synopsis:Hana Yori Dango returns for...
and South Korean Boys Over Flowers
Boys Over Flowers (TV series)
Boys Over Flowers is a South Korean television drama series starring Ku Hye Sun, Lee Min Ho, Kim Hyun Joong of SS501, Kim Bum, Kim Joon of T-Max and Kim So Eun. It premiered on January 5, 2009 on KBS2 and ended on March 31, 2009 after 25 episodes....
.
At the conclusion of the series, F4 Jerry Yan
Jerry Yan
Jerry Yan was born 1 January 1977. He is a Taiwanese actor and member of Taiwanese boy band F4. His birth name is Liao Yangzhen .-Career:...
, Vic Zhou, Vanness Wu
Vanness Wu
Van Ness Wu is a American actor, singer, director, producer based in Asia. He was born on August 7, 1978 in Santa Monica, California and worked as a telemarketer before moving to Taiwan...
and Ken Chu
Ken Chu
Ken Chu |F4]]. Educated in Singapore , he speaks Mandarin, Cantonese and English.-Biography:Chu was working as a waiter in Taiwan when he was discovered by Cai Zhiping, the creator of the boy band F4...
continued to perform together and released three studio albums as quartet boy band F4
F4 (band)
F4 is a Taiwanese boy band. The group began in the Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden as F4 with members Jerry Yan, Vanness Wu, Ken Chu, and Vic Chou...
. They ceased the use of the name "F4" in 2007 at the objection of Japanese publisher Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
, who owns the copyright to Hana Yori Dango, to avoid any confusion with the Japanese and South Korean version of the live-action adaptations of the manga. The group has since been re-named "JVKV", from the first initial of the quartet in order of descending age.
Synopsis
The story centers around a poor teenage girl named Shan Cai (Barbie HsuBarbie Hsu
Barbie Hsu also known as Dà S |Mars]] with Vic Chou of F4. She has also acted in movies, her first being the Chinese movie The Ghost Inside. She also had a singing career prior to her acting career. She was in a duo group called "S.O.S." with her sister Dee Hsu. Their last album was called...
), who at the insistence of her parents goes to a university for rich people. The university is dominated by Dao Ming Si (Jerry Yan
Jerry Yan
Jerry Yan was born 1 January 1977. He is a Taiwanese actor and member of Taiwanese boy band F4. His birth name is Liao Yangzhen .-Career:...
), Hua Ze Lei (Vic Zhou), Mei Zuo (Vanness Wu
Vanness Wu
Van Ness Wu is a American actor, singer, director, producer based in Asia. He was born on August 7, 1978 in Santa Monica, California and worked as a telemarketer before moving to Taiwan...
) and Xi Men (Ken Chu
Ken Chu
Ken Chu |F4]]. Educated in Singapore , he speaks Mandarin, Cantonese and English.-Biography:Chu was working as a waiter in Taiwan when he was discovered by Cai Zhiping, the creator of the boy band F4...
), four rich and handsome but arrogant students collectively known as 'F4', short for 'Flower 4'. They are heirs to four rich and influential families in Taiwan. They terrorize the school by handing out red cards to those they do not like, which allows other students to bully the victims until they leave the school.
After one of Shan Cai's friends receives the wrath of F4's leader, Dao Ming Si, and receives a red card, Shan Cai stands up to Dao Ming Si and slaps him, which in turn results in a red card of her own. However, Shan Cai's persistence in standing up for what is right gradually gains F4's respect and Dao Ming Si falls in love with her.
Major characters
| Drama character | |Manga character | Characteristics | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shan Cai (董杉菜) | Barbie Hsu Barbie Hsu Barbie Hsu also known as Dà S |Mars]] with Vic Chou of F4. She has also acted in movies, her first being the Chinese movie The Ghost Inside. She also had a singing career prior to her acting career. She was in a duo group called "S.O.S." with her sister Dee Hsu. Their last album was called... |
Tsukushi Makino | She is a hardworking, tough girl who always defends the weak. She first likes Hua Ze Lei, but then starts to have feelings for Dao Ming Su. As her life gets tougher, she just keeps enduring, earning the respect of all the F4 boys. |
| Dao Ming Si (道明寺) | Jerry Yan Jerry Yan Jerry Yan was born 1 January 1977. He is a Taiwanese actor and member of Taiwanese boy band F4. His birth name is Liao Yangzhen .-Career:... |
Tsukasa Doumyouji | He is stubborn, hot-headed leader of F4, and distrustful of everyone but his three childhood friends. He thinks money can solve anything. He is at first is angry at Shan Cai for her defiance but, over time, he comes to love her. |
| Hua Ze Lei (花澤類) | Vic Chou Vic Chou Vic Chou is a Taiwanese actor, singer and commercial model. He is a member of the Taiwanese boy band F4, and has starred in Taiwanese dramas. His stage name, 周渝民, literally means “a completely changed person”... |
Rui Hanazawa | He is a soft-spoken and kind boy whose opinion Dao Ming Si relies on. His friendship with Dao Ming Si almost ends over Shan Cai. He loves his childhood friend, Jing. He becomes Shan Cai's protector and close friend, and later falls in love with her. |
| Xi Men (西門) | Ken Chu Ken Chu Ken Chu |F4]]. Educated in Singapore , he speaks Mandarin, Cantonese and English.-Biography:Chu was working as a waiter in Taiwan when he was discovered by Cai Zhiping, the creator of the boy band F4... |
Soujiro Nishikado | He is a fun-loving playboy of F4 that only date girls no longer than a week and close to Zuoling. Whom Xiaoyou is attracted to. |
| Mei Zuo (美作) | Vanness Wu Vanness Wu Van Ness Wu is a American actor, singer, director, producer based in Asia. He was born on August 7, 1978 in Santa Monica, California and worked as a telemarketer before moving to Taiwan... |
Akira Mimasaka | He is the other playboy who is very loyal to his group of friends. |
Minor characters
| Drama character | |Manga character | Characteristics | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shan Cai's mother (杉菜母) |
Wang Yue (王月) | Keiko Makino | While a loving mother, is desperate to get Shancai married to a rich man. She is the one who uses some contacts she has to get Shancai into the F4's school. |
| Shan Cai's father (杉菜父) |
Dong Zhicheng (董至成) | Haruo Makino | He is always sneaking food and seems to have no luck with his job which he later loses. He seems to always cause the family financial problems. |
| Xiao You (小優) | Rainie Yang Rainie Yang Rainie Yang , born June 4th, 1984, is a Taiwanese singer, Golden Bell Awards actress and talk show host.-Career:Yang began her career in 2000, as a member of Taiwanese quartet girl group 4 in Love, where she was given the stage name of Rainie, matching the weather theme of each member. The group's... |
Yuki Matsuoka | She is Shancai's best friend and has romantic feelings towards Xi Men. |
| Teng Tang Jing (藤堂靜) |
Winnie Qian (錢韋杉) |
Shizuka Todou | She is very close to Lei. While he loves her, she seems to see him as a younger brother most of the time. |
| Li zhen (李真) | Ye An Tin (葉安婷) |
Sakurako Sanjou | She at first seems to be Shancai's only friend at school, but later betrays her. |
| Chen Qing He (陳青和) |
Edward Ou Edward Ou Edward Ou was born on 16 October 1980 in Taiwan. He is a Taiwanese actor. He graduated from from Taipei Hwa Kang Arts School in 1998. Ou is junior to other Taiwanese entertainers such as Barbie Hsu, whom he co-starred with in the Meteor Garden series, and Dee Hsu; and senior to Alien Huang, Rainie... |
Kazuya Aoike | He is a childhood school friend of Shancai whose father gains a sudden fortune and joins her school. He is also in love with Shancai but is willing to stay her friend only. |
| Dao Ming Zhuang (道明莊) |
Mary Hsu (徐華鳳) |
Tsubaki Domyouji | She is Dao Ming Si's older sister. |
| Daoming Feng (道明楓) |
Zhen Xiu (甄秀珍) | Kaede Domyouji | She is Dao Ming Si's controlling mother. |
| He Yuan Zi (何原滋) | Ke Huan Ru (柯奐如) |
Shigeru Ookawahara | She is a strong-willed girl who is engaged to Si by their parents to merge companies. She asks to be Shancai's friend and Shancai cannot say no as she likes Xiaozi despite being engaged to Si. Xiaozi does all she can to get Si to love her, but gives up when she knows that Si will always love Shancai. |
| Bai He (百合) | Zheng Mei Dai | ||
| Qian Hui (千惠) | Zhang Ruo Zhen |
Difference from other versions
- Shan Chai's Japanese and Korean counterparts, Tsukushi and Jan Di, had a younger brother who played a small part in the story.
- Meteor Garden was set in a university while the Japanese and Korean versions occurred in a high school (escalator) school.
- Shancai's bestfriend, Qinghe, is not shown in the Japanese and Korean counterparts
Music
- Opening theme song: "情非得已" Qing Fei De Yi (Can't Help Falling for You) by Harlem YuHarlem YuHarlem Yu was born 28 July 1961. He is a Taiwanese Golden Melody Award singer-songwriter. He was the first artist to experiment with the style of R&B and rap in Chinese music. He has released 14 studio albums. He contribution to the Asian music industry has earned him the reputation of 'God of...
- Ending theme song: "你要的愛" (The Love You Want) by Penny Dai
The track, "情非得已" (Cant Help Falling In Love With You) is listed at number 21 on Hit Fm Taiwan's Hit Fm Annual Top 100 Singles Chart (Hit-Fm年度百首單曲) for 2001.
Meteor Garden Original Soundtrack (流星花園 電視原聲帶)
- Released: 14 August 2001
- Label: EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
- Language: MandarinStandard ChineseStandard Chinese, or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
and English - Format: Soundtrack albumSoundtrack albumA soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
(CD) - Genre: MandopopMandopopMandopop is a colloquial abbreviation for "Mandarin popular music." It is categorized as a subgenre of commercial Chinese-language music within C-pop. Mandopop was the first variety of popular music in Chinese to establish itself as a viable industry. As the name implies, Mandopop features songs...
Track listing
- "道明寺傷心之歌" (Love of My Life - Queen)
- "情非得已" Qing Fei De Yi (Can't Help Falling in You) by Harlem YuHarlem YuHarlem Yu was born 28 July 1961. He is a Taiwanese Golden Melody Award singer-songwriter. He was the first artist to experiment with the style of R&B and rap in Chinese music. He has released 14 studio albums. He contribution to the Asian music industry has earned him the reputation of 'God of...
- "杉菜與花澤類之歌" (Perfect Moment - Martine McCutheon)
- "花澤類的成全" (And I Love You So - Don McLean)
- "告白" (I Love You, Honestly I Love You - Olivia Newton-John)
- "道明寺的初戀進行曲" (When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman - Dr Hook)
- "西門的約會" (Loving You - Minnie Ripperton)
- "我是雜草杉菜" (Never Surrender - Corey Hart)
- "BYE BYE! 花澤類" (Almost Over You - Sheena Easton)
- "杉菜的傷心之歌" (Settling - Tara MacLean)
- "分手" (I'll Never Fall in Love Again - Emma)
- "流星項鍊" 鄭鈞╱流星
- "你要的愛" (The Love You Want) by Penny Dai
International broadcasts
- Indonesia: broadcast on IndosiarIndosiarIndosiar is a publicly owned national television station in Indonesia, and has been operating from West Jakarta since 1994. It was listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange in 2004. Citibank Singapore has an 8.5 percent shareholding...
then rerun on Trans TVTrans TVTrans TV is an Indonesian national television station based in South Jakarta. Owned by Chairul Tanjung, it began broadcasting on 15 December 2001 based in Jakarta. On 15 December 2006 based in Jakarta due to its half ownership by Trans Corporation, a company that also owned Trans 7...
and Trans7. Meteor Garden was hugely successful and set Asian drama phenomenon in the country at that time. - Philippines: broadcast on ABS-CBNABS-CBNABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ...
, Cinema One, GMA NetworkGMA NetworkGMA Network is a major commercial television & radio network in the Philippines. GMA Network is owned by GMA Network, Inc. a publicly listed company...
and Q TV. In 2003, when it was first broadcast on ABS-CBNABS-CBNABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ...
, its reached a 57.4% peak rating with an average rating of 42.9% in mega Manila and a peak of 73.0% nationwide with an average of 62.0%. - Hong Kong: on ATV WorldATV WorldATV World , is one of the free-to-air English language television channels in Hong Kong, the other being its arch-rival TVB Pearl. Its sister station, ATV Home, broadcasts in Cantonese language...
and TVB PearlTVB PearlTVB Pearl is one of the two free television services in Hong Kong that mainly broadcast in the English language, the other being ATV World. It is owned and operated by Television Broadcasts Limited, and together with its sister Cantonese language station TVB Jade, is broadcast from TVB City at 77... - Xing KongXing KongXing Kong is a Mandarin language TV channel owned by STAR TV, also known as STAR Chinese Channel China, It was voted "Satellite Channel of the Year" at the 2002 China Television Programme Awards. The channel is packed with more than 700 hours of original programming each year, with content that...
(STAR TVSTAR TVSatellite Television Asia Region is an Asian TV service owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. It is headquartered in Hong Kong, with regional offices in mainland China, Taiwan....
General Mandarin Channel): broadcast Meteor Garden on 2 June 2009 as part of Boys Over Flowers Trilogy along with Japanese and South Korean adaptations.