Whether or not you are a fan of previous Boys Over Flowers adaptations, you need to watch this. I went in with no expectations and was blown away.

I've never had success with any BOF iteration. The Japanese, Korean, and Chinese adaptations all had enough overplayed tropes, cringy moments, and problematic messaging to turn me off on them.

This version is an exception.

This adaptation gets it right: it maintains the heart of the original story that continues to capture hearts to this day while injecting its own charm into the story. I was charmed from the get-go. The production was sound, the OST was not annoying (the bare minimum I ask for in dramas, LOL), and the acting was impressive for a majority rookie cast.

I cannot gush enough over the script and storytelling. The redemption of our Bad Boy character was glorious-- in all previous versions, I failed to see why anyone would forgive him for his actions, but this version sold it to me with sincerity. Consent, bullying, socioeconomic class, politics, business, and feminism are all touched upon in an organic manner that never seemed forced. The family bonds and platonic friendships at the center of the story are the glue that holds this beautiful story together.

The liberal product placement is a fair trade for being able to watch the show for FREE on YouTube. Run, don't walk!