Boys Before Flowers: F4 Talk Show Special

As you probably know by now, Gu Hye-sun’s recent accident caused some filming delays, so a special broadcast aired today instead of a regular episode. Episode 17 will air on Tuesday, so next week’s episodes will be 18 and 19.
Also, a few other bits of news:

• There will be NO extension.
• Therefore the series will end on Monday, March 30, followed by another special broadcast.
• A second OST will be coming out, which will include Kim Hyun-joong’s acoustic-y version of “Because I’m Dumb.”

SONG OF THE DAY
Kim Bum-soo – “보고싶다” (I Miss You). This is the song Kim Hyun-joong plays on the piano at the very end of the special. [ Download ]



The photos below include shots of Gu Hye-sun’s smashed van. The F4 guys all visited her in the hospital and expressed their concern, and wished her a speedy recovery.

In General
It was a little awkward. Okay, really awkward. But since this was a last-minute hour of programming thrown together to have something to air today, it’s understandable. There was nothing that revealing, mostly chatting about how they got their parts, their favorite segments, NGs, and so on.
For those interested in timeline, the drama began shooting on November 5. They traveled overseas on their Macau shoot on December 1, and the series premiered on January 5.

Hosts were announcer Han Seok-joon and singer-entertainer-MC Hyun Young.
I know a lot of people find Hyun Young annoying, and I have thought so too, but you have to give her credit — she’s really good as host. She was particularly helpful in glossing over some of the awkward “talk show” portions, because she breezes on to keep things moving and doesn’t let the mood die. Han Seok-joon was good, too, and it was cute to see that these two are obviously fans of the show. (I hate when the MCs of specials have obviously barely seen the show and ask stupid questions.)

Some tidbits

• [Lee Min-ho says:] They get about 2 to 3 hours of sleep in a good night. When shooting is tight, they have to get by on one or two, finishing one night’s shoot and jumping straight into the next day’s.
• [Kim Hyun-joong] The entire crew, not just the actors, have lost about 5 to 6 kg each.
• [Lee Min-ho] The reality of their popularity struck after episodes 3 and 4, when they would go to outdoor shoots and be inundated with fans, sometimes 2,000 to 3,000 spectators watching the filming.
• [Lee Min-ho] To get some of their footage, the crew had to pretend to pack up for the day to get fans to go home. Then they would come back after everyone left, to shoot in the dead of night/early morning. This also contributed to filming delays.
• [Lee Min-ho] His favorite scene is the first (real) kiss with Jan-di on the swing, on the playground.

Both hosts mentioned some of their favorite lines and asked Lee Min-ho to re-enact them. He messed up a couple times, but you know what, it’s a little startling (and cool) to see him go from laughing and modest right into character.
They requested several lines (like Jun-pyo’s exchange with Jun-hee about the types of men she hates). It’s cute because it showed both hosts actually follow the show closely — and, I think, also telling that all the lines they asked for were from Min-ho.

Casting

• [Lee Min-ho] Went to his second audition with a perm.
• Current Jun-pyo hair is the sixth perm they tried.
• [Kim Hyun-joong] He first heard news of his casting when in Japan with SS501, preparing for a concert. Was on his laptop and saw the internet reports.
• Surprised, he called his reps to ask what this was about, and thought it was a joke.
• He didn’t actually seem that excited to have gotten the part (or at least, he seemed like he was put out that he was cast without being told). He thought he should work on the group album first, but his management company’s president told him to take the role since it would be a good opportunity.
• [Kim Bum] Was cast later, after his stint on East of Eden.
• [Kim Joon] Auditioned several times, and saw Lee Min-ho at one audition. Wondered what was up with his weird perm. First impression of him was that Min-ho was tall and glared a lot.
• [Kim Hyun-joong] Regarding his impressions of his co-stars: He first saw Lee Min-ho in Public Enemy Returns and knew him as “that kid who dies.” Saw Bum in Eden and knew him as “that guy who cries well.”
• [Kim Hyun-joong] Although he and Kim Joon were both singers, their activities didn’t overlap, so they met for the first time on this drama.

Thoughts on the other F4 guys

• [Kim Joon] Min-ho has an unexpectedly cute side, a kinda dumb charm. For instance, Jun-pyo’s laugh is Min-ho’s real laugh.
• [Kim Joon] Hyun-joong is the “mood-maker,” which means he lightens the set, says funny and oddball things.
• [Kim Joon] Bum is the youngest but very mature. He helped him (Joon) a lot with acting.

(KIM JOON IS SUCH A GOOD SPEAKER. I keep forgetting he’s the least experienced — not just in acting but in the entertainment business overall. He has a very easygoing energy, he interviews well, he speaks smoothly and answers questions well. Bum tends to not say much, Min-ho seems bashful, and Hyun-joong comes across a little reserved and disconnected, but also says some funny things without meaning to be funny. Joon is awesome. I can totally see how he was cast despite a nonexistent profile or credits to his name; he definitely has “It,” that star appeal.)

About Kim Joon

• [Kim Hyun-joong] Kim Joon, like his character of Woo-bin, is the one who solves problems.
• [Kim Hyun-joong] Joon will say he can’t do something, but then it’ll turn out he’s really good and he’ll win at everything. Calls him “a bit like a con artist” in that respect (everyone cracks up).
• [Lee Min-ho] Joon is too modest, because he’ll say he’s not good at something but there’s nothing he can’t do.

NGs
Most of these have already aired (some were at the end credits of previous episodes), but there’s one part that was funny. In the scene at the Macau resort hotel, in which Jan-di spies Jun-pyo getting friendly with a woman at the bar, the unedited raw footage shows that the two actors are just trading greetings like “Hello.”
The Chinese actress says some Korean phrases she knows (”thank you,” “oppa,” “I love you”), then a few things in Chinese. (All the while they’re in character, looking chummy.) Min-ho says at one point, “I don’t know what she’s saying,” and then, “I’m out of things to say.”
Min-ho is named (by Hyun Young) the NG King. He admits that he’s the first to own up when he’s messed up.

The sets
The special ends with a tour of Jun-pyo’s and Ji-hoo’s rooms. Kim Joon has actually never visited Ji-hoo’s set, because his character has never been there.
Earlier, when Hyun Young asked about their musical skills, she requested a guitar performance from Hyun-joong (he complied), then from the others. The other guys deflected, saying they could play the piano but not the guitar. Here, there’s a piano, so she asks Kim Bum and Lee Min-ho to play. They both say they’re not very good, but play a tune each. (Min-ho’s not lying; he stumbles through “Moon River” but it’s adorable.)
And then, Kim Hyun-joong closes off with the song posted at the top, “보고싶다” (I Miss You).

And that’s it! See y’all tomorrow when the fun resumes!