I started watching Meteor Garden at the middle part of the second season. I was smitten by its story and having to wait till the next day to find out what happens added to the excitement.
I was amazed at how intricately these drama writers (the playwrights and Ms. Yoko Kamio herself) could've come up with almost real situations. I was just disappointed with the last episode of MG2 because it was cut abruptly. I wanted more ShanCai <3 Dau Ming Sz action - a pulling together of strings - but then, it was assumed by many viewers that a season 3 would realize. In vain.
Nonetheless, MG became my staple background noise whenever doing paper work. It helps greatly that the Taiwanese F4 are hunks!
Last year, a friend of mine recommended Itazura Na Kiss the anime series. That was something else! I'd use every chance I get to watch episode after episode, and to my secret chagrin, was even reduced to tears by paper and pencil (CGI, of course!) and the late Tada Kaoru's amazing imagination... though she went ahead before her story was finished, the ones who concluded INK did a good job in giving Irie Kun and Kotoko their happy ending.
I was glad this year to have watched Boys Over Flowers, the Korean version. It gave more depth to the Taiwanese version. Same characters, same plot. But the differences in versions give one and the same story more depth and detail.
An now, here I am loving Fated to Love You. I have to admit, the practical, level-headed part of me says that the way Ji Cun Xi and Chen Xin Yi met is bull. But then again, the escapist is more than willing to enter the story. I also have to add, it is not a series for children (unlike BOF which could at least pass, though PG is still needed due to violence) - and even too whimsical for impressionable minds. But heck! I watch it alone, so I indulge myself - - - -
Indeed many thanks to the authors of these stories, who have painstakingly followed their passions of bringing their imagination to celluloid life. These stories are wonderful in themselves, for all their merits and imperfections, but hey, they're part of us now.
At the end of the day though, I think about how, though dreamy and exciting these TV series are, they are merely 1 dimensional copies of reality. Like my younger cousin wisely said (and I bet she's not the only one who realizes this) - the best telenovela is our own lives... but hey, some jaded people (wink!) need their prince charming in 24 episodes just to get by.
Long live love stories, though many belong in books and TV... at least some of us can live it vicariously...
