Flower Boy Next Door ep 1: Dramatic Friday Review

I would like to title this post "A Lesson in Why You Should Never Start a New Drama after Midnight".  It was either that or "Flower Boy Next Door - Mr Roger's Had Nothing on this Neighborhood".

I'll explain the first first and the second I think will just kind of be clear on its own as we delve a little deeper into this review.

By the way, hi!  I guess I should make some comment about how this is my first review in a little while.  But chances are that you already know that.  Chances also are that even if you didn't, you probably don't care much.  This may even be your first time here since new dramas tend to do that.  If so, welcome!  We hope you like us.  We hope you come back for more.  We hope that you tell all your friends about us.  We're not needy or anything (psshh), we just like to meet new people and share in our K love together.  One big happy K family.  Aww!

Now that that's over with, let's talk eye candy.  Serious, serious, diabetes-inducing eye candy, otherwise known as this wonderful new drama called Flower Boy Next Door.

This was one that I've been looking forward to ever since I learned of its upcoming existence a month or so ago.  I guess I'm just a sucker for the whole "Flower Boy" genre.  Yes, I do believe that that is what I will call this sub-genre.  It needs a name.  It deserves a title.  Flower Boy Lovers unite!

So, now for me to explain my first title choice for this review.  Y'all are going to think me crazy, and not just because I openly admit to being crazy (it is in the very name of this blog after all - not exactly meant to be a secret).  I watched the first episode and was not that impressed.  And then the cypersphere lit up with how amazing this drama was and how everyone was loving it already and I knew I had missed something.  Especially when I watched episode two and was DYING of laughter, in the public library no less.  I knew right then and there that I had obviously missed something the first time around.  See, this is why you should never start a new drama after midnight, or anytime you're fighting to stay awake.  Tiredness and brand new episodes do not meld well.  Take my word for it if you haven't learned this life lesson yet for yourself.  Just don't do it.  Don't make the same mistake I made.  Be fully awake and aware and able to enjoy the hilarity as it was meant to be enjoyed.  I just rewatched episode one this morning and it made all the difference.  This is a dang funny show.  And chocked full of pretties.  Oh so pretty pretties.

Let's meet our dynamic and very lovely cast, shall we?

Enrique (Yoon Shi Yoon)
International gaming sensation.  Just flew in from his home in Spain and is staying with his brother, the doctor, Han Tae Joon.

Han Tae Joon (Kim Jung San)
Doctor.  Gorgeous.  Has a dog.  Lives directly across the way from our heroine.

Go Dok Mi (Park Shin Hye)
Our heroine.  Hides in her apartment, scared of any human interaction.  Has a serious crush on Han Tae Joon after a chance meeting in the park right before she realizes he lives in the apartment across the way from her of which she has a perfect view and "steals glimpses of him everyday".  Okay, she's more like a stalker, just not a creepy stalker.  Sure, there are binoculars involved and she knows his daily routine and mimicks them, but no, not in a creepy way at all.  Totally sane and normal.  o.O  Eh, she's cute and lovable and when you're cute and lovable, the stalker in you is also cute and lovable.

Oh Jin Rak (Kim Ji Hoon)
Next door neighbor (apt 401) of Go Dok Mi (apt 402).  Lives with his roommate and business partner.  Aspiring webtoon creators.  Has a little crushy crush of his own on his fair maiden neighbor next door.

Yoo Dong Hoon (Go Kyung Pyo)
The roommate and business partner of Oh Jin Rak.  Hilarious personality.  Thinks he is all that and a bag of shrimp chips.  Wonderful comedic potential with this one.

Watanabe Ryu (Mizuta Kouki)
Just moved in down the hall.  "Met" our heroine when he accidentally mistook her apartment for his as he was moving in.  She had been "stealing a peek" at Han Tae Joon when this encounter took place.  I think this one will be the cute and quirky foreigner who has a hopeless one-sided love with his quirky neighbor, but of course that is pure speculation at this point.

Name Unknown (don't know and too lazy to look it up)
I don't know her name and she will most likely not play a major role in this drama, but I just have to bring her up because she totally made me laugh in these first two episodes.  I am talking of the ahjumma in the apartment building that strikes me as a total cougar.  The security guard obviously has a thing for her, but she obviously has a thing for the pretty boys she is surrounded by.

Yoon Seo Young (Kim Yoon Hye/Woo Ri)
Knows Enrique and they obviously have a long history together.  I'm thinking they were childhood friends/their families were close because she also knows (and loves) the doctor brother Han Tae Joon.  It appears that Enrique loves her, but knows, and confirms, that she is holding out for the brother.  How many sides will this love shape (I can't even call it a triangle because I have a feeling it's going to be a lot larger than that) have I wonder?

That should get us started.  One girl, lots of gorgeous men living around her.  At least one is already interested in her, but I see at least two more coming on board soon.  Any guesses as to which two I suspect?  Leave your guesses in the comment section below for a chance to win, well, nothing, except the satisfaction and bragging rights of being a good predictor of love interests in an Asian drama.

Most of this episode was just spent introducing our characters, there wasn't a big storyline to follow yet.  The only real plot-like action was when Dok Mi was spying one morning and watched a boiling kettle fall on the sleeping dog.  In a panic she runs after the good doctor to tell him that his dog is hurt, but chickens out at the last minute, unable to tap him on the shoulder and get his attention.  She calls 119 (Korean 911) to report a possibly injured dog and then goes to the door and starts talking to the puppy through the door.  She is caught by Enrique who has just shown up.

She panics and runs.  Later, while checking on the dog with her trusty binoculars, she is once again caught, this time peeping, by Enrique.

He spots her and then runs over to confront his Peeping Tom.  We end the episode with all of the pretty boys converging at once at her place.  An enraged Enrique, a cute and quirky Watanabe bringing over a friendly "meet the neighbors" bread basket, and an interested Jin Rak opening his door.

This one looks like it will be a winner.  Don't believe me?  Watch episode 2 to confirm.  Just not in a silent public library late in the evening unless you want strange looks from fellow library patrons.  Just trust me on this point.  And stay tuned for more rambunctious frolicking fun that is sure to follow....