Boy, Oh (Flower) Boy: The Dramas

With a premise so shallow and mercenary—young women will go out of their way to watch cute guys, dontchya know—who would have guessed that there would be more to tvN’s Oh Boy! series of dramas than broad comedy and wish-fullfilment girl porn? (Not that there would have been anything wrong with that, necessarily.)

But it turns out that each of this series’ three installments has a lot more to offer—edgy production values, nuanced characters, and real insight into what it means to be young and searching for a future in today’s world.

So let’s take a moment to appreciate the most stunning recent development in drama land: every single one of tvN’s Oh boy! shows is actually good.

1. FLOWER BOY RAMYUN SHOP

October 31, 2011 to December 20, 2011

The concept

Pretty boys work together at a family-owned restaurant that specializes in ramyun.

What it really is

A spoofy, silly mix of drama types—equal parts school show, food pornography, noona romance, cohabitation farce, and spoiled chaebol shenanigans. Our heroine starts off as a teacher dealing with a particularly difficult student—who just happens to be the leading man, a devilish scamp who’s too pretty for his own good (and hers). Eventually she finds herself helping to run her family’s ramyun shop, along with a cadre of handsome young men.

The flower of my heart

Lee Ki Woo’s gentle giant Pillar, who fills the screen with sweet-hearted, narcoleptic charm. The male lead is a bit too groomed even for a flower boy (and appears to be eyebrowless, thanks to a haircut so trendy it’s already dated less than a year after the show finale).

The standout

Ba Wool, the tough high-school student with a heart of gold. His nickname is “Crazy Rooster.” Need I say more? 

What it’s lacking

This show isn’t as good with the darker emotions as it is with the zany laughs, which makes it feel shallow to some viewers.

What it has that the others don’t

Hot, hot kisses. (See above.)

2. SHUT UP: FLOWER BOY BAND

January 30, 2012 to March 20, 2012

The concept

Pretty boys in a rock band called, appropriately enough, Eye Candy.

What it really is

A coming of age story with a gritty, indie-rock vibe that focuses on a group of rebellious high school boys hungry to become rock stars. Along the way, they fight against the world, against each other, and against growing up, all the while trying to become the men they want to be.

The flower of my heart

Drummer Jang Do Il. He may not be much of an actor, but he sure is a looker—the only thing prettier than his scowl is his smile.

The standout

Byung Hee, the charismatic, slightly insane band leader the rest of the show’s characters orbit around, even long after he’s gone.

What it’s lacking

If you’re in it for the romance alone, this may not be the show for you. While there is a love story, the real heart of SUFBB is the tender (but realistically rough-and-tumble) bromance between the members of Eye Candy.

What it has that the others don’t

The gritty, working-class universe that surrounds the story and gives way to an insider peek into the world of Kpop hopefuls.

3. FLOWER BY NEXT DOOR

January 7, 2013 to February 26, 2013 (episodes 7 and 8 air this week)

The concept

A girl loner lives in a neighborhood chock full of flower boys. (Some people have all the luck.)

What it really is

A surprisingly moving, community-minded character study that centers on one of Kdrama’s most original female leads—a wounded, socially awkward professional editor who prefers spending time in her apartment to being out in the world (i.e., Amanda). Even the extreme proximity of unimaginably hot flower boys can’t lure her out, until quirky Enrique Geum emigrates from Spain to take up residence her heart.

The flower of my heart

Puppyish Enrique, who practically vibrates with energy and guileless good will. If you were to add up the cuteness of every single baby animal alive on the planet at any given moment, the total would still be several hundred ducklings (and at least one Korean-speaking elephant) shy of his massive appeal.

The standout

The over-worked, over-opinionated editor of Jin Rak’s webtoon, who has stolen every scene she’s been in with her exasperated commentary.

What it’s lacking

There are rumblings that some people think the plot is moving too slowly, but as far as I’m concerned any deficiencies must be in the still-to-air second act. This show’s pretty much perfect so far.

What it has that the others don’t

An outsider’s view of the world, thanks to the characters of Enrique (who’s just moved to Korea) and Dok Mi (who’s actually a citizen of her head more than she’s a citizen any country).

4. NEXT, PLEASE?

To date, the Oh Boy! shows are drawn from popular drama genres: foodie stories, music-centered plots, and workplace romance. In light of the recent trends, maybe the next one will have a supernatural angle? A flower-boy sageuk would be fun, too, although Sungkyunkwan Scandal has that pretty much covered. And you can’t go wrong with stories about girls pretending to be boys, which would give you an opportunity to crack jokes about how high-maintenance flower boys are, even compared to girlie girls.

What do you think the next entry in this series should be about?