Drama Review~Shut Up Flower Boy Band

I'm having serious drama withdrawals again...and this time I think its worse. After just finishing up Secret, I went and finished watching Shut Up Flower Boy Band and boy did that show know how to hit you in the right spots emotionally. I can honestly say that only 6 dramas have left deep impressions with me loong after I've watched them. It really says alot about the quality of the dramas. Never have I been so satisfied with an ending before. Usually korean drama endings either leave you lacking or they cram too much that it overwhelms the storyline. SUFB had the opposite affect. Instead of leaving us hanging they gave us everything we wanted. Each storyline was wrapped up and they left us wishing we could continue the journey in each of the guys lives but also all good things must come to an end.  

Shut Up Flower Boy Band was a beautifully written drama encompassing the lives of 5 young guys through their teenage angst years. It follows them going through betrayals, fights, friendships, breakups, and finally coming together again. The drama realistically portrayed the characters and the things they went through. Yes there will be times that you'll get mad at your best friend because they forgot your birthday or something, but they always make up for it in the end. Even as I write this review, I tear up thinking about the characters. To me there really weren't any secondary characters because each person was all intertwined together by a common ground, the band.

Ji Hyuk

Besides Byung Hee, he was my favorite character. Ji Hyuk struggled to become the leader that Eye Candy needed but what he didn't realize at first was that he could never be the leader that they had before. Instead, he had to be the leader they needed, and as a friend and band mate that was all that was needed. Quiet, and not one to talk much, Ji Hyuk was essentially the bands connection to each other. It might have seemed that they needed Eye Candy to be together as a band in order to function but we see as time goes on that it wasn't the band but that they just needed each other. In the beginning, yes it was the music/band that brought them together and you can argue, kept them united. But as time went on and Byung Hee passed away, things started to change and their priorities started to shift. I believe that some of the guys did let the fame get to their heads and that is completely understandable but for Ji Hyuk it was never about the fame or money, but getting Byung Hee's dream to come to pass. The scene where he gets angry at him for dying is sad and moving. We had watched up to 12 episodes and never saw him really show any anger towards Byung Hee dying but at his lowest point when he's go no one to be with him, is when he starts to question everything that they had done. The only reason Ji Hyuk even considered joining the company was because of Byung Hee's dreams. He was perfectly content living the life of obscurity, but because of his promise to him, conceded. He's not your typical leader because he wasn't ready to take on the role. 

As we see throughout SUFB him and Hyun Soo tend to butt heads alot with the latter usually triggering their arguments. What we don't find out until later on is how close the two once were. As Ji Hyuk explains to him when he FINALLY asks what happened to them, Byung Hee needed him more since both had more things in common like each didn't have a parental figure to look up to and they were both lonely. In contrast to Hyun Soo having a loving family and home to go to every night versus the boys "cold and empty" homes. Also Ji Hyuk's gruff, non-confrontational personality was a huge reason that this "rift" between the two went unchecked. He's not the type to go to another person and just spill his thoughts and feelings, he'd rather deal with it on his own, then when ready join the group again.

Honorable Mention for favorite Episode:
When he pleads with Seung Hoon to let them stay in the competition in front of the entire school. Not only did he sacrifice his pride but his position as this fearless leader who doesn't bow down to anyone. I love how after dealing with him admitting he's with Soo Ah, the boys always come back to that one moment never forgetting all he gave up for them.

Hyun Soo

Ooooh this one. Honestly, at first I wasn't a fan of this character because I foresaw based on his personality that something bad was gonna happen within the band and he would be the main cause of it all. Ha, thank God I was proven wrong! Hyun Soo has the type of personality that might seem cold and snarky at first look but its actually a cover up to conceal what he's really feeling inside. It took me about halfway through the show to figure him out because I just wrote him off as cold and unfeeling towards everyone except his family members, even at some points in the beginning he seemed the odd one out. Everyone else seemed to have this harmony with each other and Hyun Soo was the one who kinda stood in the background. Eventually, I figured that it was because of his previously close relationship with Ji Hyuk that once Byung Hee came along was in a way pushed to the side. Not on purpose but to Hyun Soo it seemed that way. As I came to figure him out and understand why he acted that way I came to really love this guy.

Honorable Mention for Favorite Episode: 
The entire scene when he confronts Ji Hyuk about why their relationship waned after Byung Hee came unto the scene. It was such a long-awaited moment for me to finally hear what happened between them and why. Out of all the relationships on the show, the one between these two were my favorites. And it killed me whenever Hyun Soo was mad at him for long periods not knowing all that Jo Hyuk sacrificed just so that he could keep his contract.

Byung Hee

I loved this guy and was terribly hurt and upset when his character was killed off. I was aware that Lee Min Ki was only going to be in a couple of episodes but didn't think his appearance would be so short. So I was caught off guard when he was killed. Byung Hee is a unique individual. He's the kind of person you meet and immediately think their this cool human being you want to spend the rest of your time with because they have this oddly charming vibe about them. He was fearless, enigmatic and witty. The closet thing to his heart were his band mates. He lived and breathed through them and through the music they created together.

The relationship between Byung Hee and Ji Hyuk was another personal favorite. They had such trust and respect for each other. Each came from a broken home situation, and yet leaned on each other for family support. Though their home lives may not have been the picture-perfect setting, it didn't stop them from creating wonderful music together. That essence of their relationship is what I missed the most throughout the drama and wished it didn't have to end quite so suddenly. They were the yin and yang of the group and once it was broken, it was up to Ji Hyuk to pull it together and become the leader Eye Candy needed at that moment. As cheesy as this will sound,  Byung Hee started the group and set them on their feet,  and Ji Hyuk took them to the finish line.

I always wondered why did he go against Pyo Joo alone when he knew what this kid was capable of doing. He's got such an easy-going personality and doesn't seem to take life too seriously but there are only two times I can remember in the show where he became serious. When he first saw his muse Soo Ah for the first time and after Pyo Joo told him to come alone to get the new "drums". He was aware of the trap that Pyo Joo set up but was still willing to go alone. And while you could argue that Pyo Joo didn't physically kill him, we all know his huge part in the matter.

Here's a quick mini review for the other characters:

 This girl was pretty awesome if I say so myself. I didn't think I would like her as much as I did in the end. Su Ah was a strong girl, she stood up for herself when it needed to be done and knew that she wanted. No frills or messing around with her.

 Ha Jin was my feisty/noona-playboy one. Always one of the first to start a fight, and occasionally that side of him would clash with some of the other members especially Hyun Soo. Always quick to defend his bandmates and a loyal friend. His friendship with Kyung Jong was too adorable. When they were in a fight everyone felt it not just those two.

 Do Il, my romantic one. I'm glad he got his happy ending with Woo Young. He's the silent, mysterious type that under most circumstances is calm but there are times like when dealing with Jo Hyuk's lack of attention to Bang Woo Kyung's feelings, that we see there's more to him then meets the eye.

 Seung Hoon could have been the typical second-lead who does evil things all in the name of love, but he never got to that point if at all. He loved Su Ah fiercely but also loved her enough to realize her feelings lied with Jo Hyuk and not him.Evantually he learned to let go of Su Ah and pursue his own dreams in life.

Kyung Jong the cute one. He's the kind one out of the bunch and he's got a soft heart. Always smiling and up for good times. He's friendship with Ha Jin is so cute to watch because their like a married couple with the wife part belonging to Kyung Jong.

I will never forget theses characters and how much I enjoyed watching their stories unfold on screen,

Unfortunately this review was a whole lot shorter than I anticipated mainly because I was super busy with school things, that it was put on hold for some time. And then when I came back to it, I lost all motivation, I'm sure you all know that feeling.