Throwback Thursday|Live Action Drama OST Throwback

Hello, hello~ I’ve got this week’s Throwback Thursday post!~ Though I suppose it’s kind of late… I apologize. I’ve been overwhelmed with a lot of stuff and didn’t have my head on straight. I thought it was Wednesday, not realizing it’s already Friday. I apologize fam… As you know, I’m trying to ease back into my expertise of Real People Stuffs. I’ve previously talked about some of my favorite Anime OST~ Today, I’m going to talk about some of my favorite live action drama OST~ I’m going to try to keep it mostly to the classics…so around the early-mid 2000s. Basically when live action dramas were really starting to take off. Like I said before, I’m hella old a veteran when it comes to being a Asian drama/movie fan.

流星花園/Liu Xing Hua Yuan|METEOR GARDEN (2001)

This Taiwanese drama is known as one of the classic and most famous Asian dramas. It’s loosely adapted from the 花より男子/Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) series. If you’re familiar with Hana Yori Dango, you know it’s hella popular and has been adapted into live action dramas -MANY- times. In fact the most recent one is a remake of Meteor Garden and just started airing on Netflix. However, the original 2001 version of Meteor Garden is the OG adaptation of Hana Yori Dango. There was a 1990’s Japanese drama adaptation, but it definitely did not reach the same popularity as the other adaptations.The 2001 version of Meteor Garden was hellaaaaa popular, and the 4 main dudes (Jerry Yang, Vic Chou, Vanness Wu, Ken Chu) who played the F4 went on to be an incredibly popular Taiwanese boyband called, you guessed it, F4. These dudes were everywhere. The opening song from this drama was incredibly popular as well. To this day, 情非得已/Qing Fei De Yi (Can’t Help Falling For You) by Harlem Yu (庾澄慶/Yu Cheng Qing) is still known as a popular and classic song. You’ll still find people singing this or using it in those Tik Tok or Douyin videos.

Harlem Yu (庾澄慶/Yu Cheng Qing)
情非得已/Qing Fei De Yi (Can’t Help Falling For You)

惡魔在身邊/ E Mo Zai Shen Bian | Devil Beside You (2005)

This is considered another classic Asian drama. The Taiwanese drama Devil Beside You was based on the manga series 悪魔で候/Akuma de Soro (The Devil Does Exist). It starred Mike He and Rainie Yang (杨丞琳/Yang Cheng Ling). Rainie is a popular and well known Taiwanese singer and actress. She was also in Meteor Garden as well. She sang the ending song 曖昧/Ai Mei (Ambiguity) for Devil Beside You. It’s probably one of her most well known songs, and another very popular C-Pop song. It’s also one of my favorite Chinese songs to karaoke to~

Rainie Yang (杨丞琳/Yang Cheng Ling)
曖昧/Ai Mei (Ambiguity)

惡作劇之吻/ E Zuo Ju Zhi Wen|It Started With A Kiss (2005)

This drama was based on the shoujo manga イタズラなKiss/Itzura na Kiss (Mischievous Kiss). Yes, this Taiwanese drama was a popular adaptation that came out before the 2010 Korean drama 장난스런 키스 (Playful Kiss) and 2013 Japanese drama イタズラなKiss ~ Love in TOKYO (Mischievous Kiss ~ Love in Tokyo). It starred popular actress Ariel Lin and actor Joe Cheng as the main characters. Jiro Wang (of boygroup Fahrenheit) and Tiffany Hsu (also known as Ann Hsu) starred as the secondary characters.

Lara & Jason
Say U Love Me
This track featured Lara Veronin(梁心頤/Liang Xin Yi; Lara Liang) and Jason (王威登/Wang Wei Dang). Lara is an American born Taiwanese-Russian singer and actress. At the time she was a member of the group 南拳妈妈/Nan Quan Mama. Her bandmate Chase Chang had a brief role in the drama as well. Lara is famous for having been featured in many of Jay Chou’s (周杰倫/Zhou Jie Lun) songs. I love her. She has a sweet voice and is a really sweet person. I was lucky enough to have some interactions with her online~ Your girl has had her covers featured on her company’s Facebook page and Instagram~ Jason was a rapper and actor who was a part of 鐵竹堂/Iron Bamboo Tang. He also appeared in the drama as one of the minor characters. Originally this song had Landy Wen (温岚/Wen Lan). Landy’s version appeared only in the beginning of the first episode [Here]. However, I personally find that Lara’s voice suited it much better. Her sweet voice really suited that sweet and innocent love kind of feeling for the drama.

Lara
靠近一點點/Kao Jin Yi Dian Dian (Come A Little Closer)
Lara also sang this acoustic track as one of the insert songs for the drama. It’s actually  originally one of the songs called 橘子汽水/Ju Zi Qi Shui (Orange Soda) from Nan Quan Mama’s album 2號餐/ Er Can Hao (Meal No. 2). The lyrics are completely different though. Lara’s solo version is made to suit the feelings of the female lead character in her seemingly one sided love for the main male lead. While I like both versions, I do prefer Lara’s solo version a bit more. It’s a bit softer and sweeter.

Jason & Landy Wen (温岚/Wen Lan)
能不能/Neng Bu Neng (Can or Can’t/ Can We)
This R&B track is another insert song. It’s one of my favorite Chinese songs ever. Though I didn’t care for Landy’s version of Say U Love Me, I do love this song. I find it a smooth track and easy to groove to.

Tangerine Wong (王藍茵/Wang Lan Ying) 
惡作劇/E Zuo Ju (Practical Joke)
This was the ending theme for the drama. I found it to be a cute song. I also really liked it because it really suited the drama and the characters; Particularly the female lead.

풀하우스|Full House (2004)

This is another OG of Asian dramas. This drama was based on the manhwa (basically Korean manga) of the same name. Although it’s very loosely based on the manhwa…from what I remember anyway. It starred actress Song Hye Kyo (송혜교) and singer turned actor Jung Ji Hoon (정지훈). Jung Ji Hoon is probably more well known under the name 비/Bi or Rain. This drama was hellaaaaaaaaaaaaaa popular. Rain was already incredibly popular from his singing career. However, these roles launched both actors into incredible popularity and established their statuses as Hallyu stars.

별/Byul
I Think I
This is another classic and incredibly famous song. There are a few different versions in different languages as well. The Thai version is by Katreeya English, and the Chinese version is by Christine Fan. This is probably one of my favorite Korean drama OST songs.

이보람/Lee BoRam of SeeYa
처음 그 자리에/ Choeum Geu Ja Ri Ae (Back to the Beginning)
This is also one of my all time favorite OST tracks. To be honest I can’t tell who originally sings this beautiful track. Each source lists a different singer from R&B songstress Lyn/린, Lim Jung Hee/임정희, to Lee BoRam/이보람 of SeeYa. I think it is Lee BoRam though?

궁/Goong|Palace/Princess Hours (2006)

This drama is based on the manhwa of the same name. The title literally means “Palace”, however “Princess Hours” was the alternative English title for the drama. The drama was really popular when it came out. It starred actor Joo Ji Hoon and singer/actress Yoo Eun Hye of Baby V.O.X. To be honest, the drama was aiight. When I rewatched it like 2 years ago, I found it a bit cringy and annoying. However, I liked it because it really highlighted Korean culture and history. The drama was basically takes place in an alternate 21st century where Korea still has a royal family. It’s basically a Cinderella story. I loved the use of the hanbok and the modern interpretations of the hanbok. However, that discussion will be for another day. The other thing I loved about the drama were the hella cute teddy bears. The Teddy Bear Museum basically had recreated scenes from the drama with teddy bears. It was basically the little cute transition scene in the drama. The drama basically sparked popularity in the Teddy Bear Museum

Howl & J
Perhaps Love
I love this duet by Howl and J. They really fit well together. This is also one of my go to Korean songs to karaoke to~ There was also a Thai version by Ice Saranyu and Rose Sirintip. I love singing that one too hehe~

花より男子/Hana Yori Dango| Boys Over Flowers (2005)

While Meteor Garden was the OG adaptation, this 2005 drama was the popular Japanese adaptation of the manga. It starred Inoue Mao and Arashi member Matsumoto Jun as the main leads. It also starred actor Oguri Shun, Matsuda Shota, and Abe Tsuyoshi. The popularity of this adaptation and Meteor Garden led to South Korea’s version known as 꽃보다 남자, or Boys Before Flowers/Boys Over Flowers. I admit it was a bit cheesey. Many people preferred the Korean version over this one. However, I still really liked this version. When I rewatched it a while ago, I didn’t cringe as much as I expected to. Also I totally loved Oguri Shun in this.

大塚 愛/Otsuka Ai
Planetarium (プラネタリウム)
Otsuka Ai was known to be a pretty and kind of quirky J-Pop singer. I loved her because her songs were always hella fun. You can bet that I love singing her songs. I really loved this ballad. Utada Hikaru contributed Flavor of Life as the insert song for the second season, but I’d say that I loved Planetarium. I’m a big Utada fan, but Planetarium is the first song I think of when I remember this drama.

嵐/Arashi
Wish
As I said, the drama starred Arashi’s Matsumoto Jun as the main lead. His group provided the theme songs for both seasons of the drama. Wish and Love So Sweet are both really happy and upbeat songs. They were what you expected from a J-Pop idol group of the time. I do love J-Pop, though I listened to more J-Rock and K-Pop. Still, I loved both songs, but Wish is probably my favorite out of the two.

花ざかりの君たちへ イケメン♂パラダイス/Hanazakari no Kimi Tachi E: Ikemen Paradise| For You In Full Bloom (2007)

This is probably one of my all time favorite J-Dramas. This was a live adaptation of the 花ざかりの君たちへ イケメン/Hanazakari no Kimi Tachi E (For You In Full Bloom) manga. There was previously a 2006 Taiwanese adaptation starring singer/actress Ella Hsu of S.H.E. There was later a Korean adaptation in 2012 called 아름다운 그대에게/Areumdaeun Geudae-ege (To The Beautiful You). That one starred SHINee’s Minho and Sulli, who was still a member of f(x) at the time. I loved the Japanese version because of how comical it was. It really was like a manga brought to life, full of gags and breaking the fourth wall. It starred Horikita Maki and Oguri Shun as the leads. It also starred Ikuta Toma, Mizushima Hiro, Yu Shirota, Okada Masaki, and a whole bunch of other great actors. I really loved the cast. There was also a 2011 Japanese remake of the drama. I wasn’t a big fan of that one though.

ORANGE RANGE
イケナイ太陽/Ikenai Taiyou (The Bad Sun)
Orange Range is one of my favorite J-Rock bands. They have some awesome songs. I’m sure everyone is familiar with their hit *~Asterisk(＊～アスタリスク～) from the Bleach anime. This was a fun song and it fit that fun atmosphere of the drama.

大塚 愛/Otsuka Ai
PEACH
Otsuka Ai also provided the ending theme for this drama. I loved this song because it’s just a fun and upbeat song. Again, it fit with the feel and theme of the drama as well.

BONUS:

SPEC（スペック）| SPEC (2010)

This drama right here is probably my all time favorite drama. Although in this case, a manga was released based on this drama. This drama was incredibly popular. It’s actually a sequel to the 1999 J-Drama ケイゾク/Keizoku (Unsolved Cases). However, the 2010 season was incredibly popular. It had a few specials and movies. It starred popular actress Toda Erika and actor Kase Ryo. It’s a quirky and fun kind of cop meets mystery and supernatural drama. I will say that it kind of gets a bit confusing though since it’s quite long. I’ve watch every episode, special, and movie…I still get a bit confused.

The RiCECOOKERS
波のゆくさき/Nami no Yukusaki
The theme song for the series was by the Boston based Japanese band The RiCECOOKERS. They’re an alternative rock band. I really loved the song and found that I’d have it stuck in my head. The band wrote and performed both a Japanese and English version of the song. What I found most interesting though, is that each episode and movie featured a different version of the song. It wasn’t just whether the song was in English or Japanese, but they also changed the sound and style of the song for each episode. Every version could be found on the TV SPECial Collection.

The RiCECOOKERS
NAMInoYUKUSAKI
This was the English version~

The RiCECOOKERS
NAMInoYUKUSAKI – TV SPECial Collection

Who else is a drama fan? How many of these did you recognize? What are some of your favorite live action drama OST? Let me know in the comments or through Twitter~