F4 Pop Culture

"Boys Over Flowers" is a South Korean tv drama that is immensely popular right now. Based on a Japanese manga series, and following related Japanese and Taiwanese television shows, the drama is about a group of high school students, namely a poor female student and four rich male students. As the four boy characters are viewed in real life as handsome and are pop culture idols, the drama is also commonly referred to as "F4"--"Flower 4" or "Flamboyant 4".

My students here in Korea have been passing around pictures of the actors/actresses, and one student recently showed off an F4 notebook/pencil case/pencil set.

One large cell phone provider announced the marketing of an F4 cell phone.

Unfortunately, an actress from the show committed suicide last week, the latest in a series of Korean celebrity suicides.