Recap "F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers" Episode 3

We’re finally back to F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers (YouTube, GMMTV, Viu) after the holidays. Episode 3 takes us to a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the original work as Gorya and family watch ‘Flower over Boy’ on TV, laughing about the classic trope of one falling onto another’s lips. Well, there you go.

Hanging with the guys, Thyme too thinks the lip-lock could only have been intentional as he giggles to himself. MJ and Kavin tease him about his first kiss but aren’t convinced that Gorya is interested. They’re more concerned about getting Thyme and Ren speaking again as social spreads the news of their falling out.

Mira is thinking the same thing as she tries to get Ren to end the stalemate. But he’s more curious about Mira’s plans for the future. She drops the bomb about wanting to follow her own path.

Meanwhile, Gorya is preoccupied with finding Ren to confirm that the kiss with Thyme was an accident. She resolves to return his handkerchief – an excuse to speak with him. But she can’t find him in the usual spots. MJ and Kavin catch her loitering and send her in the right direction.

Outside Mira’s house, Gorya accidentally eavesdrops on Mira and Ren arguing over her decision to return to France. And observes how upset Ren is.

As Mira publicly announces her plans, Gorya’s boss suggests that it’s an opportunity to get closer to Ren with Mira out of the way.

Her head full of Ren, Gorya jumps on the bus to school. Only, she finds that Thyme has bought out all the seats, likely making others late for work or school as it whizzes along. She’s not in the least impressed. As they bicker, a woman in the car behind the bus notices and forces it to stop.

Thyme rents the whole bus to hang with Gorya. Crowds are not his thing…

She kicks Thyme to the ground as he tries to run after after Gorya. Of course, it’s Thyme’s sister Tia, who has just returned to Thailand. She sends Gorya to school with her driver, noting she’d never seen her brother chase a girl before.

The siblings catch up about the family business and Thyme acknowledges that his carefree days are coming to an end. She thinks he may have grown up a bit, perhaps because of Gorya.

The next day, Gorya spots Ren throwing paper planes along with his dreams of a future with Mira. He explains their long-standing relationship, noting Mira’s stubbornness and that there’s nothing he can do. He takes Gorya to say farewell to Mira.

Mira gives Gorya shoes that will take her to good places, noting that it’s from observing Gorya that she was able to find the strength to make her choice. Gorya begs her to stay for Ren’s sake.

Ren overhears the exchange and later tells Gorya to stay out of it. She pushes him to find his strength, noting that having tried – doing everything one can – is its own comfort.

F3 and Gorya see Mira off at the airport. Ren shows up later, but with a ticket to follow her, thanking Gorya for propelling him. Thyme is upset at seeing his friend leave without discussing it, but they part as friends.

Ren follows Mira to France. Thyme and Ren part at the airport as friends.

Tia tells Thyme that their mother will be away on business, noting an opportunity to pursue Gorya freely and offering sisterly advice. She suggests he straightforwardly ask Gorya on a date.

Over the school TV channel and using her full name, Thyme commands when and where Gorya should meet him. She meets Kaning instead, intending to get her phone fixed as Thyme waits at the appointed venue.

Out shopping, Gorya notices a pre-recorded TV interview with Thyme and feels guilty, running to meet him. Several hours late, she finds him drenched and still waiting.

---

The Episode Review

Ren’s subtle finding of his paper plane – inscribed with the drawing of Mira – offers a little nod to fate, perhaps proving to Ren that what Gorya said about making an effort was correct. As it’s own character in much of Asian (and other) drama, Fate plays a role in gloriously making any action or decision feel sanctioned rather than a dice role. But as hindsight loves to assert, it’s all in the interpretation of the tea leaves.

Thyme, on the other hand, does not seem like a fate follower nor a rule follower, but someone trained military-style to take action to prove leadership, likely letting the PR team figure out the spin.

A key characteristic of the Thyme/F4 Leader role is absolute immaturity and the all-important opportunity to grow with the help of the object of his affection. F4 Thailand is hitting it super hard but there’s a slightly different flavour here. Whereas the character typically embodies a naivety and certainly a temper, here we see a guy that – when he loses his cool – may just cry rather than front.

The tearfulness is a little surprising each time – is it part of the Thai-ness or just a modern re-interpretation? While it’s still true to type, it also (at this point) seems like it could potentially become a barrier to a real relationship – that maybe he’s more than just immature and spoiled. Or could we interpret it as ‘in touch with his emotions’? More room to grow?

Let’s see how it goes – I’m curious to find out how they’ll turn this kid into the man he’s meant to become by story’s end. They’ve got 13 episodes to bring it home…