When Meteor Garden premiered in 2001, few could have predicted the impact it would have across Asia. The hit Taiwanese drama not only became a pop culture phenomenon but also catapulted its four leading men into superstardom, paving the way for the birth of F4.
In this edition of PUSH Saga, we revisit F4's meteoric rise to fame and how they became one of the most influential Asian acts of their generation.
Meet The F4
At the heart of the hit manga adaptation of Hana Yori Dango was the Flower Four, more popularly known as F4, composed of Dao Ming Si, Hua Ze Lei, Xi Men, and Mei Zuo. The iconic characters were portrayed by then-rising actors Jerry Yan, Vic Chou, Ken Chu, and Van Ness Wu, whose careers skyrocketed alongside the show's success.
Before becoming a household name as Dao Ming Si, Jerry Yan first established himself as a model. Following his wins at the 1998 TVBS Modeling Competition and the Men's UNO Modeling Competition, he appeared in commercials and music videos before making his acting debut in a supporting role in 2000.
Meanwhile, Vic Chou's path to stardom came unexpectedly. The actor, who played the mysteriously charming Hua Ze Lei, was studying mechanical engineering when he reportedly accompanied a friend to the Meteor Garden auditions. Instead, it was Vic who landed a role in the series, marking his acting debut.
Ken Chu, who portrayed the flirtatious Xi Men, had a different journey to stardom. After returning to Taiwan at 17, he worked as a waiter before being discovered by renowned producer Chai Zhiping, who eventually cast him in the hit series.
Completing the group was Van Ness Wu, who played the carefree and charismatic Mei Zuo. Born and raised in California, Vanness moved to Taiwan to pursue a career in entertainment. Before acting, he was already making waves as a dancer, having learned breakdancing as a teenager and competing in numerous dance competitions throughout the 1990s.
Boy Band Debut
Fresh from the breakout success of Meteor Garden, the four stars officially signed with Sony Music Taiwan in 2001, the same year the series became a phenomenon across Asia. Riding on the momentum of the show's success, the group released their debut album, Meteor Rain.
F4 followed it up with Fantasy 4Ever in 2002. The album featured their iconic Mandarin version of ‘Can't Help Falling in Love,’ which was included in the Asian release of Disney's Lilo & Stitch soundtrack.
The same year, F4 embarked on their Fantasy Live World Tour, which attracted more than 600,000 fans across 19 shows in 12 cities, proving that their popularity had extended far beyond the small screen.
By 2003, Meteor Garden found a new audience in the Philippines after it aired on ABS-CBN. The series quickly became a sensation among Filipino viewers, further boosting F4's popularity in the country and cementing their status as one of Asia's biggest acts.
JVKV
In April 2007, at the height of their popularity, F4 was renamed JVKV due to legal reasons.
While Japanese publisher Shueisha, which owns the rights to Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers), had originally allowed the group to use the F4 name in 2001, the situation changed after Japan produced its own live-action adaptation of the manga. To avoid confusion between the different versions, the Taiwanese group adopted the name JVKV, derived from the initials of members.
Despite the name change, the group continued to release music together. In December 2007, JVKV released their third album, Waiting For You, although it still carried the F4 name.
The following year, F4 further cemented their popularity in Japan by staging a concert tour, becoming the first foreign act to hold seven consecutive concerts in the country.
At the peak of their fame, F4 seemed unstoppable. But as the years went by, the group quietly entered a hiatus, with each member focusing on his own career. So what exactly happened to Asia's biggest boy band? Find out in Part 2 of this PUSH Saga.
PUSH SAGA is a series focusing on subjects that have captivated audiences. We delve deeper into that fascination each month with new stories.