F4 and BARBIE Mania Returns!by Nitz A. Miralles
People's Insider Mag
May 25, 2005 Vol. 6, No. 39
RATINGS-WISE, and due to viewers' curiosity, the re-airing of Meteor Garden in ABS-CBN 2 is very successful. In its pilot episode, the series hit a 26.2% rating against the 11.9% of Sweet 18 in GMA 7.
The decision of ABS-CBN 2 to re-air the full edition of the Chinovela is a result of the ongoing network war. This is an idea of Freddie Garcia to neutralize the topping of shows of rival GMA 7 in the ratings.
It was two years ago when they've first shown MG which changed the TV viewing habits of Pinoy {slang for "Filipino"}. We recall that we are one of the press groups that were invited in the preview of its first two episodes and, there and then, we felt that the series will be a hit. We also remember that it was Vic Zhou as Hua Ze Lei that we first noticed, but we were contradicted by Pat Daza, who is so into Dao Ming Si (Jerry Yan) even if it was just the preview. We both liked Barbie Xu who has a feisty role as Shan Cai. As the Chinovela progresses, the Pinoys loved Ken Zhu (Xi Men) and Vanness Wu (Mei Zuo) as well.
It is nice to reminisce friends and colleagues hurrying home from work and school just to catch MG on air and, after each episode, talking about it among themselves.
Not only that : Just so that the Chinovela may be watched over and over again, the burned and pirated copy of MG became in-demand. Fans learned to navigate Divisoria to search for F4 stuff like bags, notebooks, pencil cases, caps, T-shirts, etc. A lot strolled in Ongpin in search of OST or Original Soundtrack of F4 and Barbie and sister Dee Xu, who form the duo ASOS.
Fertile became the imagination of Filipino fans in writing stories where Jerry, Barbie at F3 are the leads. We are very fond of fan fictions in
www.winglin.net/fanfic and we were very proud of fellow Pinoys who have superior stories over other nationalities posting stories there.
Following MG is MG II, which even if not much liked by fans of Jerry and Barbie, they were still saddened when the series ended. When the airing of MG II has ended, the solo series of F4 was shown and even if it didn't clicked well, it remained in the hearts of the Filipino fans.
CONCERT IN THE RAIN
THE fame of MG paved the way for F4 and Barbie and Dee to the Philippines.
We cannot forget when Ken, Vanness and ASOS had a concert at the ULTRA open field because, even if it was raining, no one left their places. We were amazed that fans know the songs of Vanness, Ken and ASOS, especially those included in the OST of MG and they sang along even if it's in Chinese.
It was a also a huge crowd when Channel 2 brought F4 and ASOS in their 50th anniversary. The open field of The Fort was filled that night. And the following concert of F4 held at the covered court of ULTRA was a big hit as well.
Among F4, it is Jerry who has been in the Philippines five times and two of those are courtesy of Ben Chan of Bench (more on this; just read on). It's three times for Barbie and the last visit was for her Pantene Shampoo endorsement.
Personally, F4, Barbie and MG have done a lot for us. We made a lot of friends who are online friends at first, then became textmates, finally, whom we've come to know personally. We rediscover friends who are mostly F4 lovers. Special Mention to Guinevere of JnB Team, and Lizette Baniquette and Emily Constantino, both Jerry Yan Philippines. We were invited in their affairs in which, unfortunately, we were not able to attend because of busy scheds.
LATEST NEWS
IT is from them and through the Internet that we get news on F4 and Barbie and we will share these with you:
Do we hear it right that two months from now Jerry is coming back to the country? Bench, again, will be the one to bring him here; but then, it seems that it is Cebu he will be visiting and not Manila.
There's a new Pepsi commercial for F4 which is being shot in Hong Kong and Saigon. As of now, the Pepsi TV commercial of Vanness is being shown.
They say, F4 will be filming a movie, and their fans are hoping that this pushed through since it has been a long time plan.
F4 has just gone from Japan to promote MG and did a pictorial as well. Reportedly, it's not only Korean stars who are famous in Japan since there's already Taiwanese invasion with F4 leading.
Jerry is scheduled to film a new TV drama entitled White Tower by Director Cai, the megman of MG and God Mars. Jerry plays a young doctor in the TV drama which has yet to start production because there's still no leading lady. Fans of Jerry and Barbie are hoping that it will be Barbie to be paired up with him now that they are friends again. Also, Barbie has mentioned that she and Jerry have talked and are willing to work again in a project as long as the script is good.
Vanness has done a movie entitled Draon Squad; Ken has just finished a solo album and Vic is continuing his studies.
As for Barbie, she can still be seen in 100% Entertainment, her TV show with sister Dee. She is also the newest Avon endorser in Taiwan. The fans are awaiting the airing of Singing In The Midnight. She rejected the offer to lead in The Qing Dynasty Palace due to the schedule. Its filming start on June but since it will be only by August that she will be available, she cannot accept any new TV drama.
On local TV, a lot are awaiting for Mars of Barbie and Vic, but, because it is Channel 7 that has the exclusive rights to air this here, fans of Jerry, Vanness and Ken might not watch this. More so now that F4 Fever is back and that Meteor Garden is on air again?
Please credit guinevere of Jerry and Barbie Proboard
jerryandbarbie.cjb.net/ in posting this elsewhere.
