Taiwanese boy band F4 delighted their fans with a surprise reunion at the Mayday concert held in Taipei on Saturday. The iconic group's performance of their beloved ballad "Meteor Rain" evoked a wave of nostalgia among the crowd of 40,000 fans, many of whom joyfully sang along. "Meteor Rain," synonymous with the hit 2001 drama "Meteor Garden," was instrumental in propelling F4—comprised of Jerry Yan, Vanness Wu, Vic Chou, and Ken Chu—into stardom.
Following the series' success, which was adapted from the popular Japanese manga "Boys Over Flowers," F4 gained a massive following across Asia, paving the way for the "idol drama" phenomenon. The show also featured Barbie Hsu, whose passing earlier this year from pneumonia made the reunion even more poignant.
Initially disbanding in 2009, F4 came together four years later for a special performance during the Spring Festival Gala on Chinese television. At Saturday's concert, frontman Ashin of Mayday shared that it took considerable effort to reunite the four members, stating, "Everyone overcame a lot of obstacles to make this picture a reality." Mayday, often heralded as the "Beatles of Asia," further enhanced the evening by collaborating with F4 on their song "The Song of Laughter and Forgetting."
Jerry Yan expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Mayday for orchestrating the reunion, stating, "This is something I could not have imagined would happen again in my lifetime." His bandmate Vanness Wu echoed these sentiments, appreciating the chance to reminisce about their youth. Although all four members are now in their 40s, they remain engaged in the entertainment industry.
The reunion sent shockwaves of excitement through social media, with fans clamoring for a dedicated F4 concert. Comments on various platforms celebrated the reunion, with one fan remarking, "My childhood is alive!" Reports suggest F4 may hold a concert next year as part of their 25th-anniversary celebration, although this has yet to be confirmed by the group.
