F4 Reunites at Mayday Concert, Sparking Nostalgia Among Fans

The Taiwanese boy band F4 delighted fans with a surprise reunion at a concert by rock band Mayday in Taipei on Saturday. The quartet took the stage to perform their iconic ballad, Meteor Rain, during a sold-out event that drew approximately 40,000 attendees to the Taipei Arena. This performance evoked a sense of nostalgia, as many concertgoers enthusiastically joined in singing.

served as the theme song for the hugely popular 2001 television drama Meteor Garden, which starred F4 members Jerry Yan, Vanness Wu, Vic Chou, and Ken Chu. The series, adapted from the Japanese manga Boys Over Flowers, not only propelled the band to stardom but also became a cultural phenomenon across Asia, establishing the “idol drama” genre. The show featured Barbie Hsu in the lead role and told the story of a working-class girl navigating a prestigious school dominated by four wealthy boys known as F4. Hsu’s recent passing from pneumonia in February added a poignant layer to the reunion.

The success of Meteor Garden inspired numerous adaptations throughout Asia, including Japan’s Hana Yori Dango in 2005, South Korea’s Boys Over Flowers in 2009, and China’s Meteor Garden in 2008. F4 originally disbanded in 2009 but briefly reunited in 2013 for a performance at China’s Jiangsu TV’s Spring Festival Gala.

At Saturday’s concert, Mayday’s frontman, Ashin, whose real name is Chen Hsin-hung, shared that it took considerable effort to coordinate the reunion. “Everyone overcame a lot of obstacles to make this picture a reality,” he stated during the event.

F4’s performance included a collaboration with Mayday on the song The Song of Laughter and Forgetting. Yan expressed gratitude towards Mayday for facilitating this reunion, saying, “This is something I could not have imagined would happen again in my lifetime. It’s also made us reminisce about our youth.” His bandmate Wu echoed this sentiment, thanking fans for sharing a “beautiful evening” with them.

Fans reacted with enthusiasm, many taking to social media to express their excitement. One user on X exclaimed, “OMG!! Thank you Mayday!! My childhood is alive. It’s crazy seeing [F4] perform again.” Another fan reflected on the emotional impact of the reunion, saying, “Hello to the inner child in you jumping up and down because #F4 just reunited! Tour soon? We hope!”

According to Taiwan’s Mirror Media, F4 is reportedly planning a concert next year to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut. However, this information has yet to be confirmed by the artists or their representatives.

As the evening concluded, the reunion not only reignited fond memories for fans but also highlighted the enduring legacy of F4 in the entertainment industry, where all four members remain active.