K-lover61
UK
Great for a binge
For a drama of short episodes, this packs in a lot of story.
All the things that humans are guilty of doing, not just in school, but adult life too, are incorporated into the plot.
There are characters being labelled and judged based on their appearance (when it should be character), unhealthy obsession, one-sided crushes, jealousy and the spitefulness that brings out, feeling alone/rejected and the importance of friendship.
The cast are pretty natural and suit their roles. I thought some of the best female acting came from supporting cast member Joo Hyun-young, who was convincing as a no-nonsense, level headed and loyal friend.
There were aspects of the story that could have done with being treated more seriously, seeing as the issues were introduced in the first place....
The obsessive character of wannabe boyfriend Heo Jin-soo was no joke; he harrassed, had tailed and got physical with Yeon-doo, all pointing to the possibility his behaviour would escalate further, not to mention using his father's position in the police and bullying tactics (he had no problem using violence or seeing another person get seriously hurt) ~ hopefully consequences will come in S2.
The teacher accusing Hyun-ho with no evidence and in front of the entire class, was also wrong; if that's an example of S.Korean teaching, it's unprofessional and unethical... so much for supporting efforts and welcoming change; I also didn't get why those that knew didn't speak up immediately.
The sudden and prolonged attack from Se-chan was very weird, especially with where that suddenly went, which was bizarre given he seemed to relish the attack. No comeback there though.
I didn't like how not just 1, but 2 characters, 'conformed' and changed their images to fit in with people they liked ~ to me that is a message to youth saying society and peers will never accept you unless you look 'normal', clean-cut and don't stand out unless it's for grades or achievements. I get that in school a uniform isn't just about establishment ~ it's also about belonging and does actually ensure poorer kids aren't as noticeable based on their wardrobe, or those dressed by mum and picked on for it. However, that had nothing to do with this. Instead of the judgemental attitude changing, the character did ~ that's a major let down for me.
This series was pretty entertaining to watch overall though and I liked all the main characters.
Be interesting to see where this goes in S2.
All the things that humans are guilty of doing, not just in school, but adult life too, are incorporated into the plot.
There are characters being labelled and judged based on their appearance (when it should be character), unhealthy obsession, one-sided crushes, jealousy and the spitefulness that brings out, feeling alone/rejected and the importance of friendship.
The cast are pretty natural and suit their roles. I thought some of the best female acting came from supporting cast member Joo Hyun-young, who was convincing as a no-nonsense, level headed and loyal friend.
There were aspects of the story that could have done with being treated more seriously, seeing as the issues were introduced in the first place....
The obsessive character of wannabe boyfriend Heo Jin-soo was no joke; he harrassed, had tailed and got physical with Yeon-doo, all pointing to the possibility his behaviour would escalate further, not to mention using his father's position in the police and bullying tactics (he had no problem using violence or seeing another person get seriously hurt) ~ hopefully consequences will come in S2.
The teacher accusing Hyun-ho with no evidence and in front of the entire class, was also wrong; if that's an example of S.Korean teaching, it's unprofessional and unethical... so much for supporting efforts and welcoming change; I also didn't get why those that knew didn't speak up immediately.
The sudden and prolonged attack from Se-chan was very weird, especially with where that suddenly went, which was bizarre given he seemed to relish the attack. No comeback there though.
I didn't like how not just 1, but 2 characters, 'conformed' and changed their images to fit in with people they liked ~ to me that is a message to youth saying society and peers will never accept you unless you look 'normal', clean-cut and don't stand out unless it's for grades or achievements. I get that in school a uniform isn't just about establishment ~ it's also about belonging and does actually ensure poorer kids aren't as noticeable based on their wardrobe, or those dressed by mum and picked on for it. However, that had nothing to do with this. Instead of the judgemental attitude changing, the character did ~ that's a major let down for me.
This series was pretty entertaining to watch overall though and I liked all the main characters.
Be interesting to see where this goes in S2.
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