⋆ Heartwarming, relaxing drama about the teachers in a high school
⋆ Positive for me was that it didn't focus too heavily on the students as it's a workplace drama
⋆ I related to the main character
⋆ Highly recommend this to anyone looking for Slice of life
— Contract/Temp Teachers
Even if a temp teacher teaches like any normal teacher, they still do not have the same rights under the law as a permanent teacher.
The start of the episode focuses on the effect of this after “sudden” death of a temp teacher. The family are left to suffer whilst not getting the same rights as a permanent teacher’s family.
This briefly shows at the gap/error in the law that places a lot of people at a disadvantage.
— College Admissions
A lot of work goes into achieving X number of college admissions for a school so that they can survive. This places a lot of pressure on teachers.
They even started after-school club for high achievers. The first half of the drama showed how great this was
— Unfairness for students
This drama also showed how providing support just for high achievers pushes the other students away. They feel unsupported.
The latter part of the drama focuses on creating a space for those students who don't make the cut for the special clubs.
— Growth
This drama has a lot of character growth. It was heartwarming to see how each character had their arc and growth. How some teachers were promoted, how some left. The realistic approach and dialogue was much appreciated. I could relate.
Overall, lovely drama which I highly recommend to slice of life watchers/lovers!
Was this review helpful to you?
Unsung heroes
This is the kind of school drama we (or at least I) needed. Black dog, the dog that no one adopts at the shelter, or the dog that is left behind, or the dog that is unnoticed (I nearly cried at that close up shot of the little puppy). It's the dog that silently waits to be recognised. Much like the teachers at schools who struggle behind the scenes to make the magic that is a school year (senior year, in particular), work. So maybe, Black Dog is more a workplace drama but irrespective of the name or genre, it is the heartwarming story of one Go Ha Neul and her life as a teacher at Daechi High.It's not just her who is the Black Dog, though. It's all of the College Advisory department- the loud and gruff Park Seong Soon, kind and perceptive Bae Myung Soo and the charismatic Do Yeon Woo. It's also Ji Hae Won who's been under contract with the school for six years and those who are permanent fixtures at the school. Black Dog is their story. It centres around teachers and tells their story- stories that are unheard of by the walls of the school.
By showing teaching in a new light it prompts us to think. How many of us knew what happened behind the screen in the staff rooms and departments? As students, our only perspective of those who teach was as a teacher- a homeroom teacher, a maths teacher or a social sciences teacher. Beyond that they were also as human as any of us with likes and dislikes, dreams and aspirations. Even excluding those, it’s probably not as easy to be a teacher as they all make it seem.
Case in point, Go Ha Neul, who struggles from day 1 to be the kind of teacher she saw as a student and realising it’s not as easy or rosy as she thought. She is new and a bit naive but is worldly enough to accept the challenge and face it head on. My most favourite moment of her will be when she realises that teachers can be wrong as well. Seo Hyun Jin, whom I’ve long disliked, aces the role so well that she might have as well been Go Ha Neul her whole life.
Go Ha Neul’s relationships with those around her also deserve a special mention, though these pertain more to her character than to the story. Be it her open adoration of Seong Soon, or her camaraderie with Myung Soo, Yeon Woo, Yi Boon and her students, or her guilt-ridden gratitude and friendship with Young Sook, there is an earnestness that’s endearing and inspiring. Her perseverance, determination and effort are laudable. And when she exchanges couple-teddy bears with her favourite person, it’s just plain adorable.
Black Dog’s biggest strengths are its characters- they are flawed, and hence relatable. The world doesn’t just have teachers like those in the College Advisory team. There are people like Song Young Tae, Han Jae Hee and Ha Soo Hyun as well. Likewise, there are students who are unlike Goo Jae Hyun or Jin Yoo Ra. Black Dog makes an effort to include all these little things and incorporates them fittingly into the storyline. The back and forth storytelling narrative also keeps things from becoming boring.
Black Dog wouldn’t have been possible without the stellar performances of its cast. They are all natural and in their element. There is no romance, but plenty of chemistry and honestly, Myung Soo’s suggestion in the final episode should have been given much earlier. The music, clothing, colour palette and cinematography all contribute together to the gentle and soothing feel the drama aims to give. The twinkle in Ha Neul’s eyes every time she’s happy is just the cherry on top of everything.
Was this review helpful to you?
Good story untill 13 ep
It's a slow pace slice-of-life drama well written to reflect the challenges teachers face in an ordinary Korean school. It has a nice character growth and a realistic plot. The best thing is the cast, they are amazing in their roles. It was good untill 13th episode were the writers just lost the north. I understand they wanted to depict another side of the reality in the schools but it just didn't worked out. Last 3 eps are just boring, confusing and annoying because they destroy many of the nice things done before. I was really disappointed with the ending.Was this review helpful to you?
Good
The best thing about this drama is that it wasn't from the student perspective but from the teachers' perspective. It does a lot right and delivers a decent package. However, it is worth noting that, given its lengthy runtime of over 20 hours, there are moments where the narrative can become monotonous or lose its momentum. Additionally, a minor thing that irked me a bit is how certain students looked a bit too old to be a teenager.Was this review helpful to you?
softly, simmering beauty
I recommend this beauty. I found the first half of the first episode so boring. So I put it on pause. Then suddenly I picked it up after a few weeks and LOVED it.The story is different. It was interesting to see the universe in which teachers' operate. We often only think of teachers in the classroom. And it was quite an eye-opener to see how much work, thought and effort they put into structuring their lessons and thinking of students. Of course, not all teachers are dedicated to the extent shown in this drama. But it was still lovely to see good teachers being highlighted.
And who can escape work politics! Hehehe. I quite enjoyed watching all the shenanigans unfolding. But it was sad to see what the female lead had to go through when she was first an outcast just because of unfair accusations.
This drama is a brilliant and a hidden gem. Please watch it. I really liked all the characters and felt they were perfectly cast.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Interesting,deep,super realistic and emotional but sometimes boring
I did like it though as it talks about teaching from its different perspectives and how hard it is to teach and reach pupils' attention and love ... It also shows how bad it is to treat pupils differently according to their grades and reveals that being in your comfort zone is something we have to stop when there are opportunities that can make the experience better ... We have to try something new and see if it works cz if you don't see how it works you can't know whether it's efficient or not ....it's all about courage,hope and perseverance .... Starting from the bottom to the top with small changes is something we have to learn... And when it comes to that pupil bong tae ,that story teaches us that there's no "only way" there are several paths you can follow ,the most important thing is that you work on your dreams and make them happen but being wise and hard-working.What I didn't like aboutit is the fact that it was boring I felt that it didn't need 16 episodes with 1:14 h for each episode ...I wished they talked about the different topics mentioned in episode 13-14-15 and 16 earlier cz I just felt that it was so interesting and it did need more time to be well explained ...At the middle of the drama they focused on things they could be focusing on less than that cz it was so boring and I just felt that it's not well balanced as they devoted 12 episodes or more on the first year of school and they didn't really focus on the second year so it's just a problem in scenario maybe? IDK ...
Overall that's a really deep drama ,it is good and for the boring part of it just bear with it the different lessons you'll learn will make you kinda forget it... ALSO FOR PEOPLE WHO HATE ROMANCE LIKE ME,IT HAS NO ROMANCE IN IT ,you can even watch it with your family if you want ...
I recommend it ❤️
Was this review helpful to you?
✒ ♥️ Someone Should Love That Lonely Black Dog °8.2° °Excellent°
In HS, “Ko” Ha-neul's life was saved by a teacher who lost his own life in the process. It's an asteroid that changes the trajectory of her life. Years later she's back at school… to teach.“Every grass seems a weed if you look at it with hatred. Every person is a flower if you look at them with kindness,” Ha-neul muses to herself. Earlier in life, she heard the opposite. “You shouldn't raise a black dog,” Ko is told by a petshop owner when she's young. “It's unlucky. They're {unlucky} from birth.” “That black dog probably continued to waive its tail as soon as it felt someone's presence, with the hope that someone might show it some affection,” we hear as Ko exits with her new fluffy /white/ dog. “But what happens if someone shows interest in the black dog that has always been alone?” That forlorn black doggy made me tear up, and I'm more of a cat person. Cats and dogs are easier to love than humans, but humans need love more. Much more, actually. Pet owners know their ‘babies’ thrive on love; a small investment yields ample returns. Humans take more effort and more patience, and the results are not guaranteed, but the rewards can be incredibly satisfying.
Rumors are churning, however. The buzz is that someone was hired via connections. Ko has done everything on her own, though! She didn't ask her “connected” uncle for help. Nevertheless, she encounters an early frost at her new job.
BD makes the mundane moving. A 2019 release that is rated 88 on AWiki, it is 1 season consisting of 16 80-minute episodes. Most entertainment takes us to places that are more dramatic than life. BD features everyday mini dramas that flare up in life and work. It's the stuff that is stressful to all of us, even though it's the same-old-same-old. What makes it engaging is the acting, scripting, and directing. I recognize the importance of education (it is the 2nd most important thing in society, right behind a decent and moral populous), but education in Korea doesn't interest me significantly. I stuck with this show because journeying with these characters is not only enjoyable, but emotionally fulfilling.
BD sniffs out the politicking involved behind the scenes in education. Most of the teachers are doing their best, paddling against the current and sincerely attempting to make a difference. Seo Hyun-Jin (Dr. Romantic, You Are My Spring) is Ko. She's precariously kind. Coming into BD, I'd only seen Ms Seo as a frustrated FL in the cute romcom Another Miss Oh-7.5. She's wonderful here as a wide-eyed new teacher who wants to fit in & do good while working to minimize the friction between her idealistic dreams and real life. Ra Mi-Ran (Reply 1988-8.6, The Good Bad Mother) plays Park Sung-Soon - “Why did you cause a commotion at the interview?” “I'm the crazy b¡+ch around here, I needed to remind them.” She reminds me of Manager Oh in Misaeng-9.1: You wouldn't pick her out of a lineup as anything special, but she makes the show. Ha-Joon is Do Yeon-Woo. He plays a friendly person in Crazy Love-7.8. He's almost unrecognizable here, which is a testament to his acting skills. The director is Hwang Joon-Hyeok (Song of the Bandits) and the writer is Park Joo-Yeon.
“It seems like cheaters have better lives, nowadays… Is the Republic of Korea the land of civil complaints?” It's the same in the USA. People always take advantage and abuse power. Abuses can become rampant in a free society as freedom grants powers of pushing back and complaining, so it creates an environment where everyone has some power. With all its problems, freedom is still preferable to tyranny, but freedom only works when people are decent. A lack of decency leads to a rageful, complaining, abusive, and cold society. It's lonely to be the one to try and stop the cycle. It takes courage… and humility. Wisdom is knowing when to speak up and when to let things slide.
We must set aside our pride, sometimes, for the greater good. When Ko acquiesces to a bully teacher, she's asked: “That's your way, Miss Ko? I don't like fighting, but I don't like not fighting either.” Her response: “It's not losing… I just thought about what my priorities are. If we keep fighting for power, who ends up suffering the most?” Our pride is usually not the most important thing, though many people act as though it is.
Cultures are different, but people are the same everywhere. There's a myriad of reasons that our educational system is in disarray, but one of them is that, generally, the very best students go on to high paying jobs and don't teach. Before women were permitted in the workplace, teaching was one of the few options available to them. Thus, some of the smartest people, who happened to be female, were teachers. Going back to the mid-20th century isn't the answer, but what we have, currently, is a mess as well. It's obvious that politicians do not want to fix anything. They love their political footballs and they hold onto them tighter than Lucy does when Charlie Brown is trying to kick them. Instead of dumping money into politicians in hopes that one of those narcissists will grow a conscience and try to do some good rather than solidifying their power, the people need to step up. There have been studies to indicate that merely getting rid of the bottom 5% of teachers, the worst performers, could turn our schools around. Students who are performing satisfactorily sometimes never recover after encountering a bottom level teacher. I am not attacking teachers! I come from a family of educators. That's how my father put food on our table. Every profession has poor performers and bad actors. They should be released to go on and do something they are actually good at.
Some countries have mandatory military service. Anything mandatory won't work here, but programs to promote voluntary service, with student loan and tax benefits as well as future job holding/placement, could be an answer - Maybe some volunteers will stay and teach as a career. There are some wonderful programs out there already - a good start. For those who must work a regular job, volunteer tutoring programs might be useful. While not always easy, volunteering can be fulfilling and provide profound satisfaction. Attracting our best to spend a couple years teaching (or other forms of community services) could turn our schools and our society around. Paying taxes and leaving it to the government bureaucrats does not work and it never, ever has.
Ko navigates the school year with its difficulties: Troubled students, difficult coworkers, super-difficult college entrance administrators, extremely difficult parents, The Great Banana Scandal, and some difficult goodbyes. “You can't cover up the sky with your hand,” says the principal to a teacher, meaning one can't force all the kids to see things one's own way, particularly when one is wrong. Ko rarely is the one who is wrong. When things get most problematic are the times when she believes the students are right and the administration is wrong. Ko sees how people gravitate to the prettiest, the smartest, and the wealthiest - the opposite direction of the black dogs. Therefore, looking out for those that are less fortunate takes more energy and more character as it's swimming against the current. “It actually hurts you, in the end, to live with convictions. You just make more enemies of the people around you,” she says in despair, one night. This is true, but it doesn't have to stay that way. Stubbornly proceeding to do the right thing will cause friction, but in the end, with some decency and perseverance, right can prevail. Can Ko prevail?
In ep1 she tries to board the train and stumbles in the rush. She also falls in the school cafeteria. At the end of ep1, she boards the train with /determination/. Ko will prevail because she has /decided/ that she will. Now, she just needs to pass that fl🔥me along to the kids.
QUOTES📢
If you're in complete, pitch-black darkness, all you can do is to keep your place until your eyes are accustomed to the dark.
People with overly unwavering conviction are difficult to deal with. The world they live in is so sturdy, so they refuse to step outside of it.
There's something called the 2-6-2 rule. If you enter a room with 10 new people, 2 will like you, 6 will have no interest in you, and 2 are bound to hate you. It's a rule of nature.
〰🖍 IMHO
📣8 📝8.3 🎭8.5 🌞6 🎨6 ⚡2 🎵/🔊7😅3 😭4 😱3.5 😯4 😖2 🤔6.5 💤0 🔚7.5
Age 11+ Language: b!+ch. Rated TV-15
Re-📺? not against it
Was this review helpful to you?
I recommend you to watch it
I just finished it but I have no idea what was the question or the reason she was looking for an answer. I watched it just because I saw Seo Hyun Jin but I can say that storyline was great so it is worth watching. Moreover cast and music also great. I recommend you to watch it. But I also think that the storyline finished at episode 12 and the other episodes was like a substory (at least thats what it felt like to me). It is not a romantic drama so do not expect love story (I was expecting it cause only think I know about drama was Seo Hyun Jin being the female lead). I gave 9 to storyline because of the substory thing I mentioned above. Rewatch 4 cause I thing storyline was important for the drama so I think it loses its magic if you know storyline.Was this review helpful to you?
If you look with hatred, every grass is a weed. If you look with kindness, every person is a flower
One refreshing drama! We have a good number of school drama but almost all of them focus on the students meanwhile Black Dog focuses on the teachers. Probably, Black Dog is more suited to be called as a workplace drama that’s set at school as it focuses on the teachers’ life and struggles and school politics. Ha Neul (Seo Hyun Jin) finally got hired but only as a short term teacher at her old high school. She had it hard to blend in with other teachers because there was rumors of her being hired due to her uncle’s position at the school. Slowly, she got accepted by the crowd and the accusation was proven to be false. She also bit by bit proved it to people that she’s a great teacher not only at teaching but also at bonding with her students.The early eps were a little bit slow to my liking but the pace picked up later. I liked that everything was calming and healing. At some point it felt relatable too. Some people might think it’s boring due to its laid back nature, not too fast pace, no drama and all but in my opinion it’s exactly one of its charms.
It wasn’t hard to get attached with every character. The writing for each character was great making it easy to understand their point of view. Not all character’s action was good, for example when they went against the majority (or what we wanted/expected) it wasn’t hard to understand their decision. There was no right or wrong in this drama but more like different point of view. Therefore, very pleased to say that there’s no bad character in this drama. It’s all about perspective. By the end of the series, I ended up rooting for each character.
The plot was something realistic –even though I doubt any education institution would let their teachers go to battlefield without any preparation (Ha Neul’s first day at school). But other than Ha Neul’s tragic first day, everything else was something that I think could occur in real life school. There was no romance in this drama but it didn’t lessen the excitement at all. It was purely the teachers’ journey of becoming the better them and guiding their students to get accepted at their preferred university.
The cinematography was great and sleek. The acting was great from every cast. I also liked the post production work. There were many silence scenes especially during emotional scenes. For me it really accentuated the emotion, delivered better what the writer wanted to show.
>Overall<
A nice slice-of-life drama. Might be a little bit plain for some but for me it’s definitely one of the most comfortable dramas in 2020. The bonding between the teachersXstudents and also teachersXteachers were very nice to watch and it also served as one of the highlights.
Was this review helpful to you?
An Enjoyable Watch
I found this drama really uplifting and inspirational with there being several different paths to choose from and the most obvious one does not mean you have to travel it.I enjoyed the story in this, I tend to avoid school dramas but since it was centred around the teachers I did not mind as much. The pacing felt almost slice of life with quite a few time jumps towards the end, probably due to episode constraints or timing issues. It also shows all types of teachers, the good, bad and the ugly side of education and it also shows that sometimes not getting the best results does not mean you are going to live an unhappy life. I also liked the fact it centred around a group of varied teachers, rather than all young or old, but a mix with different aspirations. Black Dog also gives an insight to how much a teachers life centres around their students as even after hours they can be a source to rely on in times of need.
The acting in this drama was great, even the school kids did a good job, as i struggle to watch children in dramas due to their inexperience in front of a camera can be quite off putting. The cost did a great job of portraying different types of teachers and the struggles they could have outside of school hours.
Once again I do not rate music or rewatch value high as I do not normally rewatch dramas nor do I watch them for their music.
I would recommend this to someone who wants to watch a character develop with all the emotions attached :)
Was this review helpful to you?
Black Dog
Black Dog did a great job tackling and depicting the working of the school system without over-exaggerating them. The drama showed the many problems facing the South Korean education system and did a great job setting up the social context of the profession, especially from the perspective of beginning teachers. It tackled everything from nepotism, to temp workers social stigma, to teacher/student discrimination (top students vs. average), and the cutthroat and competitive atmosphere between teachers who do not always work for the students but rather to better themselves. It even addressed the fact that a school is really an organization and a rigid one at it but that there will always be people such as Go Ha Neul and the College Advisory Department who are willing to take that extra step to change the status quo.All the actors did a wonderful job -- but especially our College Advisory Department We got to see Go Ha Neul (Seo Hyun Jin) try to break down and tackle that rigidness and succeeding in making a dent including witnessing her journey from a beginner teacher to her growth not just as a teacher but as a person who impacted the lives of students and teachers alike, making them better people (students) and teachers. All with the help and direction of Park Sung Soon (Ra Mi Ran), the head of the career counseling department at the school, Do Yeon Woo (Ha Joon), a Korean language teacher, and Bae Myung Soo (Lee Chang Hoon), the Biology teacher -- all of whom impacted each others' lives in ways they never expected.
In the end, the real message of the story was to never give up and as hard as change maybe it is not impossible. As the saying goes you can't build an adaptable organization without adaptable people--and individuals change only when they have to, or when they want to. Beautifully done, sorry to see it end. I will miss it and highly recommend it.
Was this review helpful to you?
