Worthy but not necessary
I haven't read the webtoon so this is based only on the series.This was an interesting take on the apocalytpic genre woven into the dynamics of being a high schooler. The idea is quite creative and while the storyline could have been much more intricate and the season longer, it's still a good watch if you want something quick and adrenaline rushing. I would have definitely liked more episodes focusing on the backgrounds of the characters in depth, and the bonds between them and their superiors. For a long time, I couldn't memorise their names either because there was not enough spotlight on a few characters at one time...
There were some annoying and frustrating characters such as the cowardly girls who wanted to leave everything and run away. The constant whining, scream-crying almost made me drop the episode or skip the scene, especially when the dialogue repeats itself at least twice in a single episode. I almost felt like slapping them so i'm surprised at how and why the opposite characters were soooo good at holding back and not lashing out at them in times of emergencies (it would have been understandable if there were more clashes)
P.S. it's better to assume that this is a solo work with an open ending instead of watching season 2. You're better off without it :-)
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one of the best survival series
I've watched the other shows with similar plotlines such as Sweet Home and All of Us Are Dead etc. so Duty After School had a synopsis that piqued my interest. The plot moves slow and fast at the same time. Slow as in, the character development is pretty lacking, but fast, in a way that so MUCH happens in one episode. So much changes per episode yet there's not really an explanation for such big changes. One thing I felt lacking in storytelling was how fast some of them learned to weld firearms and shoot, however, their mentality was still just as immature and frustrating as before. (just a few character though) The pack is constantly moving and there's a lot of killing/gore lol.Overall, the drama was great, it kept me on the edge of my seat (quite literally) the entire time and it was interesting enough for me to complete in one day. I developed a big crush for the commander sergeant,, maybe i just like tsunderes LOL. But the ending was pretty unfortunate and the kids are all good kids (for the most part) so I enjoyed watching the show.
It was kind of hard to keep track of who was who in the beginning because there were so many characters, but it was interesting how they really separated each character and we got to know their personalities throughout the episodes. My favorite characters were Kim Chiyeol (Kimchi), Soo Cheol, Na ra, and JangSoo. I eventually started liking everyone towards the ending but some were truly a struggle ._.
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Enough
I mean, they freakin' survived all that obstacles just to erm at the end in a few seconds? LIKE, WHO WROTE THIS!? It’s honestly has a worst way to end it! I know not everything needs a sweet ending, but this had no justice at all, they completely made it—ughhhh! SO CONFUSING!I mean, they freakin' survived all that obstacles just to erm at the end in a few seconds? LIKE, WHO WROTE THIS!? It’s honestly has a worst way to end it! I know not everything needs a sweet ending, but this had no justice at all, they completely made it—ughhhh! SO CONFUSING!
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my opinion
I really enjoyed watching Duty After School because it combines two of my favorite genres: fantasy and teenage drama. From the very first episode, the storyline grabbed my attention. The idea of high school students suddenly being recruited to fight mysterious alien creatures is both original and intense. It’s not something we see every day, and it adds a lot of suspense and excitement to the plot.One of the things I liked most was how the series shows the emotional and psychological struggles of the students. They are just normal teenagers, dealing with school, friendships, and their future — and suddenly, their lives are completely turned upside down. It made me think about how I would react in such a situation. The characters feel very real, and I became emotionally attached to some of them, especially the ones who were trying to stay strong and protect their friends.
The visual effects and action scenes are also impressive. The creature designs are unique and creepy, which adds to the tension. The atmosphere is sometimes dark and intense, but there are also moments of humor and friendship that make the story more balanced and human.
I also appreciated how the series builds up mystery. We still don’t fully understand what these creatures are or where they came from, which makes me even more excited for the second part. I can't wait to see what happens next and how the characters will evolve.
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.
I honestly don’t know why I waited so long to watch this. It turned out to be much better than I expected.
The story kept me interested and the tension made it easy to keep watching. Sometimes you go into a series with low expectations and end up being pleasantly surprised — and this was definitely one of those times.
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A good thriller, and action drama but the editing was a little meh
I've seen a lot of edits of this show on TikTok, and now, after finishing it, I get the hype for this show. They did a nice job depicting the student life: immature kids who always whine and are out of touch in reality but slowly mature as they understand what is going on. I'm glad that the aliens here are interesting to know and watch, since in the other fantasy dramas I have seen, the "fantasy" or "sci-fi" parts were so boring. A lot of characters were so annoying, but a lot of them are also exciting to see. The action scenes are so good, but since the students are either arguing or complaining, it gets irritating. The cliffhanger was nice; since this has a second season, it would make you curious about what will happen and how they will end the invasion of these unknown creatures. A 9/10 for me.Was this review helpful to you?
One of the best school thrillers .
This drama is one of my favorites! For me, the story is very interesting, and something I really appreciate in this type of thriller/suspense series is the fact that those creatures are fast and the characters are skilled, which makes the action really interesting and always leaves you wanting to see more episodes.I found Chunho's death really sad, but it was essential for the students to grow and become more mature
In this first part, one of my favorite characters was the teacher; she really did everything she could for the class...
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This review may contain spoilers
Why is it so overrated?
I had high hopes.The story line and world building in the first episode was pretty good. Made an introduction to most of the characters and described the situation a bit in a funny, quirky, weird way.
What I didn't like.
The lack of logic/sense. I understood the obsession in the first part of the story with the exams and having good grades, but after the invasion, what made them think that any faculty would be open if their highschool was the way it was and corpses were a common occurrence?
Also the shelter thing. The logic behind the high number of alien floating bubbles was due to the high population in a certain area. If all of the adults would be somewhere chilling with no care in the world (which also didn't make any sense) , more would appear in that zone.
As well as the frequent, make no sense scenes, like the car key moment that annoyed me the most. Just grab a stick! Don't attract attention, meanwhile them starting the whole amusement park in the middle of the night while screaming....
Characters' lack of brain cells. I get that everyone is "different", young/immature and in highschool, but at some point, the situation needs to be taken into account. No one is coming to save you, and you don't have a clear picture of anything.
I also understood the anonymous votes, but why couldn't they split up? Especially all the whining that lasted until the end. If you want to go, GO! Less mouths to feed and more ammunition. No one would blame you if you decide to get your useless self away from there.
I wanted character growth, more world building and a splash of romance, but getting my favorite character killed doing useless sh*t, and whinny teenagers insted.
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This review may contain spoilers
Actually, I decided to not add it to my watch list after seeing an alien in the trailer. But since I like the military genre I changed my mind and watched the series to see how the story will flow. There is no impactful surprise in the plot, just something that you can guess where it will go. It wasn't that bad but not great either, something you can watch easily and leave without any hard feelings (but tbh I have a tiny for the last ep, it's just too bad for him to leave like that). And just don't look for any bit of logic from people in this series. Was this review helpful to you?
Good Enough
Korean Drama " Dute After School Part One " is a sci fi horror story in a school setting.The story is full of emotional scenes and a few gory ones, with the aliens and their invasion being kept at bay for the last episodes when the action truly kicks in.
The characters, moreover, are kind of annoying, truly teenagers caring for having fun and focusing on their own problems, rather than the current situation, that is until they come face to face with their reality. Which is to say that they were realistic and original.
As for the performances, everyone in the cast, especially the young ones, did a great job with their characters.
So, overall, seven out of ten.
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Fast-Paced and Thrilling, but Lacking a Standout Lead
Honestly, I think Duty After School is one of the better survival/monster-themed Korean series I’ve watched compared to others in the same genre.What stood out the most to me was the pacing and storyline. I’ve watched many Korean survival dramas where the characters spend too much time talking, and the tension ends up feeling weak. But in Duty After School, the story moves quickly and includes a lot of action, which makes it genuinely exciting to watch. The comedic moments added throughout the series also helped balance the tension nicely.
Another major strength is the CGI—it’s surprisingly good and makes the monster scenes much more immersive and believable.
I also appreciate the characters in this drama. Unlike many survival series where the cast can be frustratingly weak, selfish, or simply a burden, the characters here are actually competent and brave. They feel capable, useful, and much less annoying than what I usually see in this genre.
However, my biggest issue with the drama is its character focus.
Even though the show technically has many main roles and supporting roles, the screen time feels distributed almost equally among everyone. If I hadn’t looked it up online, I honestly wouldn’t know who the actual leads were.
Because of that, no single character feels properly highlighted. What frustrated me even more is that some of the most impactful and important scenes are often given to supporting characters instead of the supposed main leads, which makes the main characters feel less significant.
On top of that, the “main leads” are constantly grouped together with supporting characters rather than being given their own distinct focus, so the spotlight feels too scattered. As a viewer, it becomes hard to know who I’m really supposed to care most about.
Usually in survival dramas, there’s at least one standout character I become attached to—but here, I couldn’t connect strongly with anyone because no one was given enough individual prominence.
Overall, Duty After School excels in pacing, action, tension, CGI, and competent characters, making it a very entertaining survival drama. But its inability to properly establish and emphasize its main characters makes the emotional experience feel weaker than it could have been.
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please don't use logic
if you forget all sense of logic, sensibility and realistically how a situation can be handled, this drama will be okay. dont use brain. its so frustrating, annoying and laughable if you start trying to solve their obstacles and then see how they're using the worst possible way to solvebut lol besides that the characters are okay. everyone is too angry all the time but that's okay, mostly teenagers are at play. it didnt really feel that realistic or believable in the setting they put but it's interesting still. if you don't use brain you'll enjoy. let them solve things badly and just enjoy the show at face value then it's easy
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