A very good Story!!
Everyone seems to be going crazy over the fact that this drama isn't "BL enough," and there's been a lot of bashing about the inclusion of a straight couple as a secondary pairing. While I understand the frustration — especially since the drama doesn't strictly follow the original material and apparently changes quite a lot of the story — the drama itself delivers a very good narrative, full of sweet and emotionally charged moments. You can clearly feel the characters’ struggles as they often find themselves watching the ones they love fall for someone else.This isn’t like a typical Thai BL, where it feels like every guy naturally falls for another guy without question. Instead, Hessu in Class 2 presents a different, more bittersweet perspective: the reality of unrequited love, the genuine fear that being true to yourself might cost you dearly, and the painful experience of watching your desires slip further out of reach. Not every story is meant to offer a dreamlike fantasy — some are here to show us a fragment of harsher, more grounded realities, ones that might be far from what we wish for, but are nonetheless true.
There is absolutely no "straight-washing" here. The development of the straight couple is actually an important part of the narrative engine, driving the story and character growth. Personally, I found their presence grounding, giving the world a sense of realism and making the stakes of the characters’ secrets feel much more tangible.
Although almost all the side stories are barely developed — often serving only as background decoration or a quick breather between heavier scenes — the main story is strong! There’s no wasted time with fan service or pointless subplots just to fill the runtime. Every event moves the plot forward, leading to a conclusion that, while a bit rushed and barebones, was ultimately satisfying.
This is not a BL, this is a Love Story, and as such it delivers.
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It’s not a BL
Very sad about the path they decided to take. They changed the story of the Manhwa a lot, the development and personalities of the forgivens are not the same. Finally, the development of a straight relationship being the focus more than the main couple was a choice. They emphasized the guitar scene, but not the chicken date.Was this review helpful to you?
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Unrequited affection, transformative friendship, the mystery of hidden love
Adolescence is fertile ground for fiction. It's that time in our lives when emotions run high. Every obstacle is the end of the world. Every sexual or romantic attraction leads to hours and hours of thinking in bed. Every photo or comment on social media saves us or plunges us into the abyss of life. Insecurities bring out the worst in us. Waking up in the morning means facing the existential crisis of understanding one's place in the world. And, at the same time, anything is possible.If we consider that it is scientifically proven that childhood is that key stage for every person, where the intellectual and emotional foundations on which their success or failure as an adult depend are formed, it is clear that Lee Hee Su, the young protagonist of 'Hee Su in Class 2', has all the makings of a rather happy future.
Someone who is aware that, as small, fleeting beings in a universe we don't understand and will probably never understand, we will also be unable to know what the future holds, tells us that we are in the presence of an awake, curious, and thoughtful teenager who seems to have his ideas very clear.
Offering sound love advice to his classmates, even though he doesn't dare apply it to his own love life; talking about crushes when he doesn't even know what to do with his own; being part of an almost utopian universe (that of youth and school) where those who had never paid attention to him begin to seek him out for love advice, where Hee Su himself is the first to be surprised when he realizes that "his special talent" can solve relationship problems, and where love entails not knowing that we won't find love with the person we think we love, but with someone we would never have imagined, this was the best thing that could happen to a boy who keeps the secret of being in love with Joo Chan Young, his best friend. If we add to this the fact that his heterosexual crush, unaware of the feelings he awakens in Hee Su, takes every opportunity to talk to him about girls, including Ji Yu (Park Yoo Hyun), his favorite singer and schoolmate whom he likes so much, it could very well be a trigger for the deepening frustration of having to hide his crush.
And although at times it seems as if his world could collapse with a complex family environment, with absent parents and three single sisters, one of them suffering from heartbreak, everything will change when an unexpected person enters his life.
South Korean female director Park Kyung Min makes her television debut with a coming-of-age story, a youth drama that raises questions about unrequited affection, transformative friendship, the mystery of hidden love, self-discovery, unexpected relationships, and the search for acceptance in a school environment with the freshness of student life.
Far from being just another of the hundreds of LGBT+-themed productions that are increasingly appearing on television channels and digital media, 'Heesu in Class 2' surprises with a complexity and attention to detail that transcends its genre, with its fresh and emotional take on what it means to find one's own path in the midst of adolescence. Ahn Ji Ho, after winning critical and popular acclaim for his roles in the series "Nobody Knows" (2020), "Night Has Come" (2023), and "Begins Youth" (2024), and the films "Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days" (2018) and "Rebound" (2023), once again showcases his artistic talent in his portrayal of Hee Su, a dreamy, clever, but socially awkward young man whose identity at school has been reduced to being "Chan Young's friend". Kim Seung Won is a destabilizing element in his life. Unlike Chan Young, the neighbor and class president is reserved, shy, studious, and somewhat clumsy, especially around the main character.
Lee Sang Jun, known for his performance as a soldier in the second season of 'Squid Game' (2024) and his appearance in television productions such as 'Beauty and Mr. Romantic' (2024) and 'Blue Birthday' (2021), plays a character whose serious demeanor and intense glances, interpreted as signs of rejection, initially confuse Hee Su. However, he manages to draw him out of Chan Young's shadow when the two meet in the School Guidance Club and begin to interact more. In addition to sharing activities at school, Hee Su discovers that Seung Won is her neighbor, and on more than one occasion, they end up talking through their bedroom windows. This unexpected bond brings them closer, showing Hee Su a different perspective on affection and companionship, something she had never considered outside of her devotion to Chan Young.
The series, which at times reminds me of 'Sex Education' (Laurie Nunn), becomes a kind of healing sanctuary and an unprejudiced adolescent audiovisual. While in the 2019 Netflix series, Otis (Asa Butterfield) decides to use the sexual knowledge acquired through his mother, a renowned sex therapist, to help students and transform their environment, here Lee Hee Su achieves the same results, but resorts to repeating some of the love clichés contributed by her sister, who has also failed to find happiness in love.
This approach is simple and daring, but it results in a series with a completely natural tone, very funny, very well developed, and unfolding quite realistically. It's a reflection of life that normalizes the normalization of certain topics, discussing human and adolescent psychology, and often drawing on the main character's knowledge of astronomy and the cosmic universe.
I have to admit it. I've rarely seen two actors like Ahn Ji Ho and Lee Sang Jun so accurately portray the emotions, awkwardness, and emotional intensity of those first loves and relationships.
Their performances are very genuine in capturing personal growth and self-discovery. As the characters get to know each other, a maturation process occurs through their romantic experiences, centered more on silences, secrets, glances, restrained gestures, unspoken words...
The series beautifully portrays the school as a social center. The school environment created is the perfect setting for adding drama and tension to the characters' romantic adventures. It's also beautiful in depicting the drama of friendship, how friends influence romantic decisions and add complexity to the story with loyalty, jealousy, and support.
Another element we shouldn't overlook is the family dynamic. Lee Hee Su lives with three sisters. Much of the action takes place in their home, while these four characters share experiences and conversations. The series is exquisite in showing how family influence can influence the way the characters approach love. The relationships between Hee Su and her sisters, Lee Hui Jae (Park Kyung Hye), Lee Hui Jeong (Kim Han Na), and Lee Hui Sin (Jung Ye Nok), generate tension and push the protagonist to make important decisions. Other issues we shouldn't forget are how conflicts and dramas inform the romantic stories of Hee Su and Kim Seung Won, on the one hand, and Joo Chan Young and Choi Ji Yu (Kim Do Yeon), on the other. Love triangles, misunderstandings, rivalries, and breakups keep these two stories captivating and full of emotional twists and turns.
Shin Ho Sik (Jeon Yeong In), Hee Su's friend and classmate, is another character audiences will enjoy, as they empathize with a boy who discovers love in a classmate after the girl he's been in love with rejects him.
Ahn Ji Ho's performance is superb. His character struggles with his insecurities, his sexual identity, self-esteem issues, and emotional ups and downs (whether joy, heartbreak, or confusion) as he tries to figure out who he is. Through his insecurities, viewers can understand how this boy deals with love and relationships with everyone around him.
Some vilify the series for not being faithful to the original. I haven't read the eponymous webtoon by Lily Zuzu, published in 2018 by Lezhin Comics, on which it is based, so I can't speak to its virtues or defects as an adaptation, but the creators have the freedom to discard the so-called Literal Adaptation and Condensed Adaptation, to avail themselves of the Interpretive Adaptation, which allows greater creative freedom when adapting the original work.
The truth is, I have no doubt that those who can't do anything, teach. And those who have never experienced love begin to give advice about love. That's the essential premise of the series.
A work with a wonderful rhythm, with perfect and magnificent performances, with a well-written plot that works to create a dynamic that moves the work forward with enormous doses of fun, profound discourses, and brilliant acting. It takes advantage of its themes and has a refreshing perspective on the world and art, with wholesome messages and great naturalness, but above all, it is a very funny series with 45-minute episodes, something unusual in South Korean BL series, which amaze us and make us enjoy the entire length of the series, without the typical filler. A work that gets to the point with what it wants to show and how it wants to entertain us for a few hours.
Along the way, Hee Su resolves the sentimental doubts of both his schoolmates and himself. 'Hee Su in Class 2' has managed to break the prevailing heteronormativity, allowing the visibility of sexual orientations and their expression in young characters, which represents a breakthrough in a country as conservative and patriarchal as South Korea. It offers one of the best scenes of support between a queer character and another queer character ever on television: the moment when Hee Su overhears a girl talk about her feelings for another woman. And, while it vindicates friendship in all its forms (between boys and girls, between gays and straights, from equality and difference), it offers a valuable deconstruction of toxic masculinity. This, I would say, is its most stimulating legacy.
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Decent Slow Burn Romance. If you want to enjoy, be generous with the skip button.
Heesu in Class 2 is a decent drama that touches on real and sensitive themes, particularly the struggles of being a closeted queer teen. With a promising setup and strong production values, it had the potential to rank among the best KBLs. However, despite its strengths, uneven storytelling and poor pacing ultimately held it back. That said, if you're willing to skim through the slower scenes, there’s still a lot to enjoy.The Good:
The drama handled its sensitive themes with grace, realistically portraying the confusion and challenges faced by queer teenagers without feeling overly dramatised. The cast delivered strong performances, with each actor bringing charisma and individuality to their roles, making even quieter moments engaging. The production quality was also impressive — it's not often we get KBLs with this level of production.
The Bad:
While the concept was strong, the storytelling lacked depth. The use of astronomy as a metaphor was one of the very few elements that stood out However, overall character development, particularly for Seungwon, fell short. I loved Seungwon and the actor did such a great job with his character, but the writing failed him. For instance, the drama never clearly established why or when Seungwon developed feelings for Heesu — a detail that, even after finishing the show, remains unclear.
Subplots also suffered from a lack of depth, despite being given so much screen time, resulting in episodes dragging unnecessarily. The pacing was a major flaw: while slow burns can be powerful, here it was poorly executed. I realised by episode 7 that episodes 1-6 could have easily been condensed into 3, as much of the content added little to the main emotional arc.
Conclusion:
Heesu in Class 2 had all the ingredients for a standout drama — strong themes, a talented cast, and impressive production quality — but faltered in its execution. While uneven pacing and shallow storytelling prevent it from reaching its full potential, it remains an enjoyable watch if you’re willing to fast-forward through the slower parts.
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Oh my god I hate tennis ?
What is wrong with this show you might wonder?It will be more easy to say what's right which is the acting of all the cast and chemistry between the two male leads
Other than that it was so annoying
Some shows sometimes redeem themselves in the last couple of episodes but sadly that didn't happen here
It really didn't bother me that much the straight relationship but all the tennis talk pissed me off
Why do you want me to care that much about his father and his brother and how he overcome all of this to play tennis
And the confission in the dark room should have been when they both told each other they love each other
Why did you have to drag it more than this
I know one of the actors were a minor so I am not going to bring up the kissing but they could have confissed and make the episode about them happy and dating with hand holding or something
Anyway I definitely won't be watching it again but I really wish the best for all of actors because they were amazing
And also I loved the song
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Heesu in class 2 : Straight washed bl of the year??
I think this is my first KBL review of 2025, and straight to the point — I liked it very much. I'm still sure that it's not getting the kind of recognition it deserves. And the show itself is the main reason for that...Don't get confused just because I said it's the "straight-washed BL of 2025" — that's what the majority of people are saying, and I'm proudly in the minority!
Because I enjoyed this show like no one else did!!!
And it's surely one of the best KBLs released this year.
With 10 episodes, we saw our main leads, Heesu and Seung Won, struggling to confess their feelings to their loved ones. They really took 10 episodes to do that...
But that's not a problem. If a slow burn is handled perfectly, I can wait my entire life. And I did it with this one too.
More than that, I felt a strange connection to the characters (the main leads) — like they were literally representing people like me somehow.
They were at least able to confess their feelings by the end of the show... unlike some people who are still hoping for a better day.
Both actors, Ahn Ji Ho and Lee Sang Jun, were so good that they made me love Heesu and Seung Won deeply.
Now, coming to the side of the show that people hated the most... I can't blame them.
I understand how people felt when the main leads were pushed aside by characters who were supposed to be supporting roles.
Yes, I'm talking about why people are calling this the straight-washed BL of the year. Why??
(And listen — our boys being slower than snails has nothing to do with this!!!)
1. A BL show having a straight couple as side characters is not a crime.
But when they get more screen time than the main leads, that's just not fair...
2. Did I enjoy that storyline? Of course I did — but only up to the point where they got into a stable relationship.
What they showed after that was totally unnecessary for me.
Better to say, I was just jealous of them having a good love life and a better career path while my boys were still struggling on the other side...
3. Again, unnecessary scenes interrupting my boys’ crucial moments — especially that tennis scene in episode 9 and the singing part in ep 10.
Huh... Wae?? Wae??? No answer.
And about the sisters and their problems...
Even though people say it was a waste of time, I’d like to consider it as a good relationship advice for my Heesu.
Do I need to say more? No, I'm not going to!!!
So while concluding my review, I just want to say —
I erased all those unwanted things I watched and will remember only my lovely Heesu and Seung Won!
Would I recommend this to others? Of course I would!!!
But you have to keep the things I mentioned above in mind before watching.
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So much potential but...
As someone who adores the original work this drama is based on, this adaptation felt disrespectful to the warm and loving atmosphere in the universe created by the author of Heesu in Class 2 manhwa.I think the actors played their assigned roles very well. The problem, according to me, all falls on the heads of whoever decided how the drama would play out.
The presence of straight couple who did not even exist in the original work, the defiling of what makes the characters so likeable in the manhwa...it's too much. It feels almost like an attack.
In what alleged BL would you find TWO (as far as I remember) slow-motion scenes of the "side" heterosexual couple? Jiyu and Chanyoung weren't the side couple at all – Heesu and Seungwon were.
There were some scenes I liked, sure. The scene where Heesu comes out to his sister, the scene when he realises he likes Seungwon, their confession in the last 10 minutes of the show...this drama could have been incredible. But it just feels terribly executed on the whole. It's such a pity they completely the essence of the source material.
The whole thing with Chanyoung and tennis? I mean, did it even reach any sort of conclusion? I'm pretty sure it didn't (if it did I must have zoned out) and it felt like so much wasted screen time.
Don't get me started on how they messed up everyone's personalities - particularly Chanyoung. A supportive best friend turned into...whatever he's supposed to be, I guess.
Anyway, if any of you haven't read the Heesu in Class 2 manhwa I'd highly recommend you do and get your soul healed from this unpleasant experience.
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watched it for seung won
i'll start by admitting that i haven't read the webtoon so my review won't have comparisons. the acting and music was good. the chemistry between the leads heesu and seung won was really good and they did justice to whatever little screentime they got together. i say this because i think we kept seeing chan young and ji yu much more than the leads together, which would have been fine but they were just boring especially after they started dating. somehow all the cuteness they had in the beginning faded once they got together. the support they had for each other was really cool and i was happy that they showed that couple don't only talk lovey-dovey but also face struggles together. but the chemistry kind of lacked especially after ep7 when we were like we know they like each other and are healthy so let's just focus on heesu and seung won now. maybe chan young and ji yu's story became a tiktok song that got overplayed and i got bored of them.seung won's entire personality was amazing, he is my fav character. i could understand all the decisions he made and was genuinely rooting for him. but i feel like, seung won didn't get that much time to shine. his character was reduced to being a silent lover and sometimes ji yu's friend. his family dynamic and his kindness and maturity were limited to minute-long conversations. still he stood out to me, so kudos to the actor! i liked heesu and the actor shone in the emotional scenes. he is someone who gives love advice but since his situation is not that "easy" and is full of confusion and fear he treads cautiously sometimes creating painful moments for himself. but i have no complaints regarding his late confessions or anything, i just like heesu.
some people were sad about heesu and seung won having little-to-no romantic moments but i think romance need not be performative especially since they are high school students. i actually liked that the writers had a 3d focus on family, talents, and friendship instead of making it just about love. i liked the oldest and the youngest sisters of heesu but not the middle sister who had that boyfriend. she treated him with no respect so i was enraged and skipped her scenes in the last 2 episodes. seung won's mother was cool and i respect her for the last episode conversation she had with seung won. finally, i loved ho sik and hee won and am really happy for them!
as with every ongoing drama i watch, i will miss heesu and seung won :(
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A little different...maybe?
This show has many elements I've been wanting in a BL for a long time, like straight couples as well as gay couples that actually have characters of their own, main leads with an actual family and deep connection, and keeping it real while also keeping the element of fluff.1. The ML ⭐️
Hee Su is a really good character. He has an actual hobby: astronomy. I say actual because he uses astronomy metaphors to describe what's going on in his life in the best way and this is one of my favorite things in the show. Also he's basically a consultant, giving people good relationship advice all the time. He's smart and caring and learns fast. He's also very relatable, not being able to talk about his 'dark secret' even with his best friend. But in the end he decides not to carry that burden any longer. This is what we've seen in many shows, but this one is one of my favorites, because the characters are so well-written and the context is so well-made you feel it to your bones.
2. Straight Couples 📏
I've seen some people complain about the straight parts in the show, but I couldn't help but love those parts as well. Normally in BL shows there are one straight couple per 10 gay couples. Practically everyone turns out to be gay. Even if there are families and family members, they are gay too. This sometimes bothers me because it's so far from reality. in these BL shows even when people want to ask a guy if he's in a relationship they say 'do you have a boyfriend?' I mean when does that happen? this is normally not the default idea when people ask a guy if he's in a relationship. (Unless they know his sexual orientation.)
I love the straight couples here. They all have their own character with their own dreams and problems and personalities and aren't just there to fill the plot. They actually have a considerable effect on both the story and the ML. Also one thing about the straight couples here is that they don't feel like most straight ones we see in kdramas. Even in kdramas with strong women, there are always moments where the woman needs the man to save her. There's no escape from strong man, weak woman cliche in these shows. Maybe that's why they never satisfied me. But here that doesn't happen; the relationship feels more equal, like ones we like to see in BLs. And also ironically this is closer to reality.
3. The Slow Burn ❤️🔥
But maybe my favorite thing here was the slow burn of the change of Hee Su's feelings; the way his one-sided love for Chan Young ended and started for Seung Won. Normally the time isn't enough for that in most shows and the production is not that good for it anyway. But look at this. I loved the last episode very much. That last confession was explosive as it should have been. And again I found myself loving the slow burn romance more than any other type; when they finally confess and start smiling at each other shyly and hold hands, I scream and giggle and kick my feet and nothing else can give me that fluffy feeling but Slow Burn 😍
4. How It Ends 🔚
I Loved the part where Hee Su explains his way to finish a one-sided love, and I agree with him. That kind of love only ends when you use up all the feelings you have for that person, and then you'll calm down. Although I'm not sure how that happens. Maybe if that one-sided crush is simply impossible and also you find a sweet, lovely person who cares for you deeply? 🥰
5. But wait... NO KISS?!
Yes, it felt incomplete. The only reason I'm not mad for the absence of the kiss we've been waiting for so long is that my babies have just started dating. After all the push and pull to start it, it's a bit too fast to expect a kiss. Also the story ended with almost no loose ends... but still there MUST BE a special episode or something. Cuz the chemistry between Hee Su and Seung won was looking delicious and you can't convince me to be satisfied with just holding hands! 😤
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