Hierarchy

Another rich kids drama

Where do i begin, i won't dive on all the other obvious points that Where mentioned by others reviewer, the lack of acting skill of fmc and her baby daddy, sorry i forgot all of their name this is how irrelevant they were, the only character i liked and remembered was He-Ra. What i would like to talk about is the plot rather than the characters. We were promised a revenge, we were promised justice but nothing EVER happened, there was no real consequences for the rich kids action, they basically all got away with it, the fact that they focused on the "less rich" idiot and the scholarship kid who was forced to do all the rich kid dirty work, how disappointing, like i did not expect them to achieve The Glory level of genius and satisfactory storytelling, but come on, at least they could have take some note, and i guess they were banking on the serie being successful enough to have a second season so they arrogantly did the last scene like to tell you the story was not over but just beginning.

And this is where i completely loose it and actually get mad, because one thing i absolutely hate is when producers and directors take their audience for idiots, it's like they were convinced if they had great visual, if their actors where super hot, and of course korean, it means we would eat it up, because of course as the korean culture has gotten so popular, it means we as an audience are willing to consume any trash, but that's where they are wrong, korean culture and arts got popular BECAUSE it's amazing, the shows or music artist, movies, books etc... that are now representative of Korea got their flowers because how brilliant they were, even more when you were comparing it to the lazy trash the western media was producing, that's why people jumped on the bandwagon of Korean shows and movies, we were tired of the us mediocre shows. So to have this kdrama being written exactly like the mediocre shows we hate in western media felt like a punch in the face.

They blow out their entire budget by investing in the visual, casting elite actors Bae Hae Sun (the school principal), Choi Won-Young (fmc mean father) and they had the best acting in the entire show (and still they did not explore their characters enough, so maybe they didn't have enough money to pay them to appear in an entire episode) but they did not have money left to hire good writers, so the plot basically felt like something generated by ChatGPT if you ask it to write you a korean fanfiction version of elite and gossip girl and any privilege kids tv show and you have this, a very robotic 7 episode series.
Even when it was revealed that fmc had gotten pregnant and lost the baby i know it's cruel to say but i simply did not care (maybe the actress did not know how to portray the emotions correctly for me to feel her pain) but when it was revealed i was more like "that's it? You are making all this drama because of this? Some one was actually mvrdered as a consequence of the bullying in school (and eveif the teacher was the "killer" if they didn't bully, it would not have happened, so really the teacher was just the bullet and the school the gun giving them no consequences and kids where the one pulling the trigger) fmc was the bystanders who never did anything but wanted to act like this good morally correct character, and mmc who had such good promise with his revenge mindset, fold so quickly for this girl???? Who was just as guilty... wow, anyway next...

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Try hard-chy

The early episodes of this drama is so busy trying to give an impression that it will be edgy like the western teen soaps that it seeks to ape that it forgets to set up characterization for any of the main characters moving into the story. It soon falls into the usual school drama cliches, just with a bigger budget and the lightest possible sanitized take on whichever taboo subject it's using for shock value. None of the cast have the acting ability to carry any kind of nuanced angst or charisma needed for any of these kids. The show is so wishy washy to fully condemn the bad behavior of the rich chaebol bully main character and there is also no bite to Kang Ha's plan for revenge for In Han.

Putting aside he somehow easily got the probably highly sought after empty scholarship slot left by his murdered brother, he has no genius plan at all. He just lucked out finding Ju Won has all the illegally recorded videos and even after everything is turned over to the police, there is no cathartic change or justice aside from low pawns on the totem pole like the principal getting fired and the pedophile getting rightfully arrested for murder. Woo Jin is the minor being abused, but he's also definitely an accomplice to hiding the murder. It's also sickening the show keeps presenting the rich kids with wholesome friendship moments like typical kdrama leads and are so wrapped up in feeling bad for them that Kang Ha, the reminder of them being horrible classist bullies pretty much disappears for a lot of the episodes, so the show could pretend they are a whole different drama other than the one where these are the bad guys that they set up.

Jae Yi and Ri An confirm their love for each other, but it doesn't evoke any strong feelings or romance, neither does Jae Yi confirming to Kang Ha that she did have a little bit of feelings for him. Aside from feeling horrified for Jae Yi being threatened by multiple people with both her illegally filmed by her brother sex tape (that's CP as well) and miscarriage, I don't feel bad for the rest of the chaebol bully crew at all, there is no dimension to their stories. This show is unable to form complicated characters, doesn't have any great acting to elevate it, and it's generally boring. The post credit scene of the last ep shows Kang Ha taunting Ri An after the latter comes upon a bloodied student. I can't even tell who that is supposed to be and why it means anything except for the show using supposedly shocking imagery but not delivering anything in the storytelling.

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Nah this sucks ngl

I've only watched 6 episodes, but I don't wanna watch the last one. it just feels like time wasted, dude. In the 6 episodes I've seen its just felt awkward and the characters haven't grown at all.

All the characters are annoying, and I couldn't care less about any of them. Why are they acting like theyre gods. People keep talking about the main antagonist like he has some sort of superpower "watch out or he'll kill you!" dramatic ahh

The concept of having a hierarchy school is a concept that can work. Just look at the anime "Classroom of the elite".

All the characters in Hierchy are just forgettable. None of them have a interesting backstory that'll get you emotional. They just feel like the cliché "I'm cool because I'm rich".

Of course, He-ra (who's the only name I remember) and her family got bankrupt, but then the main female cast helped her and said "I've always seen you as a friend" and that's just stupid because clearly when that party thingy was, she didn't introduce He-ra's father to her father, because she didn't feel like it. The characters are just inconsistent.

The main female cast is also just shit. 6 episodes in and she still wants to protect the antagonist. "He's done nothing wrong!" yeah that's cap. she feels like one of those "I can fix him!" type of girls whom I despise.

Overall this show's dookie

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confusing and not worth watching

bro wtf was this. first episode was ok but it went downhill from there. the storyline and romance suck idk which one is worse.(i’m gonna start ranting now) the love triangle is confusing and unnecessary cause she doesn’t even end up with either of them and it felt like she never even liked kang ha. she made me so mad throughout the show she was so annoying like how is it Kang ha’s fault for liking her when she entertained that idea just to get over her ex? like girly has communication issues cause like when it was revealed she got pregnant like girly ik your dad would get dad and like you can’t risk that getting public but like why tf did she not tell her boyfriend. and then she tried to like get over him by breaking up for no reason. both ml suck too. they fight for no reason and like kang ha catches feeling way too quick. like how does he even like her after she comes back from the airport and is holding her ex’s hand and he even announces that they’re back together like boy it’s over for you. and then they go on dates and kang ha is still like not over her. like bro it’s over😭. and then he kept trynna save her from getting exposed.. i mean that wasn’t the worst part though. it also jst pissed me off when she and ri-an went on the date on the last episode and she got the food that she didn’t want to eat with kang ha and was like omg it’s so good. like oh really! so the guy that used to like you and who you apparently liked too, offered you and showed you that food that you didn’t want to eat and now you thought it was a fun idea to try it with your ex that you’re still in love with. like oh. like the ending was rushed too, it was only 7 episodes and you can tell it wasn’t really planned properly like the storyline is not only confusing but boring. like the plot doesn’t ever build any suspense and the characters all suck. like the whole idea of reviving around the rich and the school ship kids getting picked on is literally the whole story and more interesting then whatever the romance was. like the acting was ok but i don’t think that it can save the honestly horrible writing. maybe i jst don’t like the fl but i wouldn’t ever watch this again.i honestly thought they were gonna diagnose her with a mental disorder at any time. her dad also didn’t help at all with being annoying and “raising her to be like that”. i’m sure she has lots of trauma but she had a loving boyfriend and friends to talk to. i was so confused at her decisions. she kinda chose to be alone at some times. i only finished it cause i wanted to see if it would ever get better. the ending also sucks and some said it was a cliffhanger but i feel like if they make a season 2 it would be even worse. i think they really forgot the point of kang ha trying to find who killed his brother at some points. if they didn’t add romance and focused it in more of the crime aspect it would be sm better.they really only added it in the last episode. overall i wouldn’t ever waste your time watching this, pls watch something better.

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The Hires 2.0 with fancy aesthetics but predictable plot & lack of Chemistry b/w leads

Let's start with the plot side by side characters;

Hierarchy is not about the rich or poor it's about who has more power in this chain, nobody gives a damn about teachers/principal because the school was established by the conglomerate Jooshin Group whose hire is Kim Ri An, that school is his playground, basically what we already see in Boys over Flower, The Hires, F4, Sky Castle, and Penthouse series already. Netflix spends a lot on aesthetics, Fancy cars, fancy backgrounds, beautiful cast, and costumes in the end they don't have much for the script.

Kang Ha (Lee Chae Min): This character has so much potential but the writer be like: no, he is a poor kid, let's make him clueless. A guy who comes to the school to find out who Bullies his brother later leads to his de@th, without any plan. He should take revenge But this is not a revenge plot (wasted). This is the 1st Kdrama I watched where ML became a side character. If he had not been in the story, it wouldn't make much difference. This story is supposed to be about his innocent brother Kang In Han's bullies & k!ller to get punished.

According to the title "Hierarchy" he should be fighting for justice in the system But joke on you, the title didn't justify the bland and predictable plot. Instead, the title should be "Rich Kids Problem" don't get it? Let's meet these 4 real main leads of the story;

Jung Jae I (Roh Jeong Eui): She is a cold & bitchy rich FL, who doesn't want anyone to know she is pregn@nt but she took the pregn@ncy test at his friend's birthday party when the whole school was invited, & didn't show that to her loyal childhood love/bf instead show that to a new friend Kang In Han who is a scholarship student gets bullied by her bf's friends.
Now I understand why she sits on the main poster while everyone is standing. She is the kind of girl who says something & does exactly the opposite.

Jung Jae I: You are my best friend He Ra since the moment we hang out.
Meanwhile: she never even considered her a friend, she didn't even acknowledge her.

Jung Jae I: You can have him (Ri An), I'm leaving for NY. Best of luck.
**A few moments later**
Reach to her farewell Party with her BF

Kim Ri An (Kim Jae Won): The second ML is the actual ML. Everyone is criticizing the plot but like him, he is a green flag💚 it wasn't his fault if FL didn't tell him the reason and ghosted him for 3 months. In the whole series, the only job he does as eye candy is walk, Ri An walks into the Hall, walks in the rugby field, walks with his sidekicks behind, and is a so-called bad boy who doesn't do anything except for yk what I mean😈

His character isn't like Li Min Ho's The Hires where he was a bully, Ri An doesn't give a f**k to anyone he knows his classmates bullying a student because of him but he did nothing. In the end, he apologizes half-heartedly because Jae I said so. The only satisfying scene was when he beat FL's step bro.

Lee U Jin(Lee Won Jung): If you see him in My Perfect Stranger you know he is an excellent actor, but his role there is not that deep you can’t see aside from his looks.

Yun He Ra (Ji Hye Won): Her character is too predictable yet she did well. I think she doesn't really like Ri An, she actually wanted to be Jae I. She was just jealous but she is girls girl in the end.

You don't need enemies If you have friends like them. The plot doesn't have any mystery or thriller, the Main leads don't have any chemistry. Ri An & Jae I also don’t have any chemistry. The Second leads has more chemistry than the MLs. You can understand that* Ri An and Jae I liked each other since childhood but there is no point in Jae I liking Kang Ha when she said in the end that she liked him. The whole time she only liked Ri An suddenly saying this is so unnecessary. What is the point of telling him that?

In the end, if you think that the k!ller is arrested and Ri An admits that he was one of the bullies does it make any change?

Nope! The consequences that are not shown in the drama could be that it will be in your records that you were a bully and you will have fewer chances to be accepted into the prestigious University of SK. But they are the 0.01% of wealthy kids who don't consider those Universities instead they choose to went abroad for further studies.

The Bullies face the authority but Did they get punished?

No, they get back to their life like nothing happened. Imagine someone losing their life because of you and the maximum punishment for you is to went abroad on your Daddy's money. (It's not about Jae I)

Do I recommend Hierarchy?

No! But it's up to you because S1 has nothing to keep you if you have watched the good Kdramas you are not going to like that predictable cliche plot, but if you want to see the cast you could. Instead of watching Hierarchy, you could watch The Hires at least it has a story.

PS: I had a few questions, If Jae I paid Kang Ha's fees for those special classes why didn’t he attend it after she had gone? did she get a refund? maybe he attends separately who knows? Is Rugby popular in SK? This is 1st time I have seen Rugby in a Kdrama. If ML didn’t leak that one video, Ri An mother would also won’t do that, so, how does it leak?

Edit: My prospects for this series changed a lit bit, after seeing the post-credit scene (which I watched after roasting it) Maybe there are 7 more episodes of this series where ML takes revenge for his brother.

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a waste of time

BEFORE YOU ATTACK ME THIS IS JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION
I was looking forward to this kdrama because this is Lee chae min's first lead role + he's been my one of my favorite actors since Crash Course in Romance but... (SPOILER ALERT)

CHARACTERS & STORY - 3/10
I was so angry when he (Kang ha) didnt end up with our fl. Probably; because my reason for watching the show was him that I naturally rooted for him but, why would she choose Ri-an? I get that they've been close for so long (since childhood actually) but knowing that he looks down on people that are lower than them in financial and social status, bullies (emotionally and physically) them and actually encourages it would definitely make me uncomfortable. Another thing I hate about Ri-an is the fact that he's very possesive and overprotective. Like in one scene where he referred to Jae-i as an "it" as if talking about an object or an inanimate that belongs to only him. It's so annoying how obsessive he is. It's totally fine to get jealous if someone tries to do something with someone you're in a relationship but Ri-an takes it to the extremes! As soon as he sees Kang ha even near Jae-i, Ri-an starts having murderous ahh thoughts and will try to do everything in his power to keep him away from her. With how Ri-an acts he's definitely a psychopath. Not even a sociopath. He'll only feel bad if Jae-i feels bad. Like one scene where Jae-i was chasing Kang In-han because he was being bullied by Ri-an's minions that dont have their own life, but Ri-an stopped her and she started crying. She started saying stuff like how she wanted to help him, and Ri-an literally said, "Why are you crying over a kid like that," EXCUSE ME? Then she responded with something like, "He's my friend," and with no remorse in his eyes Ri-an said that he'd just tell his minions to stop bullying him... LIKE OMG THAT TOTALLY RESOLVES ALL THE DAMAGE DONE! Hold up cause imma need to send my american public school friends to pull with a glock and shoot this ahh. He needs to learn respect, humility and integrity. But its hard to say that with the kind of environment he grew up in...

The line in question:
How dare he take what's mine!
Soooo... Yeahhhh.

This story was SUPPOSED to be about a twin brother going to his late brother's school to take revenge on the people who bullied him and killed him. If this story was going to be centered on revenge I dont get the point of adding romance, but since there is I ship Jae-i and Kang-ha naturally, but seriously, the romance is reeeeealy unescessary. There's so much drama going on with yall, I'd rather just watch a nice suspenseful psychological story about a brother going through the pains of losing a loved one and turning to revenge to bring justice to his late brother. With the way the characters are acting got me thinking, "Am I watching Euphoria or Riverdale korean ver? I'm confused with what's going on. The story and plot is so messy, probably as messy as this review but everything is everywhere. There's no clear story. Everything is just happening. Like, Woo-Jin sleeping with his teacher and then suddenly realizing his feelings for his long time best friend He-ra? AWH HELL NAWH. The teacher also crazy cause I assume that Woo-Jin was the one who confessed to the teacher, but as a teacher, she's accountable for whatever happens to her students, and if she knew basic morals then she would've rejected his confession. Like this woman has no right to get jealous over a girl who's the right age for her boyfriend. 💀

MUSIC - 3/10
I know the editors work diligently to provide and produce great audios and music that will accompany the show's cinematography, but why does it feel like they just chose random english music and thought, "Yeah! This music is fire because its American!" I literally would've preferred the nice kdrama ost rather than random english music from stock music library.


Dumb notes:
I don't know if this is just me but is kpop and kdrama getting more westernized? Or idk?
Actress who played Jae-i lowkey looks like Lee Doona/Bae Suzy.
By the way, I did not even know what I watched once I finished it. I was so confused. Was it a revenge story? Love story? Psychological romance horror like scum's wish? Or just kdrama version of Euphoria? I can tell that the studio spent ALLAT of money on this just for it to go to waste. (for me atleast)
The whole classroom and overall vibe looks like the classroom from "Classroom of the Elite." anime and kdrama fan fr.
I did not like this show. I only liked Lee chae min. PERIODT.

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Built up a mastermind plot just to hand the wheel to romance and drive straight into mediocrity.

A story about power, corruption, and secrets—except the secrets weren’t that deep, and the power struggles weren’t that intense.

Disclaimer: This review is 100% my opinion — I’m not here to hate, just to share my thoughts! Also, SPOILERS AHEAD, so proceed with caution if you haven’t watched yet. Watch it, come back and let’s see if you agree. Let’s keep the discussion respectful and fun! 💕

The Good
It was short
I genuinely struggled to find anything I truly enjoyed about this show. In the end, the main reason I finished it was simply because it only had seven episodes. At least it didn’t force unnecessary filler just to stretch the runtime.


The Bad
Where do I even begin?

A Revenge Plan With No Plan
I went into this show thinking Kang Ha was going to be this genius transfer student—someone with a master plan to expose the privileged kids and uncover the truth behind his brother’s death.
Instead, none of that happened. Rather than executing a clever strategy, Kang Ha spent most of the show playing boyfriend and getting lost in pointless drama. To make it worse, he didn’t even discover anything himself. The only investigative move he made was getting the pills in Ri An’s locker checked, which led to zero follow-up. Everything he should have uncovered was handed to him by Joo Won, who actually did the work. And then, at the very end, he swoops in acting like he’s the mastermind who pieced everything together. Boy, bye.

Empty Threats and Plot Armour Galore
How were we supposed to feel intimidated when every threat in this show was completely hollow? They literally beat In Han to the ground over a stained shirt, but somehow, Kang Ha—who made out with Jae I, constantly provoked Ri An, and walked around being smug—never got attacked once. At the very least, they could have had Kang Ha fight back in an attempted attack to justify why they never tried anything again. Kang Ha was a nuisance, yet everyone seemed too afraid to put him in his place. Why?

Romantic Detour? Seriously?
His whole downfall started because Jae I smiled at a dog. That was it. From that moment on, his entire reason for coming to the school started fading into the background, and suddenly, she was off-limits in his revenge plan. He was supposed to see everyone as a suspect, but she pets a dog and suddenly she’s innocent? She rides his bike a few times and he’s in love? Please. He was willing to keep her name out of everything, despite knowing full well that she let things happen. I— please be serious.

Plot? What Plot?
This show felt aimless. Was it about Kang Ha’s dead brother? Jae I’s unresolved trauma? Ri An’s mommy issues? Woo Jin’s weird relationship with his teacher? He Ra’s financial struggles? It kept shifting focus so many times that the main plot got completely lost in the shuffle. Sure, it all sort of connected in the end, but the middle was a mess. Too much screen time was wasted on subplots that didn’t matter.

Overhyped Villainy That Wasn’t There
Let me start by saying, bullying is terrible, and In Han was treated horribly. But the show oversold how bad things actually were. I expected the main four to be actively hunting scholarship kids for sport, torturing them for fun, or at the very least, getting their hands dirty. Instead? They were mostly bystanders, never directly involved beyond standing around watching.
And then we find out In Han’s death was a total accident caused by a teacher trying to cover up her inappropriate relationship. Like… huh? His death felt rushed, random, and frankly lazy. Yes, it was still tragic, and yes, he suffered. But compared to how dark the show implied it would be, it just didn’t land. Honestly, it would’ve been way more compelling if scholarship students were mysteriously disappearing and Kang Ha was the only one trying to uncover the truth. But what we got was one accidental death and a bunch of kids who weren’t as evil as advertised.

The Dead Brother? Barely a Priority.
I really can’t stress this enough how much the show did not turn out like it implied. Kang Ha wasn’t the strategic avenger we were led to expect. The first few episodes set up the main four as untouchable villains, yet in reality, they were just bystanders like everyone else at the school.
What’s crazy is that In Han’s death plot took a backseat, even for Kang Ha, which was supposed to be his entire reason for being at the school. In hindsight, it makes sense that Jae I is the one front and centre on the poster while Kang Ha & Co are shoved in the back. This wasn’t his story. It was hers. And that bait-and-switch was a huge letdown.

Jae I Was Annoying
Did anyone else feel like Jae I was constantly playing the victim?
She acted like she deserved comfort over In Han’s death, as if she had no power to stop what happened. And when she finally confessed to killing In Han, it felt less like accountability and more like “tell me it’s not my fault”. Let’s be real, the only reason she spoke up was because she was being blackmailed. Where was this righteous energy when In Han was still alive? Had she never been exposed or blackmailed, she likely would have buried the truth just like everyone else and simply sworn to do better next time.
And don’t forget, Ri An’s lackeys were the ones actively bullying In Han, and Ri An was obsessed with Jae I. If she had told him to make them stop, he would have immediately listened. She had so much influence over him but never used it to help her own friend. She stood there, day after day, letting him get harassed, and then played the victim when it came back around.
Jae I wasn’t just a bad friend to In Han, she was also a horrible friend to He Ra. Jae I ghosted her for three months, never telling her where she went or what was going on. Then, after months of silence, she suddenly shows up and starts barking orders like she never left. And somehow, she never told He Ra about her pregnancy, but did tell a random guy who showed up a month ago. She really treated He Ra like a sidekick, only calling her a “friend” when it was convenient for her.

Jae I’s Emotional Plot Twist That Wasn’t
Let’s talk about Jae I’s sudden 180. For most of the show, Jae I treated Ri An like an annoying ex who couldn’t take a hint; constantly acting like she didn’t care and wanted nothing to do with him.And then suddenly, she’ll do anything for him?
For most of the drama, she stared at him with a deadpan expression, talked to him like he was a pest, and barely tolerated his presence. And the issue wasn’t just the inconsistency, but the fact that she showed little to no emotion throughout the show, making the sudden change hard to believe. If we saw her struggling more: visibly torn or emotionally conflicted, it would’ve added some weight. But because she delivered everything with that same blank face and emotionless voice, the twist didn’t land.

Kang Ha: The Walking Plot Device
Few things annoy me more than obvious main character energy, and Kang Ha was the prime example.
He was some random kid who showed up and single-handedly changed everything, despite having no real plan. He walked around like he owned the school, like he had everyone wrapped around his finger, but the reality? He had nothing but vibes and a vendetta.
The most convenient moment? Flirting a little, acting smug and then magically stumbling upon a hard drive with everything he needed to take down the elites. Like how did Kang Ha even figure out Joo Won was blackmailing Jae I? He just showed up at the party fully in the know. Like… what?
Then, we get a pointless after-credits scene where a guy is dead, and Kang Ha walks around smiling, acting like he just pulled off some brilliant victory like he didn’t do the bare minimum the entire time.
Please.

Kang Ha’s Nonexistent Outside Life
This might’ve flown under the radar, but it really bothered me: for a show that centres Kang Ha, we know absolutely nothing about him outside of school. He lives with his uncle, but where are his parents? What’s his home life like? Why would any guardian let him enroll in the same school where his brother literally died?
The only time we see him outside of school is when he’s working at the market and that scene was only included because Jae I happened to be there. Otherwise, he doesn’t exist beyond the gates of the school. For a character with so much supposed depth, we sure got served the shallowest version of him possible.


Final Thoughts
This was a huge letdown x1000000. This time, it wasn’t because I expected a good show going into this, but because the first two episodes set this show up for something huge. Especially with how Kang Ha carried himself. Him coming in like he was going to turn the school upside down was exciting. But seeing him be all about revenge for all of two episodes, then fall in love and switch up? Took me way off guard.
I usually avoid reading reviews before watching shows because I don’t like going in with bias, but for this one?
I really should have. The comments called it perfectly, and honestly? I should have trusted the collective suffering of previous viewers.
Lesson learned.

~~~
Did anyone actually enjoy this show? If you did, please help me to understand why? This didn’t even cover everything I had to say and yet has so many questions in it.

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Romantic thriller about privileged teenagers — an intense work beyond appearances.

Review with images and spoiler marks: https://www.reddit.com/user/_sunoh/comments/1ljwqtb/hierarchy_review_an_intense_work_beyond/

This drama fascinated me, unlike all the criticism. Rather than being impressed by the drama’s budget, what truly struck me in the end was the talent and golden heart of the screenwriter, along with the skill of the director and actors.

---

Hierarchy is a drama that, behind an apparent classic structure — elite school, bullying, revenge — stands out precisely through its ability to go further, delivering a human, emotional, and above all, resolved story. And that is its strength.

The story doesn’t need a sequel because it is complete. Kang Ha gets the truth he seeks, and justice is served. No blind revenge, no spectacular payback, but a quest for meaning, understanding, and repair. The drama doesn't dwell on the brutality of bullying as often seen elsewhere, it chooses a more subtle, mature, realistic tone. And that makes all the difference.

Kang Ha, as a central figure, disrupts the established order through his academic excellence, courage and emotional intelligence. The way he prevents the sharing of the video, or his heartbreaking line to Ri An — “Learn to live with your guilt because I will never accept your apology” — gives the whole story its meaning: a life lesson, not a revenge tale.

Every line of dialogue matters, every word carries weight, and it’s in these exchanges that Hierarchy finds its full scope. The final episode is especially striking: intense, accomplished, and deeply moving.

Jae I herself embodies the ambivalence that makes the characters so human. Both victim and witness, stoic yet wounded, she perfectly illustrates the emotional complexity the drama aims to convey. Her performance, subtle and restrained, makes her a memorable character, just like Kang Ha, whose portrayal literally carries the drama. Moreover, all the main characters—and many others—add depth and nuance to the story.

Far from being a simple “aesthetic” drama, Hierarchy knows exactly where it’s going. It doesn’t seek consensus perfection — it seeks resonance. And it succeeds, because every episode is dense, every emotion measured, every transformation believable. Even Ri An benefits from a complex and realistic character arc. And that’s precisely what makes this work memorable: nothing is black or white, and above all, everything is said.

The settings themselves play an equally interesting role. They depict a school of unreal beauty, which makes the contrast with the darkness of the drama all the more striking. It evokes certain dystopian films: a seemingly perfect world where the worst seeps into every crack. This visual dissonance is no accident — it reinforces the drama’s atmosphere and underlines its tensions. And clearly, I’ve rarely seen such beautiful color grading.

It's easy to criticize the drama for a lack of originality, but that's a misreading. Hierarchy doesn’t overplay elitism or corruption — it deconstructs them with finesse. And above all, it highlights a powerful message: the importance of change, awareness, and education — even in the most closed environments.

All in all, Hierarchy is a short but impactful drama. Not because of its spectacular aspect, but because of its sensitivity, accuracy, and its ability to evoke emotion without relying on gimmicks. The drama doesn't aim to shock — it aims to heal, to bring growth, and it does it well.

The post-credits scene (there is another at the end of Episode 5, though nothing important) teases a Season 2 despite the story being over, but I would gladly accept it in all honesty. At least for now, the cast got reunited in Crushology 101. (Lee Chae Min, Roh Jeong Eui and Kim Min Chul)

FMVs: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVlEiYP-9el422JsLuJ8Gy_rmUqEzKdN0
My own edit: https://www.tiktok.com/@suwunoh/video/7628723968031214870

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In the Hierarchy of kdramas this will not have a memorable spot !

I mean who didn't sign up for the eye candies and tbh we all know we loved it somewhere ....then the thinking brain comes into play and maybe just maybe ruins your watch experience because well -- we all need a plot ( and it can't be just hot oppas) !

The plot was all over the place or maybe non existent-- we can say a highly westernized drama like elite gets a kdrama touch and again Netflix saves the day with it's visual appeal but for how long will they dwell on such script-less dramas !?

story -- just like always we have a teen drama where everyone is pretending to be an adult ! -- a rich lifestyle and parties traded with mental health and freedom and there comes a variable -- a literally poor one this time ! it's not a revenge story of a poor puppy in the realm of rich brats knocking them down it's a damsel in distress romance and by the end very much a "MORAL SCIENCE " lecture !

So let me tell you my expectations with this and then we'll progress to how disappointed I was with this !

I was looking forward to having a visually stunning and planned nerve-racking revenge plot that will go down in the books-- a romance that shatters the foundation of this well build school and all it's riches !
but in turn --
This show stands out as a perfect example of DO NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER ! -- while in the initial stages the show is very promising of all your expectations it falls flat on it's face by the end ! -- the mystery the villains the chemistry the storyline everything !

I would have appreciated if background for characters was explored in depth-- like he's not just the always happy guy , she's not the always untouchable queen and the perfect prince or so and so ! - i wanted to know them for who they are and not just what the world knows of them it kind of weakened their role and made them superficial !

What I liked -- the actors ! -- all of them give their best ! all the eye candies perfectly in place even to the side characters !

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE -- (oh hell we have a list) --

THE CONFUSION -- They should tell me who do I root for, the writers themselves got confused mid way about their final ship !
THE FRIENDSHIP -- either shallow or deep -- there's not supposed to be an in-between -- cuz there is no in-between !
THE VILLAINS -- even tho i was disappointed by the story -- their acting disappointed me even more !
THE REVEALS -- even if there was a strong build up that had my attention -- they revealed it in the dumbest and most convenient way possible !
THE MOTIVES -- it was just so weird for everything to be that predictable and illogical by all means !
THE TEENS -- man never for a moment they behaved their age (and i don't mean the parties !)
THE END -- They did not have to have me so uninterested in the ending and make it so over the top !
THE MAIN CHARACTERS -- (I'll put it in a spoiler tag comment )!

Overall this is the drama that you normally dote on -- if western, so i can't say I am disappointed but then if you are a kdrama fan then you don't look forward to western touch I mean I would love more netflix productions and high budget hyped shows with the most amazing cinematography but ones that do have substance !

Please watch it -- do not look for a plot -- just enjoy the ride you have in front of you -- do not get your hopes up due to initial eps ...I am hoping you'll love it if you follow this !!!

my fav line --
"I want to protect him even if it means to give up all I have - I want to protect him because he's all I have" !

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Se você é fã de dramas tradicionais coreanos, então este drama pode não ser ao seu gosto

Na minha visão, a crítica que essa série de televisão recebe por sua suposta "ocidentalização" parece ser um pouco exagerada. É claro que a série se afasta do formato tradicional dos dramas coreanos, trazendo elementos típicos de produções ocidentais, como em 'Gossip Girl'. A atuação também foge do padrão habitual dos dramas da Coreia. Sem dúvida, existem algumas falhas na trama, mas isso pode ser devido ao planejamento da Netflix para uma segunda temporada, considerando o final que foi deixado. Muitas pessoas esperavam cenas extremamente eróticas, com drogas e violência excessiva. No entanto, é importante lembrar que estamos falando da Coreia e de um drama coreano; as chances de haver esse tipo de conteúdo em um drama sobre adolescentes são praticamente nulas. Eu daria uma nota sólida de 6/10 para essa série. Se você gosta de histórias sobre jovens ricos, mistérios de assassinato, atores charmosos e reviravoltas na trama, provavelmente vai se divertir com este drama. Por outro lado, se você é fã dos dramas coreanos mais tradicionais, pode não ser o seu gosto (assim como eu)

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How to delete this from my brain?

Hierarchy: A nonsensical combination of Gossip Girl and Elite that ultimately tries too hard and absolutely delivers nothing.

There's still hope that there won't be a second season, cause honestly let's invest that money into actual good well written kdramas. Let some of the actual good actors shine in a piece that will do them justice instead of making them return to this. This is truly a case like madame web HOW DID THIS GET FUNDED? WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA? I now have personal beef with the people that gave this the green light. Studio Dragon do better! Also, my two year old nephew can even tell a more cohesive story than the writer(s) of this actual drama. AND IT'S THEIR JOB!

My negative nelly truly came out but this show really pissed me off. And I was actually enjoying it for the first two episodes despite being unrealistic as hell. I can only throw so much of my brain out of the window while watching something as nonsensical and unrealistic as this. By the end of episode 5, I was still watching the show because at that point I was oddly curious at how kuch more ridiculousness they could add. How much worse could it get? The answer was soooooooo much worse.

Plus, they dressed up an 18-year-old high schooler as a 30+ rich house wife that has to deal with a cheating husband and a horrible mother in law..... make it make sense please

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