Pyramid Game

A Class Plays a Game

Hey everyone, welcome back to the K-drama Study. The last time I talked about Death Game, which started Seo In Guk. Today, I'll be talking about Pyramid Game One, which I've been looking forward to watching. The show stars Bona, one of my favorite idol actresses. I've been watching her since her first drama was released in 2017. Now, let's jump into the show and remember to read the disclaimer.

Disclaimer: There will be spoilers, so read at your own will

I remember seeing this show on my drama list, and the description made me want to add this to my watch list. Since 2014, I've been waiting for this show to air, and when it did, I was happy. This drama was the first that featured more girls as characters than males. I was curious to see what kind of character they would have Bona play in this show. After watching the first episode, I wanted another one cause it left off with a killer cliffhanger that pulled me right into the show. As the episodes kept airing, I loved watching Song Soo Ji craft a little team/friend group, which helped make the show more interesting. During the first episode, I felt terrible for Song Soo Ji, who had been tortured since she was in Grade F, thanks to the pyramid game. It did anger me from time to time that some people had a feeling there was school violence but didn't do anything about it. Ha Rin was the one who made the class play the pyramid game, and I hated her as a character cause she was mean to some of the girls. Seung-Yi was one girl who I wasn't a fan of, but I felt sorry for her cause her father beat her. I found it fun to watch Soo Ji and the gang come up with ideas on how they would stop the pyramid game. Getting the guy from the convenience store, Woo-ri's brother, to help them was a twist I didn't see coming. I loved how everything unfolded in the last two episodes, as I was happy the game was ending and people were getting what they deserved. The ending with the Twins left an excellent cliffhanger. I will see if there will be a Season 2.

Usually, I would discuss the OSTs, but since there are only two, I won't. I will be giving Pyramid Game an A for being one that kept pulling me back, wanting to know what was going to happen next and see what the characters would be doing next. I can't wait to see another Bona show and my next drama, so look out for that. I'll see you all next time in another review.

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WAAY BETTER THAN SQUID GAME!

Indeed, as the title aptly suggests, this series is a cut above the rest, even surpassing the likes of the globally acclaimed ‘Squid Game’. For those who are aficionados of anime, the name ‘Classroom of the Elite’ would certainly ring a bell. This series, in its essence, resonates with the same vibes that ‘Classroom of the Elite’ exudes.

It’s like a wild roller-coaster ride full of cliffhangers. Seriously, the production quality is top-notch, and the actors? Wow, they’re just amazing.

Overall, the series leaves no stone unturned in ensuring viewer satisfaction. The superior production quality, the stellar performances by the actors, and of course, the enchanting Original Sound Track (OST) that we all hold dear, collectively contribute to making this series a must-watch.

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PERFECTION

This drama served in every department. Acting, production, ost, story, just everything was outstanding. I was already hyped for this because I loved the Webtoon and because of Bona being the main lead and somehow I was still shocked by how much I loved this. Whoever did the casting I want to thank you because this cast really was able to bring this amazing story to life. I was so pleasantly surprised by the acting in this show, some of the best acting I've seen in a while, even from the rookie actresses. Jang Da-Ah especially shocked me. I was initially worried about her first role being such a huge and complex one but wow she really brought the crazy that was needed for Harin. I love how the cast is full of women. Bona has impressed me in every single role but Suji has to be her best role yet, the way she portrayed this character was spot on and no one could do it as good as she did. I love how Suji isn't perfect and isn't always morally correct, we need more flawed main characters (that are still likable). One detail I loved throughout the story was the similarities the side characters would point out between Suji and Harin, the protagonist and antagonist. These similarities are so important because yes these characters are similar but have completely different end goals. I was also pleasantly surprised that they were so open with Eunjeong and Yerim's story. They made their feelings for each other more explicit than the webtoon. In conclusion, definitely one of my favorite K-Dramas ever and also the K-Drama that got me back into K-Dramas. I hope there will be a season 2 as they did end with a cliffhanger and a new cast member that I am very excited to see added to this already amazing cast.

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An overview of what society looks like

*Started this right after its release (two days after on march 2nd) but had to take a month and a half-long break of it because kisskh's subtitles litteraly disappeared. Fortunately it strated woring again a few days ago so I started again from where I stopped on april 22nd. Finished the series five days after *

CHARACTERS AND MY OPINION ON THEM :

* Myoung jae eun
She is such a good person like she is genuinely sympathetic and toughtful to the point she would willingly give up her well-being to help the others even when she was told and could see multiple times how hypocritical and fake they were in the class.
she deserves sm better. like the world ! ❤️
Later on, I would understand more why she was also ´okay ´ with ha rin bullying her.

* Sung soo ji
At the beginning I thought :
She is a wise character and I get her point with ignoring the situation of some egoistic people in her class after they get to go through the same as her and myoung jae. but sometimes it’s too much to ignore !
i hated that part (ep 2-mid ep3) in which she litteraly betrayed myoung jae eun and was claiming she used her for her own will asf it was nothing. like gurl no. Then after that much time ignoring the promise she made she suddenly took a turn and came back to jae eun out of nowhere. like ? what ? it’s not cool to leave behind someone to come back to them because you need them and especially bcuz you remember you could get back to the state of the bullied student after the upcoming edition of the game if you don’t destroy the game. like how selfish and self-centered can you be to do that ?

I’m complaining but logically it’s quite ´human ´. I mean it’s in the human character to stand for themselves and be egoistic in hard times.

After the few first episodes, I made up my mind as her character gained in depth.

I loved how the relationships between ja eun, ji ae, jae hung and soo ji grew and how they all lost/ forgot abt their defaults and managed to blend in this group although they were not meant to be, especially with all those diverse characters, personnalities and conflicting backgrounds they have.
I love the friends group they’ve created. They genuinely got close because they went through thick and thin together. Even those who were cold at first (jae hung, soo ji) opened their hearts!
I learned to love them all with all their defaults (jae hung the pervert, ji ae, the betrayer, soo ji the cold-hearted, eun jung, jae eun the too kind, ye rim).
Loved the duos jae hung/jae eun and jae eun/ soo ji sm btw!

I hate that ko eun byeol girl so much! She so fake and the biggest evil after ha rin in that class. She came up with litteraly the worst of game ideas everytime and even had the audacity to claim she did nothing !

The class is as fake as ha rin is. what I don’t get is when they could have done something (ex : the paintball session) they still turned their back to the situation like why tf…

Also I have to talk about the way I gasped and then starting throwing hands when da yeon litteraly busted both eun jung's knee and prolly her whole swimming career at the same time like what tf are you on ?
Then about Da yeon, at least she's not being fake as litteraly the whole class...On the contrary, she clearly shows her emotions and even her emotion swings and that shows how emotionnaly unstable she was. I was so freaking glad everyone let her down at some point eventhough they should have way earlier to prevent so much troubles and to help her as well because how tf no one is helping a girl who is getting beaten up every single day at home, and even at some point at school, IN FRONT OF A TEACHER ??? like wtf is that ?? I lost it when in a scene they did 'a joke' about her situation... like that ain't actually funny bfr.

THEN Ha rin !
She is so messed up. I mean what Jae eun did younger was not good at all, I get that she wants go take avenge but when the guilty keeps asking for pardon (and sincerely) you should not do what she did. You should not belittle yourself at that level and surely not drag a whole class into this. Plus she is using ja eun as an excuse at some point because before ja eun, the grade f was woo ri who is litteraly not related to all that. She destroyed that poor girl and shattered her whole life…

Shoutout to woo ri and his brother ! They went through so much and together. I loved their character developments ! Wish them all the good for the future !

By the way, if someone could explain me what happened with soo ji’s father it would be super good because I’m still confused by his scene in ep9.

Tbh the adults seemed to be brainless sometimes, because how tf a highschooler no matter the level of their family, can manage to litteraly blackmail everyone even her family. She even (I might not have gotten that part as I said above) destroyed soo ji’s father’s career.
A middle-aged man. That was some makjang series thing at some point ngl. I mean she is a highshooler and they are grown men and women…

About the school staff :
The teacher (the money lover one) was so freaking annoying as well as the principle. Also, I loved that the other temporary teacher wanted to help but writers didn’t make her intervene as much as she could have done for the students unfortunately…

To conclude :
* I felt bad for ha rin because at the end, it seems like her family didn’t even actually cared about her but more about the money.
Ha rin didn’t receive the good penalty for all what she did. Maybe being disowned and being hated by the public is a beginning of a penalty but she needs to face a trial for something of that gravity.

* I loved soo ji’s father’s character development as well as do ah’s.

*Ye rim and her bff/crush/gf has so much chemistry and the tension ! Till the end, we are not fixed on what they are ugh ! 😭

*All those moments when ha rin would be stepping on her prey’s shoes (obvious shoe marketing lol) were too much, OTT imo. To some extent, I was even quickly fed up by it, because it wasn’t intimidating at all, just giving second hand embarrassment 😭

The OSTs, the cast and the plot : EVERYTHING was perfect !

*I will just ignore the ending indicating there might be a season 2 cuz I feel like it will just be a ditto of season 1 (as for the night has come series’ ending ifykyk)*

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Perfection

One of the few kdramas i have "binge-watched", and it screams perfection. The story is very well made, great cliffhangers, and twists. The acting and cast is perfect, Dain's character being the loser she is, Jiyeon's character being a brave, confident one, considering this is Jang Daah's very first act, and her debut, she is playing her character very well, especially those face expressions oh my... Naeon's character is amazing, but I mostly like her bond with Lee Juyeon's character. My favorite side characters are gotta be Hwang Hyunjeong's and Shin Seulki's!!!! However, music wise, I really don't like the OSTs :(

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Very Satisfying!

This series initially didn't pique my interest when I first read the synopsis, leading to reluctance on my part to give it a chance. However, I'm thrilled to admit that I was completely blown away. It defies predictability at every turn. While the premise may seem straightforward—students casting votes in a popularity poll—the reality is far more complex. It reveals a brutal ranking system that dictates the entire social hierarchy of the school, allowing legal bullying of those with the lowest grades.

Enter Sung Soo Jie, the daughter of a soldier transferred to Baekyeon Girls' High School. Strong-minded and observant, she becomes a beacon of hope for victims like Myung Ja Eun, who has endured relentless bullying. Together, they forge alliances to dismantle the pyramid of oppression and put an end to the madness.

The series' pacing is expertly executed, striking a perfect balance between revelation and suspense. Personally, I found the dynamic between rivals Sung Soo Ji and Baek Harin particularly captivating. Despite their differing social standings, their battles of wit are intense, with Soo Ji's underdog status making her victories all the more satisfying.

Moreover, the OST is outstanding, never losing its charm even after hours of play. The cast, comprising mostly newcomers delivers stellar performances that left me pleasantly surprised.

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best pyschological/highschool drama

This drama is truly commendable in every aspect. The acting performances are exceptional, and the actresses demonstrate impressive accuracy and dedication when portraying their roles. The storytelling stays on point without feeling rushed, showcasing excellent pacing throughout. It gradually reveals more about the lore, providing viewers with rich context and subtle clues to follow along. Additionally, each character’s behavior is consistently well-portrayed, earning a perfect 10 out of 10 rating. I completely understand why Sung Soo Ji prioritized herself in this situation — it's human nature, and honestly, most of us would have acted the same. I also appreciate how she didn't allow Baek Ha Rin to guilt-trip Ja Eon or manipulate the audience. Instead, she called her out on her bullying behavior, which was well-deserved. Overall, this drama offers a compelling blend of strong performances, engaging storytelling, and powerful character development.

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A brutal watch

The Korean drama industry always makes sure to deliver two to three stories yearly on school violence. All of Us Are Dead or the Glory has been wowing international fans with their killing game.
Song Su Ji transfers to Baekyeon Girls’ High School in Seoul. Students of this cynical game indulge in a deadly game of ranking to determine who will be the punching bag of the month and who is going to be the top dog of the place. Oblivious to this cruel scene, she finds herself in the den of wolves soon. And soon everyone starts walking all over her.

Appears Beak Ha Rin who is the mind of this torture play. As the story progresses battle between Ha Rin and Su Ji intensifies as none of them wants to let go of the leash.

Bona as Su Ji delivers a strong graph throughout the season. She establishes herself as a maestro in drawing the attention of the audience on an emotional note. Compared to her performance in Twenty-five Twenty-one, she comes out as a stronger player in the ring. As her character suffers she starts replying more cruelly. Jang Da a as Ha Rin delivers a cream performance. Her effortless enactment of the vicious character has made the audience forget all the cruel queens from the past.

Korean Dramas are sharpening their hands in making thrillers. Each and every character are arch nemesis of each other and variances in character layers never make the story monotonous. The pain dripping from the face of Su Ji to the remarks of Ha Rin- the audience lived on edge throughout the ten episodes. It is important to eradicate this type of cruelty from educational institutions once and for all.

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Worth watching

The drama was great !! There were no boring scenes (I was literally nervous every episodes😭)

After watching this drama, I learnt that it is really important to surround yourself with the right people. Never betray your friends who were always there for you. And don't be afraid to fight for yourself when you know that you are right. Also, don't judge the book by its cover because everyone has their own story.

I LOVEE THEM. They all did well in this drama. Jang Da-Ah's acting was so good. Like I can't belive that this is her acting debut. Also, I'm rooting for ye-rim and eun jung ^_^

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What it promises, it delivers -- nothing more and nothing less! But is there more to promise?

In ten episodes, I do not think so. This output perfectly captures this drama -- what it promises, it delivers -- nothing more and nothing less!

The actors this a fantastic job with their roles. I believed each one of them, from the most annoying to most desparate one.

The premise of the drama was blatantly clear, and was bluntly beated into viewer's forehead from episode to episode. Repeat after me: "Hierarchies are fundamental part of social fabric from the childhood to adulthood... And you cannot escape them." There are always ways to trap you into a layer where the powerful want you to be. And often times to climb voluntarily social ladder one sacrifices integrity and sense of morality. Because the pyramid, you see, it is not theirs. But of someone else, and in this drama it belongs to one character.

Ok, got it. Next? Oh not much really, from episode 1-10 this is the take home message. Which for a short drama I do consider a message being delivered. Mission completed and all that.

Another great theme tackled at the end of the drama was the concept of bystander.

There are almost no bad standouts to point out. The manipulation strategies of the main antagonist over the adults were slightly, to put it kindly, unrealistic. For the rest, it serves the story and very well could've reflected the reality.

Not particularly entertaining watch, I am not moved or anything but I cannot find wrong things with the project. If you do like these dramas that reflect on social issues, this might be a great one for you.

Thanks for reading.

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