Boyhood (2023)

DID NOT EXPECT IT TO BE THIS GOOD

I might be biased in this review as I like movies and shows which are set in the olden days especially the 70s and 80s and adding countryside setting and accent to it is just chef's kiss. The OST of this drama is just on another level and has become a constant in my workout playlist lol.
This was such an unexpected fun drama that just made me speechless. The story is about school bullying and how much it affects the victims and those surrounding them and being teenagers their fights are just seen as youthful brawls which are occurring due to their growing hormones. The starting of the story portrays bullying as just another thing which an individual has to go through in order to become an adult.
Till episode 5 it was a funny story where our lead hero is just deceiving everyone to think that he is the real bully which is so hilarious, that all believed him to be and there was not much fighting till episode 5.
Episode 6 had me crying as the whole episode dealt with how real bullying is and how much it hurts the victim and their family, but we also get to see that our protagonist is not like all the other bullies.
Afterwards its just the training of the hero and him learning to fight and realizing that to take revenge one has to get their hands dirty but does not have to become like the thugs.
All the fight scenes were done so well, especially the last boss fight was amazing.
All in all a very fun experience, but the subtitles were so bad, I wish there were good subs, I was able to understand most of the Korean as I've learnt some, but the subs were just so off in most of the times. May be because the dialogues were in satoori (Korean dialect) so it might be difficult to translate.

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I originally watched this drama because it was recommended to be similar to High School Return of a Gangster (2024) and Weak Hero Class 1, if you’re looking at specifically the redemption/revenge story line, (in Boyhood very different compared to those two) we can say that they are similar, but we really do have to then ignore the rest of the details. Such is the plot line/main characters personality/ motivations in each, and despite my initial “displeasure” to seeing the main character in the first few episode (compared to the two brain/brawn powerhouse mains I mentioned above) I’m still very glad I decided to watch as it was very much worth it.

This Drama focuses on the main lead Jang Byung Tae, who in the beginning episodes I truly disliked and was disappointed with, at the very least annoyed (maybe because I still had expectations him to be someone like the main leads of the two dramas I mentioned above). Jang Byung Tae, in the begging of this drama, let’s just say is the least likely to use his brain to create some elaborate scheme to pull of some big and satisfying redemption ark. I believed him to be on the autism spectrum as well, with how much he was being misunderstood by his peers/people around him, combined with his low ability to read social clues or maybe downright ignoring them! I thought any minute he would say something idiotic and he’d get beat up by some primary school student! That how bad my view of him was. He was just making it super easy for people around him to pick on him!

Seeing him getting beat up at first was pretty sad, and there are moment even in further parts where I thought this is just inhumane and too much, however I have to admit at times I did burst out laughing at the pure idiocracy of him despite his multiple beat ups. And as you start watching the first episode you’ll understand what I mean, he doesn’t make it easier for himself. But slowly I started enjoying his silly character, I even started rooting for him. But at most I liked that in later episodes his character goes though a change, and he grows into himself and becomes from annoying, to someone I looked up to! So if you get discouraged halfway don’t lose hope, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for his character. The cringy parts turned simply funny to me, and spoiler alert: at the last episodes he starts getting back at everyone who hurt him is very good, and at times super funny, I can’t get over those last 3 episodes even now I giggle to myself as I think about them as I write this. So if just for those parts alone it’s really worth watching because they really good.

Now into the background characters and his friends I really liked Park Ji Young, she was badass and endearing, she was superb at stating the obvious, so in way I was alway left satisfied as I felt she said all I would’ve in that situation.

Cho Ho Suk Was super funny, he was literally the best comedic release and his shenanigans with Jang Byung Tae never failed to make me laugh, especially towards the end when the two gets super close.

The rest of the boys were ever changing in my opinion of them so that made the drama more interesting, they kept me in my toes whilst watching, and after the big turning point I really did like all of the boys, even our main antagonist, Jung Gyeong Tae. The actor who played him is very young and less experienced compared to his co actors but delivered his character super well! I truly believe if you give this drama a try you won’t regret it. Especially if you don’t jump into it with a large expectations and constant cross referencing/comparing it to other dramas like I did!

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Unanswered Questions and Plot Gaps: Thoughts on the Story

The plot and characters were engaging, and the ending was good, but a few unanswered questions leave the story feeling incomplete. With the script for Season 2 still in progress, I am particularly concerned about these unresolved points:

1. Gyeong Tae's Past:
What exactly happened to Gyeong Tae that led him to become the White Tiger? When he lost his memories, he seemed like a caring, normal, brotherly person. His mother also appeared curious when she first encountered Byeong Tae hints at a deeper story. Their backstory feels incomplete and unexplored.

2. Seon Hwa's Mysterious "Fortune-Telling" House:
Why did Seon Hwa lie about living in a mansion? Why is she secretive about her personal life and more drawn to power than love? There's no clear explanation of her past or what made her so manipulative, which leaves her character unclear. It would be more fulfilling if we had a clearer understanding of her motivations and backstory.

3. Gyeong Tae’s Birthday Night:
What happened between Gyeong Tae and Seon Hwa on his birthday that caused the awkwardness between them? What did Seon Hwa whisper to him after the fight with The Black Spider? These key moments are still unclear leaving us with more questions than answers about their relationship.

4. Ji Young's Story:
Why did Ji Young transform into The Black Spider? How did she learn such skilled tactics? Why did their parents relocate when Ji Young and Byeong Tae were children? Her backstory and transformation are still a mystery.

I hope these questions are addressed in Season 2, as they would help make the story feel more complete and satisfying.

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Boyhood: The White Tiger, the Blue Dragon, and the Boy in Between

Some dramas come into your life like a punchline. Others slip in like a quiet poem, unfolding stanza by stanza until you realize your heart has been slowly, quietly rearranged. Boyhood is the latter—but it's also the kind of poem that occasionally punches you in the gut.

Set against the nostalgic and often misunderstood 1980s rural Korea, Boyhood manages the incredible feat of being both laugh-out-loud funny and quietly devastating. It’s a high school drama, yes, but it wears its genre with an ironic smirk, upending your expectations at every turn. The story follows Jang Byeong-tae, a scrawny kid with a bowl cut and chronic victim status, who accidentally gets mistaken for the infamous street fighter "White Tiger." Rather than correct the misunderstanding, he rides the wave, and thus begins a bizarre, emotional rollercoaster through fists, friendships, and false identities.

Im Si-wan, a true chameleon in the world of K-drama acting, delivers a performance that borders on sorcery. His portrayal of Byeong-tae moves like water, shifting effortlessly between slapstick comedy, pitiful vulnerability, and fiery defiance. At times, you forget you’re watching the same character, because he gives you four different versions of Byeong-tae: the perpetual victim, the pretend predator, the broken-hearted boy, and finally, the young man who learns to stand his ground. His physical comedy is as sharp as his dramatic gravitas—one moment he’s contorting his face into a human emoji, the next he’s staring down a bully with tears and steel in his eyes. Im Si-wan acts with his whole body, and the result is nothing short of mesmerizing.

Standing beside him like a flame to his shadow is Lee Sun-bin as Park Ji-young. Fiery, no-nonsense, and a master of the side-eye, Ji-young is the kind of childhood friend who'd uppercut anyone hurting you and then scold you for getting hurt in the first place. Lee Sun-bin brings her usual comedic timing, but layers it with deep emotional nuance. There’s a scene where she watches Byeong-tae hit his lowest point—and she doesn’t cry, but you do, because her silence says everything. Together, Ji-young and Byeong-tae form the emotional axis of the show. Their chemistry is crackling, not in the typical romantic tension kind of way, but in the deeper, richer way that says, "I will always be in your corner."

As a coming-of-age tale, Boyhood manages to do something quite rare—it makes growing up look both beautiful and brutal. One moment you're giggling at absurd misunderstandings, and the next, you're reminded that high school can be a battleground, especially when the enemy wears the same uniform as you. The bullying isn’t sanitized here; it's raw, real, and relentless. But that only makes the victories—small as they are—feel like full-blown revolutions. When Byeong-tae begins to train, not just his fists but his sense of self-worth, it’s less about becoming the strongest and more about reclaiming a space where he can exist without fear.

The revenge arc that unfolds toward the end is particularly satisfying—not just because it's cool to watch the bullied fight back, but because it's earned. This isn’t about flashy fight choreography or hero tropes; it’s about quiet resilience turning loud. And in a post-The Glory landscape, it stands proudly as one of the most cathartic revenge arcs to come out in recent years.

The supporting cast also gets their moment to shine. Lee Si-woo as the real White Tiger, Jung Gyeong-tae, is a study in contrasts: effortlessly cool and quietly dangerous, with a good-looking face that masks deep-rooted rage. You’re never quite sure whether to root for him or duck when he shows up. Kang Hye-won as Kang Seon-hwa, Byeong-tae’s crush, plays her role well, though admittedly her character feels slightly undercooked when standing next to the more fleshed-out leads.

Then there’s the soundtrack—oh, the soundtrack. It slaps. And I don’t mean that in the casual, overused Gen Z way. I mean it genuinely lands like an open palm to the nostalgia centers of your brain. Norazo’s "Double of Nothing" sounds like it came from a martial arts arcade game set inside a karaoke bar, in the best possible way. Meanwhile, "When I Was Young" by Munan and "Take Me Home" sung by Im Si-wan himself, act as gentle balms for the heavier emotional wounds. These songs aren't just background noise—they’re emotional amplifiers.

The drama is also smartly paced. At just ten episodes, there’s no room for fluff. Every beat matters, and the story wraps itself up in a satisfying bow—mostly. I say mostly, because if you’re like me, you might feel a little greedy. After spending so many episodes watching Byeong-tae suffer, I wanted a longer epilogue. Just a little more time to bask in his hard-earned peace. But perhaps that was the point. Growing up doesn’t come with a credits roll. Sometimes, it just… continues.

Now, no drama is without its flaws, and Boyhood has its quirks. A big one is its deep entrenchment in 1980s Korean culture. There are scenes and dialogues that will leave international viewers scratching their heads. Why is Byeong-tae’s dad being arrested for a dance class? Why are schools single-gendered? Why is Yakult delivered like morning milk? If you don’t already have context—or a patient friend to explain it—these things can feel disorienting. The regional dialects also don’t always translate well, and some jokes lose their punch across the language barrier.

And while it’s billed as a comedy, let’s not sugarcoat it—there’s darkness here. Physical violence, emotional abuse, underage drinking, and extortion are all present and accounted for. They’re not the focus, but they’re not brushed aside either. This might be a dealbreaker for viewers seeking a lighter watch.

Still, if you’re willing to step into its world and let it teach you the rules as you go, Boyhood is one of those rare dramas that lingers. Not because of how it ends, but because of how it makes you feel along the way. It’s a show about what happens when someone finally gives you a place to belong. When your name—real or fake—starts to mean something. When you stop pretending to be the White Tiger, and finally roar as yourself.

Score: 8/10

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Отрочество

Эта дорама «Отрочество» реально показывает, почему школьники попадают под буллинг – всё из-за их же косяков. Сценарист тут руками старается доказать, что сами ученики своим глупым поведением становятся мишенью для насмешек.

В первой серии наш главный тип не следит за своей речью и получает по полной от одноклассников. Во второй и третьей он тупо отваливается, слова в пустоту кидая, и теряет всякую крутость, ну, просто не умеет держать слово. Четвёртая серия – он пытается казаться справедливым и крутым, но забывает, на чьи деньги вообще живёт, и его фишка мгновенно проваливается. А в пятой – когда общается с «белым тигром» у дерева, отвечает так невежественно, что тигр тут же понимает: перед ним настоящий неудачник. И в шестой белый тигр берёт дело в свои руки и решает наказать его, потому что такой тип реально заслуживает издевок.

Короче, «Отрочество» ясно показывает, что издевательства – результат собственных ошибок учеников, и что за свои косяки надо отвечать самим.

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