This review may contain spoilers
THIS IS SOTY ( SHOW OF THE YEAR )
this show seriously need s2 because as someone who lazy to read the webtoon, i really want to know more about their story since most people said that their story is so much more to be told. i want to see more about gamin's achievement at time ahead.Also, the ending. the ending make my curiosity bigger and bigger each day. i wanted to know what happened to geon yeop after that particular incident. will he revenge? ah i can't help but curious. Apart from that, i also wanted to know what hanwool's dad gonna do when his son end up into the juvenile.
this show seriously need more episodes than just 10 🙏🏻
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This review may contain spoilers
yes yes ..but also kind comme ci comme ca
this series started so well. the first episodes were funny, engaging and i was really excited to move to the next episode.around episode 6 I started to feel a bit of fatigue. don't get me wrong , the fight scene are really awesome but at the very end , especially the last 2 episode, I started skipping a lot.
beside the main goal of the study group and the fight scene there is not really that much left.
I know it's only ten episodes but we don't really get that much depth around the protagonists. also the evil corporation sounds a bit cartoonish..
It was funny, but I would have liked a bit more development. especially around the main character.
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A webtoon coded drama
I will start this review by saying that if you do not appreciate webtoons or unrealistic stories, you will not be able to enjoy this one. In fact, it sould have a fantasy tag, because I was caught completely out of guard. The show is short and it is pretty obvious that it will have a second season, since it is based on an ongoing webtoon. I thought it was going to be a PG 13 Weak Hero Class, and I did not miss the the target completely.Honestly, for my taste, it was a little bit uninteresting. I have seen some comments saying that this is a show for kids/teenagers, and I totally agree with that. It is very shonen-anime-like.
The conflicts seem a bit silly, all of the villains are teenagers and all of the adults are useless, being there only to be saved by teenagers as well. I enjoyed the realistic part of fightinhg coreography, making me appreciate the side characters fighting styles, but ML's superhuman strength was a deal breaker for me.
The main group is fun and have a good chemistry, but the main character seems too innocent sometimes. I actually read the first few episodes of the webtoon after starting the show and it appears that Ga Min had some changes in his personality for the drama. He is a little cynical and more aware of his surroundings in the original material, which seems more interesting to me.
In conclusion, it is a short watch, but if you do not enjoy this genre, you probably will not be able to take it seriously (like I did a lot of times).
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Never thought a drama about students could be this fun!
The story is fun and well executed. The drama is entertaining, the music is good and the action is gripping. I argued if I have to watch this drama. Normaly a drama of students or high schoolers aren´t my forte. But everyone said, this is one of the best Kdrama of this year, so I thought I give it a shoot. It´s surprisingly realy realy good!Was this review helpful to you?
Basically a cartoon. The acting is not "for real" as nobody gets hurt after heavy violence
The main hillarious thing in this kdrama is that the ML is a very serious bookworm and a good kid... and he is in environments where good students are rarity and everyone gets beaten.. The hillarious part is how his friends are versus the entire school... And the brutal reality is that his friends are so frail and so incompetent - the girl with the hair bow is a prime example..The brutal reality is that the society and most parents threw their kids under the bus and are NOT helping to make school more safe...
The brutal reality of social norms today is that NOBODY NOBODY NOBODY could protect school kids from bullies - because nobody wants to protect kids from bullies!!!!! ADULTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, ... they all just look the other way.
So yeah the BASIC PREMISE of this kdrama is a grave societal issue...
The most of the content of this kdrama is just menanigess fights.
AND MAGICALLY, they all get up and are just fine, although 1 minute ago they had blood all over their face and body, fallen knees, were kicked in the ribs, head, torso, etc.
The message is WE DONT FIGHT but also the message is YOU MUST FIGHT TO SELF DEFEND
and the fighting is glorified. The audience wants to see blood and broken bones and then pooof! magically.. NONE of the beaten ppl have any consequences. wow bologney. Possible only in cartoons
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Not My Style, But Has Good Moments
My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.I don’t think I’m the targeted demographic for this drama. It seems to be more suited for teen boys. I watched it anyway.
Acting/Cast: I like the cast. This drama does have some good characters. There wasn’t enough time to really develop any of them though. The male lead was probably the worst along with the main villain. The male lead is that stoic type that I can’t stand, but I’ve seen worse...he did have a hint of personality. The main villain is scary but not developed at all. It really ruined that aspect of the story for me. My favorite character was Strawberry/Lee Jun. He was fun. I liked the student with the white hair, too. He was probably one of the more developed characters, which is sad because he’s hardly even in the drama. 7/10
Writing: This drama has a good start - the humor, the action scenes, the dilemmas that they had to overcome. Even though the plot is kind of dumb (kids that want to study but can’t because...I don’t really know why), I was still entertained. However, once the male lead stops pretending to be oblivious or whatever was going on with him, the drama becomes focused on fight scenes. When I think that the story is going to get some more development, it doesn’t...it just turns into another fight scene. I got bored. This drama does have some good quotes though. I like what the old man in the hospital said about why he continues to study - "When I stop learning, that’s when my life stops.” I could relate. This drama has a positive message about the importance of education, which I appreciated. I also like how violence wasn’t treated as being evil, but necessary for self-defense and to protect others. 4/10
Direction/SFX/Music: This drama is basically a live action anime, so it’s very crazy. It’s production value looks high. The SFX is well done. The soundtrack is memorable and fit the vibe of the drama well (although not my style). The injuries and blood looked good. 7.5/10
Entertainment Value: The first half of the drama seemed promising. It felt like it was going in a good direction where we’d get a developed story and characters. I’m not going to lie though...even then I wasn’t too interested in continuing to watch this drama. Like I said, I’m not the demographic and I don’t like anime. Also, the stoic male lead trope is not my thing. I stuck with it though, which rewarded me with some characters that I did end up liking. The story line with the old man in the hospital was nice, too. Those things got me through the drama. I was bored with all the anime fighting though. Don't get me wrong - I normally love action and well done action choreography...just not this type of action.4/10
Overall, I gave this drama a 5.5/10. There just isn’t enough story for me and not nearly enough character development. I would recommend this drama to those who enjoy anime style fight scenes. That’s about it.
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Great unique story line
high-energy K-drama packed with thrilling action and intense fight scenes that are both stylish and gritty. The choreography is top-notch, delivering punch after punch of excitement that keeps you on edge. The story cleverly balances school life with raw street fights, creating a unique blend of drama and adrenaline. The main cast shines with solid performances, especially during emotionally charged moments. However, I did wish the villains were explored more deeply — their motivations felt underdeveloped at times. Still, it’s an electrifying ride that fans of action-packed dramas definitely shouldn't miss. A gripping and fun watch!Was this review helpful to you?
Webtoon come to life
I haven’t read the webtoon, but I can tell you that this drama really captures the essence of action comics — the fight sequences are full of wild moves and crazy camera angles, and the music is so energetic that I always felt myself buzzing with adrenaline afterwards.Even though the show tackles bullying and the educational system, it approaches it in a more satirical way. The antagonists were moustache-twirling type of villains, and I never really doubted that we would have a happy ending, unlike something like Weak Hero Class 1, which tackles similar topics but with a more serious, quiet, and depressing tone that I typically enjoy more, especially to give me the feeling of high stakes.
Despite that, I enjoyed this as a no-brain watch, and it helps that the cast really sells the friendship theme.
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Study Group – A promising start with room to grow
The story of this K-drama Study Group really surprised me. I was expecting something that, like many dramas of this genre, would be less emotional. But the friendships that developed throughout the story truly caught me off guard and made me really happy.All the emotions I felt while watching this drama are basically the same ones I feel when watching a comfort drama, so in that sense, I’m very satisfied. However, I still feel a bit disappointed by the emptiness of this drama.
I might sound silly saying this, but I’m rooting for the next season(s) to be better than this one. I think the choice of having 10 episodes for the first season is reasonable. It seems like this season mainly aimed to introduce the Study Group, so I really hope that the second season has more episodes and that the plot doesn't get completely changed—like many dramas tend to do in later seasons.
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AN UNTOLD STORY OF THE STUDY GANG
Study Group" is a webtoon adaptation of the same title. While I’m not typically a fan of bullying dramas, this one stood out because it featured the protagonist frequently getting the better of the antagonist.
Positives:
Great Casting: The actors did an exceptional job, and the chemistry among the characters was evident. The visuals were top tier, and I believe the OST was good too.
Intriguing Backstories: I loved how the backstories were initiated and told. Each story had its unique way of adding spice to each episode, and I was always looking forward to them.
Perfect Character Development: The character development was well-executed, making the drama more exciting to watch.
You'd think you'd had so much fun with one episode, but the next episode would leave you with a new type of excitement! However, I didn't like the fact that Hong Min Gi had little screen time.
Negatives:
HanUI's Character: Let's talk about HanUI,I doubt if he can be saved or if he even wants to be saved. His character was so chilled and cool too.
Final Fight Scene: I didn't like the last fight between GaMin and HanUI. It was too basic compared to the initial fights from previous episodes and had way too many cartoon effects, making it look unrealistic (even though I know it's a webtoon).
In conclusion, Study Group was an exceptional drama overall, with a great cast and a beautiful storyline.
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A Simple but Entertaining Schoolyard Action Series
It’s an entertaining action series centered around Yun Ga-Min, who’s kind of a lovable dummy with a good heart. He works hard in school but always ends up at the bottom of his class, so he decides to start a study group. Along the way, we learn he’s been practicing martial arts to stay healthy for studying, and he’s actually insanely good at it.From there, the story is pretty straightforward, he forms his study group, they become friends, and together they take on school bullies. It follows a typical hierarchy trope, top fighter in each class, then each grade, then the whole school, just like in many manhwa. Eventually, Ga-Min faces them all with his friends by his side.
Unlike Weak Hero, it leans into surrealism (punches send people flying, waves of strength visible, blow doors off with bare hands) it’s over the top, cheesy, predictable but keeps a lighthearted, comedic tone surrounding the theme of friendship. The characters are one-dimensional, but it works because the series focuses on fun, well-choreographed fights rather than deep storytelling.
Honestly, it’s a feel-good, low-stakes action series that’s just easy and fun to watch. There is not much to it beside that.
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Highly recommended watch
One of the best KDramas this year. If you have the time, you might want to binge-watch this. However, and without giving any spoilers, the protagonist has fallen into super-power stuff in the last episode, which personally I don't think it matched the series and kinda ruined it all. How about some really sick but realistic moves? Was that too hard? Seems to me the ending was rushed to get the job done without any further considerations, that's all. Other than this, everything else is just fine. Highly recommended.Was this review helpful to you?
