Study Group

Don't Miss Out This Quirky Gem!

FYI, 'Study Group' is a brand new K-drama revolving around school life and so on, which is adapted from a webtoon with the same name. A lot of people claim that it has similar vibes to 'Weak Hero Class 1', with the former being darker and leaning heavily on psychological issues (if you know what I mean), while the latter mixes a fair amount of mystery and comedy and action, which, undoubtedly, engages the watchers from the get go.

The story tells us about Yoon Ga-min, an ordinary boy who wants to study so badly, but is only good in fighting. Despite facing numerous setbacks, Ga-min is very determined to set up a study group of his own and recruit students who have passions for studying (so that he can take inspiration from them). The chaotic band also includes the intelligent and cool-headed Kim Se-hyun, the adorable Choi Hee-won, the badass judo practitioner Lee Ji-woo, the tenacious Lee Jun, and of course Ga-min's homeroom teacher, Lee Han-kyung.

However, their journey is far from smooth as they have to confront numerous obstacles from opposing students and teachers, especially the respected son of the YB Group (a mafia organization, to be precise) Phi Han-wool, who is determined to make them as miserable as he can.

'Study Group' can be categorized as a very refreshing K-drama where the script is fleshed out in a quirky kind of way, instead of taking the usual route of a common K-drama. The dialogue between the characters is neither bland nor cheesy too, which makes watcher easier to relate with them. Academic stuffs and brawls aside, 'Study Group' also tackles the mundane social issues such as poverty (Kim Sun-cheol and his grandpa's arc is quite a heartbreaking one), the loss of a loved one (the scene where Ga-min's mother supports Ms. Lee after Ms. Jeong-hwa's funeral (Ms. Lee's teacher)), abusive parents (Se-hyun's jaded relationship with his father), and etc.

As a webtoon reader, I'd delved into its webtoon version before and surprisingly, the twists and turns are done right, by ending every episode in a cliffhanger so that the watchers becomes more addictive through the following weeks. Given it only has 10 episodes, I'm sure there's going to be another season of 'Study Group' as the stack gets higher for Ga-min and his comrades (for reference, check out the season 2 and 3 of the webtoon version).

The acting is wonderfully phenomenal especially Hwang Min-hyun's. I never imagine that he can pull off Ga-min's character seasmlessly, given his so-so performance in 'My Lovely Liar' (which I dropped after ep 4). I must also appreciate Min-hyun's mastery of martial arts in this series, because from what I see in the webtoon, Ga-min's uncle's forbidden tricks are very tricky to be performed. The rest of the casts do well too, though it'll be quite difficult for me to add every single name lol.

OSTs are average (I still prefer my super wild playlist of K-pop songs), while the cinematography, costumes, fighting scenes, and background settings give us a breath of refreshing air after a bunch of humdrum-like shows gliding through the past year.

Is it worth watching? A BIG YES!!! I'd recommend this show, especially for those who like action and thriller genre (this will increase your adrenaline rush, for sure). Time to end my review right now. Good bye and good luck in watching!!!

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This drama pulls no punches

What a gem of a show! It is totally non-PC and full of triggers. I would stay away from this show if you are sensitive to just about anything to do with bullying, swearing or unbridled antisocial behaviours. We haven’t even mentioned blood soaked fighting and torture scenes. You have been warned!

Yes, this show is all about winning arguments with your fists. While the members of the study group are good kids, they are bullied and pushed around mercilessly by the school toughs. Of course, this means they have to push back at some point. This is when the fun begins.

To make this more palatable, most of the main characters are quite engaging. Yes, some are tropey like the studious boy who can't fight or the gifted fighter who can't study. It is the classic ying-yang team building which allows team members to complement each other.

They are an easy bunch to cheer on and you'll need to. The show is a challenging watch as you push through difficult scenes one after another. Life is not meant to be easy is an understatement here. There is so much ugliness. It would be so simple to take the easy way out and some did. To be honest, it is a school from hell.

In the face of all these adversities, the series still managed to inject a decent amount of humour and heart. We have to thank the ML for a good portion of it via his earnest deadpan delivery. It is a class act for a young actor. It is a pleasure to watch our study group grow closer and mature together.

While the show is totally in your face, I am fully engaged and happily hang on with white knuckles for the wild rides. Even a normal day can descend into utter chaos for our protagonist. It is a blast to watch the staged fights. They are gory but a little cartoon-y which lessen its impact. Some scenes are actually quite funny. It reminds me of the quirky Hong Kong style Kung Fu movies of yesteryears. Secret mantras and forbidden techniques rulez!!

The OST is loud, pumping and catchy. The production value is par for the course and suitably low rent when you consider the school is more like a slum than a centre of learning. Rewatch is subjective as this style of show is most impactful on first viewing. Your mileage will differ.

It is troubling that organised crime is endemic in this universe. Corruption is accepted as norm. Gangs control large corporations and play merry hell with people's lives. While our protagonist are changing their small corner of the world, the bigger picture remains largely unchallenged. Could there be a hint of a sequel? Bring it!l

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My Favorite Action Thriller Ever

How could someone so bad at studying can be so persistent and good at protecting his people!

The first thing that grabs your attention is Hwang Min Hyun’s bespectacled look; you might mistake him for a nerd. Only he is anything but that; quite proficient in martial arts, Yun Ga Min’s major shortfall is his inability to achieve good score. It’s not that he doesn’t try, everytime he gives it his absolute best and yet his marks won’t improve. Born to a genius father, Yun Ga Min has spent his entire lifetime standing in shadows. Even though his mother understands the same and doesn’t force him to study hard, Yun Ga Min finds it unacceptable that his hard efforts aren’t bearing any good outcome. With the single-minded goal of improving his scores to enter a college, Yun Ga Min joins Yusung Technical High School, the highest rated school in his city. Only the school is full of ragged thugs and bullies who follow Pi Han Ul, who is the top scorer and also a mafia lord’s son. What transpires is a tricky tale of achieving his end goals as Yun Ga Min forms a study group, so students could actually STUDY!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/02/21/study-group-series-review/

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made it on my favorite kdrama list!

I can recommend this kdrama to anyone who likes action, fighting scenes that aren't overly serious, friendship and overall a lighthearted kdrama. if you are bored you should check it out, even if action isn't your favorite genre, for me it was definitely worth it. I like that it's not similar to weak hero class since that one is darker and and shows way more violence - don't get me wrong tho I love whc as well!

the acting was good, the effects made it funny, loved the humor in this too and the OST is a banger that's the only ost that I never skipped lmao. it was also refreshing to see that the ML can fight well from the start, in most bully related kdramas the ml either needs to learn it first or defend himself in other ways.

I would love a season two of this honestly!

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Too good yun ga-min

This show was incredible.

This is my opinion.

I really think this show was great, i have like no complaints and it's probably a top 5 of this year. I liked how there wasn't romance, but let the story continues students in high school. There wasn't any forced romance, I mean. Yes, ppl where shipping different couples, but in my opinion, they just really cared for each other. They didn't push anything and ig it's up to the audience.
I think though there was more fighting than studying tbh, the story was good and i liked how Ga-min was able to become more connected to his mom and she started to understand him and eventually trusted him more.
I think the teacher's relationship with the students could be interpreted as a little inappropriate, at least for school in America, but idk if this is normal over there, so I'm not judging, and this isn't affecting my score. I get she knew Ga-min from before, but she was even buying them stuff, idk to me it might be seen as too much, usually a teacher can't even have the number of a student they only know from school. Either way i loved her character. She looks so young! Just watched the last scenes (the epilogue ig) I can’t believe she resigned, I think the students in the study group will be so devastated and it makes me curious as to what’s next!
Though i don't think the situation where a student is running a while app and making student fight each other for connections, is the most realistic, i think this is kind of an allegory for how corruption is very much real and when it comes to universities and high schools, they love connections and honestly, with connections, the impossible is possible.

Tbh i didn't really like that backpackers theme song, idk the rap felt a little forced. this is another issue which i won't get into but there was another song which i liked, but i forgot the name.
Hwang Min-Hyun did a great job and tbh the whole cast did too. They were also hella fine, like all of them were attractive.
This show was great and i hope to see Hwang Min-Hyun again in the future!

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The Moment People Stop Learning Is When They Die

It's not every day that a K-drama makes me immerse myself in the story and become attached to its characters. In fact, very few K-dramas leave me feeling disappointed that it has ended, making me long to spend more time in their world. That's why even though I don't readily give out perfect ratings, this drama deserves it and more.

The story, at first glance, seems very straightforward. It's about a kid who dreams of being a good student, graduating from high school with satisfactory marks, and going to college. Unfortunately, he has a brain the size of a pea. So no matter how hard he studies, he always ends up at the bottom of the barrel. Taking advantage of a certain vocational school's special college admissions policy, he transfers to that school, hoping for a fresh start and a real shot at college. But as luck would have it, he ended up transferring to a high school notorious for churning out delinquents and future gang members. This particular school follows a hierarchy system based on one's fighting capabilities. Fortunately for him, the one thing he's truly good at is fighting, so no one can bully him and he soon rises to the top of the rankings. But he isn't interested in fighting at all, all he wants is to study. And so he forms a study group made up of a ragtag crew of rejects and the smartest kid in their class whom he befriends and builds a bond with. They must maneuver their way through this chaotic school where fights erupt left and right, the corrupt school system, and the shady organization behind this institution. Along the way, he forms an alliance with the one teacher determined to change this system and persuades others to join his cause.

Hwang Minhyun plays the wide-eyed and overeager Yoon Gamin and he truly embodies the character's childlike innocence and passion for studying. Even though he's already 29 years old, he managed to convince me that he is a high schooler with how portrayed Gamin. But he also effectively shows the ferocity and badassery of a martial arts prodigy the moment he takes off his glasses and does his jeet kune do pose. Speaking of jeet kune do, I love love the Bruce Lee references! Can't help but fangirl a little as I grew up watching Bruce Lee movies and he, along with Jet Li and Jackie Chan, were my favorites as a kid.

Kudos to the rest of the cast as well. They certainly chose the right people for these roles, no doubt about it. Cha Woo Min as Pi Han Ul especially stood out to me. His Han Ul is a total badass and worthy of being Gamin's archnemesis. I was surprised to find out that he's only in his early 20's. He looks more mature than he actually is. I like how he's practically glowing with this sinister aura and yet he displays a certain vulnerability as well. The rest of the Study Group members are lovable and endearing. I've grown attached to them like they were my own students. And as a teacher, I can relate to Lee Han Gyeong. I know how it feels to want your students to be properly educated and not be led astray.

As for the production, I can't praise it enough. Thank goodness for zero product placements! Those things have always annoyed and taken me out of the drama. Contrary to the most common criticism against this drama, I think the stylistic fight choreography is dope! I love that they made the fights so over-the-top and unrealistic. It totally suits the lighthearted tone and comic book vibe of the drama. But that's just me as I'm an anime fan and it made the drama look like a well-made live action anime adaptation. I can understand why some may find it ridiculous, though. The writing is also one of the best I've seen in a K-drama of this genre. The dialogues are especially compelling and thought-provoking. “The moment people stop learning is when they die.” Awesome quote! But the best thing about this production is the music. The opening theme alone reminds me of early 90's gangsta rap and late 90's Eminem. As an old school music fan, the rap songs sound almost nostalgic.

All in all, this is an excellent example of what K-dramas should be, short, sweet, and straight to the point. No unnecessary scenes and plot devices, no annoying romantic complications, no distracting product placements, no abundant displays of wealth from characters that are not supposed to own designer items, and best of all, no unrealistically good looking characters even though some of them are K-pop idols in real life. Although a part of me wishes it was longer, I think 10 episodes are perfect. The 42-minute run time for each episode is also great. I hope more K-dramas would adapt that run time. 16 episodes that run for an hour each can become dragging and writers are forced to insert unnecessary scenes and subplots just to fill the run time, which affects the overall quality of the drama. I'm glad they wrapped things up nicely with no cliffhangers. The drama ends on a satisfactory note but leaves something for a possible second season. Looking forward to it!

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Iconic and not just for "deh childryn"

This series to me exudes quality and ambition for stellar smack in the face entertainment. This is not just "for kids" - this is graphic violence and hilarious comedy for any appropriate age group for the rating of 18+
There was never a dead moment and every episode grabbed my tired old attention span right center. Some aspects even gave me some Clockwork Orange wibes, without any obvious nod per se. Yes, the old ultra violence thrilled this ahjumma.
Caracter development excellent and interesting as well as the storytelling. OST needs mention, especially the Backpacker opening track. I haven't had this much fun watching "yet another teen drama" for a long time.
Highly recommend for young, middle and old alike. I suspect the genx world population may enjoy this especially well. Thank you study group. Keep on keeping on and create opportunities even in hellish situations! 🤘🫰🤙👏

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one of those that reminds me why i love kdramas

so much fun. not perfect but this just has that classic kdrama feel with a group of lovable misfits that you're just going to root for and of course, a compassionate teacher that would fight tooth and nail for her students. a straightforward story with so much heart and a humor that just works. fun action scenes with a lot of moments that tug at the heartstrings. i broke my "avoiding dramas with bullying" thing for this one and i'm glad i did because as much as those scenes are hard to watch, the joy these characters gave me was greater. although, a suspension of disbelief is definitely needed. just trust that those 10th graders are doing all this lmao gamin basically has superpowers and you just gotta let go and enjoy. and also believe these aren't grown GROWN adults lol

ultimately, the narrative was about kindness and friendships. the gamin-sehyeon dynamics is just one of my favorite things ever. despite having a shorter running time than the usual kdramas, i think they did well exploring those two's similarities and differences. the other characters are also so much fun to watch. i think this ensemble has so much chemistry together. i do wish the villains are more interesting and complex i guess than what we got but, hey, they were definitely getting the negative emotions out of me so it still worked. just thought there could be more. nothing groundbreaking with the ending but i don't mind. (are they hoping for a season2? i haven't read the source material so i assume there's more to it. honestly, i'm not a fan of kdramas having season two's now but hey if ever, i will be tuning in for this one)

so yeah, i had a great time with this one. this was so fast-paced and just entertaining. these are my children! :)

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VERY GOOD LIVE ACTION!

this series is like the less serious version of ‘Weak Hero Class 1’!

Ga Min wants nothing more than to excel in his studies and eventually get into university. he’s diligent, but he struggles with taking effective notes and studying properly. to overcome this, he decides to form a study group where members can motivate and teach one another. the problem? his school is overrun with thugs and bullies who care only about violence.

core story: the study group tries to fight against the system.

what i like:
- the fight scenes are very well-executed! the action is exciting, and it really feels like the webtoon has come to life.
- there are moments of humour and warmth that keep things from feeling too heavy.
- Hwang Min Hyun is surprisingly good in this role!!! i watched the behind-the-scenes, and he actually did all the stunts himself. his acting doesn’t look awkward at all— and even if it does at times, it fits the genre of this drama.
- the cast is wonderful! i love the members of the study group and the teacher. they all have different personalities and don’t feel one-dimensional. the bullies actually look and act like bullies, and the crazy ones really seem crazy.

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