Love, lies and spies in the Hagwon world
Who would have thought a rumor in hagwon is more deadly than a rumor in the kpop scene?Hagwon or private academy is ubiquitous in South Korea, indicating how competitive and intense the education system is there. Can I also just say how crazy this whole cram school thing is? Students attend hagwons on both weekdays and weekends. Don't they get burnout and mentally exhausted from studying 24/7? 😵
In addition, these academies are only for the rich and upper class because they cost a fortune. This is also why hagwon is a lucrative industry but a sink or swim work environment. A good track record and reputation can help you earn enough money to buy an apartment in Gangnam as Jun Ho once aspired in the beginning of the story. The show did an excellent job of conveying all this Hagwon information without making it feel like we are watching a documentary from Discovery Channel or National Geographic.
Naturally, a romance between a hagwon teacher and a former student is a ticking time bomb. After 10 years, well-known Hagwon instructor Seo Hye Jin (Jung Ryeo Won) crosses path with her former student Lee Jun Ho (Wi Ha Joon). They eventually became colleagues and worked together to attract more students in the academy only for the opposite to happen. Unfortunately, no amount of explanation could clear the air about their relationship especially in the cruel industry of hagwon where both your students and colleagues can turn their back on you in the blink of an eye.
Hye Jin is an intense and emotionally complex character. From the very first episode, we are immediately introduced to her brazen attitude while confronting a high school teacher over a question in a Korean exam. This scene was purposely drawn out to catch the viewers off guard and to emphasize Hye Jin's biting personality. The absurdity of this scene is definitely a make or break for viewers if they have enough curiosity to finish the show. Honestly, it's hard to hate her when she does her job so well. She oftentimes goes overboard because she wants to hold onto her job and reputation. Everyone is watching her every move and waiting for her downfall so Hye Jin unconsciously reinforces her power and influence in the academy. This is her way to survive in the highly competitive world of Hagwon.
Meanwhile, Jun Ho's confidence and refreshing candour definitely complements Hye Jin's fierce and intimidating nature—a match made in heaven indeed. There are hardly skinships here but Jun Ho oozes sexiness all throughout the show. He is young but he is a man enough for knowing what he wants and how to take care of his woman. On top of that, he's a man of his words. Can I just say how hot and charming Jun Ho is when he is making a point in arguments? That hella sexy brain of yours Jun Ho is such a turn on 🥵
The conflict does not feel contrived as the characters' actions are driven by desires and greed which makes them relatable. Everyone has a trick up their sleeves so you never know if the character is a friend or foe.
This kdrama is divided into four acts and sure enough the last act is powerful because the emotional buildup finally pays off and the climax was truly gripping and exciting. I totally get it if viewers drop this midway during which Si Woo's character was introduced. Whenever I think of dropping the show, I instantly miss Jun Ho's frankness and sense of responsibility and I keep running back for more of course.
The finale left so many questions unanswered. However, I think this is more realistic because there is no such thing as a clean break. In real life, people don't grovel to ask for your forgiveness once they realize they have wronged you because this bruises their ego. However, I still can't help but feel that the ending feels rushed. It was aiming for an open-ended ending, one that will still keep you wondering what happened to the characters long after you have finished watching.
Overall, the Midnight Romance in Hagwon stands out with its slow-paced but well-written narrative, fleshed out characters and subtle, nuanced acting from the entire cast. It exposes harsh reality of cram schools disguised as romance. This is not a thrilling, forbidden love story instead it centers on flawed, compelling characters standing up for what they believe in just to protect their dreams and build their reputation in the messy world of hagwon.
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Either its your cup of tea or its not.
This was my cup of tea, the romance is refreshing, just two people who loved each other a lot while facing the ordeals and stigmas of society and real life.Yet this may not be your cup of tea and you prefer something more dreamy and that's fine, it's your choice after all.
In conclusion, a realistic romance that touches your heart more than many others and honestly in a completely different way from others, and for me was definitely worth watching, because if it's your cup of tea, you'll love it.
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People who are into slow paced romance will definitely love the drama. ❤️
A slow - paced , meaningful , realistic and picture perfect drama series . The chemistry between the main lead's is just chef's kiss the way the emotion's are potrayed are purely raw and near to real life a love story between teacher and student a sacred love who will not love it i absolutely do and the education system and the level of competition to thrive in the social circle and stand above is shown very nicely and fantastically overally 100 % needed drama in today's mordern society .Only i felt bad about was the ending , it was lil fast and not much clear.
Still AN MUST WATCH SERIES ........
I RECOMMEND ...... !!!!
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Midnight Romance is Romancing!
Ok! Initially I came to watch this for the romace but the way they did it felt too artificial. (granted this is a drama but you get the point) 🐣The somewhat rushed of a switch that happened when the FL started to like him with no prior delving into the process of her starting to see him as someone that she might want to have a romantic relationship with, bypassing her set image of him being just an (special) ex-student is one of the flaws.
She feels obligated to "look out for" And we actually never see that change of view till later on. From the get go I didn't like her way of keeping him within waters that she knows is safe. We could encounter this during the literal first plot point of the drama~ her making and trying to persuade him not to take on the academy job and she goes through drastic measures to achieve it. She does apologize later on and "give the diploma" To him But still, it feels too late for that change to happen.
The other character that got me into watching this drama was the tale of The education system related story. To see the FL navigate it with the ML but I was appalled to see that those themes completely get thrown to the back burner when the romace started. Don't get me wrong I love romace but in a mature themed(romance) drama like this it is hard to pull it off by doing just that without it feeling bland. All is not lost though as by the ending EPs that part is brought back however this time more as a plot mechanism than anything else.
Now for the good.
Though the romance felt rushed the chemistry of the main leads was there! I Couldnt stop smiling in eposodes where they might do something as simple as taking a late night stroll. The characters (leads) were not overly exaggerated.The drama doesn't directly slap you in the face with the age gap or keep reminding you of it. Instead it shows the difference through how the characters think and act. there were times where the ML and FL Disagree. The dialogues tell those differences in how each take the argument.
Not to mention the fact that the ML is actually not shown as someone who is just completely free spirited but to some extent riddled with similar ideas and thoughts similar to the FL.What makes him "young" Isn't his age but the ambition that is of a bloomed flower in spring while it contrasts to her more restricted rusted courage to do the same.
Some other charms
~ The lead couple relationship built on mutual trust and never letting go of it.
~They handle misunderstandings and disagreements by communication without frustrating each other and the viewer of seeing it happen again and again.
~ The side characters are not annoying and doesn't feel too animated.
~ The usual family opposing stuff is non existent though they do show some what of a disagreement but is respectful to the FL.
~ As with other dramas from this director, this drama is also visually calming and pretty. + good Ost
~adorable side couple though they don't get much screen time.
~Filled with characters that tell you how strong Loyalty and morale can be.
All in all I love them ok! 😭😭😭❤
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A masterpiece ✨
Finished watching today, this drama is one of those dramas that grow into you with time and that will leave you reflecting a lot, it’s so realistic that it feels like you are living with them and witnessing their day to day life, the human stories inside and outside the academy feel so heartwarming and relatable and the actors and especially the main leads did an excellent job in their roles, their romance felt mature and realistic and still manage to give you butterflies even for the old audiences past 30 like me, i enjoyed watching it a lot and it’s going to be a drama that is among the classics of the kdrama land ✨Was this review helpful to you?
A well-paced and interesting inside look at Korean afterschool academies
I started “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” with no expectations at all and avoided it when it was first aired since I am not too big of a fan of noona romance. But I’m glad I watched it due to a Bingo challenge, as I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.Having the word ‘romance’ in its title probably has set up some expectations for romance-lovers to then feel a little disappointed. Although the romance is cute and sweet for an episode or so, the majority of the time, the drama focuses on the inner workings and politics within the afterschool academies/tutoring centers. If you are not interested in this subject, it’s best to not watch this drama, otherwise, you would be bored.
Luckily, I was quite interested in learning about the academies. It’s having a different look into Korea’s education system, and a different point-of-view from another Korean drama, “Sky Castle” which I thoroughly enjoyed as well. “Sky Castle” focuses on rich families getting their kids into prestigious academies and colleges. “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” focuses on the teachers and the rivalries between teachers and academies, with a much smaller emphasis on students and families. I have a feeling this drama might be more popular domestically than internationally. I also think the Korean audience understands and appreciates Korean literature and poems.
The first episode sucked me right in with an interesting conflict that shows up in the second half of the drama again and brings great tension between the characters. I like the progression and evolution of the relationship between Seo Hye Jin (FL) and Lee Jun Ho (ML). I also like how their romance evolves as well from sweet and cute to supportive and mature. The leads have great chemistry and I never felt weird watching this noona romance. Their interaction is natural, explosive when needed, and awkwardly cute as well.
Maybe because I did not binge this in one go, I find the drama well-paced with enough twists and turns to keep me interested and engaged throughout. I was rooting for Lee Jun Ho’s success with his daring and innovative ways of teaching. I was rooting and praying hard that the nerdy school teacher will remain true to his teaching ideals and not turn to the ‘dark side’. I was frustrated (but not surprised) of the downfall and am angry with the leads for how things turned out.
My favorite part is seeing three different teachers’ love for their students, wanting success for them yet going about teaching in very different ways and different ideals. My favorite scenes are the big blowups. The nerdy school teacher with FL in episode 1, the big argument of the main leads in ep 11, and finally as all three of them sit down and chat emotionally and passionately. I see where each of them is coming from, and agree with them all to a certain extent. Depending on whether you are a teacher, a student or a parent, you agree with each of them to a different degree.
I also really like the acting of the cast, both the main leads, the supporting cast and especially the veterans. I’m pleasantly surprised by So Ju Yeon’s portrayal of the confident teacher, Nam Cheong Mi. I’ve seen her in roles as high school students, and am glad to see her act as a confident and sassy 30-year old teacher.
I really don’t have any major criticisms of this drama and am quite surprised it has a rating of 7.7, which is quite low for Korean dramas. I just found the songs to be overly played, as much as I like them (the opening theme has a Beatle’s vibe to it). Other reasons for the low rating: 1) maybe the focus of the academies is too much/boring and not a popular topic, 2) maybe the romance is somewhat slow burn and not rewarding enough thus, not disappointing many, 3) maybe the downfall is too predictable, as we all know it’s going to happen sooner or later.
No matter the reason, I personally enjoy “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon”. I’ll recommend this drama if you are interested in learning more about the academies/tutoring centers, or a romance that’s a little different and evolves and matures as the series goes.
Completed: 1/19/2025 - Review #534
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Mature, realistic romance and character arcs within a compelling slice of life setting
Mellow, mature romance with true character arcs and growth built up in the middle of very realistic feeling characters and settings. I will definitely be rewatching parts again.Jung Ryeo Won is always amazing and brings a touch of realism to anything she takes on, but Wi Ha Joon was delightful as well in his slightly out of the ordinary role turn and they had really nice chemistry together. People looking for a focus on romance will be disappointed, which I assume is the reason for the lower rating and some of the complaints I've seen, but the story was about their lives and the Hagwon activities/ work politics with the romance as part of it, and it worked great for me. The director likes repeating his supporting cast across shows and I'm not complaining because they're all very talented and it's fun to see them play alternate nice and petty across his shows. The secondary cast all got lovely interiority, which is not always the case for dramas.
The character dynamics, including extremely well written out secondary characters, and artistic shot decisions were lovely and triumphed over the overused soundtrack, which was mostly very annoying and the director needs to get over his obsession with irritating english songs played every climactic moment. However, by the end I could ignore it as the story overcame it. I was sad to see it end.
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Hypnotic in a positve way
I would have never thought this drama would be so enaging.I started watchin it with in mind the reviews calling it slow, at times boring, to centered on school issues rather than love despite of the title.
In a way all these reviews were right except for considering it boring.
Every single dialogue is so interisting no matter what the topic is. I found myself completely absorbed in every single scene.
And the love story permeates the whole drama.
It's a love story between adults, so don't expect lovey dovey scenes, rainbows and butterlies, but love and warmth is still there and it made my heart beat a little faster.
The other positive thing is that the characters are quite realistic. You won't find prince charming solving all the problems or the perfect FL that succedes in everything she does. Here we have "real" people with all their flaws and weaknesses.
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This review may contain spoilers
'Twas pleasant, thought-provoking, and well-made, though it might not be everyone's cup of tea.
One thing that stood out about this drama is how realistic it feels—the pauses in conversations, the awkward silences, the transitions from day to night...the interactions between the characters mimic real life, unlike most dramas with carefully choreographed scripts.'Tis a slow-burn drama set against the backdrop of ultra-competitive educational institutions in S.Korea. The "romance" in the title doesn't only refer to the romance between a man and a woman, but also to the wider concept of passion in the characters' lives. Their passion for teaching, literature, the education system...it's beautiful to watch.
It was refreshing to see the main leads not breaking up for the sake of protecting the other. Finally, a drama that does not have the breakup arc three-quarters through the drama! Love to see it. ❤️ Beyond its content, the drama also delivers aesthetically. From walking in the rain to hugging under the snowfall, every scene looks like a work of art.
This drama is catered to a more mature audience, and moves away from typical kdrama arcs and tropes. I enjoyed watching it slowly, one episode a day, taking my time to appreciate every episode before moving on to the next.
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Try it you might like it!
It's not as bad as the comments make it seem. I gleefully anticipated this drama since I LOVE Jung Ryeo Won and Wi Ha Joon. Also Wi Ha Joon finally in a romance? I was excited. Then after I saw it was out I almost didn't watch it because of what I read in the comments. SO if you are contemplating, just give it a chance to see how you like it. Don't rely too much on other opinions with this one.It's a very mellow drama with a very cute romance. If you like Something in the Rain or One Spring Night you'll like this. I didn't know that this show had the same director until I was almost done with the show and was like "That's why it felt so familiar!" I have some complaints about the story and ending but the acting is amazing. I'm big on romance, it's hard for me to watch anything without it lol, so trust me when I say it was great. It also didn't feel that much like a Noona romance, probably because there isn't too much of an age difference. She treated him like her student but he never let that slide since his goal was HER lol. Romance 10/10.
My biggest gripe with the show was the ending. I both liked and disliked Ms. Nam. Ms. Nam alone is a great person and I loved her. It was iffy at the beginning because of how she wanted to compete with SHJ when that wasn't the normal practice at the academy, but she got better and was great. In the end they made me dislike her a bit because that woman gave her the position just because she wanted her and her son to get married. As if they wouldn't get married if she didn't get the position. The ending was not that satisfying because although SHJ decided to leave they never acknowledged all her contributions to the academy and instead were solely focused on mitigating their losses. They should have pursued legal action for those rumors at least. Like "oh, we've sucked you dry, wasted your youth, and let your reputation be destroyed but it's fine since you're leaving." That's not loyalty Shannon. That's not justice. It made me just see the new assistant direct and selfish and self-serving. Everyone just casually hated SHJ just because she was successful and good at her job. She never did anything to them but she was attacked left and right and no one moved to openly defend her, no matter how much she helped them in the past. Just nasty behavior all around.
Anyways, give it a try if you want. I enjoyed it a lot even though the ending irritated me lol.
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Slow paced. Not living up to its potential. I used the fast forward button far too many times.
I am here because I found out we finally have Wi Ha joon as the male lead. The story didn't sound that interesting to me & I feel like this is one of the drama's where you are not sure if they will end up together or not.Ep 1: The beginning is very slow paced, the characters seemed boring in the beginning. It was somewhere around the 20 minutes mark that things finally started to get interesting. The interactions between the FL & the school teacher was so charged with friction. I liked the way the FL approached it rationally, not a fan of how the school teacher reacted. Have seen that reaction from a few men while having rational conversation. You feel as if you'll get hit for sticking to your convictions. The romance part is a bit slow. But I could see the potential in the final minutes of the episode. They have known each other for a while so there's no instant spark or meet cute that we usually see with other romances. The acting is okay, the story lacks.
Ep 2: The pacing was pretty much the same as the first episode. 20 minutes in and I wanted to drop it, but for some reason I continued. I got to see Wi Ha Joon's pretty smile at the end. I'm sad to say I'm not looking forward to watching the next episodes.
Ep 3: It seems that my patience has been rewarded with some witty communication between the leads. I love the witch and her hairstyle, she looks amazing! Her all black outfit was such a stark contrast to her greyish white hair. She is a character that has made things interesting. This episode has made me look forward to the drama now.
Ep 4: Kinda saw it coming. At least the FL was open to a different style of teaching that would benefit the student the in the long run. Here's to hoping that they'll do better in their next round against the witch. The witch clearly won this round.
Ep 5: It was okay episode with some enjoyable moments. I can't believe they are just going to let the FL go for one mistake. They aren't even giving her the chance to rectify it or work together so that they can come up with a plan. At the same time, I also like the idea of FL working with the white witch! They'll make such a powerful team (Not a fun one like our leads but at least an interesting one)
Ep 6: Finally the romance is here. Even without reading the description of the drama, you are aware that the ML has feelings for the FL. It's not clear whether she pretends to not know about his feelings but she isn't all that surprised when he confesses. The rest of the story was okay, as expected. The white witch didn't get much screen time, I wanted to see more of her.
Ep 7: The problem with the drama is that, it is unable to create that curiosity that has people waiting for the next episodes. I'm sticking around for the two main characters, they are very low key adorable and comfortable to watch. I like that the main characters will be getting together, I am not sure who is against their relationship as shown in the preview. Right now, even the white witch is not enough to keep the storyline from getting boring.
Ep 8: Another sweet episode with the leads exploring their newfound relationship.
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The most interesting thing here is that the word "Midnight" is in the title
Exciting things tend to happen at midnight, right? Full moons come out. Showdowns happen. Interesting creatures of the night emerge to do nefarious things. Partygoers let their better judgments lapse. Sex, drugs & rock & roll![insert air escaping from balloon sound effect] That is most certainly not this show, however.
It is easy to identify the work of director Ahn Pan Seok. He casts a lot of the same actors. He inserts a long musical montage in every episode and uses the same song through an entire drama (not a choice that seems wise, but that's his style). The stories do not shy away from realistic adult relationships and very grounded portrayals of middle to upper middle class characters living middle to upper middle class lives. He really likes outdoor scenes that are barely lit. And his antagonists tend to be very one note, very limited characters.
With his previous two outings, "One Spring Night" and "Something in the Rain", he had relatively compelling main characters and charismatic lead actors. Particularly with "Something in the Rain", the presence of Son Ye Jin as the lead elevated the entire enterprise.
"The Midnight Romance in Hagwon" doesn't merely fail to reach the bar set by these prior productions where they excelled, it fails to register in virtually every element.
Main characters? Wi Ha Joon squeezes every possible atom out of the character of Lee Jun Ho, but it's a wafer thin character. He's a nice guy that's smart and clever and easygoing and things seem to work out for him except his friends who like him want to hang out with him when Jun Ho would rather have private time with his girlfriend. That's pretty much that extent of his woes. Jung Ryeo Won's Hye Jin encounters a bit more troubles but is enough of a Mary Sue that they're merely temporary annoyances rather than measurable tension. The two together are fine. Probably the highlight of the entire show is the romantic inexperience and awkwardness the two share.
Antagonist? Looks like the real life version of Vector from "Despicable Me" but without the brightly colored sweatsuit or the zany threats or the odd weapons or the pet shark or anything of interest really. He is, almost literally, a human stick in the mud.
Support characters? So Ju Yeon's Cheong Mi is legitimately a bright spot to the extent that she is permitted to be a presence. And Seo Jung Yeon's just obliterates anyone else on screen as the hagwon ice queen who perhaps eventually ends up being a more colorful antagonist but through eight episodes is more of a mere morally ambiguous plot fulcrum. The rest are so uninvolved that they fail to make any impression of any sort which is a tragic waste of some fabulous talents like Kim Jung Young and Kil Hae Yeon (who had been sensational as the horrifying, deranged mother of Son Ye Jin's lead in "Something in the Rain").
And it's not like if the material had somehow been amended this ship could have been righted. Sure, if some more time had been spent with the students, maybe there's a beat or two of a pulse in a subplot there. But there's nothing particularly engrossing about the day-to-day inner workings of a hagwon or the competition between two of them. So with very little as far as compelling inhabitants of them, there's just nothing but mild mannered, ordinary people with a not that out of the ordinary romance and...
Uh, and...
[cue the crickets sound effects]
Yeah, there's nothing else.
Not recommended.
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