Promising but...
This drama started as really promising and interesting. Probably, a lot of international watchers that don't have this type of education cannot understand it, but my country (besides SK) has this type of academies to get better grades and prepare for the national university entrance exam. So, it hit really close to me and I could relate with a lot of things in the drama and it woke in me memories both bad and good. I felt some kind of comfort from this.Besides that, I don't know if I liked the drama. The plot was super basic and after episodes 8-10, you knew what is going to happen. Also, besides Jun Ho, Hye Jin and maybe Cheong Mi, every character was a bit single minded and a bit boring, not really realistic. However, the cast was great and Wi Ha Joon and Jung Ryeo Won had very good chemistry and their characters' relationship was so relatable and real.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This is an excellent drama for viewers who want an insight into South Korea's highly competitive academy system. It is a niche drama, which South Koreans relate to more than I, a US citizen. The 'midnight romance ' was the catalyst for the gossip and ultimate conflict in the drama. While the leads did become a couple, the skinship was minimal. The romance was mainly shown through their thoughtfulness for each other as they collaborated in thought and protected each other as the scandal went out of control. What a competitive and backbiting group of academy instructors: all willing to pour gasoline on a romance scandal to gain students. A real bonus and departure from the typical drama formula, the couple stayed together from start to finish. Thank goodness there was no breakup for a stupid, nonsensical reason. They supported each other.
What was difficult........The director used dim to NO lighting in the evening 'midnight ' footage, which was a creative choice that sometimes made Hagwon a challenge to watch. Changing the TV picture settings did not help. There was one moment when my TV screen was completely black. I could hear voices; thankfully, the white subs were easy to read. Even the one and only intimate scene was shot with 'midnight ' lighting.....darn it!!! I was looking forward to SEEING that romantic moment.
The drama's high quality is further elevated by its seasoned cast of actors, a fact that is self-evident. Wi Ha Joon, in his first male lead role, delivers a performance that truly stands out.
What impressed me the most was the excellent and creative finale episode. IT WAS SO SATISFYING. The resolution of the drama was not only satisfying but also unexpected, surpassing my own imagination. In the end, the theme of inspiring the high school students to want to learn/think creatively versus teaching memorization to anticipated test questions was resolved; the sincere teaching of students how to think won the day. The money-motivated teachers were left without an academy to teach in.
The Midnight Romance concluded with a heartwarming classroom scene, featuring the younger ML in the role of a teacher, imparting wisdom to his romantic partner, Seo Hye Jin (played by Jung Ryeo Won), about the future of their relationship. The inclusion of a pair of rings in his lecture signified a promising and beautiful romantic future. The writing was truly clever.
I highly recommend the watch if you like introspective dramas. It made me think about the education of kids.
Was this review helpful to you?
really good first 12 episodes then kinda boring
the first half was amazing when there was actual romance and he was chasing her and there were so many cute moments. Even the students' life stories were interesting and the bits on understanding the education system were tolerable then. BUT later it became so focussed on the rivalry between the academies and work and power struggles that it lost me. in summary if you liked something in the rain and dramas like that you'll like this but be aware that towards the end there will be little to no romance, I had to play on 2x and skip through most of the last 4 episodes.Was this review helpful to you?
Slice-of-life series, with a sweet romance and a severe criticism of the Korean school system.
PLOT: FL, star teacher at a prestigious hagwon, finds one of his former students as a colleague.+ Quite harsh criticism of the Korean school system: competition, cramming, over-importance of grades and rankings, pressure from parents, number of hours of daily work, ... But here we discover the world of hagwons (academies). I know it's part of Korean culture, but which parents want to impose that on their children? I understand why more and more Korean families are emigrating, especially to escape such a "massacre" of their children... => Kudos fro the producer Ahn Pan Seok !
+ Great cast: Wi Ha Joon & Jung Ryeo Won form a harmonious, respectful, confident couple, with great chemistry.
+ romance 2 is very cute (with So Ju Yeon)
+ very realistic context and tone
+ Excellent OSTs
+ pretty and sweet ending
# pace which slows down in the 2nd half
=> a very good slice-of-life series, realistic, with a sweet romance and a severe criticism of the Korean school system.
*************************************************************************************
PLOT : La FL, prof vedette d'un hagwon de prestige, retrouve un de ses anciens élèves, comme collègue.
+ Critique assez sévère du système scolaire coréen : compétition, bachotage, sur-importance des notes et des classements, pression des parents, nombre d'heures de travail quotidien, ... Mais on découvre ici le monde des hagwons (académies de cours de soutien/perfectionnement). Je sais que cela fait partie de la culture coréenne, mais quels parents souhaitent imposer ça à ses enfants ? Je comprends pourquoi de plus en plus de familles coréennes émigrent, notamment pour échapper à un tel "massacre" de leurs enfants ... => Bravo au réalisateur Ahn Pan Seok !
+ Super cast : Wi Ha Joon & Jung Ryeo Won forment un couple harmonieux, respectueux, confiant, avec une belle alchimie.
+ la romance 2 est très cute ( avec So Ju Yeon)
+ contexte et ton très réalistes
+ Excellentes OST
+ jolie et douce ending
# rythme qui se ralentit dans la 2nde moitié
=> une très bonne série slice-of-life, réaliste, avec une sweet romance et une sévère critique du système scolaire coréen.
Was this review helpful to you?
Felt so attached with this drama and the characters that I wouldn't have minded if it had 50 eps
One of the best leads in kdrama world even when they argued both sides felt right because their argument felt so healthy as both state their own opinion. I have to say both leads are so compatible with each other.Lead couple was a green flag throughout the series their relationship was so healthy!!
-No misunderstandings
-No breakup even during the worst scenarios
-Being a strong support to each other
Was this review helpful to you?
great actors invested into a non potential story!!!!
this should be considered in my opinion like a documentary about the korean academy teaching system rather than the premise of being tagged a noona romance/older woman younger man?!?! or with a minor side story of slight romance!!!! so don't be deceived to expect a noona drama that ended up to be a misconception in this mainly korean educational content!!! I think the poster is giving the wrong idea about what we are watching as it is barely having some vibes of romance!!!I was interested to begin this story as it was "PROMISING" to have a noona drama my favorite genre and for the poster giving such vibes of a catching and firing chemistry between two top notch of first class korean actors!!!! but when diving in the drama for the first few aired episodes, I can consider that the perceived reality was so deceiving for such baseless story!!!! I didn't gave up to continue watching it though so many disappoitments but I am feeling nothing is changed in the way the script is written of only focusing on "the teaching korean system of academies"!!! so no wonder why the ratings are dropping a while ago!!!
I am not against to show is it what about the reality of korean education but I think it is tackled in a boring and lenghty way that made me losing interest in the story and asking myself what I am actually watching?! as it was totally different from what I was expecting to watch not only romance for sure, it is normal to have the focus on the academy settings but not to that lifeless extent shown, but even if there will romance I am feeling like the female lead is forced to show some interest in the male lead!!!
the director ahn pan seok of the story is known for his previous dramas of that "slow burning stories" style, though I am not a fan of that type of dramas that I watched some of it but I think every average drama he managed before was better than this current drama!!! I ended skipping a lot of scenes when it comes that the majority part of the drama till now is about that academy teaching only!!! there was complaints about the synopsis being boring but will we have that promising romance making some hopes to not give up?!?!
I think wi ha joon is doing a great performance and all his best to approach jung ryeo won but she instead always showing him a rude face and rejecting him for every suggestions he is proposing to her!!! though we witnessed some progress in their cooperation in the teaching activities but I felt there is a lack of chemistry in their acting!!! I think wi ha joon is a great actor paired with jung ryeo won but the way ryeo won is treating ha joon like she is forced to accept him to be her colleague or to exist in her life!! and like smiling to him against her will?!
I was expecting something different in their chemistry even if it will bloom in a later stage for the female to accept the male in her life and being him the first chasing her is not a bad idea but I am not feeling that amazing chemistry or an excitment even the preview of episode 6 is showing a great progress of ha joon to convey his sincere love and refusing that ryeo won will leave daechi chase academy for being employed at a new one!!!
I know there will be a lot people still pleased with the story and being excited to see the first move of wi ha joon to kindle this promising firing chemistry with jung ryeo won and not agreeing with my point of view about how I found the drama!!! but still I am curious how it will turn in the end though there is a baseless and boring story!!!
I was hoping to raise my ratings more than that but keeping the same situation of skipping a lot at every episodes was disappointing and it is unworthy to wait every week for a new episode!!! otherwise the music was the only thing making a great ambiance here!!! soothing the nerves and giving butterflies!!! I could be still didn't gave up the show for the sake of the great ost?!?!
Was this review helpful to you?
Romance in Afterschool Academy
After watching Episodes 1 & 2, I’m in!!!!Under the same director as 'Something in the Rain' and 'One Spring Night,' I believe in this one.
This tutor-student relationship, where in the past and now they are colleagues at an afterschool academy (called hagwon in South Korea), a young man falls in love and chases the woman, who is 6 years older than him, that he likes, is always worth watching. So far, both the female lead and the male lead have their own solid arguments. And the communication between them 🔥, especially when we can see the male lead's micro expressions as he talks to her at the cafe 🤭.
I also love the introduction, the OST, and the small details the director puts in each episode.
Let's see how the story will develop in the next episodes!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
A quality drama, don't give up♥
A quality drama, don't give up and watch until the end to understand its quality.Casting is also perfect, there is no doubt, Wi Ha Joon is perfect in the role he plays (I love his acting in both Little Women and The Worst of Evil) the casting and acting of everyone is perfect as if they were chosen with tweezers.. there were moments that made me seethe with rage and there were also those that made me cry with rage.
The drama is a sharp indictment and criticism against the education system in Korea, the pursuit of excellence by memorization and not by self-thinking or analyzing situations, at the same time I have a reservation that the drama is apparently boring, there is a lot of talk about grades/tests and the grading system of tests. Sometimes I found myself repeating episodes or dialogue (one must say witty) to understand things, which leads me to think that the drama mainly speaks to viewers from Korea, they can better understand the depth of the drama than a western audience, most of the filming was done almost in the dark (even the room of The principal of the college it's dark not to talk about intimate scenes and a kiss lol) which made it difficult to watch. There are a lot of silences but the silences are so necessary for the plot (really wonderful acting) I've already seen series that deal with the strict education in South Korea and the attitude of the parents to their children and teachers regarding achievements, but it was on the edge (from what I saw), this drama gave me a different perspective …
Of course, it has many important and universal topics related to education and interpersonal communication, (relationships between students/teachers/and parents and interpersonal relationships on a romantic background and pure and supportive love)
The soundtrack of the drama is great and pleasant throughout the drama
I rated the drama 9/10 for me it was another introduction to culture and it takes time to get used to its pace and plot...
And it may be true that she is not suitable for everyone, this is my personal opinion and I would recommend giving her a chance♥
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
An engaging plot developed alongside a healthy, beautiful romance
Full Disclosure: I watched this show as the new episodes were released and dropped this at Episode 10. It took me over 3 weeks to muster the courage to watch thereafter and completely hated Episode 11. But the redemption thereafter was enough to bring this show back into my list of favourites for various reasons. :)1. The Aspect of Romance
This show is not for everyone. As a person who absolutely loves slice-of-life dramas and slow-burn romance, this show was absolutely perfect. Furthermore, there were certain aspects I was expecting, knowing the history of this team with shows like One Spring Night (my absolute favourite) and Something in the Rain (a show I eventually put on indefinite hold). I actually never thought that the romance was too little or started only at a particular time because for me even the start had enough romance to build the impactful storyline. Romance for me does not mean only passionate scenes. Supporting one another, respecting one another and having a healthy relationship classify more as romance for me, which is why I loved this one. This is one of those rare East Asian shows where however much I prepared myself for a break-up, it didn't come. No unnecessary fights, ugly breakups, bad second leads or mean in-laws. Just a very healthy, communicative and modern/mature relationship and I'm all for it. Having said that, if you do not like slow-burn romance with stories that have a topic other than the clueless romance, you WILL 100% NOT LIKE this show.
2. Acting by the Actors
I have to say, the acting by everyone was really great here. The villains made me hate them to the core, we saw character development for some really great characters like Mr. Pyo, Ms Nam and Jun Ho. And the chemistry between the main leads was absolutely phenomenal. I am in love with this pairing and I'm so happy with how nicely they've delivered. I was never out of touch with them, even when I was absolutely frustrated with them. I have laughed, cried and enjoyed with these actors and I cannot fault any of them, to be honest, in their acting.
3. OST
One thing I was looking forward to with this show was the tranquil English OST - something this team is well-known for. And my god, did they absolutely deliver. Right out of the park. What a stunning, soothing and peaceful OST collection. I absolutely loved it. I mean, I love Korean/Chinese OSTs so much, but it's so much better when I can actually understand the song and get double the feels in that perfect melody at the time of watching itself instead of googling the translation later.
4. The Storyline
I actually quite enjoyed the story of the show and I believe it was quite decently written and narrated. One, it was a somewhat fresh concept that provides good insights into the education system of Korea - a topic that although covered before, is not mainstream. So, I appreciated the use of a new concept instead of rehashing those same old cliches. Second, I liked how other than the politics, there were no unnecessary tropes in the show like cunning second leads, memory loss, or even mean in-laws. It was a very non-problematic show in that sense and nothing seemed like not needed to me. I also quite liked how all the characters have been written, I enjoyed most of them other than the FL. I also liked how everyone had their individuality and how all the individual stories tied in together. As someone who does not appreciate romance without good plots, I was very very satisfied with the plot here which was strong enough to keep me going and enjoying the romance, I often drop shows with stellar chemistry if the plot is lame af. So clearly, I have a preference for a stronger plot, and this show had just that!
5. Insufferable FL at times
If everything is so nice, then why a lower score? Because of the FL's character. In many instances, I found the FL to be manipulative, cunning and also downright demeaning when it came to the other characters like the ML and Mr Pyo. She was quite narcissistic in her behaviour and as I've said in the comments before came off as insecure about her job. The last part was further corroborated by how she talked about her job in the last episode, and her dissatisfaction with her work was leading her to be hypocritical to others like Mr Pyo, who honestly has been shown to be a great teacher. As for the ML, she has been downright insulting towards him multiple times. And while I call this relationship healthy and mature, it's only because, in reality, such issues do emerge in a relationship. It's how they tackled it together and did not give each other up for their own egos that stood out for me. But that does not mean that how the FL was acting was acceptable in any sense. She was the reason I dropped this show for a while.
6. Ending
Another aspect that leads me to deduct points is the ending. While it was really great and sensible for the main leads, I just do not see how it is a complete ending in any sense for all the other parties involved. As I recently noticed in another show, an open ending is a very different concept from what we see here, which is much more incomplete than open. An open ending is what we had in Marriage Contract where you know all the facts and then leave things to the imagination. But here, so many plot holes remain at the ending that you would be left to imagine so many possibilities on your own to come up with an ending for yourself. That is never a sign of an open ending or a good ending. It just seems super rushed, not well thought out and leaves me with a deep feeling of being robbed of a great drama. You do not know what happened to the two ladies in terms of business since that was the main plot (other than the possible lawsuit part), if the instructors stayed or left, how the academies were impacted, where Jun Ho stands, and so much more. All we know is that the leads are together and she is pursuing her goals. NOT ENOUGH!
All in all, it is a great and entertaining watch that will make you love and hate parts of it at the same time, that is, keep you engaged throughout. My favourite character is Jun Ho (who is so mature and did I say hot) and Mr Pyo (who had the best character development tbh). I have enjoyed both of them thoroughly. The show while had its flaws, is one of the better ones that I've watched. It is a must-watch for everyone who enjoys this genre! Love it!
Was this review helpful to you?
Not Good Enough
Korean Drama '' The Midnight Romance in Hagwon '' is a school romantic melodrama.The drama is slow paced and feels relaxing and comforting. The cinematography is soothing and the camerawork makes the viewing experience feel like the audience is peeking into the characters' lives.
The start of the drama, moreover, was nice, with the story taking its time to settle in.
However, after a while, nothing really happened. The romance was enjoyable, yes, but wasn't enough to save things, and the school drama wasn't intense enough to peek things up.
On the other hand, the performances were enjoyable by every actor and actress of the cast.
So, overall, three out of ten.
Was this review helpful to you?
Great start
Wow first episode was supeeeer cuuuute!!! Reminded me of something in the rain feat one night spring. The pace is chill and the chemistry is just ahhh so effin great. The moment he told her to call him sansenim aka teacher I squealed hard. They are giving IT couple. Super excited about this one,but also afraid about the teacher that gonna start some series wack sh#t to ruin the FL.Was this review helpful to you?
The vibes are vibing, the romance is in the air!
Man resigned from big company to be close to his crush, and this happened in episode 1! honestly, we stan.Ha Joon in a romantic role is giving everything, his open smiles, flirty posture, walking by FL's poster and admiring it, surprising her in ther office, this man was made to play the romantic lead, he's swoon-worty!
Jung Ryeo Won is as great in melo as she's being a badass, the woman has done both Witch's Court and Wok of Love, the range! She has a smile that is self-assured but not invulnerable, as we see from her alteration with that prideful teacher who wants to destroy her life.
It's been a long time since I was so enthusiastic about a drama, but this one is hitting all the right spots!
Was this review helpful to you?
