Undercover High School (2025)

so unhinged, so post-ironic and probably the funniest kdrama you will watch in 2025

based on the synopsis only, i was already sure this was going to be so funny and so absurd, but i wasn't prepared to actually binge watch and laugh as loud as i did.

first things first, the story is quite predictable and if you go to it using logic, you will that more than half the things don't make sense -- and i honestly don't think anyone came here actually expecting a perfect script from a series which the main plot is a 31yo pretending to be a high school student -- BUT even though some questions will pop into your mind from time to time, they were able to keep the mystery for the whole 12 episodes, and if you watch it you will even think that they could've gone to 16 episodes and the story would still be that interesting to keep the whole audience sat.

but the true treasure -- see how i make a joke in here -- is in the actors. this drama is filled with amazing performances from a cast who knew exactly who their characters were, and who else knew when and when not to take their actions serious. this consciousness is what's bring this drama alive, because the actors played with their performance so well that even on quirky scenes the viewer would not get second-hand-embarassment at all.

to finish, this drama is actually very refreshing, cause it doesn't try to be anything it's not. it's supposed to be a comedy packed with a mystery and i think the script is very committed to it, unlike much of kdramas being released nowadays. and and and to be fair it does have a few problems, like in the first episodes you think some characters will have some kinda of highlight towards the end (which actually never happens) and we also see a lot of nuances of secondary plots who never got to be explored at all, but like i said in the headline, it's not enough to turn into a "oh i regret so much spending at least 12 hours of my life watching this" experience.

Read More

This might be my new favorite drama

Everything from the NIS, the ghost stories, the gold, the romance, everything, perfection.

Everytime I finish the newest episode, I can’t stop thinking about the next one, im so invested that it’s kind of worrying.

Oh Sua A and Hyung Bae are so meant to be, I didn’t like the fact that she got flustered before she knew he was an adult, but I also kind of get it, I mean, it’s a natrual human reaction.

And you could definitely see the difference in her flustered reactions based on when she found out that he was actually an adult.

Shes cute, hes handsome, theyre perfect and I really love the classic “first lover” story, there has been a lot of those in 2025, and I’m not complaining.

Honestly I just really like this drama a lot, it has a perfect balance of both comedy, seriousness and romance, and it’s enjoyable to watch.

Can’t wait for Friday🙏🏼🙏🏼

Read More

Undercover Hottie in the Classroom ~ OBSESSED ALREADY ❤️❤️

The drama is packed with action, suspense, comedy, and just the right dose of thrill. I had high expectations, but the introduction alone is living better than rent-free in my head! Sure ! I can bet on this one. Brilliant writing , i must say that. 👍

Let’s talk about Seo Kang Joon—this man is a walking piece of art. An absolute Beauty. I could literally watch him just exist on screen for hours, and the shirtless scene? Holy Christ, my soul left my body! And him as a schoolboy? Unreal levels of stunning.

Jin Ki Joo plays the homeroom teacher, and while I haven’t seen much of her work, she’s holding her ground well here. And things will get more interesting once she joins the investigation (looking forward)

Then there’s Kim Shin Rok, who is great, but that wig? It deserves its own horror genre.

Chemistry between leads looked kinda playful which is obviously the best thing, there is a strong spark between them which is spiced up by their bickering dynamics🫰🫰🫰

The side cast is equally promising from bully boys' group to the Diva student council prez, everyone is just perfect in their roles (i am particularly interested in the kim min ju's character).

Overall, I totally hyped up for this one ❤️
( hope they finish it within this season other wise it will be a joy killer)

Read More

Undercover High School was a mess.

As the high school’s Chairwoman became more and more unhinged, the plot paralleled her arc and became more and more bonkers. I had suspected that there would be a lot of logical problems throughout the drama because the writer began with a head scratching setup: An NIS agent pretends to be a high school student in order to find an illegal stash of gold based on clues derived from the school’s urban legends. ????? The secret agent Hae Song approached each legend in numerical order (why) and in the most unnecessarily complicated manner. In the meantime, he did a lot of drinking in public for someone trying to pass himself off as a high school student as well as showing his face everywhere for someone on a super secret mission. (Because all of the people from his past life could not possibly recognize him after he adopted a fake name and put on a school uniform.) His fellow NIS agents were exaggerated slapstick figures, while the students/teacher side plot descended into sentimentality. And that is not all. Every episode exceeded my Korean drama implausibility allowance. I grade it A for Audacity.

But the actor Seo Kang Jun was charming and funny so I kept watching to the end! I have low standards and a Fast Forward button.

Read More

James Bond has nothing to fear

I am confused. This series started as a kind of action comedy, but it got dark quickly. Then it yo-yos all over the place. There is a bit of romance, schoolyard drama, slapsticks and some well choreographed action sequences. This series is a jack-of-all trades but master of none.

A lot of that comes down to its setting. A prestigious school is a challenging ecosystem. We have all the standard bullying and schoolyard tropes. However, they are only half-hearted attempts. More done to show off the righteousness of the ML and his good looks. That's fine but here lies the second problem. The ML is over 30 in RL. Sure, in earlier scenes, he can just about pull off looking like a late teen. Lighting, camera angle and some filter magic helps. However, the further the show progresses, the older he looked. It really makes it hard to suspend my disbelief at times.

Then you have the spy drama. Oh boy, what dramas! I don't know what's the reputation of the Korean NIS but most of their agents seems to be incompetent or corrupt. It is not a good look. Even the good guys are not much more than cannon fodder for the slapstick routines. They are ineffective or have to be rescued by the ML. Sure, they have their moments, but it is few and far between.

However, the biggest problem for me is the antagonist. She swings between manic to evil to delusional and back again. She definitely descended into insanity towards the end, but we are told that she has been running that school for over 20 years. How is that possible? She is no educator even though she thinks she has the vision. She seems to have many “friends” in high places under her thumb but why don't they betray her when she is out of control? It can't be loyalty. Is it blackmail? Greed? She seems to get away with literal murder, yet she can feel straitjacketed at times. There is a logical gap between who she is, what she wants and how much power she appears to wield. The show seems to have a very laissez faire altitude regarding this.

If that is not enough, the school principal is a murderous thug who has been loyal to her family for 40 years. It is one thing to be a figurehead, but this is a high-profile school for the elite. You might be able to fool people for a year or two, but this is a whole generation!

If they are relying on the teachers to deliver, then I'm even more confused. Sure, the FL is conscientious, but not the majority. The head teacher is a buffoon.

Essentially, this drama is a mesh up of different genres. Plots start and run on for a bit. Just when you think you know what is going on, it would abruptly change tack. Such tonal shifts can be jarring and unsettling.

If you think the plot is messy, it overflows to the acting. It is a large ensemble but most of the roles are one dimensional. The younger actors fulfil the typical school drama roles with ease but there is little depth to their characters.

I already mentioned the NIS mob but some are seasoned actors and they are forced to clown around as the script demands it. It can be very cringey. I can't unsee the agents fighting like ahjummas.

Our leads turned in solid performances but hampered by the writing. They tried their best but it is a no-win fight. I really appreciate the ML giving us his all as this is his comeback role after enlistment. Good luck to him!

There are so many issues with the antagonist role that I kept asking how, what and why. She did her best but the script is not helping.

We finally have some clarity in the last couple of eps. This means all those mystifying subplots are tied off with pink bows. Not every resolution makes sense though. There is peace in the classroom. Enemies are now friends. The school carries on as if nothing happened, even though it went to hell and back. Punishments are dished out to our transgressors. The OTP’s romance is fated and basically on rail. It is a shame that the chemistry is weak. It is nice, yes, that's the word.

The only way I managed to sit through it all is by switching off my brain, all of it. The many plot holes, oddities and inconsistencies just sail by. It is not unwatchable but a rewatch? You jest.

Read More

So silly, so over-the-top, so charming, so fun, I want more actually

Enjoyed this a lot. The premise is very much "typical kdrama ridiculousness" to me but the characters are so lovable and fun to watch, I wanted more. At first, I was like, gold bars lol? And then, I got scared about an adult pretending to be a high school student because they could pull something weird but right off the bat, I got relieved because Haeseong reacted on his first day at a high school as I wanted to and he treated the kids like they're his annoying younger siblings but he loved them anyway lol actually his relationship with the kids are one of my favorites and I just love that we're all letting go that no one questioned if he was actually 17 because the other actors playing high schoolers are also adults anyway haha!

As I said, the thing that made me love this so much was the characters. I thought Haeseong and Sua are such easy characters to root for. They're both good people who cares, brave and kind. They're hilarious individually AND even more when they're together which I loved. I think Seo Kangjoon and Jin Kijoo played them so well. It's been years and years for me since I've watched these two. Jin Kijoo has always been really charming to me and I thought Seo Kangjoon is just so captivating as the lead. He's just so good at being both funny and also, an action star that can pull off emotional scenes as well. Like I just buy it. Also, remembering the scene when he finally found his dad, that was crazy. (And I still think he'd be good as a villain!) (And also he's hot, hello, the eyes!!). I thought those two have so much chemistry and just when I thought I'm embracing this new 12-ep kdrama format we have now, the romance lover in me knows if they've gotten more eps, then maybe I would have more Sua-Haeseong moments! I want more! I got nervous too by the way when I found out she was going to be his teacher (because sure, we know they're both adults but she doesn't know that so!!) but it was never weird like that, thank God. I was hoping she'd be part of the team right away because then I think they could have developed the romance more earlier but I'll take what I can get. It's so funny tho that they added a "and they were childhood friends" trope when it really didn't do much to the story. I'm not mad because it's not like it was a reveal but I thought it wasn't needed.

The plot and the villain got really over-the-top there, at times, I was really taken aback at the things she said or did. I wish she was smarter to be honest. I didn't expect she's gonna be that kind of villain but I think Yena's character made her scenes more interesting to me. I mean Kim Shinrok did great as Seo Myeongju but I was also really impressed by Kim Minju in the end there. That scene with the kids in the climax at the last ep was crazy by the way. Imagine! Witnessing something like that as a group!

Yeah, all the supporting cast did so good as well. I love Haeseong's team, they're so ridiculous, I can't believe they actually get things done lmao. I love the kids. And omg, I'll take Yena and Yujeong lesbians as canon. That's the best I can get in a network kdrama lol

This was such a good time for me. Not the best written thing but it has so much heart, characters you're gonna fall for with a lot of chemistry and actors who did great, just good 'ol kdrama goodness.

Read More

entertaining to watch...

This review is going to be a pretty short one, considering I don't have a lot to say about it.

#PLUSPOINTS

=> The music is pretty good, not exactly memorable but pretty decent.
=> The comedy in this series is absolutely hilarious and damn good.
=> The actors did a good job, especially Jo Bok Rae (Ko Yeong Hun) and Yoon Ga Yi (Park Mi Jeong).
=> The drama doesn't take itself very seriously, so you can just take a step back, relax, and enjoy it on a weekend or something.

#NEGATIVEPOINTS

=> The drama does involve a lot of cringy and cheesy scenes, but in my opinion, they can be pretty subjective, and you might not feel the same way.
=> This drama is enjoyable but not exactly memorable or anything. In my opinion, this is just a one-time watch and forget kind of drama.

#Verdict

=> I wouldn't recommend it to go out of your way and watch it, but if you've decided to watch it, the only thing I can say is that it's pretty good and you'll enjoy your time watching it.

Read More

Love the leads but too many plot holes and not enough romance

This was ok, but not great.

What I liked:
- The leads were great. To the extent the plot gave them a chance for chemistry, they had it, but their relationship never really could develop.
- The secondary characters were very good too. The evil protagonist lady was easy to hate because her acting was so good.

What I didn't like:
- The plot was quite illogical in many places. It made the good guys seem dumb as a rock and always two steps behind the bad guys. Almost made me want to bail on the series.
- There was not enough romance between the leads.
- The happy stuff mostly came in the last 10 minutes or so, which makes the ending kinda, "OK, guess it's over," what's next.

So, not a bad watch, but a bit underwhelming.

Read More

a secret agent going undercover in a high school

the story moves really fast. the first few episodes weren’t as intense, but starting from episodes 9 to 12, everything escalated quickly. the buildup was there, but once things started unfolding, it just kept getting better.

all of the characters actually had really good screentime. they made sure everyone had their moments, especially team 4, and i love how they worked together. the way hae seong said "my team might be weak individually, but together they can do it" really showed their bond. their dynamic was one of the best things about the series.

as for the characters, i really liked o su a. she’s so soft and genuinely cares about her students. even though she wasn’t directly involved in the action, she was still an important part of the team. hae seong’s dad was also a standout, his loyalty and sacrifices for his son made his character really memorable. and of course, jung hae seong himself carried the entire show. everything revolved around him, and his journey was what tied the whole story together.

i also really liked yu jeong and yena’s friendship. they went through so much together, especially with what yena was dealing with. she felt like no one could truly understand her, so she just kept everything bottled up inside. but despite not knowing exactly what was happening, yu jeong still understood her in her own way. even when yena didn’t treat her well at first, yu jeong stayed by her side, willing to endure it all because she cared for yena. their friendship was one of the most touching parts of the series.

su myeong ju was willing to take any risk, no matter how dangerous, as long as it served her goals, but never when her daughter was around. despite everything, she was still a mother. the ending she got was exactly what she deserved, but not in the way she deserved as a mother.

finding out in the end that principal park did everything for su myeong ju, even going as far as being willing to take the fall for her. he had a special bond with su myeong ju and her family, that he thought by doing everything for her, he was repaying their kindness. but in reality, that kindness never existed. in the end, he realized that he didn’t help su myeong ju, he only made things worse. instead of saving her, he fed into her obsession with the gold bars, pushing her further down a path of destruction.

the ending was actually really good. finding out that the director was working for su myeong ju the whole time was unexpected. su myeong ju and the principal couldn’t find the gold bars on their own, so she had hae seong’s dad do it instead. but the biggest twist was that hae seong’s dad already knew that the director was working for su myeong ju and that she was planning to steal the gold bars that rightfully belonged to the korean people. that’s why, instead of reporting that the gold was found, he secretly moved it to his house. he did all of this not just to complete his mission but to keep his promise to hae seong, that “when looking at the stars, they will shine.” and hoping that jung hae seong will complete the mission he left unfinished.

Read More

unexpectedly fun to watch

I had low expectations for this drama initially. From the title alone, I assumed it would revolve around high school students, bullying, and, inevitably, revenge. However, the story follows an NIS agent who infiltrates a high school in search of a long-lost treasure to salvage his reputation at work, only to become entangled in a web of unforeseen events.

I was skeptical about the ML, an NIS agent, convincingly posing as a high school student. While he is undeniably charming, he simply looks too mature to pass as a teenager. The same can be said for the antagonist in the first episodes, who plays the role of a bully but appears far too old for the part. The FL, on the other hand, comes across as somewhat frustrating—she adopts a teacher-like demeanor with other students yet treats the ML differently, to the point of being obsessed with him, which feels inconsistent.

That being said, the blend of chaos, action, and comedy works surprisingly well, making all the characters amusing to watch. My main gripe so far is the overused story of the male and female leads having a shared past—a cliché that seems almost mandatory in Korean dramas. I can't understand why this element is so frequently included, but so far, the drama remains entertaining.












Search

Reason

Read More

A Masterfully Crafted Series Where Emotions Blend Perfectly

This is exactly the kind of series I love. It blends several themes — high school life, humor, action, sadness, and romance — a risky challenge, because when not perfectly balanced, it can quickly make the story feel unrealistic and tedious.
Here, the series walks that fine line… but it's precisely this delicate balance that, in my opinion, makes it so special.

Right from the start, the story is clear, with an effective setup that immediately establishes the tone: a blend of action and high school life.
The director skillfully brings each theme to life. Humor, action, romance, and sadness naturally complement each other without one overwhelming the others. The emotional impact builds steadily, particularly in the final episodes: the revelation about the main character’s father and the deep bonds formed among the students create a genuine sense of brotherhood.
When the protagonist eventually leaves the school, the farewell scenes are genuinely moving, showing just how well the relationships and characters have been developed.

Another strength is the way romance is handled: it’s always kept in the background, never taking center stage. Only once the main story concludes does the romance finally step forward, offering a gentle and fitting closure to the series.

Lastly, the casting brings real strength to the show, notably with the powerful comeback of Seo Kang-joon, whose performance is particularly compelling.

In the end, this series succeeds brilliantly in bringing together multiple themes, making it a truly memorable and accomplished work.

Read More