This review may contain spoilers
“When you fight monsters, be careful not to become one.”
I started One: High School Heroes because I recognized a few familiar faces, and I’m always in the mood for school-action dramas. But this one turned out to be a lot darker and more psychological than I expected.The fights aren’t just action—they’re survival. It’s gritty and grounded, not stylized. You feel the desperation behind every punch.
What really sticks, though, is the emotional side. Eui-gyeom’s home life is probably one of the most painful parts of the show. His father pushes him beyond the edge—after already losing one son to the same pressure—and his mother says nothing. That household is where the real violence begins, and it explains so much about the way Eui-gyeom sees the world.
The friendships are one of the highlights. The bond between Eui-gyeom and Kang Yun-gi develops naturally, without drama or clichés. Seung-jun’s growth was another good surprise—he started out cold and arrogant, but actually changed in a believable way. I just wish some of the side characters got a bit more development.
There’s a line that stayed with me: “How’s what you do any different from thuggery? And who decides who’s bad?” It’s not the exact quote, but it captures the message Geol-jae gave them—a warning, not from a villain, but from someone who’s seen what violence turns people into. I actually really liked his character. Calm, almost unreadable, but clearly dangerous. His quiet presence said more than a dozen angry outbursts ever could. He came from a brutal juvenile facility where students had to fight to survive.
In the final episode, the two leads are transferred to what seems like a strict juvenile facility. There’s a scene on the bus where their new teacher suddenly snaps and screams at the students. It’s so unsettling, especially because everything had been quiet. It reminded me that the cycle of violence and control isn’t over—it’s just shifting forms.
Some things could’ve been explored more. The masked arc ended too fast, and there were a few scenes I wanted more of—not because they weren’t good, but because they were. But for only 8 episodes, it delivers way more than most longer dramas. It tackles abuse, trauma, control, and what it really means to fight back. It doesn’t pretend there are easy answers.
One: High School Heroes doesn’t glamorize school violence—it questions it. It shows how cycles of abuse and pressure can destroy people, and how fighting back doesn’t always make you free. If you’re looking for something intense, short, and emotionally raw, this is definitely worth watching.
I really hope we get a second season—this world and these characters still have more story to tell.
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