Supposed to be a feel good slice drama but I didn't feel that good.
Well, I wanted to write a review about this drama in particular because I had this strong urge to express my feelings somehow after the last episode.Let me just begin with my view about the concept and overall genre of this drama.
This drama would actually belong to a slice of life type but has strongly tried to input a comical feeling to it, which I would like to really point out as I personally think they have failed in both. Well, the whole idea had a huge potential even when the drama doesn't actually make one expect high ratings and viewing but still, there was some kind of expectations I had as a viewer when I started this drama. Obviously, the drama has shown what a mediocre house buying scene is like and how ordinary people struggle in buying or renting their own houses. They showed us houses and peoples struggles related to owning a home but it went in such a random manner and didn't really show how would one succeed in the end. Of course, I wouldn't say they definitely had to show success but to me, that was the whole point about this show. Also, the ending doesn't actually give us answers to the questions the drama itself raised, I think it was a bit disappointing.
If I move on to talk about the plot, as I have said that this is supposedly a feel-good drama so when I began watching this I didn't expect it to have a grand story or anything. So as episodes went on I was able to enjoy the essence and the lessons that this show was trying to give out. The way the cold male protagonist thought about the house as something related to business and on the other hand, the female protagonist saw the house as something of emotional value and how they influence each other, all really appealed to me. though I would say many cliches happen throughout the drama both with the protagonists and side characters, I really didn't feel disheartened about it. But what really made me frustrated was the ending. Though at many points I was about to drop the drama, I hung on in the hopes of getting closure. But in the finale, they really refused to give me the solutions to the problems they themselves showed. It was like that one math question you got the wrong answer for even after writing 2 whole pages of steps. I don't know to call this an open ending because the ambiguity is just not about the ending but about the whole essence of the plot.
As I move on to talk about the cast, I would say the performance was okay, just okay. The lineup is really good actors, no offence, I love them all from different dramas. I loved Kim Ji Suk from When the Camellia Blooms and My Unfamiliar Family while Jung So Min has been one of my favourites since Playful Kiss. And even the side cast Ahn Chang Hwan who had played the really funny role of a foreigner from the fiery Priest, and obviously one shouldn't call themselves an avid Kdrama fan without knowing Kim Won Hae. But the thing that didn't sit well with me is how their characters had this comical feeling one moment and serious feeling the next. Of course, most dramas do put this switch and actors handle it well too but for this one, I felt the timing of the switch was off. There were though it was of many unexpected comedy moments which was totally unnecessary and over the top. But one thing I want to mention the most is Jung Gun Joo. I really loved his character though it was of a cliched second lead.
As of production, I loved it. the thing that I looked forward to in every episode was the exquisite houses they showed. The places and facts about them were given as bonus cookies but even that was a bit sloppy towards the end.
I started this show at a point where I had stopped watching any kind of Korean shows for some time. And also I watched it along with some other dramas. The thing was that it didn't stand out but at the same time, it wasn't bad enough for me to give up on it. The show was the feel-good type to one point, maybe like till the second last episode. But the unnecessary open ending and a really messed wrapping up of the plot didn't do it for me. So I would seriously not consider rewatching this one. But if you ask me whether I would recommend this? Yes and do it only when you have time to kill.
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Heesu in Class 2: Lost in (Un)Translation
To start with the review, let me just warn you: I’m equal parts betrayed and begrudgingly entertained. This is less a review and more a rant-turned-reflection from a heartbroken manhwa fan because I’ve got feelings, a lot of them. 😤First of all, as someone who read the manhwa before watching the series, let me just say that readers are in for a disappointment. The series heads in a completely different direction from the manhwa, so much so that I’d like to ask the production team why they even called this a manhwa adaptation in the first place. The plot is different, the couples are different, and seriously, even the essence of the characters is totally changed. Why mislead people into thinking this is a faithful adaptation? I would have accepted this better if it had been introduced as an independent drama.
Honestly, baiting manhwa readers and BL fans just for viewership was a cheap move.
To be honest, I started reading the manhwa after the series was announced. I’d seen the lead, Ahn Ji-ho, who plays Lee Heesu, from the BTS-inspired series Begins ≠ Youth, and I was genuinely anticipating the show. Seeing someone already kind of known taking up a BL role is, well, something we don’t often see. Then I found out that the actor playing Kim Seungwon, Lee Sang Jun, was also in Squid Game, and Jo Joon Young (who plays Joo Chanyoung) was gaining fame too. Then I started reading the manhwa.
Now, involuntarily or purposefully (guess which one?), I might end up reviewing the manhwa, too. The comic series Class 2, Lee Heesu, is a total fluff ride. I’ve read many BL comics, yaoi, and shounen ai titles across languages - Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. Class 2, Lee Heesu, isn’t something with a very strong plot. Personally, I wouldn’t say the plot is what got me hooked. It’s definitely readable, not debating on that. But the selling point was Lee Heesu, an ordinary high schooler who’s head over heels in love with his best friend. How he listens to people, empathises with them, and is still just a shy guy who’s just Chanyoung's best friend, was so endearing. The plot was leaning towards slice of life and romance, and I loved the reading experience, like every second of it. (For the sake of records: I binge read it in one sitting hehe. )😊
However, Lee Heesu of Heesu in Class 2 is a totally different person. Yes, he has some of the same traits, but the Heesu in the manhwa embodied innocence. I just wanted to carry him in my pocket all the time (I get you, Seungwon). But the Heesu in the series is more like a cheery teenager who happens to like his best friend. I never got the feeling that his entire world revolved around Chanyoung. Maybe it’s because of the addition of this new “third best friend” character. He was cute, sure, but he took away from the essence of Heesu’s world, which in the manhwa was just Chanyoung. Honestly, at times, this Heesu even reminded me of J-Hope (Hobi) from BTS( maybe because of Begins ≠ Youth).
Now, coming to Chanyoung, I want to talk about him before Seungwon because his character setup was just... so bad. Why? Chanyoung in the manhwa was someone I genuinely liked. His arc: from me thinking that he was taking Heesu for granted, to realising that he knew Heesu liked him, and so he was helping him move on, and becoming the wingman of the century, was something I loved. But in Heesu in Class 2? 😒Yes, he’s always been straight, but his straightness in the drama just didn’t sit right with me. Nothing against hetero romances, but pairing him with Choi Jiyu (played by Kim Do Yeon from Weki Meki) felt ridiculous. I didn’t want a romantic couple out of that. Their friendship alone had so much potential. The drama could’ve embraced the manhwa’s direction, even expanded on it, by showing their platonic bond with more screen time. Instead, they chose to “straightify” the story by making them a side couple.
Plot-wise, their arc wasn’t terrible - it was a healthy boy-girl friendship turned romance. But when you're queerbaiting and then give so much screen time to a couple that never existed in the manhwa? That’s just too much. If this weren’t an adaptation, I might have been all for that couple.
Coming to Seungwon, he may be the only character that somewhat resembles his manhwa counterpart. He was still obsessed with Heesu, still the quiet smartypants who gets jealous when someone gets close to his Heesu. A cutie to his core. But the problem? The chemistry. I don’t want to upset any shippers or fans of this couple, but I didn’t feel it. There was a bromance element, and yes, I watched the behind-the-scenes footage. Yes, they get along well. But a heart-fluttering vibe, like I felt watching Semantic Error? Nope. 😐Sorry, not sorry. Maybe it’s because we only got like 10 minutes of them being a couple. Or maybe because the straight couple took up half the screen time. Even the new third-best friend had a love story. In 10 episodes, Heesu’s romance subplot got less than half the airtime.
Choi Jiyu - I liked her in the manhwa, and Heesu in Class 2 gave her more character and presence. She had her own story, a full-fledged backstory. I liked her in the series, too. I might be biased here because I love it when girls in BLs aren’t just plot devices but queens and supporters. I hate when they’re thrown into love triangle dynamics. So I probably liked her more for that reason. She was a great friend to Seungwon, both in the manhwa and in the series.
It’s not like Heesu in Class 2 was all bad. If I look at it as a standalone attempted BL (emphasis on attempted, cough cough), the plot was decent. It wouldn’t bore you. There was the mysterious carrot person who had a crush on Heesu (I have complaints about how that ended, but I’ll save that for another day), Chanyoung’s ex who bullied Heesu, the arc where Chanyoung finally pursued his non-academic dream (fighting Asian parents and winning a bit is a big deal), the Lee sisters and their individual developments: the eldest sister finally living for herself (as the eldest daughter in an Asian household, I gave a standing ovation), the middle sister’s long-term relationship ending (sad but realistic), and the youngest sister accepting Heesu; the coming out scene was beautiful.
Though I missed the iconic coming-out scenes of both Seungwon and Heesu from the manhwa, that was epic. And not showing Seungwon’s other mom? A big miss. But Heesu’s confession to Chanyoung was a nice addition - it gave some closure.
The actors did a good job, though. Especially Lee Sang Jun as Seungwon- he was Seungwon. I love Ahn Ji-ho, but he wasn’t Heesu. He felt more like an alternate universe Hobi( as an ARMY girl, I couldn't help but mention this). As for Chanyoung - I couldn’t love him, but that wasn’t the actor’s fault. The whole setup made it hard.
Overall, I’d say; watch Heesu in Class 2 as if it were a different series. Maybe imagine a new title - something inspired by the space element they added, like In My Space or Star of My Space. Then, maybe it’ll feel right. It’s a watchable series as I didn’t drop it midway(big win for me YAY)- but a big disappointment for OG Class 2, Lee Heesu fans. As a BL, it didn’t do much justice. Not because they added a straight side couple, but because that couple got more airtime. And in the end, I was left with just a few moments of Heesu and Seungwon.
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