Fighting to Feel: Bruises, Bonds, and Buried Trauma
This series is a pretty typical high school action drama built around the theme of bullying, a topic that seems to be popping up more and more in Korean dramas these days. It follows Kim Eui-gyeom, a quiet and respectable student who’s dealing with a lot of pressure to be the “perfect son”, especially after his brother’s apparent suicide. He carries the weight of trauma and mental health struggles mostly on his own, and it shows, he’s always on edge.
After transferring to a new school, Eui-gyeom immediately catches the attention of the class bully. The tension escalates when the bully targets Eui-gyeom’s most treasured possession, a walkman that belonged to his brother. That moment pushes Eui-gyeom over the edge, and the fight that follows pulls him into even more trouble, drawing the attention of senior bullies.
Meanwhile, Kang Yun-gi, a chill and seemingly bored classmate, starts showing interest in Eui-gyeom and becomes an unexpected source of support. As their friendship grows, the two of them begin fighting not just in school, but outside of it too, all while Eui-gyeom’s home life slowly unravels.
The show tries to tackle some heavy themes, trauma, suicide, bullying, and abuse, but with only eight episodes, it doesn’t always dig as deep as it could. There’s also some confusion around Eui-gyeom’s fighting ability. At first, he seems inexperienced, but later he’s holding his own like a pro. The show doesn’t really explain if he had past training or if he’s just picking things up along the way.
That said, it’s still an engaging watch. The acting isn’t particularly standout, especially when compared to something like Weak Hero Class 1, where the lead gave a phenomenal performance. Here, things feel a little safer, and the bullies can come off as trying too hard. But the story itself is entertaining, and the bond between Eui-gyeom and Yun-gi is one of the best parts.
One character who really stood out to me was Kim Seung-jun. He doesn’t get a ton of screen time, but he’s definitely one of the most interesting. He starts off as a bully with a sense of honor and eventually decides to step away from all the nonsense. There are hints at a deeper story with him, especially involving his mother, and it’s a shame the show didn’t explore that more.
In all, it’s a small but promising series. If you’re into character-driven stories and watching unexpected friendships form under tough circumstances, it’s worth checking out.
After transferring to a new school, Eui-gyeom immediately catches the attention of the class bully. The tension escalates when the bully targets Eui-gyeom’s most treasured possession, a walkman that belonged to his brother. That moment pushes Eui-gyeom over the edge, and the fight that follows pulls him into even more trouble, drawing the attention of senior bullies.
Meanwhile, Kang Yun-gi, a chill and seemingly bored classmate, starts showing interest in Eui-gyeom and becomes an unexpected source of support. As their friendship grows, the two of them begin fighting not just in school, but outside of it too, all while Eui-gyeom’s home life slowly unravels.
The show tries to tackle some heavy themes, trauma, suicide, bullying, and abuse, but with only eight episodes, it doesn’t always dig as deep as it could. There’s also some confusion around Eui-gyeom’s fighting ability. At first, he seems inexperienced, but later he’s holding his own like a pro. The show doesn’t really explain if he had past training or if he’s just picking things up along the way.
That said, it’s still an engaging watch. The acting isn’t particularly standout, especially when compared to something like Weak Hero Class 1, where the lead gave a phenomenal performance. Here, things feel a little safer, and the bullies can come off as trying too hard. But the story itself is entertaining, and the bond between Eui-gyeom and Yun-gi is one of the best parts.
One character who really stood out to me was Kim Seung-jun. He doesn’t get a ton of screen time, but he’s definitely one of the most interesting. He starts off as a bully with a sense of honor and eventually decides to step away from all the nonsense. There are hints at a deeper story with him, especially involving his mother, and it’s a shame the show didn’t explore that more.
In all, it’s a small but promising series. If you’re into character-driven stories and watching unexpected friendships form under tough circumstances, it’s worth checking out.
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