CurlyFries

I just finished this show and I honestly was conflicted on how to score it at first. I cannot deny that I was laughing my ass off and my jaw dropped a few times whilst watching it, but I have to take the quality of writing into consideration when writing a review.

What I liked:
- Soundtrack was pretty good. I mean, rap is not my preferred taste in music, but it was still good at hyping me up and making scenes feel more energetic than what they really were; so it accomplished its goal very well.
- Production was fantastic. I really loved the settings and how they switched them up so often. I especially loved the graffitied school contrasting with the clean looks of stores and other settings. It really emphasized how alien the school feels from the rest of the world as we see it. The cinematography was good too; cameraman deserves a raise for engaging me 100% during those whacky fight scenes.
- Fight choreography was insanely hilarious to watch at times, and then badass at other times too. I really enjoyed how creative they could get with making tons of fight scenes feel unique from each other.
- Some of the casting like Ms. Lee, Han Ul, Han Ul's zesty friend with a gun, Sun Cheol, Ji Wu, Hyeon Wu, Se Hyeon, and Ga Min's mom were great.
- Ji Wu and Hyeon Wu look eerily similar like I actually believed they were twins. I swear they have to secretly be related.
- Pi Han Ul was eye candy. I love me a pretty faced villain. His voice was also free ASMR. So + 1 point for that.
- Geon Yeop was eye candy.
- Hee Won's parents were eye candy.
- Ga Min's mom not being the generic KDrama mother.
- Somewhat competent police force.
- A lot of the comedic scenes made me genuinely laugh.
- Side character and one-off character casting was pretty good. Shoutout to the Ice Age Baby combined with Sid looking guy from like ep 4/5.
- Female characters can be just as strong as male characters.
- Hee Won and Se Hyeon hinted romance.
- Ji Wu and Lee Jun friendship.
- Emphasis on not giving up on people that come from lesser income areas and people that are tended to be forgotten by the system.
- Somehow managed to give personality to each character through what they wear, even differentiating them through how they style their uniforms.
- Used juvenile laws as a plot point.
- Characters can be useful without be blunt fighters.
- Criminals actually get punished by the law.
- Sassy lines.

What I disliked:
- I like Ga Min's actor in general, but he looks way too old to be playing a 16 year old. His wide smile was also hella weird, but I'm inclined to believe that was on purpose to match his social awkwardness so I'll let that slide.
- Way too absurd power scaling. It caused some fights to be awkwardly solved by Ga Min in a way that felt underwhelming at times. Obviously certain fights were great because he just solos them, but when they seemingly do pose a threat he just tanks a few hits like it's nothing and sends them flying low diff.
- Ultimate villain was a high schooler, which isn't an issue in itself, but rather the issue lies with how they want me to believe he got away with all that crime at his age. It was jarring seeing middle aged men working under him to the point that I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing. At least Weak Hero Class only made teens lead other teens or work directly under a senior.
- Some teens look like they're in their 30s. Featuring Kim Gyu Jin on that one. I almost spat out what I was drinking when I realized he was just a student like the rest of the cast.
- Physics went flying out the window along with every side villain.
- Never got info about Ga Min's dad. Since we are confirmed to get a season 2, I won't have an issue with this one if they properly explain it there.
- Needed to expand more on Han Ul's backstory. He worked fine as he was, but I wanted to know more about him with his dad and the teacher he got killed.
- "Intimidating" gang is ran by teenagers. Where did they even get all that money from???
- The tone was way too kiddy at times for my liking. Everything feels too black and white morally and it really bothered me at times.
- Han Ul and Ga Min deserved a better final fight. Despise how Ga Min pulled out a final move out of nowhere and knocked him out so quick after getting up. Made the villain feel way too weak for my liking.
- Plot felt too power of friendship and teamwork the more it went along. I hate this trope with a fiery passion after Fairy Tail.
- I wasn't completely convinced of the friend group's comradery. I think some of them lacked chemistry or something.


This show is strongest when using its absurdness for comedy and entertainment value, but falls short on its serious moments as a drawback. I couldn't feel quite invested in the mom getting hospitalized or the grandpa passing away abruptly. I kind of felt something when the teacher died but that's only because of how tragic it seemed when the story shows how depraved the school is. It was also mentioned since early on too. I personally liked when the tone of the story was more set on intense and rocky like in the first two episodes rather than the fluffier and campy later bits. It kind of returns to that feeling near the end when Ms. Lee is about to get jumped at school, but falls short on it because of how quick the threat for her disappears. Twice.

I also couldn't take the villain group seriously at all either. If anything, I liked how pretty Han Ul's voice and face was over how intimidating or eerie he was supposed to be. I don't blame this on the actor, I blame it on the absurd writing they give him in attempts to make him seem threatening. I'm certain his actor could portray him eerily if only he wasn't placed in such a weird position plot wise. His gang is so stupid and they expect me to feel on edge by a bunch of ragtag teens and his (alleged) bestie that acts zesty enough to flirt with Ga Min first meeting and swing around some off brand BB gun? No way. Don't get me wrong now, I thought these idiots were funny as fuck at times and had some hilarious lines, but I couldn't tell them seriously as villains whatsoever. I think it would have worked out better if instead of Han Ul being the leader of some (supposed) high profile group, he works under his father's group instead and is in the midst of growing his own assigned branch under him whilst having ambitions to take over said group once he gains enough influence later in life. It would make a lot more sense if his dad acknowledged his son through his plans of utilizing the juvenile laws to their advantage and incorporating loyal members as early on as high school to join their gang. I would find it more realistic and find Han Ul's personality more believable if he was raised in that setting already exposed to the underworld extremely early on and desire to inherit his father's "empire" out of admiration. But no.....we get a teen that somehow gets loads of cash, convinces others to commit murders for him, convinces others to go to jail for him, and basically runs an entire school whilst barely ever making any appearances in it.

Something I think they could have done better was show Han Ul's "Top 4" or whatever they were called from the last episode more in the school. I like seeing villains that get actively involved in the plot and I was so confused whether these guys even went to Yusung Tech or not because I had never seen them around at all. Zesty hat guy I assumed went to another school but apparently he didn't. I also hated how Han Ul is literally only ever seen just sitting on a school rooftop. I mean, the scene looked cool because it was directed nicely, but it quickly becomes perplexing when you think about how this guy was just sitting up there of all places and not even reading or checking his phone, just staring out into the sun. Like, why? Where was gun guy and why was Han Ul just wasting time instead of building his empire some more? I also wanted to know why gun guy was so close to him compared to everyone else because agreeing to help your friend in murdering teachers and framing teens must take an obscene amount of loyalty, but we never see why he is his right hand man. Especially since he is so hotheaded enough to waste all his bullets against a goon like Se Hyeon. I understand he was arrogant because Se Hyeon looked weak as fuck, but I thought at least the right hand man would be somewhat intelligent. Oh and just as a P.S., I found him saying "If I lose to a loser like this it'll be hella embarrassing" or whatever, to be so fucking funny because I too would be super embarrassed to lose when I brought a BB gun against an unarmed nerd.

I want another season despite how flawed the writing was in this one. I look forward to seeing what villains they'll write this time after how they made Han Ul exit the show. I liked that he got defeated in a "proper" way rather than the anime way of sending him to the hospital or an early grave. Side note: he really should've been hospitalized after Ga Min 12-piece comboed him in their fight. That was some insane plot armor. Even Ga Min was in crutches at least.

I'm excited for more whacky hijinks and hilarious comedy that indicates to me that my humor regressed ten years. Even if this show felt like Weak Hero Class for toddlers, I can't hate it. I'll be back here for season 2!!!


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