This review may contain spoilers
The Moment People Stop Learning Is When They Die
It's not every day that a K-drama makes me immerse myself in the story and become attached to its characters. In fact, very few K-dramas leave me feeling disappointed that it has ended, making me long to spend more time in their world. That's why even though I don't readily give out perfect ratings, this drama deserves it and more.
The story, at first glance, seems very straightforward. It's about a kid who dreams of being a good student, graduating from high school with satisfactory marks, and going to college. Unfortunately, he has a brain the size of a pea. So no matter how hard he studies, he always ends up at the bottom of the barrel. Taking advantage of a certain vocational school's special college admissions policy, he transfers to that school, hoping for a fresh start and a real shot at college. But as luck would have it, he ended up transferring to a high school notorious for churning out delinquents and future gang members. This particular school follows a hierarchy system based on one's fighting capabilities. Fortunately for him, the one thing he's truly good at is fighting, so no one can bully him and he soon rises to the top of the rankings. But he isn't interested in fighting at all, all he wants is to study. And so he forms a study group made up of a ragtag crew of rejects and the smartest kid in their class whom he befriends and builds a bond with. They must maneuver their way through this chaotic school where fights erupt left and right, the corrupt school system, and the shady organization behind this institution. Along the way, he forms an alliance with the one teacher determined to change this system and persuades others to join his cause.
Hwang Minhyun plays the wide-eyed and overeager Yoon Gamin and he truly embodies the character's childlike innocence and passion for studying. Even though he's already 29 years old, he managed to convince me that he is a high schooler with how portrayed Gamin. But he also effectively shows the ferocity and badassery of a martial arts prodigy the moment he takes off his glasses and does his jeet kune do pose. Speaking of jeet kune do, I love love the Bruce Lee references! Can't help but fangirl a little as I grew up watching Bruce Lee movies and he, along with Jet Li and Jackie Chan, were my favorites as a kid.
Kudos to the rest of the cast as well. They certainly chose the right people for these roles, no doubt about it. Cha Woo Min as Pi Han Ul especially stood out to me. His Han Ul is a total badass and worthy of being Gamin's archnemesis. I was surprised to find out that he's only in his early 20's. He looks more mature than he actually is. I like how he's practically glowing with this sinister aura and yet he displays a certain vulnerability as well. The rest of the Study Group members are lovable and endearing. I've grown attached to them like they were my own students. And as a teacher, I can relate to Lee Han Gyeong. I know how it feels to want your students to be properly educated and not be led astray.
As for the production, I can't praise it enough. Thank goodness for zero product placements! Those things have always annoyed and taken me out of the drama. Contrary to the most common criticism against this drama, I think the stylistic fight choreography is dope! I love that they made the fights so over-the-top and unrealistic. It totally suits the lighthearted tone and comic book vibe of the drama. But that's just me as I'm an anime fan and it made the drama look like a well-made live action anime adaptation. I can understand why some may find it ridiculous, though. The writing is also one of the best I've seen in a K-drama of this genre. The dialogues are especially compelling and thought-provoking. “The moment people stop learning is when they die.” Awesome quote! But the best thing about this production is the music. The opening theme alone reminds me of early 90's gangsta rap and late 90's Eminem. As an old school music fan, the rap songs sound almost nostalgic.
All in all, this is an excellent example of what K-dramas should be, short, sweet, and straight to the point. No unnecessary scenes and plot devices, no annoying romantic complications, no distracting product placements, no abundant displays of wealth from characters that are not supposed to own designer items, and best of all, no unrealistically good looking characters even though some of them are K-pop idols in real life. Although a part of me wishes it was longer, I think 10 episodes are perfect. The 42-minute run time for each episode is also great. I hope more K-dramas would adapt that run time. 16 episodes that run for an hour each can become dragging and writers are forced to insert unnecessary scenes and subplots just to fill the run time, which affects the overall quality of the drama. I'm glad they wrapped things up nicely with no cliffhangers. The drama ends on a satisfactory note but leaves something for a possible second season. Looking forward to it!
The story, at first glance, seems very straightforward. It's about a kid who dreams of being a good student, graduating from high school with satisfactory marks, and going to college. Unfortunately, he has a brain the size of a pea. So no matter how hard he studies, he always ends up at the bottom of the barrel. Taking advantage of a certain vocational school's special college admissions policy, he transfers to that school, hoping for a fresh start and a real shot at college. But as luck would have it, he ended up transferring to a high school notorious for churning out delinquents and future gang members. This particular school follows a hierarchy system based on one's fighting capabilities. Fortunately for him, the one thing he's truly good at is fighting, so no one can bully him and he soon rises to the top of the rankings. But he isn't interested in fighting at all, all he wants is to study. And so he forms a study group made up of a ragtag crew of rejects and the smartest kid in their class whom he befriends and builds a bond with. They must maneuver their way through this chaotic school where fights erupt left and right, the corrupt school system, and the shady organization behind this institution. Along the way, he forms an alliance with the one teacher determined to change this system and persuades others to join his cause.
Hwang Minhyun plays the wide-eyed and overeager Yoon Gamin and he truly embodies the character's childlike innocence and passion for studying. Even though he's already 29 years old, he managed to convince me that he is a high schooler with how portrayed Gamin. But he also effectively shows the ferocity and badassery of a martial arts prodigy the moment he takes off his glasses and does his jeet kune do pose. Speaking of jeet kune do, I love love the Bruce Lee references! Can't help but fangirl a little as I grew up watching Bruce Lee movies and he, along with Jet Li and Jackie Chan, were my favorites as a kid.
Kudos to the rest of the cast as well. They certainly chose the right people for these roles, no doubt about it. Cha Woo Min as Pi Han Ul especially stood out to me. His Han Ul is a total badass and worthy of being Gamin's archnemesis. I was surprised to find out that he's only in his early 20's. He looks more mature than he actually is. I like how he's practically glowing with this sinister aura and yet he displays a certain vulnerability as well. The rest of the Study Group members are lovable and endearing. I've grown attached to them like they were my own students. And as a teacher, I can relate to Lee Han Gyeong. I know how it feels to want your students to be properly educated and not be led astray.
As for the production, I can't praise it enough. Thank goodness for zero product placements! Those things have always annoyed and taken me out of the drama. Contrary to the most common criticism against this drama, I think the stylistic fight choreography is dope! I love that they made the fights so over-the-top and unrealistic. It totally suits the lighthearted tone and comic book vibe of the drama. But that's just me as I'm an anime fan and it made the drama look like a well-made live action anime adaptation. I can understand why some may find it ridiculous, though. The writing is also one of the best I've seen in a K-drama of this genre. The dialogues are especially compelling and thought-provoking. “The moment people stop learning is when they die.” Awesome quote! But the best thing about this production is the music. The opening theme alone reminds me of early 90's gangsta rap and late 90's Eminem. As an old school music fan, the rap songs sound almost nostalgic.
All in all, this is an excellent example of what K-dramas should be, short, sweet, and straight to the point. No unnecessary scenes and plot devices, no annoying romantic complications, no distracting product placements, no abundant displays of wealth from characters that are not supposed to own designer items, and best of all, no unrealistically good looking characters even though some of them are K-pop idols in real life. Although a part of me wishes it was longer, I think 10 episodes are perfect. The 42-minute run time for each episode is also great. I hope more K-dramas would adapt that run time. 16 episodes that run for an hour each can become dragging and writers are forced to insert unnecessary scenes and subplots just to fill the run time, which affects the overall quality of the drama. I'm glad they wrapped things up nicely with no cliffhangers. The drama ends on a satisfactory note but leaves something for a possible second season. Looking forward to it!
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