NotMuch

Ha So Hyun is such an observant teacher. She is quick to figure out the problem, although, like her hoobae said, she should not jump to conclusions. She's cool. We need more female leads like her, empathetic yet badass.

I am not sure how to feel about this one. While it's fun and lighthearted, it has tried to add depth to it by mentioning characters' struggles, but conveniently pushed them to the last two episodes to resolve them. I am referring to Jun Joon Hyeong's emotional issues. They could have explored that in small moments here and there rather than letting it hang in the balance. That certainly would not have compromised the easy watch this drama wanted to be. The thing is, I would not find it overrated had it only aimed for light-heartedness, but the added "depth" makes it pretentious. I mean, I am glad it talked about mental illness and depicted therapy in a positive light, but bringing up issues and failing to properly show their consequences is a little offensive.

Chairman Song destroying the phone in the end was symbolic of Tae Kyung's last shred of trust breaking. I am beginning to like this drama more.

Another thing I noticed: there are no elaborate scenes to highlight Tae Kyung and Song Woo Yong's shifting attitude towards each other. I would say they did a great job in hinting to the viewer that they are both testing one another now, and it all ties nicely in the end of episode 3 / 5&6.

I want to appreciate the person who decided the Mona Lisa song should be the dongsaeng's song. It is so haunting, in its cheerful, old-school melody. This song is like his ghost, or his presence that still has yet to completely evaporate. Moreover, the show is not dialogue heavy - most of the story is conveyed through actions, cinematography, and nuanced shifts in the actors expressions. So when the silence is filled by BGM or, in episode 5&6, by the Mona Lisa song, it makes this drama eerie, which gives it originality. Therefore, this no longer feels like a crime drama seen one too many times, in my opinion.

So I am liking the detective, the one who's "useful when sober". I am afraid I forgot his name.

Right now there doesn't seem to be one, although the two teachers have good chemistry. I would still recommend watching it! I have my fingers crossed for a subtle romance, however.

Beautiful life was also a melo. I loved what it tried to convey, but it was too slow. This has mystery, comedy, and a dark theme at the same time, not to mention the eccentric teachers, which has resulted in a fast-paced, engaging watch.

I feel the same away about romance too! When it's the main conflict, the writer tends to add in many petty situations to drive the couple apart so that the angst can stretch the drama out for 16 episodes. When the conflict is outside the relationship and concerns other people, it grounds the couple as individuals before they are each others' partners. So seeing them together reinforces the idea of interdependence - that they can function well without each other, but being together makes their life that much better. That sense of maturity and yearning such a slow-burn brings make for a better romance in many ways.

Woops! I ranted a lot :p I tend to get excited about couples like that. Hope to see more of you in this comment section and the one for Justice!

In a recent drama, The Crowned Clown, he was a pretty greedy character.

Same! The motivation is different from the usual, thankfully. And the fact that this is shedding light on bullying and how wicked teenagers can be is great. Moreover, its focus is not the students only but the teachers, which is refreshing.

And the ML and FL are definitely adorable people. The ML reminds me of a teddy bear. :p I love those two interacting. I doubt there will be any romance between the teachers, but I hope to be surprised with a slow-burn, lol. A strong friendship is fine by me too though.

Same here!

Well, I was talking based on the premise written above. There haven't been missing actresses yet, but it has dealt with cases about actresses so far so we'll have to see!

I agree about the last four episodes. I even cried a little because of it in anger and sadness, so attached had I become to the characters.

Loved this article! Made me remember why I even came to love this. I love the format, btw. I tend to skim to things if they don't seem interesting, and since it was about the Last Empress and was cohesively put together, I enjoyed it! :)

I am so happy to see new viewers comment so favourably about this well-crafted drama, which was also a beautiful experience. Vicariously experiencing those people's struggles is humbling, isn't it?

I don't find it confusing at all. There are still unanswered questions, but that's about it. As for the drama, it picked up pace in episode 2. I preferred it over the first one. I can see there is something sinister going on behind the scenes, and we are only at the surface. I hope the case of missing actress will bring a social issue to light and add a unique feature to the drama.

Irrelevant. and rather shallow, but I am loving how the main leads (the two teachers) do not seem thin. I love that their faces are fuller than you see usually, and the ML and FL have meat on their bones.

You see, dramas like these really make me scared of the systematic bullying that takes place in Korea. A senior forcing a junior to drink, knowing the pressure from societal standards will make the person bend; powerful students forcing the weaker ones to take part in things they are not willing to, knowing whatever ugly actions they commit, they will be protected by adults. The students seem like lunatics, those who were on the rooftop. It's crazy how they are able to do this without realizing how utterly damaging the "activity" is. Also, it seems we have found the true stalker, and he is creepy as hell. Every one is.

Glad to see her in another drama. :)

What I am loving about this is that they have set up most of the plot in the first episode. We know what the victim did, what could have caused her murder, that the suspect was innocent, and that our lawyer was not involved in it coincidentally. Of course, there is a lot of ground to cover, but these facts made the first episode a fun watch. I think I will enjoy this, since the future assistant homeroom teacher and the homeroom teacher have likable, slightly idiosyncratic (at least the ex-lawyer for now) personalities.