This review may contain spoilers
All style, little substance
TL;DR:
Visually stunning but emotionally hollow — Hierarchy sets up a juicy elite school revenge plot but fizzles out with weak payoffs, shallow romance, and forgettable characters.
The story kicks off with a dramatic moment: a student fleeing a party in fear, only to be hit by a car. That event sets the stage for a dark high school drama centered around Jooshin High School, a hyper-elite institution for Korea’s wealthiest and most powerful families. The school operates on an unforgiving social ladder — and if you’re not born rich, you’re barely even seen.
The main character is a scholarship student who enters this world with a hidden agenda: he’s investigating the death of his brother, who he believes was a victim of bullying and systemic cover-ups by the school’s elite. His mission is clear — expose the hierarchy, shake the system, and get revenge.
But along the way, things get complicated. He falls for Jung Jae-Yi, one of the elite girls — who also happens to be the girlfriend of the boy he believes is responsible for his brother’s death. To make things messier, Jae-Yi and her boyfriend actually did love each other, and their breakup happens over a flimsy, unconvincing reason. Even when she starts to develop feelings for the main lead, the shift feels rushed and emotionally shallow. Her romantic arc ends up feeling wishy-washy, which weakens the impact of both the romance and the revenge plot.
Despite the show’s attempts to explore class division, guilt, and justice, most of the characters feel more like pieces in a melodramatic chessboard than real people. The emotional core — especially around the love triangle and the main character’s grief — never quite hits the depth it promises.
That said, the production value is top-notch. From the luxurious sets and polished cinematography to the elite fashion and moody lighting, the drama looks incredible. It gives off serious “expensive Netflix drama” vibes. The heroine is visually striking and carries a strong presence, even if her character is inconsistently written.
Acting-wise, performances are okay but not particularly standout. Most actors deliver their lines competently, but there's a lack of nuance, especially when it comes to conveying emotional tension or trauma.
Hierarchy is the kind of drama that looks like it has something to say, but doesn’t commit to any of its themes. What starts as a promising revenge plot tangled with class politics becomes a muddled romance with unconvincing turns and a disappointing resolution. It’s worth a watch if you’re drawn to dramas set in elite schools with dark undertones — just don’t expect much substance beyond the aesthetics.
Visually stunning but emotionally hollow — Hierarchy sets up a juicy elite school revenge plot but fizzles out with weak payoffs, shallow romance, and forgettable characters.
The story kicks off with a dramatic moment: a student fleeing a party in fear, only to be hit by a car. That event sets the stage for a dark high school drama centered around Jooshin High School, a hyper-elite institution for Korea’s wealthiest and most powerful families. The school operates on an unforgiving social ladder — and if you’re not born rich, you’re barely even seen.
The main character is a scholarship student who enters this world with a hidden agenda: he’s investigating the death of his brother, who he believes was a victim of bullying and systemic cover-ups by the school’s elite. His mission is clear — expose the hierarchy, shake the system, and get revenge.
But along the way, things get complicated. He falls for Jung Jae-Yi, one of the elite girls — who also happens to be the girlfriend of the boy he believes is responsible for his brother’s death. To make things messier, Jae-Yi and her boyfriend actually did love each other, and their breakup happens over a flimsy, unconvincing reason. Even when she starts to develop feelings for the main lead, the shift feels rushed and emotionally shallow. Her romantic arc ends up feeling wishy-washy, which weakens the impact of both the romance and the revenge plot.
Despite the show’s attempts to explore class division, guilt, and justice, most of the characters feel more like pieces in a melodramatic chessboard than real people. The emotional core — especially around the love triangle and the main character’s grief — never quite hits the depth it promises.
That said, the production value is top-notch. From the luxurious sets and polished cinematography to the elite fashion and moody lighting, the drama looks incredible. It gives off serious “expensive Netflix drama” vibes. The heroine is visually striking and carries a strong presence, even if her character is inconsistently written.
Acting-wise, performances are okay but not particularly standout. Most actors deliver their lines competently, but there's a lack of nuance, especially when it comes to conveying emotional tension or trauma.
Hierarchy is the kind of drama that looks like it has something to say, but doesn’t commit to any of its themes. What starts as a promising revenge plot tangled with class politics becomes a muddled romance with unconvincing turns and a disappointing resolution. It’s worth a watch if you’re drawn to dramas set in elite schools with dark undertones — just don’t expect much substance beyond the aesthetics.
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