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My First Kdrama and First Kdrama Review!

Writing & Storytelling / Character Development

The story is engaging and keeps you hooked from Season 1 all the way through to the end of Season 2. While Season 1 was well-paced in my opinion, Season 2 felt rushed. There were so many character stories to explore—starting with Na Baek Jin. How did he end up in the union? What’s his connection to the boss? How did they even meet? Since the show didn’t provide clear answers, I interpreted it as the boss possibly adopting Na Baek Jin for his own gain—using him to build the union and run illegal operations. Given that Baek Jin is an orphan who was bullied and later rescued by Baku, it makes sense that he might see the union as a coping mechanism and form of protection. I found his backstory intriguing, and I wish we had gotten to see more of it.

Next are Baku and his friends. Their friendship lacked screen time. It would’ve been more impactful and relatable if we saw the growth of their bond from the beginning.

Then there’s Seong Je. To me, he feels like an anti-hero. He’s wild, enjoys violence, but is also observant. I especially liked how he seemed more fascinated by Si-eun than Baku during the scene where Baku and Tak rescued Jun-tae. I think there’s something deeper behind his actions, and it would be interesting to see a spin-off focused on him. Despite having few scenes, his personality stood out the most.

They added more characters this season, so it would’ve been better if there were more episodes to show their stories.

We’ve seen how much Si-eun has grown since Season 1—starting as a loner and eventually finding real friends. I liked how, in the end, Si-eun reflected on what he learned from Su-ho—that having friends is a good thing. It really highlights the message of the show and makes the journey feel emotional and impactful. I also appreciated how this season made Su-ho more relevant, which made sense in shaping Si-eun’s development. Su-ho truly feels like the heart of the show.

Beom-seok and Jun-tae went through similar experiences—both were bullied—but responded in different ways. Jun-tae became brave, while Beom-seok became coward. But if you look deeper, you’ll understand why Beom-seok acted that way; he came from an abusive family. This contrast makes their stories even more interesting. In Si-eun’s dream, Beom-seok represents his guilt, and that scene felt really important to the story as well.

As for the dialogue, there were moments that felt cringey and didn’t match the overall tone—like Baku’s entrance or some of Choi’s scenes. Personally, I think the show would’ve been better and more consistent if it had stuck with a mature and serious tone like Season 1.

Acting Performance and Chemistry

The actor who plays Si-eun has been incredible since Season 1. His eyes are some of the most expressive I’ve ever seen, and he brings real depth to the character. I’m curious to see more of his work—I’d definitely watch other dramas he’s in just to see his range.

Another standout for me was the actor who played Seong Je. His introduction in was intense, and his fight scenes with Si-eun were some of the best.

The chemistry between the four main characters felt underdeveloped. Since there were so few scenes showing them together, their bond didn’t hit as hard emotionally compared to Season 1.

Production Quality

The cinematography in Season 2 feels very "Netflix." If you’ve seen other Netflix originals, you’ll get what I mean. The tone was noticeably different from Season 1. Funny enough, even though the first season had a cheaper look, I actually preferred it over the sleeker Netflix visuals in Season 2. That said, the camera angles in Season 2 were definitely better. In Season 1, some shots felt awkward—like the boxing ring scene with Suho lying or a few of the club sequences.

As for the fight scenes, I was expecting them to be more brutal. Season 2 had more action overall, but it lacked the raw grit of Season 1. The fight in Episode 1 (last part) of the first season is still my favorite. I wish they had kept that level of intensity throughout. That said, I understand that certain scenes may have been toned down to appeal to a younger/general audience, since this is still a high school drama.

Score

I usually listen to the soundtrack before watching a movie or show to feel the mood and prepare myself emotionally, but this time I didn’t—and the show still impressed me. For me, music is a very important part of storytelling, and this one did a great job. The outro always hits hard. My favorite moment was when Si-eun finally saw Suho in the final episode—the music made it even more emotional. I also liked the intense score used in the fight scenes.

Overall

This drama delivers when it comes to entertainment. I understand why it became so popular and widely talked about—it definitely caught my attention. All in all, it’s a solid watch and something I’d consider rewatching.

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