jeoneungd

Just from the mood of the characters, I can already tell this series is going to be emotional. What troubles our two leads…a 32-year-old temporary teacher and a 21-year-old repeat student?

For one, viewers who didn’t do their research may immediately assume this is a story about pedophilia, but that’s a myopic reading that can’t see the forest for the trees. He is 21 years old. The real controversy here is the teacher-student relationship and the imbalance that comes with it…and perhaps a serious subject like this is exactly what should be explored in an open environment where honest discussion can happen.

But I think there’s something much deeper the writer wants to convey. Neither of these two has been able to move forward. Both seem anchored to their past by regret, and for me, the mystery isn’t simply whether they fall in love…it’s discovering what happened to them, what they’re carrying, and why they remain stuck in place.

With only eight episodes, there isn’t much room to wander. Even with all the supporting characters surrounding them, I expect the story to confront these issues quickly. Maybe the real question isn’t who troubles them…but what troubles them, and whether they can finally let it go.