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a successful adaptation?

This review is from the perspective someone who read and knew about study group before the adaptation. I started the drama very invested and enjoyed it for the most part but felt rather unsatisfied with the ending. This might be because of my love for the Webtoon and having been reading it since I first found it about 3 years ago but I do think my issue can be applied in general.

Starting from the intro the series immediately had me hooked. Study Group thrives on its cartoonish and humorous depiction of the plot and the characters. Even when the plot thickens and the suspense is building up the drama doesn’t fail to make you laugh. Gamins character plays a big part in this. Though he might appear to be smart and even calculated he more often than not is very unaware of his surroundings, his desire to study being his focal point in life. This is a personal opinion but I particularly appreciate the female characters. Different from other shows of this genre there are multiple female characters deeply involved in the plot and not just on the side lines. All of them are able stand their own and fight for themselves and others. Additionally, there is no unnecessary romance added. The general plot stays mostly to the source material, though it was heavily shortened. Cutting out a lot of the drama is an understandable means to creating a coherent and not overbearing adaptation, especially since the original has more than 200 chapters. reason why the drama was able to match the vibe of the Webtoon so well, was because of the editing of the camera work. Adding a lot of slow-motion and effects certainly helped create a comic-like and entertaining vibe. I usually never watch the intro of a show but, I think a lot of people would agree, the really nice animation complimented by the catchy music had me watch it every single episode. I also want to give the actors and the casting team their credit. All the actors fit the characters incredibly well and are delivering a solid performance. Especially, SeHyeon’s actor had me deeply involved in the character and his storyline.

*disclaimer: this part contains spoilers for the drama and Webtoon*

As I said, my biggest issue with the drama was, that the ending left me feeling unsatisfied for multiple reasons. The first being the character of Pi HanUl. I loved his character in the Webtoon because he wasn’t your generic one-dimensional villain. Admittedly, I don’t remember all the details from back when I read the Webtoon but HanUls and the stories surrounding his chracter stuck with me. He never got a redemption arc but you learned about his backstory and motivations. Something you never get to do in the drama. For one, he had a deeper connection to the former teacher than it might have seemed like to others. Different to the drama it wasn’t him who had her killed. Though the drama hints at their relationship and his backstory one or two times, the scenes are left to be ambiguous and never explained. I was waiting for a deeper exploration of his character but felt disappointed when he got arrested and was left as a rather surface-level character who was simply kind of a bad guy. I think the feeling of there being more to him than just a horrible person isn’t exclusive to people who know the Webtoon. There are moments when he talks with his father and it seems like there is more to their relationship but it never is brought up. It is also never explained why he does the things he does. On the surface it seems like he is a recruiter for his father’s gang and therefore established the ranking system among students, putting himself at the top. But is that really all there is to him? He never really loses his cool or shows emotions leaving the viewer with only a surface level of understanding.
The other issue I have is connected to the storyline of the former teacher who died, or more specifically her son. There isn’t any closure to the story and the involved characters, especially Geonyeop. Originally, he is a morally ambiguous and inscrutable character. It is difficult to tell where is priorities lie and if he actually is a friend to the study group. This made him very interesting to read about. I was excited to see him come to life but was left disappointed. His character was more of a tool to the plot, coming to the rescue whenever needed and disregarded otherwise, than his own person. The best example might be his ending which doesn’t really exist. Though it was his mother who got killed, he doesn’t get the chance to show his anger, grief or confront the perpetrator. When arrested HanUl and GeonYeop do look at each other but it’s nowhere near an appropriate end to the son finally finding and arresting the killer of his mother. There is barely any attention on his character outside of his ability to fight, which I find really sad as he was one of the most interesting to read about originally. As he is a side character I understand that he won’t have as much screen time as others but I still think that he should have gotten more attention from the writers as he is the most involved in the backstory.

* spoiler end *

While I acknowledge that knowing the source material might have made make me overly critical, I do believe it also helps highlight the dramas shortcomings. Things that maybe don't really stand out when casually watching but become noticeable when paying attention. All the shortcomings considered, I still very much enjoyed watching study group and I believe it is an amazing watch for people looking for light action and enjoy a comic-like touch. The charm of the drama definitely lies in its characters and ability to lighten the mood without taking away from the action. The story could have been tied up better with two or more episodes and more attention to the side characters and their backstories. Especially, since these sidestories were included or at least hinted at a deeper exploration could have added a lot to the complexity and general flow of the series. Despite it's shortcomings, the series is able to convey the essence of the chracters and the story of Study group.
If there is a second season, I hope they explore all the characters a bit more and give them their own purpose and backround outside of their relation to the study group. Still, I enjoyed watching Gamin and his friends fight for their right to study and a chance at a better life than what might be expected of them and would call this a solid adapatation.

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a fun watch showing the lived experience of queer teenagers and Volleyball

I usually don't write reviews, but after finishing the series and seeing the, in my opinion very undeserved low, ratings I wanted to give my opinion on the series. First and foremost, as someone who identifies as queer and loves sports, I thoroughly enjoyed this drama.

The series tells the story of a volleyball team. A group of teenagers who, because of their queerness, are bullied and ousted in school and are able to find a safe space in the sport. The series prioritizes the struggles of young people coming to terms with their queerness and trying to be themselves in a society that does not accept them. At the same time, they are also just immature teenagers who make mistakes and try not to hurt the people they care about in situations where being hurt is inevitable.

I am not going to speak a lot about the separate characters, but I personally really liked all of them, especially because, despite the fact that being queer is a big part of the story, they aren't reduced to just this. A lot of the topics are being discussed via Uno, the only straight guy, being confronted with his internalized homophobia and transphobia. I've seen people say that to them, he appears as somewhat of a straight savior, but to me that doesn't seem to be the intention of his character at all. His growth as a person and as an athlete isn't so that he can be the ace of the team or to show that they need him. More than anything, it's about him learning what true sportsmanship looks like. I also want to commend all the actors' and actresses' volleyball skills.

Now if you are expecting a BL, a story centered around a gay couple's love, then this show isn't right for you. Still, I would encourage you to continue watching as it still is a queer series and centers around the experiences of queer characters. Obviously, this is a very subjective opinion and I am aware that not everybody is going to enjoy the tone and the comedy, but to call it queerbait, as I have seen a lot of people do, is kind of disrespectful to all the queer characters and their very real struggles. In particular, the trans character. Now I am not trans and therefore can't talk about the accuracy of the struggles, but the actress herself is trans and the character's experience as a trans woman is often highlighted.

I really hope you can give this show a chance and enjoy the mix of sportsmanship, light-hearted comedy, queer experience and romance.



note: i apologize if my English isn' t always coherent as it's my second languange

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