I've watched two episodes now and would say it's very good for what it is. I was attracted by recommendations from other school-related series. I then saw the wonderful "prank" episode on Akira during the filming preparation, I was crying with laughter and seriously recommend you watch that even if you hate school dramas, haven't seen anything so hilarious for ages.
BUT I like my school dramas to have some kind of realism - real problems, not simply solved by a larger-than-life hero hunk riding (literally) to the rescue. Even in dramas with some connection to reality - like School 2013, 2017 - you know the teachers are too good to be true. But the problems is not "solved" in one episode by "our hero" Onizuka and the "good" teachers are not always shown as succeeding.
Here you need a total suspension of disbelief. The school is only a background for stories about "individual problem kids" sorted by our hero. I find it too comical to take seriously but too serious to be entirely comical. The idea of a class of psychopathic kids out to get the hero teacher and the other teachers plotting to get him fired episode after episode loses its comic aspect a bit - but it's nice waiting for the twisted little brats and sneaky teachers to get their comeuppance every time. Not a "can't- wait- for- the-next- episode" series, but one to dip into.
* have also looked at the older 1998 version, this one seems to follow that quite closely, though the older one less wild - obviously what's acceptable changes over time.
It's a hard slog through this marathon course of study but it's got some very original characters and though the plot's not very original, the way it's done keeps you watching (apart from the middle bit). Frankly the stuff they showed them studying (impenetrable math formulas and the like) looked totally unrealistic to cram into 12 months, you'd have to be Einstein or someone, and the demands about finishing 500 problems before bedtime etc were a laugh but for any real person would have blown your nerve cells to shreds long before graduation. Worth sticking with if you like this sort of inspirational school/achievement kind of drama.
Christianity has been a threat to Korea's confucian mind set for for 300 years, when catholic missionaries brought…
ありがとございます。祖です。very interesting post. Real Christianity I am brought up to believe is a religion of love - not judging others for how they are - you should worship God, not Bible.
Not sure why I watched this. Certainly no eye candy. Unremittingly grim, I almost did not make it past the school violence early on - and I mean by the teachers. All that brutality seems to have a hypnotic effect - you sort of see it but don't believe it. It's disturbing to think that this is a real part of the human race - whether it's the disguised gangsters at the top or the physical gangsters at the bottom of society. Very good of its type, no doubt, but not for me.
Defying brain damage, dislocated limbs and ruptured spleens our heroes led by Tsukasa aka Nakajimo Kento come out on top with brilliant teeth intact, hair barely ruffled and knuckles remarkably ungrazed seeing as they had just been smashing people's faces in for the last 90 minutes. All good macho fun, so OTT as to become comedic. I love the idea of a few boys weighing 65 kilos and standing 1.7m toughing it out against battalions of supersize godzillas. If only. Obviously these appeal or there wouldn't be a market for them. Maybe it feeds into the samurai instincts (without the refinements). The best part was Tsukasa caught in the act of "teaching Yoji (I think) how to kiss" - well they would say that, wouldn't they? Nice boys really.
They deleted AishaSweet's link but if anyone's interested there's another here:
This is more or less a reflection of my comments on Kurosaki-kun (2015) as they are much the same anyway. Cool, done really well - a potentially far from amusing bully-masochist theme played very adeptly to finally bring out the comic slant. The clue to this happens quite soon in the movie. Nakajima's earlier delinquent role Bad Boys J obviously gave him suitable experience for this movie and Kurosaki-kun 2015 also. Some might say Kurosake was OTT and Akahane OTT passive but that's actually the nature of manga, it doesn't generally do "refined" (does it??)
Beautiful camera shots and acting in this film. Ikuta Toma gives a very strong performance. He's very versatile. I feel it deserves a higher rating than 7 but can understand it as it is a very gloomy movie, not one to watch if you need cheering up! It starts bright and descends into perdition. P.S. I watched this movie before reading the Intro here but is it necessary to tell everyone virtually the whole plot before they watch it?
After 6 episodes the attraction of this program imho is in inverse proportion to the volume of the romance scenes between Kim Shin and Kim Go Eun - and it seems to be increasing………ep 8 excellent, if a bit heavy - even kim go eun was good…..getting up to episode 13 I shared the consensus that this was a top-flight drama.
I put off watching the final episodes 14 - 16 because I was reluctant for it to end. Now I've watched ep. 14 which is clearly sequel in nature. I have to say I found it a hard slog, the sparkle has gone, the interaction between Goblin, Grim Reaper and Deok Hwa sadly missing. If this continues I would have to say it was a mistake. They should have finished with ep.13 and maybe a brief "follow up" finish. Don't mean to be b*****, but the idea anyone or any supernatural entity would span the universe in eternal love to chase Kim Go Eun stretches credulity.
Taking the plunge again at Ep. 14 better but I find the central romance utterly unconvincing, partly because it just goes on far too long - there's a limit to the sweet endearments and exchanges you want to hear.
Finished at last! A suitably complex and, I'm glad to say, unpredictable ending. Ah, if only life - and death - were like that. Turned whimsical again at the end, but inevitable I expect. Isn't it wonderful also how time can pass in a camera shot in TV dramas? Preferred Grim Reaper and Sunny and Deok Hwa to Goblin and Eun Tak, though the latter did improve markedly towards the end when she stopped playing all "kittenish". Which reminds me, what happened to Deok Hwa amidst all the complex comings and goings at the end?? So annoying.
The production values, background scenery and camera work were excellent throughout and the fashion sense fabulous - but when my mind keeps going off the story to the clothes and background scenery, annoyingly missing the subtitles, desperately waiting for the next scene with Grim Reaper and/or Deok Hwa, it's clear that it's not entirely absorbing my admittedly volatile brain. Music almost entirely good. Re-watch value? well not any time soon, but the fashion, design and memory of the comic parts may tempt me. Still, there's nothing else for it, but to give it 10/10 for the overall achievement.
Yokatta. Dark Sultry vs Bright Sparkle - guess who wins? But the male-male and girl-girl bonds are evidently important too. Can't do a review but 9.5/10.
Very sweet movie, oh dear almost had me crying at one stage, but also hilarious in parts. For those who've watched (and I don't think this is any spoiler), I don't understand how they got the baby from the airport to the bench. Artistic licence, I suppose. If only real life was like that. 10/10 for feel good.
Intermittently amusing, some episodes certainly miles better than others. Ahn Nae Sang's hysterics (or is it mania? he looks like he escaped from hospital) get severely un-amusing. Interesting to see Lee Jong Suk just before School 2013 - imho chubbier in the face, his looks had certainly improved by the following year.
BUT I like my school dramas to have some kind of realism - real problems, not simply solved by a larger-than-life hero hunk riding (literally) to the rescue. Even in dramas with some connection to reality - like School 2013, 2017 - you know the teachers are too good to be true. But the problems is not "solved" in one episode by "our hero" Onizuka and the "good" teachers are not always shown as succeeding.
Here you need a total suspension of disbelief. The school is only a background for stories about "individual problem kids" sorted by our hero. I find it too comical to take seriously but too serious to be entirely comical. The idea of a class of psychopathic kids out to get the hero teacher and the other teachers plotting to get him fired episode after episode loses its comic aspect a bit - but it's nice waiting for the twisted little brats and sneaky teachers to get their comeuppance every time. Not a "can't- wait- for- the-next- episode" series, but one to dip into.
* have also looked at the older 1998 version, this one seems to follow that quite closely, though the older one less wild - obviously what's acceptable changes over time.
They deleted AishaSweet's link but if anyone's interested there's another here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIFT1vvJXPU
I put off watching the final episodes 14 - 16 because I was reluctant for it to end. Now I've watched ep. 14 which is clearly sequel in nature. I have to say I found it a hard slog, the sparkle has gone, the interaction between Goblin, Grim Reaper and Deok Hwa sadly missing. If this continues I would have to say it was a mistake. They should have finished with ep.13 and maybe a brief "follow up" finish. Don't mean to be b*****, but the idea anyone or any supernatural entity would span the universe in eternal love to chase Kim Go Eun stretches credulity.
Taking the plunge again at Ep. 14 better but I find the central romance utterly unconvincing, partly because it just goes on far too long - there's a limit to the sweet endearments and exchanges you want to hear.
Finished at last! A suitably complex and, I'm glad to say, unpredictable ending. Ah, if only life - and death - were like that. Turned whimsical again at the end, but inevitable I expect. Isn't it wonderful also how time can pass in a camera shot in TV dramas? Preferred Grim Reaper and Sunny and Deok Hwa to Goblin and Eun Tak, though the latter did improve markedly towards the end when she stopped playing all "kittenish". Which reminds me, what happened to Deok Hwa amidst all the complex comings and goings at the end?? So annoying.
The production values, background scenery and camera work were excellent throughout and the fashion sense fabulous - but when my mind keeps going off the story to the clothes and background scenery, annoyingly missing the subtitles, desperately waiting for the next scene with Grim Reaper and/or Deok Hwa, it's clear that it's not entirely absorbing my admittedly volatile brain. Music almost entirely good. Re-watch value? well not any time soon, but the fashion, design and memory of the comic parts may tempt me. Still, there's nothing else for it, but to give it 10/10 for the overall achievement.