Korean Drama : Who Are You: School 2015

Year Released

2015

Genre

School, Teen, Mystery

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 60 minutes per episode

Starring

Kim So-hyun, Nam Joo-hyuk, Yook Sung-jae

Storyline

Go Eun-byul and Lee Eun-bi (Kim So-hyun) are identical twins, separated after one is adopted at the age of 5. Eun-bi lives at the Love House, an orphanage in Tongyeong. She is always being bullied at school by a gang of mean girls led by Kang So-young (Cho Soo-hyang), while teachers turn a blind eye.

On the other hand, Go Eun-byul is studying at Sekang High School, the most prestigious private high school in Seoul. Only Eun-byul is aware of the other's existence. Unlike the cheerful Eun-bi, Eun-byul is prickly and secretive. 

One day, Eun-bi decides to end her life due to constant bullying but is saved by Eun-byul. Eun-byul then goes missing and her adoptive mother Song Mi-kyung (Jeon Mi-seon) mistakes Eun-bi as Eun-byul.

Eun-bi starts attending school in Eun-byul's place but So-young transfers to Sekang High shortly after. Their family has to move to Seoul as So-young is being accused of causing Eun-bi's death back in Tongyeong. An astonished So-young meets Eun-bi and she starts to investigate on her real identity.

My View

I guess school bullying is one of the most problematic issues in society these days.

So much so that the media is constantly focusing on this topic and turning it into dramas.

Rating

4/5 Stars

Korean Drama : My Strange Hero

Year Released

2018 - 2019

Genre

School, Romance

No. of Episodes

32 - running time of 35 minutes per episode

Starring

Yoo Seung-ho, Jo Bo-ah, Kwak Dong-yeon

Storyline

Kang Bok-soo (Yoo Seung-ho), Son Soo-jung (Jo Bo-ah) and Oh Se-ho (Kwak Don-yeon) are students of a prestigious private school, Seolsong High.

Seolsong High is well known for discriminating and segregating students based on their grades and social status. The school is managed by Se-ho's abusive mother Lim Se-gyeong (Kim Yeo-jin).

Bok-soo is a troublemaker who scores poorly in tests. He dates the smartest girl Soo-jung and is best friend with Se-ho. Soo-jung has been hiding about her poor background but her secret is suddenly revealed a day after she shares it with Bok-soo.

When Soo-jung heads to the rooftop to calm herself down, she hears an argument between Bok-soo and Se-ho. The latter ends up falling. Both Se-ho and Soo-jung testify against Bok-soo.

Fast forward to nine years later where Bok-soo is working at Your Request, a general service company. Soo-jung is struggling to receive a permanent role as a teacher at Seolsong. She resorts to paying a lump sum to secure a position.

When Soo-jung is counseling a troubled student Oh Young-min (Yeon Joon-seok), she falls together with him into Han River. Bok-soo who happens to be nearby, saves her. His heroic action forced the current Seolsong's board chairman Se-ho, to re-admit Bok-soo into the school to appease public opinion.

Bok-soo plans revenge against Se-ho as he was being expelled due to the lies Se-ho caused. Bok-soo rekindles his relationship with Soo-jung when they learn that their grudge was driven by a series of misunderstandings.

Together, the pair slowly investigate and work to expose those hidden dark secrets of Seolsong. Sick of his mother's abusiveness, Se-ho turns his back against her and join forces with Bok-soo and Soo-jung.

Se-gyeong is finally arrested and Seolsong becomes a public school. Se-ho moves to the States to recover from his trauma.

My View

An exciting drama on school corruption and how the truth are being unravelled.

Rating

3/5 Stars

 

Korean Drama : Class of Lies

Alternative Title

Mr. Temporary

Year Released

2019

Genre

School, Teen, Crime

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 70 minutes per episode

Starring

Yoon Kyun-sang, Keum Sae-rok

Storyline

When Jeong Soo-ah (Jung Daeun), a student at Chunmyung High School is stabbed, her classmate Kim Han-soo (Jang Dong-joo) becomes the suspect. Songha law firm's lawyer Gi Moo-hyeok (Yoon Kyun-sang) is assigned to defend Han-soo. 

Chunmyung High School is more interested for the case to be settled quietly to preserve its public image than discovering the truth. Han-soo refuses to admit he is the murderer. After a mysterious visit from someone, Han-soo attempts suicide and falls into coma. 

At the same time, Soo-ah dies and Han-soo is charged with murder. Moo-hyeok is then fired from Songha and his lawyer's license suspended.

Moo-hyeok decides to work as an undercover teacher at Chunmyung under the name of Gi Kang-jae. He teams up with another teacher Ha So-hyeon (Keum Sae-rok) and they uncover the Veritas Club.

It is a secret society of privileged students who control teachers and fellow students to falsify their school records. 

My View

The story slowly reveal the ugly side of prestigious school with its disgusting treatments to other students.

Rating

3/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Angry Mom

Year Released

2015

Genre

Family, Teen, School

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 70 minutes per episode

Starring

Kim Hee-sun, Kim Yoo-jung, Ji Hyun-woo

Storyline

Jo Kang-ja (Kim Hee-sun) has a daughter Oh Ah-ran (Kim Yoo-jung) in her late teens. When Ah-ran gets bullied in school, Kang-ja disguises herself as a fellow classmate and attends school with her.

There, Kang-ja finds out on the severity of school bullying. Teacher Park No-ah (Ji Hyun-woo) lends a helping hand and together they fight against corruption involved as well.

My View

I'm not sure but I think school bullying is very serious in Korea.

So what the entertainment industry is trying to show is not to encourage this behaviour but for the society to be a better place for children.

Rating

3/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Solomon's Perjury

Year Released

2016 - 2017

Genre

Thriller, Teen, Mystery, School

No. of Episodes

12 - running time of 60 minutes per episode

Starring

Kim Hyun-soo, Jang Dong-yoon, Seo Ji-hoon, Cho Jae-hyun, Seo Young-joo

Storyline

The story begins with Lee So-woo (Seo Young-joo) who falls to his death in school. The school's teachers and principal do not wish to alert any media and hope to close this case secretly.

Go Seo-yeon (Kim Hyun-soo), Han Ji-hoon (Jang Dong-yoon) and Bae Joon-young (Seo Ji-hoon) together with a few other classmates decide to hold a school trial to find out So-woo's murderer.

My View

The suspense is there as you wait for every episode to unravel itself.

Rating

4/5 Stars