When you want something different than typical high school dramas…..
- koreanunnie2001
- Aug 27, 2020
- 8 min read
Updated: Sep 12, 2020
High school dramas are one of the prominent categories in the k- drama world. While many high school k-drama might remind you of some beautiful memories of your friends, teachers and your first love, here is a list of some unique high school dramas dealing with some serious topics like bullying, student pressure, etc. These can be a good break after continuous stream of light rom com dramas.
1) Class of lie
Class of lie or Mr. Temperory is about a highly successful but snobby lawyer Gi Moo- Hyeok who falls from grace because of one case. To regain his honor he goes undercover as a substitute teacher Gi Kang-jae in Chunmyung High School to get to the bottom of a case involving the murder of a female student. Soon he begins to notice the deep secrets of students and crimes happening in the school.
The drama clearly depicts the misuse of hierarchical power and the never ending circle of the stronger ostracizing the weak. At every turn of the story, there is a shocking revelation and major plot twists. Until the end, it was difficult to predict what was going to happen next. Also, there are multiple villainous characters in the story. Each of them bidding for their selfish reasons. The cast has powerfully given their best to give justice to this wonderful story. Suspense lovers would never be able to resist the beauty of this series. If you like solving puzzles, digging into cases, using your critical thinking and analysis, and mystery thriller genre of K-drama; then OCN’s Class of Lies is best for you!
Binge it on Viki !!
2) Sky castle
SKY Castle follows the lives of 4 women living in luxurious SKY Castle neighborhood. Their life goal is to make their husbands more successful and raise their children like prince and princesses. A satirical drama that closely looks at the materialistic desires of the upper-class parents in South Korea and how they ruthlessly secure the successes of their families at the cost of destroying others' lives. However, this drama has so much suspense but at the same time is balanced with the humour added, making the drama seem unreal but still relatable. It tackles sensitive issues such as mental health, exam stress (education system), parental expectations and family dynamics. Best moments are the cliff hangers that would make you wonder what just happened. The cast and acting is top- notch.
3) Angry mom
Angry Mom is a 2015 series starring Kim Hee-sun, Kim Yoo-jung, and Ji Hyun-woo. The story starts with Jo Kang Ja who was one of the most feared troublemakers when she was in high school. However, now she has settled down and lives with her daughter, husband and mother-in-law. Jo Kang Ja has a strained relationship with her daughter, Oh Ah Ran. When Jo Kang Ja discovers that her daughter’s behaviors are the result of intense bullying, she doesn’t sit back. To help her, she enters her daughter’s high school under the alias ‘Jo Bang Wool’. However, she soon discovers that the school hides a bigger problem than she could have imagined.
With its unrelenting focus on bullying, violence and other disturbing topics, show was undeniably hard to watch at times, it was just so violent and sad. It’s got a unique flavor all its own. It faces some hard topics and is far from being romance-centric. This drama conveys the best mother- daughter relationship and shows how far a mother can go for her child. While it does have some funny moments, the majority of it is intense and emotional.
Binge it on Viki !!
4) Nightmare teacher
The story begins with a homeroom teacher of 2nd grade 3 class at Yosan Private High School who gets in an accident and is hospitalised. Han Bong-Gu (Uhm Ki-Joon) now becomes the temporary homeroom teacher. He is mysterious and creepy person. Han Bong-Gu arouses the desires of each students and leads them into an illusory world where everybody’s dreams starts to come true. It is a short series of 12 episodes, 20 min each. Every two episodes were focused on one student, but there was an overarching story following Ye Rim and Sang Woo as they tried to solve the mystery. the story is totally different and gives you an unforgettable experience. It has a great twist and suspense throughout the episodes.
5) Moment at eighteen
Moment of Eighteen is a 2019 series starring Ong Seong-wu, Kim Hyang-gi, Shin Seung-ho and Kang Ki-young.
Moment At Eighteen definitely is a coming of age drama. The story is not much complicated but surely is heartwarming. It perfectly depicts the feel of peer Pressure, Societal norms and the Hopes or in reality, the restrictions put by the Parents. All the characters are developed in a very raw and realistic way. There are many bits in the drama which will make you cry. Every time something unjust happens to Ong seong wu, you would wanna hug him. The chemistry between the main couple is extremely cute. Unlike other dark dramas in the list this one is the most relatable one with perfect blend of friendship, love life and school work.
Another thing I love most about At eighteen is the OSTs which at times would make the scenes extra emotional.
6 ) Moorim school
Moorim School tells the story of a special school that teaches martial arts and emphasizes honor, faith, communication, and sacrifice. After a sharp fall from popularity, the lead member of a top singing group starts attending the school along with the spoiled son of a chaebol. It is like a cheesy version of Harry Potter. I enjoyed the mystery as well as the fantasy elements. The story primarily focuses on the friendship between the two male leads and the bromance is surely adorable. We also get a love triangle which spices up things between the male leads. If you’re looking for realism, this is not your drama. The story is a bit cheesy, but also refreshing and different. The acting is decent, but not the best. It’s a great story if you enjoy themes such as friendship, loyalty, and good overcoming evil.
Binge it on Viki !!
7) Love alarm
Love Alarm is a Netflix series based on a webtoon of the same name. It stars Kim So-hyun, Jung Ga-ram, and Song Kang. The story revolves around Love Alarm, a trendy dating app that detects whether anyone within a 10-metre radius likes the user. It reveals crushes and brings couples together. The show sets up a classic love triangle between its three main characters, and the new dating app only makes things more complicated. It’s a new age love story potraying virtual love or dating in a new way. It’s a short 8 episode bittersweet romance, perfect for a bingewatch. Caution: The ending is open ended but don’t get disheartened, season 2 is on the way.
Binge it on Netflix !!
8) Extracurricular
Extracurricular or Human Class is another NETFLIX series directed by Kim Jin-min, starring Kim Dong-hee, Jung Da-bin, Park Ju-hyun, Nam Yoon-soo and Choi Min-soo. The story is about a top student Jisoo who seems like a responsible, model student but actually has a darker side to him which indulges in illegal activities to meets his needs. Things start going offcourse when his crush and classmate, Bae Gyuri, finds out about his illegal side business. I was surprised by how dark a school drama can get. It is filled with many taboo topics: violence, sex work, exploitation, bullying, and harassment. This drama gave me similar feels to the movie Parasite as here also the situations of the characters doesn’t get any better with progression of drama.
Binge it on Netflix !!
9) Extraordinary you
Extraordinary You or Ha-ru Found by Chance is a 2019 series starring Kim Hye-yoon, Rowoon, Lee Jae-wook, Lee Na-eun, Jung Gun-joo, Kim Young-dae and Lee Tae-ri. It is based on the webtoon July Found by Chance. The story is about Eun Dan Oh, a rich high school girl who has congenital heart disease. One day, she wonders why her memory keeps disappearing. She finally realizes that she is a side character in a webtoon. Then begins the journey of eun dan ho trying to change her pre- written fate with the help of a nameless boy, who is her classmate with roll no 13. This drama is a complete package of fantasy, romance and comedy with some tear jerking moments. While it might have some cringey plot- twists, it still manages to be unpredictable till the end. The cast is fresh and talented which makes it more pleasing to watch.
10) School 2017
Well here comes the lightest drama of the list. School 2017 depicts a group of high school students struggling with the high-stress education system. When Ra Eun Ho (Kim Se Jeong) is accused of being the mysterious student X, she faces expulsion, and her dream of going to university is at risk. She then decides to find X with the help of few friends to undo her expulsion from the school. While this drama also discusses about pressures and problems students go through, it does it in a very light way. The storyline majorly has comedic and romantic scenes. The lead couple, are extremely cute together and would remind you of your first love. The mystery element is very less and is quite predictable. But still, if u want a light, cute school drama go for this one.
11) How to buy a friend
How to buy a friend is a very short series of only 8 episodes. The story is about Dok Hyuk (Shin Seung-Ho), a famous fighter in school is surrounded by rumors about his girlfriend’s supposed suicide. After getting back from juvenile detention, he reads a poem written by Park Chan-Hong(Lee Sin-Young) that is related to the death of his girlfriend. Dok Hyuk approaches Chan Hong for help and in return agrees to become his bodyguard. Together in their unusual contract friendship they try to figure out the truth surrounding the death. The dialogues and poems are the best part of the drama. The connections of the poems to the story were just amazing. It showed how powerful words can be especially when it serves as the medium in solving the mysteries. How To Buy A Friend openly demonstrates the real side of friendships.
Binge it on Viki !!
12) Who are you: School 2015
Who Are You: School 2015, another hit production of the school series, starring Kim So-hyun, Nam Joo-hyuk, and Yook Sung-jae. In this drama, Kim So Hyun plays both Lee Eun Bi and Lee Eun Byul, twin girls who are separated at a young age. When Eun Byul disappears one day, Eun Bi takes her place. This drama portrays the struggles of being a teen in a very eloquent and intricate way. It is Definitely a must watch for teens, as it tells about self-confidence, honesty and how to stand up for at school. Even if you are past your school days, you might get reminiscent about those moments. Aside from that this drama is well known for its love triangle. Kim so hyun's chemistry was amazing with both leads Nam joo hyuk and Yook sungjae , because with both of them, heart fluttering moments happens. The whole cast did a stellar acting. I became a great fan of Kim So Hyun. the second lead syndrome will hit you really really really hard!!
How did you like the recommendations, tell in the comments below??
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