Hierarchy (2024)

Hierarchically Challenged: A Series Best Watched While Multitasking

I wasn't planning to watch "Hierarchy," but curiosity got the best of me after seeing all the negative reviews. Initially, I almost abandoned it midway through episode one due to the silly and clingy dialogues. However, I decided to give it another shot while multitasking.

Unfortunately, "Hierarchy" is plagued by several issues:

* Poor acting
* Lack of chemistry between the leads
* Weak scriptwriting: the villains aren't menacing, the mean girls aren't mean, the romance is lukewarm, and the kiss scenes lack passion
* The story lacks a climax, with everything resolving abruptly

Given my low expectations, I wasn't too disappointed, but "Hierarchy" certainly didn't win me over either. If you're looking for a gripping, well-crafted series, this isn't it. However, if you need something to have on in the background while doing other tasks, it might fit the bill. Overall, I wouldn't recommend it unless you're as curious as I was. Be warned, though: you'll need to switch off your brain, as the dialogues and actions of both the kids and adults are often illogical.

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wasted potential on nonsensical romance

i will be fully honest and start with: I have skipped through it a lot. I am not sure I watched one full episode of this kdrama, however it intrigued me. I guess the first episode's 'plot twist' on who Kang Ha was without even meeting him, aka in the first 5 minutes of the episode. After that, it was just easy to figure out where the story was going.

The only reason I actually finished it was because I skipped through the episodes. The acting of the main actress was, more or less, bad. There was no chemistry between her and Chaemin, and the romance between their characters was S T U P I D. It made absolutely no sense.

However, after getting more of Lee Woojin, I actually wanted to continue watching it without shipping, for him and him only. His story was interesting, his acting was also, in my opinion good, and his side of things was kind of hard to guess. He is by FAR my favorite character.

Now, let's get into some things that pissed me off:

- why in the hell did the main character fall for Jae-i??? He thought she was one of the murderers of his brother, yet he fell for her??? The romance between them made no sense.
- he-ra's character bothered me soooo much until the last episode, and I only started liking her because of Woojin.
- the teacher had some fucking audacity for a pedophile, murderer, and gold-digger. thank god she ended up in prison.
- ra-in... i have no idea how to feel about this guy really. his character is so?? confusing. he never once stood for one thing he believed, the main girl had him wrapped around her little finger but making him think he had a say in shit.
- the fucking ending. BE FUCKING SERIOUS. WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?? did Kang Ha kill someone at the end? FOR WHAT? HE GOT HIS REVENGE???? WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT??

i love high-school kdramas, this one kinda reminded me of sky castle until the ending appeared. i have no idea why that was even there so i will straight up ignore it.

anyway lee woojin best boy best character best everything i love him <3

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Did they release the first draft?!

In all honesty, it’s the worst drama I’ve ever seen.
Nothing really works, it looks like they released the series based on a first loose draft.
The budget was clearly high, but it was thrown away.

The characters are so superficial, there’s nothing to them. Some of them are poor, some of them are rich, some are evil, everyone is miserable, that’s it.
The actors are clearly struggling, their acting is robotic cause the dialogues are so lame and dull they couldn’t do much to make it better. They did their best though.
All this led to a lack of chemistry among the cast that I might’ve never seen, they’re literally NPCs.

Some cutscenes are so unnecessarily complex in a drama this basic that they’re involuntarily comic (the hacking scene for example), other ones are shot like they’re meant to be epic but nothing happens before or after so there’s no pathos at all.

There also are some plot holes.
The whole female lead character is built around her monstrous father (he is, not saying he’s not) and how she’s so scared for her life yet when she throws up on the heir she’s supposed to marry we don’t see any scenes with his father reacting to that or when she avoids going to America cause the guy was found guilty of drugs possession… You can’t built all of her story around the fact she fears her father the most and how cruel he is and not showing us his reactions to her actions/things that happens to her that would surely send him off.

The plot itself is so easy I understood everything from the beginning, despite the many incoherences. The whole Rian character is built to be ambiguous, is he really cruel or just a dumb rich guy? To build that ambiguity you have to create more depth to the character and as I said, the characters are just NPCs, so it doesn’t work.

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Hope the writers have a sense of "noblesse oblige" & not make Season 2!

This drama fails on so many levels, the only reason I endured as I wanted to know whether my theory on the culprit was right or not. Otherwise this drama has no arresting factor on why you should watch. When it was announced, I called that it seems like a cross-over of Elite, Gossip Girl, Penthouse, Glory & related shows. But this more like watered down version, where the writers picked bits and pieces from all of it and made this total HOT MESS of a show.

The plot was shallow - it depicted the glamour/bullying but had no substance/depth to keep the audience engaged. The acting was "cardboard" stuff, no character arc was built & their motives had no logic - running around the 7 episodes like headless chickens. I literally fast forwarded episodes just to get to the end to know the culprit & whether justice is served. But neither the show throughout nor the finale had any power/impact to wow me at any given second.

The genre/theme is already saturated but clearly this is one of the worst dramas of 2024 so far. Nobody gave it much thought and probably banked on marketing alone - as people would watch it for the hype. Calling it an average drama, is me being kind & for the sake of the artists who took a risk to act in this HOT MESS!

✘ Highly Recommend to SKIP IT & watch other shows in this genre/theme! Remember: Your drama time and braincells are precious ❤️so think carefully before watching!

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it’s not what you would expect!

anyone going into this show watching the trailer please be prepared to be shocked,because the show might feel at the beginning that everything going to be predictable and the characters will just be annoying. But it’s everything but that this show showed how characters do the more dehumanizing things when they are that desperate. And I believe that was show so well because of how well the main cast worked together also the way the script was. I also want to point out who were the standouts in this show which were Hera and Woojin. Hera was so captivating to watch any time she was talking, and Woojin was so mysterious it will keep you curious about him.

Lastly I suppose I should say if there was anything bad and the only thing that bugged me a little bit was a reveal of a character who was a lot to play in this show. But then again I don’t have the biggest problem with it because the dialogue that goes with the reveal really makes it connect. (sorry I don’t want to spoil to much I would say watch you won’t regret it!)

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HE RA ACTOR BACK HURTS FROM CARRYING

Story
was bad how is going to parties making out w sone random girl helping solve his brother death? And even after finding out he stills 'loves her'? Bc I genuinely dont know ML acting wasn't great. At first I thought the ML and using the FL which was interesting then he confessing the next episode so he genuinely liked her why? Bc she smiled at a dog as has a drop of sympathy in her compared to her friends. The whole plot if rich kids in school made them look dumb. Why wasn't a background on the ML done from the start?, why didn't the FL/SML parents know they were dating? But they decide everything for them right.


Characters
Ive got no sympathy for the FL shes so boring its crazy the actress doesn't even try to give her character ANYTHING shes not a 'cold hearted queen who develops' and she doesn't change, no walls are broken down, no expressions, 'my live sucks so bad im rich and have to marry this random and im scared of my father oh no~' then she runs away because shes pregnant like girl nobody cares her man could've helped her they seemed SO happy in those flashbacks which were lackluster bc i didn't care about either of them SML was just there i view his character much like the FL i just didn't care he could've died. He would've been better if he tried to move on from the FL and find who he was without her. The FL and SML were too dependent on each other before. The TML? The rich one was just there to fill in no real character just a 'plot ' device. ML was a scumbag who cared more about a girl he likes than his dead ass brother even when learning what happened he still likes her 🤦‍♀️the only good thing he did was not accepting the SML apology and now for the saving grace the only thing that carried the show HE RA

HE RA actress is great she gives exactly what you expect from a rich spoiled girl who isn't drunk on a power high like the majority of side characters. Her manipulations could've been more subtle but did what needed to be done. She was bitch with no sympathy to anyone but her friends, I believe she cared about the FL after breaking up their friendship the flashback was sad because she SHOWED some emotion once the FL left. He ra was the best character the show had because she knew what she was, he wanted to date the SML, she wanted her father to get connections, she wanted revenge for the was the FL treated her -not as a friend- more like a servant, the only scenes they have together are when the FL asks her to do something. I felt no sympathy for the FL once He Ra asked her to do something for her ahe didn't because she was jealous?! Could tell tbh, (after helping her keep her whole has pregnancy under wraps) And her Father found out about the ML imo she deserved that I was on He Ra side here because really? She couldn't help her out this once. Now He Ra isn't a good person, i mean she had her friends sloppy seconds, shes an instigator, a bully too but she's a good character the only redeeming one in the drama.

Music was good definitely added a few to my Playlist.

Extra Notes
The Fl smiled 5 times in the whole show. SML/FL deserve each other both are overall disappointing.
ML was the worst main lead ive ever had to watch i genuinely dont know how its possible to like someone who ignored your brother's bullying for so long just sat on the side lines watching even in the last episode he hugged her the FL doesn't want you. You've been rejected twice. 😐 No chemistry between the 'love triangle' everything was so stiff with any scene the FL was in.

Positives
HE RA, production was good loved the school but it just makes it sadder because they cast had everything they need to be good but the acting and script ruined it. Music, FL dad a great actor love his works, the principals son, the 4.5 acting is for He Ra alone.

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A thought-provoking series that critiques society and delves deep into self-discovery

‘Hierarchy’ is a hidden gem that requires analysis to understand its message and appreciate how it’s presented on screen. The characters are presented to viewers the same, stereotypical way they are perceived by others in the series. Jae-i is portrayed as someone who doesn’t easily get influenced or bothered by others as she leads a perfect life. Kang Ha, as someone who’s so optimistic and new to the school that he’s naive to its dark truths. When pushed to their limits by the vulnerability of their regrets from the past and fear for the future, the main leads slowly unravel their facades. They reveal themselves to be the total opposite of how they seem at first glance. Viewers can only guess what they’re thinking, which adds to the intrigue and plays a big part in capturing the audience’s attention. This is an engaging series that’ll pull one in with just enough information to make them want to see where it's going and understand the leads’ motives behind their actions.

The show follows the story of two individuals who are both victims of the harsh world, regardless of their differences in social class. Despite having problems that seem contradictory, Jung Jae-i and Kang Ha provide each other with strength and solace. Their shared support enable them to overcome their struggles, even though they're on opposite sides of the conflict. By prioritizing understanding, they use past tensions to become stronger than the problem and move on from what once held them back.

It shines light on the important aspects people often neglect in life, such as letting go and its impact on both ourselves and those around us. The female lead’s mindset is split in two parts parallel to the plot and highlights the changes that letting go can make. She becomes a better version of herself after she is shown reflecting on her thoughts with the only source of light being a strike of colour. Rainbows signify hope and new beginnings. It's following this scene where she reconciles with the lost part of herself and lets go of her unnecessary burden, represented through her lost baby, that the events take a turn for the better.

Eight teenagers are under a crushing pressure to stay fit into the roles society and their own families cast them in. They want to break free, but their fierce desire to escape their predetermined futures remains confined between the walls of Jooshin highschool. Run by two of the country’s most influential chaebol families, its goal is to provide the heirs of the top conglomerates with the best education. With important reputations to adopt from their rich and demanding parents, the successors of these groups have grown in hiding. Jung Jae-i and Kim Ri-an’s true, imperfect selves are locked behind flawless facades that push them to become people they don’t want to be and blind them from the real world and its injustices.

Jooshin’s recent death was driven by the desire to keep concealed what they wanted to hide the most within the school’s walls; which is the importance of fame and influence rather than the focus on actual studies and the well-being of students. When someone of lesser importance in society brings light to the case the school tried to cover, the students whose reputations are at risk of being tainted try to push him out and stop him from discovering the truth. Because at the stem of the reasoning behind the student’s death lies the school’s dark reality.

When the scandal threatens to reveal the truth among their concealed lives, all the top scholars struggle to find a place to stand ground, aware that only one can remain at the top of the hierarchy.

With the support of other scholarship students who have been victims of disrespect, Kang Ha orchestrates a scheme to destroy the school’s unjust and toxic hierarchy. He believes that change is necessary because the students of today are those who will determine society’s future. Kang Ha predicts that the social classes will limit those who are of less wealthy families. By stringing together clues from the past, he plots to bring down the school and give justice to those who have been wronged. Wanting to be the hero in the story, Kang Ha fights to differentiate the good from the bad and balance the consequences in a way that’ll only hurt those responsible for it. But with the close and conflicted bonds within the school, achieving that goal proves to be more complicated than anticipated. He’s forced to step back and reflect on what it is he truly wants.

Jung Jae-i and Kim Ri-an’s love for each other is stronger than anything else. It’s only a matter of time until the two leaders of the school will be forced to sacrifice their secrets to a case that threatens their reputation and the school’s. Even with the possibility of losing each other’s hand down the road of lies, secrets, and rivalry; they continue caring for each other with the same love they wish they could give their own selves. This dependency they shared with one another formed the base of their relationship and proved to be unhealthy. It ends up serving to Jung Jae-i as evidence of how unfit her current life was for her, resulting in their break-up and eventually prompting the start of her new life. It was only after letting go of the opportunity of what they could be together by giving up their future as parents that Jung Jae-i not only managed to see what was right for her own self, but also gained the maturity to set things right with those around her whom she caused harm.

What He-ra and Kang Ha have in common is that they both are in positions that set them up to seek revenge on Jae-i. However, the growth they underwent through the friendship she provided them with enabled them to realize the true source of their problems. For He-ra, it was her selfishness and greed. She wanted to have Ri-an by her side to give disillusion to her family’s monetary problems and assert her power as it progressively grew uncertain. Her numerous attempts fell flat and ultimately led to her disliking Jae-i; whom Ri-an claimed was the only one he had an eye for, even though those feelings of his remained unreciprocated following their break-up. It took Woojin, someone equally selfish and greedy, to make He-ra realize it was her own selfishness that caused her hatred for Jae-i. She came to the realization that it was her own self that held her back from coming to a resolution to her problem—a problem that could only be resolved with Jae-i’s help. By only caring about gaining enough money to stabilize her family’s financial state and wanting revenge on Jae-i for taking away that possibility, He-ra was blinded by her own pride. Had she overlooked her own problems and favoured understanding between friendships and societal classes, she would have had the opportunity to solve her worries. Before her family’s financial crisis, the only things He-ra possessed was money and power. She ended up going from being chased after for her power to being the one doing the chasing. Somewhere along the journey she took to get through her highest and lowest point in life, she gained a trustful and understanding personality.

As for Kang Ha’s situation—his strong desire to find the reason for his brother’s death—its cause was actually the teacher that was initially portrayed as a good and caring individual. What led to In-han’s death was her selfish desire to become part of the ones of more importance and authority, by dating Woojin. When the killed scholar had posed a threat to her reputation, her desire to stop him drove her insane and she chose her chance at being at the top of the hierarchy over his chance at life. This highlighted a greater problem within the school, because it meant that the teachers, who are supposed to be guardians for the students and protect them, were influenced by the hierarchy. So in the end, the problem for Kang Ha and He-ra was the hierarchy and it was by succeeding in bringing it down that Kang Ha got the revenge he wished for.

Kang Ha loves to care for those who are victims to the cruelty of the world. Thus, him going to Jooshin high to get justice for his bullied brother and consequently falling for Jae-i, who was struggling to carry the weight of her regret and guilt. This is the reason why, in the end, he's simply content with knowing that she shared the same feelings for him as he did for her. Seeing her give him one of her happiest of smiles, which he wanted to see all along, was the only closure he needed to their relationship. Kang Ha sees In-han, his deceased brother, through Jae-i because of how they share the commonality of being treated unfairly and feeling hurt. So through the smile he put on Jae-i’s face, it was as if he was also able to make his brother feel better and see his smile. As for Jae-i, who felt that she failed to protect In-han in the past, she sees him through Kang Ha. So although she let In-han down by not standing up for what was right or being by his side like she was for him, she ended up protecting Kang Ha. This happened following Kang Ha’s sentence that she started living by, which was to protect, no matter what, who you care about and love the most. This allows viewers to make the realization that between both male leads, it was clearly Kang Ha who had won over her heart; bringing an end to their love triangle. In the end, it was Kang Ha who got what he wanted most, which was seeing Jae-i smile at him and getting closure to In-han’s struggle through her, as well as ensuring the school a better future and having the bullies acknowledge their wrongdoings.

The series closed off Jae-i’s path to self-discovery, which she paved with her own sweat and tears, by leading her to her mother. This reunion showcased her immense character growth since Jae-i grew up in fear of her father throwing her away like he did with her mother; whom he deemed worthless. She let that fear control her life and hold her back from living the life she actually wanted, feeling obliged to live by his expectations. In the end, she made decisions based on her own will and was able to face her new life with a smile because she was no longer scared of being a failure in the eyes of those around her.

Through his decision to attend Jooshin and get revenge on those responsible for his brother’s death, Kang Ha used the traits he shared with his brother (caring and understanding) to carry on his brother's legacy. Not only did he solve the school's mysteries and get it punished for its insensitivity towards scholarship students (something In-han always wanted to achieve but did not have the chance), but he also transformed the ruthless students into better people. It was through Kang Ha that Jae-i was able to gain the courage to face her problems instead of running away, like she had done in the past after discovering her pregnancy. By caring for her and providing her with assistance, she ended up facing her struggles head-on and setting things right. She embraced her struggles as part of who she is, permitting her to move on from the many things that had been holding her back (her guilt of In-han’s death, feeling like she wasn’t able to tell Ri-An about their baby, her unhealthy relationship with her boyfriend) and lead her life with the best version of herself that she found through Kang Ha’s love for her.

Though Kang Ha got his revenge in the way where the school itself had to acknowledge its mistakes, the ending scene sets up an enthralling conclusion to his journey in uncovering Jooshin’s wrongdoings by implicating the others. An immobile student (suspected to be Jae-i’s brother who caused her much torment) is laying on the ground and yet the focus is placed on the top students, highlighting how someone is a killer. Just like how Jae-i ends up facing her fear, they all might have to relive the torment of a student’s death and face it with a better approach.

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Flash Over Substance

I was originally just going to write a comment but it got out of hand so...full review it is.

The show started off somewhat interesting, but they didn't really bring anything new to the table. We've seen this done multiple times already in Korea, as well as in other international Netflix properties...and better.

Having multiple actors who were in SKYCastle made it all the more obvious how bad the pacing and writing was in this show. I can see what they wanted to do, and I'm okay with watching shows with similar plots and tropes, but not when the writing is lackluster and the acting is...missing something.

Lee Chae Min(Kang Ha) and Lee Won Jung(Lee Woo Jin) were the only actors amongst the younger cast that I believed and saw the subtle emotions they tried to get across. Chae Min studied acting and it shows. Even though he's only been active since 2020 he has a confidence in front of the camera that is important for a lead actor. The was an insecurity showing from Kim Jae Won that I didn't really understand.

TBH the reason I wanted to see this show in the first place was because of the lead actress Roh Jeong Eui and after watching her performance...I have some questions. Where the hell did her extremely prominent dimples go? Why do actresses keep get tweakments RIGHT BEFORE shooting a drama where they need to be able to emote? Her smiles seemed forced and unnatural for most of her scenes with Kim Ra In. There was no connection between their characters. And I don't know what it is about Kim Jae Won's eyes, but it's giving 'no thoughts, head empty'. She's been acting for over a decade, and I really want to know what happened here...was it her...was it the director? Other than what I've already said I'm not sure what went wrong with this performance. It feels like they said "your character has no personality so just stand there and don't smile, don't show any emotion"

Okay, let me put this in a way that you can understand why I'm a bit harsh with the emoting and chemistry. If you've seen the show Maxton Hall recently you might have seen the lead actor talking about how he'll go over a script and see what lines could be omitted and just be expressed through a look instead. The LOOKS that the entire cast give in that show...you can practically hear their internal thoughts/struggles.

There is a way to express cold and standoffish without giving statue and dead eyes. The reason I was drawn more to Kang Ha as a character was because he had those looks down. He had his mask side, and his true self. He had emotions that spanned more than just happy and disinterested. There were thoughts in his head that the audience could interpret. Same with Woo Jin, best example, when he realizes what he's done in bringing about the unhappiness of the girl he likes and his best friend.

I'll give it to the make-up/wardrobe department for doing the work towards the end to soften the characters. The different make-up techniques on the girls were noticed.
Using Prada for the FL is smart in that it is extremely structured and angled, but simple, classic and understated. *snaps*
I just wish we could have gotten a few more "relaxed" versions of the characters. There was a lot of what I like to call "over produced" scenes that should have been more intimate. We really didn't need the Michael Bay level break up scene...I swear I was waiting for an explosion to go off as she walked away. A lot of the cinematography was flash over substance imo. It's one of the things I notice the most in any production. A lot of the show felt more like an ott music video(which is how Michael Bay got his start as a director) than an actual human story.

We also never got to really see Kang Ha's personal space. Everyone else's rooms were over the top or cold and impersonal. It just all felt so...fake. I know that that was the intent for some of the set design, but there was little to no contrast and it all just felt the same person decorated multiple locations. The only space that sort of showed the personality of any of the characters was Woo Jin's studio.
We should have been shown a home at some point, what we got were show rooms.

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We had enough of this plot already.

Hierarchy (2024): A Disappointing Climb Up the Social Ladder

The tired trope of "poor student at a rich school seeking revenge" returns in Hierarchy, a forgettable addition to Netflix's K-drama library. While the official poster and synopsis initially sparked my interest, the show quickly fell flat. The casting, despite featuring fresh faces like Lee Chae-Min (looking sharp in "High Class," 2021) and Kim Jae-Won (chillingly stoic in "King: The Land," 2023), ultimately felt off. Even Roh Jeong-Eui, who surprised me with her transformation from "Badland Hunters" (2024), couldn't elevate the series.

Unfortunately, all three leads delivered stiff and uninspired performances. The first two episodes were enough to convince me to abandon series entirely. The execution felt poorly done, lacking the punch of similar dramas like "Bitch X Ritch" (2023). The predictable plot offered no surprises, leaving me with zero anticipation for future episodes.

While Lee Chae-Min's visuals hold promise, his acting needs further refinement to truly resonate with audiences. Kwon Eunbin would have been a more fitting choice for Jung Jae-I, potentially imbuing the character with greater strength and edge. Here's hoping Mr. Lee receives roles that better utilize his talents.

Despite topping Netflix PH's charts, Hierarchy's hype is ultimately unjustified. The show fails to deliver on its initial intrigue.


P.S. I am clearly new to movie and show reviews. I aim to become better. Grace and Peace. Follow for more movie and Korean drama show reviews. My main interests are Korean dramas and contents.

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