I really appreciate Director Ann Pan Seok and his work.
I subscribed to Viu Premium just to watch Director Ahn Pan-seok's work on 'The Midnight Romance in Hagwon'! His directing style, ambient sound design, and acoustic soundtrack choices are pure perfection. Please keep bringing high-quality mature slice-of-life melodramas like this to the platform.I really appreciate all his drama, the cast and everything. I watched late for the ONE Spring night, then the Something in the rain and now The midnight romance in hagwon. I hope to be able to watch his new drama again.
it all started from ONE SPRING NIGHT. and now I cannot move on. and Please more Jung Have In.
The feeling of " afraid to finished this drama because everything will ended" always haunted me.
Thank you for the excitement you bring.
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Repetitive music and contrived drama
Every single drama I've seen that's been directed by this man has garbage contrived drama at the end. Is it that hard to write something that's not so contrived? Maybe it's just a cultural difference, but I just couldn't be bothered to care about the drama. The subject itself is very culturally Korean so I took that into account, but this was just annoying.This director also needs to listen to a lot more music. The repetitive songs got on my nerves here like in all his other kdramas. Just change it up man. Or just don't use music at all. I'd rather have silence over the same song in every scene.
On the flip side, I did like the romance until the nonsense drama started. I thought they were cute together and had chemistry. Sadly, there just wasn't enough of that to improve this drama for me. Disappointing.
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great actors invested into a non potential story!!!!
this should be considered in my opinion like a documentary about the korean academy teaching system rather than the premise of being tagged a noona romance/older woman younger man?!?! or with a minor side story of slight romance!!!! so don't be deceived to expect a noona drama that ended up to be a misconception in this mainly korean educational content!!! I think the poster is giving the wrong idea about what we are watching as it is barely having some vibes of romance!!!I was interested to begin this story as it was "PROMISING" to have a noona drama my favorite genre and for the poster giving such vibes of a catching and firing chemistry between two top notch of first class korean actors!!!! but when diving in the drama for the first few aired episodes, I can consider that the perceived reality was so deceiving for such baseless story!!!! I didn't gave up to continue watching it though so many disappoitments but I am feeling nothing is changed in the way the script is written of only focusing on "the teaching korean system of academies"!!! so no wonder why the ratings are dropping a while ago!!!
I am not against to show is it what about the reality of korean education but I think it is tackled in a boring and lenghty way that made me losing interest in the story and asking myself what I am actually watching?! as it was totally different from what I was expecting to watch not only romance for sure, it is normal to have the focus on the academy settings but not to that lifeless extent shown, but even if there will romance I am feeling like the female lead is forced to show some interest in the male lead!!!
the director ahn pan seok of the story is known for his previous dramas of that "slow burning stories" style, though I am not a fan of that type of dramas that I watched some of it but I think every average drama he managed before was better than this current drama!!! I ended skipping a lot of scenes when it comes that the majority part of the drama till now is about that academy teaching only!!! there was complaints about the synopsis being boring but will we have that promising romance making some hopes to not give up?!?!
I think wi ha joon is doing a great performance and all his best to approach jung ryeo won but she instead always showing him a rude face and rejecting him for every suggestions he is proposing to her!!! though we witnessed some progress in their cooperation in the teaching activities but I felt there is a lack of chemistry in their acting!!! I think wi ha joon is a great actor paired with jung ryeo won but the way ryeo won is treating ha joon like she is forced to accept him to be her colleague or to exist in her life!! and like smiling to him against her will?!
I was expecting something different in their chemistry even if it will bloom in a later stage for the female to accept the male in her life and being him the first chasing her is not a bad idea but I am not feeling that amazing chemistry or an excitment even the preview of episode 6 is showing a great progress of ha joon to convey his sincere love and refusing that ryeo won will leave daechi chase academy for being employed at a new one!!!
I know there will be a lot people still pleased with the story and being excited to see the first move of wi ha joon to kindle this promising firing chemistry with jung ryeo won and not agreeing with my point of view about how I found the drama!!! but still I am curious how it will turn in the end though there is a baseless and boring story!!!
I was hoping to raise my ratings more than that but keeping the same situation of skipping a lot at every episodes was disappointing and it is unworthy to wait every week for a new episode!!! otherwise the music was the only thing making a great ambiance here!!! soothing the nerves and giving butterflies!!! I could be still didn't gave up the show for the sake of the great ost?!?!
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Romance in Afterschool Academy
After watching Episodes 1 & 2, I’m in!!!!Under the same director as 'Something in the Rain' and 'One Spring Night,' I believe in this one.
This tutor-student relationship, where in the past and now they are colleagues at an afterschool academy (called hagwon in South Korea), a young man falls in love and chases the woman, who is 6 years older than him, that he likes, is always worth watching. So far, both the female lead and the male lead have their own solid arguments. And the communication between them 🔥, especially when we can see the male lead's micro expressions as he talks to her at the cafe 🤭.
I also love the introduction, the OST, and the small details the director puts in each episode.
Let's see how the story will develop in the next episodes!!!
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Not Good Enough
Korean Drama '' The Midnight Romance in Hagwon '' is a school romantic melodrama.The drama is slow paced and feels relaxing and comforting. The cinematography is soothing and the camerawork makes the viewing experience feel like the audience is peeking into the characters' lives.
The start of the drama, moreover, was nice, with the story taking its time to settle in.
However, after a while, nothing really happened. The romance was enjoyable, yes, but wasn't enough to save things, and the school drama wasn't intense enough to peek things up.
On the other hand, the performances were enjoyable by every actor and actress of the cast.
So, overall, three out of ten.
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Great start
Wow first episode was supeeeer cuuuute!!! Reminded me of something in the rain feat one night spring. The pace is chill and the chemistry is just ahhh so effin great. The moment he told her to call him sansenim aka teacher I squealed hard. They are giving IT couple. Super excited about this one,but also afraid about the teacher that gonna start some series wack sh#t to ruin the FL.Was this review helpful to you?
The vibes are vibing, the romance is in the air!
Man resigned from big company to be close to his crush, and this happened in episode 1! honestly, we stan.Ha Joon in a romantic role is giving everything, his open smiles, flirty posture, walking by FL's poster and admiring it, surprising her in ther office, this man was made to play the romantic lead, he's swoon-worty!
Jung Ryeo Won is as great in melo as she's being a badass, the woman has done both Witch's Court and Wok of Love, the range! She has a smile that is self-assured but not invulnerable, as we see from her alteration with that prideful teacher who wants to destroy her life.
It's been a long time since I was so enthusiastic about a drama, but this one is hitting all the right spots!
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boring
this drama is total rubbish... "tvN" advertises in addition to figuring out what to do with it, "Graduation" the story of a former student returns to the academy as an adult, still seduced by his former teacher.Are they making a big deal about their age difference??
this drama is reminiscent of other dramas like "hello my teacher" which is much less boring, with the character of Gong Yoo who falls in love with his teacher and who is much younger and the age difference is almost similar, is it that serious, it's not a crime.. ??🤔😄
The first episode is boring, slow, long dialogues and actors overact, and are not credible, personally I would not continue this evening sorry it's a waste of time, there are better dramas to watch...
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It's unbearable to watch. Boring.
When I see So Ju Yeon, it gives me so much tension and stress. She is good actrice, but in evil roles, the bad guy. Her face give me this feeling all the times. I cant stand her. it's hard to watch her.Wtf is she, her character, interested in everything about others, in detail, about colleagues, directors... this intrusion scares me... I can't take it, watch it... and all the time it's like she's on the prowl.
in korean culture this intrusion to know what the other person is doing why, how... it's unimaginable how frustrating it can be.
The ML is too good to be part of this mediocre drama. He is so charismatic. When he smiles I'm melting.
Just finished 7th episode. No romance.. ups a failed kiss. No chemistry. The focus is on the job. The FL is crazy, and when he confesses to her, she acting again like a teenager An adult woman will never act like this . The educational system is craziest.
The drama is boring. The Korean schools and culture pressure and stress that children, teenagers endure is unbelievable.
The old teacher, the witch, is so scary... how she manipulates, pressure the students for her own ego. She doesn't have a consciousness, she plays with minds and can traumatize the teenagers ... she does not care about them, she cares about her. She is a fucking red flag. I will never let my child live in an educational system like this or have a teacher like this one.
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Female lead looks strong.
It's looking really good for the first episode. Keeping fingers crossed that there's no love triangle and no misunderstandings that lasts too long . And I really like a female who's strong and don't come across as pushovers. This does not mean that you are never wrong but be willing to fight for what you want. So far so good. Again fingers crossed 🤞Was this review helpful to you?
I want to watch this...why?
After 2 episodes with fast-forwarding, I don't get the hook to keep me watching. It feels more like a commentary on the serving the obsessiveness for kids to test well to get into college from the Cram School's perspective vs. students/parents--which of course Sky Castle and Penthouse series have made famous. And there have been several dramas lately featuring 'famous' afterschool teachers who find love--Crazy Love, Crash Course In Romance--so if you like the apparent 'slice of life in Korea' regarding the maniac focus on grades and college entrance with a romance thrown in, keep watching.I thought a far more compelling school based drama was 2019's Black Dog about the hurdles of an aspiring teacher to get a permanent job in the school system.
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This review may contain spoilers
C’est pas une romance... c’est une guerre des hagwons...
On m’a vendu un drama avec une tension prof x ancien élève, du slow burn bien mature, une ambiance un peu interdite... mais la seule chose que j’ai ressentie, c’est le froid d’un bain gelé 🧊 Franchement, on m’avait hypée pour une romance "adulte" qui allait me coller des papillons dans le bide… et à la place j’ai eu un exposé long et chiant sur le système éducatif coréen 📚✏️Franchement, les 5 premiers épisodes, c’était pas un drama… c’était une stratégie pédagogique en 12 points pour booster ton hagwon 😂 Ils sont là à faire des plans de bataille, à recruter des élèves, à calculer les stats… et niveau romance ??? Nada... Zéro tension. Juste deux profs ultra impliqués dans leur taf et une dynamique qui sent plus le respect professionnel que le flirt 👩🏻🏫📉
Y’a bien des regards… mais c’est plus du “on se comprend” que du “je te veux là tout de suite” 😬 Même quand la romance finit enfin par s’activer, c’est d’une tiédeur… j’ai pas frissonné une seule fois 😭 Les scènes “romantiques” m’ont fait ni chaud ni froid, l’alchimie est restée bloquée au stade administratif 🫠💼
Et pourtant j’y ai cru, hein ! J’ai vraiment attendu un déclic. Mais nope... Arrivée à l’épisode 12, j’ai commencé à zapper en diagonale. J’ai maté la fin juste pour pouvoir rayer le drama de ma liste 😵💫
Côté jeu d’acteurs, rien à dire. Ils font le taff, ils sont bons, touchants parfois… mais ils peuvent pas porter à eux seuls une romance qui n’a jamais vraiment décollé. Leur relation, elle est gentille... trop propre 😔
L'ambiance générale... Elle aussi est un peu trop sage. C'est pas désagréable, mais ultra monotone... même les petits drames perso ou les conflits entre hagwons, bah… ça manque de piment 🌶, de cœur, de tension. C’est trop linéaire, trop lisse, trop sérieux 💤
Je sais que certains ont vu dans ce drama une romance douce et réaliste, mais moi je me suis juste ennuyée. J’ai pas accroché à leur dynamique, j’ai pas vibré, j’ai pas frissonné... J’ai juste levé les yeux au ciel en me demandant pourquoi on avait appelé ça une romance 🥴
Bref, "The Midnight Romance in Hagwon", c’est peut-être une jolie réflexion sur le monde éducatif... mais côté romance, pour moi, c’est un gros flop glacial 😮💨
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