This review may contain spoilers
Don't let the title fool you this is not any kind of study group you have seen before
My Rating is 10/10
I can't believe I waited so long to watch this.
I'd known about Study Group for a while and had heard plenty of good things, but the relatively short episode format kept putting me off. Now that I've finally watched it, I can honestly say I loved it. It deserves any hype it receives.
One of my favorite things about the series is Yoon Ga-min (main character). He has abilities that are superhuman. He punches people through walls, launches himself through the air, and moves with unbelievable speed and strength. What I love, though, is that the drama never treats him like a superhero. He doesn't have powers from an experiment, another planet, or magic. Instead, everyone simply accepts that he's a human who trained so incredibly hard that he can do things no normal person should be capable of. It gives the action a larger-than-life feel. If a fight erupts and he is not there, you and all the characters are just waiting for him to arrive. He'll fix this nonsense.
At its core, this is a "bullies get served" story—a satisfying battle of good versus evil—and it delivered exactly the kind of justice-filled moments I was hoping for.
If you're looking for romance, though, this isn't that kind of drama. In fact, I'd recommend treating it as a "skip the romance" series. There are a handful of cute moments that make you think certain characters might develop romantic feelings, but the story never fully goes in that direction. That applies to both the student characters and the adults. The focus stays on friendship, loyalty, standing up for what's right, and helping each other become better people.
The fight scenes are exciting, the friendships are genuinely heartwarming, and I loved watching everyone grow stronger—not just physically, but as people. Overall, Study Group was an incredibly fun watch that I enjoyed far more than I expected.
Spoilers
Yoon Ga-min (main character)
I absolutely loved Yoon Ga-min. It was so cute and genuinely amusing how seriously he took protecting anyone who wanted to study. You want to study? Great. He's got your back. If that means fighting an entire army of bullies so you can do your homework in peace, then that's exactly what he'll do.
He had such an innocent personality in the best possible way. He may not have been able to take his incredible brain and translate it into excelling at standard subjects, but he had a brilliance in the way he worked with people. An emotional intelligence that was way beyond what could be measured by standard means. I also loved how his abilities were portrayed. He could do things that seemed almost impossible. But they weren't because he trained others in small pieces of what he knew. So it was achievable. Just like you had the sense that with his absolute determination some day he would figure it out and do well in his studies.
I also loved that he never truly lost. He might get knocked down, exhausted, or overwhelmed, but he was never out. He always got back up. I don't like when the character gets beaten. It is disappointing. And I have seen some where they get beaten time and again and finally get strong. I sometimes like that but I more often like when the hero is just strong. And you can be sure, if they show up things will change for the better.
One of my absolute favorite parts of the action was his uncle's forbidden moves. Every time Ga-min looked like he was finally beaten, you'd think, "Well...this might actually be it." Then he'd be lying on the ground, catch his breath, calm himself down, and suddenly decide this opponent deserved one of his uncle's forbidden techniques. The entire fight would immediately swing back in his favor. It added so much intrigue and excitement because I was always wondering, "Okay...what incredible move is he going to pull out next?" It kept the fights feeling fresh instead of repetitive.
One of my favorite surprises was Lee Mi-kyeong (Ga-min's mother). I wasn't expecting her to be such a badass, but seeing her do a little bully-stomping of her own was incredibly satisfying.
The Study Group
I loved the study group itself and how everyone eventually came together. They made their own family like friend group. The judo girl even said it one time. Let's see how "study group", a team that works together, fairs against those that do not. Each member had their own reason for joining, so it never felt forced, and at the core of the reason was always hope and desire for a better future.
The sweet girl of the group wasn't much of a fighter, but that never stopped her. If one of her friends—or even a complete stranger—needed help, she would throw herself into danger anyway. She had so much heart, and that made her easy to root for.
The smartest member of the group joined very reluctantly, but becoming part of the study group ended up being almost therapeutic for him. Watching him slowly open up and learn to trust other people was one of my favorite character arcs.
The boy with the strawberry-colored hair originally cared much more about becoming a great fighter than becoming a great student. He wanted to climb the ranks, but Yoon Ga-min completely changed his outlook. Seeing him gradually decide that studying actually mattered was such a satisfying journey. His unwavering loyalty to Ga-min became one of the best bromances in the entire drama.
I also thought he had a little bit of chemistry with the girl who worked because her brother was in prison. Whether that was intentional or not, I enjoyed their interactions.
That girl ended up being one of my favorite characters too. She was such a tsundere. She never acted particularly excited about anything, but underneath it all she cared deeply about the people around her. I especially loved when the sweet girl came to bring her back. She acted like it wasn't a big deal, but you could tell how much it meant to her.
Okay I will admit it. They were all my favorite characters. Every member of the study group was amazing in their way. Including their teacher. And the police officer. It takes a special level of courage to go up against people that enjoy seeing others suffer.
Winning People Over
One of my favorite things about this drama was how Yoon Ga-min changed people simply by believing in them.
The blond former gang member started out as one of the enemy's soldiers, but Ga-min saw something better in him. He cared about him, cared about his grandfather, and recognized that—even if it was buried very deep—he genuinely wanted to study and have a better future. Ga-min managed to bring that part of him to the surface, and I loved watching that transformation.
I also loved the blond boy's grandfather. Even while he was dying, he still wanted to keep learning. He recognized what kind of person Ga-min was and entrusted him with helping his grandson find the right path. Honestly, he couldn't have picked a better person for that job.
The Finale
One of my favorite moments in the finale was when the sweet girl gathered all of the former bullies and troublemakers that Yoon Ga-min had helped throughout the series. Watching them all come together to protect the teacher was incredibly satisfying because it showed just how many lives Ga-min had changed without even realizing it.
I was also really happy that the true mastermind—the chaebol student who controlled everything through his family's construction company—actually faced consequences. Too often villains like that get away with everything, so seeing him finally disciplined was very satisfying.
I also loved that everyone continued improving throughout the series. One moment that especially stood out was when Ga-min coached his friend through a fight instead of simply winning it himself. He helped build his friend's confidence and let him experience victory on his own. He also taught him how to protect himself. That perfectly summed up who Ga-min was as a character.
Ending
The ending was definitely on the softer, more open-ended side. It was obviously written with the possibility of a second season in mind, which is normally one of my biggest pet peeves. One of the things I love most about Korean dramas is that they're usually complete stories with a planned ending, so I don't like feeling as though I'm waiting for another season that may never happen.
Normally that would have bothered me a lot more, but I loved Study Group enough that I could forgive it this time. The ending still felt satisfying while leaving the door open for more, and if we do get a second season, I'll absolutely be watching.
I can't believe I waited so long to watch this.
I'd known about Study Group for a while and had heard plenty of good things, but the relatively short episode format kept putting me off. Now that I've finally watched it, I can honestly say I loved it. It deserves any hype it receives.
One of my favorite things about the series is Yoon Ga-min (main character). He has abilities that are superhuman. He punches people through walls, launches himself through the air, and moves with unbelievable speed and strength. What I love, though, is that the drama never treats him like a superhero. He doesn't have powers from an experiment, another planet, or magic. Instead, everyone simply accepts that he's a human who trained so incredibly hard that he can do things no normal person should be capable of. It gives the action a larger-than-life feel. If a fight erupts and he is not there, you and all the characters are just waiting for him to arrive. He'll fix this nonsense.
At its core, this is a "bullies get served" story—a satisfying battle of good versus evil—and it delivered exactly the kind of justice-filled moments I was hoping for.
If you're looking for romance, though, this isn't that kind of drama. In fact, I'd recommend treating it as a "skip the romance" series. There are a handful of cute moments that make you think certain characters might develop romantic feelings, but the story never fully goes in that direction. That applies to both the student characters and the adults. The focus stays on friendship, loyalty, standing up for what's right, and helping each other become better people.
The fight scenes are exciting, the friendships are genuinely heartwarming, and I loved watching everyone grow stronger—not just physically, but as people. Overall, Study Group was an incredibly fun watch that I enjoyed far more than I expected.
Spoilers
Yoon Ga-min (main character)
I absolutely loved Yoon Ga-min. It was so cute and genuinely amusing how seriously he took protecting anyone who wanted to study. You want to study? Great. He's got your back. If that means fighting an entire army of bullies so you can do your homework in peace, then that's exactly what he'll do.
He had such an innocent personality in the best possible way. He may not have been able to take his incredible brain and translate it into excelling at standard subjects, but he had a brilliance in the way he worked with people. An emotional intelligence that was way beyond what could be measured by standard means. I also loved how his abilities were portrayed. He could do things that seemed almost impossible. But they weren't because he trained others in small pieces of what he knew. So it was achievable. Just like you had the sense that with his absolute determination some day he would figure it out and do well in his studies.
I also loved that he never truly lost. He might get knocked down, exhausted, or overwhelmed, but he was never out. He always got back up. I don't like when the character gets beaten. It is disappointing. And I have seen some where they get beaten time and again and finally get strong. I sometimes like that but I more often like when the hero is just strong. And you can be sure, if they show up things will change for the better.
One of my absolute favorite parts of the action was his uncle's forbidden moves. Every time Ga-min looked like he was finally beaten, you'd think, "Well...this might actually be it." Then he'd be lying on the ground, catch his breath, calm himself down, and suddenly decide this opponent deserved one of his uncle's forbidden techniques. The entire fight would immediately swing back in his favor. It added so much intrigue and excitement because I was always wondering, "Okay...what incredible move is he going to pull out next?" It kept the fights feeling fresh instead of repetitive.
One of my favorite surprises was Lee Mi-kyeong (Ga-min's mother). I wasn't expecting her to be such a badass, but seeing her do a little bully-stomping of her own was incredibly satisfying.
The Study Group
I loved the study group itself and how everyone eventually came together. They made their own family like friend group. The judo girl even said it one time. Let's see how "study group", a team that works together, fairs against those that do not. Each member had their own reason for joining, so it never felt forced, and at the core of the reason was always hope and desire for a better future.
The sweet girl of the group wasn't much of a fighter, but that never stopped her. If one of her friends—or even a complete stranger—needed help, she would throw herself into danger anyway. She had so much heart, and that made her easy to root for.
The smartest member of the group joined very reluctantly, but becoming part of the study group ended up being almost therapeutic for him. Watching him slowly open up and learn to trust other people was one of my favorite character arcs.
The boy with the strawberry-colored hair originally cared much more about becoming a great fighter than becoming a great student. He wanted to climb the ranks, but Yoon Ga-min completely changed his outlook. Seeing him gradually decide that studying actually mattered was such a satisfying journey. His unwavering loyalty to Ga-min became one of the best bromances in the entire drama.
I also thought he had a little bit of chemistry with the girl who worked because her brother was in prison. Whether that was intentional or not, I enjoyed their interactions.
That girl ended up being one of my favorite characters too. She was such a tsundere. She never acted particularly excited about anything, but underneath it all she cared deeply about the people around her. I especially loved when the sweet girl came to bring her back. She acted like it wasn't a big deal, but you could tell how much it meant to her.
Okay I will admit it. They were all my favorite characters. Every member of the study group was amazing in their way. Including their teacher. And the police officer. It takes a special level of courage to go up against people that enjoy seeing others suffer.
Winning People Over
One of my favorite things about this drama was how Yoon Ga-min changed people simply by believing in them.
The blond former gang member started out as one of the enemy's soldiers, but Ga-min saw something better in him. He cared about him, cared about his grandfather, and recognized that—even if it was buried very deep—he genuinely wanted to study and have a better future. Ga-min managed to bring that part of him to the surface, and I loved watching that transformation.
I also loved the blond boy's grandfather. Even while he was dying, he still wanted to keep learning. He recognized what kind of person Ga-min was and entrusted him with helping his grandson find the right path. Honestly, he couldn't have picked a better person for that job.
The Finale
One of my favorite moments in the finale was when the sweet girl gathered all of the former bullies and troublemakers that Yoon Ga-min had helped throughout the series. Watching them all come together to protect the teacher was incredibly satisfying because it showed just how many lives Ga-min had changed without even realizing it.
I was also really happy that the true mastermind—the chaebol student who controlled everything through his family's construction company—actually faced consequences. Too often villains like that get away with everything, so seeing him finally disciplined was very satisfying.
I also loved that everyone continued improving throughout the series. One moment that especially stood out was when Ga-min coached his friend through a fight instead of simply winning it himself. He helped build his friend's confidence and let him experience victory on his own. He also taught him how to protect himself. That perfectly summed up who Ga-min was as a character.
Ending
The ending was definitely on the softer, more open-ended side. It was obviously written with the possibility of a second season in mind, which is normally one of my biggest pet peeves. One of the things I love most about Korean dramas is that they're usually complete stories with a planned ending, so I don't like feeling as though I'm waiting for another season that may never happen.
Normally that would have bothered me a lot more, but I loved Study Group enough that I could forgive it this time. The ending still felt satisfying while leaving the door open for more, and if we do get a second season, I'll absolutely be watching.
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