Reviews

What happens when 2 toxic people like each other?

This series certainly doesn't answer that question. It is a convoluted mess of multiple characters all concerned about just one goal and that is to get the 2 leads to be in a relationship. The story line had so much potential but the writer just couldn't understand what to do with the 2 toxic leads and just added multiple characters with no other motivation but to hope and pray that these 2 seriously broken people fall in love.
To summarize, the story, is about two playboys who meet and decide to be friends with benefits. But the first lead (Fahlan) can't help himself from being jealous, become a push-over and get punched and slapped multiple times. Next we have Sherbert, who can't stop himself from fighting with Fahlan over everything, cry, drink, forgive Fahlan, have sex, rinse and repeat.
And then you have a wide variety of supportive characters who only talk about what Fah and Sher are doing. "Are they together? Have they broken-up? " OMG! find a hobby. So many characters have been introduced that you cant keep pace with what is happening. Fah's 2 friends, Sher's twin brother and his lover interest, and his half-brother, Sher's best friend and his love interest, a fujoshi and her love interest and other random set of characters that dont play any role in furthering the story. Instead they just tell you what you have already seen.
The strangest thing that I have seen in this series is the amount of time these characters go to eat or drink. In fact they just eat, talk, fight and drink and go back to eating. You can righfully call the food and drinks as supportive characters for how often its on screen and being talked about.
In conclusion, take heed from all the other reviews and either skip this series or watch it using the fast forward button like I did.

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@ mobbing, friendship, class culture and reflecting moral behavior among 6th grade pupils. Great!

"The Queen's Classroom" is a dramaturgically fascinating story about kids at a South Korean elementary school, shortly before their transition to middle school. The young actors are fantastic. Likewise the adults. At the same time, it is a nuanced, clever study of bullying from 2013. I appreciate this series very much because it not only shows THAT there are enormous social problems with an increasingly traumatizing marginalization of young students, but also how/that the school, i.e. the teachers, can contribute in a creative, constructive, pedagogically valuable way, and thus counteract the trend. For this reason alone, "The Queen's Classroom" is worth seeing. In addition, the KDrama tells a wonderful story about the idea of friendship - about how the mere concept and label 'friendship' becomes a real, three-dimensional relationship with a solid grounding. Fabulous.

The unique approach is a focus on the age between elementary and middle school - a phase that is crucial in the development of personality, e.g. for the cognitive development with regard to the moral assessment of situations, the ability to change perspective and a differentiated understanding of moral values. Eventually, the moral assessment of mobbing/bullying is the crucial first step in order to seriously counteract the ominous trend. This aspect is a characteristic problem in South Korean schools. (See side note below.)

In the case of "The Queen's Classroom", the homeroom teacher sets important impulses for the personal processes of individual pupils and the class as a whole with quite idiosyncratic, (of course also dramaturgically effective), provocative pedagogical methods. The aim is to use paradoxical intervention in order to trigger more profound emotional and cognitive processes, so that the students can move from the sometimes naive surface of their beliefs to their true, genuine core. On this basis only can they then stand their by all means noble, idealistic convictions powerfully and authentically against adverse circumstances. Personal processes can often be a bit painful, as is the case here. However, the result is quite spectacular for the individuals and for the class as a whole, too. It could/should be something like this or something similar, it HAS to be if the increasing trend of bullying in schools is to change.

Chapeau! "The Queen's Classroom" is boldly leading the way as a small but mighty pioneer in the KDrama world. To be fair, the KDrama is based on a Japanese production. Since the social problem is similar there, it is not surprising. In any case, the Korean remake didn't do any harm... Despite all the emotional seriousness, it's a great pleasure to accompany the kids on their bumpy road.








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SIDE NOTE: --- Wang-ta - Bullying in a collectivistic society, like South Korea ---


While 'mobbing', strictly speaking, refers to psychological terror or physical violence by a group, 'bullying' describes the harassment itself, regardless of how many people take part in it. However, the choice of term does not change the fact that far too many students are involved - be it as victims, as perpetrators or as spectators/witnesses. This is an international phenomenon, with more or less extreme manifestations. There is peculiarity in South Korea, though: collectivism (vs. Western individualism). When the welfare of the collective has the highest priority, it means that the interests of the individual are subordinated to those of the associated social group - be it family, work, school, class, club, friends, etc. Peer pressure also exists in individualistic Societies, true enough, but in collectivism it has an even stronger impact. This should not be underestimated when dealing with the topic of mobbing/bullying.

'Wang-ta' is a specific, common South Korean slang term that is used in connection with and in dealing with a person who is not part of the group. One becomes an outsider very quickly, wearing the wrong clothes, having the wrong interests or preferences, belonging to the wrong group or to no group, having poor, stigmatized or less influential parents, living in the wrong family constellation or only achieving bad grades. However, this label commonly implies (in collectivist society) that it socially 'is allowed' to devalue and harass this person for being an outsider. When group norms are thus strong, such exclusion based on appearance, lack of achievement, special preferences, etc. can have particularly fatal consequences. Those experiencing 'Wang-ta' first hand, may lack the chance of getting rid of this label again.
- Those who 'choose' the victim are hardly aware of any guilt, since they are convinced, that they are rightly criticizing a deviation from the set norm.
- The other peers will thus avoid the stigmatized pupil and assume that there is something to it, so that the label (and exclusion) is justified.
- And those labeled ´wang-ta´ will only withdraw even further, ashamed of their 'apparent' lack, and feel even more inferior, than they might already do.

Empirical studies in 1998 ff with pupils from European or American countries (with individualistic socialization) showed, that in 85 percent of bullying cases peers were involved as bystanders. Of those, only 11 percent eventually intervened. Unfortunately, I don't have any comparable South Korean numbers, neither from then nor from today. However, I probably don't lean too far out of the window when I suspect that there are significantly less, who would actively intervene.
In the course of further international studies it was possible to prove that intervention by peers is, however, an essential first step towards change. Active intervention on-site in the middle of the situation triggers a (moral) debate among the peers about the situation in the first place. As long as there are only passive, tolerating bystanders, the act is socially approved and its justification defacto confirmed.

There are South Korean studies that show: although the majority of the pupils interviewed do not like bullying, at the same time they also believe that it is inevitable. In fact, they assume, that the victims in general deserve to be punished because of their (self-inflicted) being an outsider.

The peer group has the greatest influence during the school years from late elementary school to high school. At the same time, this is the phase in which generosity in dealing with diversity can and must be learned as an essential social value. If such a value is not socially recognized at that time, then young people will not be able to integrate it into their further lives, let alone apply it. This is the painful crux of the issue of "wang-ta" in South Korean schools (or later in the workplace): generosity in dealing with diversity has no tradition, no culture, no socially recognized value on the peninsula. If you want to change the school bullying trend, then you have to start here. I.e. as a teacher in elementary and middle school, opening up spaces for experience with tolerance and thus creating the opportunity for a new culture of social interaction. A confident class culture that explicitly acknowledges diversity, that socially and openly and explicitly questions wang-ta as a social option, can form the fertile breeding ground for fundamental societal changes that leave more room for individuality. In the face of an ever-approaching, globally networked world, this is becoming increasingly necessary in order to create the personal and social balancing act of a hybrid between traditional and global, between collectivistic and individualistic.

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Simply put, it's good

Sure, there are some flaws, but they are minor. For the most part, the leads have a healthy relationship and they really give a sense of facing troubles together yet also respect and support individual pursuits and decisions. The court battles are only shown when they influence the leads' lives and relationships. All other political struggles are only mentioned in passing and that too only if they are relevant to the story.

Only the actions by characters considered main, i.e, ML, FL, other 2 FLs and that other guy who is kinda SML, since I don't know what else to call him, are shown in clarity. Meaning, the other characters' (ministers, officials, businessmen, etc.) actions and the reason/logic behind them, are generally left to be judged by viewers as they wish. I've seen the subtle behind the scenes in dramas before too and I think I like it. But the thing is, remember I said, "for the most part" and "minor flaws", I think the reason for that might be, leaving too many things in the dark can sometimes seem like a dramatic and compelling scene has a weak logic behind it. Or sometimes, the emphasis on subtlety, can even result in a scene not being compelling enough in the first place. But this is only if you want to over analyse stuff. Otherwise, like I said. Minor.

Some beautiful shots and scenes, very good acting, you can just tell that the main couple are fond of each other. Great sismance. The ladies strike out at first, with relationships, with life. But they find a way to stand on their own, they trust people, face consequences either good or bad, make friends and enemies, both individually and while together, fight amongst themselves too sometimes but spoiler ending, they still get back to sticking with each other <3

Another thing, there's no extreme evil being done or was done, (yes, I'm being vague, but if you get it, you get it) like is generally in many historical cdramas that focus on politics, or even personal vengeances.

Overall, pleasant drama.

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Believe In Your Dreams

The fictional idol making company, Starpeace Entertainment, demonstrates painfully how a bad, neglectful, and incompetent record label will destroy the career of aspiring talent. This almost criminally underappreciated Idol drama serves as a dazzling introduction, for the uninitiated, to the wonderful talents of real life idols: Exy , Hani and Sol-bin. While the script is flawed and falters at times, there are some outstanding drama and music scenes with the aforementioned trio of idols that really standout.Idol:The Coup has been a ratings disappointment, ironically mirroring the failure of its fictional idol group Cotton Candy. This drama may ultimately be vindicated, achieving cult classic status with the passage of time as more viewers discover it.

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Boring

Blue of Winter may as well rename itself to the most 'Boring of Winters', with their 8-10 minute episodes feeling like feature-film length with how slow and uneventful it was. I always say to myself that the worse thing a drama can be is boring, and unfortunately, this is one of those dramas. Thankfully however, there were glimpses of potential, and when there was something that caught my full attention, I really liked it. For example, the last episode was really good, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If I had enjoyed more episodes like I had with the last episode, this review would look way more positive. There was also a pretty good OST present and I did like the little attention to detail for a few things that I have not seen with big budget dramas so far yet.

Main negatives would be the acting, dialogue, directing, camera work, sound directing. I understand that this was probably done on a small and tight budget, but it was hard not to notice these things in my eyes. I don't really like to dive into detail on the negatives unless I am angry at something a drama has done to me, after all, other human beings made this.

Would I recommend it? Well, the reason I tried this was because it has the 'sports' genre on it's page. For fellow sports drama lovers, I would not recommend this. There was not much sport. For people into romance? I'd say... probably not, only try it out if there really isn't anything else you fancy.

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An Entierly Different Show, And Not For The Better

Let me start by saying Ever Night season 1 was and still is my favorite wuxia drama of all time. I've never been more disappointed and let down by a season 2. If this didn't have the name "Ever Night" on it and Irenie Song, I would have dropped this after a few episodes.

I don't know what happened between seasons 1 and 2, maybe it was cost issues, or investors/sponsors pushing them to finish fast and cheap, maybe there wasn't enough story to tell to fill a season 2, or filming schedules and conflicts and having to replace a significant amount of the cast, maybe the censors and govt got involved to change the story... I have no idea. All I know is season 2 is like an entirely different show, and not for the better.

First of all, the recasting of the ML with Dylan Wang. This was a jarring choice. He is a very different actor from Chen Fei Yu and therefore a very different character from season 1. This dramatic change could have been minimized had they kept the same production style and feel from the first season. Even if they just kept the same storylines and plot from season 1, Dylan Wang could have eventually made a decent run with his own version of Ning Que, but neither of those was left intact.

Those weren't the only changes. Gone is the lush and cinematic camerawork from season 1. That vast and expansive world full of interesting locations and eclectic characters they built up in the previous season? Gone. Now we only have a few characters and are limited to a few locations, often only seen in small sets. Remember those dynamic and exhilarating fight scenes? Those are gone too. Now we have generic wuxia from the 90's style, with cheap-looking VFX.

Not to mention a significant portion of the cast, several of them major players from season 1 were recast. Not only were the actors different but their character's personalities changed as well. Even the actors they managed to keep from season 1 behave like they're from some bizarre alternate universe. I think this leads to the biggest issue of Ever Night season 2: the writing. The writing is atrocious. I honestly feel bad for the actors. It's as if the writers wrote out all the dialogue of what needed to be said, then randomly distributed the lines to different characters. They aren't saying things the characters would say, they're just reading lines. Not only is the dialogue noncorporeal, awkward and unusual, but they also use this terrible dialogue to fill long and drawn-out scenes, often shot in a small 1 room set with just 2 actors spewing exposition at each other, most of it full of unnecessary or repeated information that does nothing to move the plot forward. There were many episodes full of them with just scene after scene of 2 people in a room talking about nothing. I get that this is a cost-saving measure and a tool to stretch a thin plot but this was painfully dull and excruciating to get through. This basically takes up 60-70% of season 2 so brace yourself.

The overall plot also falls victim to odd and nonsensical choices. Characters do things completely out of character, sometimes even with no explainable motivation. They just do things abruptly without reason. Instances happen just to happen. There's an entire arc of 5-10 episodes that could be completely taken out without any consequence to the characters or story. It's like some useless side quest in a game. And the decision to spend a large amount of time with an entirely new actor and character is questionable. Spending long stretches of the season with the ML and FL apart from each other is baffling. Not continuing any of the previously set-up storylines from season 1 and giving us ridiculous narratives that don't go anywhere? Ludicrous. I could say more but that would wander into spoiler territory. I think you get the idea.

I hate to be entirely negative so let me highlight what I did like. Ireine Song. I could watch her watch paint dry. She is the lone saving grace to this travesty of a dumpster fire. She has such range as an actress that there were times when I almost forgot about the shoddy backdrops and painful dialogue and just watched her stretch her acting wings. Season 2 definitely gives her more to do and there is a decided focus on her character. I also warmed up to Dylan Wang's alternate version of Ning Que, which is why I think they could've salvaged season 2 had they kept the preexisting storylines from season 1.

Luckily for those who loved the previous season, Ever Night season 1 stands well on its own. We can just throw this bizzaro alternate universe season 2 straight into the garbage and appreciate what we got in season 1.

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TOXIC

I so look forward to this drama ... but dam i was not expecting the toxic abuse that it going portray.
What I imagined was a slightly adult drama. What I got was a hot mess and not in a good way. Dark yes, but, again, not in a good way, actually very problematic. Not gritty and not adult, but your typical college BL with typical first world problems, an overpacked plot and very little substance. In short, a disappointment.

Both men were actually not normal, for me from the start when he drugged the man i should have known that this drama was heading down the wrong way ... it just literally went down hill from there. then we had a cheating scena and he gets caught but some how they end up back together.

the whole backwards and forwards was just a non starter.

Overall: just watch for the sake of it and nothing else?

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Not heavy on romance

I came for the romance and wished there could have been more.. I stayed for whatever romance I could get because it was so sweet and nicely developed, just wanted more.

Everyone grows, there is some interesting stuff happening

But it does drag somewhat. And some parts I was bored. Wish it didn't do this. Probably could have cut it down a few episodes to tighten the storyline.

It was cute and funny and lite hearted. Not hilarious or all that laugh out loud all the time. But I enjoyed that there wasn't too much scheming and over the top drama

It was interesting to see the sisterhood and the feminist takes.

The minor characters' story was not bad

Not much of an ost behind it

I wouldn't rewatch, even for the sparse romance... Or even for the chemistry of the leads..

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Everything a youth revenge drama should be

This is exactly what I wanted from a youth revenge drama — the story was nerve-wracking, the cliffhangers were intense, and the chemistry was top-notch. There is the perfect balance between intense scenes and quiet moments you would expect from two teenagers who were lucky enough to find each other despite all the tension and uncertainty in their lives.

I watched each week's episodes with bated breath and I think the pacing was fantastic as well, with bits and pieces of the story being unveiled each episode. The communication between the characters was both intriguing and satisfying and there's even very subtle layers of social commentary around law enforcement if you squint.

Would definitely recommend.

NOTE: I think it's also necessary to say that this drama is not at all an accurate depiction of DID and there are problems with the "evil alter ego" trope — this is still a great watch but everyone should keep that in mind.

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I didn't expect this, I guess we all cheer differently or the screenwriter didn't have a clue about being a cheerleader. I was one, and we surely didn't cheer like that. Honestly, I'm not putting this drama down... different cultures do different things. I'm not going to name the actors and actresses in this drama but I will give them their due respect. All did very well. I don't know why the writers had to have someone evil in their plot. I do have a favorite actor in this but he got cheated out of it all in the storyline. I knew he was going to catch the girl because was 3rd in line. The younger generation might enjoy this but that evil plot should have stayed out.

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Fantastic characters trapped in a drab plot

Those first few episodes started out, quite simply, very strong. And then they started to add a bunch of different elements and the final result was a huge cast that was trapped in a story that just tries to do far too much.

From the very beginning I knew that Do Haeyi would become one of my favorite female leads of all time. It wasn't just that she was so fun and bubbly, but also that she was full of paradoxes — She's fun and bubbly but also straightforward, hardworking, prideful, and VERY realistic. Her personality is so relatable and I loved her dynamic with all her family and friends.

I even quite enjoyed the love triangle because it was very clearly about Haeyi's values and choosing between money or love.

As the episodes went on, it just...lost the plot. Parental and class issues are great topics and it was really where the drama shined. I think it could've done completely without the thriller subplot because it always teetered on the line between being an actual legit thriller, and something that was not so different from any other youth drama with an annoying saboteur character.

The love triangle also got so insanely draggy; it was like Groundhog Day seeing the FL reject the SML, just to have him say he's okay with one-sided love, just to go back to chasing her and getting upset when another rejection comes.

Add to the mix THREE side ships (two of which I marginally care about and one which I thought was a waste of time considering how many scenes they got) and I just felt like we were getting bits and pieces of subplots but never the full story. Everything felt half-baked and we barely got to see any cheering.

In tidbits this drama has fantastic scenes and great lines of insightful dialogue that will make you think. In the last two episodes, I absolutely did cry my eyes out when the story returned to the issue of money and life's priorities, and it made me think that it was such a shame that the drama veered away from that and decided to focus on a love triangle and treat it like a random kdrama FL trapped between two MLs, both of which I did not care for.

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“If everyone decides to corroborate a lie, then it becomes the truth.”

After spending quite a few years watching k-dramas and coming to this website to read people’s reviews and opinions, I’ve never had the urge to write a review until now.
Revenge of Others is a classic, action-packed thriller with a mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat. As you watch each episode, you’ll become immersed in the lives of these students and wary of all of them. I think that made me enjoy this show as much as I did, being unable to accurately point out what happened and why it happened in the beginning. By the halfway point, you’ll have your suspicions but the plot twist at the end was enjoyable and satisfied me. There's even the slightest bit of romance which was a nice addition, even if it's unspoken.

This series follows Ok Chanmi as she transfers to her twin brother’s school in order to uncover the truth about his death. The show's main point is revenge, but there’s so much more than that. The flaws within the legal system, the lack of protection for victims, and the seriousness of bullying are just a few examples. As you watch, you’ll feel the pain of the people who suffer while you embrace the ones who stand up for injustices. The display of unity among the students in the last episode truly gave me goosebumps and I’m sure it will do the same for everyone else that watches.

The actors and actresses did such an incredible job with the roles they were given. Chae Sangwoo’s character was a nuisance from start to finish, but he did an amazing job portraying the bad guy. Shin YeEun’s role as the main female lead, Ok Chanmi, suited her perfectly. I can’t wait to see what else she does in the future. As for Seo Jihoon, I liked his role on Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency. The role he plays in this show is almost the opposite, and I loved it even more.
The top star of this show, in my opinion, was Lomon. Lomon’s presence on screen is genuinely captivating. I knew how much potential he had when I saw him on All of Us Are Dead but Revenge of Others really brings out his talent. Whenever he cried, I cried. When he smiled, I smiled. There was never a moment where I was uninterested in his character, or what came next for him in the show. I really became an even bigger fan of his!

The music was nice too, nothing too memorable but definitely fit the mood of specific situations.
As for rewatching, I can totally see myself watching again after knowing the big mystery. It’ll be fun to see if I can pinpoint any clues that I may not have seen the first time around.

Overall, I do suggest you give this show a watch. Whether it be for the acting or the storyline, you won’t regret it. It’s definitely on my list of the best k-dramas in 2022.

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Good Leads, But Bad Direction & Plot !

The direction and plot of this BL was all overall the place. So many things going on and with only 8 episodes it’s not enough time to flesh it all out. The only good thing about this BL was the leads they kept my interest because of their chemistry on screen. I seen there is a season 2 in the world and judging by the cliffhanger it’s another plot device that found in the first season that didn’t get invested in enough. If they had honestly had more episodes like from 12-16 they could’ve filled all the other side plots and given them reason to be there instead of leaving it hanging.

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If Im gonna say I didn't enjoy it a little, Id be lying.

I somehow like the first half ish of the show but the rest is a mess.
Badly written and not well executed story.
Also badly written characters.
Typical k drama story line pattern.
Average drama. it's watchable, nothing else.

In a good note, I love the osts and the cast.
Sad to see them in a roles like this. It is like witnessing a shining beacons on the top of a stagnant river.

Recommendable to watch it if you knew and like the cast but if not, its good to pick another show.

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