If you liked the review of “Who Are You: School 2015”, you might also want to watch the other Korean dramas in the “School” series. It is an anthology with multiple seasons; each can be watched separately.
SUMMARY: The K-dramas are typically set in a high school, but characters and storylines are different, so you don’t have to watch in chronological order. Four (4) of the K-dramas were released before 2010. Here are three (3) more in the “School” anthology series released after 2010 for your watch list. All are streaming on Viki; 16 episodes each.
(1) School 2013
Ko Nam-Soon has no educational aspirations. In other words, he doesn’t want to go to college. He runs errands part-time after school to earn money. When he is at school he is constantly being confronted by bullies. If that isn’t bad enough, Park Heung-Soo, another bully from another school transferred in. Ko Nam-Soon and Park Heung-Soo have a history with each other.
Victory High ranks the lowest among the schools in many areas, but especially in academic achievement. Ko Nam-Soon doesn’t see any difference in the way the school system treats students and the way bullies treat students. The kids hide their stories from their teachers and parents. His homeroom teachers believe he and other students could be a high achiever and go on to lead productive lives after graduation. But things need to change. Can the students and teachers work together and bring about positive change?
Main Characters:
- Ko Nam-Soon (played by Lee Jong-Suk, “W: Two Worlds Apart”, “Pinocchio”)
- Park Heung-Soo (played by Kim Woo-Bin, “Officer Black Belt”, “Alienoid 1 and 2”, “Black Knight”)
- Teacher Jung In-jae (played by Jang Na-ra)
- Teacher Kang Sae-chan (played by Choi Daniel)
Viewership and Rating:
- IMDb: 7.7 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 8.2 out of 10 stars
- Viki viewers rated this series 9.3 out of 10 stars
- Letterboxd: 3.4 out of 5 stars
- Google users shared a public rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
LINKS OF INTEREST:
Review: School 2013 | The Fangirl Verdict
Review: KBS’ School 2013 a Gritty Look at Today’s Youth | DryedMangoez.com
TRAILER/TEASER:
KBS WORLD TV. “[Trailer] School 2013 (학교 2013).” YouTube, Video, 26 Dec. 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwBydCH1VB8.
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(2) School 2017: Grade Divided Society
Wouldn’t it be nice if grades didn’t matter? But they do! Song Dae-Whee has no problem with grades but he doesn’t act like that makes him special. In addition to being a model student, he’s a really nice guy. Ra Eun-ho has a dream. One day she will attend Korea University, and become a webtoon artist. Her grades may not be fantastic but her art skills are incredible! Will her dream come true? It can! Song Dae-Whee sent her a link. Korea University is holding a competition for webtoon artists. If she wins this could be her ticket to success. But she is falsely accused of being ‘Student X’, or rather “Suspect X” a mysterious rebellious troublemaker. “Suspect X is morally gray and seen as a criminal by adults and a hero by peers”. Hero or criminal Ra Eun-ho IS NOT the troublemaker. However, If she can’t reveal the real ‘Student X’, she can forget about her dream.
Main Characters:
- Ra Eun-Ho (played by Kim Se-Jeong, “Brewing Love”, “The Uncanny Counter 1 and 2”, “Today’s Webtoon”, “Business Proposal”)
- Hyun Tae-Woon (played by Kim Jung-Hyun, “Iron Family”, “Kokdu: Season of Deity”, “Mr. Queen”, “The Time”)
- Song Dae-Whee (played by Jang Dong-Yoon, “Like Flowers in Sand”, “My Man is Cupid”, “Oasis”, “Search”, “The Tale of Nokdu” )
Viewership and Rating:
- IMDb: 7.5 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 8.1 out of 10 stars
- Dramabeans: 9.4 out of 10 stars
- Viki viewers rated this series 9.4 out of 10 stars
- Letterboxd: 3.3 out of 5 stars
- Google users shared a public rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars
LINKS OF INTEREST:
A mystery, a suspect, and a hero for School 2017 | Dramabeans
TRAILER/TEASER:
KBS WORLD TV. “School 2017 .” YouTube, Video, 1 Oct. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIHqGiztrmc.
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(3) School 2021, A Viki Original
In contrast to the other K-dramas in the “School” anthology, the setting is not a prestigious high school or high school that is at rock bottom and need to prove the student body has potential. This series is set at Nulji High School, a vocational school where students receive hands-on training in technical industries that will get them jobs right after graduation.
Gong Ki-joon, was once taekwondo athlete, but any dreams he had of becoming world-famous were lost due to a serious ankle injury. On top of that, his father’s business went bankrupt. So he quit taekwondo and entered a vocational high school. The main characters are all studying architectural design space (how to design spaces for human use, including buildings and habitats in space).
Jin Ji-Won is like the “glue” that holds other students together. She’s perky, passionate, the type of person everybody would want as a friend, and she wants to be a carpenter. Yes traditionally the carpentry industry is male-dominated. But there are female carpenters too. One day Gong Ki-joon finds a suicide note. He and Ji-won try to figure out who’s written the note, hoping to be able to save them. This is just one of the challenges they will face on the road to adulthood.
Main Characters:
- Gong Ki-Joon (played by Kim Yo-Han)
- Jin Ji-Won (played by Cho Yi-Hyun, “The Matchmakers”)
- Jung Young-Joo (played by Choo Yeong-Woo, “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call”, “The Tale of Lady Ok”, “Oasis”, “Once Upon a Small Town”, “Police University”)
- Kang Seo-Young (played by Hwang Boreumbyeol)
Viewership and Rating:
- IMDb: 7.3 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 7.9 out of 10 stars
- Viki viewers rated this series 9.4 out of 10 stars
- Letterboxd: 3.3 out of 5 stars
- Google users shared a public rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
LINKS OF INTEREST:
Review: School 2021 | The Fangirl Review
“School 2021” Comes To A Quiet End As “Artificial City” Remains No. 1 | Soompi
3 Questions To Be Answered In The Final Episodes Of “School 2021” | Soompi
TRAILER/TEASER:
TV, Viki Global. “School 2021 – Official Trailer 3.” YouTube, Video, 23 Nov. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUZlRN1lQdg.
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