Itaewon Class (2020)

I enjoyed this Drama, but it could have been a 10

First, It has to be said that it is an adaptation from a webtoon, so sometimes things aren't going to be like they are in the real world.
I really enjoyed the first episodes, it was a great setup to the story! and the following ones were also nicely done, engaging, you wanted to root for the characters.
You liked the ones you were supposed to like and disliked the ones you were supposed to. Main leads did a great job and the side characters happened to steal the spotlight some times (that's how good the actors portrayed them).
I was 100% with this drama until the last 2 episodes, and the worst of it being the finale! extra 30mn long and felt like a lifetime!
It did not fit the drama and the characters that were so good throughout 14 episodes. A bummer because it could have been so much better, but still a solid 7

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yas

genuinely one of the best dramas ive watched. everything from the characters to the ost are so perfect. also one of the first dramas where i was so invested in the story that i rarely skipped. it will suck you into loving certain characters but also having pure hatred for some. overall would recommend! KIM DAMI SLAYS! the story is so amazing and just so heartful and i love everything about how one point can be so sad but then another part of the story can be so heartwarming. i love itaewon class!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!sm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

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Flavor of youth, freedom and victory of the underdogs

You know it's a great show when Park Seo Joon decides he wants to inspire the youth, by chasing his ambitions be it Fight For My Way, or Itaewon Class. The feelings I experienced this show while the second wave of the pandemic was going on in my country cannot be explained. I loved episodes 1-13, but the last 3 episodes can just go to hell. While I did love the show, I will not shy away from talking about the things that bothered me in this show as well.

Let's talk about the Characters and their arcs.

Park Se Royi - He is one of the best male protagonist in any K-Drama I've ever seen. Never have I seen a male protagonist protecting his values and his morals in such a way and him being challenged for them was highly intriguing. We see his journey and his ups and down and it is his journey that makes my heart melt. His relationship with his father was amazing and really tugs my heart. Park Seo Joon knocks it off with his superb acting.

I love other characters as well. Lee Joo-young as Hyun Yi and her representation is historic in K-Drama history. Even her arc was done very sensitively. I liked how they never overdid Seung-kwon's character as well. Toni's arc was kind of hit or miss for me. But amazed to see the representation.

I'll talk about my controversial opinion on some of the characters here now.

Geun-soo - Started off as a really good character, but his character just took a random U-turn after episode 10 or something. He became randomly vindictive for a "crush". And don't even get me started on how he outed Hyun Yi while they were such amazing friends. I really liked him though.

Soo Ah and Yi Seo - Ok hear me out. These two really switched positions by the end of the show for me. I hated Soo Ah in the beginning for her selfish ambitious which to me seemed preposterous. Like honey it's not really difficult to switch jobs. I loved Yi Seo in the beginning because again after IOTNBO, she is the only other APD diagnosed FL I have seen in any drama. She stood up for not only herself but for Seroyi as well, and it seemed appropriate that she is what Seroyi needed in his life to balance his principles.

But but but, by the end I realised how toxic Yi Seo is. She made so many questionable decisions throughout, and clung to Seroyi too much while being toxic to other characters. Also it was because of her Seroyi had to bend his principles (which I'll come to later). On the other hand, Soo Ah literally came out as the winner in the end for me. She single handedly brought down the main villain of the show which even the protagonist was not able to do. She also took her revenge in a much more practical and less headstrong way. She was the GOAT

About the villains - Jang Dae-hee was an amazing villain and amazing acting by the actor. Didn't care much about Geun-won though. He had his moments but the writing was limited for his character.

Romance - While Soo Ah did redeem herself by the end, she definitely wasn't deserving of Park Seroyi inspite of their wonderful chemistry. She kept him on the hook for too long. And I loved how Seroyi just let her be and never held her against her ambitions. And while Yi-Seo is definitely great for Seroyi I was really uncomfortable with the age difference and the lack of chemistry between the leads. Plus the insta love in the last 3 episodes really ruined things for me. They were so great before that as colleagues and business partners.

Also I'm not sure that I understand why Seroyi HAD to bend the knee in the end. Was it to show his love for Yi-Seo, then why didn't he did it for his father?? Anyways if someone know then please comment. Overall I loved the show except the last 3 episodes and the music and the OST was absolutely amazing and gave me all the youthful rebellious feels.

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Revenge dramas are ALWAYS fun

I'm a sucker for a revenge plot, and this one caught my eye because it was business and brain-oriented, not like the other revenge dramas where the main guy just goes around beating up bodyguards and secretly recording corruption. No, Park Saeroyi did everything BY THE BOOK, and I appreciated so much that he was willing to play the long game.

I was super into this drama for most of it. Even though the romance was unusual, I actually didn't have an issue with the age gap, because we saw Saeroyi fall in love with someone who stuck with him through the years, instead of the typical "first love" trope.

One point of the romance that did sit badly with me, however, was a non-consensual kiss which I would've preferred was actually a dream.

A lot of people have complained about the car crash writing of the last three episodes, and I pretty much felt exactly the same way. I would've loved it much more if PSR just continued with his plan and most of the conflict remained business-y, instead of suddenly throwing over-the-top kidnapping, gangsters, car-of-dooms, and hostage situations into the mix. In doing this, it essentially didn't give me the redemption arc that I wanted (that would've been more realistic and heartfelt) but also seemed to make the situation much less realistic and out-of-control.

Still, I loved how this drama managed to balance smaller sub-plots with different characters that addressed LGBTQIA+ discrimination and racism in Korean society. It's definitely not something you see in every drama and they handled it pretty well.

A gem of a character I wish got more screentime was Ho-Jin, the nerd who was bullied who went on to be a genius financial advisor. I loved that he had such strong character development and found it in himself to "forgive" his bully at the end, knowing that being successful and happy was the best revenge he could've gotten. Beautiful scene.

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Will forever be a favorite.

**Taken from my old review: 3/27/2020**

I CAN'T EVEN WITH THIS SHOWWWWW!!!!!!!
Has anyone seen my mind? It blew and I'm not sure where it landed. Nope, not blowing smoke. Totally honest. I admit I have seen a lot of Kdramas... Okay not A LOT - a lot... but I've seen my fair share so far. I must say this show... Had a lot of things that I haven't seen before when it comes to dramas. I'm not saying they haven't been in others, I'm just saying it's new to me and I haven't seen it before. Just a few examples: a openly gay actor who plays the gay guy (Hong Seok-cheon, I'm looking at you, boo!) to a transgender character, lets face it, that is taboo in a lot of places, hat's off to the writer and director to being open with it and actually showing some of the problems transgender people have to go through. There is so much more that just left me shook about this show and I loved it and want to say more but I don't want to give it away.

I loved all of the character developments! Holy crap! I don't think there was one character who didn't grow in one way or another... and by that I mean up or down. Some characters went to the dark side I never thought I'd see em go to. X_X

Now the only thing I didn't like about this show was the actor that played Toni. Oof I know that sounds terrible but I feel like they could have picked someone better to play him? He seemed so monotone and he just wasn't a very enjoyable character. I feel like he brought down a scene because he just fell flat. No matter what the scene was going though. Happy, sad, mad... I felt like a wall showed more expression... UNLESS that is how the character was supposed to be, I'll admit it here that I have not read the series it was based off of, I know I need to. I realize a lot can change thought wise when you read the book something is based off of... Unless it's Twilight. Kristen was the worst. BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY!! lol anyway What I'm trying to say is... I wish there was more to his character. Especially since his scenes were so little. That's just me though.

There aren't many things I have watched that as soon as I finish them, I instantly want to rewatch them. I think the last drama that evoked (invoked?) that feeling in me was Boys Over Flowers.. So for me to find another show that leaves me feeling like that is amazing. It's like a really good book that leaves you with a book hangover... This would be a drama hangover I guess? Haha!
As much as I wish I could rewatch this right now, I do need to finish Kingdom and the books I have been reading. Lol Goodness. X_X

If I could give this more than 10 stars, I would. There just aren't enough stars. From the setting to the actors to the acting, to the storyline... everything was amazing and whatever feeling you were meant to feel, trust me, you'll feel them.... Unless you are a robot. Lol

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A Brilliant Journey Weighed Down by Unnecessary Baggage

Rating: 7/10

Watching Itaewon Class felt like a journey of highs and lows. The show had moments of brilliance, primarily driven by Saeroyi's quest for justice and the magnetic character of Yi-seo. Yet, my enjoyment was often bogged down by a frustrating dynamic between the lead, Saeroyi, and his so-called "first love," Soo-ah.

From the start, Soo-ah’s character had potential but quickly turned into an anchor that dragged the plot down. Her loyalty to Jangga, a corrupt company responsible for so much suffering, felt contrived and self-serving. Her lack of any meaningful action in support of Saeroyi, despite her insistence on being torn between him and Jangga, only reinforced her role as an obstacle rather than a genuine character with redeeming qualities. Her “redeeming” arc felt like a last-ditch attempt to add depth, but it ended up highlighting her hypocrisy more than her growth.

Saeroyi himself was a mix of strength and baffling loyalty to Soo-ah. His fixation on her seemed more like an excuse, a veneer over his true motivations, which left him repeatedly choosing ideals over practical decisions. For those who, like me, appreciate well-earned character growth, watching him finally shift focus and recognize Yi-seo was a long-awaited relief. Yi-seo's character embodies everything Soo-ah’s does not: loyalty, sacrifice, and growth.

The show’s strengths lie in its exploration of revenge and resilience, and its critique of class divisions and corrupt corporate practices is strong. Had it let go of Soo-ah sooner or reduced her impact, the story would have been tighter and the character arcs even more rewarding.

Overall, Itaewon Class is a solid watch. For me, though, it could have been truly great if it focused more on the loyalty, character growth, and ruthless determination of Saeroyi’s team rather than a needless love triangle.

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Entertaining as hell, a bit frusturating

Well, first of all, I rlly liked this drama more than I like most dramas! It was rlly entertaining and I don't understand all the reviews that gave this drama less than an 8. It wasn't perfect, at all, but it was rlly refreshing!

Pros:
1. ML's personality was GREAT.... He was always honest, never gave up on his dreams, strong personality, and talented as hell.
2. Jo Yi Seo was a genius, extremely beautiful/cute, badass, rlly fashionable, and while she had her less impressive moments, she always corrected herself in the end.

3.The amazing friendship the DanBam staff had!!!

4.Yi Seo's mother was rather entertaining to watch!

5. ML's many friendships with many ppl ofc.

6. I LOVED how they discussed a lot of hot topics rn like BLM and LGBTQ+.....They showed both sides of the story (the hater & the hated, the accepting & the accepted and how these ppl al felt!!!)

7.GREAT ENDING...THE LAST EPISODE was simply perfect! especially the lil extra scene at the end

Cons
1.While ML is great, I didn't like how he handled his love life at all... I rlly hate Oh soo ah so I was rlly mad whenever he brushed her 'betrayals' aside and didn't move on nor do smth more w their 10/14 year old little so-called relationship or whatever it was. Nor did I like how -even after 4 EFFING YEARS f Yi Seo constantly proving herself and how much she loves him-he still did absolutely nothing about it and even was ungrateful enough to not even give her birthday presents?! and let her overwork herself till she was hospitalized?!!! like rlly? Well, he did fix himself in the end & was rlly sweet and protective!!!

2.Absolutly hate Oh Soo Ah's two-faced, lying, selfish, pushy, over-confident self.....rlly don't get why many ppl liked her aside from her face, clothes, and great business mindset.

3. The villains annoyed the hell out of me....Like wtf is wrong w ppl these days srsly...

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Too Rushing

I actually watched this series 3 years ago but this is the first time I write review about it.
If anything makes me like this series then it must be the build up, the tension between protagonist and antagonist is really high and pretty interesting, it makes the audience wonder how the series would go on. Sadly after that episode when Ahn Bo Hyun's character went to jail everything falls apart. The timeskip helped nothing, it just made the story more goofy and unrealistic, such as how in just few years the company of Park Saeroyi became a successfull one with the leader who is only around 23 years old, my gosh even Elon Musk couldn't pull that off. After that you get to see all the cliche of a kdrama like: Villians got cancer, kidnapping, a bribing proof from single person (Kwon Nara's character) lead to the collapse of an empire, MC wins just by luck, .... I mean seriously what did Park Saeroyi do so far, his plan failed after episode 9 and the rest is just pure luck that helped him win, this is what I call bad execution from a great build up and it happened because the crew were rushing to finish the series in 16 episodes, I believe this series could have been better, have they extended it to more than 16 episodes.
Actingwise I was impressed mostly by the villians, the father and son (Ahn Bo Hyun) played really well their roles, while Park Seo Joon had one of the most boring character in his career, he was totally outshined by Kim Dami, Kwon Nara was meh, not bad but also nothing special.
The music is actually the highlight of the series, even when the series turned so bad the music still got me, Itaewon Class is a series about young people and the music boosted the theme perfectly, I got hyped just by hearing the song.
Overall it's a mediocre kdrama with some spotlights in early episodes but crashed badly after episode 9, it's not worth of rewatching but it's still worth of recommending.

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Park Saeyori is a really ideal character, but flat. I found him boring, predictable. I wanted to see him as an immature, for correction personality at the beginning who gradually became corrected and upright, but from the very start he was already this firm and upright. Somehow he seemed too perfect. His facial expression throughout the entire drama seemed to be only one, which was his emotionless face. I found him no fun. Besides, I think he became too greedy and vengeful when he wished for the total overthrow of Jangga. It could just have ended when jang geun won have been imprisoned. And I didn't like what he did to Chairman Jang in the end when the old man did that. I was somehow expecting him to still be "compassionate" as what the drama wanted him to appear, but no, he didn't, and it was as if Chairman Jang was the one who murdered his father. I didn't find his character admirable there. He became the typical heartless businessman, no trait that sets him apart from others anymore.

Oh Soo Ah. She was so beautiful. I hoped the story dug deeper on her character and origins since she was a main character, but no, the writer only gave her one scene where her mother left her in the orphanage without even giving any more info. I really liked her character, she was smart and nice but just got tormented because she owes a lot to jangga. But then, I think there was really no real romance between her and Saeroyi. It was all just like a puppy love, they promised to each other and tried to keep on to their promise, but in reality, they don't seem to do anything for each other. They just go to dates. Keep on telling that they like each other, but there barely was any showing. I was expecting some stupid acts from them that will manifest their real liking for each other, or some sacrificial deeds for each other that would make themselves at risk, but I don't remember anything. They were always safe. And I don't think that gave them any sparks. Their liking for each other will really die if things would just go like that. But I was truly rooting for her. Sadly the writer doesn't seem to want them together.

Jo Yi Seo. This was the b*tch that almost made me discontinue watching the whole drama. I dislike, or should I say remorse, her so much. I hate to say this, but she was ****. I hate her so much. Imagine seeing a character like that and seeing her not so pleasant face, I truly almost gave up watching this drama. A character like this shouldn't even be a main character. Or, if the writer wanted her to be one, the writer should develop her to become someone truly empathetic and kind, where she didn't need to hear Saeyori's words and chooses to be that on her own thoughts. But no. If Saeyori won't tell her, she is still the same f*cking bitch who will mistreat other people with her ruthless words. I especially despised her for mistreating Jang geun soo when he had done nothing to her but kindness and genuine care. She only becomes kind and considerate when Saeyori says. It was like she didn't have her own brain and only responds to Saeyori's words. And that kind of character, man, shouldn't be a main role. Yes, true, she had done so much for Saeyori, but it was all because of obsession. I won't even say it was out of love because she was not even capable of loving, or even just being kind and sensitive, to other people. Especially to Geun Soo. And even in the end, she only became nice to Geun Soo when she already got what she wanted, which was to make Saeyori fall for her. Her character made me despise even her romantic scenes with Saeyori. It didn't become romantic to me at all. I was disgusted. And this Saeyori, I even think he just fell for her because she was so eager to be used to achieve his dream. And I find that selfish and somehow like a "user". His ultimate goal actually became too vengeful already. And this jo yi seo just blindly pursued since it was "Saeyori's dream." When in fact, the person who truly made Yori achieve his dream was Soo-ah, when she gave all the evidences of Jangga's irregularities to the authorities.

The supporting characters. They were all excellent. I truly love them all. I think the supporting characters and Soo Ah were the reasons why I still finished this drama. Chairman Jang, wow. Truly evil and unfair. But hey, because of the holistic characterization given to him in the story, I was actually attached, curious, and sympathetic for him. Jang geun won, excellent. He could be the spoiled evil son while still showing how vulnerable he truly is. This guy was one of the best actors here. Jang geun soo, he was my cutie crush here. His character became surprising. But actually, I hoped he became wiser with his feelings for Yi Seo. She didn't even deserve to see his cutie face. I hoped he was wiser to realize that Yi Seo was not worth pursuing.The transgender and the gangster ex-con, I was really rooting for them since the beginning. Gladly the writer satisfied me here. And Ms. Kang and the detective!! So adorable. Lee hojin, he had a really great revenge. I Loved his scene with geun won in the end.

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A drama that tackles Leadership and Business

I watched this the first time it aired just because I was joining the bandwagon. But I rewatched it again because I wanted a closer look from a more serious point of view. This review is not about the story plot because that is a given. I like the overall plot, the twists and the storyline. But what stood out for me was the character's portrayal of how a leader should be and how a businessman should act and treat the people working behind a successful business. The comparison between a businessman who only thinks of profit and someone who values trust and relationships and who takes the people's needs first over money. The true meaning of a leader (the ML), is someone who empathizes with his employees, someone that motivates, someone who mentors and provides a safe and secure working environment.

The drama shows that challenges and difficulties should not be taken as hindrances to success but fuels the desire for growth and to thrive.

For those viewers that expect a love story, the romance is cringey, that part I didn't appreciate, but that part I can skip as it does not add any critical point to the story.

Overall, this is a drama that motivates you to strive harder in life and that even if you encounter challenges, it uplifts your spirit to overcome and to focus on your goal.

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I was really excited to watch this drama since it was so hyped when it came out and this is the 2nd drama that I will watch from 2020 (I have a long list of Asian dramas to watch, so it would take me 2 years before I watch a drama that was released in its year) but sad to say, it didn't meet my expectations.

I love Kim Dami, but I just can't bear to watch it 'faithfully'. I've tried to not skip a lot of scenes, but I got so bored. On the first few episodes, I already got lost interest, but because of Kim Dami, I tried until episode 11, after that I start skipping scenes.

I love how they show the sensitive topics that SoKor has, but I find it lacking. It's like they are forcing to put it in the story. I don't have a problem on their acting, or OST, I think the problem is just the flow of the story.

In my opinion, this drama won't be so hyped if Park Seojun wasn't in it.

I'll give it a 6/10. Out of all Seojun's drama, this is the weakest for me.

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