The Underclass (2020)

The key to watching this show is not taking it 100% seriously, if you do you'll probably cringe a lot.
The story has a lot of plot holes and things that make no sense, but it's still an enjoyable drama; the girls are cute and actually good to be rookies. The drama also helped me identify a lot of BNK48 girls who aren't big/popular within the group.
I also think the final message of The Underclass is very important and mature. I recommend watching it if you're looking for something light hearted and easy going. Don't expect a super smart plot heavy type of story or else you'll end up disappointed in the whole thing.

Also, Meen x Pang should have happened! I'm ok with Tee but this student x teacher dynamic (even though he stopped being his teacher midway upon the show) is not really healthy.. but that's just me.

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A wholesome and fun YA drama with some refreshing originality

I was intrigued by the premise of The Underclass: a school where everything hinges on academic rankings. I had no idea what BNK48 even was until I'd finished the the series and read the other reviews here so that connection wasn't a factor for me.

For me, the appeal was how the drama depicted the joy and struggle of teens figuring themselves out while simultaneously combatting unfair demands and expectations. It did so without being overtly didactic or condescending.

Although there were very recognisable clichés underpinning the entire series, there were also moments of refreshing originality in certain character dynamics and plot points. Most of the characters felt real (with the exception of the more artificial 'bad guys') and, despite the clichés, the school ranking system was actually only a slight exaggeration of my own school experience. I found a lot of my teenage-self in the characters.

That said, at times the ensemble cast felt a little unwieldy – there were perhaps one or two supporting actors too many – but the acting quality itself was of okay quality among the cast. Some of the production quality was patchy every now and then.

Overall, this is a fun Young Adult drama with a good mix of originality and reliable tropes to make it an easy watch.

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Series begins very dramatically introducing a school built upon the grades divide. Well, I'm glad to have an education that never used this system and just always separated students into classes alphabetically. What we did have was 1 disabled (for ex. wheelchaired) student in each class. That way they always had enough people to help them around, they were included in all the activities, also the healthy kids were used to having them around. But this system reminds me of putting all the disabled people in one class. Teachers don't put real effor in helping any students to actually improve. Good or bad, their performance is already pre-judged by the class they belong to. In this particular school, they go even step further and the A students really act like superiors to the other students, even run a student court where they play a judge and sentence people to punishments, which looks ridiculous. There is a vigilante group calling themselves 'The Black Sheep' that makes various publicly visible statements about the system being wrong. What is kinda undermining it is the group actually consists of F class students. Because it's not just "dumb" students who should protest against this system.

Logically the actions like those of the 'The Black Sheep' would definitely have support of intelligent people, openly or secretly. Therefore the secret group should have unexpected mixture of members, maybe even including class A. But that would have to be in better drama than this one. This particular drama, I wouldn't even be proud of being A class, as it looks like aside the best grades it requires also the best "behavior": including being active in school organizing and doing inspection (or plain snitching) on other students. Not every good student is necessarily like that. On the other hand, class F should have no person capable thinking of any strategies for 'The Black Sheep' else they wouldn't have the problem with doing homework and getting at least a bit better grades than the lowest in the whole school. In short "Black Sheep = Class F" doesn't make sense from any angle.

In this drama, the unexpected element is supposed to be provided by a former A class student who got expelled into a class F. Because she cheated on her test. I hardly found her a sympathy winning heroine. If the school had the class A - F determined on a student's abilities, then if she was not able to pass her test without CHEATING I couldn't help but agree with her failing the A class (personally I didn't understand why she bothered as in such school, I would not want to be neither A nor F). As the cheating got her minus points that were worse than any grade she could achieve without it, she moved as low as to F class where she met the members of 'The Black Sheep' (practically found about their identity immediatelly). They were supposed to be the lowest intelligence students but seemed smart enough. But obviously not enough for the drama having a smarter script.

What we get to learn about the main character is that she previously had sacrificed FRIENDSHIP in order to stay in her A class fellows good graces. Moving into a class F, she is offered her way back into class A (though they tell her that it "still won't be easy", so it's not even assured) if she snitches on them being 'The Black Sheep' (as the director suspects class F above anyone else). She is able to spy on their "secret meetings" very easily. It's really inconsistent whether 'The Black Sheep' are stupid or smart. And it seems this drama doesn't NEED to make sense, it's just there to feature the BNK48 girls (I don't know that group, but I remember coming across a movie "Thibaan x BNK48 (2020)" which I haven't even as much as finished watching). I think the leading girl has a good potential though, sadly I don't mean the leader of 'The Black Sheep', who cannot act, so that also brings their fight for justice down. LOL.

Mond is cute, but one cannot fathom what he is doing there.

Luckilly the characters seem to progress more towards friendship, which SHOULD be important, of course. Especially because students of this school are really pitiful, as each class must live in their own dormitory. Meaning you must live only with people having the same grades as you...

Third episode, I started zoning out. So I dropped this.

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