High School Return of a Gangster (2024)

I haven’t cried that hard in a while…

as the title suggests, I haven’t cried that hard watching a drama in a while (probably when i watched Weak Hero Class for the first time). The drama was phenomenal. The story was a good concept, there werent any holes in my opinion, and it felt like the perfect pace (not too rushed, not too slow). the acting was also *chef’s kiss.* the character arcs are also amazing. the themes of overcoming obstacles, facing challenges with friends, fighting for justice, and overall friendship/brotherhood were present. If you enjoy Weak Hero Class, you’ll probably love this too- I certainly did.
Also, the band LUCY contributed to the OST, so it was great to hear their song come on since ive been a fan of their’s for a while.
Overall, this drama is definitely worth your time, and remember to bring some tissues.

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Excellent drama that accomplishes what it set out to do

I am blown away by this drama. I give the most props to the young actor, Yoon Chan Young, who plays a VERY convincing middle aged gangster in a high schooler's body.

The drama do touch on sensitive topics, such as extreme bullying, suicide, domestic violence, and some drugs/alcoholism. While these topics are the main plot points, the focus is more on the characters, action to resolve issues, and some comedy. There is a good pace for progression, so I never felt bored. Even the side characters are entertaining to watch.

I had no idea it was from a BL story, and I didn't feel more than bromance/besties from the 2 MLs. Sometimes it felt like our ML can be a father/adult figure to the kids around him, which makes sense for this story.

Would highly reccomend!!

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Nice and easy watch...no stress!

What a nice surprise! I got hooked from the first episodes and was rooting for Yi Heon as he tried his best to put things right. It was refreshing to see someone teaching others the right way of life, and he was spreading his wisdom. I loved his friendship with Se Kyung and the positive influence he had on him. It is nice to have a friend you can rely on and who wants only the best for you. I liked the storyline, and the ending was satisfying for me as everyone was punished (that does not happen very often), and he could fulfill his dream of becoming a student.

It was a really nice easy watch, especially as it was refreshing to see the story in reverse, as we saw the worst happen at the beginning and after that things got better and better. No stress.

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When the bullied becomes a bully

Everyone like a revenge series or may be its just me and this is why I really enjoyed this comedy drama fantasy series. This series contains all the elements that I like; comedy, mystery, fantasy, bromance, friendship and an assortment of actors that can do justice to their characters. This series in retrospect is about the life of students constantly under pressure to excel, where losers are looked down upon and harassed.

The story as the name suggests, is about a gangster whose soul enters a down-on-his-luck, bullied and suicidal student. Making peace with the fact that he has practically dies, he sets out on a journey to improve t he life of the student before his inevitable return of his soul. What follows is a series of events, where our kind-hearted gangster learns more about the life of the student whose body he inhabits, tries to right the wrongs that he has faced all the while helping other people he judges going astray.

The beauty of the series lies in its simplicity and the mystery that hides behind the main characters. Why did Song Yi Heon commit suicide? What was the last conversation between him and Choi Se Kyung? How will Kim Deuk Pal, the gangster, help Yi Heon before his imminent demise? Will the bad guys learn a lesson and turn over a new leaf?

The series although with a simple story has complicated characters. Song Yi Heon has money but what he lacks is motherly care and a peaceful life in school. He is constantly bullied and beaten by the rapscallions at school, wants to befriend the popular guy, Choi Se Kyung but is termed a stalker, all in all a silent victim. Choi Se Kyung is pressured to perform by his successful father leading him to suffer from anxiety attacks. Kim Dong Soo, Kim Deuk Pal’s henchman wants to rebuild the gang after Duek Pal’s death only to be trapped and used by Lee Mi Kyung, our secondary antagonist.

In conclusion, this is a highly entertaining series that offers a unique blend of action, humor, and emotional depth. While the world-building could be tighter, the series excels with its strong performances and engaging premise. It's a perfect watch for those seeking a fun and thought-provoking escape.

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Can’t speak to the webtoon

I’ve read that they changed the romance aspect of the drama when adapting it from the webtoon. I haven’t read the webtoon, so I’m only reviewing the drama as it is.

I was surprised by how compelling I found this story. I hadn’t seen the actor playing the ML before and I was a bit worried by the opening episode because it seemed like his performance would be wooden. The more he plays Deuk Pal (as Yi Heon), the more I enjoyed his performance.

The relationship between Deuk Pal and Se Kyung is the real highlight of the series. It’s the most moving part, they’re mutually supportive of each other, and they sacrifice a lot to stay together. I liked how Deuk Pal never lost his heart and believed so much in redemption. I enjoyed watching Deuk Pal and Se Kyung keep each other hopeful.

I was also surprised by how interested I was in Deuk Pal’s attempts to give Jae Min a chance at a future. Obviously, he was worried about the kid going down the wrong path the way Deuk Pal did in his previous life. They had some pretty great moments story wise.

Really, my issues were that some of the acting (particularly the mother character and the female villain) was a bit melodramatic and cringey. I’m not sure what the direction was there. I also wish the female classmates mattered a bit more? Honestly, there were any well written, impactful female characters in this story in general. The housekeeper was very much just there to take orders. There were some aspects of the prosecution/legal battle that made no sense logistically. Also, i didn’t appreciate Deuk Pal telling Se Kyung to try to “understand” his abusive dad or asking the guy that stalked Se Kyung (and sold him out to that same abusive dad) to “take care of him”.

I’m guessing the BL aspect that was removed was between Se Kyung and Yi Heon?

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EXCITING and FUN that went downwards

I got super excited on the first 3 episodes, I was 100%ly entertained on how this drama started it was really fun regardless of what the makers of it censored of whatever stuff that was originally on this drama. School drama like this was so refreshing and I am so satisfied on how Yi Heon was finally able to get back against the bullies through Deuk Pal but the drama somewhat went downwards it got boring in the middle but not very much , it was still bingeable, It was somehiw sad that Yi Heon did not choose to live his life even it is great to Deuk Pal , it was actually a sad story but it was fun
I'd probably rewatch this again after a while.

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The ending was not it

The plot was good, honestly, but the ending didn't make sense at all. The gangster is nearly a 50-year-old man who lived 48 years, even if they were full of hardships and regrets. He still lived his life and even achieved his dreams when he got into the boy's body. At this point, he should have been the one to leave, not the young boy who didn't get to live a full 19 years.

The boy had a horrible life, so of course, he wouldn't know how valuable his life is and didn't hold on to it. In that scene, the gangster's duty was to let the boy stay and guide him. Instead, he accepted the fact that the boy didn't want to live and just let him go. That man DIDN'T EVEN RESIST! For me, that scene ruined the whole watching experience.

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Don't Miss This

Really enjoyed this show overall! 2 day binge! Excellent cast and story. Such a different take on the body swap genre but not sure how I feel about the ending though. I’m a bit torn. I wanted Yi Heon to get a 2nd chance but also wanted Duk Pal to stay. I really liked Jae Min's arc and redemption as well.

Se Kyung’s father the worst until the end! Wished on some level we could have had the mother’s reasoning behind why she allowed her son to stay there.

ML was absolutely phenomenal throughout. This was my first experience with him and I am very impressed with his acting skills. Bravo! 👏🏾 👏🏾

I needed this show. Put me is the best mood.

8/25/24

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Logical Ending

I watched this drama and the other one ( can't remember the name right now). These are my thoughts. This drama had moments that were very sad, darker, and more serious than the other one. Not going to lie, I shed a few tears in certain scenes. The other one had a mostly lighter tone. I never shed a tear when watching that drama.
This drama had okay fight scenes with the male lead BUT I loved the fight scenes in the other drama. It gave me more satisfaction for the bullied main lead.
I think this ending fits the story. Yeon Chan Young (the 18 yr old who was bullied) was never friends with Jae Yung? Sure he wanted to be friends but Jae Yung had his own problems. So the personality of YCH being friends with JY would have never worked. They were both hiding and weak. JY needed a strong " personality" to teach him how to be strong and to be a good friend.
So leaving the gangster soul in YCH made sense. Like he said he was tired. He has been through a lot in his 18 years. He would never be able to take over the life the gangster already set in motion.

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FRESH - he has solutions to all the problems he faces.

Some dislike this series because it changes the direction from the original source material, shifting from BL to Bromance. From a copyright perspective, the author/creator of the story allows for this change; without the creator's permission, it wouldn't have happened. Well...

I have not read the original source and have no plans to do so. Therefore, my comment is based solely on what I have watched from the series so far. From my observation, the series is well-made and fresh. Although the story isn't particularly new, the cast is perfect. They have found the ideal male lead in Yoon Chan-young, who not only matches the role physically (very athletic) but also delivers strong acting performances. Chan-young is on point throughout, and his co-stars help him shine. For example, his interactions with Se-kyung (Yiheon) stand out, showcasing his masculinity and alpha qualities, which are satisfying to watch because they give the sense that he has solutions to all the problems he faces.

When this series ends, I am going to miss it completely.

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"Censored Adaptation Of Same-sex Work"

The tag spells it out for me: they took a tale of queer struggle and chopped it down to pieces with their heteronormative axe

In a sea of non-queer stories that could've been adapted, they chose to adapt a queer story and proceeded to subject it to the crushing weight of censorship, a decision that does a disservice to the story

The question of "who cares?" is put forth by those who don't understand the gravity of this censorship. The truth is, I care deeply, as do many members of the community, about the pattern of censorship and twisting of gay people's stories into unrecognizable bromances or sismances for mass appeal and profit. It's disappointing

For once, please don't tell us how to feel. It's not on the marginalized and oppressed to temper their emotions or stifle their righteous outrage. Rather, the onus is on the oppressive homophobic majority to step out of their comfort zones, to confront their prejudices, and to recognize that the world doesn't revolve around them

With a healthy dose of skepticism, I tried to indulge in the censored drama and found myself underwhelmed. Body-swapping has little appeal to me, and even stellar acting wouldn't be able to hold my attention. The censorship and heteronormative manipulation also soured my initial enthusiasm

I might revisit the drama in the future. For the moment, I will bid farewell to the production

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