I think that this should have been made in to a long drama with a few episodes so it could have elaborate the story more. Well it was nice to watch and you'll enjoy it ;)
Was this review helpful to you?
Acting/Cast: I'd saw Kwak Dong Yun in another special drama of KBS called "Adolescence Medley", which is similar to this one, he did a good perfomance in both dramas, by the moment this type of character suits him, but I still have to see more of his work, so maybe there's another type of character which already suit him. Lee Yeol Eum made a great acting doing the evil-not-really-bad character, with his looking (I mean in this drama) she was so good!
Music: It could be better, but for being a simply special drama (of school topic) it suits. Maybe if they had done a drama of about 8 episodes it could be better.
Rewatch Value: I might think twice before seeing this special again, but I won't tell I won't see it again someday.
Overall: It's a good school special drama which topic is about bullying. I think they did it quite okay for being only 1 episode. They skiped boring scenes (some dramas have like 2 or 3 episodes which could be better if they don't have them), and make it suitable.
If you like dramas/movies about school's bullying you have to see it. Since it's only 1h you won't feel as it's a waste of time.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Good, but 'Cry Me a Sad River (2018)' better!
What the other reviewers should have said is not that it is s movie about bullying; but more about a Western educational system that pits students against student, and the resulting bullying is the result of such a system!
This was a very good movie for students who find themselves alienated by other students who will do anything to make it in our cut-throat educational system. Unfortunately. MONEY has made most educational systems in this world all the same, throughout the 'civilized' world!
The story is about a new transferring male student, Lee Hae Joon (Kwak Dong Yeon) being bullied in his new school by the top test scorer Jo Eun Seo (Lee Yeol Eum) in order for her to KEEP her number 1 position; however, he realizes that she is actually lonely and isolated due to something that is not revealed until later in the movie.
However, after the movie runs for awhile, we see WHY Eun Seo is so worried about being the top scorer, and it isn't her wanting this outcome! I believe that her untied shoe string is her crying out about being the top scorer in her class; this is professed by her as well later in the movie, I believe, in what she says during her last scene with her (movie) parents.
Her untied shoe lace is a sign that her life is not perfect; something is indeed lacking! Her mind is sharp, but her soul is empty!
His befriending of her made her quit working on her scheme, but she doesn't realize, until it is too late, that the number 2 student in her class, who she thought was her supposed friend Jung Na Yeon (Lee Han Na), continued the harassment of Lee Hae Joon, without Jo Eun Seo's knowledge!
(The same way that the second seat of mathematics at his university was the one who turned Galileo Galilei into the Inquisition, and he moved up to the head seat at the university then!)
Lee Hae Joon was the culprit that hurt Lee Hae Joon and allowed Jo Eun Seo to regain the top score; but Hae Joon didn't stop there...she started further harassment so that Eun Seo too, would become discouraged...allowing others to "move up" again!
I liked this movie, but I wished they had made a drama out of it and developed the main and support characters more thoroughly.
The music and atmosphere, cinematography and all made you feel that you were actually in a Korean classroom; the main characters were realistic in their portrayal of students and the main leads were excellent in their individuals roles and on-camera magnetism....I especially love what Hae Joon did when he finally found Eun Seo in the end (I was worried whether he would find her or not!).
Personally, I liked Cry Me a Sad River (2018) better than this movie. Nothing personal, but Cry Me a Sad River placed more of a emotional feeling and pulled at your heart strings more.
The support characters (especially Jung Jae Eun and Kim Gyu Chul, whose acting showed the real problem at hand) gave excellent performances supporting the main cast members and mkaing the movie seem more real.
RE-WATCH VALUE: Definitely!
Was this review helpful to you?
Bite-size story of school life, bullying and a pinch of romance on one roller coaster of emotions
I really love this drama special for various reasons. The story line is very simple and that's the beauty of it. The message here is direct and that's why the simple plot made it more effective and relatable. It tackles school bullying and the pressure of students towards their grades and ranking. Obsession about numbers forced upon by the adults that takes the fun of being a student and a youth.The casts were really effective. They breathed the youth on their character and it's just awesome. This 1-hour episode made me feel the emotions along with the characters like the romance, the pressure, the pain also the loneliness of the leads. If you wanna find out more, check it out. It's really worth the time.
I hope you enjoy watching this as much as I do because I might really watch it again since it's really daeeebaaaak!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
