2013 Review:

This web drama is very over the top and ridiculous. At first, the ridiculous seemed to be just that, ridiculous. There was no clear motive behind any of the main characters behavior. And that was perfectly fine. Sometimes you just need to watch something funny and not have to think about it. But as the story went along, the drama revealed a surprising amount of heart.

Each young man is a caricature of a stereotype layered on top of said stereotype. There’s the brain, the ‘charismatic star’ (whatever that means), the artist, the sportsman, and the flower boy. Together they create an entirely hilarious and unique set of characters that you just can’t help but love.

In other words, they are adorable. Really inappropriate, but adorable.

Kim So Eun pretty much embodies the awkward, shy, quiet high school girl. She’s adorable and real and someone I totally would have been friends with if she had gone to my school. If my loud voice and opinionated and argumentative ways didn’t scare her off first, that is.

The interesting thing about this web drama is that for about the first four or five episodes, you really have no idea who the female lead could end up with. She could end up with any of them. She could end up with none of them. With most dramas, the romantic set up is clear. This character is going to end up with this character. I appreciated how After School subverted this typical drama set up.

They did trick you later on in the series as the lead started to fall for one of the boys while two of them started to fall for her. Of course, it didn’t really matter who you liked better because….

She doesn’t end up with anyone, lol.

The idea of this group of young men continuing their club in honor of their dead friend was very touching though. Granted, the dead friend they were doing all of the missions for came off as kind of a jerk to me once we finally met him. ‘Hey, Kang Joon, don’t like this girl you clearly like, because…I like her. And obviously, I have more right to like her then you do. Cause that’s how friendship works!’ *fake smile and hold up a thumb* No. That’s not how friendship works.

But they’re teenagers, and teenagers don’t act rationally when they have crushes, so what are you gonna do?

I do need to add a caveat/warning here. There is a mini storyline part of the way through that involves a joke making light of child molestation. I don’t remember it being a very long moment in the story, but the joke is legitimately offensive.

All in all, this is an odd little web drama. And that is definitely the highest compliment. With the exception of the molestation story, and the fact that the female lead doesn’t actually end up with anyone, I loved everything about this show. Every five seconds I was bursting into laughter. Every five seconds I was going ‘This is such a weird show.’ Every five seconds I was a little offended by the boys and some of their behavior. I marathoned the whole thing in two days. It took me two days, because I was trying to be responsible and not spend my entire weekend in front of my computer screen. (That and I needed a break after the molestation episode.)

I highly recommend this drama for anyone who loves stories that play with stereotypes and that have an over the top sense of humor. It’s a fun watch.