An earnest, honest high school drama that isn’t just about high school.

Pulsing with teen angst on the one hand, yet also dealing with more universal issues on the other, School 2013 is about growing up, and about friendship, hope, love, and loyalty. Things that all matter, whether you’re a teenager or an adult.

A wonderful, engaging watch that manages to overflow with heart, in the midst of the angst.

I’ve always had a soft spot for high school drama done right, and I have to say, although it’s not a perfect drama by any means, School 2013 hits all the right notes where it matters most, and hits those notes really, really well.

So much so that I ended up loving this show – and its characters – to bits, and now feel like watching it again.

The cinematography and camera work in this show isn’t anything fancy, and the color palette is matter-of-fact, and that totally works. Instead of detracting from the story, I feel like this decision completely resonates with the general tone of the show, with its emphasis on keeping everything simple, raw and real.

Some of the actings is a little green, but importantly, all the key roles are delivered excellently. And where the acting is lacking, the earnest cast and thoughtful writing more than make up for it.

THE WRITING

The Rotating Point-of-View Narrative

One of the things that I found interesting about the writing in School 2013, is the rotating point-of-view in terms of the storytelling.

Most shows pick the point-of-view of one – or at most, two – characters, and stick with that. We see the story world through the eyes of the chosen character and join that character on his or her journey through the drama.

With larger ensemble casts, this becomes trickier to handle, and many ensemble cast dramas tend to also pick the points-of-view of one or two main characters and go with that.

What I appreciated about School 2013 is that the writers made time to give us the points-of-view of even secondary characters, more so than I expected.

As a result, I felt like I learned about their world through different, shifting lenses throughout the show. As the lenses shifted, so did my composite picture of their world, and it felt a little bit like looking through a kaleidoscope. While looking at the same situations and characters through different lenses, my perception – what I saw – was continually shifted, and that definitely helped to keep things fresh and interesting.

Storytelling & Characterization

The rotating point-of-view helps to tell a textured story, and as we step into the world of School 2013, we are introduced to everything and everyone as if we are sudden visitors gate-crashing a world that has been spinning this way for a long time.

We aren’t given quick and immediate expositions like we get in some dramas; there are no convenient exposition fairies. We simply piece things together as we follow our characters while they live their lives, for better or for worse.

Partly because of this, and also partly because of the writers’ deliberate manner in timing the reveal of various details and information, we get several interesting stories – and characters- threads unfolding layer by layer, scene by scene. We don’t feel hurried, neither do we have a chance to feel bored.

The result is a story that is engaging and absorbing, and characters that feel faceted, imperfect and real. I felt sucked into this world almost immediately, even though I didn’t yet know everything about this world or its characters.

Yes, sometimes the show introduces situations that seem mountain-out-of-a-molehill blown out of proportion, and it can feel overly dramatic at times, like the research development arc in episode 8. But to the show’s credit, the characters continue to behave in ways that feel true and believable.

In most of the conflicts presented, there are no easy outs, and the show’s treatment of the conflicts is layered, allowing us to explore different facets from different points of view, in a way that is unrelentingly unapologetic.

Jang Na Ra as Jung In Jae

Jang Na Ra turns in an excellent performance as Jung In Jae, a trainee teacher who is as timidly fearful as she is fiercely idealistic, and who gives it her all, striving to be the kind of teacher that she believes she should be.

I love that In Jae struggles to reconcile her philosophical, almost romantic notion of teaching and education with very real external pressures, and arrives at no easy answers. There is no sugar coating the truth.

Because the truth is, there are no easy ways to be that nurturing teacher who makes a real difference, in a troubled, imperfect system peopled by ambitious, number-crunching authority-wielders, be they principals or parents.

In Jae’s trajectory is far from smooth, and as she fights to find a way forward, we grow to empathize with her and admire her for her courage. She fights in part for the sake of her students, but in equal part, for her own sense of worth as a teacher, and ultimately, the growth and strength that she arrives at feels hard-won and well-deserved.

[SPOILER ALERT]

There are many In Jae moments that I love because her compassion and empathy for her students are crystal clear. She’s always asking each one, in her one-on-one times with them, “It’s hard, isn’t it?” which is something that I just love about her. Most teachers jump straight to the nagging, but In Jae is always the one who empathizes first.

If I had to pick one favorite In Jae moment, it would have to be her response to Min Ki (Choi Chang Yub) after his suicide attempt.

While most people would respond with anxiety and reflex-scolding, she holds Min Ki to her and cries with him. And then, when they sit in the counseling room together, Min Ki says that he thinks he was really trying to kill himself up on the roof, and tearfully apologizes.

After a moment’s pause, In Jae responds gently and thoughtfully, with tears in her eyes, “At least once in your life, there will be a moment when you want to die. It isn’t wrong to think that you want to die. But it is a great thing to endure it and to overcome your desire to die. You’ve gone over a big mountain today. And with so much effort. And you did very well. So I’m very grateful.. and I’m so proud of you.”

Just, wow. Such a profound thing to say, and at such a critical moment, which I’m sure makes her words a tremendous healing balm to Min Ki’s battered heart.

The impact on Min Ki is clear as he responds, “I’m so relieved that you’re here.” Aw.

Later, In Jae takes Min Ki aside to speak with him about having had the competition questions ahead of time, and imparts more words of wisdom. I just love that she really teaches these kids how to grow up, in how she talks to them.

To Min Ki, she says, “I know it’s hard on you now, but I think I’m going to need to lecture you more. It was wrong to have the practice questions in advance and enter the competition. Whether someone else made you do it or others are to blame, it was still wrong to be pushed into it when you knew it as wrong. So would you try to endure being uncomfortable in the classroom? Consider it as taking responsibility for what you’ve done. It’s going to be difficult. But Min Ki, once you endure this, everything will change.”

I love that she teaches him right from wrong, and how to be a better, stronger person, all while giving him hope. That’s some wisdom indeed. She even tells him how much his mother was pained to hear about his suicidal thoughts, and how much she loves him.

“Min Ki, all things will pass. It may seem like a big problem at the moment, but it will pass. So enduring and waiting for things to pass… That’s strength.”

I LOVE that about her, that she chooses to praise kids for overcoming, for holding it together. It totally speaks to what they need to hear the most while motivating them to keep doing better.

That’s such a big heart she’s got in her tiny body.

[END SPOILER]

Daniel Choi as Kang Se Chan

Ok, I need a fangirl moment to say: Kim! Woo! Bin! Eeeee! ♥

When he appears as Heung Soo at the end of episode 3, he is barely onscreen for a few seconds, and even in that fleeting moment, he exudes so much presence. It’s breathtaking.

Alright, fangirl moment over now.

Seriously, though. Kim Woo Bin is simply fabulous as the mysterious, broody Heung Soo.

There are many scenes where Heung Soo doesn’t say anything, and yet, Kim Woo Bin conveys so much with his eyes and the tiny shifts of expression in his face that we get a good number of clues as to Heung Soo’s emotions. It’s just really impressive.

Like Nam Soon, Heung Soo is also unveiled in gradual layers. Additionally, we learn about Heung Soo through Nam Soon’s eyes, which adds to the piece-meal, cautious, uncertain nature of his characterization. Over time, as Nam Soon’s sense of Heung Soo solidifies, so does our understanding of Heung Soo as a character.

Heung Soo’s arc of self-realization and forgiveness is one of the pillars of the show, and Kim Woo Bin brings it. So well.

[SPOILER ALERT]

In an interview, when asked if he felt like he could complement other actors in School 2013 as easily as was said of Lee Jong Suk, Kim Woo Bin deadpanned, “But I only share scenes with Jung Suk.” HAHA!

I giggled at the bromantic banter in the interview, but on further thought, Kim Woo Bin’s observation isn’t too far from the truth. The majority of scenes that Heung Soo shares is with Nam Soon.

However, there are many small moments with other characters where Heung Soo shows what he’s made of.

One such moment is in episode 6, when UhmForce suspects Heung Soo of being the culprit behind the stolen test paper. UhmForce, leaning over a seated Heung Soo, remarks, “Once a troublemaker, always a troublemaker. That’s what you call a habit that you can’t rid your body of.”

Without batting an eye or missing a beat, Heung Soo bites back in measured bass tones, “Continuing to suspect a student that you already suspected once, isn’t that also a habit?”

Touche. Sharp insight indeed.

[END SPOILER]

Kwak Jung Wook as Oh Jung Ho

Oh Jung Ho is the kind of raging bully. Angry at the world at large, Jung Ho doesn’t hesitate to unleash his fury at students and teachers alike.

Kwak Jung Wook is still rough around the edges as an actor, but he manages to imbue Jung Ho with the kind of psychotic intensity that Yoon Je Moon brings to Kim Bong Goo in The King 2 Hearts. Shiver.

Jung Ho as a character is seriously dislikable by mid-episode 1, and just when you think you really, really dislike him, he does something that makes him even more distasteful.

As with almost all the characters in School 2013, though, Jung Ho has a growth arc, and that arc is fleshed out in a way that is gradual and believable.

[SPOILER ALERT]

I particularly enjoyed how Jung Ho’s world got turned on its head when he realized that Nam Soon, the boy that he’d been picking on and beating up all this time, was pretty much the biggest, worst Jjang of all, and had the ability to basically beat Jung Ho to a pulp if he so chose.

After that point, there is always a touch of a “j-u-s-t-falling-short-of-being-top-dog” sort of quality about Jung Ho’s ragey, slightly crazed outbursts, and I have to commend Kwak Jung Wook for managing to give Jung Ho that nuance.

At the end of the drama, Jung Ho’s arc isn’t nicely tied up and we aren’t told whether he actually shows up at school or decides to drop out. I appreciate the open-endedness of this because that’s true to life; not everything in life gets tied up in a neat bow by the time a bell rings.

Still, I found the note on which we left Jung Ho a satisfying one, because he comes to a decision to live right, and tells Se Chan so. I found this more meaningful than the question of whether he would eventually go back to school because whatever he chose to do with his life, he would do so honestly and with integrity. And that’s just way more important than whether or not you graduated high school.

[END SPOILER]

Park Se Young as Song Ha Gyung

Park Se Young is excellent as Ha Gyung, the girl whom everybody loves to hate.

She’s proud, cold, sarcastic and stand-offish, and seems to only care about doing well in her studies. She doesn’t seem to have any friends, and she doesn’t seem to care. She’s unimpressed and unintimidated by students and teachers alike and isn’t afraid to show it.

Over the course of the drama, we get to see Ha Gyung’s defensive layers peeled away and we get to see who she is, and why she behaves the way she does.

Additionally, Ha Gyung gets to grapple with what her true priorities are and learns how to make room in her life for what she truly values.

[SPOILER ALERT]

The more I learned about Ha Gyung, the more I felt sorry for her, really.

To be under so much pressure to match the rest of her family members’ academic achievements, and to feel ashamed of who she was even as she went to cram school to try to do just that, must have sucked big time. No wonder she was so sure as a general rule.

It was gratifying, though, to see Ha Gyung slowly come out of that shell and start to care about other people.

One of my favorite Ha Gyung moments is when she ditches school so that she can’t be dragged into a school violence hearing that would guarantee Jung Ho’s expulsion.

The bright, cheerful expression on her face even as she jumps the school gate is underscored by a distinct sense of freedom as she finally makes a stand for what she believes in. You go, girl!

[END SPOILER]

Ryu Hyo Young as Lee Kang Joo

Kang Joo is one of my favorite characters in the drama, even though she’s a fairly minor secondary character.

Spunky, cheerful, outspoken, honest and caring, she doesn’t hesitate to express concern or stand up for her friends. She’s simply adorable.

Ryu Hyo Young may not be a seasoned actress, but she certainly makes Kang Joo extremely likable and endearing, and that’s a notable accomplishment on its own.

[SPOILER ALERT]

One of my favorite Kang Joo moments is in episode 11 when she realizes that Nam Soon has opted to transfer to another school. Saddened by the news, Kang Joo doesn’t say anything to Nam Soon about it and instead arm-twists him into accepting a hot dog treat from her, as his going-away gift. At Nam Soon’s reluctance to eat, she simply crams the hot dog into his mouth for him.

She is so cute, that girl.

[END SPOILER]

Yoon Joo Sang as Teacher Jo

Teacher Jo & In Jae + Teacher Jo & Se Chan

I love how Teacher Jo is such a fatherly presence to both In Jae and Se Chan.

In front of the students, In Jae and Se Chan are teachers and are supposed to know the answers. But in front of Teacher Jo, they are both often like lost children, themselves in need of a mentor and teacher. And Teacher Jo never fails to thoughtfully impart words of wisdom and reassurance to guide them on their way.

There are so many instances in the show that Teacher Jo’s words of wisdom have an impact, that it’s hard to pick favorites.

I loved how he pointed out the difference between students and customers to a smug Se Chan in episode 2. And I was so pleased when Teacher Jo forced Nam Soon and Se Chan to bond over cleaning the gym in episode 3.

One of my favorite Teacher Jo-In Jae moments is in episode 11, when In Jae is discouraged by her students’ comments in the teaching evaluation exercise.

Teacher Jo’s simple question, “Do you see the kids’ true intentions?” is enough to jolt In Jae to begin to look beyond the surface, to seek out what’s really going on in the kids’ hearts and minds.

He wisely adds, “If you turn around every time you hit a brick wall, you can’t be a teacher. But if you tap here and there, you should be able to see something. Doing that repetitively is what a teacher does.”

Teacher Jo’s words – essentially, that teaching is a process, not free of setbacks – not only give comfort to In Jae, but perspective and fuel to keep going even though the going isn’t easy.

One of the most pivotal Teacher Jo-Se Chan moments is in episode 16, when Se Chan has tendered his resignation, determined to cut off all ties with his students.

Teacher Jo asks Se Chan if he’s really going to quit, and Se Chan answers that the kids are too heavy for him.

Thoughtfully, Teacher Jo responds, “They are heavy because you are trying to be responsible for them until the end. Teachers are to just support the kids during the time they pass us. During that time, if a connection is built between the teacher and student, it’s great. Even the kids who are left alone out in that cold world will not go astray because of that connection.”

He adds, “Se Chan-ah.. Things that go wrong in this world never happen because of one person’s fault. That’s even more so, as far as kids are concerned. So can you put down your burden just a little bit?”

Teacher Jo’s words hit home so much that Se Chan’s eyes glisten with tears as he gets up to leave.

Se Chan doesn’t make a decision straight away, but I am certain that Teacher Jo’s wise words played a big part in helping him find a teaching – or rather, a caring – equilibrium that he could live with.

These words, about how he doesn’t need to be responsible for the students until the end, ultimately free Se Chan to care, and to embrace being the kind of teacher that he’d always wanted to be.

I love that Teacher Jo’s impact on In Jae and Se Chan is not only instructional and helpful, but more than that, also comforting and empowering. We could all use a Teacher Jo sometimes, I say.

In Jae & Se Chan

From the moment Se Chan and In Jae cross paths with each other, we know that they are destined to affect each other in major ways.

Se Chan’s arrogant confidence and exam focus is as direct a contrast as you could find, to In Jae’s tentative uncertainty and nurturing approach. And I love that the show makes them co-homeroom-teachers and forces them to work together. (Hm. Might this qualify as a workplace equivalent to the forced co-habitation drama?)

For a good stretch of the drama, Se Chan’s and In Jae’s completely different approaches to teaching and their accompanying differing personalities provide lots of fodder for conflict, bickering, flabbergasted looks and exchanging of the evil side eye. They very quickly (and unconsciously) start to behave like bickering parents who can’t agree on the best way to bring up their kids, the mechanics of which I found delightful to watch.

I found their exasperation with each other’s methods both entertaining and thought-provoking, because neither is completely wrong if you think about it.

I love that even without the romance angle, Se Chan and In Jae share lots of cute moments.

One of my favorite running gags in the show is how In Jae has to keep standing a step – or several! – higher than Se Chan just to be on eye-level with him. Hee.

Add the fact that almost every single time she does that, she’s exasperatedly trying to reason with him while he’s flippantly unaffected and quite bemused, and we get some nuggets of comedy gold.

I loved seeing the little hints and indications of growth not only in their partnership but also in their trust and belief in each other.

As the episodes progress, the vibe between In Jae and Se Chan becomes more collaborative as they begin to work more as a team, complete with eye contact communication from the two ends of the classroom. Their tones with each other also soften – almost imperceptibly, sometimes – and they even begin to finish each other’s sentences and tease each other.

In episode 6, when In Jae is upset at Nam Soon’s unexpected confession about the test papers and the disastrous consequences, Se Chan remembers a critical clue in Nam Soon’s ambiguous question about dilemmas. This causes In Jae to immediately come to life, after being slumped over with discouragement and worry.

I love how Se Chan teases her, “Look at you; how fast you’re taking the kid’s side? And you were pretending you didn’t care about an incident like this. That’s very unlike you.” And then, he even says, “Anyway, let’s start by saving the kid first.” AWWW.

Later, when In Jae asks just how they’re going to solve it when UhmForce couldn’t, Se Chan replies, “With hard work and love?” HAHA. So cute, these two. And how much did I love Se Chan in that moment? A lot.

There are many small little beats where we get to see In Jae and Se Chan showing symptoms of support for each other, which is one of my favorite things.

In episode 10, when Heung Soo and Nam Soon go missing during the exam, I love that In Jae carries both Heung Soo’s and Nam Soon’s bags out of the classroom, and then while they’re talking, Se Chan not only takes one bag from her but after a moment, also takes the other one off her.

I really enjoyed watching In Jae and Se Chan come to support and depend on each other. Not in a romantic sense, but in a united, we-are-one-team, caring sort of sense, with a spirit of solidarity.

I really appreciate how the show manages to convey trust and closeness between Se Chan and In Jae without coloring it with shades of romance. In a k-drama landscape where almost everything is about the romance, it’s refreshing to see a man and a woman connect meaningfully over something personal and important, without hints of romance intruding to muddy the purity of the moment.

I love the quiet conversation that In Jae and Se Chan share in episode 11 while waiting outside Jung Ho’s house for him. In response to In Jae’s observation that Se Chan seems to know a lot about kids like Jung Ho, Se Chan finally tells In Jae about his past as a teacher.

In that thoughtful, wistful moment, it feels like this might be the first time Se Chan’s ever told anyone about how he used to be the kind of teacher who went all-out, dragging students back to school. Until he fell down and never got back up. Aw.

I find it so apt, that the person he finally verbalizes this too, is In Jae, because she is the one person who would surely understand.

One of the most honest, significant exchanges between In Jae and Se Chan takes place in episode 11, when In Jae, feeling completely defeated, decides to leave.

As In Jae begins to walk out of school with her box of stuff, Se Chan chases her down and grabs her, to try to stop her from leaving. Se Chan literally looks like his best friend is about to abandon him, the way he tries to persuade In Jae not to leave.

When she asks in tearful frustration why he’s holding onto her, he says, voice quivering with increasing emotion, “Because you.. are the teacher I wanted to be.”

Just, wow.

He continues, “Because you.. are the teacher that I couldn’t  become, even though I sincerely wanted to. You are that teacher.”

Thud. That was the sound of me falling over from the magnitude of the emotional honesty in this scene.

What a great moment. SO full of emotional heft and goodness.

Se Chan’s gaining so much from In Jae – awakening his old self that he thought long gone – that he doesn’t want to let her go. I know his efforts to persuade her to stay are also for her, but it’s as much for her as it is for him. And I love that interdependence.

Also, I love the way the show uses the classic wrist-grab here, with a twist.

They don’t make it a romantic scene, yet manage to create an emotionally-charged, meaningful, emotionally intimate yet powerful moment anyway. So. Good.

Aw. Would’ve looked at the smiles on those faces? By the time we leave them at the end of episode 16, Se Chan and In Jae have genuinely arrived at a happy place, both as individuals and as teachers.

I love that little beat towards the end, where In Jae asks Se Chan if he’ll be back to teach the following year. He returns the question, “What about you, Teacher Jung?”

In Jae smiles, “If you stay, I’ll stay.” D’awww.. Yes, please!

And, what a turnaround, eh? I really enjoyed the way the show developed the dynamic between In Jae and Se Chan.

From being completely at odds, these two eventually come to see each other as equals and partners, and choose to be interdependent with each other. I love that by the end of the show, these two actually want to depend on each other, and want to support each other. Aw.

In Jae & Nam Soon

While In Jae connects with many of her students during the course of the show, her relationship with Nam Soon has a particularly special, symbiotic vibe to it.

In Jae cares about all her students, the way a mother loves all her kids. But Nam Soon is the only one who matches her, in terms of his effect on her.

From the very beginning of In Jae’s stint as Class 2’s homeroom teacher, Nam Soon has a huge impact on her. Not only does he save her from a menacing Jung Ho who’s physically threatening her, he also keeps affecting her with words of wisdom beyond his teenage years.

In episode 1, when In Jae asks Nam Soon about the alleged smoking incident with Jung Ho, she worriedly tells him, “You might get expelled over this.”

With a slight smile, Nam Soon replies, “That can’t be. School can’t be that unjust.”

Nam Soon’s words continue to echo in In Jae’s mind, so much so that she later bursts in on UhmForce’s questioning session with Jung Ho and Nam Soon and blurts out in a rush, “Teacher Uhm, I can’t accept the verdict over this incident as these students’ homeroom teacher. Over a picture where their faces can’t even be seen clearly, I don’t believe this school to be that unjust to expel these students over that. But if you still insist on going through with this, I’m going to keep protesting it. That’s all I wanted to say.”

To me, that moment – with Nam Soon’s subdued, slight smile at her outburst, which had clearly stemmed from his earlier words – marks the beginning of a deeper bond between them that is characterized by loyalty.

One of the most memorable demonstrations of loyalty that comes from Nam Soon is in episode 3, when he happens to hear that Se Chan is going to take over In Jae as their homeroom teacher.

To gather as full a class as possible for In Jae’s final lesson, Nam Soon pulls out all the stops to gather his classmates. Including provoking Jung Ho to a fight, and telling the rest that they can come watch.

What strikes me is how far Nam Soon willingly (and spontaneously) goes, in order to give In Jae the simple, final gift of having a full class for her final lesson with Class 2.

That he would willingly risk getting beaten up, just so that In Jae would have a reason to smile on her last day, is so profoundly moving. I immediately fell in love with the dynamic between In Jae and Nam Soon.

These two clearly care about each other, and show it in the capacities that they are able. Like how Nam Soon can’t say it, but puts his hide on the line to threaten all his classmates so that they’ll come to class for In Jae’s last lesson.

One of the most endearing exchanges between In Jae and Nam Soon happens in episode 6, when In Jae talks with Nam Soon about the test paper incident.

When In Jae asks Nam Soon who needed protecting, and who did the threatening, Nam Soon doesn’t answer, but promises, “I won’t do it again.”

In Jae shakes her fist at him, “If you do, you’re dead.”

With a slight smile, Nam Soon puts his fist to hers, and remarks, “Look at the size of that fist.” and gets up to walk away.

I loved this moment, because underneath the few words and the mock threats, these two clearly care about each other a whole lot. And each sees the other as small and in need of protection; Nam Soon sees In Jae as literally tiny and therefore in need of protection, while In Jae sees Nam Soon as young and therefore in need of shielding.

On top of that, the small smile Nam Soon gives when In Jae threatens to sock it to him good if he ever does something like it again is so endearing and yet heartbreaking. It’s like he’s not used to having someone care. Aww..

Another memorable In Jae-Nam Soon moment for me, is in episode 8 when In Jae goes to the gas station to talk to Nam Soon about his application to drop out of school.

They don’t exchange many words, but the looks on their faces say so much: how affected In Jae is by Nam Soon’s choices, and how affected Nam Soon is by In Jae’s presence.

The fact that she sees him like this affects him, because he knows how much she cares.

And that’s just completely heart-wrenching and moving and wonderful.

Throughout the show, In Jae’s and Nam Soon’s relationship continues to be marked by a deep sense of care and loyalty that is at once pure and profound.

Because the teacher-student relationship usually skews just one way – the teacher taking care of the student – I especially love that between In Jae and Nam Soon, it is an equation that flows both ways.

Definitely one of my favorite relationships in the show.

Se Chan & Nam Soon

Although not a relationship that features very largely in the show, I really enjoyed watching the dynamic between Se Chan and Nam Soon.

Their relationship is fairly contentious and marked by gruff, unwilling truces influenced by Teacher Jo and In Jae.

Se Chan does impart some words of wisdom to Nam Soon, like he does in episode 9, regarding the issue with Heung Soo, “Heavy, isn’t it? Carrying Park Heung Soo on your shoulders. [stunned look from Nam Soon] That’s not going to get any lighter. But if you try, it does get bearable.” Yay Se Chan!

But what I enjoyed the most was how Se Chan seems to feel genuinely hurt that Nam Soon doesn’t like him, and gets jealous that Nam Soon greets In Jae all the time but not him. I love how Se Chan points it out petulantly to Nam Soon more than once, but doesn’t get any response. Ha.

Kang Joo & Ha Gyung

The friendship between Ha Gyung and Kang Joo took me by surprise, because they weren’t even on speaking terms much when we first meet them in episode 1. Once they made up, though, I loved the little moments between them.

Also, after Ha Gyung and Kang Joo make up and become besties again, Ha Gyung seems to have such a load lifted off her shoulders, and is so much lighter in spirits, that she seems almost like a different person; ie, a much more likable one.

I love the little scene in episode 9, where Ha Gyung and Kang Joo talk about whether Heung Soo and Nam Soon have made up. Ha Gyung lets slip that she had provoked Heung Soo about it, and that he’d gone nuts in response. Kang Joo, stunned that the usually indifferent Ha Gyung would even bother to poke her nose into something like this, asks why she’d do that.

Nervously changing the subject, Ha Gyung says, “Anyway, there’s something they do have in common. They both sleep through the whole class.”

Kang Joo wheedles, “My Song-Song.. You were looking elsewhere instead of the blackboard during class?” Flustered, Ha Gyung stutters, “I was just turning around to check to see if you were dozing off or not.”

Leaning in with the cheekiest look ever, Kang Joo challenges Ha Gyung, “So.. was I dozing off or not?” Shifty-eyed, Ha Gyung guesses, “You were dozing.” to which Kang Joo teases, “I didn’t doze off.”

Ha. I love how Kang Joo is totally onto Ha Gyung’s eye on Nam Soon. You just can’t hide these things from the discerning eye of a bestie.

Nam Soon & Ha Gyung

The relationship between Nam Soon and Ha Gyung isn’t a romantic one, even though we get hints that Ha Gyung likes him. Instead, it’s a platonic, symbiotic one borne out of unexpected transparency stemming from unlikely circumstances. Because of his part-time job running errands for others, Nam Soon is the only one in class who knows that the cold, aloof Ha Gyung goes to a cram school, and it is this secret that forces them to interact with each other.

In episode 3, Ha Gyung’s lies about which high school she attends are discovered when Nam Soon delivers clothes for her to change out of her uniform into. Devastated, she allows Nam Soon to whisk her away on his scooter.

When Ha Gyung tosses her uniform off a bridge in frustration, she admits that she’s embarrassed about being from Seung Ri High, and humiliated by the discovery.

Nam Soon responds matter-of-factly, “You said it yourself, you’re a better student than that girl from earlier. So what are you so embarrassed about?”

Changing the subject, Ha Gyung asks Nam Soon, “Isn’t there anything you want to throw away? Just throw everything away.” At Nam Soon’s silence, she concludes, “Fine.. You wouldn’t have anything to throw away since you don’t care about anything.”

And that’s when Nam Soon quietly says, “Me.. The thing I want to throw away is me.” Tears.

The way that Nam Soon says it, it feels like this is the first time he’s actually giving voice to this sentiment, and it’s heartbreaking.

After sharing so much emotional honesty in this moment, it’s no wonder that Ha Gyung and Nam Soon come to have an understanding of each other that the rest of their classmates don’t share. Nam Soon sees her humiliation and shame beneath her prickly, cold exterior, and Ha Gyung sees Nam Soon’s sadness underneath his silence.

Thereafter, we see many moments where each looks out for the other.

Like when Nam Soon gives his jacket to Ha Gyung coz she now regrets throwing her school uniform over the bridge:

Or when Ha Gyung shoves her notes at Nam Soon, when she realizes he’s not studying:

We aren’t told explicitly whether Ha Gyung’s interest in Nam Soon is romantic, nor do we get to see if Nam Soon ever reciprocates those feelings.

But what we do get is plenty satisfying. Two unlikely people coming together almost as comrades; supporting, helping and understanding each other as the need arises, in ways that don’t require words.

School 2013 OST – 사랑해요 선생님

Audio Player

Nam Soon & Heung Soo

This bromance, it makes my heart feel so, so full. ♥

I found it compelling, completely engaging and very, very addictive. Better than most romantic love lines in many a kdrama, in my experience. And I’ve watched a lot of kdrama.

There are two big reasons why the the bromance between Heung Soo and Nam Soon completely blew me away.

First, it’s written with complexity, sensitivity and care.

There are no easy answers or convenient cure-alls for the rift standing between Heung Soo and Nam Soon. Coz how do you make up for ruining your best friend’s future? And how do you forgive something that has had such massively destructive consequences? The writers take on this question with unapologetic realism, tackling it by chipping away at it, bit by bit, one heart-wrenching scene at a time. Because of the care that the writers take with this, by the end, I feel completely invested, and the reconciliation between Heung Soo and Nam Soon feels well worked through, hard-won and genuine.

Second, it’s delivered with oodles and oodles of unabashed intensity and heart.

The bromantic love that Heung Soo and Nam Soon have for each other is intense, overt and deep. They aren’t just besties. They are soul mates, these two. And Kim Woo Bin and Lee Jong Suk don’t shy away from engaging in and wrestling with the emotional potency of Heung Soo’s and Nam Soon’s relationship. Whether it is in silent moments swelling with meaningful undercurrents, or in full-on emotional outbursts, they bring it, head on, and the result is gut-wrenchingly, overwhelmingly, spell-bindingly good.

There are so many awesome  scenes between Heung Soo and Nam Soon (or, Heung-Soon, as affectionately coined by netizens), that I just hafta revisit as many as I possibly can.

The Narrative Confession:

I was blown away by Nam Soon’s confession scene in class, in episode 7.

To clear Heung Soo’s name, Nam Soon quietly responds to In Jae’s invitation to the class to demonstrate narrative thusly:

“He dreamed of being a soccer player. In order to play soccer, Coach said to leave the gang. In order to leave the gang, he needed to get hit. After getting hit, he injured his legs. The gang leader is a jerk who stole his dream. And that jerk.. is Go Nam Soon.”… “That’s why.. Park Heung Soo has done nothing wrong.”

As Nam Soon finishes, he looks over at Heung Soo, who keeps his eyes fixed stoically ahead, even as they glisten with tears.

It is such a short beat, yet so powerful, so concise, and so packed with meaning. Wow.

Also, Kim Woo Bin’s nuanced response to this scene is completely heart-wrenching yet subtle. There’s not a lot of change in his facial expression, but the progressive tears burgeoning in his eyes, and the very minor twitches in his face from time to time, speak volumes. It’s masterful and awe-inspiring, and I was completely floored.

The Moment of Unconscious Chemistry:

Another one of my favorite moments is when Heung Soo rushes to save Nam Soon after Nam Soon’s been framed by Jung Ho for the theft of the gangsters’ motorbike.

In that tension-filled moment, Heung Soo’s and Nam Soon’s old teamwork springs to the surface, and they outrun and outwit the gangsters together.

The grins on their faces as they outrun the gangsters together is absolutely priceless, and so reminiscent of their old times together:

They grin at each other in exhilaration, and Heung Soo even claps Nam Soon on the shoulder, which is just so gratifying to witness.

But their smiles fade as the the muscle memory gives way to the more rational realization that they haven’t actually made up, and they move to sit on opposite sides of the bus:

Later, Nam Soon thanks Heung Soo for keeping his promise, and we see in flashback, the promise that Heung Soo had made to Nam Soon once before:

“Whether you hang out with me or not, and no matter what you’re doing wherever, until the day I die, I’m going to do whatever I can to stop you from doing things that will land you in jail. I may not know about anything else, but that is one promise that I’m going to keep, no matter what.”

Oh, tears. And Nam Soon’s answer now, echoes his answer then, “Dumbass. You’re such a drama queen.”

Aw. There is just so much history and so much chemistry, yet so much baggage between these two.

So In Sync:

It’s a short beat, but I was completely tickled and enamored by Heung Soo’s and Nam Soon’s unconscious synchronization  in episode 9 while doing their community service as ordered by Se Chan.

Heung Soo and Nam Soon keep saying exactly the same things, at the same time, and it simply warms the cockles of my heart to see these two so in sync.

When Se Chan tells them to move the tables & chairs out of the store room, both say in unison, “Where to?”

And then after spending ages moving the stuff in silence to the rooftop, they both stop and sigh together, “Kang Se Chan, that jerk..” HAHA! And, AWWW..

I LOVE that they are so in sync, even after so long. This bromance, it’s meant to be. ♥

The Storeroom Lock-Up:

One of the key breakthrough scenes in this bromance, is when Heung Soo and Nam Soon get accidentally locked up in the storeroom together.

Heung Soo is particularly annoyed, but Nam Soon takes the opportunity to finally say to Heung Soo what’s been on his mind, “I’m going to do everything. The things I should have done three years ago. All of it.”

As Nam Soon apologizes, Heung Soo simply growls at him to shut up, but Nam Soon presses on, his eyes beginning to glisten with tears, “It was a mistake. I was only going to beat you up a bit the way I was on the day of my hazing but.. No matter how bad of a jerk I was, I never wanted to destroy your leg and make you cave in like that.”

The moment becomes increasingly charged and Heung Soo shouts, “I know. I know it was a mistake!” then bites through gritted teeth, “So shut your mouth.”

Nam Soon continues to say that it’s still his fault and his mistake, and Heung Soo drops his voice, “Because it was a mistake.. because it was your fault.. does that change anything?”

With the tears now threatening to spill over, Nam Soon answers, “That’s what I mean. Because nothing is going to change.. because it won’t change even if I try.. I’m saying I’m sorry.  I’m.. I’m.. sorry to death. I can’t even say sorry because I’m so sorry so-“

Heung Soo cuts him off with a punch to the face. “Shut up, you bastard.” But Nam Soon comes back asking for more, “You should have come out like this earlier. When we saw each other in front of the school, you should have punched me as soon as you saw me.”

Heung Soo counters that he should have hit Nam Soon 3 years ago, and Nam Soon returns, “Pretend it’s three years ago now and hit me more!”… “You probably wanted to kill me more than a hundred, a thousand times.”

Agitated, Heung Soo answers angrily, “That’s right. I told myself that I was going to kill you more than a hundred, a thousand times. What are you going to do about it?!” and he gives Nam Soon a hard shove.

The force of the shove pushes Nam Soon into the stacks of tables and chairs, which now come crashing down on him, knocking him unconscious.

Heung Soo tries to rouse Nam Soon to no avail, and panics. He pounds repeatedly on the locked door and screams for help.

The way Heung Soo loses his cool over Nam Soon passing out is completely heartbreaking. He lurves him. And is so scared that something bad’s happened to Nam Soon.

It must have been cathartic to finally verbalize his care for Nam Soon in some way, because when Nam Soon comes to, Heung Soo calms down enough for them to speak their minds honestly, for the first time.

Nam Soon finally tells Heung Soo, “I was scared.” … “I was scared of you leaving me and going to Seoul to play soccer.”

Heung Soo counters, “I couldn’t go in the end anyway. So why did you run away?”

Nam Soon replies matter-of-factly, “I was afraid you’d really leave me. I was scared you would say that you would never see a jerk like me again.” He drops his gaze and lowers his voice, “I only had you back then. If you said something like that, then I’d have had no one to turn to. No one.”

Heung Soo’s eyes begin to glisten with tears as he flashbacks to the past, when Nam Soon would keep going to sleep at Heung Soo’s house coz no one was at home. And Heung Soo would give Nam Soon his own towel as a pillow and cover him with his own blanket, and sleep without either.

AWWWW.

Didn’t You Miss Me?

Another major breakthrough moment comes in episode 10 when Nam Soon gets beaten up on his own for his alleged involvement in the motorbike theft.

Heung Soo asks tersely, “Didn’t we decide to not do this anymore?” … “Does my leg become normal if you carry on like this? Can I play soccer again?”

Nam Soon protests, tears glistening, “Then what should I do? I can’t pretend to know and I can’t pretend it never happened.” … “I know I can’t repay you no matter what I do. So let me at least pretend to repay you. I, who ruined your leg and ruined your future!”

Finally, Heung Soo chokes out, “So you should’ve stayed still before. No matter what.. you should’ve just stayed there. Other than soccer, I only had you. When I wanted to die after I lost soccer.. you should’ve been there.” Crying and shouting by now, Heung Soo demands, “So what I mean is.. didn’t you miss me?”

Wow. What an emotionally-charged scene. And so full of revelational honesty.

That all this angst was actually more about losing Nam Soon than about losing soccer? Tears.

What a moment. Really, what a moment. Seriously, this is when I thought, “I ♥ you, Show.”

What a significant breakthrough, for Heung Soo and Nam Soon. ♥

We’re Just Friends:

Another significant moment for our bromance happens in episode 11, after the most adorable game of punishment basketball in the history of basketball (Yay, Se Chan, for thinking to force Heung Soo and Nam Soon to play basketball together as punishment!).

Se Chan remarks casually to Heung Soo about Nam Soon’s impending transfer, and Heung Soo is clearly shaken. He doesn’t change his expression much, but you can totally see from his eyes that he’s reeling. Aw. And in the moment after, we see the betrayal and hurt in his eyes. He feels like he’s being abandoned again. (Wow. How does Kim Woo Bin show us so much with so little?)

Heung Soo barges in on UhmForce’s paperwork session with Nam Soon, saying, “Teacher, Go Nam Soon has no reason to transfer. I’m not the victim. Go Nam Soon is not the assailant.”

When UhmForce presses him, “Then?” Heung Soo answers, “We’re just.. just friends.” BAM. Finally, he said it. And, AWWW.

He continues, “Just really unlucky ones. And right now, we’re in the process of making up.”

My heart turns to mush as a tear rolls down Nam Soon’s cheek.

The moment is heart wrenchingly good and feels so full, because it feels well-earned. It’s no simple problem, so even this concession feels significant and momentous, and I love it.

Afterwards, Heung Soo waits for Nam Soon outside the room. These boys. Showing their love in all these gruff little ways.

Nam Soon says, “Thank you.” and Heung Soo doesn’t miss a beat answering, “It’s not free. There’s a condition. You have to fill up a-l-l my (punishment) pages.”

I love that there’s always this counter-conversation that goes on under the surface, and that this particular one is saying that Heung Soo is basically letting Nam Soon closer. Officially. And I love that.

I’ve also never seen anyone so happy to be told they have to do someone else’s punishment pages. Heh.

Why Did You Live Recklessly?

One of the most moving scenes between Heung Soo and Nam Soon happens after Heung Soo’s police station scare, which particularly terrified Nam Soon, that Heung Soo might be taken away for good.

Afterwards, Nam Soon brings Heung Soo back home to eat ramyum, saying that he has something to say.

Nam Soon doesn’t say anything, though, and it’s the usually gruff and silent Heung Soo who prods the usually more communicative Nam Soon to talk.

Nam Soon, biting back tears, asks, “How recklessly did you live?” When Heung Soo doesn’t answer, Nam Soon asks again, “Why did you live recklessly?”

Heung Soo, holding his gaze steady, but with tears brimming in his eyes, says, “I was curious whether there were more like you out there.”

Nam Soon mumbles back, “Why? If you met someone like me, were you going to beat him up?”

Heung Soo answers, tears flowing freely now, “That I could stick my heart to, you bastard.”

Nam Soon’s own tears start to flow, “You dumb bastard. After you’ve gone through so much…”

Heung Soo, openly allowing tear after tear to roll down his face, answers, “What about you? Have you even once said it hurt, you poor bastard? We are the same. So Nam Soon-ah… please stop feeling sorry.” TEARS.

What an awesome breakthrough scene! And then to have them sleep side by side again, just AW. HUGS FOR EVERYONE!

I love that little detail, of Heung Soo managing to take off one sock by the time they go to bed, when he’d hesitated with his socks upon entering the house.

It’s such a small detail, but it shows us that Heung Soo is finally allowing himself to feel at home in Nam Soon’s house again. And I love that.

And just when I think the scene can’t get any better, we cut to the morning, both boys rushing madly to get ready for school together. As they shuffle and scuttle and skid about, they grumble at each other for not waking up earlier, and it is just SO CUTE that I just wanna squish them!

Such a cathartic release, to finally have our bromance in full bloom. Love! ♥

A Bromantic Aside

I love this bromance even more than the one between Goo Yong Ha (Song Joong Ki) and Moon Jae Shin (Yoo Ah In) in Sungkyunkwan Scandal.

The intensity and purity of it all just resonate so much with me, and I love that Kim Woo Bin and Lee Jong Suk are chummy even behind the scenes.

I love that in interviews, when Lee Jong Suk gets halfway through his answer and loses his train of thought, that he turns to Kim Woo Bin, who then finishes the thought for him.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

On top of crafting several outstandingly nuanced and compelling relationships, School 2013 also manages to weave a number of  meaningful themes into its narrative:

• That high school violence is real and doesn’t only take the form of physical abuse,
• That loyalty is more important than caving to external pressures,
• That doing what’s right is more important than doing what’s popular,
• That growing up, overcoming your fears and taking responsibility for your decisions is something you can’t shy away from, and
• That you leave an impact and a legacy behind, no matter what you choose.

We learn that in the end, not everyone grows up at the same time or at the same rate, and not everyone reaches the same happy ending. But finding a way to move forward with a positive hope, is what ultimately makes a difference, and makes the future great.

THE FINAL VERDICT:

Heart-wrenching and wonderful. And the best bromance ever.

FINAL GRADE: A+