Study Group (2025)

The original drama *Study Group*is a so-called “munchkin”-style school drama. “Munchkin” is an online slang term referring to an overwhelmingly powerful character—someone so skilled that they have no real rivals. In this story, the protagonist wants to study but struggles with grades, while his natural talent for fighting only adds to the obstacles in his academic life.

The drama uses the school genre as its foundation, blending in action and cartoonish elements. Hwang Min-hyun plays the lead character Yoon Ga-min, who wants to be a good student but is only good at fighting. Han Ji-eun stars as Lee Han-gyeong, a temporary teacher who tries to help him establish a study group in the country’s most notorious delinquent school.

Also set in a school is *Friendly Competition*, which was released on the 10th and drew significant attention for a same-sex kiss scene between the main characters played by Lee Hye-ri and Jung Soo-bin.

*Friendly Competition*, available on U+ Mobile TV and U+ TV, is based on the webtoon of the same name. It tells the story of Yoo Jae-i, who stands at the center of student power in the country’s top private school, and Woo Seul-gi, a top student from the countryside who joins the fray. Unlike in the original webtoon, Seul-gi’s father’s death, which wasn’t a major plot point, has been newly introduced as a foreshadowing element, adding a thriller twist to the school drama framework.

Several upcoming or currently filming dramas are also set in school environments. *All of Us Are Dead* and *Weak Hero*, both of which premiered their first seasons in 2022 on Netflix and Wavve respectively, are now under Netflix’s banner, with new seasons being filmed and slated for release this year. Actor Seo Kang-joon’s comeback project after military discharge, MBC’s *Undercover High School*, also takes place in a school setting and is set to premiere on the 21st.

In addition, many web dramas released through smaller online platforms, as well as existing dramas featuring frequent school flashbacks, indicate that the school genre still holds a significant share in the current drama landscape.

Originally, school dramas focused on the small, everyday events that occur in school life. However, with the rise of OTT platforms, they’ve transformed into a “showroom for genres.” Titles like *All of Us Are Dead* and TVING’s *Duty After School* have added fantasy elements like zombies and aliens, turning school dramas into full-fledged action series. U+ TV’s *High Cookie*, Netflix’s *Hierarchy*, and TVING’s *Pyramid Game* focus on school hierarchy battles, blending mystery and thriller elements into the traditional school setting.

In addition, there have been youth dramas like Run Away With Sun-jae on My Back and Twinkling Watermelon, as well as comedies such as Boys’ Generation. Over the past two to three years, Korean dramas have continuously evolved through genre experimentation, with school-centered stories at the core.

There are several reasons for this trend. First, the school setting is a familiar place where all Koreans spend a significant part of their lives, making it rich with shared memories. It also serves as a microcosm of society, where issues such as status battles, academic elitism, and materialism can be naturally explored, effectively reflecting human desires.

Another major reason is the webtoon market, which has become a major source of inspiration for recent dramas and is largely centered around school narratives. For many relatively young webtoon creators, school remains one of the most vivid stages of their life memories, and the primary consumers—also young—are naturally drawn to school-based stories.

From a production standpoint, school dramas serve as a gateway for rookie actors and are well-suited for experimenting with various genres. While well-known actors are often cast in major roles, it’s impractical to fill an entire classroom with only famous names. This naturally encourages bold casting of newcomers, allowing fresh faces to emerge. There’s no need to elaborate on how KBS’s long-running *School* series has historically been a breeding ground for star actors.

Last year, dramas rooted in emotion—such as love triangles and romantic comedies—dominated primetime television. However, recently there has been a surge in the production of historical dramas, marked by the success of *The Distance* and *Madam Ok’s Tale*, the strong performance of *Check-in Hanyang*, and the release of *Chunhwa Romance*. At the same time, many school dramas have been released and are scheduled for future release, indicating that the genre will play a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of Korean television in 2025.

With as many diverse stories as there are students, Korea’s school setting continues to inspire new narratives. As we move through the year, viewers who love K-dramas are turning their attention to what kinds of stories—and new talents—the school drama genre will deliver next.