KDramas on School Lives


Sassy Go Go (Cheer Up!!) (Source: Soompi.com)

Perhaps I am missing school, my own carefree days of yore. As much as I say that they were carefree days, I just know that they were not. We struggled for marks, toiled hard for securing a good rank and position in the class, hated our parents for comparing us with our classmates, and sighed inaudibly when the tuitions and extra classes coincided our play hours.


I liked studying. I would study the textbooks, go through the class notes and also solve the test papers bought specifically for 10th board exams. But then I was very insecure too, had a huge inferiority complex, and a painful introversion as big as a mountain. I was good at studying. No, let me rephrase it. I was only good at studying. I didn’t do well in sports or quiz competitions or debates. I had no interest in leadership. I feared being the center of attention. But as far as marks were concerned, I knew I would get decent figures if I put in more number of hours.


School 2017 (Source: fanpop.com)

School is never easy for anyone. Neither the weaker students who fall in the lower rung of the grading system nor the so called class toppers. Each fights his own battles. Most smile with friends and forget the struggles once the exam is over and done with. May be that is why I am drawn to these high school KDramas, because they are not mere high school romances, they deal with subjects that do matter. Bullying, mental health, corruption in school, partiality by the teachers, unfair grading system, groupism, casteism, and so much more. The themes that these stories cover are many and they are worth a watch.






School 2017 is about a student who takes to right all the wrongs done by the school authority, veiled under a hoodie for anonymity and self protection. Vigilante attitudes by students who are treated rather unfairly by their most trusted teachers who side by the powerful and money minting individuals, makes the crux of the story. It talks of providing equal opportunities to all the student irrespective of their grades, conducting fair competitions not ones where the winner is preordained. And most importantly it stresses on friendships and humanity.






A quite similar effect is made by another Korean series, Sassy Go Go. Don’t be mistaken or carried away by the title. It packs a punch. A cheer-leading group is created by putting together students scoring the top five percent of the class with the bottom five percent, that is those in the highest rung of grades with those in the lowest. They have much to learn from one another. This 12 episode series occupies a special place in my heart as it addresses the delicate topic of suicide, phobia, identity and adulting. School corruptions and politics is the center of the story.

Other drama series that deals with school life and teenagers are School 2013, Heirs, and Dream High. These three are again some of my favorites. I'll forever remain a young adult at heart. <3 <3

Recommend me some of your favorite drama series that addresses teens and young adults. Would have something new to watch.

Comments

  1. That's an interesting take you have on these series. I remember seeing name of one of the above mentioned series on Netflix once but scrolled through it. As you mentioned here in the post, 'Not to go with the name' , I did the exact opposite. I am going to watch it soon. As the post is about Korean drama series I have a series in mind which i finished watching the season 1. The name of the series is 'A Korean Odyssey'. This not generally my kind of genre when it comes to TV series or movies, but surprisingly i liked this series. You might have seen it already but still thought of mentioning. Have a great day ahead :-)

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Queeristan by Parmesh Sahani

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  Queeristan (Amazon Link) Thanks to Audible Free Trial I listened to this amazing non-fiction on LGBTQ inclusion in Indian workplaces. Author Parmesh Sahani identifies as gay Indian, working closely with Godrej higher management and employees for years to create an inclusive workplace, both legally and in spirit. This book is a result of those years of experience, research, collaboration with individuals from difference spectrum of the society and organizations who has successfully transitioned into a queer friendly one.   Indian history is inclusive. From the Khajuraho temple architectures, to Konark to the Rig Veda, there is existing proofs even 2000 years ago of Indian inclusiveness of queer. It’s the draconian British law that criminalised it, which was scraped in 2009, came into effect once again following a sad judgement in 2013 and eventually was scraped off for good in 2018. I am in awe of the lawyers who fought this legal battle- colleagues and partners – Arundhati Katju

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