Extracurricular (2020)

i delayed watching the last episode because i didn't want this to end! Seriously, Extracurricular was fantastic, excellent, gripping for all 10 episodes. I cannot put into words how absorbed i was in this drama, everything was brilliant.

We have the average setting of a high school, your typical social groups, exam struggles and all that. But this is far more than the school... we delve into the lives of the down right criminals and get taken on a perilous journey that all originates from a kids dream to live a normal life. I really found myself questioning who i should sympathise with, how such a spiral could occur. This was so much more than your casual high school drama.

I am so so happy for the cast! Woah! talk about acting!
Honestly i was a bit worried, even though i love Dong Hee, after his performance in Itaewon Class i wasnt sure if he would pull this off... damn was i wrong. He absolutely killed it, he's really come a long way in a short time, i cant wait to see his next drama
Yes the female lead was annoying to begin, but i get the feeling thats the vibe they were going for, so Joo Hyun obviously played her well. Further into the drama she develops and matures a lot.
The whole cast was just great, whoever chose them did a great job and i couldnt have asked for more!

I would definitely watch again, i wish it couldve been longer but with such a short, impactful story dragging it out longer probably wouldve been a mistake.
I wasnt too keen on the ending, its very open for interpretation. i get the feeling Netflix are setting up for a second season, which could be great, or could also be a problem. While Extracurricular worked so well in the 10 episode format, i feel possibly expanding to a second season could be stretching it too far. i would be intrigued to see where the plot could go next!

But apart from that i 100% recommend Extracurricular, only 10 hours of perfection!

Leia Mais

This is just AMAZING!

WOW. WOW. WOW this is such a new genre and take on stereotypical high school teen drama. I watched it expecting to be quite romance and a little bit dark but it exceeded my expectations. The plot is just magnificent and smart. I love how I get similar feels from this drama and How to Bury a Friend which both I loved. An excellent student with a dream and a sad family background striving for a better future and a rich student that loves adventures and being independent. Both being from a reality based family, a duo that we never expected to be needed in this drama. I love how behind the excellent student mask lies an ambitious boy that will do anything it takes to achieve his dream. If you are into dark dramas with a traumatizing plots and twists as well as ending you should definitely check this out.

Leia Mais

I watched it last year and I still think about it

I just wish I could watch this again for the first time and I am waiting for the second season holding my breath. Normally I forget about new seasons and I just watch them when they pop up somewhere but with Extracurricular I check at least once a month if there is any news.
The acting was amazing, the story had me absolutely hooked and I watched it in two days. The music and cinematography makes it even better, I've listened to two songs from the soundtrack ever since I first watched it. Such a good show for anyone who likes thrillers and antiheroes. It's perfect!

Leia Mais

A rubber band that is just stretched to its limits.... and eventually snaps!

A diligent student, Oh Ji Soo (Kim Dong Hee) aims for enrolling Korean prestigious universities while living all alone. To make ends meet, he secretly runs a security service for sex workers and has been successfully earn savings for his dream. However, his job is at risk of being exposed when his classmate Bae Gyuri (Park Ju Hyun) steals his work phone and starts blackmailing him.

This is one of a rare crime-thriller school drama executed to the best of its potential. Every element that makes a show GREAT are there! Powerful acting, crisp filmmaking, high-intensity OSTs, engaging metaphors and thrilling character arc. A roller coaster of emotions jam-packed in 10 short episodes! The story is dealing with controversial topics without being explicit nor shaming them, as well as study pressure that all students face.

The first few episodes might feel a bit slow, but they were intriguing and unsettling. Then the second half was like a bullet train wreck, with me entirely in the passenger seat, constantly feeling a strong tension. Lots of daring awesome action scenes: cars exploding, fist fights, students go and trash a karaoke bar! XD Ji Soo’s PTSD-induced nightmares are some of the most thought-provoking and memorable scenes, really showed how bleak the situation he’s gotten into. Thanks Kim Dong Hee for being a really engaging Ji Soo!

It ended on a strong climax, and I have no complaint regarding the “slightly open for interpretation” ending. The story felt sufficient, concluded, and it has clearly delivered the message it says in the poster, that “Some mistakes can not be erased.”

Leia Mais

Not your typical High school drama.

This is not your typical High school drama. The drama started off slow at first but then picked up very quickly. I like this drama because it talked about real life struggles and dreams are indeed expensive. The male lead's actions are not justifiable but you would find yourself rooting for him. He was just really pitiful. I almost stopped watching at episode two, the amount of stress and frustration I felt watching that episode can't be explained. Not one single character was likeable, the female lead has to be one of most annoying characters in all of kdrama history. Her nosy self literally caused everything to go downhill. I would never understand why she was so eager to get involved in the business. I didn't think it was because of the money, I rather thought she took Ji soo's life as a joke.

I hated the fact that Min hee tried to pin everything down on Ji soo. They made her actions look justifiable because she was a minor but no at her age she should know right from wrong and take responsibilities. Matters escalated quickly resulting to a lot happening towards the end. I was engaged in the drama because it had me on the edge of my seat and always had me shocked. The acting was great. Overall I found this drama to be pointless in the sense that it was irrelevant. I liked that it had an open ending and I am not looking forward to a second season. Rewatch value would be 0 if I could. This drama is definitely not for everyone amongst everything it was really gruesome.

Leia Mais

Modern-day Korean Raskolnikov

A good, sensitive boy notices, how bad the world is, and comes up with a rather bad idea himself. His sharply intelligent, sociopathic girlfriend is a nice replacement of the Dostoevsky's Sonya character. Practically all characters are mentally disturbed. The bully and his minions seem to have no understanding of good and evil, or, if they do, they happily choose the latter. The teenage prostitute sells her body in order to buy her boyfriend's love. FL's mother is a travesty of a tiger-mother, who seems to draw sadistic pleasure from humiliating her daughter. ML's "business" partner most probably suffers from PTSD. Only the teacher and the policewoman seem to be sane and decent, but their world is so far away from the world of the students that there is no way they could help them.
The series is just as dark, as you can expect.

Leia Mais

INTENSE

Before you even start to watch this, be in the right state of mind, and know what to expect. What not to expect…any kind if romance, comedy or love. What to expect…frustration, betrayal, blood, death, very heavy plot, murder, suspense, revenge, remorse, excellent acting, and an excellent plot that was well written, produced and directed. With all that in mind, this drama does not leave you feeling good. It is the kind of drama that will be with you a while, if you know what I mean. If you are up to feeling total frustration as you watch a drama, this is the one for you. I’m not trying to talk anyone out of watching this, just be prepared for the wild ride.

Leia Mais

SO different from the description

This show being described as some high schoolers getting into illegal business does not describe what's actually going on here. It's not about some little petty crimes these high schoolers commit - in fact, I'd argue it's not about the crime at all. This show is about the downfall of Oh Jisoo, our main character.

Oh Jisoo is a high school student that fully supports himself. He's got no family or friends to lean on, and no drive to seek help. He takes care of himself; however, he needs money to do that. Jisoo runs a protection service for sex workers, but remains anonymous to his clients. He sends in help when it's needed, takes a cut of the pay, and never has to meet his clients face to face. However, when Gyuri, a girl from school, starts learning of Jisoo's activities, she wants in. You watch Jisoo, who was doing just fine on his own, slowly crumble as everything he has built falls apart with no way for him to right his wrongs.

I was super excited about this show, especially because of the high ratings, but was fairly disappointed. The first 8 episodes felt like minor conflicts were being drawn out for no reason, and honestly I wasn't really rooting for a single character in this. However, I will say that the ending was perfect and the last episode kept me very entertained. For a shorter series, it was a fairly enjoyable watch, but I found myself not paying attention to large portions of it because it felt like a lot of conflicts didn't matter. I do think if you go into it knowing that the true story here is not about the sex work or the crimes, but about watching our main character fall apart over the course of the show, it would be a much more engaging watch. Every issue he faces builds on top of the last, and with no ability to resolve his problems, Oh Jisoo slowly loses his mind.

Leia Mais

This character-driven drama creates a compelling world by combining stories about teenage school life and serious criminal activity. This drama has really outdid itself! It is the most darkest, realistic and "Out of the box" Kdrama I have ever seen! The series has one of the best twist and dialogues! The pacings was greatly done as well, it never drags and will keep you at the edge! The story was executed amazingly. And the acting was phenomenal! All of the main teen characters in the show have to cope with their own insecurities and growing pains as they enter into adulthood.

Extracurricular’s characters are unapologetic, and not particularly likable. But thats what makes it so intriguing because nobody's in the right or wrong spectrum. The relationships between them grow more interesting and complex, which makes them worth investing in. Meanwhile, as Ji-soo’s criminal enterprise expands, the stakes get higher, and create lots of entertaining suspense. The result is a binge-worthy series that is as thrilling as it is disturbing for those old enough to handle it! Warning ... Its gets very bloody!!!

Leia Mais

Craving for Season 2~!

Made an account here just to make a review about Extracurricular. I usually read comments and reviews from dramalist before watching anything because reviewers here are so damn good in making me curious thus wanting me to watch the dramas being reviewed. This is my first time so bear with me. hehe!

I binge watched this over the weekend. The story is so good, some people said the ending was not satisfying but I like that kind of endings. It makes me use my vast and wide imagination. I have been working in a korean environment for over 4 years now and yesterday I discussed this drama with my manager and asked if this kind of bullying is really happening in korea. He said yes, it was really serious for the past few years but getting better now. I think the show is very helpful for the community to be aware that even young kids have their own struggles and even made decisions just to get thru it. Whether that decision is good or bad.

I loved the drama very much. 10 episodes is enough but I do want for more. I wonder if they really went to Sydney and picked some fruits and vegies. Hahaha!

Highly recommended! A must watch! This has become one of my favorite K-drama.
This drama is absolutely 대박~!!!

Leia Mais

Am I the only one on the verge of crying when Oji accept Gyuri's help? It is like he gave in to something bad. And well, the whole situation became bad.

Honestly, this drama is really exciting and fun. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I marathoned this in 2 days. Lots of fun. But, around 75% of the time I felt annoyed.

Here, Netflix present a 10 hours long of violence, sex trafficking, and stress. Moral of the story is kids are kids, however clever they are. And adults, even though they tried the hardest, may not able to protect a child, at all. Also, always look at owns fault before blaming others.

First, all of the cast acted amazingly. Superb! As expected of Kim Dong Hee, I've been looking forward to his acting since Sky Castle and A-Teen. And the Female Lead who played Bae Gyuri is such an amazing actress. A new favorite.

The cinematography is good. There are some scenes that reminds me of a particular Japanese style technique, you'll know when you see it, the dream scenes. Some scenes reminded me of video game / vlog style. And some scenes really scream old-french-chill vibes. Overall, it was a delight watching this.

The music is okay. Befitting.

Story wise, the concept is fresh in drama format, but more common in K-movies as they tend to be darker. Also, beware of open ending. I personally like open ending better than bad unrealistic ending, the viewers are allowed to insert their own version of the ending.

Why did I feel annoyed most of the time? It is because most of the characters here didn't see what role they had in causing the bad circumstances. They were just blaming others and thus, don't feel any remorse of what they did. Also, so many characters here just think of nothing and made such a bad decision. AND, they didn't know when to stop and say enough. I know it is silly to complain about this, if they did those they wouldn't be a criminal.

Also, the kids will be kids. Jisoo is NO GENIUS, mind you. He just have a crooked mind and he is just a kid who makes so much bad decision with no good adult who he can consult and who can support him. He became the ace of the school because he studied hard and got tutoring. Rather, Gyuri is the smarter, albeit more heartless.

Everyone here is at fault, tbh. Well, except the bystander which are the police and the teacher. Everyone here have responsibilities to take.

I wouldn't really rewatch this because I generally don't rewatch things unless the story resonates with me or there is something so special about it. So, you can ignore my rewatch ratings.

ALSO just a note for some character.

Gyuri was a really annoying character from the start. But read this a comment from @Barbara: "Everyone is constantly blaming her, including Ji Soo. Blaming/Demanding and so on.
Watch again and see how she hurts her skin near nails each time someone's blaming her and not seeing her effort...
Her mOtHeR talked about her suicide attempt as a youth rebellion!!!
Both of her parents see in her only an INVESTMENT for the future, which has to be flawless.
No one hears her silent scream like no one sees and cares about Ji Soo's situation.
Gyu Ri's help for Ji Soo was rejected multiple times because she has a perfect home, has two shitty parents, and is rich. Yeah, Ji Soo was blind too, in the beginning, but he's smarter than some of the viewers and saw that's she is hurting and she sees no reasons to live for. She treats it all like a game, yes. It's a mechanism to deal with emotions that are eating her from the inside and survive to the time when she can leave that hell home. That's probably why she needed that money for.
In my opinion, in the ending, she didn't leave Ji Soo. She has nowhere else to go. If you watch carefully you will notice how much she wanted to run away with him to Australia when she asked him... If Ji Soo didn't survive this, she could even kill herself."

Kwak Gi Tae was a jerk from start to finish. There was a point where GiTae's character became concerned with MinHee. Here's a comment that may explain his behavior from @Halsyeon: "he’s a bit possessive so if we look at it like Minhee was his thing (which he certainly used her) then I can see him acting like he did."

P.S. Sorry for grammatical errors.

Leia Mais

Extra-boring-ular

Story: Sex trafficking without sex and trafficking. That's the premise downfall right there.

Acting: Everyone was so unlikable I was rooting for all of them to die. I guess that means good performances cause their characters weren't supposed to be likeable. Yet I have hard time praising anyone cause no one was engaging. You can be a bad guy or a girl and be engaging, these actors and characters were just blandly dull.

Music: honestly can't remember.

Rewatch value: Zero. I awarded 1 star cause the system won't let you post a review without any star. I wouldn't recommend this even to insomniacs cause I honestly think that this drama is so dangerously boring it could put you in coma.

Overall: Talk about a massive bait and switch. What's advertised as an intriguing "highschooler runs a sex trafficking ring" is really, "highschooler spends 10 overlong episodes fretting whether he'll get caught, trying to get his phone back". You learn nothing about the world of sex trafficking and that's bad for a supposed cautionary tale that ends every episode with "call 911 if you've heard about this happening in your school". The real message of this drama is that losing your cell phone is the worst thing that can happen to you.

Leia Mais