O Romance da Meia-noite em Hagwon (2024)

Final de lista

Ao primeiro momento busquei assistir porque prefiro dramas com romances mais maduros. Ao passar alguns ep foi interessante ver o desenvolvimento do romance, entretanto é somente isso, depois de algumas coisas a trama não chama atenção não apresenta nada de novo de outros dramas com ambientação de cursinho. Se for assistir só para passar o tempo ele serve, mas se tiver outros na lista eu colocaria no final para assistir só quando não tivesse outras opções. Os personagens secundários em minha opinião foram desnecessários, os ditos vilões são rasos e parecem escritos somente para tomar tempo de tela.

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A refreshingly sassy KDrama, critically reckoning with the South Korean education system (and love)

“The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” promises a love story with its international title - and that's what we get. Jung Ryeo-won and Wi Ha-joon are creating the relatively adult, authentic aura of a tender but complicated love relationship between a former graduate and his former tutor. Yet, the two are more than a couple. Today, as teachers, they inspire each other to teach didactically creative. And in doing so, they also inspire their students.

Thus, the KDrama, which in the original means something like “The Graduate”, basically offers more than a romance. It is rather a quite critical reckoning with the South Korean education system. The criticism: It's less about education than about grades -and a lot of money is involved in getting good grades. The students learn the correct answers to their questions. They therefore receive any effective support outside of school, mainly in the tutoring academies, provided their parents can afford it. However, there is one thing, the students don't learn: how to ask the right questions. They don't learn to question or get to the bottom of something. They know their material they have to memorize and what formulas they should be able to apply. Everything else is not part of the entrance exam or a prerequisite for qualifying for admission to one of the three large SKY universities. It has to be Seoul National University, Korea University or Yonsei University (S, K and Y), if anyone in South Korea is to become something...

"The Midnight Romance in Hagwon" aka "The Graduate" takes stock of the prevailing, dubious, even misleading values of a society, still trying to convince the people that they have to obsessively achieve something in order to be valuable of some sort.

When it comes to the academy teaching staff, it is about tailor-made exam preparation, courting parents an acquiring new students. Looking to the right or left, seeing a student as an individual human being with dreams and needs, let alone respond to them? Oh my! Whether it's students or scandals, it's never about the people. It's always about the money. A lot of money. The competition is enormous. The South Korean education market is a lucrative economic engine that is humming along happily.

This KDrama offers a wonderfully staged, emotionally sensitive and vivid approach to these issues, using the fate of various ambitious, highly motivated teachers who would like to try something different, but are not allowed to. They are surrounded by elitist parents who are ready to do anything for the glorious future of their beloved, dearest offspring. They are also surrounded by fiercely competitive academies that are just waiting for someone to make a mistake, because then those protégés can easily be poached and their own coffers start ringing instead...

What a refreshingly sassy KDrama, dealing with all those issues...

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A cry from the heart about the current state of arts education in Korea

Ahn Pan Soek always chooses to highlight a social issue in his dramas and essentially this drama explores the current state of arts education in Korea with a romance blended in. If you hope it’s the other way around you will not only be disappointed, but probably miss the point entirely. Having said that, the romance that does unfold is beautifully written, directed and acted. And the lesson in arts education is a rallying cry to bring it back to life and reveal it’s passionate, emotional heart.

He likes to find writers who can reveal both the underbelly and the heart and here he has collaborated with yet another subtle and mature writer, Park Kyung Hwa. She only has one other credit to her name which is delighting in the rating of 7.1 on the MDL richter scale. Obviously not earth shaking. Unfortunately there are no reviews, so I have no idea why it was rated so low. But here she is ably proving herself to be a typical Ahn Pan Seok collaborator with a nuanced and obviously well-informed script. She manages to highlight the different responses made by each character in pressure situations and handles the character development well, giving the viewer enough verbal information to follow along with the complex internal emotional landscapes that she is playing with. The emotional games that get played out in the final two episodes are especially good.

The pacing is very even and focuses on slow studies of people’s reactions. The life lessons learned here are not on a romcom level, they are difficult questions around the intersection between ethics and ambition, and, compassion and competition, requiring some thought and sensitivity to follow and appreciate. It really takes off about two thirds of the way through, at a point where often a drama flags.

The characters are closer to realistic so have good and bad about them, but are not exaggerated. For some they might be too ordinary, but I think that the actors do a good job at showing the hidden undercurrents and the depth is there if you look for it. At the start the FL makes some quite unprofessional moves and the ML bludgeons his naive way ahead. But this slice of life story leads you through the realistic steps that will change both their minds and their attitudes. At times there’s a moral superiority at work which might be a little difficult to swallow. But this is dramaland after all and the antagonists are kept within the bounds of credibility.

As with other Ahn Pan Seok dramas, the love story at the heart is sensitively portrayed. High five to Jung Rye Won and Wi Ha Joon who have great, believable chemistry. The uncertainty and awkwardness of the beginnings of intimacy are beautifully brought out. And the bedroom scene is such a joy. Full of warmth and naturalness. Ahh Pan Seok and his crew obviously manage to create an environment on set that allows the actors to feel comfortable and easy, so that their laughter and intimacy seem more real.

The supporting cast is a panel of very familiar faces if you are an Ahn Pan Seok stan. All of them are good and there are no two-dimensional cardboard cut-outs. As for Seo Jung Yeon’s hair, it is a sculpture in itself. It’s got enough product in it to hold up the Sydney Harbour Bridge and she wears it with impressive style. Who needs Medusa when you’ve got her death-stare boring into you from across the desk.

Overall the drama is a damning indictment of the Korean arts education system and the forces that keep it on the straight and narrow, where free thinking and self-learning is sacrificed to conformity and examination grades. In terms of thinking it creates more of the same, rather than individuals who can think outside the box and move in unique directions.

The majority of my working life was spent in “western” universities and I watched them change in order to accommodate the rote learning styles of the many countries whose students provide the financial survival of western education, once political policies turned them into businesses. Much has been lost in the process.
A PhD was once an entirely original piece of research in a field not previously studied. It required breaking new ground in an area carved out by the scholar. Now it has often become being included in someone else’s research programme to write papers and includes taught courses. Many students flounder if they are not told exactly what to do and how to do it.

Gone is the education in imaginative and original thinking and the confidence to explore academic freedom. This was the actual purpose of an arts education. But the drama reveals how that is undermined, such that the student never gains this skill, but only learns to parrot what is thought by someone else. At one point the character Lee Jun Ho (Wi Ha Joon), in his battle to teach differently, says “The smart ones… understand it will become an asset of their lifetime.” The whole essence of this thinking is carefully revealed in Episode 12 and it is explicitly delineated in step by step terms like a cry from the heart.

I won’t elaborate on, imo, how self defeating it is to push children in this way to rote learn so that they can get into a university (Seoul National) which is currently (June 2024) ranked at 62 on the THE scale of global universities, 14th in Asia, with an arts and humanities ranking of 176-200. (https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/seoul-national-university) That’s indicative of a good university, but nothing exceptional. Children who get into the top university in the world - Oxford University - do not study in this way or for such punishing and unsustainable hours. Go figure…

Where Ahn Pan Seok and I completely part company is the music. My musical taste is pretty eclectic and I’m willing to embrace almost anything if it’s good. But banal and bland, predictable and pedestrian - nah. It’s not even as though you can just ignore it as background noise, tbh it’s often so cheerfully twee it attracts the ear. How he can be so subtle in his directing, yet have such naff taste in music is beyond me to understand. I’ve never watched a drama of his where the repetitive songs have not annoyed the hell out of me in every episode. Look, I’m sure there are people out there who love them, but I’m simply not one of them.

What I do like about his approach to music though is that he doesn’t always use it. His directing and the quality of the acting allows him to sometimes let emotional scenes play out without having to manipulate the viewers’ responses. They are good enough to stand on their own and silence is the thing that adds poignancy. Then immediately afterwards he’ll use something with brass and percussion at max reverb that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Marvel movie. What can I say…

As I have experience in the field and care very much about education I was probably able to read the message more thoroughly than most and as a result I really enjoyed this drama.

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Conventional Drama with Minimal Impact..

In a world awash with romantic dramas and emotional rollercoasters, a 16ep series must offer something truly different to actually stand out.. Unfortunately, this drama falls short of this and leaves us with much to be desired.. The script lacks significant depth.. And the chemistry between characters is rather mediocre.. The romantic elements are decent but still lacks any actual development.. TMRIH lacked the depth needed to truly keep us engaged or atleast with me.. Overall it’s a “so-so” affair.. Neither compelling nor terrible.. But undeniably underwhelming..

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Captivating premiere, Realistic education plot. Plus, heartwarming romance!!

The midnight romance in hagwon is captivating, the school and academy setting made it more interesting. And that's not all, the argument of seo hye jin and the school teacher on the multiple choice question made it more realistic.

There are many teachers out there who simply can't accept they made a mistake, especially when that mistake is being pointed out by an academy teacher or a student. When students tells some teachers about a question having more than an answer in the options given, they'll refute them by saying "I've already told you this is the only answer for the question". And they'd be more infuriated should the student mention that his/her academy instructor proved her right.
Humans learn from their mistakes, but some believe their mistakes should be covered just because they feel their pride would be hurt. And that's exactly what this teacher tried to do.

And honestly, school teachers and academy instructors perform the same duties but in different manners, I guess. school teachers teaches according to the national curriculum while academy teachers teaches a bit beyond curriculums. But all in all, both of them teach and impact knowledge, isn't it?

This drama is indeed very promising, with excellently executed plots. I'm excited to see more captivating episodes to come!!!

The romance between the two leads is both heartwarming and believable. The chemistry between the actors is undeniable, and their interactions are both funny and touching.

The writing is sharp and witty, with a good balance of humor and pathos. The dialogue is natural and believable, and the characters' emotions are conveyed with authenticity.

The acting is superb, with all three leads delivering nuanced and emotionally resonant performances. The actors bring the characters to life and make them feel like real people.

Finally, it picked up when it reached episode 12. What can I say? I've got to say I love how mature the relationship of both leads are. They understands each other. Although I think the story could have been summarized with 12 episodes, rather than the 16. Besides that, it's still a good watch. It's a mature drama I'd recommend.

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Beautiful romance with great chemistry

PROS:
◇The romance (There is an age gap and they are both adults)
◇The chemistry
◇The writing very slice of life
◇The main couple
◇The friendships
◇The realistic characters.
◇The married couple that own the restaurant. What lovely green flags 💚


CONS:
◇The Meolodrama work senses dragged a little in the 2nd half.

Overall glad I watched it. Honestly a really nice watch when it was on.
If your a fan of slice of life's with a side of Meolodrama and 100% a happy endings? Then I recommend checking this one out. ♡

CONTENT WARNING:
◇Same language
♡ Romance ♡
◇A fade to black scene and kissing

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A well-paced and interesting inside look at Korean afterschool academies

I started “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” with no expectations at all and avoided it when it was first aired since I am not too big of a fan of noona romance. But I’m glad I watched it due to a Bingo challenge, as I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.

Having the word ‘romance’ in its title probably has set up some expectations for romance-lovers to then feel a little disappointed. Although the romance is cute and sweet for an episode or so, the majority of the time, the drama focuses on the inner workings and politics within the afterschool academies/tutoring centers. If you are not interested in this subject, it’s best to not watch this drama, otherwise, you would be bored.

Luckily, I was quite interested in learning about the academies. It’s having a different look into Korea’s education system, and a different point-of-view from another Korean drama, “Sky Castle” which I thoroughly enjoyed as well. “Sky Castle” focuses on rich families getting their kids into prestigious academies and colleges. “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” focuses on the teachers and the rivalries between teachers and academies, with a much smaller emphasis on students and families. I have a feeling this drama might be more popular domestically than internationally. I also think the Korean audience understands and appreciates Korean literature and poems.

The first episode sucked me right in with an interesting conflict that shows up in the second half of the drama again and brings great tension between the characters. I like the progression and evolution of the relationship between Seo Hye Jin (FL) and Lee Jun Ho (ML). I also like how their romance evolves as well from sweet and cute to supportive and mature. The leads have great chemistry and I never felt weird watching this noona romance. Their interaction is natural, explosive when needed, and awkwardly cute as well.

Maybe because I did not binge this in one go, I find the drama well-paced with enough twists and turns to keep me interested and engaged throughout. I was rooting for Lee Jun Ho’s success with his daring and innovative ways of teaching. I was rooting and praying hard that the nerdy school teacher will remain true to his teaching ideals and not turn to the ‘dark side’. I was frustrated (but not surprised) of the downfall and am angry with the leads for how things turned out.

My favorite part is seeing three different teachers’ love for their students, wanting success for them yet going about teaching in very different ways and different ideals. My favorite scenes are the big blowups. The nerdy school teacher with FL in episode 1, the big argument of the main leads in ep 11, and finally as all three of them sit down and chat emotionally and passionately. I see where each of them is coming from, and agree with them all to a certain extent. Depending on whether you are a teacher, a student or a parent, you agree with each of them to a different degree.

I also really like the acting of the cast, both the main leads, the supporting cast and especially the veterans. I’m pleasantly surprised by So Ju Yeon’s portrayal of the confident teacher, Nam Cheong Mi. I’ve seen her in roles as high school students, and am glad to see her act as a confident and sassy 30-year old teacher.

I really don’t have any major criticisms of this drama and am quite surprised it has a rating of 7.7, which is quite low for Korean dramas. I just found the songs to be overly played, as much as I like them (the opening theme has a Beatle’s vibe to it). Other reasons for the low rating: 1) maybe the focus of the academies is too much/boring and not a popular topic, 2) maybe the romance is somewhat slow burn and not rewarding enough thus, not disappointing many, 3) maybe the downfall is too predictable, as we all know it’s going to happen sooner or later.

No matter the reason, I personally enjoy “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon”. I’ll recommend this drama if you are interested in learning more about the academies/tutoring centers, or a romance that’s a little different and evolves and matures as the series goes.



Completed: 1/19/2025 - Review #534

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A masterpiece ✨

Finished watching today, this drama is one of those dramas that grow into you with time and that will leave you reflecting a lot, it’s so realistic that it feels like you are living with them and witnessing their day to day life, the human stories inside and outside the academy feel so heartwarming and relatable and the actors and especially the main leads did an excellent job in their roles, their romance felt mature and realistic and still manage to give you butterflies even for the old audiences past 30 like me, i enjoyed watching it a lot and it’s going to be a drama that is among the classics of the kdrama land ✨

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