This is the next drama to be adapted based on a trilogy of books centered on the students at Zhen Hua High School. Considering how much I loved "With You,"
I was eager to see what the other classes at Zhen Hua High School were up to. At the beginning of the drama, we are introduced to a large roster of new characters and I have to admit initially I was a bit worried that they bit off more than they could chew. However, I should have known better than to doubt this production team.

What I love most about both "With You" and "My Huckleberry Friends" is the attention and time they afford to each character whether main or supporting. As the drama says, every person is the main lead of their own story. That means all the characters will experience highs and lows. No matter how "big" or "small" the issue, all of their problems were treated with the respect they deserved. As a result, even when characters that weren't featured heavily throughout the drama had a moment of success/triumph, I couldn't help but be moved as well. Similarly, some characters also experienced setbacks and failures and I was able to sympathize with them. But these hardships/struggles also serve as learning experiences so that we can better ourselves. No one can predict if our past struggles will net us the result we want in the end. However, in the process, we will become better versions of ourselves with fond memories that we can look back on. As a result, we should cherish our past not mourn it.

I also like how Zhen Hua feels like a community made up of individuals that genuinely care about one another. Even though Zhen Hua is an elite school, students go out of their way to help each other if they see someone is struggling even if that means a student might surpass them in ranking. The students try to be inclusive and take notice of each other's strengths in order to help each other achieve their dreams. Sometimes we forget that school isn't just about learning different subjects/earning grades but also learning how to socialize/interact with people who may have different personalities, interests, dreams and so on. Ideally, you shouldn't have to choose a major/university only because you think you'll get a good job from it and your job/career shouldn't solely define who you are as a person. Instead, you should be able to pursue something that genuinely interests you so that you'll be more invested in what you're learning. Unfortunately, this isn't a realistic option for most people. But there will be a courageous (and lucky) few who will buck the trend and go after their dreams however impossible they may seem because when you're young, the possibilities of what you can be seem endless.

One of the main messages that both "With You" and "My Huckleberry Friends" promotes is being yourself. This also means discovering who you are in the process. For some people, high school is the time when you start to think about your place in society and how you'll contribute to it. Some of the characters in both dramas, select their majors because their friends/crush have chosen that major or have been pushed into choosing it by their parents. It's important to explore a variety of options to find what suits you the most. That is how you'll contribute to society but your interactions with other students/teachers/parents and how you conduct yourselves will determine who you are as a person. If you want other students to be more kind, to be more understanding/empathetic, you should lead by example. Be the change you want to see. I think it's great that the teachers are portrayed encouraging this type of behavior and that they understand the youth are the future.

One of the main differences between "With You" and "My Huckleberry Friends" is the greater emphasis placed on the students life outside of the school's walls in MHF and how those factors inform what kind of student they are at school. Social status, high expectations from parents, personal trauma are just some of the issues that are examined in this drama. We also see the students bond over shared interests such as Anime/manga, basketball, music, movies as a way for them to relieve their stress and temporarily escape the harshness of their current realities. Those interests will bring them together but their shared experiences will bond them for a lifetime.

Honestly, if I had to choose between "With You" and "My Huckleberry Friends", I wouldn't be able to. I feel that they both complement one another so well and together should be counted as one of the definitive representations of youth and the growing pains associated with it.