Wow. What an…experience.

Objectively, I had a few issues with the drama’s execution. Not-so-objectively, this is a perfect show to accompany a couple of spiked seltzers (ahem...only if you're of legal age, please): it’s cra-zy. Loco, I tell you.

The School Nurse Files is not your conventional television show, let alone your run-of-the-mill K-drama. It really does have a “Netflix original” vibe to it (as I would describe such a “genre”): creative and at times disturbing, but most importantly, outlandish. Each episode is a trip into peculiar jelly (warning: gross to look at) encounters, meeting eccentric characters, and the resulting chaos. Mixed together with moments of dry humor, the show can feel overwhelming at times, but is unexpectedly entertaining.

I can picture this drama as suiting those with more niche preferences, so I wouldn't recommend it on a whim. The computer graphics are done so well that the resulting creepiness can be physically off-putting. And though our main character may be a toy sword, BB gun-wielding fanatic, this show’s themes are quite serious and—on certain occasions—dark. Altogether, it’s a weird cocktail of comic tomfoolery and harsh reality that’s the first of its kind in the K-drama realm.

In terms of writing, the length of the drama turned out to be a handicap. The story was interesting enough, but the progression was slightly faster than what I prefer. With even one more episode, I think the pacing could have been smoother and the message of the show would have come across much stronger.

While I liked the characters, none of them were developed to their full potentials. In the fantasy genre, where plot tends to be overpowering by nature, it’s important to build characters as interesting human beings in order to complement such compelling stories. I don’t think that was entirely accomplished here, and that’s my main qualm with the show. The characters are supposed to be strange. Most of them are supposed to rub you the wrong way. But then what? They fall flat. Altogether, the freshness of the plot is what carries you through the show.

Admittedly, my initial interest was due to Nam Joo Hyuk. Jung Yoo Mi being on the cast list was an extra plus. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the two of them performed excellently. Jung Yoo Mi excelled in her oddballish yet emotional lead role, and Nam Joo Hyuk’s portrayal of a mellow and genuine sidekick was equally fun to watch. Oh, Nam Joo Hyuk. Never could I have expected him, of all people, to lead me...here. But here I am. In jelly-world.

Because it’s such a unique drama, there’s really no way of predicting whether you’ll enjoy it unless you try it. This is one of those rare shows where watching the first half hour is likely enough for you to make an accurate judgment about how much you’ll like the rest. So, empty your mind and jump in…just…your head needs to be totally empty to accept the amount of insanity it’s about to encounter.