Air Date: January 23 – February 20, 2025

Episodes: 10

Where to Watch: Viki

Genre: Action Thriller

Starring: Hwang Min Hyun and Han Ji Eun

A struggling student dreams of starting a study group at his new technical high school, so he can improve his grades and get into college.  And when he finds out that his new homeroom teacher is his former beloved tutor, who agrees to be the club advisor, he thinks things are finally looking up.  But the group is quickly targeted by the school bully, putting all of them in danger.  And now their new leader will be forced to step forward and protect their group and its members if he is going to make his dreams come true.  And it’s a fight he has been training for his whole life.

Ga Min has never had a mother or teacher who nagged him about his grades, yet all he has ever wanted was to do well in school.  He is a loyal friend and a kind hearted student who believes in fairness and justice.  I loved Hwang Min Hyun as the nerdy student with the iron fist.  He played both sides of this character so well.  

Han Gyeong loves teaching and loves her students.  She is patient and encouraging to all of her students, although she is often frustrated by the lack of respect and diligence of most of the students at Yusung.  But she hopes to change all of that and bring a new era to the school and the standard of its students.  I liked Han Ji Eun in this role.  She did a nice job of balancing the character’s gentle frailty with a fearless drive to make a difference at all costs.

So, this show really saved some fun surprises for the end, but my favorite was the fact that Ga Min’s mom is actually the Director of the Korean Taekwondo Association.  And she can hold her own just as well as her son.

Jun was one of  my favorite characters in this drama.  First, I loved the way he is an exact opposite of Ga Min; while Ga Min fought so he could learn to study, Jun studied so he could learn to fight.  And second, his constant bickering with Ji U was entertaining.  Which is why I was so pleased to finally see him stand up to his old friend and get the justice he deserved.  

I understand that Han Ul’s dad is rich and powerful, but with a whole city of high school students creating chaos, I find it hard to believe the police couldn’t break through this case.  Young people who feel they are invinsible don’t seem likely to stake their freedom on some distant promise of financial secuurity.

Park Geon Yeop had the potential to be an interesting character in this drama.  Aside from Ga Min himself, he was the person with the clearest motive to want to take down Han Ul and his cronies.  So I wish we had seen more of his character.  He definitely deserved more screen time than some of the other supporting characters.

‘Study Group’ gives us a happy ending for our heroes while opening the door for a season 2.  In a final stand off with Han Ul and his gang, the group fight a hard fought battle and stand victorious in the end, with the help of a whole mob of fellow students.  With that done, the disciplinary committee goes on as planned.  Han Ul is expelled and then promptly arrested for the murder of Jung Hwa.  The Vice Principal is also arrested as an accessory to all Han Ul’s crimes.  We see Han Ul’s dad trying to bring in his high-powered lawyers but we never see what actually happens with the case or Han Ul.

With the right person arrested, we see Ji U’s brother finally released and the twins are reunited.  Geon Yeop gets a job at Yeon Baek Capital where we can assume he will go after Han Ul’s dad.  And, with their leader gone, the ranking app disappears and a time of peace settles on Yusung.  The study group is cleared of any wrong-doing.  Love is in the air for Se Hyeon and Hui Won.

And what about our fearless leader?  His grades finally improve.  Life is really looking up.  But a short scene at the end shows someone, presumable Han Gyeong, handing in her resignation.  What will happen to the group without her guidance and support?  We can only hope we get to find out with a season 2.

‘Study Group’ is a short youth action drama with plenty of great fighting scenes and an exciting storyline.  But unlike other bullying dramas, this one isn’t focused on the emotional pain of the experience but on the ability to overcome it.  It’s bullying through a manhwa lens.  Themes of protecting those you care about and finding true friendships make a heartwarming balance to the violence of the action scenes.  There is also plenty of humor along the way!

Having said that, this is a bullying drama, and while the fighting is well choreographed it is still violent.  In an effort to tone down the violence and mirror the feeling of the webtoon it was based on,  the drama is purposely a bit campy and definitely requires a suspension of disbelief.  For some, the over-the-top feeling of the series was not their cup of tea.  But the story and characters are fun and I really enjoyed the watch.  I give “Study Group’ a 9 out of 10 ramen.

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If this review has made you curious about where your other favorites stand, here is break down of the other reviews by rating.  Links to both spoiler-free and full reviews are available on each page. Feel free to explore all the wonderful dramas I have watched.