SCHOOL GENRE KOREAN DRAMAS [UPDATED 2016]

Here is the list of some of my favorite School Genre Korean Dramas 

Who doesn’t love watching Korean dramas and movies? Well, me? I’m so into it. Koreans are the best when it comes to romantic comedy as well as dramatic themed kind of dramas and films. There’s no doubt about it. My favorite ones lately are those kdramas that revolves around high school/ college life. So many cute guys and girls. Kyaaa! 

1. Monstar

STATUS: Completed 12 Episodes

PLOT: "Monstar" depicts the lives of ordinary teens who are injured psychologically and heal themselves through the power of music.

Yoon Sul-Chan (Yong Joon-Hyung) is the vocalist for the group "Man in Black". He carries deep wounds within his mind, but doesn't express his feelings. Because of his hot temper, he causes trouble. His management company then orders him to carry himself as an ideal student. He joins a music band at school, while facing unexpected events.

REVIEW: Very cute casts, and lovely songs. Monstar is very delightful to watch. It doesn’t only tackles high school romance, but bullying and passion as well. If you're up to musical dramas, you should try this one.

2. Puberty Medley

STATUS: Completed 4 Episodes

PLOT: Choi Jung-woo (Kwak Dong-yeon) is the new student at Namil High School. After transferring schools for 7 times because of his father's job, Jung-woo has learned to live like an "invisible man" and is determined not to make friends. But Yang Ah-young (Lee Se-young), the smart and seemingly aloof class president, is actually full of empathy, so she nags him into doing lots of school chores, which annoys Jung-woo.

REVIEW: Short but sweet. Puberty is a drama special. But even though it only has 4 episodes, it is filled with sweetness and heartwarming scenes, that you’ll go squeal. Good-looking casts btw. ;)

3. Shut Up Flower Boyband

STATUS: Completed 16 Episodes

PLOT: Joo Byung-hee (Lee Min-ki) is the crazy, free-spirited leader and vocalist of the popular underground rock group, Eye Candy. Joining him is Kwon Ji-hyuk (Sung Joon), chic Lee Hyun-soo (Kim Myung-soo), playboy Kim Ha-jin (Yoo Min-kyu), silent Jang Do-il (Lee Hyun-jae) and baby-faced Seo Kyung-jong (Kim Min-suk). When their delinquent-ridden school is forced to close down, they debate whether it's even worth returning to high school at all. However, due to an outside confrontation with their new school's current ruling band, Strawberry Fields, Eye Candy decides to attend Jungsang High out of spite so they can rule the school once again.

Shut Up Flower Boy Band is an atypical music drama – gritty, relentless and highly stylized to the punk sentiment, but always with heart.

 

REVIEW: Good music, hot guys. Another good romcom with musical. If you like to see bands especially those with cute high school boys, this is a must watch. BTW, L is part of it!

4. Dream High 

STATUS: Completed 16 Episodes

PLOT: Six students at Kirin High School have the dream of becoming K-pop idols. During their school years, they learn how to develop their singing, songwriting and dancing skills while undergoing personal growth. They also go through their love life and start to develop feelings for each other. Each one of the students has his or her own strengths and weaknesses, but they strive to debut with the support and guidance of each other.

REVIEW: Great songs and storyline. This is where I first fall in love with Kim Soo-Hyun and with school themed Korean drama. Dream High is so popular that it had its second season, but with different casts L. Aw men, how could they? I didn’t get to watch Dream High 2 because of that and also because of the reviews on it. 

5. Reply 1997

STATUS: Completed 16 Episodes

PLOT: Set in the 1990's, "Reply 1997" follows female high high school student Shi-Won (Jung Eun-Ji), who idolizes boyband H.O.T and her 5 high school friends.

REVIEW: Great concept and plot. Reply 1997 became a hit even though its on a cable channel. Why not? It has a great storyline that would make you watch it up to the end. Every episode is so thrilling that you can’t wait to know how it ended. 

6. Reply 1994

STATUS: Completed 21 Episodes

PLOT: Set in 1994, six university students from various provincial areas of South Korea (Jeolla Province, Chungcheong Province, and Gyeongsang Province) live together at a boarding house in Sinchon, Seoul, which is run by a couple with a daughter named Na-jung.

Like its predecessor, Reply 1997, it follows a non-linear story telling where it shifts between the past in 1994 and the present in 2013, making the viewers guess who will become Na-jung's husband among the male characters.

 

REVIEW: If you liked Reply 1997, you’ll love this. Different casts, different setting, same non-linear story line. I watched this while its on-going in Korea, and every week, I’m on the edge of my seat. I can’t get enough. The story is so good, and the love triangle causes an uproar in social media. If you’ve seen it, you’ll know why this is a must-watch.

7. Reply 1988

STATUS: Completed 20 Episodes

PLOT: In 1988, Duk-Sun (Hyeri), Jung-Hwan (Ryoo Joon-Yeol), Sun-Woo (Ko Gyung-Pyo) and Dong-Ryong (Lee Dong-Hwi) are high school students and Taek (Park Bo-Gum) is a go player. These five people have been friends since they were little kids. They all grew up together and are neighbors to this day. Their families are also very close to each other. They always hang around Taek's room and spend time together.

Reply 1988 is the third installment of tvN's Reply series. It received both critical and audience acclaim with its finale episode recording an 18.8% audience share making it the highest rated drama in Korean cable television history.

REVIEW: Hands down, my favourite Reply Series ever. Not only because Park Bo Gum is here, but the plot line was not only focused on the romantic side but also to friendship and family drama. It still follows the 1997 and 1994 mystery plot wherein you'll guess the husband of the main girl until the end. I really love how cute the couples in this drama.

8. Operation Proposal

STATUS: Completed 16 Episodes

PLOT: Kang Baek-ho and Ham Yi-seul have been best friends since elementary school. Baek-ho has never acknowledged his attraction to her, unaware that Yi-seul has been in love with him for more than 20 years. Finally, at the wedding ceremony where Yi-seul is about to marry another man (Jin-won), Baek-ho regrets that he never confessed his love for the bride. A mysterious conductor suddenly appears and offers him a second chance to win Yi-seul's heart. Baek-ho travels back in time to various events of their lives hoping to change the outcome of their relationship. But changing the future is not as easy as it seems

REVIEW: I love time travel plus Yoo Seung-Ho J . This may not be all-out school genre but most of its scenes involves high school especially when Baek-ho travels back in time to correct the regrets he have done. What a great plot. It also an adaptation from the Japanese version which is called “Proposal Daisakusen”. 

9. What's Up

STATUS: Completed 20 Episodes

PLOT: A drama revolving around music and the romance between students enrolled in the theatrical department of a university. 

REVIEW: Life lessons learned. Compared to other musical dramas mentioned above, What’s Up tackles a deeper aspect of life. This drama teaches many life lessons as it entertains its viewers. How I wish it has its second volume. Also, this is where I first love Descendant of the Sun's Kim Ji-Won, this girl can sing <3

10. Hi! School Love On

STATUS: Completed 20 Episodes

PLOT: "Hi! School-Love On" is a fantasy romance drama about an angel who has no choice but to become a human after saving a male student in danger. The noisy and ridiculous relationship between a mortal angel and teenage high school students will be unfolded.

REVIEW: Refreshing and cute.  This is filled with so many cute boys and girls. The story is very refreshing and light. A feel-good drama.

11. Playful Kiss/Mischievous Kiss

STATUS: Completed 16 Episodes

PLOT: "Mischievous Kiss" is a romantic-comedy covering the romance between Baek Seung-Jo (Kim Hyun-Joong), an arrogant young man with a genius IQ, and Oh Ha-Ni (Jung So-Min), a ditzy young woman who gets poor grades, but whose heart is as powerful as Seung-Jo's mind.

The series is based off from a Taiwanese drama and a Japanese manga book. It is call "It Started With a Kiss." It is about a girl in F class that falls in love with an A class boy. She liked him since the first year of high school. Once, she decided to tell him she likes him but was rejected. So the story continues about the girl who keeps chasing after the boy she loves.

REVIEW: Very funny and romantic. The story itself is no different, because we’ve seen and loved it on the Taiwanese and manga versions. But the casting for this version is awesome! Very good portrayal of the roles, especially for Kim Hyun-Joong <3.  

12. Cantabile Tomorrow / Naeil's Cantabile

STATUS: Completed 16 Episodes

PLOT: One is a meticulous musical genius. The other is a sloppy prodigy. But can their shared passion advance the world of classical music? Cha Yoo Jin (Joo Won) is a third-year piano student at a prestigious music school who seems to have everything going for him in his dreams to become a conductor. His father is a world-renowned pianist, but Yoo Jin’s fear of flying keeps him from advancing his musical education in Europe. When the elite student meets Seol Nae Il (Shim Eun Kyung), a free-spirited genius pianist, his life may never be the same.  It is based on the manga "Nodame Cantabile" by Tomoko Ninomiya.

REVIEW: Adorable casts and story. Another lovable musical drama to add to your list. This is a Korean adaptation of a Japanese drama/anime/manga. This is where I fell in love with Park Bo Gum, hahaha the second lead syndrome is too damn high in this one.

13. Persevere Goo Hae-Ra

STATUS: Completed 12 Episodes

PLOT: Hae-Ra (Min Hyo-Rin) is 21-years-old. Her dream is to debut as a singer to let people know about her late father's musical compositions. Hae-Ra then takes part in the music TV contest program SuperstarK 2 with her childhood twin friends Se-Jong (Kwak Si-Yang) and Se-Chan (Jin Young). They get through the local tryouts and are selected to take part in the program. At super week, Hae-Ra, Se-Jong and Se-Chan area teamed with Henry (Henry), Woo-Ri (Yoo Sung-Eun) and Jang Goon (Park Kwang-Sun), but due to unexpected incident they lose. They go back to their daily lives. Several years later, through a shocking incident, the team gather again and make their debut.

REVIEW: Another musical youth drama to love. Its quite a while when I last watch it, and I can't remember if its a school drama, but anyway, the casts are young and cute and I always recommend this series to everyone because its a really good one. If you're into Kpop you should definitely check this out.

14. Sassy Go Go

STATUS: Completed 12 Episodes

PLOT: Set at the elite Sevit High School in Seoul, the drama follows the lives of five students as they attempt to survive in a vicious environment where academic elitism takes place. Kang Yeon-doo (Jung Eun-ji) is the leader of outcast street dance club "Real King", a group of students who band together because of their poor academic performance, whereas Kim Yeol (Lee Won-keun) is the President of "Baek Ho", an elite club composed of students from the top 5 percent. When the two clubs are forcibly merged to create a cheerleading squad, the two put their differences aside for the benefit of their clubs. As they go on with their misadventures, lots of things happened that has resulted to a great and unbreakable bond. Cheer Up! is a story that aims an ordinary high school student's misadventures including love, heartbreak, pain and friendship.

REVIEW: Super Cute Main Lead. Yep, that's all I can say. hahahaha.



15. Who Are You: School 2015

STATUS: Completed  16 Episodes
PLOT: The lives of identical girls with very similar names – one who disappears without a trace and one who loses her memory – collide in unexpected ways. Lee Eun Bi (Kim So Hyun) grows up in an orphanage and deals with the relentless bullying from a group of girls at her school. Go Eun Byul (Kim So Hyun) attends Segang High School, a top-notch school in Gangnam, but disappears without a trace during a school field trip. As Eun Bi tries to escape from her miserable life and ends up in the hospital with no memories of her past, Eun Byul’s mother (Jeon Mi Seon) thinks Eun Bi is her lost daughter and takes her back to live her life as Eun Byul. As Eun Bi tries to recover her lost memories, can she discover what happened to the real Eun Byul and why she looks so much like the missing girl? 

REVIEW: Dang, Second-Lead-Syndrome is strong in this drama. Like the previous installments of School Series, School 2015 is a drama focused on the lives of the students and the issues each one has to deal with in their everyday lives. Although this could be a heavy drama, there's still a clear love story path for the main characters which is why I was hooked.

16. Cheese in the Trap

STATUS: Completed  16 Episodes

PLOT: Are even the most unlikely of people destined to be together? Hong Seol (Kim Go Eun) is a dedicated student who has just returned to college after taking some time off to work part-time jobs and make money to pay for her tuition.  Yoo Jung (Park Hae Jin) is a handsome, athletic student who has returned to college as an upperclassman after serving his mandatory military service. Despite Seol’s best efforts, she keeps having unfortunate run-ins with Jung that irritates her while her friends, Jang Bo Ra (Park Min Ji) and Kwon Eun Taek (Nam Joo Hyuk), try to run interference. But when the broody Jung is somehow responsible for Seol being able to get one year’s free tuition, thereby eliminating her financial woes, Seol is confused by Jung’s actions. What will Seol do when she gets caught between the attentions of the mysterious Jung and his estranged friend, Baek In Ho (Seo Kang Joon)? “Cheese in the Trap” is a 2016 South Korean drama series directed by Lee Yoon Jung. It is based on a webtoon written by Soon Ggi. This series marks the television debut for film actress Kim Go Eun.

REVIEW: I haven't watched it yet, but afaik, the feedback is good since it is a popular webtoon remake :)

P.S.
These reviews are purely personal opinions only. We all have different tastes on what we choose to watch. If I missed some school dramas, it is may be I don't like it or I haven't heard or read about it because I was living in a rock the past year due to my thesis, but now its done. WHEW.

Please feel free to comment your favourites down below, especially the ones you think should be added. KAMSAHAMNIDA!

Credits to the owner of the pictures.
Plot Sources: Asianwiki,Viki