School Dramas (Recommended)
Recommended dramas set in a school or the main character is a student. In order of how school drama-ish it is.
For the feeling of youth, dreams, angst, first love & best friends. Also covering peer pressure, family pressure, societal pressure, teachers, bullies and homework, so much homework.
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1. School 2013
Korean Drama - 2012, 16 episodes
Why I fell in love with the School series and why I will never fall out of it.
It had everything - relationships between friends, classmates, parents, teachers, it had maybe 1% of romance but I still ship it so hard regardless. It addressed bullying, peer pressure, poor kids, rich kids, the pressure to do well, saving face, pride, anger, resentment. Everything teenage angst lives for.
*100% this is what a school drama should be
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2. School 2017
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
Continuing with the School series.
Addressing relationships, first love, classmates, school politics.
*100% school drama
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3. Sassy Go Go
Korean Drama - 2015, 12 episodes
Love the young actors and watching Chae Soo-bin's budding career.
Addressing friendships, school clubs, teachers, favouritism, rich vs poor kids.
*100% school drama
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4. Hot Young Bloods
Korean Movie - 2014
[Movie] Starring Lee Jong-suk & Park Bo-young, how could I not love this. Also I've just realised the real life work relationships between those 2 & Kim Young-kwang!? There's so much crossover.
Addressing attending school in the 80s in a poor countryside town.
*90% school movie
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5. Moment at Eighteen
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
Loving the young cast and trying to find love amidst the angst.
Addressing teenage angst.
*90% school drama
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6. Reply 1997
Korean Drama - 2012, 16 episodes
Starring 6 friends who are trying to balance fangirling with all that homework.
Addressing growing up in the 90s, family, friendships, classmates. The relationships between everyone were so heartwarming even amidst the screaming and fighting.
60% school drama, 30% fangirling
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7. Monstar
Korean Drama - 2013, 12 episodes
Even after all these years I remember the heartbreaking song at the end of the first episode.
Addressing finding yourself, bullying, relationships between classmates.
*80% school drama
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8. Angry Mom
Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
While a bit unrealistic, I felt like I was reliving my teenage angst years and the young actors were amazing.
Addressing bullying, school politics, family and friendships/first love.
*70% school drama
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9. Somehow 18
Korean Drama - 2017, 10 episodes
[Web drama, 10eps] Time travel meets first love from high school.
Addressing our regrets.
*70% school drama
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10. Reply 1988
Korean Drama - 2015, 20 episodes
Similar to Reply 1997, it's by the same people after all, but better than ever. Except she didn't get with the guy I was rooting for!
Addressing growing up together, friendships, having to take that step from childhood friend to lover.
*40% school drama, 80% teen drama
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11. Who Are You: School 2015
Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
Another in the School series but it's like they tried to avoid everything in the 2013 version which left it with nothing but romance and a poor love triangle/square it was.
Addressing love triangles and being the new student.
*60% school drama
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12. Extraordinary You
Korean Drama - 2019, 32 episodes
This is a different type of school drama that's for sure.
Addressing how to be the star when you're the side character at school & our place in society which is all the more evident in the enclosed society of school.
*60% school drama
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13. The Heirs
Korean Drama - 2013, 20 episodes
Romance school drama full of big names.
Addressing being the poor kid at a rich kid school, bullying and harassment.
*50% school drama
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14. Goong
Korean Drama - 2006, 24 episodes
My first Kdrama love.
Addressing friendships and having to get married to royalty while still in school.
*50% school drama, 50% royalty & marriage, I still can't imagine trying to study both at the same time
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15. Boys Over Flowers
Korean Drama - 2009, 25 episodes
I didn't like the manga and certainly couldn't go very far into the drama but it's an original fan favourite.
Addressing the poor kid in a rich kid school and spoilt brats.
*50% school drama
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16. To The Beautiful You
Korean Drama - 2012, 16 episodes
Watched it for Minho and finished it for Minho. I didn't think it was good but it's a fan favourite.
Addressing how far would you go for fangirling.
*40% school drama
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17. The Great Seducer
Korean Drama - 2018, 32 episodes
Added it to the list because Boys Over Flowers & The Heirs are similar.
Addressing spoilt brats trying to play 'adult' games.
*40% school drama, 40% angst
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18. Orange Marmalade
Korean Drama - 2015, 12 episodes
Despite my low rating it was actually really good for the first half. It then switches to a historical drama for some unknown reason and other viewers said to stop there so I did too. The idol actors were brilliant, I'm especially keen to watch Seolhyun in more works.
Addressing first loves and being a vampire trying to go to school like a normal kid.
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19. I Hear Your Voice
Korean Drama - 2013, 18 episodes
The original sweet noona romance.
Addressing being able to hear your classmates thoughts.
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20. Plus Nine Boys
Korean Drama - 2014, 14 episodes
There's one young kid and one teenager out of the 4 love stories.
Addressing first love.