" School 2013: Episode 1 3: Episode 1, Pretty Rhythm Aira

This is a nighttime academy (cram school), và judging from the attentiveness of the class it must be the kind where overachiever students go to lớn supplement their learning (rather than, say, the remedial sort). Và when Teacher Se-chan pulls out his legendary notes lớn distribute to lớn the class, they’re excited to lớn get their hands on such a coveted book.

Delivery boy Nam-soon interrupts this class; one of its students ordered the cake. Feeling generous about his grand farewell, Se-chan offers one of his sacred notebooks lớn Nam-soon too—prompting an outcry from the others of “It’s not fair”—only to lớn have Nam-soon say with supreme indifference that he doesn’t want it. Blink, blink. This barely computes in Se-chan’s brain.

Seeing the cake, Se-chan tells his class that he’s feeling good today & will let them off early to party. So magnanimous when he’s the guest of honor, isn’t he? Only… the kids blankly tell him it’s for a student’s birthday, ha. Se-chan covers his surprise and disappointment, but what was momentarily funny is now tinged with an air of melancholy. If this is an example of how well the drama is going khổng lồ engage its mood, I’m gonna really like what School has lớn offer.

So Se-chan shuffles out of class practically ignored by his class, though he perks up when a student comes out of the class behind him. He’s bolstered by this one show of loyalty by tuy vậy HA-KYUNG (Park Se-young)… only she isn’t here lớn see him off. Aw. I love that this teacher’s got an ego, but also that it can so easily be punctured.

Ha-kyung catches up khổng lồ Nam-soon at his scooter and asks if his errand service really does anything. They aren’t friends but they recognize each other from school, and Ha-kyung asks how much it’ll cost to ensure that Nam-soon will keep his mouth shut—she doesn’t want anybody lớn hear that she was here at this academy. Hm, interesting. Is she ashamed, or is she uber-competitive?

Nam-soon can’t even be bothered with her and rides off.

The next morning, Nam-soon readies for school. Aw, he’s waiting for his rice cooker to lớn finish cooking, but with just minutes to lớn spare he can’t risk being late. He takes some of his hard-earned cash from his money tin instead and catches the bus.

A tomboyish girl sidles up to him with a friendly grin—LEE KANG-JOO (Ryu Hyo-young)—but he barely acknowledges her. Then a trio of mean-looking bullies pushes toward him, & without a word Nam-soon gives up his seat. He’s far from scared of them, but you get the sense that he’d rather just bởi the easy thing than stir up trouble.

The girl, Kang-joo, follows him to the other side of the bus & asks if he’s nice or dumb. Nam-soon doesn’t answer.

The trio of bullies intercepts Nam-soon on the road khổng lồ school, pulling him aside. They want to “borrow” some money, and Nam-soon hands over his five, asking for two back. They laugh in his face.

The punkass leader, Jung-ho, offers him a cigarette (pushes one on him, more like) and clarifies that they’re not stealing the money; they’re borrowing it. Nam-soon rejects the smoke và scoffs.

On lớn the administrators: A younger teacher, JUNG IN-JAE (Jang Nara), catches up to the older Teacher Yoo. Ha, In-jae actually took a taxi to lớn school so she could avoid the students smoking in front. (She would have to lớn discipline them, but must lack the confidence. Or maybe just authority.) Teacher Yoo is the more pragmatic sort, saying that she ought to lớn just turn a blind eye.

It’s the beginning of term & the school, Victory (Seungri) High, has lost a homeroom teacher (“After thirty years of teaching, (s)he must not know how to lớn run a class now that corporal punishment has been banned”). Thus the teachers have to figure out who gets stuck with the hard-to-manage Year 2, Class 2.

The vice principal suggests In-jae, and the other teachers are happy to let her have it. Vice Principal Woo reminds his staff to keep the slackers in line, mindful that the school’s producing terrible grades right now. Especially the second-years.

As anticipated, Class 2 is a mess & out of control. In-jae tries to lớn assert some authority và slams her book down khổng lồ get their attention, at which point we see that the class contains some familiar faces—indifferent Nam-soon, tomboy Kang-joo, bookish Ha-kyung.

The principal has a problem on her hands: A report came in this morning, with photo evidence, of their students smoking outside school. The pics are of Nam-soon và bully Jung-ho. Crap.

Jung-ho & his posse stroll into class late, without a care. In-jae can’t ignore Jung-ho’s blatant rebelliousness và orders him khổng lồ spit out his gum và sit up. He sticks the gum under his desk & purposely settles back for naptime.

But the entrance of stern Teacher Uhm has the students sitting up at attention—they don’t like him or his disciplinarian ways, but they listen lớn him. He orders them lớn place their hands on their desks while he conducts a brief search, and they mutteringly obey.

Jung-ho sticks his pack of cigarettes under the desk using his gum, so when he’s singled out, the pack isn’t on him. Teach orders Nam-soon to tìm kiếm Jung-ho’s desk for him… và the cigarettes fall to lớn the ground. Arg. This is not going to kết thúc well for Nam-soon, is it?

The teacher pulls the two boys out of class and tells them to write their confession statement. Jung-ho takes the denial route, since the photos don’t clearly show their faces, và says he can’t confess to something he didn’t do. “Why don’t you hit me?” he goads, knowing that the teacher can’t. Nam-soon remains quiet.

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The other students learn wonder at Nam-soon being included since he doesn’t smoke. But they know he’s in deep water with “Uhmforce” on the job. (HA! They didn’t name the character Uhm Dae-woong fer nuthin’.)

Principal yên tells the teachers that this isn’t merely about smoking, but a blight on the entire school’s image. Make an example of those boys.

In-jae has to lớn go to the actual book to lớn see what the rules are, and there’s a catch-all clause for bad behavior that gives the school grounds for expulsion.

Uhmforce takes Nam-soon aside và asks him lớn confirm that Jung-ho is the guy in the photograph. When he doesn’t say anything, the teacher asks if he’s scared of Jung-ho, or if they’re buddies now. All Nam-soon says is “no” và “no,” giving no explanation for his silence.

In-jae follows him out khổng lồ ask if he smoked. He says no, & she urges him khổng lồ tell everything, wanting him to know that he could really get kicked out. He either doesn’t believe her or doesn’t much care, và just says it’s unlikely the school would be that careless.

She doesn’t have his confidence, và pores over her book of students. A small number of them have already dropped out. The ức chế gets lớn her.

She plucks up the nerve, though, to face Teacher Uhm and state that as their homeroom teacher, she can’t accept the school disciplining students based on a photo that doesn’t even conclusively show their identities. She uses the same word Nam-soon did—the school can’t be that careless. She warns that if this proceeds, she’ll tệp tin her objections.

Ha, but she doesn’t see till it’s too late that she has an audience—the principal và vice principal. Whoopsie. If anything, this makes her seem defiant, & she’s mortified.

She apologizes to Uhmforce afterward, but to her surprise he backs her up, though he says she should have picked the proper time & place khổng lồ say it. At least the boys’ punishment has been deferred, and she’s pleased to hear it.

Nam-soon is welcomed back lớn Class 2, but Jung-ho storms inside in a foul mood. When the class president asks for his tardiness fine, Jung-ho bullies the poor kid next khổng lồ him for it. His buddies loom threateningly and slap the boy around, demanding cash.

Nam-soon tries to ignore the growing tension, but finally he has enough and chucks his book at the bully’s head. But instead of fighting, he steps in with a smile & asks the victim a pleasant question, as though he’s completely oblivious he’s interrupting anything.

It breaks up the moment, though it only makes Jung-ho’s posse madder at him. One bully starts after him, but Jung-ho holds him back. For now.

In the next period, In-jae tries lớn conduct her literature class & orders Jung-ho woken from his nap. He makes a point of taking out his phone, và she storms over, determined lớn assert some authority. Even his friends warn her khổng lồ back off—clearly Jung-ho’s a lost cause—but she’s taken her stance & confiscates the phone, telling him he can have it after school.

But that pisses him off, & Jung-ho actually grabs her—so forcibly that she’s completely rattled. The other students are too scared khổng lồ step in, and Jung-ho grabs his phone back.

Trying not to đại bại it, In-jae just walks out of class in silence.

Just her rotten luck, then, that she’s on lunch duty và Jung-ho cuts in line right in front of her, mocking her with his phone. In-jae confronts him again (oh, honey) & says she’ll have to call his mother—and that finally gets a rise out of him. She takes his phone, và he starts talking to lớn her in banmal, và now they’re both pissed off và yelling.

He calls her “not even a real teacher” và finally she loses her cool & slaps him. Uh-oh. We’ve only been told corporal punishment has been banned a half-dozen times already. Jung-ho grabs her like he’s about lớn punch her in the face—and thankfully, someone steps in. Oh thank god. It was getting a little too real up in here.

Nam-soon shoves him back and warns, “Cut it out, bastard.” Jung-ho grabs him menacingly, just as Uhmforce arrives. Oh thank god, again.

Outside, In-jae watches her class playing soccer và is joined by a sympathetic PE Teacher Jo. She attempts a laugh, but she’s near tears as she admits that she can’t vày a thing as a teacher. Teacher Jo says encouragingly that she’s doing a good job.

The next bit of advice comes from pragmatic Teacher Yoo, who reminds In-jae that she’d cautioned her not lớn work too hard. Why kick up a fuss with the kids? The other teachers think it’s a good thing she’ll soon be rid of the punk (for the smoking picture), but In-jae says, “I don’t know yet, what kind of kid Jung-ho is.”

He’s currently lounging outside with his buddies, pointedly avoiding their conversation of what they’ll bởi after high school. Hm.

In-jae pulls Nam-soon aside, asking him khổng lồ tell Jung-ho to lớn pick up his phone. He awkwardly thanks her for sticking up for him this morning—and she awkwardly thanks him back. Aw. They’re cute. Nam-soon advises her not khổng lồ confront the kids, adding that she’s weak.

Principal lặng asks In-jae khổng lồ confirm the reports—did Jung-ho use violence against her? They’re all eager for a reason to lớn cut him loose, but she doesn’t confirm or deny, asking for more time khổng lồ talk it over with Jung-ho. Principal im allows it, but warns that if this happens again, In-jae will also be on the hook.

That afternoon, Principal im makes a special announcement to lớn the entire school, wherein she lays out their dire situation. The school is in the bottom of the heap of all the schools in Seoul, grades low & reputation miserable. She’s been principal for six months—ah, that explains her fervor for turning this ship around—and says that they’ll be tightening up the rules & punishments around here. & they won’t hesitate to start expelling students, either.

The statement is met with mostly incredulity by the student body, và dismay by the staff.

Ah, và now we come back to lớn Se-chan. He’s talking with a prosecutor friend, glum about his job prospects. I’d assumed he’d quit the academy for a cushier gig, but as it turns out, he was forced lớn quit because he was caught giving illegal lessons for exorbitant fees.

He complains that he barely even did that, but he won’t be able to lớn recover his position without some image rehab. His prosecutor buddy advises him khổng lồ “donate” his talents for a good cause, & in six months he’ll be able lớn resume his former gig.

Thus it is with extreme reluctance that Se-chan is persuaded lớn go back to… gasp… public school.

The next day, In-jae begins class with the election of leaders. Lớn everyone’s surprise, overachieving Ha-kyung volunteers as vice president, though it seems more like a resumé-booster for her. She admits she’d rather be veep since president is the one stuck with all the work.

On lớn president nominations. This class treats it more like a punishment than anything, since it’s a hard job to be the one keeping peers in line. Some joke nominations fly around, & then—that victim from the day before timidly nominates Nam-soon. Aw. That is so sweet. Even if it makes Nam-soon look like a deer in headlights.

Principal yên asks for a danh mục of the school’s bottom ten students. She notes that a bunch of them are from Class 2, and a bunch more are on leave. Two have been caught for smoking twice; third time earns expulsion. Nam-soon is on the list.

Principal yên ổn tells her VP lớn take the list và post it. Is she going lớn shame the school into reform?

The vote results in a tie between Nam-soon và the current president, and you can practically see Nam-soon willing the other guy to win. Jung-ho stalks in late, sees the results — & offers up the tie-break with a smirk, voting for Nam-soon. Ha. What a way khổng lồ say fuck-you.

As the new leaders, Ha-kyung & Nam-soon have extra duties like distributing materials to the class. Ha-kyung keeps a meek, polite attitude with the teachers but drops the nice act with Nam-soon, telling him to vì chưng all the work himself. & if he cuts into her study time, she’s gonna kill him.

She walks off, reads the board, and smirks at him. He goes in for a closer look… & sees his name on the Worst Students list. Eeeeeek. He just sighs, “Damn, that’s embarrassing.”

In-jae looks at the same danh mục glumly, knowing that her own job is on the line. If a teacher amasses too many low performers, it reflects poorly and could lead to firing.

Teacher Yoo sighs over In-jae’s lot, since it’s an uphill battle at best. That class was barely functional with the former president (the best of the worst), but now that Nam-soon is the president? That’s just asking for misery all around, she says.

In-jae goes out for drinks that night with her friend, the school nurse. The nurse guesses that In-jae’s feeling down, guessing that it was her first time hitting a student. “What now?” her friend asks.

“I don’t know,” In-jae says. “If I hang in there, will I figure it out?”

Somebody else has been drinking: Nam-soon picks up his drunk father at the police station. He tells his father he was elected president with an air of self-deprecation, but it’s enough khổng lồ make you wonder whether he’s hoping for a sign of approval, or just acknowledgment. But Dad’s dead drunk, so out of it that he has to lớn be tied khổng lồ Nam-soon’s chest for the ride home.

Time for the beginning-of-term open house. Teachers prepare the school for parents, and In-jae asks her class to please, for the love of god, just don’t cause trouble.

As the class files out to lớn go to their next period, Nam-soon hangs back to help his victim-classmate, Young-woo. Jung-ho comes in late as usual, itching for a fight as usual. He picks on Young-woo & demands more money, so Nam-soon steps in to lớn face Jung-ho himself.

Jung-ho shoves him lớn the ground và tells him khổng lồ cut it out, and stop acting the president.

Today marks Se-chan’s first day at Victory High, and despite his distaste at the gig he’s fully confident he’ll raise grades và be outta here in one semester. He strolls into the hall with his usual bravado và asks the nearest student if she’s a good student—what’s her ranking?

Only, it’s In-jae và she corrects him: She’s not a student. Ha, he self-corrects quickly and says of course, he meant the school. She returns that fathers usually don’t come to lớn these things, and it’s his time to lớn correct her: “Don’t you know who I am?”

Oh man, he just pulled the do-you-know-who-I-am. Lulz. I guess he’s just that famous as an educational guru, and soon he’s ushered along by the VP.

At the assembly, Principal yên ổn announces their special guest, Kangnam’s star teacher Kang Se-chan. He also happens to lớn be an alumnus of Victory High, & thus was happy khổng lồ accept a position here.

The parents mill around, loving the good-looking and well-known teacher. In fact, it’s like In-jae’s the only one who doesn’t know who he is. I suppose a Western equivalent might be the Kaplan test prep guides, và he’s Kaplan. Or Kumon.

Back in the homeroom class, Jung-ho’s goading Nam-soon for a fight, poking him in the chest & slapping his face. Why’d he step in? Does he take Jung-ho for a pushover?

He shoves Nam-soon into a desk, & finally Nam-soon’s temper flares & he grabs the first thing he touches to lớn swing it at Jung-ho. A chair.

We don’t see what happens next, though I’m praying Nam-soon gets a hold of his anger, but we bởi hear the yells from the hallway. Principal im leads her group of teachers & parents outside lớn give them a tour… và a chair smashes through the window (which, Phew & also, Oh no). It falls from the second floor và crashes at their feet.

In-jae looks up in surprise — & sees Nam-soon’s face at the broken window. The mothers start walking away amid disapproving murmurs of how the school can’t control its students, which sends Principal lặng into a first-rate seethe.

Teachers race up khổng lồ Class 2, where they find Nam-soon standing there in shock.

COMMENTS

Yay for strong premieres. There was a lot going on, and a lot of plots khổng lồ set up with a lot of faces và names. Yet it didn’t feel confusing or hard to grasp, because we had a solid bộ vi xử lý core of conflict & emotion that it was enough to lớn ground us in the setup. We saw lots of faces, but weren’t inundated with too much backstory; I appreciate that this drama is backing off on the infodump & is trusting us to lớn warm lớn the rest of the cast gradually. Coming so soon on the heels of Jeon Woo-chi, I’m particularly grateful for that.

For that this episode can thank two characters in particular, who have very different but equally relatable places in the story that make your heart pull for them. I mean, of course, Jang Nara & Lee Jong-seok, whose In-jae & Nam-soon characters feel lượt thích well-considered, fully fleshed out people.

Jang Nara has a teacher type we’ve seen before, but I liked the way she approached hers. There’s naivety and idealism there, but it wasn’t done khổng lồ such an extreme that I felt annoyed with her for being stupid, or excessive. You almost want to tsk-tsk her for her idealism, but it’s the thing that makes her someone lớn root for—that she hasn’t given up on the kid everybody’s given up on. She almost wants to, but she just can’t bring herself to—and I suspect that this is as much about her as a teacher và a person as it is about him. She has to lớn believe that she can do something, that she’s not a useless figurehead who takes roll call, as you suspected she was thinking when she confided in the thể hình teacher about not being able to do a thing. So Jung-ho means more than just the kid who gives her trouble at work.

Speaking of whom, I lượt thích that Jung-ho isn’t some soft, dramaland version of the misunderstood kid. I’m pretty sure that’s where they’re going with him, but the viewer is fully aware that he’s a troublemaker, and if we’re with the characters in thinking him a lost cause, it’s a lot harder-edged a portrayal. He’s not oozing with charm to make up for his brashness, & you don’t necessarily want to lớn cut him any slack. He’s the instigator, he’s the one you think would solve everyone’s problems by just going away.

Except, that wouldn’t solve his problems, whatever they are. It’s too easy to lớn just get rid of him; it’ll be an interesting test of In-jae’s character as a teacher to lớn see how she solves the problem including him. If she can, that is. I suspect this will not be an easy project.

Interestingly, Jung-ho tenses up noticeably whenever his mother/parents are mentioned, so I’m sure there’s something there. I even wonder if that could be a thread of connection between him và Nam-soon, who has my heart bleeding for him already. I LOVE HIM. So much.

I wondered whether this was residual love for his character from High Kick 3, who admittedly shares similarities with Nam-soon. They’re both aloof, indifferent, & removed students who are good kids at the core. But Nam-soon’s story seems more nuanced, & I think I’m going to like his trajectory even more. I’m looking forward to lớn seeing how he comes out of his shell of indifference—which I’d bet my hat on being not quite as indifferent as he appears on the surface. I have faith that the show will take us to lớn interesting places with him, and I can’t wait.