High School is almost in session
by awcoconuts
I love high school dramas that are well done, and the trailer for KBS’s upcoming youthful fantasy program is getting my hopes up. The full title for the new show is High School: Love On — and I’ll admit that for the first few seconds I had it translated as High School: Rub On, which sounds pervy and quite the opposite of the pure coming-of-age drama they’re touting the show as. Er, let’s just stick to High School, shall we?
Kim Sae-ron (Queen’s Classroom) is brilliantly cast as an angel who becomes a human to save a high school boy in crisis. The actress’s youth works to her advantage (she turns 14 at the end of the month) to effectively personify a former higher-being struggling to adapt to her new, secular environment. Her naivete and innocence are completely believable, and I can see why the characters of co-stars Nam Woo-hyun and Lee Sung-yeol (of boy band Infinite) have fallen for her. Prior to seeing the trailer, I found it difficult to see the talented former child star as an object of affection, but I’m a believer now (although I’m also feeling an irrational mama-bear desire to beat the older boys off with a stick).
The posters and teaser tell us that Kim is at the center of a rivalry between Woo-hyun and Sung-yeol, and we can also see the subtle variations in outward appearance yet vastly differing personalities of the two leading characters. Woo-hyun’s look is casual and he expresses a carefree personality with a mischievous expression, while Sung-yeol displays a tidy appearance but conveys a brooding rebel with his piercing eyes.
In addition to my fondness for coming-of-age stories, I’m really liking the supernatural twist, I’m a fan of Kim Sae-ron, and I’m excited by the cute and cheerful vibe from the promo material — I’m actually looking forward to this next week! High School thankfully escaped a Sunday morning timeslot and will air on Friday nights on KBS, beginning July 11.
Via Xports News
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- KBS casts idols Woo-hyun and Sung-yeol in new drama High School
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Tags: High School Love On, Kim Sae-ron
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1 Saki
July 3, 2014 at 1:20 PM
No way that's the girl from 'A man from nowhere'!? I think she's look prettier in black black hair. Their clothing style is a little different especially for high school students.. Maybe I'm missing something cuz I didn't even read the whole post lol will read it now!
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2 Saki
July 3, 2014 at 1:25 PM
Yeah.. It's her! I watched her a lot when she was little. I'm feeling that mama over protectiveness too right now. She's barely 14!! ?
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Mish Hablo
July 4, 2014 at 9:39 PM
Can't believed that our little girl is a big girl now. *sigh
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3 john
July 3, 2014 at 1:29 PM
Glad to see a teen get a teen role.
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Lisa-Loo-Loo
July 3, 2014 at 2:25 PM
Agreed. Now if she weren't the ONLY teen I'd be more excited.
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john
July 3, 2014 at 3:02 PM
Lisa-Loo-Loo ~
I would prefer that the male roles be closer to actual teen age. Young actors need the work.
If that were the case though, without the boy band members/ idols, would the teen or 20 something females tune in to watch?
Seo In-guk is currently playing a teen, (granted a senior in high school), but he's 26 for crying out loud. He's doing a great job btw.
Does the K industry shy away from stories set in college? For some reason it seems like it's high school or college graduates starting out in the job market.
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Muenchabench
July 3, 2014 at 5:47 PM
I've often wondered that as well. Its a phenomenon not unique to Korea also. I've always figured that in America, at least it was due to the fact that this excludes people who didn't go to college (hence they wouldn't watch) and because every year the living arrangements usually change which would be hard to build a show around.
But for Korea I'm perplexed. Not only would you only focus on one year of Uni. because you'd have 20 episodes max. but college seems to be of such significance to Koreans moreso than most. High school dramas talk about getting into college constantly, and most importantly, this is often the time when young adults finally have free time. (Because from everything I've heard, HS in Korea is one long continuous study session) The fact that their hasn't been a drama set in a dorm (at least to my knowledge) boggles the mind
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chicboy
July 3, 2014 at 6:48 PM
I think Yun Joonsuk from Shark is an appropriate actor. He is 95' and his acting is awesome tho
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sparks121
July 3, 2014 at 7:28 PM
I was just thinking about him. I'm absolutely baffled as to why he's not being casted in better and bigger roles. I was so impressed in Shining Inheritance back in '08.
chicboy
July 4, 2014 at 12:14 AM
Yes, I don't get why he's so passive despite of his skills. I'd like to see him more in a new project.
annie
July 4, 2014 at 2:26 PM
I agree, he's been amazing in everything I've seen him in from Shining Inheritance on. And I love the fact that he looks like a normal dude... though perhaps that's the reason he isn't getting bigger roles. Which sucks.
4 mudaepo
July 3, 2014 at 1:31 PM
It's still a mystery to me how Infinite's agency figured it was a good move to have two of its members romance a 13-year old on screen...
Or what Kim Sae-Ron's parents were thinking for that matter.
It better be very very platonic...
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JoJo
July 3, 2014 at 1:55 PM
She's playing an angel...she can fly away.
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Hiro
July 3, 2014 at 2:09 PM
without kiss, without hugs, without any skinship, maybe holding hand only xdddddddddddddd
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mo0mi
July 4, 2014 at 7:22 AM
which is why i don't get the casting. it's a romantic drama, but they will make it so platonic that there really is not point in tuning in... besides having 3 idols makes it look amateurish..
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5 Muenchabench
July 3, 2014 at 1:59 PM
I must say if I hadn't seen Queens Classroom and didn't know the ages of the male leads, I'd think they all look adorable and compatible. As is, it still seems a little weird, but hopefully watching them become the characters should put forth any feelings of "stop that right now young lady!" to rest
It seems dramaland just can't wait for the child stars to grow up, with Kim So Hyun also starring in an "adult" role. Super different from "once a child star, always a child star" Hollywood
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Sajen
July 3, 2014 at 4:23 PM
"It seems dramaland just can’t wait for the child stars to grow up, with Kim So Hyun also starring in an “adult” role. Super different from “once a child star, always a child star” Hollywood"
In dramalands defense Kim So-hyun and Kim Sae-ron are already better than a portion of the available adult actresses, I'd be chomping at the bits too.
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Muenchabench
July 3, 2014 at 5:38 PM
Whoops, definitely struck the wrong tone with what I wrote. I didn't mean this as a negative, in fact I think its a much better system than Hollywood's way handling of child actors. I think that system just leaves talented youngsters in a vulnerable place when they don't get roles simply because that were famous as children, leading to so many actors downfalls...
Whereas the Korean system seems to be more of a continuation of roles which more seamlessly transition to adult parts (an example would be Moon G. Young)
In this case, they probably should have hired younger actors if they wanted KSR so badly, but their seems to be a lack of young male actors (child actors also) and I wonder why that is?
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sparks121
July 3, 2014 at 7:29 PM
Eh, I don't think there's a lack of young male actors. They're just not being casted. I mean, they couldn't cast someone like park ji bin or park gun tae (though i suppose they're not the best examples, since both are the more well known young actors), both 4 years younger than these infinite boys and much more suitable, at least age-wise, with sae ron. Not to mention their acting is more on par with her as well.
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pigsnout
July 3, 2014 at 9:22 PM
There is no lack of young 20something actresses in Korea either, they just seem to be forever stuck in supporting roles while producers hand all the network drama young lead roles to idols. The only under 25 actresses I see getting cast as leads are former child stars.
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6 ana
July 3, 2014 at 2:02 PM
Who thought this was a good idea?? She's 13 years old. I'm already out the door. There will be no kissing scene right? RIGHT?!
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Lisa-Loo-Loo
July 3, 2014 at 2:23 PM
Omo, I didn't think about that! I hope they keep it age appropriate.
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7 Lisa-Loo-Loo
July 3, 2014 at 2:22 PM
She really is too good of an actress. She makes everything believable. I am still a little worried because she's still just 14 and the guys are are in their 20's. My mama bear instinct is to protect her as well. But I am still sooooo looking forward to this.
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8 Iris
July 3, 2014 at 2:30 PM
I am so glad that Dramabeans is writing about this show. I am looking forward to it. But - the correct name of the show - according to KBS- is "Hi! School - Love On"
http://kbsworld.kbs.co.kr/programs/programs_intro.html?no=841
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Arhazivory
July 4, 2014 at 12:02 AM
KBSW titles are sometimes a bit different.
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9 trebleandbess
July 3, 2014 at 3:21 PM
Anyone else think she looks a lot like Jung Yumi (Rooftop Prince)? Especially her expressions...
It's hard to imagine she's only 14, since she seems super compatible with the male leads. The age difference doesn't bother me that much since it's just acting and it doesn't seem to detract from the drama (or as much as I can see from the clip). The age difference between Kim Sae Ron and the Infinite boys is just a little bit more than the difference between Yeo Jin Gu and Ha Yeon Su in Potato Star.
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10 alua
July 3, 2014 at 3:32 PM
I love well done high school dramas... but the casting here is weird.
Plus, isn't she just going to act them off the screen?
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11 haru-chan
July 3, 2014 at 3:59 PM
INFINITE fan here! They were casted probably for the sake of attracting young teenage girls to the drama. Though Sungyeol (the brooding one) has some acting experience since he originally entered the industry to be an actor. Meanwhile, Woohyun not so much. Not sure how this is going to pan out but I'm hoping it'll be good.
And the age difference itself is not as much of a problem as Sae-ron's age. I'm rather hesitant to have two 20+ guys kiss a 13 year old. Just my two cents.
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12 Sajen
July 3, 2014 at 4:30 PM
So I'm 15 years older than Kim Sae-ron, now I just feel old, excuse me while I go mope in a corner.
She's still a baby having a couple 20 whatever year olds kiss or want to kiss her is going to make me feel, for lack of a better word or phrase, icky. Honestly it wouldn't bother me if they were closer to her age.
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13 blahbahbah
July 3, 2014 at 5:17 PM
I like her. But not sure if it's a good idea to pair a 14 year old girl with guys in their 20s... this is totally different than a woman in her 20s with guys in their 30s. She is only 14!!! Couldn't they find younger male actors more age appropriate??
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14 tokkioncrack
July 3, 2014 at 5:18 PM
I don't know why but in the blue and white kurt combo shed sort of reminded me of kim sae yeon I think chu ga eul of boys over flowers. i had to do a double take and scroll down and then she only resembles her a bit :-)
Anyone else felt that way?
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tokkioncrack
July 3, 2014 at 5:29 PM
oops I meant kim so yeon :-)
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15 Valerie Gudorf
July 3, 2014 at 8:08 PM
Yeah, the age difference is a bit troubling. I have the feeling, though, that the producers plan on keeping it very clean (her character is a divine being, after all). They can't have an angel doing extremely un-angelic things, like making out with a human. If there is to be a kiss in this drama, it will probably be a very chaste one, a peck. And then only at the very end, and only by one of the boys. More likely what will happen is that ONE of them will end up kissing her very tenderly on the forehead. Both boys will fall for her hard, but they will both feel very protective and constrained in their urges because of the angelic vibe she gives off.
I remember there being an issue with the age difference between the lead actors in the most recent Japanese version of Mischievous Kiss. Miki Honoka was sixteen at the time, and Yuki Furukawa, 25 (though he totally looked about 16 himself). He kissed her three times in that drama, though none of the kisses were salacious. One of them was a chaste peck as she slept. Now, they are set to film a sequel (Yaaay!). Two years will probably have elapsed by the time it airs. By then, Miki will be 19 to Yuki's 27. That will give them much more latitude for expressing love between a married couple.
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alua
July 4, 2014 at 8:05 AM
Sixteen and thirteen are a huge difference though – 16 is age of consent on some countries in the world.
I didn't have a problem with Miki's 16, since they kept it innocent and chaste. If she had been 13, it would have been a whole other story.
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16 informantxgirl
July 3, 2014 at 10:33 PM
I am a huge Infinite fan, but I am cautiously optimistic. Done right - or even adequately - this could be a fun, squee-worthy drama, but I have pretty big reservations about a child (and yes, she is a child!) being the love interest of two grown men. I just...can't. Although it can be done (see: Ma Boy), I still can't help the icky-weird feelings, you know? I love Kim Sae-ron, though, I think she is a massive talent and a force to be reckoned with, so I'm thinking if anyone can make this happen, it's her.
Also, could they not shell out the extra 10 bucks or whatever to come up with new names for Woohyun and Sungyeol?
On a sorta-related note, when is Hoya getting a new drama? It is patently unfair that even Kim Sunggyu (whom I love to itty-bitty bits and pieces, let me say right off) a.k.a "child can't act his way out of a wet paper bag" has one more drama than him. I loved Hoya in Reply 1997; let's get him some offers, people!
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Rovi
July 5, 2014 at 12:04 PM
Haha, was Gyuzizi that awkward in "A Bit of Love / Pure Love"???
Agree, tho, Ho needs more dramas. :)
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17 chicboy
July 4, 2014 at 12:25 AM
Wait. You never know what will happen. Remember Kim Sohyun when she had kiss scene with Yeo Jingu in I Miss You? Maybe here they'll show us something more than holding hand
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18 Chhavi
July 4, 2014 at 2:07 AM
Even if she is a high-school-angel,isn't the age gap a little too much??
And also...if they were to cast Infinite members...,why didn't they cast L in it??!!!.....*sigh*
Well....I hope it is good...
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19 biankoy
July 4, 2014 at 2:59 AM
There a lot of other Korean teen actors who are available and very viable to be Kim Saeron's partners. It really irks me that those dramamakers would disregard them just to have extra fanbase. This would've been more perfect if they cast real teenagers. I don't really hate the other cast members but I'm not sure if I can cast off the icky-vibe knowing about their ages. That will totally ruin it for me.
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20 kimheami
July 4, 2014 at 9:52 AM
is anyone else creeped out by how much Kim Saeron has grown. I still can't see her without thinking of her in her cute poofy dresses walking alongside Wonbin at all the award ceremonies after Ajusshi.
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21 Beng
July 4, 2014 at 9:55 AM
she's quite pretty!
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22 Abbie
July 4, 2014 at 4:13 PM
I'm actually looking forward to this. At least, for the time being. The story is what drew me to it, though the actual ages of the actors is giving me pause. She's 13, for crying out loud! But still, I'll give it a watch to see how it goes and what the tone is.
Who is the boy she's supposed to be helping anyway in the story?
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23 Mish Hablo
July 4, 2014 at 9:40 PM
Can't believed that our little girl is a big girl now. *sigh
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24 Rovi
July 5, 2014 at 12:06 PM
I see Namu and Choding. The end.
LOL, my Inspirit heart just...can't. XD
Anyways, I can just recommend a nicely done fic titled "Collide", written by a friend. :) That's how I envision Woo and Yeol. XD JK, to any fanfic lovers and Inspirits out there, go read it. XD
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25 Brian Nguyen
July 6, 2014 at 1:27 PM
KYA~~~ I am so excited to see her be a lead--like you know where she won't get replaced with an older actress?
I don't know if this will be her first time leading a drama on her own but I am excited for it!! I may not be in High School anymore but I enjoy high school dramas still!!
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26 Brian Nguyen
July 6, 2014 at 1:41 PM
THE AGE IS SO WRONG--I mean I thought infinite was a group of teenagers... like WHAAT 23? 22? what are they thinking casting them with a 13 year old that's such a big of a gap... I am excited but Idk if I'm gonna get over the gap!
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27 JjongPD
July 11, 2014 at 10:44 PM
Has anyone watched the first episode? Lol I watched it without knowing anything other than the title and the fact that 2 Infinite members will be acting in it. LOL. I think the first 20 mins were a bit... so-so? There were some good scenes (Woohyun and Kim Sae ron moments for example), I have 15 mins of the first episode left to watch and I could already handpick the few good actors and actresses. I'm glad Woohyun, Sungyeol and Kim Sae-ron were part of my "Good Actors" list. I dunno but thats what I think of it so far. I'll probably continue watching it tho, in hopes that the drama will get better. I wonder if dramabeans will make a recap of this drama?
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