Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 1
by javabeans
Phew, Who Are You—School 2015 has quite the dark streak, but I like it. It’s partly because the show deals with issues like bullying in a rather stark light, and partly because this is also a mystery-thriller on top of being a school drama. This first episode is on the heavy side with all the setting-up required to show us what the outcast’s life was like before the big twist, but I also think there’s room in there to add cute, funny touches. I don’t expect it to go full-on rom-com, but I wouldn’t want that of this show anyway; just a little bit of light to give shape to all the shadows.
SONG OF THE DAY
Tiger JK – “Reset” from the Who Are You—School 2015 OST [ Download ]
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EPISODE 1 RECAP
We open with an interview-style introduction on LEE EUN-BI (Kim So-hyun), a second-year in high school who explains her contradictory feelings about school sheepishly: She doesn’t like going, but not going makes her nervous. And if she weren’t able to go, she’d want to.
Eun-bi lives in the southern province of Gyeongsamnam-do, in the city of Tongyeong. She works multiple part-time jobs and aspires to be a teacher—one who understands her students, their lies, and what they’re hiding.
Eun-bi has a cheerful way of speaking, but once we join her at school, the reason for her answers becomes clear, because she’s the target of some vicious bullying.
Case in point: A girl, So-young, is led by her friends to the special “birthday present” they’ve prepared for her. They’ve cornered Eun-bi and proceed to make a “birthday cake” of her, flinging eggs, flour, and fish sauce over her head. So-young and her posse laugh maliciously while Eun-bi chokes back tears.
She has to dress in her gym clothes for the rest of school, and everybody makes a big show of recoiling at her stink from the fish sauce. Her teacher pulls her aside to ask why she’s always in gym clothes and whether she’s being bothered, but doesn’t press when Eun-bi lies that nobody’s doing anything.
So she’s left completely adrift while everyone gawks and laughs at her openly, enjoying her misery.
Her home life is more pleasant, and her bright personality is allowed to show through as she acts as de facto mother hen at the orphanage, Love’s House, where she’s spent most of her life. She’s the eldest and makes the kiddos eat their vegetables and is lovingly naggy.
Eun-bi notices ripped clothing in the wash and checks on one of the other girls, Ra-jin, who’s hiding a large bruise on her side. She lies that she just fell while playing with the other kids, but Eun-bi gently pries the story out of her—and then marches over to the home of the boy who did this to her.
The bully’s mother dismisses Eun-bi huffily, but Eun-bi stands up to her boldly, unwilling to be turned aside. She doesn’t accept the “they were just playing” excuse, pointing out that both sides ought to be having fun for that to qualify. She refuses to leave until Ra-jin gets an apology and a promise not to pick on her again, and they get it.
As they leave, Eun-bi urges Ra-jin to speak up when things like this happen, and to assert herself so the bully recognizes she won’t just be pushed around. Ra-jin, who already looks up to Eun-bi as her shining role model, thanks her and says, “Unni, you’re a present God gave me in place of a mother.”
Eun-bi receives a gift in the mail, from a woman who appears to have been sending her gifts for some time. This note is signed with the name Song Mi-kyung and says that she bought a sweatshirt for Eun-bi while she was out buying one for her own daughter.
The orphanage director wonders at this generous benefactor, and Eun-bi marvels at how perfectly the gifts fit her size and her taste.
It’s not so much a mystery to us, though, when we cut to Seoul to meet GO EUN-BYUL, who looks exactly like Eun-bi—and her mother’s name is Song Mi-kyung.
The two have a healthy, affectionate relationship, and Eun-byul good-naturedly groans at her mother’s overzealous packing for her upcoming school trip to a famous temple that’ll have them in Tongyeong for four days. But interestingly, when Mom sees the matching sweatshirt in Eun-byul’s suitcase, she doesn’t recognize it—it’s Eun-byul who must have sent it down using her mother’s name. Hm, so she knows she has a twin?
Unlike her twin, Eun-byul is stylish and popular at school, and has an inner circle of friends with two girls, Song-joo and Shi-jin. She’s extra-tight with Song-joo; the two have matched their outfits to a tee, and third wheel Shi-jin looks a little wistful to be left out.
The class heads down to Tongyeong in buses, minus two boys whom we’ll get to know separately. One of those two is HAN YI-AN (Nam Joo-hyuk), who’s missing the trip because he’s a swimming star and is at a national meet.
Eun-byul listens to a live sports broadcast as his race unfolds, and lights up when she hears that he’s won. Her crush must be a secret, though, because she hides it from BFF Song-joo, even though it’s no secret that they’re friends.
Based on Yi-an’s bashful text-flirting with Eun-byul, the crushing is mutual, and dates back to their kiddiehood. In a childhood flashback, we see young Eun-byul admiring Yi-an’s swimming medals and asking for one of his many. He refuses but promises her the first medal he wins at the national level. She huffs that she doesn’t believe he’d do that when he won’t even give her a trivial medal like this one. Yi-an retorts that she’s a dummy—he’s not giving this one to her because it’s trivial; as in, he’ll give her one that’s important. A-dor-able.
The high school minefield extends to the parents, and Eun-byul’s mother does a favor for another mother by introducing her to an exclusive clique of moms. The leader barely hides her disdain for the newcomer (Shi-jin’s mother), doling out some passive-aggressive barbs before deigning to give her card and number out.
The girls hear about Yi-an’s gold medal, though Eun-byul plays it cool and doesn’t show much excitement. She says that they grew up knowing everything about each other, as though Yi-an is nothing more than a sometimes-annoying buddy.
But then Eun-byul gets a text that darkens her mood immediately. It’s from a girl named Jung Soo-in, and says, “Just because it’s in the past doesn’t mean it never happened.” Eun-byul seizes up in shock—definitely scared, maybe even guilty.
So for the rest of the day, she’s withdrawn and quiet, despite her friends’ attempts to draw her out. When Song-joo prods her to talk or eat, she snaps and yells at her loudly, to everyone’s surprise.
We hear a bit of the story from the school moms, who talk in vague terms about some incident last year involving Soo-in, who had moved away but is now apparently back. It must be a scandalous incident, because when the other moms recall that Soo-in and Eun-byul were friends, Eun-byul’s mother is quick to say that no, they weren’t really friends, just casual acquaintances.
As the school trip arrives in Tongyeong, we hop over to Eun-bi at Love’s House. She assures a worried Ra-jin that she’s okay despite not feeling well, and the little girl says that although unni is popular and has lots of friends at school, she only has unni. To comfort her, Eun-bi promises that she won’t get sick anymore.
But while Love’s House was at least a safe space for Eun-bi, today her tormentors show up for more bullying fun. Wearing beatific smiles, they explain to the director that they were concerned about Eun-bi, and that they wanted to help out by doing their community service project here.
Of course, once they’re alone with Eun-bi, it’s back to sneering and malevolent threats. The sidekicks are bad enough but it’s leader So-young who drives the evil train here, telling Eun-bi to do their work since she’s living off their parents’ taxes.
Ra-jin witnesses the scene and looks upset to see her unni being pushed around. Eun-bi doesn’t want to let her see the true situation either, so she lies and agrees with the bullies that this was all a fun joke, and she’s fine.
It’s clear that So-young sees her powerful father as a shield from any possible blowback, and even tells the orphanage director that her father is on a scholarship committee and would like to help out Love’s House. Eun-bi sits there in nervous confusion, trying to see what her bully is getting at.
Meanwhile, the high school students settle into their hotel rooms, playing games and having fun. Eun-byul remains in her funk, and reads a clipping featuring Love’s House with a photo of Eun-bi in it.
And then she gets a phone call that prompts her to slip away secretly, ignoring her friends again. A little while later, sidekick Shi-jin steps out for her own call and catches a glimpse of Eun-byul in the distance—she doesn’t quite know what’s going on, but it looks like a tense encounter between Eun-byul and a boy.
Later that night, Eun-bi calls out her bully to ask about the scholarship. She isn’t in a position to refuse the chance just because she dislikes So-young, and asks for her help in getting it. So-young says she’ll try talking to her father, and asks for Eun-bi’s phone.
Eun-bi waits anxiously while So-young sends texts… and all the while, So-young snickers to herself while sending fake threats to her friends under Eun-bi’s name (I’m going to crush you… I’ll burn your house down…). She laughs about that scholarship, and finally Eun-bi is pushed to her limit. She grabs a nearby wooden stick and challenges her wildly, calling So-young the worst—and moreover, she’s pitiful.
That sparks So-young’s anger, and she notes the CCTV above them before goading Eun-bi to hit her. She makes a grab for the stick, and in the scuffle she gets knocked into a pile of debris. Eun-bi sees the stack of beams and pipes heading for them and leaps in to shield So-young as they’re both hit and knocked out.
The next day, the Seoul girls are still at a standoff, with Eun-byul preoccupied with her secret problem and her friends reacting in kind. Shi-jin finds herself in the middle (literally) of the spat—and then catches a glimpse of the bruise on Eun-byul’s neck. It makes her think of that brief scene she saw the night before, but she doesn’t quite know what to do with that information.
One of Eun-byul’s objectives for this trip is getting in touch with Eun-bi, and she calls Love’s House under a false name, saying she’s an old friend of Eun-bi’s. She then calls Eun-bi’s cell phone number—and not ten feet away, her twin works the register of the cafe and sees her phone ringing. But Eun-bi hesitates to answer, and the call cuts out before she does.
Eun-byul trudges into a bathroom stall and sits there glumly, ignoring the two friends who figure they’ll leave her to her moodiness. The bathroom light flicks off as everybody leaves, but footsteps sound, and as they get closer and closer to her stall, Eun-byul gets nervous. She calls out, and then yells scaredly, “Is it you again? How long are you going to do this?!”
Then she looks upward over the stall, and her eyes widen in fear. She screams.
The rest of the class is gathered for a group photo, and the photo catches Eun-bi as she walks by. The class is ready to leave, but the head count comes up short and they soon realize that Eun-byul is missing.
The school group organizes into search parties to scour the grounds, anxiety mounting the longer time passes and Eun-byul remains missing. The teachers ask her friends for information, and now Shi-jin offers what she saw last night, which looked like her fighting with a guy.
At his swim meet, Yi-an gets a call from a friend just before his big race. News of Eun-byul’s disappearance rattles him so much that when the race kicks off, just as all the commentators speculate that Yi-an is all set to skyrocket to fame, he doesn’t even participate. He remains poised on the starting block, wondering, “Eun-byul, where are you?”
Mom hears from Eun-byul’s friends and drives down to Tongyeong immediately. Teacher Kim (Lee Pil-mo) can only tell her that they’re awaiting more news, and a distraught Mom breaks down in tears, both accusing and pleading. But there’s nothing that can be done.
Meanwhile, Eun-bi doesn’t appear to have been very injured in the accident, but So-young is milking the situation, playing the part of traumatized victim. Her mother accuses Eun-bi of being the aggressor and demands justice from the school.
The teachers prod Eun-bi to apologize, but she’s tired of being the wronged party and stands up to defend herself. She says that she’s thought it over and over, and the only conclusion she can come to is that she’s done nothing wrong.
But So-young is the daughter of a respected prosecutor and Eun-bi is a nobody, and she is expelled from school. She asks to attend her last day of school through the end, not wanting to act as though she’s being run off, and heads back to class to finish her day.
Her desk has been graffiti’d and So-young’s posse rounds on her immediately. Eun-bi asks why she hates her so much, and why she’s bullied her.
So-young sneers, “Just. Because.” She says that she hates everything about Eun-bi, as though that explains everything.
Eun-bi asks how much lower So-young means to go, because you’d think she couldn’t get much lower: “You’re already the worst.” And this time when So-young steps up to face her, Eun-bi doesn’t even flinch.
Except she’s outnumbered and overpowered, and the three bullies pull her behind the curtains. And if there’s anything more ignorable than the school outcast, it’s the expelled school outcast, and everyone turns a blind eye as Eun-bi begs them to stop.
The scene carries a distinct eerieness as we see the struggle through the sheer curtains and the students blithely go about their day just feet away. So-young films on camera as her sidekicks rip at Eun-bi’s clothes, threatening to post the video the next time she does anything they don’t like.
Eun-bi breaks free and runs out—still clothed, thank goodness—and despite her best intentions, she’s run out of school anyway, without completing her last day. She drops her nametag in the yard and leaves the grounds.
And then, a body splashes into water. It’s Eun-bi (at least, I presume), and as her body sinks, wearing the twins’ matching sweatshirt, the camera lingers on her schooldesk, where she’s carved her parting message: “Goodbye. Friends.”
COMMENTS
This was a strong first episode for School 2015, which managed to do a lot of heavy narrative lifting in an efficient, effective way. We have a lot of characters coming in and out (and in two separate worlds, at that), but the show balanced the introductions well and provided a solid foundation for both girls’ characters and lives. The dashes of intrigue are curiosity-piquing, and suggest that this is a drama whose full story must have been mapped out in advance—there are a lot of parts that feel like they’re being laid carefully now, to fit neatly together later. The writer clearly has a direction and maybe also the ending in mind, and I like sensing that up front, that our producers are in full control and know what they’re doing. It gives me the confidence to put my trust in their storytelling.
I really loved School 2013′s simple approach to the mundane struggles of high school lives and its stripped-down narrative—the characters really brought that show to life, as well as the slice-of-life storytelling—but I have to say, I dig the mystery twin angle as a way to add a fresh twist to School 2015. Okay, I may have a fondness for twin/switched-identities/doppelganger stories to begin with, but that aside, the show has me intrigued with its mystery, particularly with who Eun-byul is.
As the main lead, Eun-bi will be our eyes as we experience the drama from her point of view, but Eun-byul is an interesting cipher, and comes with multiple question marks. Who is the guy she met with? What was her role in the Jung Soo-in incident—and what does she know that the other girls don’t? How much does she know about her twin, and why doesn’t her twin know anything?
It was a bit harrowing to watch Eun-bi undergoing such a relentless barrage of violence and harassment, but I like that the show treated the bullying head-on without gilding anything. Not just in the way they depicted the actual harassment, but also the way the other kids ignored what was going on—even when some clearly felt sympathy for the victim—and the way the teacher seemed to know what was going on but feigned ignorance. It’s a battlefield out there, and coupled with Angry Mom, School just makes me incredibly glad to have gotten through those high school years in a different era and environment. I swear, it’s like bullying is a virus that grew and mutated over the years, turning ever more virulent. Shudders.
I’m a bit surprised that we covered so much ground in just the first episode, but I think we’re well-positioned to get into the meat of the story starting in the next one. The drama carries the tinge of realism that marks its franchise, and on top of that has upgraded its visual appeal (I really felt the perfunctory direction was the biggest drawback of School 2013—it was written and acted so well, but edited together clunkily, and shot so plainly). Kim So-hyun is perfectly cast, and while we’ve known for ages that she could handle meaty stuff, I’m really looking forward to seeing her carrying a show. Hopefully the show holds up to the promise I see so far.
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- News bites: April 5, 2015
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Tags: featured, first episodes, Kim So-hyun, Nam Joo-hyuk, Who Are You–School 2015, Yook Sung-jae
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1 sher
April 27, 2015 at 8:54 PM
At some point Eun bi was just annoying me with not standing up against her bullies
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TS
April 27, 2015 at 10:21 PM
Same.
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dbfan
April 28, 2015 at 1:11 AM
While I may have not experienced run-bi's level, I too was bullied when I was in elementary school. I was always the new kid and was called names in school. I've always thought of standing up for myself but with no one to back me up it was almost impossible. Only in middle school did I get that courage to finally stand up to the perpetrator. It's really not as easy to stand up for your self as one would think just like how they kept showing that one student who seemed to care but did nothing and absolutely nothing and turned a blind eye on Eun Bi!
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Sur
April 28, 2015 at 2:43 AM
I don't have first hand experience but I've met people who have been bullied, and standing up just makes them more of a target with harsher consequences and when the top tier of school is bothering you its obvious that they can gather all the other students to bully, like making the bullied boycott canteen etc.
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annie
April 28, 2015 at 4:11 AM
Agree with @dbfan and @sur. Also, since Eun-bi has no parents it makes her position even more precarious in relation to the other kids, especially the ringleader whose father has so much social and economic power in Tongyeong.
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achiara
April 28, 2015 at 9:23 AM
easier said than done
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iamdeb
April 28, 2015 at 10:44 AM
I was bullied for awhile and as much as it hurts, its not easy at all to stand up to a bully. The most you try to do is just endure till it hopefully passes especially when no one else stands up for you!
I actually saw one of my bullies years later (I was a teenager) in public and all the fear and shame came flooding back and I almost turned and ran. I was so glad she did not recognize me. Mine was nothing compared to this or what some kids go through in real life. It really messes some people up for a long time.
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Yesindeec
April 28, 2015 at 11:46 AM
My daughter attends a private Christian school that is very open minded and accepting. There are actually non-Christians in the school that love it. When my child was bullied the school's pastor (a woman) got the bully suspended from classes for three days and spent those three days with him, doing counseling and reading the Bible. The story goes that after finishing his third day, he left her office, knelt down on the floor in the hallway, and shouted "Thank you Jesus!" He was so glad to be done. He ran to my daughter the next day and just said "I'm sorry." Three years later they are actually good friends. I heard later from my daughter that when a Jewish student was about to get the same treatment for bullying, he thought he would get out of the Bible reading because he is excused from Bible studies. Needless to say he was stunned when he went to her office the first day and found his Rabbi standing next to the pastor. I love that woman.
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crazyahjummafan
April 28, 2015 at 7:31 PM
If only all schools were so effective. Sigh!
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belle1001
April 29, 2015 at 7:49 AM
That is an awesome story, I love it!
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Samantha Kim
April 29, 2015 at 8:51 AM
Thank you for the testimony. Well, even if we see it from the secular point of view, the school's pastor did a great job by accompanying the boy.
I somehow always feel that bullies do bully for a reason. Mostly by lack of love (since bullies usually come from a whealthy family where the parents are more concern with money), lack of discipline, lack of caring, etc. They lack something which builds them to be insecure, thus, they need to keep their "lackness" by showing off their power.
That's why, just punishing the bad kids won't solve the problem. You need to talk with them to understand their real intention in order to finish it. Just like how the woman spent the 3 days together with the bully.
Great job, ma'am!
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queenie
April 30, 2015 at 1:19 AM
wow what a testimony! The teachers clearly care about all the students - that's how schools should be
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nomad
April 28, 2015 at 3:10 PM
I've always wondered whether schools in Korea have the level of bullying that dramas portrayed, cause if they do, it's truly disturbing. I never experienced bullying myself, but in elementary I often stood up for kids who were bullied. The only reason why I never got in trouble afterward was because I always had teachers on my back. I'm sure if I didn't have that, my story would be different too. Now that we are all adults, at least we should recognize that kids who are bullied can't be left to their own device and expected to stand up for themselves. Also to recognize that no matter how wonderful we think our kids are, our kids also are capable of being bullies too. So learn to teach them to take responsibilities of hurting others instead of always standing up for them when they're clearly in the wrong.
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lucertola
April 29, 2015 at 12:21 AM
I wondered the same. If the bullying in Korean schools is the same as portrayed in Kdramas, and the system is on the part of the bullies, I would never let my child to go to school in Korea. At least I'd check in advance how the school approaches this issue. Or I'd just teach my kid martial arts :P
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ILOVEKDRAMAS
April 29, 2015 at 1:22 AM
There is some places that is actually this bad but It's mostly verbal bullying
Samantha Kim
April 29, 2015 at 8:55 AM
If you're multicultural or a non-korean, I sugest your kid to go to an international school. Based on my acquaintance who is currently living in Korea, Korean students (elementary-high school) are quite sensitive with a non-Korean students. Not all of them, but mostly.
Samantha Kim
April 29, 2015 at 9:06 AM
Yes, they are just the same with Kdramas. Let's say, not all of the schools are very hars like that, but mostly the do.
Someone has commented your comment(?) saying that it's most probably just a verbal bully. It is right. But actually, it's worse.
My close friend is currently go to a university in Korea. Thus, she learns a lot how Korean students behave from her friend's story and from her own experience.
She said that Korean students (elementary-high school), are quite sensitive with a multicultur kid attending a normal school (not an int'l one). The bullies will do many kinds if violence. By words, acts, and all. It's really really bad that some victims commit suicide.
Once my friend was night-walking around Han River, she comes to a crowd, with polices and all. There was a scholar girl attempting suicide.
It's still happening even in 2015.
The JHS and SHS sometimes have this very bad bullies who have links to another bullies group from other school, and even from other town. They do the most hars violence, some sell and buy cigarettes, drugs, and all. They are called "Iljin".
If a bully do a simple violence, Iljin is a whole different story.
Again, not all schools have this bullies and Iljin. Some are just okay.
That's the info I got.
Please fix me if there's some errors :)
Hope this answers your curiousity.
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Mel
April 30, 2015 at 6:24 PM
Fyi, bullying in Korean schools isn't different from other countries. I live in the US and the stuff you read about in US news is on par or worse. And it's not hard at all to come across yet another case of bullying and a child who commits suicide. The system fails these bullied not to mention the schools and the communities. It's not just a Korean problem and I wish that you guys would frame it as just a Korean problem. It's an issue worldwide and in your own community.
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Mel
April 30, 2015 at 6:30 PM
Oops, meant to write: I wish that you guys would not frame it as just a Korean problem...
Sorry forgot to add "not".
Manin
April 28, 2015 at 4:15 PM
I am the same. I was bullied, mostly verbally, and while I knew people that had it worse it was bad enough to have me contemplate suicide at an age of 12. Standing up to bullies is not an easy thing. Especially not when it appears as if no one around you care.
I still recognize people that bullied me, and while I am not sure they recognize me I still react every time I see them, feeling scared and uncomfortable.
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cinnamimi
May 1, 2015 at 12:26 AM
Sigh...I think bullying actually happens everywhere (in different level of violence). When I was about 8, I started to witness bullying at school when the most naughty student served himself as the chief of the class (he threatened his friends, if they didn't elect him, they would get hurt somehow). We were afraid to tell our teachers because they might do something more horrible outside the school. The chief and his gang then started to spread their terror:
- they hit other students' backs with a small long stick made from bamboo which was usually used to point what was written on the blackboard (yes, we used chalk). It mostly left sore red marks on the back.
- they once put a bucket of water on the upper side of a door leaf which was partially opened. When the school janitor opened the door...
- they cut student's finger using cutter (every time I remember this one, I feel horror)
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A
May 13, 2015 at 4:48 AM
i was actually scared to go to school because of my bully but i was so glad he shifted school the next year. until now, i pray everyday, that he'll be punish and i hope that if i see him again one day i'll have the guts to stand up to him, i don't know what i'll do but i kinda want to punch him and run away. hahaha.
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ILOVEKDRAMAS
April 29, 2015 at 1:20 AM
I have been bullied too because of my nationality (I was a Korean who was born in America and moved back in fourth grade) and speaking up will just get you bullied more. Especially if you can't speak the language well. I was teased in a million different ways and speaking up is definitely easier said than done. Don't be so ignorant of the victims
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ro
April 30, 2015 at 7:26 PM
She really annoyed me too. Why let ofhers step on you like that? its not like she can't fight back at all.
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Shraffe Kyu
May 1, 2015 at 7:37 AM
True, but we also need to know that the story is at the perspective of school kids, which are still kids but with almost grown mindset (almost is the key point).
Bullies are typically people with more power and / or influence than the victim and hurts them in one or various ways.
What makes bullying the worse thing that could have happened to people is that the fact that this kind of act pretty much scares people for various reasons. When that happens to kids, they are usually unable to fight back and also unable to tell anybody about it.
Why? If they fight back, they will ended up being ostracized by others as someone who is able to be someone different than others who would follow otherwise. Isolation happens toward people who isn't supposed to be isolated in fear of bad things happened to them instead. Not just that, bullying can be escalated to somewhere worse than the current situation.
If they ever tell people, what will happen is another prolonged torture where the victims are being seen as someone who is incapable of living by their own and this type of view is a big deal to school kids, hence the "almost" word comes to play. The irony here is that school bullies are the one incapable of living by their own. Case in point is that one bully in School 2013, where he used to be the feared one but when people better than him emerges, nobody scares of him anymore. Thus, he loses power and suffers like a crybaby.
This is the dilemma of the bully victims, especially the school kids since adults can actually brush them off with words and stuff (fists are useless in adult world mostly because it is a 1/4 to 3/4 double edged sword which will mostly eats you; unless you are dealing with criminals).
The solution for the bullying problem in school mostly relies to anybody that is capable to emerges as someone with more power and / or influence but this can be backfired any time.
So... yeah...
Eun-bi can't possibly just standing up without facing a far worse consequences, especially when she is in need of becoming a good role model for other kids at her home...
(You can see that I am also and still one of the victims here)
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kiki685
May 8, 2015 at 9:16 PM
So is the twin sister dead and if she is how did she die or is she still might be alive and who left the bruise on her neck and will the twins sister ever meet again
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striving8
June 28, 2015 at 8:51 PM
Clearly you have never been bullied.
It is not as easy as it seems.
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2 crybaby
April 27, 2015 at 9:14 PM
School 2015 has not disappointed AT ALL. I've been looking forward to this premiere for two weeks, and I just know Kim So Hyun is going to do so well. I previously really liked the straight forwardness with School 2013 without really any added elements, but I'll see how this mystery twin angle goes. The first episode is a doozy though, it's a really heavy show. I like how they don't sugarcoat the bullying, and I wonder if this is really how bullying is like in Korea. The show must have a tinge of truth right?
Looking forward to the rest of the series, I'm completely on board this train.
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3 riya
April 27, 2015 at 9:49 PM
I want to ask the same question: is the bullying, of this level or any, really happens in schools on Korea?
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crazyahjummafan
April 27, 2015 at 10:34 PM
You took the words right out of my mouth! Was going to ask that question too...but you beat me to it!
Is it really THAT bad? Or is it just blown up to be dramatic?
Well, if it is, then I'm soooo glad that I never had it that bad in my time, and neither are my children. There is some bullying where I live, but the schools are always on the look out. When my youngest gets bullied (a little), her teachers are quick to counsel both parties! Thank God!
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hipployta
April 28, 2015 at 3:41 AM
One netizen comment on Naver basically said, "This show is so out of date on bullying. We don't do the cake thing anymore."
ANYMORE...tells you everything really. It does indeed seem to get that bad and worse
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J
April 28, 2015 at 6:59 AM
It's sad but true. I've heard that bullying of this degree does happen with those methods shown. I've actually heard that in some cases it's worse because along with using these old methods students have now incorporated more cyberbullying as well. They harass victims constantly. They still bully the victim during the school day and many times bystanders don't do anything to help. Even when they leave school, they post things and photoshop crude and horrible pictures as well as verbally abusing these kids. As hipployta stated even though students may not "do the cake thing anymore" they still did bully using methods such as those and some still do along with cyberbullying. Bullying of this degree is everywhere, not just in Korea. It's sad that the subject doesn't get enough notice. Stories are everywhere but they tend to be overshadowed in the media.
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iamdeb
April 28, 2015 at 10:50 AM
Yes, cyberbullying adds another dimension to bullying. There have been cases of teenage suicides due to cyberbullying from known peers. You can't even leave school and at least go to the comfort of your home and have peace anymore. It follows you everywhere. I don't know if people are more cruel or if they just have more means to be cruel. Its tough to think about.
iamdeb
April 28, 2015 at 10:50 AM
I meant suicides here in the US.
divyrus
April 28, 2015 at 7:55 AM
Is that for real?
'We dont do the cake thing anymore' ?????
Am speechless. And feel extremely sad all of a sudden for all those kids. And extremely angry on all of those so called adults!
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downtherabbithole
April 28, 2015 at 10:09 AM
In my country, we do the "cake thing", but it's actually a birthday tradition among friends, not bullying. So yeah...
nerissa777
April 28, 2015 at 11:15 AM
Ya....even we have bullying in our colleges which sometimes it tend to get extreme. But its hard to imagine such kinds of violent acts in schools.....Kudos to the drama ppl trying to raise social issue through dramas....Love kim so hyun...shes my favourite child actress in Kdrama... Hope dis will become as popular as angry mom ?
iamdeb
April 28, 2015 at 10:47 AM
Seems theres a form of bullying (in the name of being older) still going on even in colleges. Looks like hazing but its no different from bullying IMO.
I read about it here: http://netizenbuzz.blogspot.com/2015/04/pann-seniorjunior-relationships-within.html
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gugugu
April 27, 2015 at 10:36 PM
I can'tsay that it is exact to a tee, but I have heard of instances similar to the severity depicted in the dramas. E.g. gangster-like violence, inability for adults to step in because of crazy parents that believe their children are angels, etc. My friends who lived in Korea have mentioned that it gets pretty bad at times.
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William Schwartz
April 27, 2015 at 10:45 PM
I'm inclined to say yes mainly because it's been way too heavy a theme lately, both in Korean dramas and films. For the former we've had High School - Love On, Angry Mom, and now Let The Girl Cry. Then in the former there's been King of Pigs, Han Gong-ju, and Elegant Lies. That's just off the top of my head, and I'm only mentioning the titles I think other commenters here are likely to recognize.
Of course, just because it happens in fiction doesn't necessarily mean it happens in real life. But it would be extremely strange for all this ink to be spilled over a non-existent problem.
It's also worth noting that, if anything, Western media downplays the problem more than Korean media plays it up. Looking at any industrialized country's bullying statistics makes for a pretty grim picture. One very consistent part of all the portrayals I've seen is that bullying's causes have more to do with modernity than anything quintessentially Korean. In School 2015 too, Eun-bi is mainly a victim of class differences, bystander effect, enabling modern technology, and straight up sociopathy. None of these are Korean inventions.
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bjharm
April 27, 2015 at 11:16 PM
I would say over the top in presentation but not in fact, if you get what I mean..it likey a lot darker and dirty than what they show here, it doubtful even the most jaded teacher would turn a blind in to public flowering and the like. But the suicide rating of teenagers in korea and other asia countries like japan, are scarey and the underling reason has to be in how the culture and modern society clash and do not work as they should.
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Jon G.
April 28, 2015 at 6:14 AM
I actually like to challenge your claim that school bullying is a "modernity" disease.
School bullying was invented at almost the same time as "public" schools were invented. Before, children bullied their peers at other opportunities (backyards, at work, etc.). Bullying is one of the most basic social skills of any young human being.
(As a result, there is nothing specifically Korean about the whole thing.)
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juniper
April 28, 2015 at 8:06 PM
I agree, from an American perspective at least. No matter how much I was bullied as a kid (and believe me, I had it really bad), I got the distinct impression I was better off in 2007 than I would have been, say, 1975, or god forbid anytime before 1900, when the concept of childhood or adolescence barely even existed and kids ruled themselves by the time they were 12. I would add that it's not so much that bullying came into being as a result of modernity, but rather that awareness of and interventions into bullying have risen radically in modern times. In early public schools, parents and adults used to be very hands off, as the common rationale was that a) kids will be kids, and b) learning how to stand up for yourself is part of growing up. I mean, tattling wasn't just stigmatized by peer groups--it was often shamed by adults as well. Anyway, my point is that people are much more aware of what's going on, and are more willing to problematize/pathologize cruelty amongst children, meaning that while the behavior hasn't changed all that much, our reaction to it has changed drastically. And that's not even touching on how much attitudes about gay bashing, racist attacks, sexual harrassment, etc, in schools have changed. Again, this is purely from an American perspective, so I'm not sure how useful/relevant this is to the discussion, or how much it has to do with your argument, really. Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in here.
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Sue
April 28, 2015 at 11:31 AM
As a teacher, I'm glad that I have never seen this level of bullying. I have seen bullying 3 times in my 7 years of teaching. My first year teaching I taught a first grade, and one of the kids was vicious. Eventually the school suspended him for safety reasons and sent him out for testing. The psychiatrist that treated him created a treatment plan with therapy and medications and he came back a month later a totally different kid. The Second time the victim was a kid with psychological problems. His classmates tried to accept him, help him, but he would purposely do things to be seen as a victim, including lying about things getting stolen. His classmates got fed up and they just ignored him completely. Would never talk to him, answer him, or even look him in the face. No amount of talking and counseling of these kids changed anything, so he transferred. Third time it was a conflict between high school girls ( I moved up to high school during my third year teaching). No physical fights, but a lot of insults and friends taking sides. Some cyber bullying. When one of the girls ended up in the hospital from the emotional stress all parties in the conflict automatically stopped, recognizing that they had gone too far.
So when I watch these dramas, as much as I love them, I can't help but be thankful that I'm not a teacher in Korea.
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crazyahjummafan
April 28, 2015 at 7:57 PM
@ Sue
Me too. I've been a teacher in a secondary for eons...and thankfully other than verbal taunts, which I squash as flat as I can, I have not seen much bullying in the schools I've taught, which range from notorious government schools to Christian schools.
My youngest daughter faces the "friend you today - don't friend you tomorrow" problem, with certain girls trying to exert influence over the rest, but her teachers are very supportive and work to clam down bullying. For this I'm thankful.
In fact, I've much to be thankful for in my country as bullying is not acceptable behaviour at all and the school and teachers work to make sure it does not happen. In fact, I find that a lot of my students try very much to accept the odd ones. I have a student in one of my classes who is very different from the rest in the way he speaks and responds, as he is mildly autistic and OCD. According to his form teacher, the class did bully him initially, but not any more. Haha, the form teacher threatened the whole class if they did! (The teacher is actually a very nice and friendly guy, and the students know that... but they know that they'll be in big trouble if they bully him.) Now though they may not be that close to him, they don't taunt him and actually accept him. They find him amusing. So do I. He's really a sweet kid.
I think a lot has to do with the system. In my country, there's very little corruption and we believe in meritocracy. So even if you're rich, it doesn't make much different. Of course, there are exceptions, but in general, it doesn't. I don't even know who are the rich kids in my classes as they all wear uniforms and even though the VP's son is in one of my classes, I scold and punish him as much as any other student if he doesn't do my work or misbehaves. Haha, I even threaten to see BOTH his parents (normally his mum will meet with the teachers) and he gets worried when I do that. In fact, he tries to keep as low-key as possible, which is the opposite from what I see in the dramas.
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4 cupkate
April 27, 2015 at 10:19 PM
omg it was really hard watching eun bi getting bullied and i think i cried a few times on the scenes between her and rajin.
im gonna be looking forward to this show cause the mystery is really intriguing.
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5 nevergreen
April 27, 2015 at 10:19 PM
Hmmm would it be possible that the reason So-young hates Eun-bi so much be that she has some bad history with Eun-byul? Just a random thought haha
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Cherry
April 28, 2015 at 4:23 AM
Sadly Sometimes a bully bullies like so young said, "just because". Doesn't have to have anything to do with a bad relationship. And I think the drama is trying to depict that as well. Children can be cruel to one another and if there are no adults or repercussions to correct them from the beginning it will just continue
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Jon G.
April 28, 2015 at 6:18 AM
Not just that. Unfortunately it isn't just a problem with some weird, sociopathic people that bully others. Some people are just too inviting as bully victims that they "turn" other, rather normal people into bullies wherever they go.
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Min
April 28, 2015 at 1:24 PM
I don't agree with your opinion mainly because it has the same logic as: women wearing "provocative" clothing turn a average and nice man into a rapist. that's doo-doo! people can be very mean and evil and it's not the victim's fault. You can't push the responsibility on the victim.
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crazyahjummafan
April 28, 2015 at 8:12 PM
@Min
I agree with you. There are people in society who behave differently - but this does NOT give us the right to bully them. If we don't like their behaviour or find it strange, we can leave them alone. Be polite and respectful, but there's no need to bully them, either with words or actions. They already are at a disadvantage.
Jon G.
April 28, 2015 at 10:47 PM
I'm not speaking from a moral or legal perspective, simply from a psychological one.
I also speak from personal experience here. I changed schools in middle school two times, and I have been violently bullied in all three schools, despite the fact that neither bullying nor violence was any significant problem in any of the three schools. In the third school, I was pretty much the only person in my year who got bullied, by people who, until then, had shown no signs of violent or otherwise anti-social behaviour. One of them got expelled over it, and his role was immediately taken over by another classmate.
es
April 28, 2015 at 9:15 PM
how can a person "turn" someone else into a bully??
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Jon G.
April 28, 2015 at 10:58 PM
Social interaction is a power game. And when young human beings learn that power game, the results can be brutal if some of them lack certain protective skills.
Bullying is a skill that every healthy person has, and I've yet to meet a person who didn't, at some point, used those skills. Most of the time, that doesn't turn into actual bullying, because the target is confident enough to cope with it without any escalation.
When people grow up, they often forgot how they actually acquired their social skills and they completely forget how they played around with bullying.
In some instances, distinct bullying happens because the perpetrators have some anti-social or psychopathic tendencies. But in most cases, it happens because of the behaviour of the potential victims.
Yes, that's basically victim-blaming, but from personal experience, I can tell you that, for me, bullying didn't stop when the bullies where expelled or constricted. That only brought along other bullies. It only stopped once I started to change my behaviour.
mooney
April 28, 2015 at 8:38 AM
I was thinking so maybe she knows both of the twins
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mooney
April 28, 2015 at 8:40 AM
And since she couldn't bully eun byul. She's bullying eun bi instead.... but I'm glad both twins aren't dead I really thought the ending was eun byul
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Min
April 28, 2015 at 1:24 PM
i think it is eun byul.
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someone
April 28, 2015 at 6:10 PM
i hope shes not dead):
6 chairmanmeow
April 27, 2015 at 10:24 PM
Thanks for the recap, JB!
I simply love the School series. Maybe it's because it reminds me of my own school days. In School 2013, it was bromance galore and I loved it. And its true, what you said about the feelings and the tone of the show being appealing (well, you may not have said it in the same order, but still)
Even though this show is not strictly applicable to my life, it does make feel really nostalgic. And now that I think about it, I even miss my school bullies!! LOL!
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skelly
April 28, 2015 at 7:49 AM
I don't. It's been 40 years since middle school and I still never want to see those horrible girls again. Just the thought that they grew up happily and had little proto-bullies of their own gives me the shudders.
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nomad
April 28, 2015 at 3:15 PM
Agreed with you, Skelly. I can just imagine these are the same women (sure men too, but since I'm a woman I can remember girl-bullies) that would probably say their kids are just playing while the other kids are left bruised physically and psychologically.
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7 Calzeralzer
April 27, 2015 at 10:37 PM
I am really excited about School 2015. This episode was a great start and I really like the added mystery. This first episode reminded me a lot of the U.S. show Lying Game.
Between this show and Angry Mom I am getting a lot of really heavy story lines involving bullying. It's really interesting to see it depicted so bluntly and it is almost hard to watch. I got frustrated when Eun Bi wouldn't stand up for herself but I think that shows a more realistic person who has been beaten down over and over again. Can't wait for the next episode!!!
Thanks for the recap Javabeans.
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8 Sajen
April 27, 2015 at 10:39 PM
I enjoyed/liked/endured, I'm not really sure what the correct adjective, is the first episode.
I don't like either Who Are You or School 2015 as titles so I'm just going to call it The Kim So-hyun Show.
Did anyone else cry when Eun-bi lied to Ra-jin? Or at that sequence where Eun-bi is walking down the hall after talking to the teacher and all those despicable wastes of space, flesh, and oxygen are all making fun of her then she suddenly tuned around did that make you cry?
So Eun-byul knows about her twin, and has some bizarre desire to dress her in the same clothes she wears, but Eun-bi isn't aware of her. How is that possible?
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9 crazedlu
April 27, 2015 at 10:59 PM
I like! Hope the story really comes through. So much mystery! I'm soooo curious. Makes me really miss "School 2013" though. Guh! So good! Can't wait to see this story unfold.
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10 clafel
April 27, 2015 at 11:12 PM
who's gonna die eun-byul or eun-bi?
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kayg
April 27, 2015 at 11:34 PM
i think eunbyul die and eun bi has amnesia from the drowning (?)
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11 reza
April 27, 2015 at 11:20 PM
I like the show.looking forwad for next eps.
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12 kayg
April 27, 2015 at 11:33 PM
it somehow frustrating watching eun bi didnt stand up for the bullies , well at some point she did but then she quickly become her usual self ...
AND I FOT SO CONFUSED AT HAN YI AN'S FLASHBACK ... is that girl eun byul or eun bi ?!! totally dont know which to root for eunbi - yi an or eunbyul- yi an ...
although this is kinda mean , i hope that eunbyul go missing till the very end , because i dont want to be torn apart between the two of them :(
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Jon G.
April 28, 2015 at 5:52 AM
She should be Eun-byul, Eun-bi shouldn't even know Han-yi.
I'm confused too, but mostly because the very idea of a character portrayed by Kim So-hyun has her own child actress goes against the laws of nature.
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Samantha Kim
April 29, 2015 at 9:30 AM
I don't know why but I root for eunbyeol and yi an.
Well, after watching the 2nd ep (no spoiler intention), I feel that yi an actually quite understands Eunbyul the most. They just complete each other.
And I root for eunbi and sungjae(?) again, because I feel that they can complete each other.
Well, I don't know XD
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13 Lilith
April 27, 2015 at 11:44 PM
I'm glad that there's an influx of dramas touching on school bullying with more depth, I'm currently watching Angry Mom as well (though it has already sort of transit from bullying to corruption). From what I've seen online, bullying in Korea seems more serious than my country. At least I wasn't bullied physically back when I was young, and I didn't see or hear instances of physical bullying around me either.
In most cases, kids become targets for verbal bullying due to their physical appearances or their actions seen as being different from the norm. Lets not forget that the bullies are kids too, and they are young, ignorant, and easily influenced by others. Things will gradually change for the better as they grow up in a positive environment.
However there are instances of more severe bullying as well, such as physical violence or even sexual harassment. Perpetrators of such school bullying are generally in their teens or late teens and they turn out like this due to negative influences from their growing environment. That's why it is important to counsel them from young.
Okay I feel like I've deviated quite a bit. Back to the drama, I can't wait for the subs to be up and I'll see how the story goes. It sounds similar to a book I've read before, a pair of pretty twin girls, one is the shy quiet type and the other is the popular A-lister. The quiet one adores her sister and secretly wishes to be popular like her. One day accident happened and the popular one dies and the quiet one pretends to be the popular one. But then slowly she realises that her sister isn't as popular and kind as she thought.
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crazyahjummafan
April 28, 2015 at 8:42 PM
The bullying persists primarily because of the corruption. Teachers turn blind ear-eye, whatever cos the bully is the child of a big shot and he can't do anything about it. If he brings it up, his job would be on the line and there mat be other repercussions.
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14 Daehoney
April 28, 2015 at 12:57 AM
I read somewhere that Eun-Byul is Eun-Bi who has amnesia. So they're practically one person or something
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15 Akirin
April 28, 2015 at 1:00 AM
I'm so curious the storylines of this drama. So many questions pop in my mind. Did Eun byul's mom knows the existence of Eun bi? How the character that played by Yoo Sungjae knows the person that lied on the bed is Eun bi as shown in the next episode's preview? This drama is very excited and makes me want to watch next episode so badly! I'm feel bad for Yi-an. The person that he loves is Eun byul not Eun bi. If Eun byul doesn't die and comes back, the plot will be twisted! The main reason I write the comments are do anyone agree with me that Yi an so handsome and his smile! And also the part that he visits Eun byul (actually is Eun bi) in hospital and embraces her!! Omg I'm totally had crushed on him haha. That's it. Thanks for recap! Thanks dramabean!
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16 vanilaeru
April 28, 2015 at 1:18 AM
i personally saw several kind of bully.
but i rarely seen the bully that as harsh as shown at drama.
but once in while in news even elementary school student
bully their friends that cause a death.
the bully like drama are exist and maybe as dirty or even dirtier in real life. just the birth secret or swapping character a a bit dramatic. so what? this is drama anyway.
But these kind of bully not only happen in korea.
i am sorry for my lack english.
i don't think eun bi amnesia. she is not eun byul. so obviously she's not familiar with eun byul environment.
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17 Abbie
April 28, 2015 at 1:26 AM
I haven't been this intrigued by a first episode since Liar Game, and both shows have a dark tone. I can't abide bullying, no matter what country, or what form it takes. I really hope Eun-bi is okay, and Eun-byul is okay, because already I'm looking forward to seeing them together. The whole twin-switch thing is never overdone, in my book, and I'm really eager to learn why the mother gave Eun-bi up but kept her sister. There are a lot of mysteries presented in this first episode, and I can't wait to dive in to them.
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18 escape
April 28, 2015 at 2:43 AM
I guess I'm in the minor here. While I don't love it, I don't hate it. I find the pace a bit slow to my liking and it really reminds me of the Taiwanese drama "Bump Off Lover". One thing that really bothers me is the shortness of those school skirts. I feel that every time a girl takes a step, I can see their buttcheeks and that bothers me. It is way too short for a school uniform.
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be
April 28, 2015 at 2:54 AM
Me too. I havent watched it but all the premise really reminded me to "Bump Off Lover". I wonder if this is the adaption to that but they didn't tell us to avoid spoiler since it was rely heavily on that.
I really love Bump off lover so maybe I'll check this out later
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pigsnout
April 28, 2015 at 3:42 AM
Eun Bi's school skirt and even the other kids in her school's, is almost knee length though.
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19 Lynn
April 28, 2015 at 3:12 AM
Is it me or is it just weird that all the shows from different networks seem to like to revolve around one theme at a time? First it was the time travel thing then the multiple personality thing and now bullying in school. I get muddled up after a while! Who else thinks this is a problem?
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Wag_a_Muffin
April 28, 2015 at 6:30 AM
I'm waiting for a show where multiple people have ONE personality.
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Jon G.
April 28, 2015 at 6:36 AM
Well, doesn't K-drama do that across several shows? Like half of the rom-coms feature the exact same poor, hardworking doormat female lead and the exact same rich, arrogant jerk male lead?
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Smartia97
April 28, 2015 at 8:50 AM
funny. what will it be called, Twin Personality Glitch?
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someone
April 28, 2015 at 6:13 PM
well they do have to churn out more episodes and more storylines than american tv, imo. dramas end in only a few months, and there are rarely ever sequels, so it's hard to elaborate on stuff. plus, these themes are probably popular, so they stick to what will give them success.
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20 Jon G.
April 28, 2015 at 6:33 AM
Unlike you, JB, I don't dig the whole "separated twins" trope.
Maybe because one of the first books I read in German (at a rather young age) was Kästner's "Das Doppelte Lottchen", which explored the whole thing thoroughly enough to make everything afterwards just a lame copy.
Maybe because of all the "twin studies" from my Psychology courses at the university.
I also liked the "School" series for its distinct unagitated slice-of-life style.
But once I accept that this is NOT part of the "School" series, I will give it a try.
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21 Beazel74
April 28, 2015 at 7:53 AM
the person eun byul met at the harbor is han yi-an?? the stripe blue long sleeves is the same in the teaser...and who is jung soo-in???is it the reason eun-byul went missing??? ARISA.. last scene of eun byul is in the washroom so what could have happened? why eun byul is scared of jung soo-in? they should check the cctv again in the time frame that they last saw eun byul and started searching for her...
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22 ju
April 28, 2015 at 7:56 AM
So is Eun Bi now rescued from trying to drown herself and being mistaken for Eun Byul? If so, where is Eun Byul? I guess we just have to keep watching if we want to find out.
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Chloe
April 30, 2015 at 10:47 PM
apart from being concerned about where Eun Byul is, I'm surprised that Eun Bi's orphanage director doesn't seem to be looking for her at all. What's happening on the other end?
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Chloe
April 30, 2015 at 10:50 PM
replying to my own comment here :D but wanted to add that perhaps Eun Byul rescued Eun Bi whom she found in the water, then decided it was time she escaped her own life and also let Eun Bi have a taste of popularity rather than being bullied all the time. So after finding out that Eun Bi has lost her memories, she decided to take Eun Bi's place and let Eun Bi take hers.
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Chloe
April 30, 2015 at 10:51 PM
sorry for the spoilers. i think my comments are best reserved for episode 2. didn't realize...sorry!
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23 jiunie
April 28, 2015 at 8:15 AM
wow this sounds good. i was really skeptical of a school2015, but only because school2013 is very close to my heart (all problematic issues like pacing, cinematography etc aside). will check this out!!
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24 toni
April 28, 2015 at 8:32 AM
What's worse than the vicious bullying of students in K-movies and dramas I've seen is that the other students (non-victims) seem like they don't see the bullying taking place at all and they look like they're used to it already; they're having a blind eye out of fear of the bullies most probably but seriously, if this kind of bullying happens in my school, the bullies are immediately sent to the disciplinary office. I know, different school environments but isn't that basic sense of humanity? Omg. Does this kind of bullying really happen in Korea?
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Jon G.
April 28, 2015 at 8:51 AM
Bystanders are essential to successful bullying, because they confirm both the learned helplessness of the victims and provide positive feedback for the bullies.
In middle school/junior high school (and especially in single-sex educational institutions), bystanders are the majority when it comes to bullying. They are not primarily afraid of bullying, but they are busy with their own struggles in the constant pecking order fights (most of them are non-violent) and are happy that both the bullies and the bully-victims are busy otherwise.
Very often, btw., the bullies are NOT the most respected people among their peers. The active bullies are very often themselves somewhat of social outcasts and try to get the acknowledgement from the real elite (who are usually bystanders).
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nomad
April 28, 2015 at 3:20 PM
I think the bystanders problem really expand all the way to adults, in Korea. My friend who used to live in Seoul actually witnessed a woman being beaten up by a man. She was screaming and about to call the cop when her Korean friend actually dragged her out of there and told her not to meddle with somebody else's problem. I remember also watching an episode of Roommate, and one of the members (don't know his name, I don't watch this show regularly) saw similar thing. He just moved back to Korea from US. He tried to stop the Korean man, and the cops actually ended up arresting him instead. It's really messed up, imo.
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Manin
April 28, 2015 at 4:24 PM
You find bystanders all over the world. I experienced it, and friends of mine did too when we were bullied. It is fear. It's not knowing what to do, and the fear that if you do act you are the next victim.
I would not be surprised if it happens, whether in Korea, Europe or any where else. The difference is that there is a lot more focus on anti-bullying in the west than what we at least see in dramas (which could also be a wrong image). The recent trend in dramas is really putting the spotlight on the problem though, and hopefully for the better.
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25 Smartia97
April 28, 2015 at 8:42 AM
I've never been bullied, just ignored, except during exams. Hurts so much to be an outcast so I sympathise with Eub Bi in that.
But if they are going to pull off a soul switch, it seems ridiculous, more so, that they are twins. I'm open to the show surprising me. It's got a strong start though,don't muck it up
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26 Smartia97
April 28, 2015 at 8:47 AM
I've never been bullied, just ignored, except during exams. Hurts so much to be an outcast so I sympathise with Eub Bi in that.
But if they are going to pull off a soul switch, it seems ridiculous, more so, that they are twins. I'm open to the show surprising me. It's got a strong start though,don't muck it up.
No matter how they put it I hate those who turn blind eyes to it more than those doing the bullying. If it happens around me in Nigeria, I'm going to give them my wicked right hook. Not that I have ever done that, LOL
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27 Mikey
April 28, 2015 at 9:32 AM
Did anyone notice that they are trying to show that the kids learn bullying from the parents. Ra-Jin's bully gets a beating as soon as they leave his house. The PTA Prez bullies the other moms.
I have two theories on the mom. She either knows she has twins and only could afford to raise one or she adopted just one and Eun Buyl arranged for herself to be picked.
It would be nice if the bullies get their "just desserts" pun intended. I like how the girls befriended the underdog in "Sunny".
Would love to see a drama series based on Sunny characters.
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28 Anon
April 28, 2015 at 10:09 AM
I really like Eun Byul and I'd hate it if she doesn't end up with Yi An cause Im a sucker for childhood friends lol. If Yi An ends up with Eun Bi it'd be so :/ it would mean they're interchangeable :/// Idk the ep was so confusing...... Anyway I'm rooting for Eun Byul but I have a bad feeling
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Teri
April 29, 2015 at 11:46 AM
Eun Bi and the trouble maker, I ship them.
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mehvish
April 30, 2015 at 7:55 AM
Same they have a lot more chemistry
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29 es
April 28, 2015 at 10:44 AM
Aaah this was a really good first episode!! I was a little apprehensive about the whole swapped-twins thing, but they've done it really well. I wonder how the lovelines are going to work out though (are they planning on doing any lovelines??)....
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30 mehvish
April 28, 2015 at 1:57 PM
Doesn't this show kind off remind you of the lying game abc show .
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31 liz
April 28, 2015 at 3:15 PM
I suffered bullying. This rich girl thought it was funny to joke around with me, because I talked bad she had more fun than me staying quiet. But I just couldn't stay quiet. The result I got more and more bullied. They never touched me, but their bullying every single day saying I was crazy and dumb, made me hurt a lot. I couldn't do much - I didn't want to cry because they made more fun, and others kids ganged up to help her - because her family was rich and powerful. I had my friends to help me thought - but still the girl didn't care, she said "fuck teacher" and when the principal went to my classroom, she said on the principal's face she didn't care or were afraid and showed her middle finger.
She didn't come back the next year - the school didn't accept her, but I saw her some years ago and ran away scared, like a kid, and I'm an adult by now... I was so embarrassed.
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liz
April 28, 2015 at 3:17 PM
talked bad = talked back
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32 rosie
April 28, 2015 at 6:54 PM
Thanks for the recap!
Related to bullying, i have experienced for being in the same group with the bully'ers. I am not doing anything wrong to the victim, but i'm there witnessing everything.
yes, im at fault and ashame of it.
I get it why the victim cannot stand up for themselve. Most of the times, the victim is alone (like eun bi) against many people. And that many people represent school.
in my case this bully'ers group is the most influential group in school, thats why i entered in the 1st place.
Thankfully i encounter one of the victims and get close to her and with other friends. Once the victim have a circle group of their own, they won't be picked up anymore.
one thing i learn from this, i cannot be alone. I have to have circle group. Together, we can fight back.
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33 ObessiveCompulsive
April 28, 2015 at 10:40 PM
Kim so-hyun has done it again. This young lady is so talented. The writers have done an amazing job with the eerie mystery behind the twins. Whether they swapped places or if one twin actually dies. I really like that we know so much about Eun bi but Eun Byol is a compete mystery.
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34 niyati
April 29, 2015 at 12:45 AM
Hey is this a one off recap or will there be more?
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35 JVAL
April 29, 2015 at 1:49 AM
in the description on wiki-addicts they say this: Segang High School is a top school located in Gangnam District, Seoul. One of the students, Lee Eun Bi, wake up one day without knowing who she was. After find out that she used to be bullied, she changes herself and becomes popular. She then tries to recover her lost memories, and in the process, discovers the hidden truths behind her famous school.
So its more like past Eun Bi and current Eun Bi? does anyone make sens of this?
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mehvish
April 29, 2015 at 1:54 AM
Have you watched the second episode
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JVAL
April 30, 2015 at 1:52 AM
no not yet, i guess I'll find out :-)
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mehvish
April 30, 2015 at 2:48 AM
Aah ok because it kind off explains a fair bit and I kind off have my own theory but didn't want to spoil it for you.
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36 Selenette
April 29, 2015 at 2:30 AM
Thanks for the recaps, Javabeans.
I don't know if anybody else notices this, but Kim So-hyun's character name (one of her characters) here is similar to her character in OCN Reset (Eun-bi).
And the soundtrack title is Reset? More coincidences.
She was good in Reset, albeit underused in the latter eps.
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37 paige
April 29, 2015 at 6:44 AM
the one in the water is eun-byul for sure. Eunbi will start anew as eun-byul....
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38 Nina
April 29, 2015 at 7:18 PM
I can't really tell but it looks like one of Eun-byul's wrists is bandaged... I wonder what that's all about.
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39 NAna
April 29, 2015 at 7:33 PM
This is without a doubt a copy version from the manga ARISA. i love both the manga and the drama.
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40 theredsnowflake
April 29, 2015 at 10:49 PM
kim so hyun has an angle where she looks like park ha sun and an angle where she looks like son ye jin.
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41 choihyera
April 30, 2015 at 12:37 AM
So I take it Dramabeans won't be recapping School? Aw that's too bad. I was looking forward to your comments as they always help me understand a drama better. Oh well.
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42 Anisha
April 30, 2015 at 10:45 AM
Dramabeans when will ep 2 of school 2015 will be posted, kind a of waiting for it...plz do it soon na...
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theredsnowflake
April 30, 2015 at 11:12 AM
are you a filipino?
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43 anonymous1010
April 30, 2015 at 8:20 PM
i alraedy watched ep 2. i get this feeling that when they were young eunbi was the original eunbyul.. and they got exchanged, this is why the "eunbyul" we see in the 1st episode doesnt care much about yi an's promise and said that the "eunbyul" back when they were has changed already... there was probably some problem to the seoul eunbyul that's why she disappeared. and that problem is going put on the eunbi's(the original eunbyul) shoulders..
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44 Linda
April 30, 2015 at 8:57 PM
Thanks for the recap! I've been checking back every day for the episode 2 recap. Will you be doing any more?
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45 dyne
May 1, 2015 at 11:21 AM
i never see bullied in real world, just in drama/movie i mean. so i can't understand why they're so easily get bullied. even in my college now, which famous for bullied, not that bad. hmm we dont truly bullied, and no one really mean it. but just one of training method to tighten sense of belonging. that's in my place, i dunno the others
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46 roserayne
May 29, 2015 at 2:17 PM
Man, all these dramas about school bullying. Such a sad world we live in.
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47 Emily
June 10, 2015 at 10:17 AM
Oh my god, those girls are seriously jealus of her, like they ugly as *** and she is so **** beautiful.
I live in FL my whole life but have been bullied quite a bit in the 3rd and 5th grade, verbally mainly. But not as muchas THAT, thats awful, and i wasnt as cute as her when i was getting bullied id admit i was kind of hideous.
But shes beautiful, w.t.f is this? it dont make sense.
O.O
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48 Melinoe
June 10, 2015 at 7:17 PM
I know that we are on the topic of bullying, but I really want to know what phones they are using. Love Eun Byul's cell phone!!! Can any tell me? Please and thank you!
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49 himuro kaito (rkt)
June 14, 2015 at 7:29 PM
About the drama..........
Amazing first episode. I fully understand the main plot and characters. Everything was set up properly to lure u in for the next episode. But with the level of intensity in the 1st episode. I wonder will the next episodes be less interesting.either way amazing drama!
About me........... .
This drama hits home way to much for me seeing how I've been bullied for about 10yrs. So much I though about suicide. People who are saying its easy to stand up for yourself your wrong. Or just don't understand school. If a person has never been in a fight b4 how can u expect them to fight and win. If your going to fight u must win. If u dont then the bullying will continue. Its not that easy.
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50 Precious Johnson
September 16, 2015 at 4:21 AM
Well I don't know if it's too late to comment on this drama but it's my first time seeing the recap and I haven't gotten to watch it yet but I feel for Eun-bi though. Not being able to stand up for herself and just challenge those knuckle-heads and make them know who's in charge. Well,I feel pity for students who usually get bullied in high school,it's usually pretty tough for them to even want to go to school anymore because they feel deprived of their freedom of movement and speech.
Here,in Nigeria,Bullying is excessively vibrant in most schools where some of these female victims get Raped by theier oppressors(Also known as King Bullies here) then they have to drop out of school and nurse the child.
I wish bullying will come to an end and everyone will come to a realization that we're equal no matter the class or race.
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