Unpacking Action In Academia: "Study Group" K-Drama Review

This review could have passed off as a good recommendation for "favourite movie about mum" because of just one scene in it but I thought I shouldn't exaggerate it so I'm choosing to share my thoughts on this masterpiece and everything in it I can think of now. My sister recommended it and I finally saw it, it's 10 for me!

I think this series has raised the bar for an action story in a school setting, well I can't choose which did it best between this series and "Weak Hero Class" but it's only to say that Korean dramas aren't limiting themselves for what they can give in every story. Everything about this series was so unreal and very interesting to see.

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"Study Group" is a 2025 coming-of-age Korean drama directed by Lee Jang-hoon and starring Hwang Min-hyun (also a character in Alchemy of souls) as the main lead. It's a story about a struggling student attending the worst school and forming a study group to overcome his academic challenges and secure a college spot.

Yoon Ga-min starred by (Hwang Min-hyun) has got to be a perfect example of a dumbass in this story. He had all the resources and even the passion to study but somehow he keeps coming second to last in his class. He decides to attend Yusung Technical High School (a school that ranks in power, not grade) to form a study group.

The nerdy appearance, eye reading, the fist fights and unexpected super power scenes from this character has to be my highlight and there were a lot of it to get me loving the series from start to finish. How do one keep being dumb in studies but so smart in fighting? I never understood that fact at all but trust viewers to love it just like that.

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Every member of the study group had their stories and not just any boring kind but one to keep you hooked. I think I had more fun when the strawberry head guy applied to join the group than the others, his vibe was second to none in keeping viewers laughing at the way he responds to situations mainly to increase his fight ranks.

While Ga-min is the dumbest among them, they had a top 2 student in their group and that kinda make me not lose mind that they will do better in their studies as the story continues. Interestingly, the supposed study group fought way more than actual study. It's a price they had to pay for having a study group where it is not welcomed.

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Talk of a cute and adorable villain, it's Pi Han-wool (starred by Cha Woo-min). I think these writers and directors try too hard to make viewers not hate villains in their stories, I couldn't bring myself to see him for the atrocities he was causing because of how cute and adorable he acts when he is being the good top student he is.

Turns out he had caused the death of a teacher a year ago before the study group creation supported by a new teacher. A student villain backed by his corrupt father, uses his money and wealth to control other students to prefer fighting and being bullies over studying. How he had the school's vice principal controlled was amusing.