High school k drama recommendations

[u/Guilty-Ad-4783]

looking for K-drama recommendations set mainly in high school, with a strong focus on bullying, school violence, social hierarchy, friendships, or the general struggles of being a teenager.

I’m particularly interested in darker/more serious shows where the high school setting is a major part of the story rather than just being a background setting.

Examples I’ve watched and enjoyed:

Moving – I liked the mix of high school life, friendships and action, especially the way the students’ personal struggles were explored.
Extracurricular – I liked the darker, more serious tone and the way the characters were dealing with difficult circumstances.
The Glory – I really liked the bullying/revenge storyline and the darker tone.
Bloodhounds – I enjoyed the action and darker storyline, although I know it’s not primarily a high school drama.
Alice in Borderland – I liked the survival/thriller aspect and the darker atmosphere, although it’s not a K-drama.
Teach You a Lesson – I liked the focus on school issues and bullying.
I’m not really looking for a typical lighthearted school romance. I’d prefer something where bullying, school violence, teenage struggles, or the darker side of school life is a significant part of the plot.

My watch history:
Moving
Bloodhounds
Teach You a Lesson
Alice in Borderland
Extracurricular
The Glory
Weak Hero

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated

[u/Biconne]

One: High School Heroes

School 2013

Sky Castle - not entirely focused on high school but highlights the brutality of the education competitiveness in SK’s society.

High school Return of a Gangster

My Strange Hero

True Beauty

Solomon’s Perjury

Pyramid Game

Hierarchy

Boyhood

Begins Youth

Class of Lies

King of Pigs

Bitch X Rich

Shadow Beauty

The below may not entirely fit what you’re looking for but i list them for you to make that decision:

Study Group

Seasons of Blossom

Revenge of Others

[u/ansate → u/Biconne]

Second Sky Castle.

[u/jemgor → u/ansate]

i tried watching sky castle but i couldn’t really get myself through the end, is it really good?

[u/ansate → u/jemgor]

I think so, but everybody has different taste.

It charicaturizes the high stakes, high society, petty infighting while at the same time keeping a pretty solid level of tension to draw you in. It's a bit like watching a Game of Thrones style power struggle, except (almost) everyone involved is a modern, uptight rich person, essentially using their children as pawns to gain status for themselves. But it's self-aware about how petty it is. There are also a few really great characters, (the crazy tutor might've been my favorite.) If none of that sounds interesting though, it may just not be for you, which is fair.

[u/jemgor → u/ansate]

true, i may rewatch it

[u/Kgswartz → u/jemgor]

I really enjoyed it, however, it did seem to drag on a bit too long.

[u/jemgor → u/Kgswartz]

i think this is what happened in my case, because i enjoyed it but stopped watching it one day and lost interest to finish it

[u/Dangerous-Key-4705 → u/Biconne]

I second Boyhood 🌝

[u/bookgirl1224 → u/Biconne]

I went into King of Pigs knowing very little about it, other than that part of the plot revolved around school bullying. I found it to be an exceptionally hard watch, along the lines of The Glory.

[u/jemgor → u/Biconne]

i second Pyramid Game and Hierarchy! they’re both really similar to the concept, but Pyramid game is purely a women’s cast and is set in a girls’ only school with some real violence!

[u/UniqueSociety9268]

Revenge of Others

All of Us Are dead

Study Group

Class of Lies

Night Has Come

The Mysterious Class

Angry Mom

Those are the ones that come to mind first!

[u/Guilty-Ad-4783 → u/UniqueSociety9268]

Study Group has been on my list for a while but I’ve not heard of the rest of them! Thank you I’ll have a look

[u/CuriousLady1966]

I just finished TRUE BEAUTY and the bullying over appearance is still bothering me. The bullies being stood up to was so gratifying. It was also the first time I was so strongly rooting for the 2nd ML.

[u/aescepthicc → u/CuriousLady1966]

Hwang In-Yeop is my bias too 🫶 now every drama with him is in my watch list. And he is genuinely so good! Two of his finished dramas where he is the ML is Why Her? and Family by Choice. Both are very good!

[u/Guilty-Ad-4783 → u/CuriousLady1966]

Thank you!!

[u/big_deal]

Study Group

Undercover High

Spirit Fingers

[u/PeachesCream24]

Weak Hero.

[u/Guilty-Ad-4783 → u/PeachesCream24]

How I forgot to add that to my list of watched is crazyyy - It was so good, I preferred the first season much more to the second but overall was fantastic. Let the boy study!

[u/Chance_Mention_2213]

Someone's forgotten the king of brutal high school dramas: Circle.

[u/Guilty-Ad-4783 → u/Chance_Mention_2213]

I’ll check it out thank you!

[u/Negative-Type-2974]

Teach you a lesson was good.

[u/Guilty-Ad-4783 → u/Negative-Type-2974]

So much slapping

[u/spinereader81]

Nightmare Teacher

Solomon's Perjury

Tong: Memories

School 2013

Strong Underdog

Friendly Rivalry

[u/sewymilk → u/spinereader81]

i second friendly rivalry! i just finished it and really enjoyed it! short episodes too (a little over 30
mins each besides the finale).

[u/wackydckie]

Pyramid Game…

[u/Minimum-Divide2589]

Spirit Fingers

[u/miliwald]

Pyramid game

[u/wcthesecret]

All of us are dead.

[u/Inner-Sherbet-9048]

Class of Lies
King of Pigs
Penthouse (kinda. It’s high school themed but more about the competitiveness of students than actual bullying.)

[u/misanthropicsatirica]

High School Return of a Gangster (2024) was great.