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School 2013: Episode 4

I’m so invested in this show. It hits all the right buttons for me—it’s earnest and heartfelt, angsty in a relatable, not overly dramatic way, and tonally darker than you’d expect for a high school drama. The storytelling holds back in a really smart way too, making us curious about each character and taking its time to reveal them in bits and pieces, which if you’re anything like me, has you hooked.

SONG OF THE DAY

“Beautiful Days” – J-min (School 2013 OST) [ Download ]

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EPISODE 4 RECAP

The air is thick with tension, as new transfer student Heung-soo turns to Nam-soon with a sneer, “President?” Nam-soon looks even more pained than usual, if that’s even possible.

I get the sense that he knew the you-are-class-president-my-ass derision was coming, but also that he’d get that reaction from Heung-soo if he were just sitting there breathing. I don’t know what went on between these two before, but this ain’t no you-stole-my-lunch-money kind of past.

Then the resident class bully Jung-ho saunters in and recognizes Heung-soo from the other day and starts to push him around. Should I be relieved for Nam-soon that Jung-ho has a new target for the time being? Nam-soon looks nervous about that too though.

Meanwhile, Se-chan is being questioned about his illegal tutoring business, which he says is already being taken care of. But they mean something else, something specific to a student here – they accuse him of privately tutoring Ha-kyung, against the rules.

He explains that no one student could afford his rates, and Ha-kyung was just a member of his last tutoring class at the academy. He asks who reported him, and the investigators refuse to disclose that information. Se-chan pointedly asks if Ha-kyung doesn’t deserve the same privacy.

But it’s all out in the open, and Ha-kyung sits nervously in the teachers’ lounge, waiting to be questioned. In-jae tells her that Se-chan took care of it so she won’t have to answer any questions, and tries to console her. But Ha-kyung is as closed-off as ever, and leaves without a word.

The mean girls gossip about her in the bathroom, and Kang-joo rushes to her defense. But Ha-kyung bristles coldly at the whole group, and snipes at Kang-joo to worry about herself. Gee, and you wonder why you don’t have any friends?

Kang-joo walks back to class in a pissy mood, only to run into Heung-soo again. This time she challenges him to kick her shoe today, and he laughs as he kicks and trips her on his way out.

She shakes her fist, “I swear I’ll kick you someday!” I hope it’s his heart to the curb after he develops an embarrassing crush on you. It’s only fair.

It turns out Uhmforce is the math teacher (and here I thought he was just the scary enforcer guy, ajumma perm notwithstanding) and he makes a point of calling Jung-ho and Heung-soo up to the board to solve some equations.

He’s scary enough that Jung-ho reluctantly goes up, but Heung-soo doesn’t budge. Uhmforce asks if he wants to be expelled from yet another school, and Heung-soo says he came to this school determined to graduate, “So don’t mess with me.” Dayum.

The whole class is stunned, and now Jung-ho looks like the dutiful little student, compared to the new badass in town.

The other boys chatter on about it from PE to lunch, calling Heung-soo “hyungnim” (because he’s actually older since he squatted a year). One of them says he heard a rumor that he was some legendary jjang [meaning best, a title only the coolest baddest badass gets], not just at his school, but basically top dog in a whole city.

In-jae watches as Uhmforce talks to Heung-soo, who for all his defiance actually answers the teacher respectfully. They agree not to mess with each other, meaning Heung-soo doesn’t cause any trouble, and Uhmforce stays out of his hair.

After Heung-soo leaves, Uhmforce smiles to know that he really does want to graduate. In-jae doesn’t look satisfied at the graduate-quietly plan, or maybe she doesn’t quite believe that he won’t cause trouble?

Heung-soo saunters into the cafeteria, and all eyes turn toward him. Nam-soon silently hands Heung-soo his lunch and walks out. Hm, an automatic here’s-my-lunch-before-you-bully me tactic, or a peace offering?

Heung-soo takes it with a snide laugh and sits down to eat alone. But Jung-ho and his lackeys come up to challenge him to a fight, itching to settle the new pecking order. It’s kind of like watching the nature channel, where the dogs also have detention and math homework.

Jung-ho turns down Heung-soo’s offer to just continue being the jjang—’cause you know, what’s the point in being the alpha dog if you didn’t beat your bloody way to the top? So Heung-soo suggests they take care of things outside of school and away from teachers.

Jung-ho makes a point of pouring his leftover lunch onto Heung-soo’s tray before he goes, but he doesn’t make it very far before Heung-soo stops him. He throws all the trays on the floor at Jung-ho’s feet with a loud clang. “Watch where you’re going.” He walks out.

Kang-joo runs after Nam-soon to nag him about not eating his lunch (aw she’s cute) and spends the rest of her day half mad at Ha-kyung and half trying to make up with her. But Ha-kyung doesn’t make it easy, acting just as cold and condescending to her as she is to everyone else. Are you two even friends?

In-jae and Se-chan have another bickering match over how best to use their individual meetings with their students, and Se-chan tells her not to get so deeply invested in the kids. “Is school supposed to take responsibility for their lives?”

In-jae: “It might not be able to take responsibility for them, but it should be a place they can lean on.” Se-chan: “Do you want to lean on me?” She gapes that he’s crazy. “See, you don’t like me, so why would you want to lean on me? Kids—they don’t like school.”

Back in class, Nam-soon silently puts a textbook on Heung-soo’s desk. I am seriously dying of curiosity here. Heung-soo decides to test him, and suggests Nam-soon go buy him a snack too while he’s at it, and Nam-soon heads out.

The class buzzes—is Nam-soon falling in line? He didn’t even once cave to Jung-ho, but is he choosing to become Heung-soo’s lap dog?

Nam-soon comes back to class and puts the snack on Heung-soo’s desk without a word. Curiously, Heung-soo doesn’t look especially pleased about it.

The class murmurs that Nam-soon is being pathetic to gain some protection, but clearly something else is going on here that only the two boys understand.

In any case, it’s doubly annoying to Jung-ho, who hears belatedly that the defiant Nam-soon is now falling in line with Heung-soo.

Poor In-jae struggles as always to get the kids’ attention, and Se-chan can infuriatingly get them to shut up with one soft-spoken warning from the back of the room. She says they’ll start their one-on-one meetings with the students who didn’t turn in their About Me homework, which is pretty much Jung-ho, his lackeys, and Nam-soon.

Jung-ho and his friends walk out right in front of her, and Se-chan just shakes his head at her wasted effort, screaming down the hall after kids who don’t give a crap.

But thankfully good ol’ Teacher Jo is there to play bad cop, and stops them in the hallway—would they like to clean the gym, or go back to their homeroom teacher? Hee. Back they go.

Ha-kyung gathers her things at the end of the day, only to find all her books scrawled with insults. Kang-joo tells her that she hopes she gets into Seoul University like she wants, even though it won’t erase where she came from. Ha-kyung stews.

Nam-soon follows Heung-soo out of school, and once they’re outside Heung-soo finally turns to face him, balking at Nam-soon acting like they’re friends or something. “Do you want to go, or shall I?”

He says they can’t possibly go to the same school. “Every time I see you I want to hit you. You should be the one to go. Running away is your specialty.” Oooh that’s telling.

They’re interrupted by Kang-joo, who only sees that Nam-soon is carrying Heung-soo’s bag like a puppy, and basically tells him not to live that way. Ha. She grabs the bag and throws it back at Heung-soo, and bravely tells him not to mess with anyone in their class. I like her.

Nam-soon tries to tell her that’s not what this is, to no avail.

In-jae tells Jung-ho that it might be hard for him to graduate like this, and asks if he even wants to graduate. No answer. She asks if he has any problems at home, and he scoffs, “What, if I do, what’ll you do about it?”

This time she doesn’t have an answer. He walks out, and she chases after him, saying that she knows he’s acting tough to hide his insecurities. He turns that around on her and says she’s doing the same—acting tough to hide her weaknesses. Eee, they’re both right on that score.

He adds that he’s not acting tough, “I AM tough,” and tells her she’s the weakest in their whole class, so why would anyone listen to her if they’re not afraid of her? Se-chan sneaks up behind him and asks what about him then?

Se-chan says he’s tougher so by his reasoning, Jung-ho needs to listen to him. So far so good… but then he tells Jung-ho to just stop coming to school altogether because he doesn’t do anyone any good and he’s not wanted here.

Oy. One’s got the right intentions but the wrong delivery, and the other’s got the authority but the wrong message. In-jae shoos him out of there before Se-chan does any more damage, and SLAMS the door, leaving Se-chan blubbering, “What’d I do?” Ha.

In-jae looks through Jung-ho’s record and sees a note from a past teacher, stating that it’s likely Jung-ho’s father beats him pretty badly. Yeah, I don’t think it takes a genius to figure that much. She watches him go with a sigh.

That night, Ha-kyung stands outside her tutoring academy, unable to face the other students. She takes out her phone to call Kang-joo, but then she can’t bring herself to do that either.

The next morning, Nam-soon stands outside the school gate, as Heung-soo walks up behind him, “You going in?” That’s… not a friendly invitation, is it?

Heung-soo turns to leave, but Nam-soon says he’ll be the one to go, and walks away.

Ha-kyung arrives outside school on the bus, but can’t bring herself to face them either, and doesn’t get off. But before the bus leaves, Nam-soon gets on, and they awkwardly make eye contact on the empty bus.

They sit on opposite sides, each staring out the window with a sigh.

In-jae texts them both wondering where they are, and worries most about Jung-ho who’s running low on absences before expulsion. She asks Se-chan what he’s going to do about him, suggesting that as the teacher, he has to apologize first.

She asks how he can hurt a student like that, and he in turn asks if protecting them is somehow going to give them fewer scars in life or a happy ending. He tells her that if she’s not going to take responsibility for Jung-ho till the end, she shouldn’t start because she’ll get hurt too.

In-jae: “It’s not that you don’t want to take responsibility. You’re scared, aren’t you?” That seems to niggle at his conscience. Or he has something in his eye. We have yet to find evidence that he has a conscience.

In-jae tries to find out what’s going on in her class from the other students, but no one will tell her why Ha-kyung and Nam-soon aren’t here.

They ride the bus all the way around until it circles back to school, and this time Nam-soon gets up. He tries to get Ha-kyung to get off with him, but she’s not one to easily give in. He finally convinces her to get off at the next stop as a favor to him since he doesn’t want to go it alone. Aw.

They trek back to school and he asks if it was really worth it just to go to that stupid academy. He asks why she went in the first place, framing his face with his hand, “For the flower boys?” Hee.

She snarks that there aren’t any at their school, that’s for sure. The real reason is that their school isn’t going to help her get into Seoul U, and he wonders what the big friggin’ deal is about going there.

She says it’s where everyone else in her family went, with a sigh, like it’s more of a curse than anything. Ah, okay, that helps put it into perspective, if she’s from some crazy high-pressure family.

She asks if Nam-soon is really that scared of the new kid. He nods. She scoffs, wondering what Heung-soo is that’s got Nam-soon on the ropes.

“We were friends. Really good friends… once.”

They reach the outer wall and Ha-kyung refuses to go in together, so Nam-soon leaps the wall first. As he walks onto the field, he sighs that school sure is far today.

He walks into class, and Heung-soo notes his presence with silent disapproval. It’s so adorable that Young-woo comes up to say that he was worried, and Kang-joo nags him about not bringing Ha-kyung in with him.

Heung-soo steps out for a cigarette, and Nam-soon comes up and snatches it away, pointing up at the cameras. Heung-soo wearily tells him to go before he gets hit, and Nam-soon doesn’t budge, “Just hit me.”

Heung-soo sneers, “You’re a good actor. You have everyone fooled. Do they not even know your real age? They think they’re friends with you.”

He figures Nam-soon is rattled, worried that he might blow his cover and tell everyone about their past. Nam-soon says it doesn’t matter. But that’s not what his face says.

Heung-soo: “Really? If they knew what kind of bastard you really are, would they still act that way?” He says they’ll see, lording their secret, whatever it is, over Nam-soon’s nervous head.

Kang-joo finds Ha-kyung still standing outside the school walls. She asks why she’s not coming in, and Ha-kyung finally admits that it’s because she’s sorry, and she thought Kang-joo would hate her. Aw, so you really are friends.

Kang-joo leaps down, tearing her skirt in the process, and Ha-kyung’s worry overcomes their awkward tension. Kang-joo throws her arm around her, saying she missed her nagging friend, and they laugh.

Kang-joo goes with her to the tutoring academy, and demands that her friend get a refund. Ha. It’s adorable—she not only gets Ha-kyung’s money back, but manages to make the academy feel like they lost the opportunity to advertise Ha-kyung’s success story later, and they walk out arm in arm, with their heads held high.

Ha-kyung uses the money to buy them new school uniforms, and they run back giggling. They’re so cute.

In-jae asks Nam-soon why he still hasn’t turned in his About Me questionnaire, and he says he doesn’t have anything to say. She asks about an irregularity on his record—he didn’t graduate from junior high and entered high school with an exam, and she asks him why.

Whatever happened with Heung-soo must’ve happened then, because he clams up about it instantly. Thankfully for him, In-jae gets a call from Jung-ho’s dad, so he’s off the hook for now.

The other teachers worry about her heading to see Jung-ho’s dad alone, since he’s famous for throwing violent fits even when he visits school. Yeesh. It looks like Se-chan has a conscience after all, because he offers to go with her.

Ha-kyung and Kang-joo just play hooky the rest of the day, and Kang-joo asks how Nam-soon knew about her going to that academy, wondering why he’d be at a place like that. Ha-kyung asks in turn why she’s so curious about Nam-soon… which makes ME worried that they both might end up liking him.

Nam-soon gets a call that night… from Jung-ho? He says he’s with Heung-soo, and Nam-soon panics, asking where they are. Uh-ohs.

In-jae finds Jung-ho’s house, but there’s no answer at the door. She insists on waiting a while longer, and Se-chan sighs that she can’t take responsibility for their lives. In-jae: “So because I can’t take responsibility, I shouldn’t stick out my hand either?”

He says that he worked at an amusement park once, and the moms who lost track of their kids always said the same thing—that they disappeared in the one second when they weren’t looking.

“What I’m saying is, even mothers lose their kids.” He leaves her there to wait alone.

Heung-soo shows up to meet Jung-ho, still not wanting to fight if he doesn’t have to. That is, until Nam-soon shows up. Eek, I think you just made it worse.

Jung-ho says he called him here so that Heung-soo couldn’t complain later that it wasn’t an evenly matched fight 2:2, and Heung-soo just sneers. Suddenly he kicks the two boys, and Nam-soon runs over.

And then… Heung-soo sticks his hands in his pockets. Whaa? To just take the beating? But why? He gives Nam-soon this pointed look. Man, there is some seriously twisted water under this bridge.

Jung-ho tears into Heung-soo, and even his friend gets scared. He sees that In-jae is calling Jung-ho’s phone, and he answers, terrified.

Jung-ho says he heard that Heung-soo has a bum leg. He grabs a nearby brick, ready to make the damage permanent. And it’s then that Nam-soon gets in Jung-ho’s way, to defend Heung-soo.

He fights back… and he’s vicious. Oh crap. What did they just unleash? Nam-soon knocks Jung-ho to the ground and starts wailing on him, with this terrifying rage.

And behind him, Heung-soo smiles, “So you’re not dead after all, Go Nam-soon.”

Flashback to Nam-soon getting beaten, all those years ago, with Heung-soo looking on. Only when it stops, the two boys smile at each other. Heung-soo brushes the dirt off his shoulders and says he did well. Oh shit. This is Nam-soon getting jumped into a gang, isn’t it?

In-jae and Se-chan rush to the field, just as the police arrive, a moment ahead of them. They look over at the boys, and there’s Nam-soon beating the living crap out of Jung-ho. He sees Teach and freezes.

 
COMMENTS

Dude, it’s worse than I thought. The chair incident made me think that Nam-soon maybe had some anger and violence issues, but the way he was wailing on Jung-ho, and the way Heung-soo smiled? They were like 13-year old Fight Club, weren’t they? It’s obvious from their few interactions at school that Heung-soo feels deeply betrayed and Nam-soon feels extremely guilty—over what, we don’t know, but something tells me it’s not as simple as Nam-soon just wanting out. Before the reveal, I was hoping the two boys would overcome their differences and be friends again, but now I’m terrified what having Heung-soo around will do to change Nam-soon, after all his effort to be better. Now I get why Heung-soo scoffed at him being class president, which seems so completely ass-backwards, from his point of view. My understanding from Heung-soo’s reaction when Jung-ho asked if he was the Kyungkido jjang is that he might not be, which means there are only two possibilities: Heung-soo was and is lying about it, or it was Nam-soon. Eeeeeee.

The teachers, I continue to love from episode to episode, especially now that In-jae and Se-chan are forced to work together. I wished for the last three episodes that Ha-kyung’s conflict was one I cared more about, but today’s episode did a lot to make her more likable. At first I didn’t get her militant thing about that academy and her seemingly pointless shame about what high school she goes to (which I get in theory but am also like, yeah get over it). But now that we see she has ONE friend in this world in Kang-joo, it makes her more relatable, and her confession to Nam-soon about her family pressure helps to motivate her obsession with getting into Seoul U. Now I feel like I understand her a bit more, and can get past her cold exterior. If she’s got one friend she’s nice to, I can forgive a lot. I also just love her and Nam-soon together, because they’re both so damn lonely and adrift—I hope theirs will continue to be a very slow progression because I like their quiet understated dynamic.

I loved the slow reveal of Heung-soo’s character—they waited to bring him in after we’re introduced to Nam-soon and so firmly on his side, and just when you think Nam-soon couldn’t have more enemies or couldn’t handle one more bad thing in his life, Heung-soo shows up and makes his earlier conflict with Jung-ho seem like a cakewalk. It was a great tense introduction too, dropping enough hints that Nam-soon was acting out of character around this guy, making me so damn curious about their past.

It’s a good wrench to throw into the class dynamic, and an even better conflict for Nam-soon, even though it terrifies me because I just want him to be a good boy and graduate and be happy. (I know, where’s the drama in that? But! My heart! My heart can’t take it if he’s hurting!) My one tiny ounce of hope is in Heung-soo’s seemingly earnest desire to do the same and just graduate quietly, despite the fact that they’d each do better at separate schools. In other countries. Maybe on other planets. I have a feeling he’s going to drag Nam-soon down, which would make me hate him if he weren’t played by Kim Woo-bin. Now I won’t be satisfied till they’re BOTH graduating like good boys. Bah. I’m in for a world of pain, aren’t I?

 
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what do u mean by normal??

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oops.. sorry for double post.. i find kang joo boring though i like the bond bwtween her and Ha Kyung..
hopefully Kang joo will get her back story in this drama for me to like her,
i have a feeling that she has something for nam soon

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Thanks for the recap !

I LOVE this show so much >.< They're doing a really good job making us curious ! by now, curiosity is killing me ... in reminds me of Reply 1997 in that way !

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This drama is sooo good!!! Can't wait for the next ep...
Thanks 4 the recap... I already watch it subbed but still need to read ur recap 2 feel completed....

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GF~

Thanks for the recap.

Ha-kyung uses the money to buy them new school uniforms.

Yay ! That track suit wasn't doing her justice.

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Yeah xD That school has such gorgeous school uniforms, but the tracksuits of the school are just ridiculous xD

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i love this drama than most dramas they release nowadays

i really can't wait how namsoon will change his perspective in life, and i think he must be the tsunami that everyone is talking about. i think heung soo's will help him forgiving himself by what happens in the past and move on. just like what i've read about heung soo's character, He is the one guy everyone is afraid of but unlike the usual 'leader of the school' he follows a rule that he never touches anyone from the same class and has boldness and loyalty. He earns a lot of trust with and is attractive in that way. Many are highly expecting the after effects of his rule and story that is about to be unfolded by him.

and namsoon and ha kyung, i like they're scenes and the BGM when they're together. one who change because of his past and the other who'll do anything for her future. i also read about these
An insider said, "They will be in a relationship where they need each other more than they know.

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Park Se Young smiles? I'm impressed. I find her beautiful but majorly deadpan.

I'm glad nam soon beats up Jung ho. The latter had it coming.

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Stuff I want that I will probably never get: Kang-joo and Nam Soon as a couple. (That's one thing I hate about some movies -- American or global-- we see who will end up with whom.) But apparently, in the finale, Kang-joo and new hottie baddie will be a couple and Vice president and president will be a couple.

I am wondering if Oh Jung Ho is even redeemable at this point. I'm not sure if this is a more realistic approach to bullying in that the bully just is totally pitiful and yet moving slowly into unlikable territory...but I seriously do not want him getting Nam Soon into any more trouble (as hinted at in preview.) The fact that he has an unseen father who is alcoholic and who throws things and embarrasses him is getting old right now. I don't care how much he suffers at home right now and if the writers want to keep bully doing bullying yet keep me hoping he sees the light...well, they BETTA give me a scene where his dad is stumping all over him. Ya know... so I can commiserate.

When Oh Jung Ho was cruel and belittling to teacher, he reminded me of some cruel kids I met when I used to teach. Mercifully I don't remember anyone actually doing/saying cruel stuff to me but I remember the vicious yet casual way some kids would skewer other people. (Aargh...bad memories flood my mind now. There was the teacher with the bladder problem who always smelled like pee and which everyone -kids and teachers-- pretended not to notice. But THEN...some bully had to skewer her.) So, yeah, am not gonna excuse his cruelty unless he really has a life worse than all the other kids combined.

I like the whole Good Teach/Bad Teach. They need each other. Like imperfect halves of a perfect whole. Together they will meld into a perfect Uhmforce. Not sure if I want them to fall in love. I could take that or leave it.

Thanks so much for the recap.

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"Maybe on other planets." Like Heung-soo is actually a vampire from a planet far, far away and plans to become an idol ? Kidding. But I love the subtle Vampire Idol references there *wink* (I am delusional. I know)

It's a great ending in a sense that it makes you wonder and think even after it's last second. I love it. Now I (semi) get why Nam-soon acts the way he does earlier on. Maybe Nam-soon was trying to do what Heung-soo is doing right now. Getting by quietly without causing trouble .. because he has done trouble before and is sick of it ?

But why does he not have a dream though; that is what truly baffles me. Maybe it's just a fantasy rather than a dream. Maybe Nam-soon's dream is to be together with a vampire idol but it is shunned upon. *GASP* Oh, I wish.

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Yeah, I kind if winder about them being supernatural beings, especially since nam soon recovers like vampire from his injuries, I.e. abnormally fast.

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Also, it is just me or is Kang-joo getting on my nerves ? She is kinda sorta a tad bit annoying. Great as a friend, stands up to people, has good intentions but just plain annoying. It's pretty obvious she does have a crush on Nam-soon, but I'm pretty willing to let that crush go into oblivion.

Kang-joo, for once, let the characters do as they please alright ? If they don't eff up, we won't get conflict and without conflict there's no story. I've come to like Ha-kyung and heck, even Jung-ho. Please writers, write up a good backstory for Kang-joo so I can overlook her annoying-ness.

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Kang Joo is that optimistic real friend that supports the people she loves no matter what. Everybody should have someone like her beside them. She is the reason why Ha-kyung is opening up and therefore making us understand (and like) her. As for the evil Jung Ho, you're obviously in it for the drama.

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My thoughts, exactly. She is the only normal kid so far..and I like her attitude toward things when she wonders aloud why people are being so weird...or when she challenges them to their faces.

We have kids here who are the typical kids of dramas: troubled, misunderstood, bully, reforming bully, mean girl gang packettes, disabled child, fun-loving accepted possibly-gay school gossiper, jealous classmates, special kid with influential powerful class-conscious mother etc. We need someone there who behaves like a fairly normal kid.

I really liked the touch where both she and Nam Soon can scale large fences. Maybe they will join the athletic team...but alas, no love affair.

Thanks for liking Kang Joo as well.

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lol Not every teenager has an angsty or tragic past. Real people have various different personalities.

Kang Joo is fine. She cares about her friends and didn't like seeing Ha Kyung being cold or Nam Soon seemingly becoming acquiescent with Heung Soo. It was out of character for them so she was trying to talk them out of changing for the worse. How was she to know Ha Kyung was being cold cuz she was embarrassed and Nam Soon has a secret past of being a violent gang member?

I don't find her annoying at all.

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you're not alone.. kang joo is the one i disliked the most.. since i don't like goody characters they really get on my nerves. i wish she has more flaws like any other students..
i find oh jung ho more likable than her

i'm hoping that the writer will turn her character into darker mode.. hahaha

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the moment when Kang-joo struts up to Heung-soo, pauses and then places her hand on her hip was the greatest moment in dramas this year. just in time.

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YES! and if i know my dramas....if Heung Soo remains in the school and doesn't get kicked out, he and Kang-joo are gonna fall in love. Just my thoughts.

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gosh i you girlfriday!! only you can put my feelings in the right words <3

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This drama is doing a superb job of conveying the misery of high school… maybe I am projecting. My life was not this bad and I did not get beat up on a daily basis but high school was a roiling pit of misery for me. This drama reminds me of the despondency and despair that I experienced during High School. However there are elements, I have yet to pin down, that keep this drama from being too heavy for me to bear.

I am totally invested in our main hero Nam Soon. I root for this lost kid who is trying so very hard to do the right thing without any wise guidance; he goes to school, he refuses to fight, he stands up for the feeble-minded, and has a part-time job.

In Jae is so naïve, so Pollyanna that she gives hope. Her belief that everyone is redeemable has not yet been bludgeoned to death by repeated failure. I am not very invested in her.

Se Chan must be the main character because he is so unlikable right now; we will all get to follow along as he grows from a selfish arrogant waste of space into prince charming or some semblance there of. I am not terribly invested in him either.

The two girl students, the tough one and the smart one, I like them both and hope they get fleshed out more. They are still shallow. I want to see where the story takes Nam Soon and Ha Kyung. Kang Joo is feisty and that is interesting.

Transfer student, he knows where the bodies are buried.

So in the end Nam Soon is a fighting machine. He has been practicing restraint for everyone’s benefit, but once he gets started he looses control and cannot pull back.
It is nice to know that this sweet kid who gets abused is in reality a force to be reckoned with.

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the thing is that you can not really take Se Chan without adding In Jae, they seem to be written as a pair both affecting the other, so if Se Chan is going to become a human then it well be because of In Jae, it pretty much the old male jerk due to sweet innocent girl becomes a better person that in pretty every Korean comedy/romance made..well since Jang Nara's successful story of a bright girl anyway. Of course here it not really the main story line, it may well just serve as comic relief from all the dark storyline

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I'm sorry, but can anybody clarify me how old are the students there???
I think, I'm mixed when it comes to the school systems in different countries...

(P.S. ;loving the series.So, Much.

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They are in 11th grade, so they would be 17 or 18 years old, I'm guessing. And Heung Soo and Nam Soon seem to be a year older than the rest of the class.

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thank you very much :)

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yeah highschool end, normally in your 20th year..thus the tradiation that under 20 you are a child 20 and you and adult. Of course with korean crazy age thing you could really be 22 and still 20..lol

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thank you two very much. I was a little bit confused because in my country, if you don't plan to study in uni, you can leave the school after 10th grade - I thought, why do they go to the 11th, if they don't want to. The systems are indeed different.

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One of them says he heard a rumor that he was some legendary jjang [meaning best, a title only the coolest baddest badass gets]

Is that what one of the boys if Shut Up Flower Boy Band referred to when he called Do-il "Do-jjang"? (in the last episode)

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I haven't watched a drama since Arang and the Magistrate which ended way back in October so thank you for letting me look forward to something to watch on Mondays and Tuesdays School 2013!

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I spoiled myself by reading this before watching it but I'm sure I'll still fill shocked by watching it. Especially at all these smiling while being beaten scenes. I'm so happy Kim WooBin has finally joined the story and that his character is complicated and interesting. I'd heard about the Jjang thing from a blog but seeing it on screen is pretty terrifying.

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First off thank you so much for the recap! Well and all the other recaps (it's my first time posting on the blog so I thought I should give credit to all the recaps that I've read which is MANY). I am always interested to read what you have to say about the drama's I watch, because I love hearing other people's opinions about the things I am obsessed with! Anyway I have to say the whole time I was watching the show, from episode 1-4, I was like, isn't Nam-Soon letting himself get beat up? That was partly just my wishful thinking, since i tend to like bad boy characters ;D, but I also just got the sense, as many other people have said, that he had some major pent up rage. There was the chair thing, the letting himself get beat-up thing, the things he said to the Jung-ho, and just his overall edgy character. But man am I loving the show, and I seriously cannot wait for the next episode! One thing I wonder about though is when Nam-Soon was first beat up, he lay in his bed and whispered over and over to himself "I'm ok." It may just be me reading into the situation more than I should, but I feel like Nam-Soon has been injured seriously before... maybe something to do with his mysterious past? So no surprise here when Nam-Soon when bat-sh*t-crazy, but like everyone else, I am mega curious about his mysterious past.

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My theory is that Nam-soon comforting himself by saying "I'm ok" is about being beaten by his father as a child. Also where is Nam-soon's mother?
We already know Jung-ho has an abusive father and that Nam-soon's father is a drunk.

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I'm a bit nostalgic for Gokusen.

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I must be twisted because I have a thing for boys that fight. Maybe it's because I dated a martial artist? I dunno. All I know was that when they were all covered in blood at the end I was like "...gah!"

Great ep. Great series so far. I am so happy to have found you, School 2013!

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boys that fight are ok but there been little 'fighting' it is just beating someone up till they fall down then putting your boot in..to my mind there no way that can be in any way be classed as 'fighting' fighting suggest some sort of contest after all. It good in a way as they not trying to glory the top dog jjang thing, so often seen in korean Manhwa but showing the more ugly side of it all.

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Oh man. I think I do too. Despite my brief concern for Jung Ho, I was like ... damnnn Nam Soon, that's hot.

But I don't want Nam Soon to be a baddie.

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I love this. I spoiled it for myself by reading this recap before deciding to watch the show, but it's great nonetheless. Can't wait for moaaarr!!

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I'm finally watching this, and I have serious hots for Heung-Soo. I am so turning into a dirty old woman...

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wow so intense!
thank you for the wonderful recap!!

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I F***ING KNEW IT!!! Ever since the chair scene and him looking at his hands I knew he had to be a beserker.... and he IS! This show just keeps getting better and better.

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Majisuka Gakuen japanese TV show has what has to be the scariest Berserker gang fighter you like to see..or not to see considering she covered in other people's blood most of the time. Nothing more scary than fighting someone that will not stop until they either dead or dead unconscious.

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I love this show so much and of the possibilities in my head of what transpired between Nam Soon and Heung Soo I think the most likely is that Nam Soon, backed out/fled/didn't show up for, a fight that caused Heung Soo and the other members of whatever they were to get beat and led to Heung Soo's leg problem.

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Thanks for the recap. I don't think that I've ever been so invested in a drama after only 4 episodes...i wish more k-dramas were like this. There isn't a character in the drama that i hate or dislike (in the sense that i think that every character with significant screen time adds something meaningful/interesting to the drama and acts in believable, and often relatable, ways...) which is almost never the case.

My favorite relationship between 2 characters is the one between nam-soon and ha-kyung....they're both lonely and fairly closed off people (though ha-kyung atleast seems to have one fairly good friend) and i think that they'll find in each other somebody that they can talk to,trust, and rely on...something that i think that they both need. And if they develop romantic feelings for each other i like how they'll have developed from that and not just physical attraction or the common bickering type drama relationships.

I hope that the ha-kyung/kang-joo friendship won't be threatened by feeling that they both have for nam-soon...i don't think that it will be because i think that the concern that kang-joo shows for nam-soon is just out of friendship. She cares a lot about her friends and makes sure to look out for them. But ha-kyung's reaction to kang-joo's interest in nam-soon does show imo that she at least has some feeling for him.

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It's funny that although the daring female teacher ups the tension, in real life female teachers should be more cautious than this. You can end up permanently scarred if you know what I mean.

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Wow..wonderful recap..thanks
Suddenly i am not interested in nam soon and ha kyung's love story anymore...
Instead i am fired up by kang joo and heung soo's interactions...oooh such a cute couple
Kim woo bin is the first actor that I ve admired so much...this guy's got the best acting skills...you can almost see he honestly studies his character...his expressions are precise...
Hyo young is pretty good too...even though she's a newbie
Awww such a cute couple...i hope they plan to hook them up together till the end....
And seriously the wait's killing me....

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I've been a long time lover of this site, but..I've never commented. I figured it was about time that I did!

Did no one else think that Heung-soo set up Nam-soon? You know, at the end when the cops showed up..I felt like Heung-soo's smirk at the end was also part of that. I also felt like he was testing Nam-soon. I had predicted from around..episode 2..that Nam-soon could obviously fight or he just had some pent up anger he wanted unleash on people, you know, the typical.."I HATE WORLD-GRRAHHH! HULK TIME!" kind of anger. Turns out I was right about the first part. I could also tell..he feels heavily guilty about the past and hence, he does not want it brought up. He's finally had a sort of normal high school experience, he doesn't want his past to ruin anything else. He, himself, does not want to ruin anything else either. I really hadn't expected that Nam-soon was a past gangster/ex-gangster? I just thought he could obviously fight and he might've been a bully himself. Either way, I'm glad they brought out Heung-soo while I was completely invested in Nam-soon's character..otherwise, I really wouldn't feel too bad or feel too shocked. When the writing makes you actually invest in the characters, you can tell then, that is some darn good writing.

I'm not entirely invested in Ha-Kyung, the only time I really like her or feel something other than indifference towards her is her scenes with Kang-Joo and Nam-soon. Her story makes sense, I obviously just can't connect to it much. Even though all of her family has gone to the top school of the country, she can't even get into an Elite school? There must be a reason. Not a high enough score on the exam, not enough money (they've gone broke and can't afford it), or even just something as simple as there is someone up there that doesn't like the family..Am I over-thinking things again? Probably.

Through all of this angst and high school drama, I hope there will be amends that will be made, progress that will be shown in the characters, and just growth and a little splash of forgiveness too. Heung-soo, it's too early for me to go too deep into his character, but I'm really hoping that the little splash of forgiveness will done with him and Nam-soon..Nam-soon really needs to forgive himself first, otherwise..there is no true forgiveness. I also echo a lot of people when I say this..he feels like he maybe doesn't deserve a good life, friends, or anything good that comes his way anymore...When it comes to being hit, he seems to be okay with that more than the good things..Heung-soo's bummed leg..definitely his fault or partially. And by Heung-soo's comment on him running away..Nam-soon seems to have ran away when it happened, was he scared? Anyone would be scared in that situation to me, but it's cowardly, nonetheless. He seems entirely too guilty for it to not be, anyways, forgiveness is the only key in this that will unlock our character's growth. I'm glad they brought in Heung-soo.

Jung-oh..he seems like a little boy trying to play dress up as a gangster next to Heung-soo and Nam-soon..Jung-oh seems to have a lot of problems, but not some that can't be fixed when he is taken out of the enviroment he is in and with a little love and understanding..That's where In-jae comes in..I'm really rooting she'll give Jung-oh the love and patience he needs, but it's obvious that she'll need help with that, *cough* Se-chan*cough*. I can't really say Jung-oh is bad guy or even that Heung-soo is..they're both complicated characters that can't be labelled or uncomplicated by saying they're the bad guys or they're the bullies. I love going deep into a character that's been written though and giving my point of view on it, and on what they're like underneath all of that exterior, stripping them down piece by piece..Yum..~ Oops, mind wandered off a bit there..

Honestly, can't seem to like Se-chan so much, but I feel like In-jae hit the nail on the head when she said he was scared of responsibility. If you don't really care about your students, they really won't care about you. They're humans just like adults and they know when you don't really care about them. It'll take time for me to really invest in In-jae and Se-chan though. And even though everyone seems to find Kang-joo annoying..I personally love her. Just about anyone would've abandoned their friend if said friend treated them like that..AND lied or hid stuff from them. She never gave up on her friend though, that's real friendship right there.

Anyways, love School 2013, it gives such a unique view on high school life and on the angst that everyone seems to go through when they are in high school. Now..did I miss anything? ;D

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Nam-soon really needs to forgive himself first, otherwise..there is no true forgiveness. I also echo a lot of people when I say this..he feels like he maybe doesn’t deserve a good life, friends, or anything good that comes his way anymore…

yeah, I sensed that self-loathing last episode, but you really see it in full force here - Nam-soon wailing on Jung-ho kind of looks like he's really taking it out on himself. And ita about Jung-ho suddenly looking like a little boy once Heung-soo walked in.

As for Ha-kyung, you're right, I can't care too much about her apart from her Kang-joo/Nam-soon scenes, but maybe now we've started to get what drives her, it might be easier to care?

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The self-loathing radiates off that boy like someone who was rolled in ham and dropped in honey, any dog paying attention in a one mile radius could sniff that out now in this episode like you said. He really is literally beating the dog poo out of himself also.

I really really want to care about her. I want to care about all of these characters, even the nasty ones. I just hope she has deeper side now that we've found out what gets her moving and doing what she does. I hope I can begin to care for her and everyone can too, because whether we like it or not..She's probably going to be important.

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You know what that scene reminded me of? There's a scene in Season 4 of Buffy, where two people have switched bodies and are beating up on each other (which basically ----> beating up on your own body while you're in someone else's) and the girl who has the upper hand in the fight starts beating the life out of her own body while telling the other girl she's worthless, but it's so clear she's really talking about herself.

Sorry, that was confusing. But yeah, it didn't take a lot to see that Nam-soon has serious self-esteem/self-loathing issues.

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FINALLY caught up, and this show still rocks my world. I can't believe I was expecting it to be a trendy, I mean it has all the trappings of one - hot young people, nice clothes, catchy soundtrack....but the feel is just not at ALL like a trendy.

I'm loving Kang-joo and her chemistry with both Nam-soon and Heung-soo (could totally ship them with both!) and her friendship with Ha-kyung (which is fantastic - girl bonding <3). But I also love Ha-kyung and Nam-soon's vibe right now, they've been set up to be an OTP but the journey there is one to look forward to. And with Heung-soo's arrival, the shakeup things have got is awesome. Nam-soon's past was something I guessed at from the minute HS said the best fighter wasn't him, but it was still a shock to see it go into action. And I like how the show's handling the teachers so far, too - maybe three OTPs are too many, but I ship everyone in this drama, lol.

Also this:

It’s kind of like watching the nature channel, where the dogs also have detention and math homework.

JB, you were nearly responsible for my premature death.

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I love this show. I haven't been this into a drama since Answer Me 1997, not long, I know, but long enough in dramaland.

Looking back on the previous episode to when Nam Soon said he wanted to throw himself away makes me thing he used to have something to live for, even if it was a gang. The thing with gangs is that they are, in my mind, similar to the army. The members are comrades, sharing in something special that is different than everyone else. It always gives someone to lean on, and be leaned on in return. I know there are plenty of negative aspects but, being a drama, I'm trying to look at the positive.

So maybe Nam Soon had friends, a family of sort, in Heung Soo and the gang? Then a tragedy (clearly) and the end of his world. With an potentially abusive, alcoholic father and a, so far, non-existent mother, he may have hit rock bottom, wallowed for a year, then realised there was nothing for it except to do SOMETHING, anything, even if it was simply going through the motions at school.

Reason for this thinking? Well, he's too...emotionless? I guess complacent would be the better word. He breaks out of his shell on occasion for Young Woo and In Jae but other wise seems to want to, like Heung Soo, graduate quietly. But I don't think he would be like this if he had not had something before. He knows how it feels to be happy and has lost that. I feel as though if he was in a gang for the sake of being in a gang, and just to suck up to the jjang for kicks and beat up innocent kids for the heck of it there would not be such an utter lack of emotion.

He probably just doesn't want to do it all over again, screw up his life and someone else's.

Anyways, there's my two cents. I'm a similar lurker but non-commentator. And I'm suuuuuper pumped now that most, but not all *sighs for waiting for Monday...evening and wiggles of excitement for unfolding drama* the cards are on the table.

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Oh my, your comment about the gangs.. just reminds me of all those gangster fanfics I used to read. Hot damn. Now Nam Soon being a gangster is suddenly hot. Gosh, I need to control these nostalgic adolescent feels. And this will ruin me, but I find Jong Suk hotter than Woo Bin... cos I don't find Woo Bin hot... so now I'm just afraid of the potential he has to ruin Nam Soon's life.... :(

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I love this drama

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oh man... that smile from Heung Soo was SO epic. It reeked of VICTORY as he baited himself to get Nam Soon to go berserk.

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Yeahhh....at that moment i was like damn.. is he even afraid of anything...to go to such great lengths....because of him i dumped nam soon as my favourite character...
This drama is simply awesome...before this drama i was never annoyed by the week long wait for dramas..but this one has kicked the patience out of me...
Arrgh is it monday already?

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Thanks a bunch for the recap! I have to say - I love love love this drama! Also i've been a long time visitor/reader of this site but I never commented so I figured, why not!

I saw the recap when skimming through dramabeans and decided to give this drama a chance...And I sped through the 4 episodes in two days. And then came back here to read the recap.

After watching Nice Guy, I wanted to find something that had equivalent depth to the story. As much as I love the quick/fast pace stories that help just pass time, I wanted something that I could invest my time in. Something that drew my attention because of acting, plot and backbone. Granted Nice Guy wasn't a typical drama I would watch, it had a backbone (even with some bruises here and there), and the story continued with that structure. ( On the side note: I loved Song Joong Ki and Moon Chae Won before, and with Nice Guy I was brimming with amazement - lol I felt like I was a mom that is proud of their kid's first piano recital or something.)

All the characters are so layered and it is amazing how we are learning something new with each new action or response the character says! I'm excited to see what happens to Nam Soon and Heung Soo's friendship. or the lack of it currently. They both clearly have feelings for each other. lol Just kidding, but I love Nam Soon, even with his change of his character - something made him act mature until now. How did Heung Soo cause him to change so suddenly? Also the fact that he fought because he saw Heung Soo in danger, means that they have a special relationship that was broken and fragile now, but it still exists, never truly wavering. I'm worried for both of them!

Se Chan and In Jae - could these two be more adorable. Even with their polar opposite p.o.v., I really hope they change one another a bit. And I'm a sucker for people who become better people because of how they feel for each other!

Ha Kyung and Kang Joo are just too adorable - I love seeing that they are besties that have legit times when they want to be angry at each other but still need to tell each other important gossip.

Jung ho and his posse - well, they have some growing up to do with how to respect elders. But truthfully out of all of them, Jung ho might be the hardest tree to tame, but probably will bring a strong arc to how current students are in high school and the troubles they go through inside and out of school.

long story short - Thanks dramabeans!! and thanks for all the people that survived reading my long post all the way to the bottom. gold star for you. :) :)

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it's really twisted how Nam Soon beating up Jung Ho almost made me feellike he had finally got what he had deserved. I love the way this show plays with my emotions, from how hard it is differentiating what's wrong(beating him up) and what's right(he finally paid him back for being such a violent bully). And yeah. I don't think I could handle Heung Soo if it weren't Kim Woo Bin's gorgeous self*dies*

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I had a hunch during their 'talk' at the back of the school that Nam Soon used to be a gangster. But damn, that fight - now THAT escalated quickly. Gah, I don't want Nam Soon to be the baddie, he's just so hot as the quiet and indifferent guy. WHY DOES HE HAVE TO BE THIS TORMENTED SOUL LIKE EVERY KDRAMA LEAD HAS TO BE? Makes me sad. I know they will do great things with this twist, but damn, I'm connecting with this boy! Dreams shattered now. School 2013 really does just hook you in and then takes you on a rollercoaster ride. Grr. I always watch dramas and hate all the dramatic bits, because I just love the characters, sigh.

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I don't understand the whole illegal tutoring thing. Is it illegal to tutor while being a teacher in Korea?

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I really need two know the name of the song in the end when the police arrived ?

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Omo, I love this! Reading your recaps is like discovering School 2013 all over again. It's fantastic!

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when Lee Jong Seok did "..flower boys?" !!!! He's SO damn cool!!!

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