Who Are You—School 2015: Episode 16 (Final)
by girlfriday
Go figure, I was happy to be able to come back and write the final recap for Who Are You—School 2015. It’s a franchise near and dear to my heart and I had hopes that it would pull through in the final hour, to at least wrap up our characters’ arcs in a satisfying manner before sending them off. Yeah. So then I watched the episode. And then this happened…
SONG OF THE DAY
Yook Sung-jae – “Love Song” for the School 2015 OST [ Download ]
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FINAL EPISODE RECAP
It’s the moment of truth, literally—Eun-bi stands before the class ready to confess that she’s been pretending to be her sister for the last few months, when suddenly Eun-byul bursts into the room, guns blazing. Okay, it’s more like laser eyeballs blazing, but she’s here to save to the day.
So-young has got the twins right where she wants them—together in front of everyone, so that she gets to prove that Eun-bi is still alive. Way to go. You drove a girl to suicide but she survived. Yay, you?
Eun-byul steps closer and tells Eun-bi to go ahead and say what she wants, and tells So-young to follow her outside. So-young won’t go willingly, but Eun-byul doesn’t care what she wants and drags her out, leaving her classmates reeling.
Eun-byul demands the video (I’m presuming it’s the one where the bullies forced Eun-bi to undress at the start of the series) from So-young, who scoffs that the game would end if she handed it over so easily. Eun-byul demands to know what the video is and what she did to her sister, and So-young actually has the nerve to say, “Don’t worry, it’s not like she’ll die if it gets out.” Are you freaking kidding me right now?
Instead of slapping her like I would, Eun-byul has the good sense to reach into her bag calmly, hopefully to do something smart like record their conversation. So-young says that she just wants people to see the video and talk about the two sisters with the same face, and Eun-byul presses for her to admit that she took the video herself.
Back in the classroom, Eun-bi admits who she really is, and her friends quickly put together that Amnesia Eun-byul was Eun-bi all this time. Jaws drop, and Song-joo asks Yi-an if he knew. He says yes, and they feel betrayed all over again.
Eun-bi tells them that she really thought she was Eun-byul, and by the time she had recovered her memories, too much had happened. She says that whatever the reasons were, she lied to them and deserves their anger: “I’m really sorry.”
Meanwhile, Eun-byul drags So-young by the hair into the bathroom, where she plays the recording she just made of their conversation. God, I love that Eun-byul is a badass. She warns So-young to go ahead and make her video public, and Eun-byul will make sure she goes down with it.
So-young makes a grab for the phone so Eun-byul pins her up against the window and snarls, “As long as I remember, the only way for you to live is to not appear before my eyes. To not do a single thing. That’s the only way.” So-young sheds a tear as she trembles in fear.
Yi-an finds Eun-bi sitting outside and she admits that it feels irresponsible to cause others pain because she wanted to apologize—it feels like a way for her to feel better when she has no way of knowing if they’re hurting worse because of her. Yi-an says that’s what he must’ve felt towards her, and why he couldn’t say he was sorry.
She tells him that it’s okay because you should be able to refrain from saying the things you don’t want to say. She wonders how nice it would be if you could refrain from hearing the things you don’t want to hear.
Yi-an puts his headphones over her ears, and from a distance Tae-gwang watches them with a defeated sigh.
The next day, Eun-byul runs up to her friends, who eye her suspiciously and ask, “Who are you?” They’re just teasing her though, and soon Shi-jin is suggesting that they call Eun-bi to hang out in a foursome, and Song-joo is demanding that Eun-bi call her. Aw.
So-young feels a little vindicated when she overhears some of the other students admitting that she was right about a lot of things, but Song-joo comes up to her and asks, “Why is it that once I found out you were telling the truth, I find it even harder to understand you?”
When So-young is confused, Song-joo asks if she really doesn’t know why the kids are colder to her than to Eun-bi, who lied to them all this time: “Do you make friends because you need someone to validate you as the best and strongest? I’m saying this sincerely for your benefit: Don’t live that way.” It’s satisfying because it’s calm and mature and spot-on, and So-young starts to shake as the other kids give Song-joo a slow clap.
Mom comes to school and demands that So-young be punished for threatening her daughter, and So-young’s mother insists that the video in question was never discovered, and asks why they’re getting so worked up over kids playing pranks on each other. Oh you have got to be kidding me.
Eun-byul’s mom says that she always thought So-young was scary, but now that she’s met her mother, she can see why. Dayum. The principal says that they have no choice but to open a disciplinary hearing for So-young, so her mother demands that one be opened for Eun-byul as well, because she won’t go down alone.
The class gets their new homeroom teacher (cameo by Bae Soo-bin), who announces that he doesn’t care about anything except grades, and anyone who doesn’t keep to themselves and study won’t be tolerated. Ack, he’s scary! Bring Teacher Kim back!
Teacher Kim is currently working as a tutor at an academy, and he gets up to lecture that day and finds Tae-gwang sleeping in the back row. I luff this bromance. After class, Teacher Kim asks if he missed him that much to come to tutoring, and Tae-gwang says he really did: “Your voice is better than a sleeping pill. I just had the sweetest nap.”
Yi-an begs his coach to let him compete in the next swim meet, and promises not to strain himself trying to win a medal or anything. He just wants to be back in the competition now that he’s feeling better.
After practice, Yi-an sits in the locker room trying to figure out what to text Eun-bi, and he erases a few attempts before accidentally sending the curt and shouty, “Hey! Come outside this instant!” He cringes at the mistake, but lights up the second that Eun-bi replies, saying that she’s at tutoring.
But it’s Tae-gwang she sees first after class, because he’s enrolled here as well. He asks if she’s doing okay, and Eun-bi says that she is, because she doesn’t have to lie to anyone anymore.
Yi-an waits outside for Eun-bi to come out, and his face hardens when he sees her walk out with Tae-gwang. Yi-an scoffs to hear that Tae-gwang goes to tutoring, which I would agree is rather transparent, given his notorious rebel ways.
Yi-an says he’s here to take Eun-bi home and takes her away by the wrist, only to have Tae-gwang grab the other one and say it’s not necessary. OMG. THIS AGAIN? Why are we still doing this? Eun-bi, make up your mind, before these boys rip you in half!
She decides to break free from both and says that she wants to go home alone. Not a bad choice, after that caveman display.
Mom sits the twins down to suggest that they move and start over at a new school together, and they both agree. Eun-byul adds that she’s found something that she wants to study, which sounds like she means to go far away.
At school, Eun-byul stops Tae-gwang and invites him (er, orders him) to sit down at their lunch table. She tells her friends that she’ll be transferring and moving soon, and studying abroad soon after that. Tae-gwang stomps off, and Eun-byul considers her message delivered.
Tae-gwang goes to see Eun-bi that night, and he tries to keep the mood light as he asks if she wants to see a movie this weekend. He insists that it doesn’t matter where she moves to, but asks if it matters at all to her that she’ll be far away from him. *sniff* I’m not sure I want to hear the answer to this…
Eun-bi starts, “Tae-gwang-ah, every time I see you, I’m thankful and sorry. I wanted to be as good to you as you were to me.” Oof. That doesn’t sound good. He cuts her off and says that she doesn’t have to answer—he’s fine with things just the way they are.
But this time Eun-bi calls him out on it: “That’s a lie. That’s why I’m saying this now. I can’t look at you the way you look at me.” Saaaaaaad. He stands up abruptly and says this is all stuff he already knew, and leads the way out. Augh, puppy.
So-young ends up having to transfer as well, and it’s unclear what the source is, but we get a diagnosis in voiceover that she suffers from anorexia. And don’t forget bulimia—we’ve seen her throwing up her lunch in the bathroom.
She looks up her new school online and finds that people are already talking about her there because they’ve heard all about her trouble at Sekang and Tongyeong, and she cries.
Eun-byul sits with Yi-an by the pool like they used to, and she tells him about moving and preparing to study abroad once the semester is over. She tells him to do well so that she can brag about being his friend even when she’s abroad, and he counters that he’s been bragging about being her friend since they were eight.
Eun-byul says that she’s thought a lot about herself and her friends since everything happened with Soo-in, and she wonders why it took her this long to realize that other people’s eyes don’t matter, only what’s in her heart.
She says that’s why she’s decided to spend more time chasing her dream. Yi-an tells her to be well and that he’ll always be cheering her on, and she says the same to him. She asks if he’s met with Eun-bi, and when he grows silent, Eun-byul sighs that they’re both super frustrating and totally not her style. Dude, right there with you.
So-young’s father comes bursting into her room in a fit of anger, screaming at the top of his lungs that he told her to lie low or squash the problem, but because she couldn’t manage to do that, he’s lost his nomination for public office. And that’s not at all your fault? I mean, she’s scum, but you’re worse.
He’s enraged that they had to start all over because of what she did in Tongyeong, only to have it happen again. Uh, that’s kind of what happens when you cover up crimes instead of dealing with the root of the problem, buddy. He screams that if she does something stupid like this again, he’ll just disown her. So-young collapses on the floor in sobs.
Eun-bi goes to a sleepover with Shi-jin and Song-joo, and they promise to hang out like this often, even after she moves. She gets a text that night that surprises her—it’s So-young, with one last thing to say.
They meet up the next day, and Eun-bi asks why she called her here. So-young says that Eun-bi is stupid and always runs to help pitiful people, no matter what it costs her: “You said you felt sorry for me, from the start.”
She admits that she doesn’t have the video—it was lost when Eun-byul crushed her phone, and So-young scoffs that she’s so grateful she could cry: “I think I forgot a long time ago how to stop.”
She says she’s not going to apologize or ask for forgiveness, and she knows that nothing would change even if Eun-bi forgave her. But Eun-bi turns to her and says, “I know you regret what you did. The only thing I can offer to you in comfort is the fact that I’m alive.”
Eun-bi thinks of her sister and asks how horrible it would be to realize what you did wrong, only to know that you can’t apologize to someone who’s dead. She’s a bigger person than I am, and says that she hopes the fact that she’s alive and well is some comfort to So-young, when the day comes that she wants to say something to her. She gets up to go and So-young calls out her name, but can’t bring herself to say anything else. Eun-bi walks away and So-young breaks down in tears.
Tae-gwang is lost in thought at tutoring, and Teacher Kim asks what’s wrong to make him stay awake all the way through class. Heh. Tae-gwang asks if it’s possible to live without seeing the person you like most in this whole world, and Teacher Kim says wistfully that yeah, living is possible.
He asks why Tae-gwang would have to, though, and he answers, “Because… she likes someone else most in this world.” *craaaaack* Yup, there goes my heart.
Teacher Kim says that he can avoid seeing her, but that won’t stop his feelings from existing. He gives him the advice that it’s possible to endure, but adds honestly that it isn’t a happy way to live. And then he teases Tae-gwang for growing up and liking girls, and chases after him asking about the crush.
But when he goes home that night, Tae-gwang’s question lingers in his head: “Teacher, what is it that you like most in this world?” He opens up a website for a high school looking for a math teacher.
Tae-gwang waits outside for Eun-bi to get out of class, and they sit in a playground feeling awkward for a while. Eun-bi says that she’s moving in a few days, and Tae-gwang asks if she plans to avoid him until then.
He puts her at ease by saying that he’s going to clean up his feelings so she needn’t be uncomfortable around him, and lightens the mood by joking, “You’re definitely going to regret it later—rejecting me!” I KNOW, RIGHT?
He tells her that he’s not even going to walk her to the bus stop and tells her to go, but as soon as she starts to walk away, he changes his mind and goes running after her. He stops just behind her and holds onto her shoulders to keep her from turning around and looking at him, and with her back turned, he screws up the nerve to tell her the truth.
He admits that Teacher Kim told him that it’s possible to endure if you really like someone, so he was planning to lie tonight about being able to stop how he feels about her: “But now I don’t want to. So I’m just going to be honest. No matter how I think of it, I can’t come up with a way not to like you, so I’m just going to stay like this. You don’t have to be sorry and you don’t have to do anything… Just know my heart.”
Tears roll down Eun-bi’s cheeks but she gives no answer, and Tae-gwang tells her she can really go now, and lets go of her shoulders. She walks away without turning back.
Eun-byul finds Eun-bi staring at the Yi-an Bear and asks her outright if she likes him. Eun-byul tells her not to look so shocked and calls her stupid. Eun-byul says that all she’s ever wanted is for them to be a family with Mom—she has what she wants, and Yi-an has always been and will be a good friend to her: “Whether or not you accept his feelings is your choice.”
Eun-bi goes to meet Yi-an to say goodbye before the move, and he deflates to hear that she can’t come to his swim meet because it’s her first day at her new school. He asks why she’s acting like she’s never going to see him again, and Eun-bi finally admits, “Han Yi-an, I like you.”
But she says that right now she needs to figure out who she is before thinking about the person she likes, so that when she’s loved she knows it’s for her, just as she is. She thinks she can accept his feelings then.
He tells her that he’ll wait as long as it takes, and she puts her hand out for a shake to say goodbye. He takes it and puts her medal in her hand, and asks her to give it back to him when she’s found herself as Lee Eun-bi and is sure about her feelings for him. He makes her promise to return it though: “It’s my most prized possession.”
A few days later, Eun-bi is lost in thought as Mom drives her to her first day of school, and she keeps nervously checking her watch. Yi-an steps up to the platform to begin his first race after his injury, and all eyes are on him to gauge how his recovery went.
He leads the race at the start, and the commentators note that it hardly seems like he was injured and out of training at all. But then he suddenly stops dead in the water mid-race, clutching his shoulder in pain. The crowd comes to a still as they wait for him to move, and Eun-bi races to the stands, here to cheer him on after all.
She thinks to herself, “Be strong,” and Yi-an finally begins to move. He keeps going with only one arm to make his strokes, even as the other swimmers lap him. But he refuses to quit and finishes out the race in last place, bringing the crowd to resounding cheers.
Six months later.
Teacher Bae Soo-bin leads a new transfer student into class, and everyone gasps: “Go Eun-byul?” “No, Lee Eun-bi?” “Who are you?” Eun-bi breaks out into a huge smile and answers proudly, “My name is Go Eun-bi.” Aw, she took unni’s last name.
Tae-gwang saunters into school late that day, and breaks into a grin when he gets a familiar text from Eun-bi: “Roof!” He races up there and beams when she turns around to face him, and he realizes from her uniform that she’s transferred back.
But she suddenly hits him on the head in a classic Eun-byul move, and his smile disappears. He stares at her, confused: “Is it not you? No I’m right! You’re Lee Eun-bi!” The attitude is all Eun-byul, but she corrects him: “I’m Go Eun-bi!” She finally smiles and shows off her new nametag. I don’t know whether to be happy that you guys are friends again, or go cry in a corner.
Teacher Kim is teaching high school math again at a new school, Min-joon is learning new hobbies like playing the guitar, Shi-jin has finally discovered something that interests her and buries her nose in a book about cake decorating, and Song-joo does a photo shoot.
Eun-bi narrates in voiceover: “Eighteen. It’s too early to realize your dreams, but the perfect age to begin dreaming. Falling down hurts, but it’s the perfect age to learn a hundred ways to get up again.”
We see Yi-an winning races again, and Tae-gwang greeting his father who’s been released from prison and is back at home. They sit down to dinner together and Tae-gwang puts a piece of tofu on Dad’s spoon (to make sure he stays out of jail, per the old superstition), and they laugh.
Eun-bi runs to Mom with a postcard from Eun-byul, and they light up to hear that she’s coming home soon.
The next morning, Eun-bi sees Yi-an on the bus and sneaks past him undetected. She peers over his shoulder as she texts him about how his meet went. She lies that she didn’t watch it and he lies that he didn’t do so well, so she calls him out on the lie and dangles her medal right in front of his eyes. He whirls around and smiles, and they tease each other on the way to school.
Eun-bi laughs with her friends as they head into class, and then she stops to look into the camera as the narration closes:
Eun-bi: We’re eighteen, so we live every day as if it’s our last—loving and hating fiercely. It’s an age where we falter and get hurt easily, and are hurting more than anyone. Despite that, the reason we can look back on that time and say we were happy is one person’s warm outstretched hand. Not more, not less, but just one person—if we each approach one friend who’s crying and stretch out a hand like this, there’s nothing that I—we—can’t endure. It’s okay. You can hurt. Because you’re eighteen.
COMMENTS
Yes, but what about MY PAIN?! WhatEVER, Eun-bi. All I’ve gotta say is, there’s no accounting for taste in this world. I have no idea why anyone would like Han Yi-an over Gong Tae-gwang, but I guess to each her own. Oh, who am I kidding. That’s just CRAZY. My problem with the resolution isn’t simply her choice—Eun-bi has been consistent from the start in liking Yi-an, so I get that it’s the obvious choice for her and I honestly didn’t expect her to waver, even when I was screaming at my screen, How can you not love that adorable friend who’s been by your side all this time?! Because I understand that it would’ve been just as strange to suddenly have her change her mind this late in the game, despite her feelings being alien feelings from another planet.
My problem is with the way Yi-an’s character was plotted from the start, because I’m still confused as to when he stopped liking Eun-byul and started liking Eun-bi. I feel like they hastily gave him a way to sort out his feelings retroactively, without bringing us along for the change in the moment. So at the end of the day, Yi-an says he likes Eun-bi, and I’m like, I guess I’ll take your word for it? It’s not very satisfying narratively, seeing as how he began the series so completely to devoted to Eun-byul that I was rooting for them to find their way back, even after all the hurt feelings. It’s mainly due to the writing that Yi-an’s character motivations didn’t always click for me, but he also wasn’t helped by Nam Joo-hyuk, who’s still too green to play a leading man(boy). I could feel his limitations when he was trying to convey complex emotions, and it was difficult at times to look past that when seeing his character as a whole.
Maybe they thought it’d be too pat for the two sisters to each get one boy instead of making as many triangles out of four people as possible, but I found Eun-byul’s wrap-up dissatisfying too, given that she just gets written off the show after saving the day and gives Eun-bi tacit permission to date Yi-an as if it’s no big deal. I don’t see why she had to go abroad when all I ever wanted was for the two sisters to go to school together and be best friends. And it pains me to think that Tae-gwang is left pining away after Eun-bi at the end, even when YOU HAD THE MATH TO MAKE IT WORK. Two boys, two sisters, no brainer, right?
The thing is, I might not be this focused on the lovelines had the show developed anything else. But the story was essentially reduced to the love triangle (and you couldn’t even manage to do that right), and everything else ended up feeling incidental. Truthfully the love triangle was compelling and it’s what sucked me in early on, but it kept going, and going, and going… and soon I started to feel like they were just dragging poor Eun-bi around by the wrist to prolong the romantic angst. And of all things, I’m pretty sure it was mostly at the expense of Yi-an’s character development, which seems to be shooting yourself in the foot if he’s your endgame. Hello. You did it wrong. Not to mention the fact that I don’t want to be mad at my heroine for not being clearer about her feelings or for choosing the boy who seemed to be in love with her sister, over the one who basically declared he’d love her till the end of days. Augh.
Had any of these things been cleared up sooner instead of being prolonged for the sake of the love triangle, we could’ve had time left to focus on Eun-bi’s growth and change, and on So-young. I feel like their storyline got shafted for the lovelines, which is a crying shame. I wanted more for So-young—both more punishment and more resolution—partly because the character was so layered and interesting at the start, and partly because Jo Soo-hyang was so phenomenal in the role. In comparison to the pain she’s inflicted all series long, I didn’t feel like it was enough to see that she just had to live with the guilt (welcome to life) or that she had terrible parents (which we knew). Yes, it’s somewhat satisfying to know that she can’t keep running away to a new school and wipe her slate clean because her past follows her, but I’m pretty sure she needed to be sent to juvie or at least an asylum. You can’t write her to be that much of a sociopath and then just have her feel sorry.
I saw so much potential in the setup where Eun-bi suffers as the victim of So-young’s bullying and Eun-byul mirrors it in the reverse with Soo-in, but the resolution left so much to be desired. The one thing that would’ve made it satisfying is what we never got: We needed Eun-bi to be the one to stand up for herself and put So-young in her place. Isn’t that obvious? Why did we not get this? I love when Eun-byul shows up like the badass she is and sticks up for her sister, but then they skipped the all-important part where the two sisters actually influence and change one another, and Eun-bi grows strong enough to stand up for herself. That’s the character arc I wanted, and I’m actually confused as to how someone could set this story up and not give us that penultimate moment of triumph.
We basically spent the entire series with Eun-bi being meek, and only in the last five minutes do we get to see the new Go Eun-bi, who’s finally figured out how to adopt her sister’s sass but stayed true to herself. Five minutes. Sixteen hours, and five minutes is all you give me. It’s a good thing that I love Kim So-hyun as much as I do, because I think she tempered my frustration with Eun-bi whenever she remained passive (or loved Yi-an for some unknowable reason). It helped when Eun-byul showed up, though again I feel like her character was mishandled and only brought in to save the day and then leave so that the Eun-bi Show could go on, which made me sad. I wanted way more sister love, which perhaps wasn’t on the menu because Kim So-hyun would’ve had to play both sides of that relationship. Even still, I loved her performance as both sisters—she always makes me feel for her in the moment, and it was great to see her carry a drama on her young and talented shoulders, because she’s certainly capable of it.
It’s no shock that Yook Sung-jae is the breakout star of the series, and deservedly so. He was already good in Plus Nine Boys, but nobody saw that drama—thankfully School has a way of catapulting people to stardom, and here he got to really play up the angst, and of course the epic puppy love. I guess if he couldn’t get the girl, it’s some consolation that he walks away the more empathetic character in the end, with all the fan love and praise for his performance. Sometimes it pays to be the Chilbongie, even if the path is littered with heartbreak.
I thought this installment of School an interesting departure from the usual slice-of-life focus in the franchise, and honestly enjoyed it a lot as it was airing. There was a much bigger dramatic pull in the setup of twins with swapped fates, and amnesia—it had the melodramatic works, and it sucked me in completely. But it fell short in developing the story that I found so intriguing at the outset, and in bringing that narrative to a satisfying close. In that regard I can’t help but wonder if they tried to do too many things by adding the high drama and lost on both fronts.
I remember feeling the angst of School 2013 down to my bones, but this time around I feel like things were resolved too swiftly, too easily, and without carrying me along for the moments that really hit home. It was slickly directed, beautifully scored, and on the whole well acted. But there’s a distinct lack of depth and follow-through on the writing that you can’t gloss, no matter how much the other stuff shines. Still, what it couldn’t manage to do as a whole doesn’t negate that I did love its parts, sometimes a great deal. I just wish there were a B-side to this drama that followed Teacher Kim and Tae-gwang around. What I wouldn’t give for that reset. Get on it, School 2017.
RELATED POSTS
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 15
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 14
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 13
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 12
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 11
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 10
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 9
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 8
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 7
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 6
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 5
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 4
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 3
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 2
- Who Are You–School 2015: Episode 1
Tags: featured, Kim So-hyun, Nam Joo-hyuk, Who Are You–School 2015, Yook Sung-jae
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51 mary
June 17, 2015 at 3:48 PM
Thank you for the recaps. :)
*cries in a corner*
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52 chisaicherry
June 17, 2015 at 3:49 PM
I.CAN'T.EVEN...
What the hell drama...the entire fan population was rooting for TaeKwang/Eunbi. The writer obviously realized how much we all wanted it to happen or else they wouldn't have lured us in with added scenes for TaeKwang/Eunbi. The poor kid was rejected 3 times, 3 FREAKING TIMES!...you would think they'd just throw him a bone or something...UGH.
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53 Jasindo
June 17, 2015 at 3:57 PM
Ugh! Most disappointing drama I've ever watched and only because it started off so well to just slowly crumble to pieces at the end. The writers began by juggling so many great dramatic elements, but couldn't keep the momentum going, making everything fall flat. Sigh.
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54 zoer25
June 17, 2015 at 4:07 PM
School 2015 with it's 1st episodes looked like it'll be one of my favorite dramas but disappointed me in a way at the end!!!
What I didn't like is that Yi Ahn was all about Eun Byul trough the drama but than suddenly started liking Eun Bi instead!!! Also I think they brought Eun Byul to late and wrapped up her storyline badly!! She was such a badass girl and great character but her potential wasn't used to it's fullest!!! Eun Bi's love for Yi Ahn is completely stupid like she doesn't have any reason to like him but I expected this kind of ending because she can't fall for Tae Gwang in one episode!!!
But one thing makes this drama good and that's Tae Gwang!!! He's character was sooooo perfect and Sungjae did such an amazing job playing him!!! Sungjae is my bias in BTOB and even though he was great in Nine Plus Boys I didn't expect this from him and I didn't expect that Tae Gwang would be such a good role!!! One of my favorite characters ever!!!
Also we can't forget Kim So Hyun's acting she's really a great actress and I hope to see her and Sungjae in more dramas in the future!!!
All in all this drama disappointed me in the end but thanks to it I fell in love with Tae Kwang so I'm satisfied!!! :D
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55 Bushra87
June 17, 2015 at 4:09 PM
Thanks for the recap GF! Got some much needed closure after all that heartbreak.
"And it pains me to think that Tae-gwang is left pining away after Eun-bi at the end, even when YOU HAD THE MATH TO MAKE IT WORK. Two boys, two sisters, no brainer, right?" So true!!
" it’s some consolation that he walks away the more empathetic character in the end, with all the fan love and praise for his performance."
Hoping for great things for YSJ up ahead. He truly deserves it!
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56 Jelly
June 17, 2015 at 4:10 PM
I'm glad i stopped at episode 10 phew. Really loved it at the start but had a bad feeling that the show will go downhill so i decided to wait it out before continuing. Glad i somehow managed to save a few hours of my life even though i'm disappointed as heck wtf.
And though i'm an avid taebi shipper through and through (Yook Sungjae!!!!!!!! ♡♡♡ one of the best things about this drama tbh) i kinda expected the ending (for the love triangle at least) with how eunbi was acting around yihan lol. Couldn't wrap my head around that though, guess love is indeed blind? HAHAHA
This is the second time i had this bad a SLS lol the first time being chilbongie sighpie but like girlfriday said, "Sometimes it pays to be Chilbongie, even if the path is littered with heartbreak." Word. Glad sungjae is receiving recognition now hehe go watermelon-smashing maknae!!!!!
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Kai
June 17, 2015 at 6:09 PM
Yes!! The incredible watermelon-smashing maknae! Your comment made me burst out laughing :P
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57 fishfingers_fb
June 17, 2015 at 4:39 PM
girlfriday, you wrote EVERYTHING I wanted to say, so now I'm just here to say thanks for the recap!
When she got the 'anorexia' diagnosis I just laughed out loud. Because...that's what the docs came up with? Not 'she has a personality disorder' or 'she is a psychopath' or 'she is dangerous'? That's why her repentance didn't fit in with her character. Not knowing when to stop, yes, but remorse? No. She doesn't do remorse. She can get it on an intellectual level, but let's not play an emotions card here.
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58 Rosie
June 17, 2015 at 4:51 PM
Thanks for the recap. I found myself agreeing out loud with everything you wrote. I, too, loved parts of the series but felt that it hadn't quite satisfied all the hopes I had at the outset.
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59 Sajen
June 17, 2015 at 5:01 PM
I still don't understand why the sisters just decided Eun-byul was the older one.
This drama was carried on the very young, holy she just turned 16, very capable shoulders and she did a remarkable job, but we all expected that. What we didn't expect, well I didn't at least, was Jo Soo-hyang and Yook Sung-jae. First Jo Soo-hyang she was so freaking good as far as I can tell this was her first drama and third project overall she apparently did 2 movies last year, I don't know how big her roles in those were, but as far as I'm concerned she's just as much a break out star as Yook Sung-jae. I'd love to see her in something else preferably as a more likeable character. On to Yook Sung-jae how adorable was his Tae-gwang? He was very good too Tae-gwang would have stolen the show if Eun-bi weren't played by Kim So-hyun.
"It’s no shock that Yook Sung-jae is the breakout star of the series, and deservedly so. He was already good in Plus Nine Boys, but nobody saw that drama"
I did.
Honestly the more time has gone by since I watched it the more I sort of like the ending. In the sense that it's just open ended enough for my imagination to go into overtime creating another ending much further on in the future. Anyone interested in hearing it? Too bad I'm telling you anyway. In my ending Eun-bi and Tae-gwang end up going to the same college while Yi-an doesn't go at all. At first Eun-bi keeps dating Yi-an but eventually he realizes he never actually liked her like that, and Eun-bi realizes she actually liked Tae-gwang the whole time she was just temporarily insane. Anyways after some years and break-ups and strained friendships Eun-bi and Tae-gwang end up married with a couple of kids they both stay friends with Yi-an and Eun-bi and Eun-byul remain best friend sisters.
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lemondoodle
June 17, 2015 at 5:08 PM
I was with you on your end until TK and EB get married. They'd break up eventually too. The bitter teacher was right.
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JH
June 17, 2015 at 9:29 PM
"Eun-bi realizes she actually liked Tae-gwang the whole time she was just temporarily insane"
Lolwut. That last word pretty much describes the writer though.
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60 Amy
June 17, 2015 at 5:17 PM
I can't make myself watched episode 16 because I can't bear to see TK heart broken. What a way to ruin a supposedly good drama.
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61 pam
June 17, 2015 at 5:25 PM
the final gave me so much migraine and rage to think about it. So much that every time i saw anything triangle-shaped, all I wanna do is to squash it (or maybe stab it to Yi Ahn :p)
-for Eunbi= you were so good in the beginning until the middle, but in the end it's just lukewarm. Good luck with your relationship with Yi Ahn. Hope you'll never regret your choice. Aish...
-for Yi Ahn= I don't understand you, and probably never will. But now that you have Eunbi, please step-up your game, man.
-For Tae= the only reason you don't get the girl is that you deserve someone better. the end. Rise up boy, the world with all the possibilities is ahead you!!
-for Kim So Hyun= I bowed to you, Princess. You totally deserve the crown. Solid, solid performance!!!
-for Yook Sungjae= the only reason i don't completely hate this drama is because of your character and acting. So much, so much potential. Please keep up the hard work, I hope I can see you as the lead soon!!
-for Nam joo hyuk = please learn again. the end.
- for writers = F.U!! I won't watch anything you make ever again!!
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62 Aigoooo
June 17, 2015 at 5:26 PM
The good:
Kim So Hyun = Let's face it. She's always good. lol
Yook Sung Jae = He (and his character) stole the hearts of most of the viewers. He's the Bok Dong of this show. They should add that term to Kdramas.
Jo Soo Hyang = She was outstanding, more so than Sung Jae. She literally made me uncomfortable every time I saw her character So Young on screen. I'll be watching out for her future projects.
The bad:
Nam Ju Hyuk = His acting was not great. His character was not great. It was bland all around. I would have let it go but he was the main lead so that does not bode well for any drama.
That Song (Reset) = it was a good song but totally overused. "Almost Paradise" of School 2015. lol
The Soo In story line = the climax did not do justice to the build up. Maybe I am being too harsh since I watched this drama right after Angry Mom and the atrocities there would make this drama's issues seem like child's-play.
Shi Jin's side story = What ever happened with that? Did I miss something? She was supposed to be this girl who's confused about what she wants to do with her life. It kinda fizzled out after that whole incident with the mom getting busted for running a tutoring ring (lol).
The Ugly:
I hope this whole Reply 1994 type of love triangle does not become a trend this year for Kdramas. School 2015 and Producers are both doing it and I feel that both dramas ended up sacrificing compelling stories to push the issue of who ends up with who. This type of story line might be great and produces good ratings and all but they are all empty calories.
All in all, Who Are You? School 2015 was an enjoyable watch.
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panshel
June 17, 2015 at 9:05 PM
Jo Soo Hyang = I agree. To me, Jo Soo Hyang was the breakout star of this drama instead of Yook Sung Jae.
That Song (Reset) = I don't think I will ever get tired of Reset. The entire OST is gold, my favorites being I'll Listen to What You Have to Say and Prayer.
The Soo In story line = The resolution of the mystery was my biggest disappointment. For narrative purposes, Soo In should have committed suicide; encephalomeningitis doesn't have that oomph that suicide has.
Shi Jin’s side story = We are led to assume cake decorating is now Shi Jin's passion.
I blame both the fans for the out-of-control shipping wars and the writers for fanning the flames. Reply 1994 was the most frustrating drama to read with the neverending arguments in the comments section, and we had to relive it all over again with School 2015 and to a lesser extent, The Producers (whose lovelines don't even make sense to me).
I may be one of the only people who loved School 2015 and will absolutely watch it again.
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weirdnshort
June 18, 2015 at 5:47 PM
Yeah, Soo Hyang was amazing. She conveys her emotions so well. I see a bright future for her.
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63 KDFanSoCal
June 17, 2015 at 5:31 PM
I guess I am one of the few people who like Yi Ah- Eun Bi together, I know I am in the minority :P I enjoyed most of the drama, but finale was a flat line for me because, I was disappointed that Eun Bi never really stood up for herself when it came to the bullying situation.
I love how fierce Eun Byul was but, I wish that the last stand down, Eun Bi to least take some control. There wasn't much character growth, she stayed the same. Also, I too hated that they didn't do too much twin time, but said EByul went abroad....
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64 dumzkeeee
June 17, 2015 at 5:33 PM
Aw I watched Plus Nine Boys and Sung Jae did great there. And he also didn't get the girl..Well I hope it pays to be Chilbongie and hopefully see more of him and help lessen the prejudice again idol actors.
Nam Joo Hyuk..i had hope for him coz he did well as a newbie in Surplus Princess. But yeah, this role went a little so-so for him.
Sad part was I didnt really feel compelled on Eun Bi liking Yi An. I mean she was blushing after Tae Gwang teased her on her nonrejection of the kiss and then she likes Yi An?
Kim So Hyun was really amazing pulling off the twins differently.
Sigh..it would have been one of the good dramas for 2015 too bad it fell short in the end.
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65 Annelise Marie
June 17, 2015 at 5:33 PM
SO I waited every week to watch every episode, and man am I dissappointed.
I am disappointed because this plot had so much potential, and left a LOT to be desired. Ill try to mention most of the things that just did not work out for me:
-At the start of the drama everything was just so promising, we could see the twins living completely different lives, we got a grasp of the characters, like for example Eunbyul being the supposed cold-hearted girl with his long time friend (and crush?) Yiahn, but then secretly listening to his swimming competition on her phone, giggling and smiling along the way. I really thought this was giving us a hint for further character development with her and Yiahn. I guess not. Then we had Eunbi, which was the complete opposite of Eunbyul and was living a hard life. Okay, I thought, this might get very interesting. But then...
-Speaking of Eunbyul, what ever happened to her character? I really thought that both twins were going to get about the same amount of importance in the story, but instead, everything revolved around Eunbi the whole time, and all things ultimately happened to favor HER at the end. At this point I wouldn't even consider Eunbyul a ''lead'', she just came in to the party to fix a few mistakes and then left. Whats worse, is that Eunbi's character also left a lot to be desired. I understand how Eunbyul was more bold to contrast Eunbi's meek nature, but Eunbyul literally seemed like a bold version of Eunbi, because she was not all that bad either, she was just as kind hearted as Eunbi, she only didn't show it; her character had depth, she learned things, etc. That being said, Eunbi's character stayed the same, she never truly stood up for herself, and everything was handed to her. I think that out of all characters, she is the one that disappointed me the most. Why giving the spotlight to only one twin? furthermore, why did it have to be her? I wish her character had been more developed instead of just being a submissive typical lead girl.
-TAEKWANG: this is probably what frustated me the most in the whole story. This character. I really don't understand why the production for this drama bothered so much to shove TK's character down our throats, if at the end he was not going to get the girl. Half of the drama was him, his appearances were far more than Yiahn's. My question is, why wasn't this guy the lead? Why making him more likeable than Yiahn anyway? his character had more appareances, was better written, was better performed/portrayed, had far more intimacy with the lead girl since the beginning, had more clever things to say and was much more spot on in general. Funny to remember how he was deemed as ''the crazy fella'' and ended up being a better match than Yiahn. Still, lead girl doesn't like him and chooses Yiahn instead (because of his pretty face I'm guessing? there was honestly no more reason beyond that) and, because writer-nim didn't think this was enough, dragged...
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Annelise Marie
June 17, 2015 at 6:01 PM
CONTINUED
So yes, I guess you could say that I had a reason to ''ship'' Eunbi with TK. It was also odd how the drama's main point was the love rectangle going on and they didn't handle it well. woops.
YIAHN: Don't get me wrong, initially I had so many high hopes for him because I prefered him over Sungjae, but his character was just no-no. Not very well written, and this actor didn't do all that great of a job either. I understand how Eunbi always liked him and all, but the writers didn't make a good job adding depth to that. Yiahn even became annoying at certain points, sometimes I could not feel for him. He wrapped up his feelings for Eunbyul that easily? after liking her for 10 years? by now he would have known her attitude. Because of this I doubt he truly liked her anyway. He probably didn't meet any girl besides her so he thought that what he felt was love, but maybe not. The way he transitioned into liking Eunbi was a little messed up and Id even say the way those parts were written were very sloppy. At first his character was rather likeable, but it truly started to crumble as the drama progressed. No bueno.
-I also did not like how a lot of things were left unfinished as someone mentioned in another comment, like what ever happened to the orphanage? Did Eunbi really leave everything behind and never came back again? Why did Eunbyul scream in the bathroom? Eunbyul random departure that by the way fueled my theory of Eunbyul only coming to do certain things then leave...what did she want to study anyway? she had ''this dream'' and we never really knew what it was?
-In general the twins plot was highly disappointing and I wanted to see more of that relationship. At least more of Eunbyul. Its sad how Eunbyul just appeared for a few episodes and showcased more complexity/was more driven than her twin Eunbi, whom we watched through the whole 16 episodes and never had a satisfactory evolution. Wth writers?
I did appreciate the side stories, the amazing acting of Yook Sungjae (I was happily surprised on his acting), the even more amazing acting of the actress that played Soyoung, teacher Kim! and a few other little elements that made the drama enjoyable despite all those other dragging scenes that happened with the leads. Nam Joohyuk, he was not bad, I think its his first time being casted lead in a drama, great for him; he did okay. Actress Sohyun, she was outstanding, I def not blame it on her for Eunbi's character, she was great at handling both twins and made it believable. Anyway, even without the romance, I prefered School 2013 to this one. Sad, I really thought I'd like this one better. Writer nim, if you are going to add romance into a plot, make sure you do it right.
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atz
June 18, 2015 at 3:30 PM
RE;because of his pretty face I’m guessing? there was honestly no more reason beyond that
well, his facial feature is presented well, proportion wise but I do not think he is dead handsome. Other than he is tall, if I were in his class, I would not take a note of him. Somehow as far as actors are tall, it seems that they have a better chance to be cast ( well, a powerful agency means a lot as well) in K drama setting.
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66 Kai
June 17, 2015 at 6:01 PM
Oh...this show. Firstly, a huge THANK YOU to GF. Your comments speak to my SOUL and have helped me immensely in getting over the hideous resolution to this drama. Like, honestly, wtf just happened. I agree, the writers did this all wrong.
I actually began watching this for Nam Joohyuk (adored him as Big w/ Kim Seulgi in Surplus Princess), so if he was endgame, I don't see why the writers chose to cut his screentime and jilt his character development. I'm just at a loss as to how they could've screwed that up. I truly feel bad for NJH, who is probably feeling the backlash from netizens. So today, I leave this drama a HUGE fan of Yook Sungjae. I mean, I've seen all his previous acting stints but damn....as Gong Taekwang, he stole my heart.
Oh, one final thing that frustrated me that I don't believe was addressed was this whole deal with the final OST, "Love Song" by Sungjae. I mean.....it's a song about Taekwang's character, titled LOVE SONG, has a happy beat, and has the girl respond with "I'm loving you" in the end + asking for the boy to wait for her. But.....He isn't the endgame. Just. What? Why? If they were going to give Sungjae an OST to milk his popularity, couldn't they have at least given him a song that made sense to the narrative they were spinning? He's great with ballads, too! The song simply does not make sense to me now that I've seen this drama to the end. Sigh. Now, instead of School's wonderful OST that I listened to endlessly leading up to the final episode, I'll be filling my playlist with BTOB to clean up my feelings for this drama.
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67 liz
June 17, 2015 at 6:23 PM
Well... isn't this Reply 1994 all over again?
Shippers and this blog recapers had one ship. The writer had her ship and went with it until the end. Her only problem was that her leading man was lacking a lot about figuring out his feelings and his crush from EB and to Lee Bi was badly writen.
In reply 1994, at last for me, I really liked oppa,and his acting was really good, so how not fall in love with him.
The main actor here, didn't have the acting skills to pull it off and so he got his spotlight stolen from second lead guy.
I mean, the problem the writer made the second lead too pitiable and the cute scenes were all between him and the main girl. Creating shipping wars.
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68 freyac
June 17, 2015 at 6:44 PM
Probably I am one of people that get Joohyuk's act or his feeling while acting some complex part? e.e
I think how people interprented scenes are different with each other. Han Yiahn is one of them, how he showed himself mad was his eyes waver and seems like crying lol. I find his acting just so-so, but well this is his second drama.
Kim Sohyun herself already stars, so this drama make a way for herself again to grow more and more. And for both of them, Joohyuk and Sungjae are breakstars from School franchise again, just like the other casts too! Yes, Sungjae played his character so well that people will believe he's the main lead, but can we give Joohyuk some credit? Its the writer fault who doesn't develop Han Yiahn. I find his changing heart was right, but wasn't put in place. BUT, even when his eye make you confused about what he felt, I find his way to say his lines are good, and I know what did he feel on that scene. That's why, even when people are saying the star is Sungjae, I would say both of them, since they potrayed their character well! Not forget that two of them are adorable together coughbromancecough.
This drama statisfied me in the end, and its on my favourite drama list! I can't compare this drama to any drama because it seems not right lol. All the characters potrayed their character well, all of them get their happy ending, and I am going to hate the writer only^^ If only they not make this a school franchise...
So, yeah. School 2015 is love. I think I can watch them over and over again. Its on the viewers though, whether you guys will like it or not.
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69 kdramabunny
June 17, 2015 at 6:48 PM
It start so well but end badly..
In the end, the person who just missing in action for few episode because he was so unsure about his feeling won the girl heart, and the guy who always support her and never doubt his feeling towards her from the start, lose the girl,luckily he won the fans heart..
If from the start Yi-An is the end game, they should make his character believable, because in the end, his character is still undeveloped, maybe because the writer make his character like that or lack of acting compare to other main lead..he just dreary inconsistent character..
On the other hand, who saved this drama is only Tae Kwang and Eun Byul character, due to outstanding performance of Sung Jae and Kim So Hyun, but they are the only one who didn't get the most satisfied ending..
I also don't see the development of Eun Bi, she still weak girl who cannot stand for herself, Eun Byul or Yi-An always come to rescue her, only Tae Kwang who give her the courage and an opportunity to stand up for herself..
Sung Jae might be idol, but his performance save the drama.. One thing I hate the most,they used Sung jae popularity to improve the ratings but when they done, they just throw it away.. it makes the ending feel unconnected and just waste of time..
Nevertheless, this drama will be remember as Yook Sung Jae breakthrough performance, not the story or the ending..and I looking forward to see Yook Sung Jae next drama project, sorry to say but Nam Joo Hyuk, you still have to improve your acting a lot..
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70 panshel
June 17, 2015 at 6:50 PM
School 2015 reached Reply 1994 levels of shipping, and it was just as annoying then as it was now. Like Reply 1994, I was on the minority ship, but also like Reply 1994, I loved both boys. They were both perfect. I can't understand how people don't see that. I also can't understand how people automatically dislike the drama when their ship sinks. I've read countless comments saying "I've wasted 16 hours of my life (or 21+ hours for Reply 1994)." While Reply 1994 was split between k-fans (Team Oppa) and i-fans (Team Chilbongie), School 2015 was unanimous. And because Yook Sung Jae became the trend overnight, the writers added more fanservice to the detriment of the storyline. Eun Bi and Tae Gwang went on dates and played house, even though she had no intention of returning his feelings. Like Chilbongie, they made Tae Gwang pathetic. Did he really need to confess three times and get rejected three times just so Yook Sung Jae could have more scenes? It isn’t over till it’s over, except that it's over. It would have made no sense whatsoever if Eun Bi liked Tae Gwang at the eleventh hour when she never liked him for 15 episodes. And if Eun Bi accepted him just because he liked her, while being in love with someone else, it would have been a disservice to Tae Gwang and his fans.
I didn't realize how subjective this show could be. To me, it was clear Yi An liked Eun Bi, and Eun Bi liked Yi An, and Eun Bi did not like Tae Gwang. I was also able to see chemistry between Nam Joo Hyuk and Kim So Hyun when apparently nobody else could see it. I scratched my head at the argument of who was first lead because when Kang Min Hyuk turned down the lead, his role was offered to Nam Joo Hyuk. I thought the promos confirmed that with Nam Joo Hyuk holding Kim So Hyun's hand. But above all else, Tae Gwang was classic second lead. No matter how inconsiderate Eun Bi was to him, Tae Gwang never wavered in his love, and no matter how much she loved someone else, he was always there for her. He was so perfect that he would never exist in real life; ergo he must be the second lead. It's not called Second Lead Syndrome for nothing.
I've loved both boys practically since their debut -- Nam Joo Hyuk since 200% and Yook Sung Jae since Insane. While I had no problems with Nam Joo Hyuk's acting in School 2015 (whereas I did in Surplus Princess), I almost wish they had cast a universally-liked actor because Nam Joo Hyuk got so much undeserved hate for this role, which makes me relieved Kang Min Hyuk declined. At least both Jung Woo and Yoo Yeon Seok are established actors, but when you have someone who can't act playing an unlikable character, people resort to bashing the actor himself. I recommend TaeBi shippers watch We Got Married because Yook Sung Jae is guaranteed to get the girl. I'm cautiously optimistic that Yook Sung Jae's newfound popularity can translate into BTOB's first #1 win, but then I remember ZE:A has a whopping four members who are famous,...
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pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
June 17, 2015 at 7:06 PM
Frankly, Nam Joo-hyuk deserved at least a little bit of that roasting - he just wasn't up to par, acting-wise. That might not have mattered if this cast was as green and terrible overall as, say, Dream High (where only Kim Soo-hyun and Eunjung were what I might call good, and stood out even more against the wall of bad), but you had Kim So-hyun, Yook Sung-jae and Jo Soo-hyang absolutely KILLING their roles, so NJH's deficiencies were even more glaring, especially in scenes where he had to show something other than a friendly good nature. The boy can't emote too well, he needs a return to smaller supporting roles stat.
And when the whole Eun-bi romance and ending basically feels like a "we hired him as first lead, better let him get the girl otherwise his powerful agency will kill us" kind of thing, I can see how viewers are annoyed. I didn't even want ANY ships by the end because the way they were written was annoying me so much. But the EB2/YA was far from organically developed, it really felt like a "just because" thing.
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panshel
June 17, 2015 at 7:18 PM
..., yet they still haven't won.
Personally, I loved School 2015. It was a fanfic come to life. The fluff was so fluffy. All the ships had their adorable moments, my favorite being EunBi's bicycle confession. Kim So Hyun was the star of this drama. There was no doubt which twin was Eun Bi and which was Eun Byul. Almost immediately after Eun Byul came back, she became my favorite character. Eun Byul is badass personified. Eun Byul was what I wished Eun Bi would be, but Eun Bi didn't have one mean bone in her body. I am glad Lee Yu Bi passed on the role because I do not think she would have owned it as well as Kim So Hyun. Speaking of owning, Jo Soo Hyang should be the breakout star of School 2015. Never has one character united all viewers in wanting to see her get hit by a bus. Kudos to her for being that character.
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pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
June 18, 2015 at 7:54 AM
....where have I said anything about 'winning' or 'losing'? NJH's acting range being so painfully limited means that he simply couldn't shoulder the burden of acting any kind of scenes other than the affable-friend ones, which were actually favourably received at the start.
But the minute he got scenes that required him to show any kind of emotion besides mild crushing and general affability/good-naturedness, he fell short. And that would have been true with or without the presence of another ship - if there had been no second male lead, people would have simply contrasted him to Kim So-hyun to highlight all the ways in which he was lacking.
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panshel
June 18, 2015 at 9:54 AM
…, yet they still haven’t won. is a continuation of my original comment I’m cautiously optimistic that Yook Sung Jae’s newfound popularity can translate into BTOB’s first #1 win, but then I remember ZE:A has a whopping four members who are famous,….
I didn't realize my original comment was cut off.
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pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
June 18, 2015 at 10:18 AM
glad that's cleared up, then.
Mint
June 17, 2015 at 7:59 PM
I agree with panshel that this show become very subjective with people roasting green actors because of the shipping wars.
I thought Nam Joo Hyuk did well in the scenes with Kim So Hyun and where he bring across the scenes of feeling of a bashful teen with puppy love. He is definitely on par if not better than other rookie actors, say in Dream High. And the scenes of Yian and Eun Bi feels natural with lots of sweet chemistry and their romance would have felt organic except for episode 13 onward where the writing throw in the triangle and lots of scenes with Eun Bi and Tae Gwang to fan fire for the shipping wars. Frankly, I feel those scenes such as the trip to the Love House would worked better being given to Yian, but what's done is done.
Frankly, I would not pin point it to the writers alone either. But the problem is the production as a whole, whether because of the pressure from ratings / fan wars / KBS preference for certain actors / Some other stakeholder with power decide to focus on the love triangle and give Tae Gwang and Eun Bi meaningless scenes that do not add to the story and at the expense of other characters and story lines.
If they feel Tae Gwang is popular and want to give him more screen time there are always other ways. I will rather see more screen time with Tae Gwang and Yian Bromance, Tae Gwang and the teacher and other students rather than the playing house and getting rejected by his love interest who see him as a friend.
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j2hr
June 17, 2015 at 8:57 PM
dont think this drama reaches Reply 94's level of shipping war. 90% of viewers prefer TK in be it knetz or ifans. This is totally different with R94 when most korean viewers prefer Trash and international audiences want Chilbong. Both Trash and Chilbong are quite well written characters and good portrayed from both actors. The same cant apply with School 2015 since only one actor and his character is well played and written.
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pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
June 18, 2015 at 10:21 AM
yeah, at least Trash and Chilbongie were both interesting and well played characters.
(and lest anyone forget, Answer Me 1994 didn't even reveal that Trash wasn't Na-jung's biological brother until 1-2 episodes in - all the pre-drama material promoted Yoo Yeon-seok as the lead! tvn was definitely trolling....)
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kiwichan
June 18, 2015 at 4:07 PM
Agree! my problem with R1994 is the writer manipulated our minds to think that CB will be her groom tho I actually can feel she will choose trash instead but at least both played well with great background stories. Since I'm not a shipper so it doesnt matter to me who she chose, I just hate the way writernim keeps playing viewers hearts till the last episode, it was too much since these kind of triangle loves were my least interest. and this happened again in School drama just getting my nerve honestly coz it didnt make sense at all and ruin the beautiful drama
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Taryn
July 13, 2015 at 9:55 AM
I don't get how it is the fans fault that the writers decided to write an incoherent and pandering mess. I hesitate to even call it "pandering" because if you build up what you think people want but don't follow through you're not really playing to the desires of anybody but your own misguided attempts at a rating grab.
Fans never held a weapon to the writers and made them write something that ultimately didn't pay off. Of course they began to want a certain couple but the writer's had the opportunity to ignore that or react to it by deciding to beef up Yi An's character to try to sway them. Or they could do what they started to do and increase the scenes and character development for TK but have it go somewhere in the end. Instead they chose none of the above and it didn't work for most people. That's on them.
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71 Water
June 17, 2015 at 6:55 PM
Hais what's with this drama? Thanks girlfriday for the recap you managed to put all my thoughts and comments in a way more eloquent manner than I ever could. I had high hopes for this drama but like all other kdramas it half flopped towards the end. I feel that Eun-bi wasn't very developed as a character. Like it was so interesting at first and it had a lot of potential. We saw Eun-bi being strong and independent for a couple of moments but then the writers made her meek and weak. I was looking forward a turn in her character. Yi-an disappointed me too because it was confusing when he startes liking Eun-bi and gave up on Eun-byul. You do not simply just let go of 10 years of liking towards someone. Character-wise, Yi-an would've fit better with Eun-byul to balance her fiery character. I didn't even feel that Yi-an liked Eun-bi as a person because it was too sudden. All in all another drama that died halfway... Only character that was well developed was probably Tae-gwang. Even So-young didn't get a full ending.
Bye bye School 2015. My TaeBi noooo
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72 JunJae
June 17, 2015 at 6:56 PM
Awwww!! Chilbongie!
All I can say is I'm not so disappointed. Seriously, nobody saw the chemistry between Eun Byul and Tae Kwang? I thought that was obvious!
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peep
June 17, 2015 at 7:08 PM
me too. i really liked their dynamics when they interacted together, as short as those interactions were. i guess because eunbyul and taekwang are such strong characters that they played off each other really well, even though they both mutually disliked each other lol
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Gianne
June 18, 2015 at 5:12 AM
I saw it too!
I think it's just that they put her back in the game way too late for anything to happen. Pity. Eunbyul was one of this drama's few saving graces, and I think my heart would've exploded if she and Tae Kwang were to be awesome together.
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73 pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
June 17, 2015 at 6:57 PM
Meh. School 2013 was superior in every way.
The writers of 2015 need to learn that not everything needs a love line forced in, you can do just fine if you actually hire a good cast and use them well.
otoh, congratulations to Kim So-hyun, Yook Sung-jae and Jo Soo-hyang, they did brilliantly and gave way more acting firepower to this drama than it deserved.
(and screw you forever, writers, for sending Eun-byul away! wtf!)
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74 Myvilvil
June 17, 2015 at 7:13 PM
"Sometimes it pays to be the Chilbongie, even if the path is littered with heartbreak".
Yeah, you are absolutely right! Look at YYS now...4 or 5 movies and a delightful drama after Reply 1994!
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panshel
June 17, 2015 at 11:07 PM
I hope being "the Chilbongie" helps BTOB win their first #1.
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75 h311ybean
June 17, 2015 at 7:16 PM
I feel like the old crone shrieking "BOOOOOO!!!" in "The Princess Bride." What a wishy-washy, totally unsatisfying ending. I'm glad So-young got some of what was coming to her, but that was it.
After messing up the romance bit (the absence of which I appreciated in School 2013), School 2015 couldn't even get the major friendships - I would have loved more twin bonding - right.
BOOOOOOO.
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76 Natamar
June 17, 2015 at 7:31 PM
I applaud you! I mean
I loved this "Two boys, two sisters, no brainer, right? ", and so I loved Gong Tae Kwang was the perfect character and give us a new star...
I never understood why Eun Bi needed the life of her sister for be happy...I hated that writers...really!!
I would like the two of the sister been happy and together
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77 gongtae
June 17, 2015 at 7:33 PM
Let's not pretend that the real male lead of this drama is in fact, Go Eunbyul.
1. Dives into the lake to save Eunbi (so what if you have so many gold medals for swimming?? I'm looking at you, Han Yian)
2. Practically rips Kang Soyoung into pieces the moment she returns to school (whereas Taegwang can only intimidate her a little and consoles Eunbi afterwards) (and Yian just watches Eunbyul fixes up Soyoung while jaw agape)
3. Sleeping in the same bed as Eunbi (when will the other guys ever???)
Eunbyul is so badass I love her and this is just for fun I only ship the sisters in a sisterly way
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pigsnout
June 17, 2015 at 9:23 PM
Yes, Eun Byul is more of a true hero than eitherof the boys. Like you said, SHE is the one who literally saves her sister's life and then makes Soyoung really regret torturing Eun Bi......what do the two boys have, they can't even compare to her.
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panshel
June 17, 2015 at 9:42 PM
Eun Byul is Elsa reincarnated. She doesn’t need a man to save her sister; she'll do it herself and in style. Eun Byul is my favorite character, uncontested. I love her more than all three of them put together.
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LJH?ShiHoo?
June 19, 2015 at 4:41 AM
I love your reference to the Frozen movie. Yes Anna and Elsa's sisterly love was way better than guys LOL
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78 August
June 17, 2015 at 7:40 PM
Thanks for the recap GirlFriday. Indeed, Who Are You: School 2015 majored in wasted potential. At the end of the day School 2013 and Monstar fared much (not just much but wayyyy) better as youth genre dramas due to their respective screenwriters; good writing and narrative logic; a compelling plot and character development; both excelled at nailing emotional truth and sense; and for their intensity and gravity of the teenage experience. Good Writing Matters!
Ha, funny...Oh snap! I guess writers Kim Hyun-Jung & Kim Min-Jung ended episode 16 with a good parting shot at all the viewers and TK & EB vs. YA & EB shippers out there with the Eu-Bi's last remark: "It's okay. You can be hurt. Since you're 18 years old."
Yook Sungjae, I must say kudos to you for a great job in Plus Nine Boys (2014) as the supporting lead character Kang Min-Gu and again in Who Are You: School 2015 as this time around the 2nd lead Gong Tae-Kwang. Know that your character Gong Tae-Kwang is now added to the special pantheon of 2nd Leads giving viewers a run for the money with Second Lead Syndrome.
Jo Soo-Hyang: You did a nice job with the role of Kang So-Young and your interpretation of the character.
It's a shame that actor Lee Pil Mo, this time around was insufficiently utilized as Teacher Kim Joon Suk by the writers of WAY: School 2015. By the same token, it was good to see Bae Soo-Bin as Teacher Kim Seul-Young. Just imagine how much better WAY: S2015 as a drama series could have been if the writers had exhibited better writing skills, storylines, and seized upon the talents of both these men with their respective characters. What a lost opportunity!
Reliance on a bumping OST, background music, and soundtrack does not make up for several of the obvious and noted deficiencies in the overall level of writing presented to viewers during these 16 episodes. Side Note: Each time they played the Tiger JK Reset OST (featuring Jinshil of Mad Soul Child), my mind harkened back to Kim So-Hyun's character "Jo Eun-Bi" from the 2014 kdrama Reset.
What a disservice character-wise to meek Lee Eun-Bi and sassy Go Eun-Byul as teenage girls - limiting and stifling their agency / "girl power" - as they navigated through the high-stakes world of high school strife which in and of itself is wildly jarring.
School 2015's prevailing narrative choices should have/could have showcased more of the students and faculty like School 2013 did in presenting an authentic story. Instead the writers took the easy way out by falling back on and centering most of the attention towards the romance/love triangle (OTP shipping wars) between Eun-Bi, Han Yi-Ahn, Tae Kwang, & Eun-Byul. The result: flippantly delving into death's dark and unsettling territory and essentially skirting the issue and dimensions of identity (adolescent, positive, self vs. social). This method of approach at times was amateurish.
The writers seemed adamant about towing the (message/propaganda) line...
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August
June 17, 2015 at 7:41 PM
Continued...
The writers seemed adamant about towing the (message/propaganda) line with the overleveraged kdrama rule of thumb of the damsel in distress 1st lead girl/lady. Based upon the mindset of writers one could reason Eun-Bi chose Yi-Ahn over Tae Kwang in the romance department because: Tae Kwang continuously encouraged Eun-Bi to stand up for herself; to find/figure out short-term & long-term solutions on her own terms; he willingly gave her space to handle her business when it came to the numerous threats, attempted bullying, etc. from So-Young during their contentious encounters; and he was never hesitant about accepting and cheering on her authentic self.
Yi-Ahn on the other hand, operated as the knight coming to the rescue of the fair maiden. Normally something happens to the lady where she doesn't really have to stand on her own two feet in order to fight nor is she required to learn how to defend herself. To the writers I say: Hello it's 2015! Pay attention to the title of your drama - it says 2015. FYI: A girl/lady/female/woman can be very competent without being a Mary Sue.
And last but not least, storyline wise the kids at the orphanage still waiting to be adopted deserved more acknowledgment in the finale too!
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79 nath
June 17, 2015 at 7:50 PM
....
Can we reset? It was so good in the beginning, what a waste. Imo, YA is probably the weakest male lead ever written and acted.. sigh. And SY makes a perfect villain, am glad I am waaay past High school #horror.
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80 clairie
June 17, 2015 at 7:51 PM
You may not get the girl in the end as Gong Tae Kwang but you sure gained plenty of fans and recognition as Yook Sung Jae!!! Honestly, Gong Tae Kwang was one of the best things in School 2015 and watching Sung Jae playing him reminds me of Kim Woo Bin's Choi Young Do even though they're completely different characters. I sincerely hope Yook Sung Jae will further blossomed as an actor like Woo Bin did after Heirs. He totally deserved it!
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panshel
June 17, 2015 at 11:12 PM
Heirs is a very apt comparison since everyone ending up hating Lee Min Ho like Nam Joo Hyuk.
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pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
June 18, 2015 at 10:25 AM
and that's despite Lee Min Ho getting sympathetic backstory on top of sympathetic backstory, being fleshed out as the drama's most pitiful poor little rich boy, and being painted consistently as the "good" guy.
Sometimes an actor just can't sell what they are given, and they have the misfortune to be cast with someone else who does. That's got to suck, especially for NJH.
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81 sheza
June 17, 2015 at 7:58 PM
Thanks for your recap. I share your views. A big clap for Kim So Hyun. She played two distinct characters to the tee. I put the blame on the writers that somehow Eun Bi did not move me though she's the one who was bullied. Yes, she has my sympathy but her character is weak. Eun Byul on the other hand interest me. She was layered and interesting and I wish they had developed her and wrote the story around her as a main character, with the viewers getting to know her through Eun Bi's eyes. Everyone loved Tae Gwang because he's consistent throughout the show as a hero should be however imperfect he may be. Yi An was the most disappointing one. I feel sorry for Nam Joohyuk. This is probably his first leading role and the writers screw it up for him for the sake of ratings. I didn't think his acting was that bad but really his character is inconsistent and wishy washy. Nothing heroes are made of.
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82 katshirou
June 17, 2015 at 8:00 PM
Sort of wish they sent TK abroad with his father instead of sending EByul, not because I want him written off in the end...after all, YSJ's portrayal is one of the few things left by the final episode that leaves me feeling any care for this drama...but because TK needs to get away from EBi. He is too good to be EBi's eternal wingman/personal-knight-in-shining-armor, seriously. That's just fucking cruel, written to never be EBi's groom but nonetheless completely stuck by her side. He is the one who needs a fresh start after all the heartbreak! Not EByul -_-
FYI, the other few things left I like about this?
KSH because she is a great actress, better than most actors/actresses 10-20 years her senior
The OST because it's awesome, especially Younha's and YSJ's songs.
Non-heartbreaking Taebi moments, which amounts to 10 times more screentime than the main couple (only in this drama that 2nd male lead and main girl has more screentime than main couple)
The little storylines that are actually related to school life because 70% of the drama was just focused on the love triangle, which left me often forgetting this was part of the School series
#kThanksBye
#JustMyOpinion
#SorryToThoseWhoTotallyLoveThisDramaButIDont
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83 crybaby
June 17, 2015 at 8:07 PM
I think I need to rewatch School 2013 to wash out the bad after taste of 2015...
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windsun33
June 17, 2015 at 9:03 PM
Watch My Love, Eun Dong instead.
Much better than this, at least so far.
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pigsnout
June 17, 2015 at 9:36 PM
I think I will join you for that School 2013 rewatch.
they made a really good decision in that show to get rid of love lines, and it made the drama truly great. (Lee Jong Suk and the girl who played Ha Kyung who was supposed to be his love interest, had no chemistry - so glad they focused on LJS/Kim Woo Bin instead).
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84 CoffeeMD
June 17, 2015 at 8:26 PM
I am a YA/EB fan, but the ending was still disappointing for me. This drama was so great in the beginning. I haven't had that "can't wait for next week" feeling for a drama in a long time, but at one point in the latter half of this drama, my obsessiveness started to wane.
So I went through a BTOB phase and watched their reality show online and in my opinion, I think TK's character is very similar to Sungjae's real life personality. I mean he has a silly personality in the group (just look up the video of him smashing a watermelon with his head). So I think playing this character was not super out of his comfort zone. His character in Plus Nine was also a bit goofy high schooler. Now I'm not saying he is basically TK or discrediting his acting skill, I agree he did a good job portraying TK's vulnerable side. The scene with him seeing his mom made me tear. I just think it wasn't super difficult for him to get into his character. Also, I just think he was given all the good material and by the second half, the writer favored him for his popularity. PS. he is not my bias in BTOB either
I loved YA from the beginning. Maybe he is just my type idk...to me TK was so friendly like your best friend rather than a manly love interest. Its a huge bummer the writer forgot about YA because of popularity, and the story visibly suffered. What attached me to this drama in the beginning was the hospital scene in ep2, then the bike scene that was so symbolic and had two meanings when EB asked YA to come to her. I adamantly believe that if YA could have gotten at least one of TK's savior scenes, people would have been less upset. Also, I don't think it's because NJH is a part of YG that he got the girl in the end *rolls eyes* The writers could have easily pulled a Dream High and switched if they wanted to. YA was predestined to get the girl and all signs indicated it. If YG had influence, I think they would have been upset the moment YA scenes got reduced and his character's story got cut down.
I was really scared this drama was going to go Dream High on me and change the ending, that's why I haven't watched the final 4 episodes yet... The ending was disappointing but so are many drama endings. Thank you for the recaps all these years!
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85 WhatJustHappen
June 17, 2015 at 8:38 PM
Life sucks....endure it and just live life passively half-hearted, half-apologetic, half-regretful, half-ass, and move on. Just wow....thank's writers, great message to the struggling youth.
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86 natalie
June 17, 2015 at 8:57 PM
What I learned in school 2015 is never ever EXPECT that if you fall in love with pretty promotional still pictures of main lead characters in a bus , you will also learn to fall in love watching them together until the END ... you'll greatly feel devastated.
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87 pigsnout
June 17, 2015 at 9:05 PM
lol @the YiBi shippers blaming freaking Tae Kwang for the script becoming all about the stupid love triangle in the end.....like it's Yook Sungjae fault he was charismatic and good at acting/Korean viewers ended up liking him? No blame for Nam Joo Hyuk and his cross eyed attempts at emoting any complex feeling, and the amount of time that took away from other students storylines in the last 8 eps?
NJH is all right for small roles like Surplus Princess but YG shouldn't be so greedy with his acting because right now he simply lacks the talent. He's only ok when he is being a nice cheerful friend, the show at least tried to give him some storyline (unlike what shippers say,that he oonly didn't shine because the writing failed to help him). It's not totally the writer's fault, characters with much less screen time -Min Joon, Song Joo, even freaking Hae Na stood out more than him.
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lemondoodle
June 17, 2015 at 9:18 PM
how about blaming the writer instead? They are the ones wrote the drama like this.
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lemondoodle
June 17, 2015 at 9:23 PM
And nobody even remembers the friend's names other than Min Joon, so no they didn't stand out more.
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pigsnout
June 17, 2015 at 9:30 PM
The writers suck, but are they also responsible for Yi An's blank eyes every time he had a scene to emote that needed him to be actually showing something other than cute and cheerful? Or for the other actors including Jo Soo Hyang remaining excellent at acting evenif their characters were one dimensional (just like some people say YA was written) and their screen time was cut?
(They are also rookies btw, it's JSH only in her third acting role)
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panshel
June 17, 2015 at 11:00 PM
Of course it's not Yook Sung Jae's fault for being awesome or the world's fault for falling in love with him (frankly, the world is three years too late; he debuted in 2012). Yook Sung Jae couldn't act badly if he tried; he already proved himself in Reply 1994. It is the writers' fault for using him. They added all these lovey-dovey scenes making shippers think he would get the girl, while knowing full well he will never get the girl, just because viewers wanted to see Tae Gwang and Tae Gwang only. Do you think Yook Sung Jae wanted to be rejected three times? Once was enough, but the writers would not let it go because Yook Sung Jae brings in the ratings.
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88 pigsnout
June 17, 2015 at 9:17 PM
Oh, and this is Jo Soo Hyang's (Kang So Young) third acting role in her entire career. She did two movies in 2014 and this is her first drama.
Maybe think of that the next time we try to excuse someone's poor performance as "he/she has only done 2/3/4 acting roles ever!" or "the writer is to blame for not helping!", well then how did her acting as So Young remain so good even when she's a rookie and in the last 4 eps she was written to have so little to do?
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89 JH
June 17, 2015 at 9:34 PM
I'll pretend that Eun Byul and Tae Kwang story will be continued by Ha Ji Won and Lee Jin Wook in The Time I Loved You. At least the 'pathetic' guy is the main lead and will get the girl this time.
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natalie
June 17, 2015 at 10:04 PM
uh huh than "unfaithful/wishy-washy" main lead who gets everything until the end without lifting a finger ................ yeaaa I should have waited TTILY to be broad casted then I won't be feeling tricked/cheated by this drama. It wasted my time.
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90 kinac
June 17, 2015 at 9:41 PM
Taekwang and teacher was an unexpected bromance that was great towards the end of the series. This drama really had a great start but lost some of its charm to the end. ESPECIALLY TAEKWANG. HOW COULD YOU NOT ACCEPT THE PUPPY WHO STOOD BY YOU AND LOVED YOU FOR YOU FIRST?!?!??!! my god. i cry for my puppy TTTTTTTTTTTTT
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91 Antonina Lovyn
June 17, 2015 at 9:43 PM
I love this drama and all, and it got me really hooked, but I hate the ending. The show made me believe that Eun Bi and Tae Kwang will be together in the end but WHAT she ended up with Yi An??? Eun Byul was supposed to end up with Yi An!! Seriously was it that hard to make everyone happy by doing that? But no, they totally screwed up the ending. I hope no other drama doest this in the future. Please, cause you will surely lose fans.
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92 Ladymoonstone143
June 17, 2015 at 10:08 PM
Thank you for the recap.
So disappointed with the finale. Now I am scared that the other dramas am watching (My Love, Eundong and Mask) might get a crappy finale too. I was so invested on this drama that I can't understand why and where did the writer get the idea that the finale should be like this. A few things doesn't make any sense at all. The writers should read the comments here so they will have an inkling on what they were doing wrong.
I be looking forward to more Tae Kwang dramas....
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93 Sgpgirl
June 17, 2015 at 11:21 PM
Gong Tae-gwang. My heart bleeds.
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94 Alexis
June 17, 2015 at 11:53 PM
I for one am really happy with this ending. I enjoyed the drama and I honestly can't understand where all the hate towards Yian/Nam Ni Hyuk is coming from! Sure the boy could act a whole lot better but he's acting was not that bad. Honestly I've seen much worse acting in dramas and none of them got so much hate. Chill every one. It's just a drama!
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Chhavi
June 18, 2015 at 1:38 AM
Its really not about his acting...
The hate(which you say) is from the fact that his character was not in the way or depth as a Drama Lead should have been....it was Tae-gwang's, you know.
The reason that we are so angry is because Tae gwang and Eun bi were much closer than Eun-bi and Yi-an were and they deserved each other.....The worse part was that Yi-an hated her and ignored her when he came to know about her real identity....Do leads do that?
I, along with girlfriday and others, am still confused as to when did Yi-an started loving Eun-bi???
Not satisfied with the ending, still no hate for Yi-an..
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btob
June 18, 2015 at 2:03 AM
the writers thought that everything that Yi ahn do to Eun Bi will resolve in the UNBELIEVABLE TIME SKIP of 6 MONTHS??!!!!!! THE WRITERS ARE DRUNK & LAZY!!
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95 risa
June 17, 2015 at 11:58 PM
Wow~ that's a lot of comments, including a lot of looong ones! Like many others, I was pretty invested in this drama (it sure seemed like it had a lot going for it in the beginning), and am disappointed that it didn't live up to its potential because of the writing.
I caught the first few episodes of +9Boys, and Sungjae didn't make much of an impression on me in that (I'm not saying he was bad~ I just wasn't drawn to him), but he absolutely captivated me as Tae-kwang. I'll be remembering him fondly as (my ship and) I languish here on the ocean floor.
Also, did I miss something? Did they ever explain what happened to Eun-byul that caused the wound on her neck (which left a scar that was still there when she finally returned home, but then it seemed to disappear)? Or is that just another loose thread?
Thanks gf, dramallama, Saya, purplecow and jb for the great recaps!
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panshel
June 18, 2015 at 12:08 AM
Eun Byul's neck wound was explained in Episode 7. She was jostling with bully Mi Joo, fell, and hit her neck.
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96 ajtee
June 18, 2015 at 12:44 AM
I watched the finale via livestream. I don't know what they're saying but even through Sungjae's acting and emotions I can totally feel the hurt. I was only in TaeBi ship because TK likes EB, what can I do? I myself wanted to punch him and wake him up from his feelings for EB. At first I was so depressed that EB didn't choose TK, I mean seriously WHY? But whatever, I guess that's for the better. Meek Eunbi deserves stone YiAhn. Yi Ahn can't handle EBy's sass so he don't deserve her. And well, EB can't handle TK's greatness so it's her loss. Whatever. I'm sure Eun Byul and Tae Kwang will find someone wayyyyyyyyyyyy better than Yi Ahn and Eun Bi.
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97 Chhavi
June 18, 2015 at 1:26 AM
The drama was excellent and catchy...until this episode
My only frustration is that TG didn't got the girl....arrgghhh...I shipped so hard...Oh Man!!!
Do second leads Don't get the girl EVER??? Even if they are so Adorable, helpful, handsome...and Oh God- what not???
Bad Ending show.....How could Eun bi NOT like Tae gwang?? HOW????
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98 Lin_K
June 18, 2015 at 1:48 AM
Thank you Girlfriday for the recap!
The best thing in this drama is Yook Sung Jae and TK!
It was my first time watching him, and I became a fan. Well-written character and great acting!!
KSH also did such a great job! She always acts good!
Jo Soo Hyang is another one who acted really well! I hated her so much, and that shows that she was GOOD in her role.
Such a shame that TK didn't end up with EBi in the end. After giving all the best scenes/dialogue (individually and with EBi) to TK, the writers/PD/tv station still made YA get the girl. It felt so out of place. I'm mad at the writers (or whoever responsible) for giving false hope to to TaeBi shippers, and then crushing our hearts. It's kinda funny that when I first became interested in this drama, TK was not even in the picture. I liked YA in the first episode and even when EBi came back with amnesia. But as the show went on, (around episode 4 or so for me) TK shined and YA faded more. When I watched the 16th episode yesterday and cried my heart out, I was surprised at how much I was invested in this drama, how much TK made an impact on me, how much I was rooting for him. I thought I wasn't into TK and this couple that much. I was wrong! Haha.
One thing I liked was that the writer showed TK happy in the end, with his father. At least that was a comfort.
EBi, EByul, and YA - Liked them for the most part.
Loved the bromance between TK and Teacher Kim!!
Didn't like how EByul went away. They should have made her and EBi stay together with mom. If you found your lost twin sister after 13 or 14 years, you would want to spend time with them, right??
Also wish the show spent more time on friendship and secondary characters. There were many good minor roles. Like Min Joon, Song Joo, Shi Jin, Gi Tae, Hae Na, and Teacher Kim. The minor characters were cute and funny!
When I first started this show, it's the mystery that got me hooked. It's too bad that the mystery aspect became dull toward the later episodes. The big reveal of SI case was disappointing too.
TK's character and the shipping remind me of Choi Young Do and The Heirs. Hoping SJ becomes famous like Kim Woo Bin :)
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Lin_K
June 18, 2015 at 2:01 AM
Thank you to everyone who shipped, commented, and shared frustrations about this drama with me :)
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99 Beng
June 18, 2015 at 2:01 AM
i can't accept the ending. I still like Eun-bi and Taekwang. I can't believe just how the writers just switch Yi-an's feelings from Eun-byul to Eun-bi. He's adored her since kids, FGS!
Urgh! quite unrealistic!!! The worst school series ever =(
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100 Gianne
June 18, 2015 at 3:06 AM
I had such high hopes for this ending, but I should've known better.
For a series called Who Are You, it's pretty sad that they choose to have their heroine assume her sister's identity for a conclusion. Eun Byul was easily the best thing about this drama and she was completely shafted, along with all the other arcs they started but never finished (looking at you, Shi Jin and Song Joo).
The love triangle was also completely botched. I thought that Eun Bi would accept Tae Kwang's feelings at least once, before heading to a YiBi ending. We saw him confess and get rejected thrice. Nobody needed to see that show, not without pay-off to go along with it.
I also hate that Yi An, Min Joon and and Soo In were so underdeveloped. NJH has been receiving hate mail on SNS for his portrayal of Yi An. He might've been a little too green for a lead role, but I honestly blame the writers for giving him enough to play off of.
I will forever love this show for giving Yook Sungjae a platform to shine. He really stood out here, and I predict he can only go up from this point on. But I'm never watching this again. Too much work, too little satisfaction.
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