Class wars: K-dramas that depict class division and revenge in schools, and why you should pay attention to them! You don't want to miss this list!

Many K-dramas discuss and reflect real issues that happen in South Korean schools today, and the focus if often homed in on academic pressure, social status and the effects and impacts that they have on students lives.

With many students often competing to have the highest academic output through long and grueling hours of studying, the race to ace university entrance exams, and the deep traditional hierarchical culture often pushes and encourages violence and bulling in South Korean schools, some might say that it really is survival of the fittest.
The Glory (2022)
One drama which won several awards is The Glory, which stars Song Hye Kyo, who plays a former victim of school violence, and Lim Ji Yeon who is the main antagonist, who struck a chord for many, with the "hot hair curler bullying". This event from the show was based on a true event which took place at an all girls middle school in Cheongju in 2006.
While for some the scene may have been hard to watch, it does hit close to home for many. Korean entertainment companies are no longer shying away from the simple rich versus poor, as they focus more on social issues, corruption and inequality that many Koreans face daily. These help K-dramas tackle thee dark themes and lead the way into a more daring class division of the K-entertainment industry.
School 2013 (2013)
This famous K-drama focuses on Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo Bin who are former best friends from different schools and social backgrounds. Their relationship breaks down due to class differences, and as the series progresses it portrays some of the issues that young Koreans face today. The series gained lots of praise for showcasing the issues from teen suicide that is all so common, corporal punishment and the intense tutoring culture that all lead to some form of bullying.
The Heirs (2013)
Lee Min Ho stars as Kim Tan a chaebol (family run conglomerate) who is the heir to the Jeguk Group who falls in love with Park Shin Hye's character Cha Eun Sang, the daughter of his family's housekeeper. Their intense romance faces direct opposition from Kim Tans status very conscious and conservative family, who have already spent a long time arranging his wedding to another heiress Rachel Yoo.
Revenge Note aka Sweet Revenge (2017)
Kim Hyang Gi plays Ho Goo Hee in Revenge Note, and this K-drama is about your average high schooler and pushover who discovers and app that can enact revenge on anyone whose name she writes on it. Sounds pretty cool right?
Now she initially uses the app in order to gain a small amount of revenge , although she uses the app more and more against the school bullies, she learns about the consequences of revenge, and she eventually uses it in order to change the class dynamic on bullying in Korean schools.
True Beauty (2020 - 2021)
This K-drama is based on a webtoon about a student who masters makeup in order to overcome bullying at her upper-class high school. Moon Ga Young plays Lim Ju Kyung, in this romantic comedy, and the drama explores how appearance and social status intersect in Korean school culture.
Let us know if you have ever experienced revenge because of class difference, in the comments below!
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