Study Group Kdrama Review

After hearing so many rave reviews about Study Group, I decided it was finally time to see what the hype was all about. The drama consists of 10 episodes and follows the story of Yoon Ga Min (played by Hwang Min-hyun), a fighter who struggles with academics. Despite spending long hours studying and even having a personal tutor named Ms. Lee, Ga Min consistently finds himself at the bottom of the academic rankings.

He enrolls at Yuseong Technical High School, hoping it’ll be the environment he needs to focus on his future. Unfortunately, he quickly discovers the school is far from ideal as it’s filled with violent students and bullies, who don’t care about school. Despite these challenges, Ga Min decides to start a study group, inspired by the idea that students who study together tend to improve their grades. His former tutor, Ms. Lee, ends up becoming a teacher at his school and plays a key role in supporting the group.

Ga Min forms friendships with a small but determined group of students, each dealing with their own challenges. One of the students, Lee Han Kyeong (played by Han Ji Eun), dreams of becoming a teacher. Kim Se Hyun (Lee Jong Hyun) faces pressure at home to quit school and start working, but he’s determined to chase a different future. Another student, Lee Jun (Gong Do-yu), is fascinated by Ga Min’s fighting skills and decides to join. Their bond is one of the most heartwarming elements of the show.

Other standout supporting characters include Ga Min’s mum Jeon Mi-hyeon. Though she initially appears to be an antagonist because she wants to transfer him to another school, we realise she has good reason, and she’s quick to stand up for her son.

Another memorable character is Detective Na Tae-man, who tries to guide a young student through a tough decision about his future. He isn’t harsh or cold but instead very caring.

What I didn’t enjoy as much was the violence in this series. When I started watching Study Group, I expected a school drama focused on a group of students and their friendship, and even some romance. I hadn’t read the original webtoon, so I wasn’t prepared for how intense and frequent the fight scenes would be. While action drives the plot forward, the number of physical confrontations felt overwhelming at times.

There’s no doubt the action is well-choreographed and dramatic, but it sometimes takes the spotlight away from the academic themes that are so central to the premise. The excessive focus on violence occasionally makes it harder to connect with the characters. I found myself wishing for more development around the students’ study sessions, progress, and budding friendship.

That said, the pacing of the series is energetic and fast-moving. It’s one of those dramas that keeps you watching, even if it sometimes sacrifices character development or deeper plotlines in favour of intensity.

As for the setting, Yuseong Technical High School is depicted as a gritty, challenging place to survive, let alone thrive academically. While it’s co-ed, it does seem like there are significantly more male students featured than female, which might just be a reflection of the genre’s focus or casting.

Despite its flaws, Study Group was exciting, I loved the intro and the important message the drama portrayed: the idea that support from the right people can make a difference. The cast has strong chemistry, and even some secondary characters are memorable. It still manages to stand out in a crowded field of school dramas.

So, is Study Group worth the hype? I think so, just go in knowing that it’s more fight club than study club.