14 Korean Dramas About the Dark Side of Students in School, From Bullying to Dangerous Criminality

The story of ANGRY MOM (2015) features Jo Kang-ja (Kim Hee-sun), a mother who disguises herself as a student at her daughter’s school, Oh Ah-ran (Kim Yoo-jung). She tries to protect her daughter from bullying and uncover the murder case of Ah-ran's friend, Jin Yi-kyeong (Yoo Ye-joo), who was killed by teacher Do Jeong-woo (Kim Tae-hoon) after he impregnated her.

BEAUTIFUL WORLD (2019) tells the struggle of the Park family, Park Moo-jin (Park Hee-soon) and Kang In-ha (Choo Ja-hyun), to uncover the truth behind a school violence incident. This incident leaves their son, Park Sun-ho (Nam Da-reum), severely injured and in a coma, while Oh Jin-pyo (Oh Man-seok) and Seo Eun-joo (Cho Yeo-jeong) try to cover up their son’s mistakes.

BLACK DOG: BEING A TEACHER (2019) features Go Ha-neul (Seo Hyun-jin) as a temporary teacher facing political intrigue and disputes in a private school. This drama highlights the struggles of teachers in fighting for their students' dreams amidst a highly competitive education system, where pressure from students and the system often triggers conflicts.

The drama CLASS OF LIES (2019) features a successful lawyer who goes undercover as a temporary teacher at a high school. He, played by Yoon Kyun-sang, investigates a murder case and bullying that occurs at the elite school, uncovering hidden violence. From there, he begins to take action to protect the helpless victims.

Although CRASH COURSE IN ROMANCE is a romantic comedy, this drama also explores the pressures within South Korea's highly competitive education system. The impact on students like Nam Hae-yi (Roh Yoon-seo) and popular math instructor Choi Chi-yeol (Jung Kyung-ho) is highlighted, revealing the dark side of students caught in fierce competition.

Oh Ji-soo (Kim Dong-hee) in EXTRACURRICULAR (2020) is an exemplary student who secretly runs an illegal prostitution business to fund his education. His dark double life is threatened when a schoolmate, Bae Gyu-ri (Park Ju-hyun), discovers his secret and begins to blackmail him, showcasing the dark side of students forced to take extreme measures to survive.

HIGH CLASS is a mystery thriller set in an elite international school on Jeju Island. Song Yeo-wool (Cho Yeo-jeong), a former lawyer, is accused of murdering her husband and must navigate the intrigues and lies among elite mothers like Nam Ji-sun (Kim Ji-soo), who hide dark secrets behind their perfect lives, including the dark side of students involved in parent conflicts.

HIGH SCHOOL: RETURN OF A GANGSTER (2024) tells the story of a 30-year-old gangster whose soul suddenly transfers into the body of a high school student. The student is a bullying victim, and the gangster tries to live a different life while facing teenage issues, including conflicts and bullying in the school environment, showcasing the dark side of students vulnerable to violence.

In HOW TO BUY A FRIEND (2020), Park Chan-hong (Lee Shin-young), a student who is often bullied, is saved by Heo Don-hyeok (Shin Seung-ho). They make a pact to help each other, but their relationship is tested when dark secrets behind the pact are revealed, showcasing the dark side of pressured students.

REVENGE OF OTHERS (2022) follows Ok Chan-mi (Shin Ye-eun) who doubts that her twin brother, Park Won-seok, committed suicide. She transfers to Yongtan High School to seek the truth, meeting Ji Soo-heon (Lomon) who witnessed her brother's death, and together they uncover the mystery behind the incident, highlighting the dark side of students facing loss and justice.

SCHOOL 2015: WHO ARE YOU tells the story of Go Eun-byul and Lee Eun-bi (both played by Kim So-hyun), identical twin sisters who are separated. Eun-bi becomes a victim of bullying at her school, and after Eun-byul goes missing, Eun-bi, who suffers from amnesia, is mistaken for Eun-byul and begins to take revenge on her sister's bullies.

THE GLORY (2022) explores the horrific impact of extreme bullying experienced by Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) during her high school years. She dedicates her life to seeking revenge on the perpetrators, especially Park Yeon-jin (Lim Ji-yeon), who destroyed her teenage years, even becoming the homeroom teacher of one of the perpetrators to carry out her revenge plan.

UNDERCOVER HIGH SCHOOL (2025) will feature Jung Hae-sung (Seo Kang-joon), an NIS agent who goes undercover as a student at Byeongmun High School. He initially seeks ancient gold, but becomes involved in a bullying case and helps oppressed students, uncovering the dark side of students hidden in the school.

WEAK HERO CLASS 1 (2022) presents Yeon Shi-eun (Park Ji-hoon), an exemplary student who is physically weak, but uses his intelligence and psychology to combat bullying. He faces Jeon Yeong-bin (Kim Su-gyeom) and his gang, aided by his friends, Ahn Soo-ho (Choi Hyun-wook) and Oh Beom-seok (Hong Kyung), in confronting violence at school. Want to know the latest news about the entertainment world? Check it out directly at Kapanlagi.com. If not now, when?