New Actors Catch Spotlight in Teen Drama 'Hierarchy'

연합뉴스 / 2024-06-10 09:16:31

▲ A still photo of Netflix's original series "Hierarchy," provided by the OTT giant on June 9, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, June 10 (Yonhap) -- At Jusin High School, established by the conglomerate Jusin Group, there are two types of students: the wealthy children who pay expensive tuition fees and the scholarship students from ordinary families who are admitted through exams without paying tuition.

In the second year of Jusin High, a scholarship student dies in a mysterious traffic accident, and new scholarship student Kang Ha (played by Lee Chae-min) transfers to fill the vacancy. Kang Ha is the fraternal twin of the deceased student Kang In-han (Kim Min-cheol) and transfers to uncover the truth behind his brother's death.

This is the plot of Netflix's original series 'Hierarchy', released on the 7th. As the title suggests, the drama unfolds in a fictional high school with a strict hierarchical structure.

Scholarship students wear navy blue ties, while tuition-paying students wear red ties, distinguishing them. Special classes are also divided. Kang Ha, inadvertently placing his hand on a non-scholarship classmate's shoulder, is met with curses and the statement, "How dare a scholarship student touch me," leaving him bewildered.

At the top of the school's hierarchy is Kang Ha's classmate and Jusin Group heir Kim Rian (Kim Jae-won), and Rian's girlfriend, Jung Jae-i (Noh Jeong-eui), who is also the heir to another conglomerate, JaeYul Group, and is treated like a queen. Yoon Hye-ra (Ji Hye-won), the daughter of a trading company president, and Lee Woo-jin (Lee Won-jeong), the son of a congressman, also belong to the highest class.

Kang Ha deliberately approaches Jung Jae-i to provoke Kim Rian. At the same time, Jae-i, for some reason, has just broken up with Rian. As Kang Ha gets between the two, the solid hierarchy of Jusin High begins to crack.

As the plot suggests, 'Hierarchy' is based on somewhat exaggerated settings. The high school depicted in the drama is quite different from reality, with students flaunting luxury clothes and accessories, racing luxury cars on a private circuit, and holding pool parties with alcohol.

▲ A still photo of Netflix's original series "Hierarchy," provided by the OTT giant on June 9, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The most striking aspect of this drama is its spectacular visuals and the young, attractive cast. Notably, the wealthy heirs played by Noh Jeong-eui, Kim Jae-won, Ji Hye-won, and Lee Won-jeong are highlighted in their lavish outfits and chauffeured luxury cars, almost resembling a fashion show. Despite their young ages, with Ji Hye-won being the oldest at 26, they convincingly portray high school students in uniforms.

However, viewers looking for well-constructed, coherent narratives and character actions might be disappointed. Early on, the show hints at the involvement of top-tier characters like Kim Rian in Kang In-han's death, but the actual revelation of the truth is far from these hints, causing some confusion.

Kim Rian, who is implicated in school violence, is shown to be romantically involved with his girlfriend, Jung Jae-i, midway through. By the end, he repents and apologizes for his wrongdoings, but the background for his drastic change of heart is not fully explained.

Jung Jae-i, initially seen bossing Yoon Hye-ra around and making hurtful remarks, later provides crucial help and is revealed to have been a close friend since childhood, portraying inconsistent character relationships.

The drama mixes genres, including a mystery thriller surrounding Kang In-han's death, a romance involving Kang Ha, Jung Jae-i, Kim Rian, Yoon Hye-ra, and Lee Woo-jin, and a school violence-themed narrative. The setting of a high school with a strict hierarchy and a poor student transferring in has been frequently used in other dramas, leading to a sense of déjà vu.

'Hierarchy', a seven-episode series, is directed by Bae Hyun-jin, who co-directed 'Big Mouth' and 'Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow'. The screenplay is written by Choo Hye-mi, known for 'About Time'.