Drama Profile
Title: High Class
Main Cast: Cho Yeo-jeong, Kim Ji-soo, Ha Joon
Writer: Hyun Jung
PD: Choi Byeong-gil (Missing Nine, Angry Mom)
Timeslot: Monday and Tuesday 22:30H
Network: tvN
Episodes: 16
Genre: Mystery, Suspense
Plot Synopsis:
After being framed for her husband’s death, a lawyer moves into Jeju Island to enroll her son to a prestigious international school and start a new life.
Major Trope: Deception, Betrayal, Underdog, Whodunit
Grumpy’s First Impression
We have a new thriller in town! High Class is one hell of an acting powerhouse, and I couldn’t wait for all the secrets to unravel one by one! What I like about mystery dramas is the weekly dose of thrills, theories, and twists – and High Class gave me exactly what I was looking for.
We start off the pilot episode in a dramatic tune – a married couple making love on a yacht, and after a few passionate shots, we saw someone fall to his death! Fast forward to a year later, we met Song Yeo-wool (Cho Yeo-jeong) and her adorable son, Yi-chan (Jang Sun-yool) on a plane to Jeju Island for the parent-child interview for the admissions screening in the prestigious HSC International School. Yeo-wool is a partner lawyer in a private firm in Seoul but eventually moved into a new home to focus on her son after her husband An Ji-yong (Kim Nam-hee) died. In Jeju, the school ambiance looks promising and the students are engaged in different curricular activities. But this is dramaland which means all that glitters is not gold.
The Rich Moms of HSC International School
Since this is a thriller, it’s already a given that all characters are suspicious, particularly the rich moms of HSC International School. They all belong to affluent families of different backgrounds, but they all have a common denominator – arrogance.
First up is the acting Queen Bee – hotel CEO Nam Ji-sun (Kim Ji-soo). Her eldest son already studies in HSC, and now her little bitch daughter is enrolled, too. Her son is student council president while she is the representative for the parent-teacher association. Her connections are insane, which makes the other moms are lining up to be on her good side always.
Next is B-actress Cha Do-young (Kong Hyun-joo), who’s doing a great job at getting into my nerves. She’s a mean socialite who casually makes out at the school’s public restroom and coddles her son’s bratty attitude. She’s easy to judge people and sucks up to the powerful. I feel like she’s always ready for a catfight if not for her self-proclaimed, non-existent fame.
Both Ji-sun and Do-young are Yeo-wool’s outspoken antis at school. And the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree either. Their children outcast poor Yi-chan too.
Lastly, and the shadiest of all, Hwang Na-yoon (Park Se-jin), Yeo-wool’s buddy mom. She’s the mother of Hwang Jae-in (Park So-yi), Yi-chan’s only friend at school who’s a genuinely nice girl. Na-yoon is also nice to Yeo-wool, but I can’t help but notice the cloud of suspicion in their scenes together. Her timing during the rainy school reception, the probability of her having a similar dress as Yeo-wool, her change in facial expression after seeing Yeo-wool’s dead husband on the phone wallpaper, and all the other nice things she did for our mother-child leads. My gutfeel tells me she’s the one who locked up Yi-chan inside the cabinet. I’m sure there’s more to Na-yoon than we currently know.
Yeo-wool’s husband also gives me the creeps. All we know for now is that Yeo-wool used to be the prime suspect for her husband’s sudden death and that his body was never found. What if he’s alive? And what’s his connection to HSC, enough for the chairwoman to send Yi-chan to the prestigious school? And is he the mysterious package sender???
Grumpy Alley
Yeo-wool is so beautiful and classy! I liked that she’s effortlessly elegant and dignified. I was also laughing so hard when all the moms looked down on her, but when it came to the parent’s panel interview, she’s the only one who didn’t need an English translator!
Ooooohhh, hot surfer guy! I wonder how will Danny Oh (Ha Joon) impact Yeo-wool and Yi-chan’s life on the island? I can’t wait to see all the mothers at HSC swoon over the new teacher! Crossing my fingers that he’s on the good side!
I feel like the cleaning lady knows something’s not right in Jeju.
ahjummamshies.com 