A mystery, a suspect, and a hero for School 2017
by girlfriday
Well this is much darker than I expected, but I’ve never been one to turn down a mystery—and a high school mystery at that. The second teaser for KBS’s School 2017 does a complete 180 from the first, which teased a light coming-of-age drama with fresh faces and bright smiles. But now it looks like we’re in for an interesting mystery at this high school, which is being terrorized by a delinquent known only as Suspect X.
The newest teaser opens with an introduction to Suspect X, a student in a black hoodie who roams the halls at night, and is responsible for setting off sprinklers in the middle of class and lighting class rankings on fire. The principal and teachers are fed up, and the students are told that this is their final warning. Webtoon artist Se-jung looks nervous about something, while troublemaker Kim Jung-hyun (Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People) looks rather bored by it all.
Han Sun-hwa (Radiant Office) plays a police detective assigned to the case, and she says in the teaser that the crimes are surprisingly elaborate and exacting. But we learn that there’s a flip side, and from the students’ perspective, Suspect X is considered a hero. We see class president Jang Dong-yoon (Solomon’s Perjury) looking mighty suspicious, and as other boys meet secretly in dark stairwells, someone says in voiceover, “It may be a vast underground organization.” As everyone wonders who the suspect/hero is, Suspect X watches all of them on a CCTV feed from his secret lair.
It’s an unexpected twist, but I’m excited by the possibility of getting something akin to Solomon’s Perjury, perhaps with less murder and more vigilante justice. I like the idea that Suspect X is morally gray and seen as a criminal by adults and a hero by peers, which is already an interesting premise. I’m hoping that the drama can still balance slice-of-life stories for its large cast with this overarching mystery; as long we take time to flesh out their characters and their personal problems, which is the backbone of the School franchise, I’m fine with everyone being a suspect. Let the games begin!
School 2017 airs on Mondays and Tuesdays following Fight My Way and premieres July 17.
Via Sports Chosun
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Tags: Jang Dong-yoon, Kim Jung-hyun, Kim Se-jung, School 2017
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1 nerdy
July 3, 2017 at 3:08 AM
...I don't know what to feel, I actually wanted some realistic drama about School.
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JuSo
July 3, 2017 at 3:15 AM
I know how you feel.
School 2015 was already such a detour from the original series, so I hoped it would be more realistic this time around. School 2013 was so good as the problems weren't such a high stake.
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peachy
July 3, 2017 at 3:41 AM
Second this
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alua
July 3, 2017 at 4:37 AM
Yeah, they tried twists and mystery last time round and it didn't really work. I'd prefer a realistic, slice-of-life, coming-of-age high school drama too.
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mintz
July 3, 2017 at 10:36 PM
me too... can't we just get something like drama bok ju here, sweet as like high school
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juti
July 4, 2017 at 10:59 AM
I made peace with this. Since we have reached a peak with School 2013 I think I can't help being disappointed about what comes next...
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2 gadis
July 3, 2017 at 3:09 AM
A school drama in the vein of Solomon's Perjury with morally gray characters is right up my alley. Agreed with you, @girlfriday, as long as they gave us a good characters development, I'm all in for a darker school stories.
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3 hannaehh
July 3, 2017 at 3:15 AM
I didnt sign up for dark school drama. But I guess I had to expect it when Sun-hwa got the role as a police detective.
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4 CrimeFighter
July 3, 2017 at 3:27 AM
I'm not into school series as I'm way passed that stage but the mystery plot intrigues me. Will try it out when it premieres !
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5 frabbycrabsis
July 3, 2017 at 3:32 AM
Oh. I like this, but I was looking for a first-teaser type of drama.
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6 nirerin
July 3, 2017 at 3:37 AM
Mmmhhhh... The trailer isn't like for drama about school life but it doesn't beat my excitement to watch its premier in two weeks! Because I'm quite happy with the casting selection for the main cast of the students. Hopefully my happiness with KBS drama after FMY, SDQ and FIS can continue in this drama too!
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7 kabsy
July 3, 2017 at 3:37 AM
I was hoping for something more realistic and based around friendships especially with rom coms now being filled with stalkers and murderers. But I do enjoy vilgante justice in a drama and a school mystery sounds quite nice, I just hope that they can fit in some slice of life realistic issues or maybe the vilgante justice theme deals with some school issues like bullying or peer pressure.
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8 meowingme
July 3, 2017 at 3:44 AM
O_o Lookout: High School version..?
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CrimeFighter
July 3, 2017 at 8:31 AM
Haha looks like it.
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9 cassie23
July 3, 2017 at 3:58 AM
emm,,,not expecting to be like this tho,,,i wish it is more relatable with high school issue,,,
but let's see then ,,,i'm not really into mystery trope right now,,,maybe when it airs,,i change my mind..
figthing school 2017 !!?
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10 Kimbap?
July 3, 2017 at 4:22 AM
I am convinced that one effective way to prevent crimes in Korea is to keep tab of people who purchase black hoodies.
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Ahj ❤ ❥ ♡ ♥ ღ
July 3, 2017 at 7:50 AM
Dude! You got me cracking up there!!!
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CrimeFighter
July 3, 2017 at 8:33 AM
Haha I've commented this before and I will repeat again here : ppl with black hoodies in kdramaland are either some psycho killers or some protagonist heroes. It's up to you to make that guess and hope that you could guess it right or else it might cost you your life. Lol.
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WishfulToki
July 3, 2017 at 1:23 PM
It also affects the unsuspecting drama watcher. You know it's bad when you see someone in a black hoodie walking in your direction and you automatically hurry and cross the street. ?
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CrimeFighter
July 4, 2017 at 4:29 AM
Luckily my country is all round hot summer kind, so we don't get to see someone in black hoodie outside very often...unless in cold air-conditioned rooms/places....
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11 Samurai
July 3, 2017 at 4:23 AM
I thought I read somewhere that the writers wanted this one to be in the vein of the older version that were slice-of-life and realistic. I was looking forward to this but I don't know how I feel about another School 2015 as much as I liked it.
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nirerin
July 3, 2017 at 5:48 AM
If not mistakenly read, School 2017 experiencing the change of writer. The previous (Lets Eat writer) includes pregnancy (and birth) plot at the age of high school student. Maybe KBS think it was too much for public broadcasting. The new writers are duo of the second writer of Sassy Go Go and KBS drama special Pinnochio Nose (Lee Yu Ri acts there). I haven't watched it fully the later but it has element of mystery in it. Probably from Sassy Go Go writer, we can expect less love triangle, the platonic relationship between girl and boy.
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gadis
July 3, 2017 at 6:53 AM
The original script remind me of my favorite manga: Bitter Virgin. Pregnancy and birth might sound like a very heavy (and controversial) theme for high school drama. But if handled well, it could turn into hopeful, slice-of-life kind of story. And also, I think not many drama explored this. It's a pity they dropped it.
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rikamayaz
July 3, 2017 at 8:24 AM
What? They drop the pregnancy plot? I think that is so much realistic compared to random vigilante plot. Pregnancy issue among young women in Korea I heard is growing. Discussing the issue through TV series might be an interesting idea, although some people might be uncomfortable about it.
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stedens
July 3, 2017 at 11:39 AM
ehh? didn't Sassy Go Go have a love triangle? it wasn't really a big element to the story but it definitely had the two best friends liking Eunji's char. Sassy Go Go did have a platonic relationship between Eunji's and N's characters, but there was still a love triangle. i felt it was pretty balanced as far as friendship and love went, idk.
that said, i enjoyed Sassy Go Go and felt the drama captured some of the feelings of high pressure high school lives pretty well (haven't seen the one by the other writer), so here's to hoping they can deliver a good drama.
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Samurai
July 3, 2017 at 4:49 PM
Didn't 'Heard it through the Grapevine' deal with this issue before? Was that on cable tv?
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12 ar
July 3, 2017 at 5:10 AM
I would be all for this if it wasn't part of the School series, since I really like school mysteries and loved Solomon's Perjury and wish we had more series like it. But I was hoping for something more akin to School 2013 this time around since we already did the mystery angle for School 2015. I would like to see some teachers having a warmer role, like in School 2013.
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13 Maria
July 3, 2017 at 5:43 AM
This maybe work if the suspect is a student whose friend committed suicide due to the depression of national exam/SAT in Korea...
Considered hero by other students, he/she became the voice
I read Indonesian's webtoon focused on this
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14 boom
July 3, 2017 at 5:54 AM
Omo what is A from PPL doing in a korean drama?! kkkkkkk
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Ek Ladhki Thi is Kim Eun-sooks no 1 fan
July 3, 2017 at 7:42 AM
I laughed way too hard at this comment.
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15 Sera The Ms Temper
July 3, 2017 at 6:04 AM
I don't mind for some mystery, just please no love triangle. I really sick of it! They should study + play more instead of fighting over one girl. Aside from the mystery, I want more friendship and maybe some troublemakers.
But why public channels always believe by adding some mystery element will attract more viewers? Or love triangle? Why can't we get a slice of life drama without these things? I want a realistic drama. I want to see School 2013+Sassy Go Go. Maybe it is too much to ask. At least this is not some chaebol high school.
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CrimeFighter
July 3, 2017 at 8:36 AM
I hate love triangle/square etc too. I prefer to have two different pair of OTPs.
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CrimeFighter
July 3, 2017 at 8:37 AM
Pls...no more chaebol high school. I had it enough in Heirs...
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16 Mia
July 3, 2017 at 7:47 AM
When did kim se jung become only sejung?
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17 Ahj ❤ ❥ ♡ ♥ ღ
July 3, 2017 at 7:53 AM
That is no way near in what I expected from the first teaser and all but might as well give it a chance!
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18 blueribbon
July 3, 2017 at 8:07 AM
Not what I was expecting, I was looking for something more "Slice-of-life" but I am still in.
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19 jack
July 3, 2017 at 8:13 AM
the hero as in the voice who is perceived differently from two different sides thingy reminds me of a mystery anime called hyouka. *shrugs*
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20 Pickwick12
July 3, 2017 at 8:20 AM
Not what I was hoping for or expecting, but it looks like it could be entertaining.
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21 CrimeFighter
July 3, 2017 at 8:39 AM
Maybe the Suspect X is Healer in his younger days ?
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Kimbap?
July 3, 2017 at 9:06 AM
A Healer prequel? I can get behind that idea! But as much as I love him, I would prefer that Ji Chang-wook does not take up this rol and dresses in uniform.....I mean even in his eternal youthfulness it is stretching our imagination a little too far.
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22 kittykatty
July 3, 2017 at 10:41 AM
Darn! This is not going like the school series I expected to be. Rather than naming it "School 2017", with Jang Dong-yoon there, they should go with "Solomon's Perjury season 2". That's the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the trailer.
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23 Livii
July 3, 2017 at 11:02 AM
The main guy doesnt look like a high schooler at all which is funny cuz he looked just fine as GHJ's younger brother in Jealousy Incarnate.
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24 fatcat007
July 3, 2017 at 11:02 AM
Ah no murders please, delinquency is normal, so is the rebellious stage of a high school student but murder takes it too far. If the suspect X does all this to protest the ranking system then it makes much sense & fits with a high school kid type.
But I hope it's realistic because the most a high school kid worries about is career stuff & a dating maybe. Let's not make them handle murders like some grown ups.
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25 bambi
July 3, 2017 at 11:07 AM
Haha immediately after seeing "suspect x" I thought of Higashino Keigo's The Devotion of Suspect X.
Of course, the writer may not be familiar with the original work. I can't help but be less interested in this show because to so flagrantly take an idea from another work never reflects well on the writer or their writing.
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26 giocare
July 3, 2017 at 1:26 PM
Half of me wants it to be like school 2013 but the other half of me loves this kind of plot
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27 WishfulToki
July 3, 2017 at 1:28 PM
No no no, I had a bad feeling when the police character was introduced some time ago. I do not need a thriller disguised as a school drama. Guess I will start watching the old School dramas instead, if I can find them. Mori!!! ?
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28 kayedrama
July 3, 2017 at 1:30 PM
I thought they won't go the School 2015-way esp after releasing that first lighthearted-trailer but oh well, HS mystery sounds interesting too. Can't wait to watch!
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29 Muzeeka
July 3, 2017 at 4:32 PM
School is getting darker and darker.
I hope it focus more on the trouble of modern high school just like the first one
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30 clafelallerizu
July 4, 2017 at 7:10 AM
ughh... idk how i feel about this...
although i like both 2013 and 2015. i want something more lighthearted and fun. i am hoping this is just side plot...
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