Duty After School

Of the same ilk as "All of Us Are Dead" (Korean high-school zombie disaster mini-series).

Duty After School is adapted from a shorter Korean webtoon. Noticeably slower pace of action compared to other similar thriller series. A LOT of Part 1 is spent on the angsty emotions of teenagers being unknowingly drafted into a war against aliens. Lots of scenes with the usual social/political jibes at the Korean education system, bullying, yada yada you know the drill by now.

When there is any action, it's spent on the kids running around like headliess flies, screaming and panicking. Period of calm are denoted by even more angsty teenage scenes with angsty emotions. Did I forget to mention almost all the male kids are angsty and behave like 12 yr olds?

The age and behavior doesn't make much sense ... since they are all supposed to be 17-18 (final year of highschool). Several countries like Israel, Singapore and yes, even S. Korea, start their mandatory conscription draft at age 18. And they definitely don't behave as immaturely as the kids here do.

But hey if you're like me, with nothing better to do and easily entertained watching disaster films, all while complaining about the infinite plotholes and even more infinite ammo, this is the perfect way to waste a Sunday.

Part 1 is great ig. It has some best moments. The character arcs and the script are well-written. The character flaws were quite unique, relatable and can be reasoned with. Though I might say it sometimes it can be a bit stupid but that's all.

Part 2 is where everything drops. One moment, they are shooting the spheres and then another moment, they are on some effing carousel and ferris wheel. Like that kind of transition where it starts really serious and drops to a very lighthearted tone is just too jarring for me. And also, the acting is very over the top and exaggerated, and that guy with the SAT obsession is really making me grit my teeth. I can see what they are trying to do, but the executions were not done well and very rushed, especially the finale. And it barely gave any closures to any of the characters at all too.

So my advice is that you watch part 1 and then you stop right there, and imagine that in the future, the spheres are all dead and they have matured and lived happily ever after.

This was worse than I expected but still good?

I guess because I am used to the quality of this kind of kdramas lately, ie: all of us are dead, kingdom, sweet home, my name... I was excited when I read the description if this one and was very much looking forward to it.

The beginning was too slow and kept focusing on the students relationships and lives pre invasion, which it dragged way too much and made me as a viewer literally hate the whiny kids who are just crying and complaining about how unfair the training is without actually getting a grip of the global situation. If they were younger It may have made more sense, but we are talking about 18/19 years olds....

Once you get past that and the action starts and the students get a grip of the situation, it becomes better. I believe this is part one if the show so I believe it will be much better now that the pace has picked up.

Effects aren't the greatest but you won't notice at all, and i love the fact that the girls are also capable strong and independent.

I will rate at 7 but I might change it depending the second part of the season.

I went with this series without knowing anything about it and started watching it. It was so good that the entire family joined me. By the 3rd episode everyone was so hooked that it was one of the only topics of discussion after 6pm at home, how will the kids survive the next mission?.

Everything was "too good" to be true and I was about to recommend this series over any other hollywood trash to all my friends, I was very proud of liking Korean shows that almost never dissaponted me before.

Then chapter 6-10 came in and everything I cherished so much about the first part went downhill in ways I just cannot express properly here.

It's like the series first part 1-5 were directed and written by the very best of korea and then part 2 (chapter 6-10) were written by morons who really enjoy seeing everyone suffer for no reason.

The whole "feeling" of Part 2 is: meaningless, useless, gritty without any redeeming value, senseless, pointless.

Everything that they care so much to build up to Chapter 5 were completely destroyed in front of my eyes, like someone really wanted me to suffer for no reason.

I was left with a sense of hopelessness and frustration beyond belief.

It was not "good gritty bad ending" it was "utterly pointless gritty". Part 2 seems to be written by someone who really disliked all the characters and the audience and wanted the whole thing to implode on itself for no reason other than "shock value".

Then it hit me, I hated this series so much because it tried too hard to be the "game of thrones" of Korea... well congratulations!! You succeeded in making the first TRULY AWFUL series that I TRULY HATE.

Now when they ask me if I ever hated a korean show, I have this show to prove that it is indeed possible, that koreans really screw things up this much.

Korean Drama " Dute After School Part One " is a sci fi horror story in a school setting.

The story is full of emotional scenes and a few gory ones, with the aliens and their invasion being kept at bay for the last episodes when the action truly kicks in.

The characters, moreover, are kind of annoying, truly teenagers caring for having fun and focusing on their own problems, rather than the current situation, that is until they come face to face with their reality. Which is to say that they were realistic and original.

As for the performances, everyone in the cast, especially the young ones, did a great job with their characters.

So, overall, seven out of ten for the first part.

Korean Drama "Duty After School Part Two" is the continuation and conclusion of the story.

The drama takes up from where the first part left off, even though it feels like the characters had gone through a major character development, as they are left alone to fend for themselves, while having to choose between staying at their protected spot or venturing out to find their families.

The story, moreover, presents a new twist, with the main villain, in the end, and the main danger being the students themselves rather than the aliens that have now taken over.

As for the characters, they really grew up and distinguished themselves, with their relationship offering plenty of emotional scenes, especially considering that they are just young people robed from their chance of living their teenage years.

Finally, the performances were pretty enjoyable.

However, the ending was rushed and didn't offer any information for what happened next.

So, overall, six and a half out of ten for the second part.