"Boyhood" Drama (2023) Review: Its Rise in Popularity Is No Joke

"Boyhood" Korean drama's popularity skyrocketed to a new level! Amazingly, they had a 934% increase from the first week! Lee Myungwoo PD said, "The economy is tough, life is hard and winter is around the corner. But I hope that people who are weary of life and free of school will find joy and laughter in watching Boyhood."

What is Boyhood about?

The drama is set in the 1980s and follows the lives of students who attend an agricultural high school in Chungcheong Province. Jang Byung Tae is a frail, timid boy living in Onyang in South Chungcheong Province. He is bullied and ostracized by his classmates. After moving to Buyeo Agricultural High School, which is nearby, he encounters a surprising event that changes his life forever.

Number of episodes: 10

Network: Coupang Play

Director: Lee Myung-Woo

Release date: November 24, 2023 

Main cast:

- Jang Byeong-tae, played by Im Si-wan, is a solitary transfer student who is mistaken for a "Buyeo Iljjang", a legendary fighter from Buyeo.

- Park Ji-young, portrayed by Lee Sun-bin, is a ruthless leader of a gang in Buyeo.

- Jeong Gyeong-tae, played by Lee Si-woo⁴⁷, is a powerful student from Asan, who dominates the nearby schools. He is also known as the Asan white tiger.

- Kang Seon-hwa, played by Kang Hye-won , is a popular girl who attracts the attention of Gyeong-tae and many other boys, creating a lot of intrigues.

Review

The plot is original and hilarious, with a case of mistaken identity and a lot of absurd fun. The retro comic style and the pure comedy reminded me of the old Jackie Chan Kung Fu movies. Byeong Tae has the potential to fight back against the bullies, but he may not be aware of his own skills. He accidentally knocked out the Asan White Tiger and another bully.

"Boyhood" makes me laugh in every episode. Byung Tae is so amusing when he acts like a tough guy, but he pulls it off perfectly :). Im Si Wan is a genuinely talented and versatile actor. The other actors also have great performances and chemistry. 

It's such a funny drama... But after episodes 5 and 6, I need therapy. The 6th episode was violent; it felt like a totally different show. I don't know what happened all of a sudden. I thought the Tiger of Asan would be a nice guy, but he turned out to be the worst scum.

I think I can empathize with Byeong Tae, even though he was wrong to lie and fake his identity. He has been bullied since he was a kid, and when he became the leader, he ran his school well.

But he also made a mistake that ruined everything. He shouldn't have sent his men to beat up Gyeong Tae, the Tiger of Asan, over a girl. Gyeong Tae was still decent, but after that, he went crazy. So he messed up too, and now the guy is pure evil. 

He also knew Gyeong Tae was a good fighter, so I don't know why he sent his men to fight him. Now the whole school will suffer because of the money he is demanding.

Where will the story go? Let's see!~