Hairaki

A big budget, beautiful actors and sceneries, and nice cars could not propel this KDrama to the level of others that share the same tropes. It's not all bad, but there were so many wasted opportunities for this to be spicy.

Characters: FL-dull and lifeless; ML- I liked, but I was sneak dissing him by the end. Other characters- awesome opportunities to explore how they could have pushed the plot, but didn't.

Unnecessary parents- did not impact or improve anything.

Avenge your brother-period. Nope. Let's "change the school's culture". Unrealistic outcomes based on a lackluster plot and mediocre acting.

Romance? Let's race to see if we stay together (Boys over Flowers vibes). They tried to have a triangle, but that failed.

The "blackmail" idea became tiresome by the end. This could have been so awesome with some twists.

The biggest letdown, IMO, were the underdeveloped relationships, irrelevant flashbacks, and overall failure to launch (all over the place).

Watch it. Grapple through all 7 episodes. At the end, I think there's an aftertaste that needs a spoonful of sugar.

"Hierarchy," a Teen Romance Korean Drama directed by Bae Hyeon-jin, is a gripping seven-part series set in the elite Jooshin High School. The series stars Roh Jeong-eui, Lee Chae-min, Kim Jae-won, Ji Hye-won, and Lee Won-jung, and delves into the lives of the top 0.01% of students who attend this prestigious institution, highlighting issues of bullying, excessive drug use, and the abuse of power by the wealthy elite.

Plot and Execution:

The story revolves around the lives of students at Jooshin High School, where scholarship students are often treated as outsiders and the children of the elite wield their power without consequence. The narrative explores themes of revenge, crime, drama, and romance, weaving a complex tale that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

While "Hierarchy" doesn't break new ground in the genre, it effectively captures the essence of similar series such as "Elite" and "13 Reasons Why." The series addresses the serious issue of bullying and its devastating consequences, a recurring theme in Korean dramas like "Revenge of Others," "True Beauty," and "The Glory."

Characters and Performances:

The cast delivers strong performances, particularly Roh Jeong-eui and Lee Chae-min, who bring depth and authenticity to their roles. The characters are well-developed, allowing viewers to empathize with their struggles and triumphs.

Strengths:

Engaging Storyline: The series offers a compelling narrative that keeps viewers hooked from start to finish, with its blend of drama, crime, and romance.

Strong Performances: The cast, especially the leads, delivers powerful performances that add depth to the story.

Relevant Themes: The exploration of bullying, drug abuse, and the abuse of power resonates with contemporary issues, making the series both relevant and thought-provoking.

High Production Value: The cinematography, set design, and overall production quality are top-notch, enhancing the viewing experience.

Weaknesses:

Predictable Plot: The series follows a familiar formula seen in other dramas of the same genre, making it somewhat predictable.

Inspired Elements: "Hierarchy" feels heavily inspired by series like "13 Reasons Why" and "Revenge of Others," lacking a unique identity of its own.

Conclusion:

"Hierarchy" is a well-executed drama that effectively tackles important social issues within the setting of an elite high school. While it may not be groundbreaking or particularly innovative, it provides a gripping and engaging viewing experience. The strong performances and high production value make it worth watching, even if it sometimes feels derivative of other popular series.

With a teaser hinting at a possible second season, "Hierarchy" is likely to maintain its popularity and continue to make noise globally. It stands as a solid entry in the genre, offering a mix of drama, crime, and romance that will appeal to fans of teen romance and revenge dramas.

The title sounded like something interesting, but it was a scam. The story was very blant.

Lead female: very dull. Please feed her. SK you need to really work on your selections, your actresses are so lean , feed them something man. Same goes for the guys.

Male Characters: confused , not confused. If they haven't done anything, why are they not just saying it out. So much unnecessary misunderstanding..

Story : didn't make much sense, just felt like a drag. Too many errors too. Even the twist didn't feel like a twist...

The hera girl only had some Character to her rest were blant I felt....

I'm a huge fan of the Spanish show Elite ( till the 3rd season atleast ) and I expected something similar with Hierarchy. To an extent it was and that's why I rate this 5/10.

The best part of the show was it's only 7 episodes and wasn't dragged out. The suspense and the end to it was satisfactory.

The two male leads are the saving grace of this show. In my opinion they're not great actors yet, still young and raw, but they're okay enough to carry a show.

The female lead playing Jung Jae I needs to eat something. Hopefully then she will have the energy to act and give different expressions.

Worth one time watch and would watch if there's a season 2.

I had high hopes ....kind of 2nd tier KDRAMA actors as leads and honestly only a couple seemed to define their characters....typical Chaebol belittling the underclass - with violence in the extreme.... Just none of the characters were likable ......beautiful settings as befitting KDramas where the super rich and powerful rule....i would have loved to know the budget for the one of a kind fleet of cars they used!!!

When I see movies like this - and this made me realize this will be my last like this!! - it makes high school cliques in America and other countries look like kids play.....and It makes me wonder how much truth there is to the class system in Korea.....Asia ...... I would only recommend if you are totally bored - have nothing better to watch (?) - but then again if it gets down to that - take a walk or read a good book!!!!