Duty After School

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.

The first part was a fabulous building up story it wasn't new but refreshing and wel written the actor fab.... But the 2 part did they switch writers? Did someone told them their budget was cut what happend? The story is so not logical like the jammed 4 seasons in to 4 parts? The prison scene? The other highschool kids? Moving in to Seoul? Looked like they where short of money and somebody cancelled the show!! What a shame I would have accepted the end but not like this noway... Worst written show after a fabulous first season. The director must have been high on something during the shooting of the serie every blind person could have noticed it was a crap second season really crappy.

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.

It starts with a slow pace. Then when everything seems getting better, the flaws come up more and more.

The weakest point of this series is character development. They are so stupid with their decisions. Sometimes it also mix with poor acting. I hate almost all of the character.

The 'bad' guy turns into 'kinda' good with no reason. The 'princess' or the 'selfish' do not take any consequences for what they've done. The 'good' guy feels sympathy for...everyone, even the 'bad' guy who made a horrible mistake. A lot of them are just being so annoying.

The cgi is alright for a series.

Tbh, I'm just trying to finish what I started. Just hate quitting. I don't recommend this series to anyone.

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.