Drama Review: Nightmare High

Recently I have began watching a drama named Nightmare High. It is a mystery thriller taking place at a high school. It isn’t aired on any major TV broadcast stations or cable, but goes by the form of web drama on Naver. The main casts are Kim So Hyun (Page Turner, School 2015: Who Are You), Uhm Ki Joon (Masked Prosecutor) and BTOB’s Lee Min Hyuk.

Kim So Hyun is the sole reason for taking up this drama. Seeing how it has released 7 episodes already, and each episode is only about 18-20 minutes, I figure why not, whilst waiting for Page Turner to air. Moreover, it would not and should not be as bad as Moorim School judging by the name of the drama.

STORY

The drama begins in Class 2-3 where Seo Sang Woo (Lee Min Hyuk) informs his crush Kang Ye Rim (Kim So Hyun) that their class teacher has broken his back, and not so sure when he will be able to return. Just then, a new substitute teacher enters the classroom. The teacher introduces himself as Han Bong Goo (Uhm Ki Joon). He invites the class to attend consultation at the consulting room.

One of their classmates volunteers Kim Seul Gi (Seo Shin Ae), whom the girls are having a field day bullying her. The girls call Seul Gi invisible, but when Seul Gi went to the consultation room, Teacher Han gives her a leaflet with a diagram of the classmates’ names and their seating. He asks her to draw lines and make a relationship chart using that leaflet. As if like a dream, Seul Gi starts having friends again and people adore her. Soon after, Seul Gi went from the girl who gets bullied and become a bully herself.

Then it is Oh Ki Chul (Baek Seung Do), who tries to stand up to the school bully for his friend. He beats the boss bully, and takes his place. Soon after he becomes a bad bully himself, and people turn against him.

Ahn Si Yun (Kim Da Ye) is a girl who likes to lie and make up stories to fulfill her pride, or impress her friends. One day, her lies become truth—a boyfriend she made up appear before her eyes. However, happy times do not last long because Si Yun also made up a stalker, eventually both her boyfriend and stalker start haunting her. She tries to stop it, but could not, and she disappears without a trace.

Chun Jae Soo (Jang Kyung Up) is always the Number 2 in the class. He gets called to the consultation room when Teacher Han catches him cheating in an exam. Each problematic student has their own stories to tell us, and because of it, they are all called upon by Teacher Han. Mysterious matters start happening after students visit the consultation room. They disappear, one by one, and when they do, their existences get wiped out in their classmates’ memory.

However, Ye Rim and Sang Woo, being the member of the News club start to become suspicious of Teacher Han. The web drama only has 12 episodes, and each student get 2 episodes to tell us their story.

COMMENT

Looks to me the next target will be Sang Woo (episode 9-10), and then Ye Rim will face off with Teacher Han (episode 11-12). The theme of the drama is slightly towards horror/eerie, but I would say it isn’t something the weak hearts cannot take.

Uhm Ki Joon is doing an excellent job being that eerie subtitute teacher; well technically, he did not need to do much but smile eerily. It is yet unknown who he is—the straight forward answer is The Devil—something is definitely off about him, because his face always get blurred out in pictures. Every time I see that, it gives me goosebumps, so watch out for that. I am at awe how Ye Rim and Sang Woo still has not find those pictures crazily scary whenever they see it. Dude, they aren’t normal!

I actually don’t think this drama should be 12 episodes long, only because after 2-3 stories, it becomes repetitive. We all know what is going to happen to those students. And I know for certain that the only person that has a chance to stop this nightmare is Ye Rim.

It is not difficult to figure out that these students each have a strong desire of something they want, and it is these desires that got them in trouble in the first place. What is interesting is that Sang Woo’s utmost desire would be Ye Rim to reciprocate his love, so I’m interested to see how that pan out. As for Ye Rim, she doesn’t look someone who has strong desire, so for her to enter the consultation room means she is aware of what is happening, and is trying to save her friends.

… sitting back patiently, and wait for the next 5 episodes.

-5.5/10

Nightmare High is now showing on Netflix.