{"id":340,"date":"2024-06-28T06:10:34","date_gmt":"2024-06-28T06:10:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/?p=340"},"modified":"2024-12-18T23:00:40","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T23:00:40","slug":"the-midnight-romance-in-hagwon-k-drama-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/the-midnight-romance-in-hagwon-k-drama-review\/","title":{"rendered":"The Midnight Romance in Hagwon&#8221; K-Drama Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Look, let&#8217;s be honest. The title screams late-night rendezvous and stolen kisses, right? But this drama? It&#8217;s more like a slice of life with a side of awkward flirting in the teacher&#8217;s lounge.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t get me wrong, some moments had me swooning (Episode 5, anyone?), but overall, it&#8217;s a 6.5 out of 10 for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/the-midnight-romance-in-hagwon-k-drama-review\/#Overall_Rating_65\" title=\"Overall Rating: 6.5\">Overall Rating: 6.5<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/the-midnight-romance-in-hagwon-k-drama-review\/#PlotStory_60\" title=\"Plot\/Story: 6.0\">Plot\/Story: 6.0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/the-midnight-romance-in-hagwon-k-drama-review\/#ActingCast_75\" title=\"Acting\/Cast: 7.5\">Acting\/Cast: 7.5<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/the-midnight-romance-in-hagwon-k-drama-review\/#OSTMusic_65\" title=\"OST\/Music: 6.5\">OST\/Music: 6.5<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/the-midnight-romance-in-hagwon-k-drama-review\/#Rewatch_Value_60\" title=\"Rewatch Value: 6.0\">Rewatch Value: 6.0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/the-midnight-romance-in-hagwon-k-drama-review\/#Final_Verdict\" title=\"Final Verdict\">Final Verdict<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overall_Rating_65\"><\/span>Overall Rating: 6.5<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Midnight Romance in Hagwon is like a cozy night with your favorite comfort food: heartwarming and familiar but lacking the spice to truly tantalize your taste buds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"903\" height=\"613\" src=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-343\" srcset=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture6.jpg 903w, https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture6-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture6-768x521.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 903px) 100vw, 903px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But while the premise is promising, the execution feels like a K-pop trainee learning Japanese &#8211; slow and a little underwhelming. The plot stumbles along at a snail&#8217;s pace, with filler episodes more frequent than pop quizzes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The drama misses that spark of excitement and plot twists we K-drama fans crave. It&#8217;s a decent watch, but nothing that will leave you desperately hitting refresh for the next episode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PlotStory_60\"><\/span>Plot\/Story: 6.0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This drama about Lee Jun Ho and Hye Jin&#8217;s <em>hagwontastic<\/em> love story wasn&#8217;t all it cracked up to be. The premise had potential, but the execution fell flatter than a kimchi pancake that forgot the batter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The plot meandered slower than a hungover sloth, and filler episodes were more common than students acing their TOPIK exams. The villain&#8217;s motives were about as convincing as <em>aegyo<\/em> from a grumpy <em>ahjussi<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ActingCast_75\"><\/span>Acting\/Cast: 7.5<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The acting is one of the drama&#8217;s stronger aspects. <a href=\"https:\/\/asianwiki.com\/Wi_Ha-Joon\" title=\"\">Wi Ha Joon<\/a> and Jung Ryeo Won deliver solid performances as the main couple, bringing charm and likability to their roles.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture5-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-342\" srcset=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture5-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture5-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture5-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture5.jpg 848w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Wi Ha Joon, in particular, stands out with his portrayal of the awkward yet earnest Lee Jun Ho. The supporting cast includes notable performances, especially So Ju Yeon and Seo Jung Yeon.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the lack of development for many supporting characters limits their impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"OSTMusic_65\"><\/span>OST\/Music: 6.5<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The music in &#8220;The Midnight Romance in Hagwon&#8221; is a mixed bag. The recurring song used throughout the series initially adds emotional depth but becomes monotonous due to overuse.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the musical montages are a hallmark of director Ahn Pan Seok\u2019s style, they fail to resonate as strongly in this drama. The soundtrack is decent but not memorable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rewatch_Value_60\"><\/span>Rewatch Value: 6.0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ugh, this drama was a one-and-done kind of situation. The pacing was slower than a snail on sleeping pills, and the side plots went nowhere faster than a deflated <em>souffl\u00e9<\/em>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t get me wrong, the main couple&#8217;s love story was cute and had swoon-worthy moments, but overall, the drama wasn&#8217;t exciting or deep enough to rewatch.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maybe I&#8217;ll revisit some scenes for my OTP [One True Pairing], but nah, the whole series lacked that addictive quality we K-drama fans crave. Sadly, this one gets a 6.0 from me.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Verdict\"><\/span>Final Verdict<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The ending was like a rollercoaster ride&#8230;but one that stopped way too soon. The main couple finally achieved their dream <em>#relationshipgoals<\/em>, but the villain&#8217;s whole arc felt rushed. Like, what happened next?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Did they just skip out of town or something? And don&#8217;t even get me started on the side characters! They were all so interesting at first, but then their stories just fizzled out. <strong>So much wasted potential!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look, if you&#8217;re looking for a chill watch with your favorite actors, this drama might be okay. But if you crave a plot that&#8217;ll leave you wanting more, skip it. It doesn&#8217;t quite live up to the K-drama hype, especially considering the director&#8217;s past work.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This one could have been a total winner with a stronger script.&nbsp; Hopefully, the next drama will be a return to form!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What do you think about this K-drama? Tell us in the comment section below! And ooopps, don\u2019t forget to follow <a href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/\" title=\"\">Saranghero<\/a> for more reviews!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Look, let&#8217;s be honest. The title screams late-night rendezvous and stolen kisses, right? But this drama? It&#8217;s more like a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":343,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kdrama"],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture6.jpg",903,613,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture6-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture6-300x204.jpg",300,204,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture6-768x521.jpg",768,521,true],"large":["https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture6.jpg",903,613,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture6.jpg",903,613,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture6.jpg",903,613,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Paola","author_link":"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/author\/paolalimingmail-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":1,"uagb_excerpt":"Look, let&#8217;s be honest. The title screams late-night rendezvous and stolen kisses, right? But this drama? 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