Back to School

Back to School opens with a boy trying to start over. Chi-Woo has issues, and on returning to school after an incident last year he vows to keep to himself and stay out of trouble until graduation. That is easier said than done. His bad-boy reputation makes him the talk of the school, and Kyu-Jin, the class president and model student, will not stop being friendly. Then trouble arrives in the shape of Ji-Hyun, a tattooed figure from Chi-Woo's dark past. The premise is a tense, school-based drama about the cost of a reputation.The series is most engaging when Chi-Woo's guarded silence meets the pressure of his past. The tension between the three characters gives each scene an edge, and the school setting makes the stakes feel personal.The weaknesses are familiar delinquent-school tropes and some plot turns that can feel predictable. Readers who enjoy tense school dramas with a reputation at their heart will find a solid read. Those seeking novelty may find it familiar, though the tension is effective.