‘Extracurricular’ Netflix’s Korean masterpiece

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Extracurricular cover poster.

Cameron Oleary, Reporter

The 10-episode Netflix original, “Extracurricular,” is a South Korean crime drama that sends a message to never take on tough times alone.

The show follows a young boy Oh Ji-soo played by Kim Dong-hee, who is trying to run a double life of school and security service for illegal prostitution.

It does a great job of showing us how people’s lives are unknown and just because they look innocent, does not mean that they are.

The actors who played students gave a real-life look at what it would be like to have two separate lives, especially Ji-soo.

During the show, hermit crabs were a constant symbolic motif of the kids, as they constantly hid in the shells, not wanting to talk to authorities.

My favorite thing about the whole show was the “Theme Song,” an EDM rock song that shifts to orchestral during tense moments of the show causing you to focus your attention to the moment.

One of the biggest problems I had with the show was the infrequent development of Ji-soo’s character. Being a quiet character at the beginning, the ending of some episodes would sometimes tease the watchers with Ji-soo coming out of his timid shell.

The next episode would start back where we left off but would bring him back into his Hermit crab shell, with Gyu-ri bailing him out of the situation.

They did, however, nail the relationship between Ji-soo and his love interest, Bae Gyu-ri. Where we are left off is believable in the end.

Ji-soo and Gyu-ri are polar opposites. Whereas Jo-soo is more reserved, Gyu-ri is more assertive. The show made their relationship, not about sex and attraction, but more about wanting the best for each other and keeping the other one safe.

“Extracurricular” is an excellent show that is worth a watch, especially if you are someone that enjoyed the movie “Parasite” as it has some similarities of representing the oppressed and dividing classes.

4 out of 5 stars.