Graduation (2025)
Starring: Jung Ryeo-won, Wi Ha-joon
Platform: tvN / Netflix
Douban Rating: 8.4
Plot Summary:
Seo Hye-jin (Jung Ryeo-won) is a seasoned Korean literature teacher at a prestigious private academy. Her reputation is spotless, her boundaries strict—until one day, she is reunited with Lee Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), a former top student who is now applying to be a fellow instructor at the same institution.
Their reunion is awkward, laced with unresolved tension and unspoken memories. As the two begin working side by side, subtle glances and fleeting moments stir up feelings they’ve long buried. But in an environment governed by professionalism and power dynamics, every emotion becomes a risk—and every interaction could be the start of something irreversible.
Highlights:
- Jung Ryeo-won brings grace and inner conflict to a woman torn between duty and desire.
- Wi Ha-joon captivates with quiet intensity, offering a performance layered with longing, maturity, and subtle rebellion.
- Direction is delicate and precise, favoring silences, eye contact, and atmosphere over overt declarations.
- A beautifully muted color palette and gentle piano score enhance the emotional stillness of the drama.
What Could Be Better:
- Viewers who prefer faster pacing or dramatic twists may find the slow-burn approach challenging.
- Some may wish for deeper exploration of side characters or external stakes beyond the central duo.
Verdict:
Graduation is a quiet storm of a drama—introspective, restrained, and achingly real. It handles taboo themes with sensitivity, maturity, and emotional complexity, making it a refreshing entry in the romance genre for 2025.
Ideal for fans of Something in the Rain, One Spring Night, or Call It Love, this series proves that the most intense love stories aren’t always loud—they’re the ones whispered in between the lines.