If you are into school and teen dramas, this underrated Korean drama deserves to be on your list. Moments at 18 talks about South Korea's study system, the gap between the middle and high-class society and the pressure that students experience from their parents to reach the top. Beyond that, the lead characters are still students who want freedom and love.
Airing Date: July 2019
Channel: JTBC
Korean Title: 여덟의 순간
Characters
Ong Seong Wu as Choi Joon Woo
Kim Hyang Gi Yoo Soo Bin
Shin Seung Ho Ma Whi Young
Kang Ki Young Oh Han Kyeol
Synopsis
Yoo Soo Bin is a hardworking and outstanding student. She belongs to the top tier in school. However, Soo Bin's life is extremely controlled by her mom. To live a good life, she follows everything that her mother tells her. Despite all the good grades, Soo Bin realizes that life is not all about academics, that's after he met Joon Woo.
Soo Bin is in a huge desire for freedom so before graduating in high school, she decided to live an independent life by not obeying all the rules governed by her mother. As Soo Bin gets to know more about Choi Joon Woo, her life and thinking eventually changed.
She enjoys small efforts and life more than she did before. As Soo Bin is somehow the perfect type of female student, she has been partnered with Ma Whi Young, another top student in school who is secretly supporting and liking her. He is gentle and nice to Soo Bin but he has a strong superiority complex so he often belittles Choi Joon Woo.
As Choi Joon Woo has a different personality from the traditional hardworking student, he struggled to fit in school. But then Ma Whi Young always tries to find a way to get rid of Joon Woo so he can win Soo Bin's heart. Numerous issues in school involving Choi Joon Woo rose up as he gets closer to Soo Bin.
Choi Joon Woo and Yoo Soo Bin starts to fall for each other at a young age. The problem is that Soo Bin's mom is against their relationship. Her mom wants Ma Whi Young for her.
As Choi Joon Woo has a different personality from the traditional hardworking student, he struggled to fit in school. But then Ma Whi Young always tries to find a way to get rid of Joon Woo so he can win Soo Bin's heart. Numerous issues in school involving Choi Joon Woo rose up as he gets closer to Soo Bin.
Choi Joon Woo and Yoo Soo Bin starts to fall for each other at a young age. The problem is that Soo Bin's mom is against their relationship. Her mom wants Ma Whi Young for her.
Review
Rating: 10/10
I watched this drama after my two-month-long winter break classes on my Korean students so I expected it to be somehow connected to the experiences and lives of my students. South Korea nowadays is very competitive in terms of its education system. Even though the drama is a little bit tone down compared to Sky Castle, the problem about their education system is that they are pressuring the students too much to focus on their future.
The drama is not afraid to talk about the current education system in South Korea, it shows how much their parents pressure their kids to build their portfolio and resume and compete with their friends. It also showed how Korean mothers create a circle with other parents for the sake of their kids' portfolios.
The drama throws shade on how parents sheltered their kids too much that they lack freedom. At the same time, those who belong in middle and low-class families need to work at an early age to earn enough to sustain their daily needs and school allowances.
'Moments at 18' is a light drama, it brings us to the time when we meet our group of friends and talk about our crushes. It's the time when we hang out with our first love, doubting what's ahead of us yet still working hard for the future. Not to mention, the teacher of the students is Kang Ki Yong so expect them to have funny scenes in school.
At the same time, the drama gives a lot of lessons in each episode. If you are a student, you might probably be experiencing the same situation as Choi Joon Woo or Yoo Soo Bin. However, if you are not a fan of slow-phased dramas, I don't really recommend you to watch this as it takes quite a while for the story to develop.
I watched this drama after my two-month-long winter break classes on my Korean students so I expected it to be somehow connected to the experiences and lives of my students. South Korea nowadays is very competitive in terms of its education system. Even though the drama is a little bit tone down compared to Sky Castle, the problem about their education system is that they are pressuring the students too much to focus on their future.
The drama is not afraid to talk about the current education system in South Korea, it shows how much their parents pressure their kids to build their portfolio and resume and compete with their friends. It also showed how Korean mothers create a circle with other parents for the sake of their kids' portfolios.
The drama throws shade on how parents sheltered their kids too much that they lack freedom. At the same time, those who belong in middle and low-class families need to work at an early age to earn enough to sustain their daily needs and school allowances.
'Moments at 18' is a light drama, it brings us to the time when we meet our group of friends and talk about our crushes. It's the time when we hang out with our first love, doubting what's ahead of us yet still working hard for the future. Not to mention, the teacher of the students is Kang Ki Yong so expect them to have funny scenes in school.
At the same time, the drama gives a lot of lessons in each episode. If you are a student, you might probably be experiencing the same situation as Choi Joon Woo or Yoo Soo Bin. However, if you are not a fan of slow-phased dramas, I don't really recommend you to watch this as it takes quite a while for the story to develop.
Best scenes to look forward to
Joon Woo and Soo Bin trying to escape school
As Joon Woo and Soo Bin are both restricted to meet one another especially Soo Bin who is protected by her mother, they try to do a lot of things together when they are both in school. There are times that Soo Bin also skips her academy lessons to visit Joon Woo in the mart he works at.
Kang Ki Yong as your funny teacher
Kang Ki Yong has been playing numerous funny roles in Korean dramas and this one serious drama got lighter when he becomes the replacement homeroom teacher of a high school batch. The class faces numerous pressure from their parents as they'll be entering universities soon and that they must pass the entrance exams and prepare hard for it.
Moments by Christopher
Our Story (우리가 만난 이야기) by Ong Seong Wu
I'll Be With You (네가 있으면 좋겠어) by Bily Acoustie
Dear My by Stella Jang
Picturesque Days (그림 같던 날들) by Jukjae
Floral Peach by Minsu
Ma Whi Yong's real-life beyond school
Ma Whi Yong might be the most hated character in the drama but at some point, you'll find yourself sympathizing with him. He got a family that's also pressuring him to be the best in school and has always been compared with his brother making him do bad things just to earn a spot on top.Moments at 18 OST
Moments by ChristopherOur Story (우리가 만난 이야기) by Ong Seong Wu
I'll Be With You (네가 있으면 좋겠어) by Bily Acoustie
Dear My by Stella Jang
Picturesque Days (그림 같던 날들) by Jukjae
Floral Peach by Minsu
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