Schoolgirl Detectives (2014) - Kdrama Review

 -May contain major spoilers-

This drama contains heavy topics, beware

Photo source: JTBC

Schoolgirl Detectives, also known as Seonam Girls High School Detectives (선암여고 탐정단), is a 14-episode JTBC mystery and comedy Kdrama starring Jin Ji-Hee, Kang Min-Ah, Lee Min-Ji, Stephanie Lee and Hyeri (Girl's Day). 

Summary

Ahn Chae-Yool (Jin Ji-Hee) is a high school girl daughter of Ahn Hong-Min (Choi Deok-Moon), a doctor, and Oh Yoo-Jin (Lee Seung-Yeon), a talk show host famous because her son and Chae-Yool older brother Ahn Chae-Joon (Jang Ki-Yong) is a genius who went to Harvard. 

After Chae-Yool fails the entrance exam for a highly competitive high school, her mother transfers her to the less competitive Seonam, an all-girls high school, so that Chae-Yool will have an easier ride.

On the way to her first day at her new high school, Chae-Yool gets bitten in the arm by a man dressed in all black, who, before leaving, puts a heart-shaped lollipop in her mouth. 

Chae-Yool is approached by a group of girls who call themselves members of the Seonam Girls High School Detectives Club. They are Yoon Mi-Do (Kang Min-Ah), the leader who puts the plans in motion, Kim Ha-Jae (Lee Min-Ji), an informatic expert and fan of the esoteric, Choi Sung-Yoon (Stephanie Lee), a calm girl who has a knack for baking, and Lee Yee-Hee (Hyeri), a dramatic girl whose dream is to become an actress.

The girls have been keeping track of Chae-Yool since before she transferred; they tell her that she is the newest member of the club and they will help her get revenge on the biter, but Chae-Yool runs away.

Chae-Yool is suspicious of the mysterious literature teacher Ha Yeon-Joon (Kim Min-Jun), who uses a similar perfume to the biter.

The "detectives" try to lure Chae-Yool in by telling her that they also are victims of the biter, but she still refuses to join the club. Chae-Yool begrudgingly ends up joining the club after she notices a pattern in the victims. 

Now, the Seonam Girls High School Detective Club will try to learn the identity of the biter while solving other cases around their high school...

Thoughts

Seonam Girls High School Detectives is a funny Kdrama whose cases are captivating in a way that it sort of reminds me of The Kindaichi Case Files and Detective Conan (or Case Closed). Plot-wise, they aren't very similar, but they give the same feeling.

Although I generally complain about the length of some Kdramas as towards the end, I feel like they drag on and prefer shorter ones (like Perfect Marriage Revenge [Review]), the ending of this one feels super rushed. It would have been a lot better if the length was 16 episodes like a normal Kdrama, but instead, we got 14 episodes. 

The editing is really well done and I like the funny graphics they use throughout the Kdrama.

I really liked the parts where it's like Chae-Yool is being interviewed for a reality show or a documentary (although it's all in her imagination).

I have to say that the acting is not very good and is quite over the top at times, but it works well with the comedy setting. I also give it a pass because the girls with the exception of Jin Ji-Hee (who was basically a veteran at that point) and Lee Min-Ji (who was an indie actress) were rookie actresses.

If you're interested in the romantic aspects of Kdramas, this one has a little bit of romance (I mean, is not the major plot point) SPOILER I have to say that the "relationship" between Chae-Yoon and Yeon-Joon's nephew Ha Ra-On (Han Ye-Joon) that appears in the relationship chart as a "some" ends up in nothing. Towards the later episodes Mi-Do dates the boy she has a crush on (Ahn Chae-Joon) SPOILER ENDS.

The song made for this Kdrama "From Me To You" (내가 너에게) sung by Jin Ji-Hee is really cute, it kind of feels like a lullaby and her voice makes the song sound quite childish.

I'm very interested in reading the book this drama is based on, but it seems that it was not translated into other languages, so I'm unable to read it.

I recommend this Kdrama if you like high school settings, mysteries to solve, and a great group dynamic.

Rating

Acting - 6/10

Plot - 8/10

Soundtrack - 7/10

Cinematography - 8/10

Overall Rating - 7/10   

Extended Drama Info.

Quantity of Episodes: 14.

Run Time: 60 min/each.

Release Date: December 16, 2014.

Network: JTBC.

Based on: Seonam Girls High School Detectives by Park Ha-Ik

Directed by: Yeo Woon-Hyuk and Yoo Jung-Hwan.

Written by: Shin Kwang-Ho.

Starring: Jin Ji-Hee, Kang Min-Ah, Lee Min-Ji, Stephanie Lee, Hyeri and Kim Min-Jun.

By the way, I love the coats the girls wear in this Kdrama, especially Jin Ji-Hee, they are super cute.