The Midnight Romance in Hagwon on Viki Rakuten has grabbed a spot in the list of Top 10 K-dramas released on OTT so far this year. Set against the backdrop of South Korea’s competitive private education system, the story takes a close look at whether excelling in exams or growing as a person is more valuable for students striving for top university spots.

Directed by Something in the Rain maker Ahn Pan-seok, the plot revolves around Seo Hye-jin (Jung Ryeo-won), a well-regarded teacher of Korean literature at the Daechi Chase institute. Seo Hye-jin finds herself reeling under the expectations of her students and their parents to help her wards score high in exams and get them into prestigious universities.

While striving to guide her students towards a successful future, Hye-jin realises she has lost sight of her own dreams. Her passion for the Korean language has been replaced by the daily grind of tests and grading.

Hye-jin’s life gets a shake-up when one of her former students, Lee Joon-ho (Wi Ha-jun), whom she had once helped to excel academically and bolster his self-confidence, returns to Daechi Chase to start as a Korean instructor, having quit his high-profile corporate job.

Though Joon-ho says his previous job was overwhelmingly stressful, Seo Hye-jin doesn’t catch on to the fact that Joon-ho has always nurtured a soft corner for her and has taken up the teaching job only to be close to her.

As soon as Hye-jin and Joon-ho’s paths cross, the embers of a buried love are ignited, which soon develops into a romance challenging the notions of age gap and socially-imposed academic hierarchies. At the end of the day, after the faculty members would leave and the academy doors would be shut, Hye-jin and Joon-ho’s late-night study sessions and whispered conversations would begin.

The Midnight Romance in Hagwon isn’t about the forbidden love between a student and a teacher or the relentless attempt to hide their affection to avoid a scandal. This K-drama is focused more on the journey of self-discovery and getting back on one’s feet.

Both Hye-jin and Joon-ho are forced to confront their past mistakes and make choices that will define their future. Hye-jin thinks about rekindling her passion for knowledge, which she had abandoned for the sake of stability, while Joon-ho tries to find a sense of purpose, questioning whether he truly enjoys teaching or is simply following a well-trodden path.

While Jung Ryeo-won is very convincing as an exhausted professional battling the fear of leaving familiar shores, Wi Ha-jun brings a playful, youthful energy as Lee Joon-ho whose unconventional studying methods challenge Hye-jin’s rigid style.

The supporting cast helps add humour and more nuance to the story. Like the other teachers at the academy, friends of Hye-jin and Joon-hoo and the two antagonists — the vice-director of Daechi Chase and a director of another rival institute, each grappling with their personal challenges and aspirations. Among them Kim Song-Il stands out as Mr Pyo, another Korean literature teacher who clashes with Hye-jin over teaching methods and the interpretation of literature. His character highlights a pressing issue in urban society: the decline of a meaningful education system in an environment of score-driven competition.