Light on Me Korean BL Drama Review

Drama: Light on me (새빛남고 학생회)

Director: Lee Yoo-yeon

Screenwriter: Lee Ji-eum

Cast:- Lee Sae-on, Kang Yoo-seok, Choi Chan-yi, Go Woo-jin, Lee Ki-hyun, Yang Seo-hyun and others.

Characters - Woo Tae-kyung, Noh Shin-woo, Shin Da-on, Namgoong Shi-won, Lee So-hee, Seo Haet-bit 선생님.

About the Show:-

Adapted from a mobile game under the same name 새빛남고 학생회 (Saebit Boys high school council).

Set in a high school, the story is about a high school kid who keeps to himself and is always alone. One day he realises that he does want some friends in his life and with the help of a teacher joins the school's student council. He meets new people and thus begins the discovery of friendship, crushes, togetherness, first love or 첫사랑 and much more.

(*This review may contain spoilers. If you have already watched the show, please continue reading. If you haven’t watched the show yet, you can still continue reading or you can come back to the review later.)

What I loved about the show:-

One of my favourite to things about the show is the highlight on the genre of friendship. The romance is a cherry on the cake but the director's perspective on the story, her take on friendship and making sure to feature it as the show's genre is commendable.

Every character in the show has their flaws and those flaws are highlighted. But the director also shows how each one of the characters works on accepting their flaws and corrects their mistakes. The show features the high school excitement of meeting new people, of forming lifelong friendships, of first love and of many new activities.

By the end of the show, you end up wanting more. Second season?? Hopefully soon.

I still remember the anxiety at the time of the show's release of whether it would be Team Da-on or Team Shin-woo as the endgame. I must say the director does not disappoint us with the ending. Because while one of the boys has a clear mindset about Tae-kyung, the other one is still confused causing not just pain to Tae-kyung but to himself and the audience.

The show featured 16 episodes (each approximately 30 minutes long).  Light on me is light hearted and calming yet it tackles so many important topics. It focused on the LGBTQ+ community, understanding your identity, coming out to the world and the difficulties and discrimination one faces during those times.

The Characters and the Actors:-

Namgoong is a fun character. His humour, his perspective on life, his life and love lessons, his friendship and morals, his aegyo, his ability to stand up for his own friends are all admirable. The character seems simple but it is a very difficult role to play. Go Woo-jin is impressive as Namgoong and shows how skilful he is as an actor.

I love how So-hee is this bratty high school kid who wants things to go her way but when confronted by her friends, decides to work on herself and make amends. She goes on to become the most supportive of friends. Yang Seo-hyun is a talented young woman and her portrayal of So-hee is praiseworthy. She is beautiful and smart and exudes great confidence.

Haet-bit 선생님 is a fun loving, caring and motivating teacher. He wants the best for his students. He is always ready to listen to his students and their problems and is more of a friend than a teacher. His story remains a mystery too and I hope that they will incorporate more of it in the second season. Manifesting!!! Lee Ki-hyun is a fine actor. He is calm and composed as Haet-bit and his addition to the cast is refreshing.

Shin Da-on has always been the one who put everyone else's needs above his. He would go above and beyond to help everyone in need but sometimes forgets that he could need someone too. I am glad that at the end he decides to focus on himself, work more on understanding his needs and wants and to not focus on what the world thinks of him. Choi Chan-yi is charming as Shin Da-on. He is convincing in his role and does a admirable job in the show.

Shin-woo, is our gentle boy who comes across as cold and aloof but has a heart of gold. He is loves his friends and is always worried for them. He is extremely introverted and his awkwardness is adorable. I love how he, at times, is confident about himself and doesn't shy away from going after what he likes and wants and at other times, he needs to be pulled out of his cocoon. But he is always ready to stand up for himself, for his friends and for what is right. Kang Yoo-seok is a mature actor. He is sophisticated and suave and also extremely endearing. He is as gentle and kind as his character Shin-woo.

Last but not the least, Tae-kyung. This kid on many levels is portraying us on the small screen. Many of us are aloof, introverted and have a difficulty in making friends and are socially awkward. But somewhere, we wish that someone like Haet-bit 선생님 could help us find a group like the student council kids. I love how Tae-kyung analyses the situation at the end and makes the right decision about Shin-woo and Da-on. Lee Sae-on is the total opposite of Tae-kyung. He is jumpy, energetic and lively and always in high spirits. His portrayal of the calm, collected and soft-spoken Tae-kyung shows that he highly talented and accomplished in his acting.

The Director and the Writer:

Lee Yoo-yeon and Lee Ji-eum: Two very intelligent, beautiful, hardworking and talented women. They have produced such a vibrant show. To take a highly popular mobile game and reproduce it and make it into a beautiful and meaningful show takes a lot of skill. I am extremely proud and happy to see women creating content that are of unique, high-quality and successful.

Light on me or 새빛남고 학생회 is on my top 10 list of shows that I have love. It is one of the most comforting and feel good shows. This show has the perfect everything: cast, story, number of episodes, characters, director, aesthetics, background score and OST, romance, emotions, fluff, suspense, my favourite part - friendship.

Light on me is a cute and fun youth drama with plenty to reminisce. If you looking for a comfort show, please watch light on me and support the actors and the director.

Also, let's hope and wish that we get a second season.