Heesu in Class 2 – Series Review & Episode Guide

Hee Su is a high school student in Class 2. He has a reputation for giving sensible relationship advice. Even though other students see him as the love guru, he has never dated anyone. The irony is that Hee Su can explain romance to others, yet he struggles to apply the same ideas to himself. Hee Su also loves astrology. He enjoys stargazing with his telescope on the rooftop of his house. Hee Su has tried to start an astrology club at school, but the science teacher shows little interest because of the extra work.

Hee Su's parents work overseas. He lives with his three older sisters, Hee Jeong, Hee Je, and Hee Sin. The siblings talk openly about everything, especially love. Their influence is why Hee Su became so skilled at giving relationship advice. However, all his sisters have complicated dating histories. Hee Jeong's last relationship ended poorly. She still struggles to move on from her ex, Hyo Seok. Likewise, Hee Je stays in an on-and-off relationship with her boyfriend, Jong Gu. As for Hee Sin, she's always unlucky in love. She falls for the wrong guys, and her confessions end in rejection.

Hee Su is childhood best friends with Chan Young, a popular student in Class 2. Many girls at school like Chan Young because of his handsome looks. Hey ladies, he's also athletic and plays tennis! Due to their close friendship, Hee Su becomes popular by association. Girls approach Hee Su, hoping to get closer to Chan Young through him. While Chan Young frequently receives love confessions, his romantic relationships never last long. Until one day, Chan Young meets Ji Yu, a pretty girl in his prep school. As they bond over music, Chan Young becomes interested in her.

Unbeknownst to Chan Young, Hee Su has a secret crush on him. He doesn't dare to confess, although it's always on his mind. Hee Su remains hopeful that his friend might return his feelings. One day, Hee Su finds a box of carrot juice on his desk. It's his favourite drink, but he doesn't know who gave it to him. The carrot juice appears on his desk, day after day. Is this a prank? Or is it a romantic gift? Hee Su begins to suspect he might have a secret admirer, especially after reading an anonymous confession on the school's message board.

Seung Won is a quiet student in Hee Su's class. He's known for studying a lot and not socializing with others. He lives close to Hee Su, and they can see each other through their bedroom windows. Recently, Seung Won asked Hee Su for relationship advice. Seung Won says he secretly likes someone in school and needs help with confessing. Hee Su is excited to help his classmate and assumes Seung Won's crush is Ji Yi. Little does he know that the person Seung Won likes is actually Hee Su.

Heesu in Class 2 contains a lot of filler. The series spends time on random scenes or idle conversations rather than establishing the plot. Other Korean BL dramas are shorter, so they get to the point quickly. This story is eight hours long, but it gets distracted by irrelevant detours. The romance between the leads should be the focus, not Chan Young's tennis, Ji Yi's music, or the sisters' relationship issues. With too many subplots competing for attention, Heesu in Class 2 loses sight of its most compelling storyline.

This series can be enjoyable when the spotlight is on the two leads. Yeah, they share a funny relationship dynamic. Hee Su tries to be Seung Won's matchmaker, not realizing he misread his classmate's feelings. Hey dummy, the person he likes is actually you! This hilarious love mix-up creates charming moments as Seung Won acts flustered while Hee Su stays clueless. The more time they spend together, the more compatible they seem. Both get along perfectly, understand each other well, and would make an endearing couple. You'll want to shout at Hee Su, "If only he realizes his true love is near him all along!"

Heesu in Class 2 has a strong cast, and everyone delivers solid performances. My favourite is the protagonist. Played by the talented Ahn Ji Ho, Hee Su is an adorable lead with a bubbly personality. He turns his character's annoying traits into endearing quirks through the sheer power of his charisma. Whenever Hee Su is frustratingly oblivious, the sparkle in his eyes and the innocence in his smile can soften my irritation with him. He also has great chemistry with his co-stars. Every interaction feels natural, from his warmth toward Seung Won to his longing for Chan Young.

I tried to stay patient during the first half of the series. The characters need time to sort out their feelings and gather the courage to confess. Ah, okay, I'll brew a cup of tea and wait for them. However, the drama drags on for too long, and those last few episodes go downhill. Hee Su and Seung Won reach a point where tiptoeing around their feelings no longer makes sense. One of them just needs to confess, and their romance can officially get started. Yet, the series won't pull the trigger. All those damn fake-outs and missed opportunities feel aggravating as hell!

With each passing episode, I get more frustrated because the leads still aren't together. Annoyingly, the secondary couple has been dating for a long time. While Chan Young and Ji Yi act lovey-dovey, Hee Su and Seung Won avoid each other. Am I watching a BL drama? Why does the straight relationship feel stronger and overshadow the gay leads? The last few episodes also made me hate Chan Young, who sucks as a friend as much as he sucks at tennis. Your gay bestie just came out, but your response is to make him apologize to you? Get over yourself, asshat!

By the finale, the leads still haven't confessed for reasons that feel like implicit homophobia. There, I said it! Initially made for Netflix, this drama is heterocentric and wants to tone down the gay content for mainstream viewers. Even though there's a happy ending, I'm upset. I invested eight hours into a romance, only to have it unfold in such an unsatisfying way. Maybe Heesu in Class 2 would be acceptable if it came out ten years ago, back when gay love stories were more conservative. Nowadays, this drama feels too safe in a time when the best BL series are bold.