Hidden Agenda – Series Review & Episode Guide

Zo is a nerdy university student on the school's debate team. He has a secret crush on Nita, one of the club members. However, he's too shy to flirt with her. Even though they sometimes communicate, their relationship remains platonic. Zo's friends, Pat and Kot, encourage him to be more assertive. They give Zo ideas on how to hit on a girl. Nonetheless, he doesn't feel confident about making the first move.

Nita and Joke used to be a couple. Zo's friends suggest that he get relationship advice from Nita's ex-boyfriend. Zo dismisses the idea and thinks asking the ex for help is strange. However, Joke overhears their conversation on the bus. Surprisingly, he can offer a few pointers to help Zo win over Nita. Yet, Zo refuses his help. He doesn't want his classmate involved in this courtship, especially since they are barely acquaintances.

After the declination, Zo and Joke run into each other on campus. Joke taunts his classmate for being too shy and awkward around Nita. Zo is upset about his snide remarks. Tensions escalate when Joke performs a song about unrequited love. Zo believes the music is another dig at him. That night, Zo gets drunk at the bar. Joke tries to help bring him home safely. Yet, Zo lashes out at his rival. He doesn't understand why this cool kid keeps picking on him for not having the confidence to ask out a girl. Zo calls him an asshole and throws a punch at him.

The following day, Zo apologizes for his violence. Joke forgives him. Zo still feels guilty and acts extra kindly toward his rival to overcompensate. Due to these efforts, they are finally on good speaking terms. Zo admits that he'd like Joke's help to win over Nita. Joke agrees and starts giving relationship advice. The process involves several steps. First, Joke gives Zo a stylish makeover, transforming his dweeby wardrobe into more fashionable attire. Second, Joke takes Zo on a few practice dates to teach him how to flirt.

Zo and Joke become closer. Zo asks his new friend to join the debate team with him. According to the club's rules, Joke must win a competition to earn his membership. During the contest, Zo and Joke debate about relationships with hidden agendas. Joke believes keeping a few secrets from a romantic partner is understandable, whereas Zo insists couples must be honest. The club's president, Wave, dislikes Joke. However, Nita and the other members vote for him anyway. Joke becomes an official debate team member and feels happy to spend more time with Zo.

Hidden Agenda is a formulaic love story that plays out like every other university BL series over the years. It regurgitates the most basic plots, overused tropes, and dull characterizations. The leads, Dunk and Joong, already starred in a school romance last year. Once again, they're in a similar campus setting, portraying another mediocre couple. Are you bored yet? Because I certainly am. Everything about Hidden Agenda feels stale, from the storytelling to the casting. This series astounds me with its lack of originality.

Hidden Agenda has one unique detail. The protagonists are on the school's debate team and participate in competitions. Unfortunately, these dialogue-heavy scenes are tedious. It requires sharp writing to create a stimulating back-and-forth exchange, which isn't the drama's strong suit. Instead, the characters ramble incessantly about mundane topics. Besides the snoozy debates, most other plots are generic and forgettable. For a series about hidden agendas, you can predict everything in the transparent storylines without surprises. Expect many tired cliches from the clunky narrative.

Both leads are unappealing. Despite his handsome looks, Joke seems devoid of charm. He behaves obnoxiously, pesters his love interest, and never leaves him alone. Joke is pushy about getting his way and constantly imposes his will on Zo. Also, his juvenile flirting is embarrassingly corny. Likewise, Zo throws annoying tantrums in the later episodes. He's a wet blanket who gets upset easily. The supporting cast receives shallow development. Nita is merely a walking plot device with no personality, while the secondary couple is defined only by their relationship drama.

Each episode contains bland romantic fluff that seems vaguely interchangeable. None of the cutesy, fluffy relationship scenes leave a distinct impression. While the vanilla love story does nothing for me, I appreciate the copious amounts of gratuitous fanservice. The couple is comfortable with each other and shows physical affection throughout the series. Their deep, immersive kisses have persuasive power, compensating for some shortcomings in the writing. It's easier to believe Zo and Joke have developed feelings when I see them making out vigorously.

Hidden Agenda overuses the soft-focus filter, making some scenes look blurry with distorted colours. Along with the cast's styling choices, there's a dated vibe that doesn't remind me of a youthful, contemporary drama. In addition, the acting is average at best. Zo's lead (Dunk) is okay in most scenes, but his performance dips during dramatic moments. His telegenic costar (Joong) hasn't connected with Joke's character. There's no personality, charisma, or substance to his vapid portrayal. Also, the actor playing Pok (Boom) needs to work on his emoting.

Hidden Agenda slogs to the finish line. The last set of episodes drags on with unpleasant conflicts and clumsy character arcs. My prevailing opinion is IDGAF about these plots. A part of me feels sorry for the leads since they get saddled with crappy roles in lacklustre scripts. GMMTV doesn't give them the resources to succeed. Yet, I don't want the studio to waste its best material on JoongDunk, who has underwhelmed for two consecutive series. I associate this pairing with persistent mediocrity. Let's hope they find better projects than Hidden Agenda in the future.