Love Class 3 – Series Review

Hyun Jae & Soo An competed in an idol survival show.

A year ago, Hyun Jae competed in an idol survival show called Next Stage. The contestants had to impress viewers and earn enough votes to debut in a boy group. Only the Top 6 could make the cut, and Hyun Jae was one of the lucky winners! He joined the other finalists to form WAKERS. Their group got off to a great start, even releasing a hit song. WAKERS only had a one-year contract, and the group recently disbanded. Still, Hyun Jae built a loyal fanbase through his WAKERS fame. He has a promising career ahead.

Another popular contestant on Next Stage was Soo An, who quickly became close to Hyun Jae. Fans were shipping them. One time, the cameras even caught them spooning in the same bed. Imagine how wild the shippers went! Hyun Jae also kissed Soo An on camera, supposedly as a joke. When gay rumours started spreading, his agency tried to explain that the footage was AI-generated. Despite all the attention, Soo An didn't make the final lineup. He finished in seventh place, missing his chance to debut with WAKERS by just one spot.

Luckily, Soo An got another shot at his idol dreams. After Next Stage, he received an offer to join an upcoming boy group called Unicorn. Sooan practiced with the other trainees, getting ready for their big debut. Unfortunately, the agency ran into financial problems, putting everything on hold. While Hyunjae was enjoying his success with WAKERS, poor Sooan got stuck in career limbo. He eventually faded from the spotlight. As Hyunjae got busier, he stopped replying to Sooan's messages. Sooan felt like his former friend had forgotten about him.

Jae Min quit the survival show because of a scandal.

Jae Min was another contestant on Next Stage, but his idol dreams ended in a nasty scandal. During the competition, he was secretly dating Il Woo, a famous idol. The tabloids exposed their relationship. Il Woo panicked about his career and denied the gay rumours. His team twisted the story to make Jaemin look like an obsessed stalker. Jaemin found himself at the centre of a huge controversy. The public scrutiny became so intense that he withdrew from Next Stage, giving up his dreams of entering the entertainment industry.

What happened to his famous ex? That jerk never contacted Jae Min again. At least Jae Min is still friends with Hyun Jae, who knows the truth about the stalking scandal. He thinks Jae Min should clear his name, but Jae Min would rather leave the past behind. All he wants is to enjoy an ordinary life as a university student. Yet, his classmates still recognize him from the scandal. Some call him "The Stalker". The gossip makes it difficult for Jae Min to socialize on campus. But then, he meets Khun, a Thai exchange student. Unlike everyone else, Khun doesn't care about Jae Min's past. The two grow close despite their language barrier.

Meanwhile, Soo An has also returned to university after his idol career went nowhere. He occasionally picks up backstage gigs to earn some money. One day, he gets assigned to help set up WAKERS' farewell concert. He comes face-to-face with Hyun Jae after ghosting each other for so long. Soo An feels awkward about the reunion, so his first instinct is to run away. Hyun Jae has a different reaction. Seeing Soo An again makes him realize their old connection is still there. This time, Hyun Jae is determined to win back his former crush and fix their broken relationship.

Love Class 3 is about the former contestants of an idol survival show. The premise reminds me of Boys Planet, a reality competition from a few years ago. Back then, I watched some short clips (all Haobin clips, of course) and thought, "OMG, the contest would be a perfect setting for a saucy love story!" Apparently, great minds think alike. Love Class 3 turned this idea into a BL series. Imagine two guys competing in a show while secretly falling in love. The cameras capture every moment… Ooh, the romantic tension is delicious!

For some weird reason, Love Class 3 barely shows us the actual survival show. We only get a few flashbacks, even though the competition should be the main event. I wanna see the contestants get caught up in juicy reality TV drama. Give me the rivalries! Give me the messy eliminations! Instead, the series skips over the most interesting storylines. Maybe the creators were worried about making a BL drama that resembles a real-life contest too closely. The similarities might stir up controversy. Still, I hate that we're missing so much context. How am I supposed to care about everyone's history when I never got to see what happened?

Love Class 3 exposes the ugly side of the entertainment industry. Oh no, those evil executives are exploiting the poor trainees! And look at the idols, fighting because fame has gone to their heads! Sounds juicy, right? Sadly, the writing is shallow as hell. The series relies on tired K-pop stereotypes, like every storyline is just another way of telling us that FAME IS BAD. Worse, the drama feels so contrived. One minute, everyone is getting along. The next minute, some random crisis pops up out of nowhere. The conflicts start too suddenly and get resolved without much effort.

Hyun Jae and Soo An have a pretty good kissing scene in Episode 12. Unfortunately, I just don't like this couple. Since the series skips over the survival show, we never get to see the cute moments when they first fell in love. Instead, the story focuses on their relationship problems. Hyun Jae is too busy! Soo An feels jealous! We get so many reasons why they're incompatible that it's hard to root for their romance. I also hate how Hyun Jae flirts with Soo An to attract publicity. Lemme make sure the cameras are rolling before I get affectionate! Ugh, he seems so calculating.

My favourite character is Jae Min, who gets falsely accused of stalking. He's a sweetheart, but his ugly reputation follows him everywhere. Any time someone mistreats him, I feel fiercely protective. Leave my beloved stalker alone, haters! His actor (Lee Woo Jin) is also super cute. Aww, his precious smile melts my heart! Sometimes, a mediocre BL drama improves because of a likable lead. Jae Min has won me over with his gentle personality, sympathetic backstory, and that adorable face. He's my MVP of Love Class 3, making even those boring scenes more watchable.

At first, I enjoyed Jae Min and Khun's budding romance. But then, Khun pisses me off in Episode 5 when he gives Jae Min the cold shoulder. Even a simple handshake gets a snotty response. "You need consent to touch my hand!" Next episode, Khun lashes out at Jae Min. I thought those accusations were so unfair! As the #1 Jae Min defender, I held a grudge against Khun. Near the end, he won back some goodwill. I ship the couple again after the cute moments from their vacation. I like them, but not that much. The North remembers, Khun! Your past dishonour hasn't been forgotten.

Like its previous seasons, Love Class 3 has decent acting and solid production values. I particularly liked a scene in Episode 14, where a heartbroken Soo An gets teary-eyed over the sentimental items. The actor and director did a lovely job. But the finale is annoying since Hyun Jae & Soo An's relationship remains ambiguous. Then again, do I really care? As long as my beloved Jae Min is happy, I'm satisfied! Overall, Love Class 3 is a seriously flawed BL drama with lots of wasted potential. It's lucky to have one charming character who makes the series kinda enjoyable.