Review: Why Korean dramedy ‘The School Nurse Files’ should be on your binge-watch list
MANILA, Philippines — When you think of K-Dramas, images of meet-cute, social class differences and emo music immediately come to mind. They pretty much have been branded as the "hallmark" films of the east, and for many good reasons such as they are able to capture a wide range of audiences.
These past few years, however, there’s been a shift in the Korean entertainment industry and you might say that this has something to do with BTS attracting global attention — and yes, that is probably true. But Korean films and TV series have always been top-notch and well-thought out, and the recent international win of "Parasite" is one perfect example. Koreans are trying to expand beyond the usual narrative of K-Dramas. And the newly released Netflix original series "The School Nurse Files" is a by-product of that change that provides a refreshing approach to break the mold.
In a recent Asia Pacific media conference held by streaming giant Netflix, Philstar.com got some exclusive insights straight from its director, Lee Kyoung-mi, and lead stars Nam Joo-hyuk and Jung Yu-mi, as to why this live-action adaptation of the 2015 award-winning novel "School Nurse Ahn Eun-young" is a must-watch.
The plot roundup
The story opens with the young Ahn Eun-young (Jung Yu-mi), who is being given a psychological assessment at her school for claiming that she has a supernatural ability to see humanoid-like monsters (ectoplasm) in jelly forms. These jellies are feeding off from people’s energy, and the more hatred and selfish desires they have, the stronger and bigger these jelly figures become.
Fast forward to the present, Eun-young returns to the same school to work as a nurse and this is where things get a little bit interesting because despite her mundane appearance by day, she is actually a monster-busting, athletic woman whose mission is to get rid of the world of evil.
Things get even more complicated when she meets Hong In Pyo (Nam Joo-hyuk), a classical Chinese teacher and the grandson of the school founder, who accidentally unleashed the jellies out of containment, putting the entire school and all the students in danger. Despite the chaotic mess that both characters can’t seem to disentangle themselves from, they have teamed up to save the school from total annihilation.
Joo-hyuk’s character may also seem like an ordinary and clueless young man, but underneath the facade, is a powerful protective aura that’s been the source of his own uncanny abilities. And if you want to know why he is the key for Ahn Eun-young to defeat these jelly monsters, you would have to stick it out until the end as twists and turns are revealed in each episode, making sure that viewers don’t lose the excitement.
Nam Joo-hyuk’s undisputed on-screen charisma
It’s been six years since he debuted in his first Korean drama "The Idle Mermaid," but it wasn’t until "Weightlifting Fairy Kim Book-joo" that catapulted him to international stardom. From being virtually unknown as one of Asia’s biggest leading men, you could say that the 26-year-old model-actor has gone a long way.
In the novel, Hong In Pyo is a dorky character who can’t seem to get himself out of trouble, but with Nam Joo-hyuk bringing the character to life, he is given a fresher personality that’s both charming and heartwarming.
When asked about how he feels playing such a unique role, this is what he had to say: “I find Hong In Pyo’s character quite admirable. On a normal day, the character spends his time like any normal person, but when he gets to step up and be able to help someone, that’s when I feel most satisfied playing the role.”
Based on what we’ve seen so far, we could say that Nam Joo-hyuk did a really good job in adding more dimension to the character, balancing the ominous feels of the series with his inherently charismatic personality, which time and again has proven to be one of his strong suits that allows him to gain massive support worldwide. His co-star Yu-mi even resounded this by saying that Joo-hyuk has a very quick and natural wit when it comes to all the creative aspects, pushing the other cast, especially her, to be as equally witty when delivering their lines - one of the main reasons why the whole cast had such a great experience and chemistry working side by side.
Jung Yu-mi brings her powerhouse acting skills to the set
Unlike her fresher co-star, Jung Yu-mi is by no means a fresh face as she’s been gracing the silver screen since 2005 when she debuted in "Blossom Again," for which she received many acting recognitions, including best new actress for the 4th Korean Film Awards.
Despite being a veteran, she admitted that taking on this project was challenging as it’s something completely different from the projects that she’s normally offered with.
“I grew up watching films like ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ and it made me want to star in an action movie. And when I was given the opportunity to play the role of Ahn Eun-young, I thought it would be a refreshing experience this time and could possibly jumpstart my career in action films, so I accepted the offer,” shared the 37-year old actress.
“And to be honest, Ahn Eun-young’s character is something totally different from what I had in mind. It just feels different when you’re reading if off the script or from the novel versus acting it, but as soon as I became more comfortable and got into the role, everything felt natural and meaningful afterwards."
Of course, we’re not surprised with how fast Jung Yu-mi was able to absorb the character and add her own flair, being a pro that she is.
Yu-mi also pointed out that filming this series comforted her in ways she never thought would be possible. “There were many scenes that I enjoyed filming like the physical side as I really had to prepare for it. And throughout the whole process, I’ve developed some sort of connection with Ahn Eun-young, that despite all the loneliness and struggles, she accepted her destiny. And even though my personal experiences in life may be different from hers, somehow it helped me realize how a person could be brave enough to fight through her destiny. It felt as if she was a friend that comforted me.”
Our final verdict
We very much echo what director Lee Kyoung-mi said: “What makes this series so exciting and addictive to watch is the fact that you’ll see a lot of exotic fantasy elements combined with something uniquely Korean.”
“And with Netflix giving us a global audience, we added original soundtracks that had Korean language, which was my vision from the beginning. The fusion of traditional and modern Korean approach that is evident in the music scoring, cinematography, and characters, is what makes this a truly remarkable Korean cinematic experience for all the viewers,” she added.
If this was a ratings game, we would definitely be giving ‘"The School Nurse Files" a glowing recommendation, but one thing to take note of is that if you’re looking for a mainstream, feel-good K-Drama, this may not be for you. This, however, would very much appeal to someone who can appreciate an unconventional story with many hidden turning points that will keep viewers on the edge of their seat.
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