Netflix’s original K-dramas have disappointed viewers a lot lately. As the global streamer continues to produce mixed content that is a far cry from the authentic goodness of predominantly Korean dramas, netizens are clearly scrutinising the hefty production costs, which they have ultimately slammed as “wasted potential”.
Supposedly the Korean version of the hit Spanish series ‘Elite’, Hierarchy was billed as a very promising premiere. The series seemed to have everything – the cast, the budget, and more. However, the show’s unexpected failure was also ultimately attributed to the lack of everything else needed to build its foundation.
Fans of the K-drama were eagerly waiting for its global premiere on June 7. And so, seven episodes were released simultaneously on Friday. Viewers tuned in expecting a “spectacular level of revenge,” as one x/Twitter user commented. The dish was served cold; sadly, the dish was not revenge. Instead, it was a dismal disaster, or so netizens claimed.
The hierarchy features a team of many young actors who you might have seen as supporting cast members. With the Netflix K-dramas taking their lead positions, fans mainly let out a disgruntled sigh of disappointment, expressing their disapproval of the output.
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What is the plot? A basic overview of the series will give you a glimpse of a dirtbag filled with familiar tropes. Scandals are left behind as privileged high school students hide the truth. Let’s not forget that they’re all gathered at South Korea’s most prestigious high school. The scandalous crew maintains their dispassionate silence, until, of course, an outsider – a scholarship student – comes in, trying to break the mold and demolish the dubious hierarchy of secrets.
Starring Lee Chae Min, Roh Jeong Eui, Kim Jae Won, Ji Hye Won and Lee Won Jung, Hierarchy is directed by Bae Hyeong Jin and written by Choo Hye Mi. At first glance, this 7-part drama appears to pull a page from the original Elite series and K-dramas such as The Glory, Pyramid Game, Sky Castle and even The Penthouse.
However, fans’ social media reviews about the show paint a completely inconsistent picture, confirming that the Netflix series has nothing in common with its predecessors that raise character and plot-building processes as their top priority, while everything else is in second place. The hierarchy of preferences eventually translated into massive results that were reflected in the overwhelming positive bombardment of audience reviews. However, the same cannot be said for the hierarchy.
Hierarchy Review by K-Drama Fans
Occasional comments from relatively new viewers in the K-drama content folder suggest that they liked the Netflix series to some extent. However, fans of OG Korean content claimed they have seen better than this.
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Common reactions to the suspenseful romance included netizens’ awe for the high-budget visuals and cinematography. However, these positives also seemed to translate into a shallow, pretentious and disingenuous attempt to sell a specific aesthetic that was merely superficial.
Despite the generally disappointing reactions to the show, some K-drama fans were still hoping that Roh Jeong Eui would pair up with Lee Chae Min and Kim Jae Won, respectively, for other projects, as they could feel obvious sparks of chemistry in each case.
However, this too was not particularly desired by many. In contrast, more generally, the “side characters” played by Ji Hye Won and Lee Won Jung received positive responses, winning over viewers who were otherwise unimpressed with the show or other aspects of it.
Aside from the negatives, the end of the first season left many viewers online excited. Many questions and “unraveling” feelings surfaced, and many sought answers to issues that won’t be resolved unless Hierarchy is renewed for another season. This brings us to the important issue: do viewers even want Hierarchy Season 2?
Here’s how netizens reacted to the Hierarchy K-drama on X/Twitter:
- “It was so enjoyable to see the variety of houses, buildings, and architecture in #hierarchy! I’m glad they didn’t use all the houses that most chaebol Kdramas have.”
- “Thank you to the writers for showing that strong-willed teenage female characters can transcend high school drama, boys and still have a friendship that remains strong despite their own weaknesses. I loved Hera and Jae’s imperfect friendship 🥺🫶🏽 #hierarchy”
- “Oh believe me, I mean there was so much anticipation for this drama only to be disappointed, I mean the acting wasn’t that good either, sorry but it wasn’t worth the wait.”
- “Wasted potential, the story was rubbish, no resolution to topics that are relevant among today’s teenagers. The love triangle was made complicated and boring just to keep the plot going and seriously the only thing that matters is the french kiss 😒”
- “I blame the director for making this drama a dud. The casting of Roh Jeonghai, Lee Chaemin, and Kim Jaewon is already promising enough, but what’s wrong with the writing and direction of this drama?! I’m so speechless that I don’t know what to say anymore.”
- “I was hoping Hierarchy would give me the first season of The Penthouse with a splash of Euphoria and bring me to the edge of my seat, but it gave me #nothing”
- “If Netflix wanted to make a good, chaotic high school drama they should have brought in some consultants from Spain and the UK, the budget was better.”
- “Came in episode 4, it wasn’t as much as I thought it would be and especially the love affair, zero chemistry, I didn’t like the sweet emotions at all. Needed spice, revenge, blood boiling anger.”
- “Lee Chaomin and the other duo carried the show. The plot was very weak even though it had a lot of potential. And some of the actors also failed. If they are making a season 2 I hope they do something better.”
- “No, the first episode got me excited but then it got very boring. The suspense and excitement was completely missing in this #Hierarchy”
- “I honestly expected a lot more than this. So much wasted potential. I only waited to see Lee Chemin. That was the main reason I decided to watch it. Overall, disappointed. Hopefully LCM and RJE will be cast in another drama and have their own happy ending there 😪”
- “There was no exposition, nothing. They gave me no reason to care about any of the characters, not even the main one. I was expecting something like Glory or Pyramid Game, so was disappointed.”
- “Hera put the whole act on if you ask me… she put women first over everything else.”
- “My expectations were so high that I started hating myself because I thought it might be of the level of Pyramid Game, not only the plot was bad but the acting was also bad, that’s why some of the actors don’t need to leave Nugudom.”
- “No, because expectations were so high for this movie, but it turned out to be messy and slow, the acting wasn’t really there most of the time and I had to entertain myself with the supporting characters.”
- “The acting was so bad, the plot was so bad, the pacing of the story was so bad, the romance of the actors was so bad like everything was so bad, the only good thing was that they had cars.”
- “Apart from the poor plot and script, it didn’t feel like I was watching a K-drama. The Korean aspect was missing.”
