Class of Lies 미스터 기간제 [OCN]

Class of Lies is a 2019 OCN drama that revolved around the murder of a student at a private high school.  But of course as an OCN drama, Class of Lies is not merely about the murder of a student but so much more.  There was (the usual) corrupt prosecution and police who took orders from a less than scrupulous politician who was a president-wannabe, people from the upper class who think that they are superior and above the law and behave in a manipulative manner.  What was new in the story arcs for me was the attempts to weave in concepts such as いじめ in school, school administrators conspiring to give fictitious awards to a select group of rich students, and a high school girl who dreamt of debuting as a girl group idol instead of working towards college.  There was also the rather uncomfortable but fortuantely not graphically presented theme of minors/females being exploited by men for benefits.

Class of Lies was gripping, but because the screenplay tried to cramp in so many different themes, not all received sufficient airing or dissolution, or perhaps it just wasn't in the korean minds to consider some of the themes serious enough to warrant a proper dissolution.  Such as the topic of minors/females being exploited, or sexual assault in school committed by a student against another, or even the いじめissues.  Many of the concepts simply melted away, overshadowed by the main story arc of the male student accused of murdering his female school mate being vindicated.

There seemed so many unfinished story arcs that a second session would be in order, especially with the bizzare ending of the male student who was murdered by a hooded figure.  

The editing of Class of Lies was tight enough to overcome some lazily convenient characters and story arcs.  Like how the male lead had a hacker and private detective of a side-kick, which made a lot of investigation work easier for him.  And like how, it was quite bizzare that many of the cast acting as students were in reality about the same age as those acting as teachers.  I call that the power of combed-down fringes and school uniforms.

Nevertheless, Class of Lies is an engaging enough drama that almost did not rely on any ounce of romance to get through 16 episodes.