High school is challenging for everyone, but it’s even more daunting when you’re a notorious gangster trapped in a teenager’s body, just trying to blend in.

This intriguing premise sets the stage for the new series “High School Return of a Gangster”.

The series follows Kim Deuk Pal (Lee Seo Jin), a feared thug and the vice-leader of a gang. Despite his lack of formal education, Deuk Pal is determined to change his life by hiring a tutor and studying hard. However, his efforts are hindered by his struggles with coursework and pressure from his boss to prioritize gang-related activities.

Later, while on the road, Deuk Pal encounters a high school student named Song Yi Heon, who has been relentlessly bullied and decides to end his life by jumping off an overpass. Deuk Pal tries to save him, but instead, they end up switching bodies. Deuk Pal’s body dies, and Yi Heon becomes a ghost, while Deuk Pal inhabits Yi Heon’s body and continues living.

Deuk Pal soon discovers the extent of Yi Heon’s suffering due to bullying, which led to his suicide attempt. Empathizing with Yi Heon’s plight, Deuk Pal decides to attend school posing as Yi Heon. He seizes the opportunity to receive an education while simultaneously punishing Yi Heon’s bullies.

One of the highlights of the series for me is Yoon Chanyoung, who plays the dual role of Song Yi Heon and Kim Deuk Pal. I admired his performance in “All of Us Are Dead”, and he excelled once again in this drama. Yoon Chanyoung demonstrated impressive versatility, seamlessly transitioning from the portrayal of a depressed, withdrawn, and exhausted Yi Heon to the confident, experienced, and extroverted Deuk Pal. His potential shines brightly through his work in this series.

Another highlight was the evolving relationship between Song Yi Heon (possessed by Deuk Pal) and Choi Se Kyung (Bong Jae Hyun). The original Yi Heon, in the same class as Se Kyung, had sought his help to fend off bullies, but Se Kyung refused, blaming Yi Heon for his own troubles.

As the series progresses, we learn that Se Kyung’s refusal stemmed from his own fear, shaped by a strict and emotionally abusive father.

Se Kyung eventually confesses this to Deuk Pal’s version of Yi Heon, leading to the formation of a beautiful friendship where they protect and support each other. The actors’ great chemistry adds a level of depth to their relationship, setting it apart from most teen dramas I have watched.

The main issue I have with the series, which many others have also pointed out, is the removal of the BL aspect that was present in the original webtoon.

While the series is effective as a comedic, high-school coming-of-age story that addresses the detrimental effects of bullying and abuse, it lacks a deeper connection, particularly in Se Kyung and Yi Heon’s relationship. To be clear, I’m not suggesting their be a romantic connection between a 47-year-old and a high schooler. However, in the webtoon, the original Yi Heon had feelings for Se Kyung before being possessed and eventually returned to his body at the end. This aspect could have added more depth and should have been retained in the series.

As the producer or director of a TV series, removing the original queer elements of a story does a disservice to everyone involved. While we have seen progress in the inclusion and production of queer media, there is still a scarcity of mainstream queer stories, so censoring an openly queer narrative and replacing it with a heterosexual love triangle is disrespectful to the LGBTQ+ community, as well as to the actors, fans, and creators.

A common misconception is that mainstream audiences won’t watch queer stories, but this isn’t true. There is always an audience for these narratives, and ignoring that is misguided.

Sidenote: I would also appreciate it if k-dramas stopped casting known rapists (Lee Kyung Young) in their series.

Overall, “High School Return Of A Gangster” is a well-crafted series, but I hope other creators think twice before completely dismissing BL and queer content in the future.

You can watch all eight episodes of “High School Return Of A Gangster” on WAVVE, TVING and Viu.

Rating- 4 out of 5