Hierarchy (TV series)

Hierarchy
Promotional poster
Hangul
하이라키
Revised RomanizationHa-iraki
McCune–ReischauerHairak'i
Genre
Written byChu Hye-mi
Directed byBae Hyeon-jin
Starring
Music byKim Tae-seong[1]
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes7
Production
Running time58–75 minutes
Production companyStudio Dragon
Original release
NetworkNetflix
ReleaseJune 7, 2024 (2024-06-07)

Hierarchy (Korean: 하이라키) is a 2024 South Korean teen romance television series written by Chu Hye-mi, directed by Bae Hyeon-jin, and starring Roh Jeong-eui, Lee Chae-min, Kim Jae-won, Ji Hye-won, and Lee Won-jung. The story is set in Jooshin High School, which prides itself on providing the best high-quality education service in South Korea and where the top 0.01% of children gather.[2] It was released on Netflix on June 7, 2024, and received generally negative reviews.

Synopsis

Founded by South Korea's top conglomerate, the Jooshin Group, Jooshin High School is a place where children are chosen from the moment they are born. At this prestigious private high school, an exciting story of love, friendship, revenge, and compassion unfolds among eighteen young people.

Cast and characters

Main

The eldest daughter of the Jaeyul Group, a rival of Jooshin Group, and the queen of Jooshin High School.
A transfer student at Jooshin High School who keeps a secret behind his bright smile.
The number one high school student and successor to the Jooshin Group.
The youngest daughter of International Yoon, a leading Korean trading company, and the embodiment of jealousy.
The second son of a family that has produced politicians for generations, and who has both good looks and kindness.

Supporting

The third son of the Army Chief of Staff. He is a rebel who lives and dies by loyalty and is the top fighter in the school.
The class president of Jooshin High School who is the Principal's son.
A high class student at Jooshin High School.
A student at Jooshin High School with a past connection to Ha.
A freshman at Jooshin High School who immediately catches the attention of the students and becomes a hot topic.
A calm and attentive student at Jooshin High School. He was ranked first in the country and entered the school as a scholar student but died in a sudden accident, leaving behind questions.

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"Newbie Party: Truth or Dare"
Transliteration: "Nyubipati: jinsil hogeun dojeon" (Korean: 뉴비파티: 진실 혹은 도전)		Bae Hyeon-jinChu Hye-miJune 7, 2024 (2024-06-07)
2"Secret: Within a Secret"
Transliteration: "Bimil: geurigo bimil" (Korean: 비밀: 그리고 비밀)		Bae Hyeon-jinChu Hye-miJune 7, 2024 (2024-06-07)
3"Hierarchy: A League of Their Own"
Transliteration: "Hairaki: geudeurui jilseo" (Korean: 하이라키: 그들의 질서)		Bae Hyeon-jinChu Hye-miJune 7, 2024 (2024-06-07)
4"Revenge, Desire, Romance: The Heart of the Matter"
Transliteration: "Boksu, yongmang, romaenseu: geudeurui jinsim" (Korean: 복수, 욕망, 로맨스: 그들의 진심)		Bae Hyeon-jinChu Hye-miJune 7, 2024 (2024-06-07)
5"Outstanding Outsiders: The Kangs"
Transliteration: "Ibangin: ganginhan gangha" (Korean: 이방인: 강인한 강하)		Bae Hyeon-jinChu Hye-miJune 7, 2024 (2024-06-07)
6"An Arrow: To the Heart"
Transliteration: "Hwal: moduui simjange nameul" (Korean: 활: 모두의 심장에 남을)		Bae Hyeon-jinChu Hye-miJune 7, 2024 (2024-06-07)
7"Spring Time: Our Short, Vulnerable Yet Precious Chapter"
Transliteration: "Spring time: jjalgo pureureun, geudeurui seotun bomnal" (Korean: Spring time: 짧고 푸르른, 그들의 서툰 봄날)		Bae Hyeon-jinChu Hye-miJune 7, 2024 (2024-06-07)

Production

Development

Produced by Studio Dragon, the series was helmed by Bae Hyun-jin, who co-directed Start-Up (2020), Big Mouth (2022), and Alchemy of Souls (2022–2023), and penned by Chu Hye-mi, who wrote About Time (2018).[10]

Casting

In March 2023, Roh Jeong-eui, Lee Chae-min, Ji Hye-won, and Kim Tae-jeong were reportedly cast.[11][12][13][4] The three, together with Kim Jae-won and Lee Won-jung, were confirmed to star in the series.[10]

Filming

Filming took place in Seoul, Goyang, Incheon, Jecheon, Namhae County, Paju, Seocheon, Yangpyeong, Yangyang and Yeongam.[14]

Original soundtrack

The soundtrack album was released on June 7, 2024, together with the release of the series.[15]

Hierarchy (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series)
Soundtrack album by
Various artists
ReleasedJune 7, 2024 (2024-06-07)
Length34:26
LanguageKorean
LabelNetflix
Singles from Hierarchy
  1. "Rainy Days"
    Released: June 7, 2024
Track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Holler Time"Mao
  • Cocona
  • Wise
  • Harry K
  • Olioli
Cocona3:23
2."Ruin Life"Croq
  • Spacecowboy
  • Jade
Kum Jun-hyeon (TIOT)4:00
3."Rainy Days"Mao
  • Cocona
  • Weather
Youra3:35
4."Wonder"JejeDailogJeje3:18
5."Desire"Mao
  • Cocona
  • Wise
Cocona2:44
6."Fake Paradise"Oh Dong-junOh Dong-junXydo3:43
7."Shrine"NaivNaivJemma3:18
8."Lost"
  • Hamellie
  • Moon Si-won
  • Spacecowboy
  • Jade
  • Croq
Jimmy Brown4:17
9."Your Eyes"Oh Dong-junOh Dong-junDasutt3:14
10."Mine"Naiv
  • Naiv
  • Dailog
Kimmuseum2:54
Total length:34:26

Release

In May 2024, Netflix confirmed the release date of the series to be on June 7, 2024.[16]

Reception

Critical response

Joel Keller of Decider wrote that Hierarchy "may be catnip for people who love elite school dramas" but "doesn't bring anything new to the genre".[17] Sarah Musnicky of But Why Tho? rated it 4.5 out of 10 and wrote the series as "will likely fail to climb the ranks, missing a much-needed spark to make it memorable in a saturated Kdrama sphere".[18] Jonathan Wilson of Ready Steady Cut gave it a 1.5/5 and described the series as "a lazy redo of every teen drama you've seen, though particularly Elite, as if we needed to see any more of that".[19] Pierce Conran of South China Morning Post gave the series 2 out of 5 and wrote that "simple stories alone are not an impediment to a show's value as entertainment" and "the substance of those stories and the charisma of their characters are what count and, on both counts, Hierarchy falls short".[20] Bhavna Agarwal of India Today gave it a 3 out of 5 and wrote that the series "had quite the potential", but sadly, "falls short of enough thrills to warrant a satisfying watch".[21] Tanu I. Raj of NME gave a 2/5 and described that "despite a strong premise and intriguing trailers, this school drama about class inequality falls far short".[22] Pallavi Keswani of The Hindu wrote that "rushed writing and hollow characters bring down the show".[23]

Viewership

Hierarchy ranked second in Netflix's Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) category after three days of its release and was well received in 51 countries, being topped in Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam while it listed in the Top 10 including South Korea, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, France, Nigeria, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.[24] The following week, the series topped the chart with 48 million hours watched by 6.3 million viewers.[25] Additionally, Hierarchy was also the fourth most searched show on Google Philippines for 2024.[26]

References

  1. ^ "Kim Tae-seong & Monopole". Kim Tae-seong & Monopole. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  2. ^ "K-drama 'Hierarchy' releases official teaser". GMA Network. May 29, 2024. Archived from the original on May 29, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e Ahn, Tae-hyun (May 15, 2024). 노정의·이채민·김재원·지혜원·이원정, 넷플릭스 '하이라키' 출연 확정 [Roh Jeong-eui, Lee Chae-min, Kim Jae-won, Ji Hye-won, and Lee Won-jung confirmed to appear in Netflix's 'Hierarchy'] (in Korean). News1. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024 – via Naver.
  4. ^ a b Moon, Ji-yeon (March 24, 2023). [단독] '일타 스캔들' 김태정, '하이라키' 주연 합류..이채민과 초고속 재회 [[Exclusive] Kim Tae-jeong of 'One Hit Scandal' joins lead role in 'Hierarchy'...High-speed reunion with Lee Chae-min] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024 – via Naver.
  5. ^ Ahn, Tae-hyun (February 10, 2024). [단독] '하이쿠키' 서범준 "10㎏ 증감량 반복...연기 간절함 있어" [한복인터뷰] [[Exclusive] 'Hi Cookie' Seo Beom-june "Repeatedly increasing and decreasing weight by 10 kg...I am desperate for acting" [Hanbok Interview]] (in Korean). News1. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024 – via Naver.
  6. ^ Ahn, Byung-gil (June 4, 2024). 권은빈, 넷플릭스 '하이라키' 출연 [Kwon Eun-bin, appears in Netflix's 'Hierarchy'] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024 – via Naver.
  7. ^ Son, Bong-suk (June 4, 2024). 배우 윤석호, 넷플릭스 '하이라키' 태호 역 출연 [Actor Yoon Seok-ho appears as Tae-ho in Netflix's 'Hierarchy'] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived from the original on June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024 – via Naver.
  8. ^ Han, Hae-sun (June 5, 2024). 서준, '하이라키' 합류..노정의X이채민과 '치명적 호흡' [Seo Jun joins 'Hairaki'...'Fatal Breath' with Noh Jeong-eui and Lee Chae-min] (in Korean). Star News. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024 – via Naver.
  9. ^ Park, Ro-sa (June 5, 2024). '웰컴투 삼달리' 김민철, 7일 공개 '하이라키' 출연 ['Welcome to Samdal-ri' Kim Min-chul appears in 'Hierarchy', released on the 7th] (in Korean). Maeil Gyeongje. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024 – via Naver.
  10. ^ a b Yoo, Jun-ha (May 15, 2024). 노정의·이채민 등 출연... 넷플릭스 '하이라키' 제작·캐스팅 확정 [Roh Jeong-eui, Lee Chae-min, etc. appears... Netflix's 'Hierarchy' production and casting confirmed] (in Korean). Edaily [ko]. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024 – via Naver.
  11. ^ Moon, Ji-yeon (March 8, 2023). [단독] 노정의, 이번엔 넷플릭스 여신..'하이라키' 주인공 [[Exclusive] Roh Jeong-eui, this time Netflix goddess...'Hierarchy' protagonist] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on June 7, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024 – via Naver.
  12. ^ Moon, Ji-yeon (March 8, 2023). [단독] 이채민, '일타 스캔들' 찍고 주인공..'하이라키' 합류 [[Exclusive] Lee Chae-min, the main character after filming 'One Shot Scandal', joins 'Hierarchy'] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024 – via Naver.
  13. ^ Jo, Eun-byeol (March 9, 2023). [단독] 지혜원도 하이틴로맨스 '하이라키' 합류...노정의·이채민과 연기 [[Exclusive] Ji Hye-won also joins hight teen romance 'Hierarchy'...Acting with Noh Jeong-ui and Lee Chae-min] (in Korean). Sports Seoul. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024 – via Naver.
  14. ^ Ostby, Ingrid (June 7, 2024). "Hierarchy: Who's in the Cast? What to Know About the Teen K-Drama". Netflix Tudum. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  15. ^ Lee, Geum-jun (June 7, 2024). 티아이오티 금준현, '하이라키'에 긴장 더한다...OST 주자 출격 [TIOT Kum Jun-hyeon adds tension to 'Hierarcy'... OST runners scramble] (in Korean). ETNews. Archived from the original on June 17, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  16. ^ Yoon, Hyun-ji (May 16, 2024). 노정의→이채민, 재력이 서열이 되는 하이틴 스캔들...'하이라키' 6월 공개 [Roh Jeong-eui→Lee Chae-min, a high teen scandal where financial power becomes the priority...'Hierarchy' to be released in June] (in Korean). Xports News. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024 – via Naver.
  17. ^ Keller, Joel (June 7, 2024). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Hierarchy' On Netflix, Where A Scholarship Student Exposes A Scandal At An Exclusive High School". Decider. Archived from the original on June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  18. ^ Musnicky, Sarah (June 7, 2024). "REVIEW: 'Hierarchy' Lacks A Certain Spark". Buy Why Tho?. Archived from the original on June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  19. ^ Wilson, Jonathan (June 9, 2024). "Review: There's Nothing New Or Interesting About Netflix's 'Hierarchy'". Ready Steady Cut. Archived from the original on June 16, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  20. ^ Conran, Pierce (June 11, 2024). "Netflix K-drama review: Hierarchy – vacuous high school drama combines revenge and romance". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  21. ^ Agarwal, Bhavna (June 11, 2024). "Hierarchy Review: Fairly engaging teen-revenge drama that falls short on thrills". India Today. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  22. ^ Raj, Tanu (June 11, 2024). "'Hierarchy' review: all glamour and no substance". NME. Archived from the original on June 22, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  23. ^ Keswani, Pallavi (June 13, 2024). "'Hierarchy' K-drama review: Rushed writing, hollow characters bring down the show". The Hindu. Archived from the original on June 16, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  24. ^ Park, Jung-sun (June 12, 2024). 노정의·이채민 주연 '하이라키'. 넷플릭스 비영어 TV 부문 2위 ['Hierarchy' starring Roh Jeong-eui and Lee Chae-min. 2nd place in Netflix non-English TV category] (in Korean). JTBC. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024 – via Naver.
  25. ^ Lee, Joo-in (June 19, 2024). 노정의x이채민 일냈다...하이틴 드라마 '하이라키' 넷플릭스 비영어 부문 1위 [Roh Jeong-eui x Lee Chae-min worked hard...Teen drama 'Hierarchy' ranked 1st in the non-English language category on Netflix] (in Korean). Ilgan Sports. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024 – via Naver.
  26. ^ "These are the most searched shows and movies in PH on Google for 2024". ABS-CBN News. December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.