A comprehensive internet reaction of the digital fallout following the premiere of the first two episodes of Gyeongseong High.
.
.
.
.
.
I. NAVER Entertainment News (Top Comments)
Headline: [EXCLUSIVE] Gyeongseong High Breaks 8.4% Ratings_Rookie Actor Haru Stuns Viewers with Dark, Melancholic Performance.
[+4,210, -189] The dinner table scene gave me goosebumps. When the camera panned out to show those three empty chairs and the three untouched settings for his family, the silence was suffocating. The way he stared at his mother's empty plate, then seamlessly shifted into that cold, unbothered expression when looking at the housekeeper... That isn't rookie acting. He didn't just play a bully; he played a deeply broken kid.
[+3,105, -412] Is it just me, or does his gaze feel oddly familiar? The way he controls his breathing and uses his eyes to convey silence... it strongly reminds me of the late top star Sunghoon. Especially in those quiet, heavy moments before he storms out to his motorcycle. If he keeps this up, he's going to be huge.
[+1,892, -905] Let's be real for a second. The only reason a completely unknown rookie got a central, complex role in a massive franchise like Gyeongseong High is because of his connection to Raiven. We all saw the airport photos and the video Se-hee uploaded. He's getting a massive push because of Raiven's shadow. Let's see if he can actually hold a whole series before calling him a genius.
[+1,420, -210] Reply to [+1,892]: Oh, please. Even if Raiven breathed on him, the directors of this franchise aren't fools. They wouldn't risk their billion-won IP on someone who can't act. Haru earned every single second of praise for that motorcycle scene. You could practically feel his panic attack through the screen.
.
.
.
.
.
.
II. THE QOO (Trending Hot Category)
Title: The contrast between Character Haru and Real-Life Haru is insane (GIFs attached)
User 1: Look at him in the first episode. He's an absolute menace at school, terrorizing people as a rich, spoiled bully. But then the show takes us to his home, and it's just a massive, empty mausoleum. His dad is perpetually "on business," his mom is hospitalized, and his brother is nowhere to be found. He's literally eating a gourmet meal alone with a housekeeper watching.
User 2: That motorcycle scene was pure art. The transition from the suffocatingly large house to him speeding through the dark streets just to breathe. The director utilized the helmet visor reflections perfectly.
User 3: I came here to hate because I thought he was just another industry plant riding on Raiven's coattails, but I'm shutting my mouth. The kid has gravitas. The scene where he drops his chopsticks and the sound echoes in that massive dining room? Chills.
User 4: Honestly, the Sunghoon comparisons are a bit much. Sunghoon was a god. Haru is good, but let's not disrespect the dead just because a rookie knows how to ride a motorcycle and look sad.
User 5: Reply to User 4: Nobody is disrespecting Sunghoon, but you can't deny the acting choices are incredibly mature. The technique is flawless. It's rare for a new actor to understand pacing like that.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
III. INSTAGRAM (Top Fan Pages & Entertainment Hubs)
@kdramadigest: Gyeongseong High dropped its first two episodes, and the breakout star is undoubtedly #Haru. Swipe to see the heartbreaking contrast between his high school bully persona and the agonizing loneliness of his family dynamic. 💔🏍️
Top Comments:
@user_blue: The dinner table scene broke me. Sitting in front of three empty place settings for a family that doesn't care... No wonder his character acts out at school. He's entirely alone in that mansion.
@raiven_orbit: It's so obvious Fei Entertainment is using Raiven to media-play for this kid. The timing of their "friendship" and this premiere is too perfect. 🙄
@kdrama_trash: Reply to @raiven_orbit: Watch the show before you type. Raiven didn't act in that dining room scene, Haru did. Give credit where it's due, the franchise wouldn't give him screen time if he lacked talent.
@dramafan99: That final shot of him ripping down the highway on his motorcycle just to catch his breath... The emotional delivery was top tier.
..
.
..
..
.
.
.
IV. REDNOTE (Chinese Social Media/Xiaohongshu)
User_Tag: #GyeongseongHigh #ActorHaru #KoreanDrama Review
Post: "The production value of the Gyeongseong franchise is legendary, but this new actor, Haru, completely hijacked my attention. His character is introduced as a cruel, unlikable bully, but by the end of episode two, you see his absolute isolation. The scene where he is seated at a table meant for four, with three empty chairs, perfectly symbolizes his psychological abandonment. His father's absence is treated like a corporate shadow, and his mother's illness leaves him stranded. He flees to his motorcycle like it's his only oxygen tank.
Some netizens are claiming he's a nobody who got lucky through a connection with global star Raiven, but talent doesn't lie. His micromanagement of facial expressions actually reminds me heavily of the late actor Sunghoon. He has that same precise, chilling emotional delivery."
V. TIKTOK (Viral Edits & Commentary)
Video 1: The "Loneliness" Edit
Visuals: A split-screen contrast. On the left, Haru's character looking cold, arrogant, and terrifying as a bully at school. On the right, the scene shifts to the massive, silent dining room. The camera slowly zooms in on Haru sitting completely isolated, staring at the three empty place settings while the housekeeper stands rigidly behind him. It cuts sharply to him kickstarting his motorcycle and speeding into the neon night, ripping his helmet off to breathe.
Audio/BGM: A slowed, reverb version of a melancholic, bass-heavy track.
On-Screen Text: "The narrative depth of a bully who is completely abandoned at home."
Top Commentary: "The sound of his chopsticks hitting the plate in that giant house was louder than any explosion in this show." (10k likes)
Video 2: The Conspiracy vs. Talent Debate
Visuals: A creator talking directly to the camera with screenshots of Haru, Raiven, and the Gyeongseong High trending charts in the background.
Voiceover/Commentary:
"Okay, we need to talk about Haru. The internet is literally on fire right now. Half of the forums are saying he's a total industry plant who only got cast because of his high-profile friendship with Raiven and connection. But guys... did we watch the same premiere? Look at the dinner table scene. Look at the sheer emptiness in his eyes when he's looking at his father's and brother's empty chairs. You cannot fake that kind of screen presence. This franchise is too big to jeopardize for a favor. He's drawing major comparisons to Sunghoon's early work for a reason. The kid is a powerhouse, period."
Top Commentary: "People are just mad that he's beautiful, connected, AND can actually act circles around the veterans." (45k likes)