REVIEW: ‘Crash Course in Romance,’ Episodes 5-6

With the writers setting up the chess pieces in the first handful of episodes, Crash Course in Romance Episodes 5-6 settles on its tone while also moving the various conflicts introduced forward. More progress is made between Nam Haeng-seon (Jeon Do-yeon) and Choi Chiy-yeol (Jung Kyung-ho), while audience anxieties heighten from their complete failure to be inconspicuous with their new study arrangement. Also, the mystery-related storyline surrounding Chiy-yeol moves forward and produces more questions than answers.

We were left with a startling death at the end of Episode 4, and Episode 5 deals with the aftermath of that. The student that replaced Nam Hae-yi (Roh Yoon-seo) is now dead, and it’s not long before the police rule it a suicide due to pressure on high to wrap up the case. The quick ruling hasn’t stopped the ripple effect across the academy, and efforts are made to cancel classes to keep the students in mind. However, we soon see that the ambitious parents who will do anything to see their children succeed regardless of feelings, pressure the academy to open up classes again.

As I mentioned in the previous write-up, this is another example of haves and have-nots. The academy is beholden to the parents who continue to financially support them. The parents know this and show no problem swinging their weight around to get what they want. Despite the clear consequences of misusing their power (i.e. replacing students deemed less deserving with someone more influential ones), it is unlikely these parents will learn their lesson.

This doesn’t mean that others aren’t finding ways of getting around the parents. Crash Course in Romance Episodes 5-6 also focus on the arrangement made between Nam Haeng-seon and Choi Chiy-yeol to arrange study sessions for Nam Hae-yi. In exchange for teaching her in his free time, all Chi-yeol asks is for Haeng-seon to make him a couple of meals a day. As he puts it, it’s an exchange of skills. However, they both know that if the arrangement is ever discovered by the other parents, they’ll both face serious repercussions.

That isn’t all that they have to worry about. In a rather heartbreaking moment in Episode 5, Haeng-seon is called to the police station after her autistic brother, Nam Jae-woo (Oh Eui-shik), has been arrested for assault. In a misunderstanding at his favorite café, Jae-woo accidentally assaults the boyfriend of the café worker who, in his mind, makes the perfect waffle. The only reason why he ever goes to that café is that she makes the waffles just right. However, she mistakes his particular fixation as stalking, and things spiral from there.

In recent years, there has been more inclusion of autistic characters in Korean shows. This has helped showcase the spectrum in a variety of ways, but that doesn’t necessarily make it easy to watch sometimes, especially as an autistic viewer. The way the writers handled this situation highlights both sides of the conflict well, but the heart breaks when you realize that Jae-woo’s sense of normalcy has been shattered. Haeng-soon, now used to problem-solving around her brother’s specifications, quickly figures out a solution, but we see the toll it takes on her.

Where the episode loses itself a bit is the love triangle situation going on between Hae-yi, Lee Seon-jae (Lee Chae-min), and Seo Geon-hu (Lee Min-jae). While it provides first-time school romance feels, compared to everything else that’s going on in Crash Course for Romance, it distracts and detracts from the overall flow of the plot. That doesn’t mean it’s not cute, though. High school romance is sweet.

As if there wasn’t enough going on, we start to see a little more expansion into Seon-jae’s older brother who lives like a recluse in the family home. Another example of the pressures placed on kids by their parents, we learn that he ditched his college entrance exams one day after testing well for years. His mother lies about his whereabouts when the reality is that he is in complete isolation. The writers have been a bit too obvious in hinting that he might be the criminal this season, but the real takeaway from his expansion is likely one of the main ideas the writers are aiming to tackle – the damaging pressure placed on kids to succeed at all costs.

While it’s easy to focus on the high-intensity study system that has been built into and reinforced by Korean society in Crash Course for Romance, another idea is starting to take shape – the consequences of self-sacrifice. Despite their clashing, Haeng-seon and Chiy-yeol are incredibly similar. Taking a step back, both are heavily relied on. They are the primary holders of responsibility for the people in their lives, and this burden of responsibility and self-sacrifice has made them incredibly lonely. It’ll be interesting to see how far the writers go in exploring this if they aim to go further.

There’s so much more that can be touched on regarding the plot of Crash Course for Romance Episodes 5-6, but some things need to be witnessed for themselves. It’s nothing short of amazing how much gets crammed into the episodes to move the plot along. Nothing feels stagnant which, as many of us Kdrama viewers know, can sometimes be a challenge depending on the episode order. Aside from the romantic triangle going on, nothing feels like filler as of yet. With a deepening mystery, continued strong character performances, and a better balance of humor and tension, Crash Course for Romance Episodes 5-6 put things back on track.

Crash Course in Romance Episodes 5-6 are now available on Netflix, with new episodes airing on Saturdays and Sundays.