Where to watch Study Group? Streaming details of the K-drama, explored

The much-awaited K-drama Study Group started airing on January 23, 2025, on TVING in South Korea. It followed a two-episode-per-week release pattern that lasted for five weeks, with new episodes every Thursday.

The thrilling series is based on a highly rated Naver webtoon by Shin Hyung-wook and Ryu Seung-yeon. It won over audiences internationally with its high school drama, fighting scenes, and coming-of-age story. The series features Hwang Min-hyun in the role of Yoon Ga-min, a student who is determined to be among the top performers but is studying at one of the worst vocational schools in Korea.

With a positive response from audiences and secured backing from Studio Dragon, Study Group has claimed its spot among the top K-drama releases of early 2025.

Study Group’s international popularity continues to build among K-drama fans around the world. Fans in the U.S. and other international markets have been actively looking for legal streaming alternatives to watch this captivating series. In contrast to several Korean dramas that get simultaneous global releases on major platforms, Study Group was launched exclusively as a TVING original. This raised questions about international accessibility.

However, this is not a problem for non-Korean viewers. The series can be accessed via streaming services that specialize in Asian content. You may need to check which platform has it in your country, and there is usually a subscription involved. But if you want to see Yoon Ga-min throw down and try to survive Yusung Technical High, you have definitely got options now. Let’s explore.

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Where to watch the K-drama Study Group? Complete streaming platform guide

If you are in the U.S. and want to watch Study Group, your best bet is Rakuten Viki. They snagged the international rights, so all 10 episodes with English subtitles are available to stream. But here’s the deal with Viki’s subscriptions:

There’s a Free Tier where you don’t pay a dime. You do have to put up with ads, though, and the video quality is not that great. But if you still want to check it out, just sign up and start watching.

Then you have Viki Pass Standard. It costs about $8 a month, or you can grab the yearly deal for $80. This one is for fans who can’t stand ads and want an HD (1080p) experience. Plus, you get early access to new episodes and can watch them on your TV via Chromecast. They even give you a 7-day free trial if you are new.

For the die-hard fans, there’s Viki Pass Plus. It costs $12 a month, or $120 if you go annual. You get everything from the Standard plan, plus access to the KOCOWA library, downloadable subtitles, priority customer support, and even merch discounts if you want them.

No matter which paid plan you pick, you get the exact same access to Study Group. The real difference lies in the bonus content and extras. Plus, the free version is legit if you don’t mind commercial breaks.

Although Rakuten Viki is accessible in the U.S., content licensing is subject to regional variations. Study Group is fully available for U.S. viewers on Viki. However, viewers in other countries should check availability based on their location. Some international markets may gain access through Viu, an Asian streaming platform, although access and pricing differ from region to region.

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What is Study Group about?

Study Group has a surprisingly unconventional concept that sets it apart from typical high school dramas. You have Yoon Ga-min (Hwang Min-hyun), who is the poster child for “try-hard with bad luck.” He has all the grit in the world and dreams of straight A’s and college, but the only thing he is really good at is throwing hands.

Ga-min’s sacrifices to learning and his strict daily routine do not bring him helpful results. He keeps ending up last in class, and his academic wishes look like they are becoming impossible.

The show puts you in Yusung Technical High, which is notoriously titled “the school for future criminals.” Most kids there couldn’t care less about school, and half of them are mixed up with a sketchy gang called White Lead. The place is crawling with bullies, teachers who gave up ages ago, and plenty of corruption. So Ga-min standing out as the one guy who actually wants to study is a big red flag for everyone else. Some are curious, most are just plain annoyed, and you wonder how he even survives a single day.

Ga-min has it rough, as he gets rejected from all study groups because his grades are not great. So he decides to build his own study group. He pulls in other students who are just as desperate to change their luck, even if their school is a war zone with textbooks. It’s a total misfit squad, and everyone has their own baggage.

Now you’ve got Kim Se-hyun (Lee Jong-hyun), who only joins after seeing Ga-min fight like a pro. Then there are the twins, Lee Ji-woo and Lee Jun, double trouble, but they’re in. Other classmates trickle in too, all drawn to a small safe haven where studying isn’t just possible; it’s actually protected from the daily beatdowns.

Then Lee Han-kyung (Han Ji-eun) shows up. She used to tutor Ga-min back in middle school, but now she’s a temporary teacher at Yusung Technical High, trying to earn her teaching certification. She spots Ga-min right away, and she has her own reasons for taking this gig. She isn’t just another adult in the room; she gets what these kids are up against. She steps in, pulls some strings, and makes their study group official, a real school club. Finally, the group has someone on their side who can take on the administration and all the shady stuff going down.

Han-kyung isn’t just there for moral support. She’s tangled up in the school’s old secrets. Turns out there’s an unsolved teacher murder hanging over the place. Her dream is to turn Yusung into a school people want to go to, not just survive. Her partnership with Ga-min is the kind of teacher-student duo you wish existed in real life.

Now, what really makes Study Group pop is how it brings together martial arts brawls with, of all things, cramming for tests. When the group gets targeted by bullies or wannabe gangsters like Pi Han-ul (Cha Woo-min) and his crew, Ga-min doesn’t just talk his way out of it. He’s out there dodging punches and throwing kicks. The fights are just as intense as the test anxiety.

Study Group gets heavy, with corrupt teachers, school gangs, and kids stuck in poverty with no escape. But it’s not all doom and gloom. There’s plenty of dark humor, legit friendship, and those little moments where you actually feel like these kids could make it.

Thanks to its exceptional cast, vibrant direction by Lee Jang-hoon and Yoo Beom-sang, and its adaptation of a popular webtoon, Study Group is interesting in every way.

The first season has ten episodes that actually go somewhere. By the end, you get enough closure to feel good about it, but there’s still a tease for more down the line. If you’re bored with the same old K-drama and want something that throws a few punches (literally and emotionally) this one is worth your time.

You’ll get your action, you’ll get your feels, and you might even end up rooting for these nerds more than you expect.