Once Upon a Time in High School (South Korea, 2004)

The year is 1978. Hyun-su transfers to a new school in Seoul. He is sent to a bottom-rank class and experiences violence by a group of gangsters in his class. Surrounded by  bullies, Hyun-su befriends Woo-shik, a strong man who's the only one who dares to fight the gangsters, and Hamburger, a chubby but kind student who sells naughty magazines. From amidst all the gang rivalry, violence and abuse from teachers, Hyun-su sees the beautiful Eun-ju; a student from an all-girls school. Welcome to JungMoon High.

Definitely one of the best school dramas I've seen. It depicts all the trials and tribulations a South Korean student could encounter in the harsh year of 1978. If you like it, be sure to check out Blue Spring (2001), another masterpiece with school environment.

Genre: Drama/Romance