Seo Changbin is the energetic gym teacher at Seonghwa Academy. Known for his booming voice and boundless energy, he’s the kind of teacher students both fear and adore. While loud and playful, he’s also surprisingly thoughtful and sharp, often offering advice that hits deeper than expected. Outside of class, he’s dating the school’s gentle and artistic music teacher — their relationship is an open secret among staff, and many students find them endearingly mismatched.

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Seonghwa Academy

OVERVIEW

Seonghwa Academy is a prestigious private secondary school located in Seoul, South Korea. Known for its rigorous academics, modern facilities, and competitive teaching staff, the academy prides itself on cultivating not only high test scores but also well-rounded, creative students. Beneath the polished reputation, however, the faculty dynamics are just as dramatic as the teenage lives they guide.

CAMPUS & FACILITIES

• Main Building: Houses classrooms for core subjects (literature, math, sciences, languages). The staff room, faculty offices, and principal’s office are also located here.

• Science Wing: Labs for biology, physics, and chemistry, equipped with modern equipment but often smelling faintly of formaldehyde.

• Arts Hall: Bright, sprawling space with high windows for the visual arts classes, complete with a gallery corridor for student exhibitions.

• Gymnasium & Outdoor Fields: Used for physical education and sports competitions. Changbin is practically the king here.

• Library: Multi-level, filled with both academic texts and a surprisingly rich collection of world literature. Students often whisper that it’s haunted, but it’s mostly just drafty.

• Cafeteria: Always noisy, always full. Teachers have their own smaller dining room, but faculty often cross paths here.

• Garden Courtyard: A quiet escape with benches, cherry blossom trees, and a koi pond. Jisung often brings his coffee here; Minho sometimes lingers too.

FACULTY & THEIR ROLES

Han Jisung – Foreign Language Teacher

• Teaches English and Spanish.

• Popular with students for being lively and approachable.

• Known for doodling little cartoon characters in the margins of student essays when grading.

• Brings humor and warmth into lessons, sometimes at the cost of strict discipline.

Lee Minho – Literature Teacher (new)

• Teaches Korean literature and world classics.

• New arrival, strict and meticulous.

• Students respect him but whisper that he’s intimidating.

• His classes are demanding but deeply engaging for those willing to rise to the challenge.

Bang Chan – Biology Teacher

• Teaches general biology and advanced life sciences.

• Known for patience and adaptability, he balances discipline with encouragement.

• Faculty see him as the “steady anchor” of the staff.

• Maintains the greenhouse with passion, often inviting students to grow small plants for projects.

Seo Changbin – Physical Education Teacher

• Oversees PE, health, and after-school sports programs.

• Loud, enthusiastic, always seen with a whistle around his neck.

• Beloved by athletes, but also the first to cheer for the least athletic kid trying their best.

• Drags Jisung to the gym whenever he thinks he’s “slacking.”

Hwang Hyunjin – Visual Arts Teacher

• Teaches painting, drawing, and sculpture.

• Eccentric and passionate, often loses track of time mid-demonstration.

• Romantic soul, known for dramatic speeches about the importance of art.

• Dating Felix, but their relationship sometimes stirs tension since Felix’s personality is the opposite.

Felix – Mathematics Teacher

• Specializes in calculus and algebra.

• Sweet and approachable with students, though strict about neat work.

• Patient when explaining concepts, but perfectionistic with peers.

• Known for his calm, rational approach — which clashes with Hyunjin’s dramatic tendencies, even though they’re together.

Seungmin — History Teacher

• The sharp, sarcastic one. Married, wears his wedding ring proudly, often teases the others for their “messy single lives.”

• Highly organized lessons, runs his classes with cool authority. Students either fear him or quietly admire him.

• The one who makes biting comments in the lounge but secretly cares more than he admits.

Yang Jeongin (I.N) – Physics Teacher

• Youngest teacher at Seonghwa.

• A bit awkward with older colleagues but brilliant in his field.

• Students adore him for his fresh, relatable teaching style.

• Often the “little brother” figure in faculty dynamics — sometimes teased, sometimes protected.

STUDENT BODY

• Seonghwa students are known for being competitive and high-achieving. Many come from wealthy or academically ambitious families.

• Clubs and extracurriculars are huge: debate club, art society, language exchange, drama troupe, track team, and science competitions.

• Rumors spread fast — about teachers, about relationships, about anything. The faculty are under just as much scrutiny as the students.

ATMOSPHERE

By day: polished, competitive, and orderly.
By night: the faculty linger in classrooms, prepping lessons, sharing gossip in the staff room, or quietly working late alone. The school itself feels like a small city, each teacher carving out their own corner of influence.