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 was based on a highly-rated Naver webtoon by Shin Hyung-wook and Ryu Seung-yeon and won over the audience internationally with its high school drama, fighting scenes, and coming-of-age story. The series featured 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 the audience and secured backing from Studio Dragon, Study Group has claimed its spot amongst the top K-drama releases of early 2025.

Study Group's international popularity continues to build up among K-drama fans all 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, which raised the question of international accessibility.

However, it is not a problem for non-Korean viewers. The series can be accessed via the regular streaming services that specialize in Asian content. You might need to check which platform has it in your country, and there’s 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 US 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 the 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 will 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. But you get everything from the Standard plan, plus KOCOWA library, downloadable subtitles, priority customer support, and even merch discounts if you want one.

No matter which paid plan you pick, you get the exact same access to Study Group. The real difference is all 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 US, the content licensing is subject to regional variations. The Study Group is entirely available for US viewers on Viki. However, the viewers from other countries are supposed to check with their own location about the availability. Some international markets may gain access to it through Viu, an Asian streaming platform, although the access and pricing differ from one region to another.

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What is Study Group about?

Study Group has a surprisingly unconventional concept that sets it apart from the typical high school dramas. You have Yoon Ga-min (Hwang Min-hyun), who is the poster child for ‘tryhard with bad luck.’ He has all the grit in the world, 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 being the last one in class, and his academic wishes look like they are becoming impossible.

This show puts you in Yusung Technical High, which is notoriously entitled “the school for future criminals”. Most kids there couldn’t care less about school, and half of them are in with a sketchy gang called White Lead. The place is crawling with bullies, teachers who gave up ages ago, and enough 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 since he gets rejected from all study groups because his grades are not great. So, he thinks of building his own study group. He pulls in other students who are just as desperate to change their luck, even if their school is a warzone with textbooks. It’s a total misfit squad: everyone has got their own baggage.

Now, you have got Kim Se-hyun (Lee Jong-hyun), who only joins up after seeing Ga-min fight like a pro. Then there’s the twins, Lee Ji-woo and Lee Jun, double trouble, but they are in. Other classmates trickle in too, all drawn to a little 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 is 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 is not 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 is tangled up in the school’s old secrets. Turns out there’s literally 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 puts together martial arts brawls with, of all things, cramming for tests. When the group gets targeted by bullies or some wannabe gangsters like Pi Han-ul (Cha Woo-min) and his crew, Ga-min doesn’t just talk his way out. He is out there dodging punches and throwing kicks. The fights are just as intense as the test anxiety.

Study Group gets heavy as there are 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.

Due to its exceptional cast, vibrant direction by Lee Jang-hoon and Yoo Beom-sang, and an adaptation of a popular webtoon, Study Group is quite 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 are 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 will get your action, you will get your feels, and you might even end up rooting for these nerds more than you expect.