MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for Once Upon a Time in High School

Once Upon a Time in High School

2004 · 116 min

A raw, nostalgic coming-of-age story that balances brutal school violence with tender first love and a cathartic martial arts rebellion.

Directed by
Yoo Ha
Genres
Romance, Drama, Action
Starring
Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Jung-jin, Han Ga-in
Tagline
Spirit of jeet kune do.
Overview
A model student transfers to the notorious Jungmoon High School known for its severe corporal punishment by teachers and power struggles between school gangs.

Your rating is saved. See your suggestions, or find titles like this one below.

Rate it, and Mesmero finds titles that feel like it. You do not need an account.

Search YouTube for a trailer

In the UKNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.
Directed by
Yoo Ha
Genres
Romance, Drama, Action
Starring
Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Jung-jin, Han Ga-in
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • darkstrength 2 of 3
  • melancholicstrength 2 of 3
  • tensestrength 2 of 3
  • earneststrength 2 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • coming-of-age
  • violence
  • rebellion
  • family
  • love
Places
  • school
  • big city
  • home
Era
period
Audience
adult
Form
  • nonlinear
Content intensity
  • Gore mild
  • Language strong
  • Violence strong
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action6
Horror2
Humour3
Realism8
Romance4
Tension6
Darkness7
Complexity5
Emotional weight7

More like this

Titles like Once Upon a Time in High School

TV series

Weak Hero

2022–2025

A tense, bruising watch that pairs brutal schoolyard fights with a quiet, earnest story about lonely kids learning to stand together.

Dark, tense · about coming-of-age and violence

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • coming-of-age
  • violence
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Seasons
2
Details
Weak HeroHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

A Brighter Summer Day

1991

A long, quietly devastating immersion into youth and violence, drifting patiently through memory until its sorrow becomes overwhelming.

Dark, melancholic · about coming-of-age and family · nonlinear

Via
  • dark
  • melancholic
  • coming-of-age
  • family
  • nonlinear
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
237 min
Details
A Brighter Summer DayHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Boyz n the Hood

1991

A slow-building, emotionally raw look at friendship and survival under constant threat, leaving a heavy, lingering sadness.

Dark, melancholic · about coming-of-age and violence

Via
  • dark
  • melancholic
  • coming-of-age
  • violence
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
112 min
Details
Boyz n the HoodHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

A Dirty Carnival

2006

A slow-burning, emotionally heavy crime drama that immerses you in a world of shifting loyalties and moral decay, with bursts of brutal violence.

Same writer: Yoo Ha · Dark, melancholic · about family · nonlinear

Also
Same writer: Yoo Ha
Via
  • dark
  • melancholic
  • family
  • nonlinear
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
141 min
Details
A Dirty CarnivalHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Beat

1997

A raw, brooding plunge into youthful desperation and gang violence, with a volatile romance at its core.

Dark, melancholic · about coming-of-age and violence

Via
  • dark
  • melancholic
  • coming-of-age
  • violence
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
116 min
Details
BeatHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

A Silent Voice: The Movie

2016

A tender, painful coming-of-age story about guilt and forgiveness that lingers with quiet emotional force.

Melancholic, earnest · about coming-of-age · nonlinear

Via
  • melancholic
  • earnest
  • coming-of-age
  • nonlinear
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
129 min
Details
A Silent Voice: The MovieHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Evil

2003

A grim, tense coming-of-age drama that immerses you in institutional cruelty and the struggle to resist becoming what you hate.

Dark, melancholic · about coming-of-age and violence

Via
  • dark
  • melancholic
  • coming-of-age
  • violence
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
113 min
Details
EvilHidden from your suggestions.
TV series

The Glory

2022–2023

A cold, methodical slow-burn that simmers with quiet rage and discomfort, demanding patience as it meticulously tightens its grip.

Same composer: Kim Jun-seok · Dark, melancholic

Also
Same composer: Kim Jun-seok
Via
  • dark
  • melancholic
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
engaged
Seasons
1
Details
The GloryHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Your Heart Will Be Broken

2026

A tender, anguished teen romance that aches with longing and the sting of outside forces pulling two people apart.

About coming-of-age and family

Via
  • coming-of-age
  • family
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
134 min
Details
Your Heart Will Be BrokenHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Ip Man 3

2015

A dignified martial-arts drama balancing fierce, precise fights with quiet domestic tenderness and a lingering sense of loss.

Melancholic, tense · about family

Via
  • melancholic
  • tense
  • family
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
105 min
Details
Ip Man 3Hidden from your suggestions.
Movie

GO

2001

A raw, heartfelt coming-of-age story that balances kinetic energy with quiet moments of tenderness and pain.

Melancholic, tense · about coming-of-age and family · nonlinear

Via
  • melancholic
  • tense
  • coming-of-age
  • family
  • nonlinear
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
122 min
Details
GOHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Shark: The Beginning

2021

A grim, hard-hitting watch that mixes brutal bullying with a slow, cathartic climb toward self-respect.

Dark, tense · about coming-of-age and violence

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • coming-of-age
  • violence
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
108 min
Details
Shark: The BeginningHidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres
romance, drama, action
Directed by
Yoo Ha
Written by
Yoo Ha
Starring
Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Jung-jin, Han Ga-in, Lee Jong-hyuk, Park Hyo-joon, Seo Dong-won, Kim Dong-young, Cho Jin-woong
Music
Kim Jun-seok
Cinematography
Choi Hyeon-gi
Runtime
116 min
Country
South Korea
Languages
Korean

TMDBIMDbLetterboxdWikipediaWikidata