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The new drama Stand-in CSAT promises a blend of tension, mystery and psychological drama. Directed by Park So-yeon, already acclaimed for "Pyramid Game", this upcoming series on TVING will plunge viewers into the shady areas of the South Korean school system, where success becomes a matter of survival.
A rigged exam and well-kept secrets
The plot revolves around a model student from a prestigious private high school, who is forced to take the CSAT (College Scholastic Ability Test) instead of another student after being blackmailed. This starting point paves the way for a veritable game of manipulation, where betrayal, guilt and lies intersect in a world where grades define an individual's worth.
Bae Hyeon-seong plays Nam Jae-yeop, a seemingly perfect student whose inner flaws gradually begin to reveal themselves. Cha Kang-yoon plays Kang Geon-tae, a brilliant student from a modest background, on a school scholarship, who hides a dark secret from his past. Park Yoon-ho plays Joo Hee-dong, Kang Geon-tae's only friend, a character who will upset the course of the story with unexpected twists and turns.
A solid cast and powerful themes
The drama will also be able to count on confirmed actors. Uhm Ji-won plays Shim Kyung-oh, a mother willing to sacrifice everything for her son, while Park Hyuk-kwon plays Nam Dong-sik, an authoritarian mayoral candidate and rigid father. Baek Ji-won completes the cast as Baek Sun-hee, a mother capable of anything when it comes to protecting her child.
Through these intersecting destinies, Stand-in CSAT explores academic pressure and the excesses of a system that pushes young people to cross moral boundaries in order to succeed.
Scheduled for 2026 on TVING, This school thriller promises to be an intense mix of psychological tension and social criticism.
