This drama (청담국제고등학교 시즌2) is back, and honestly? It’s as chaotic, unhinged, and deliciously messy as ever — in the best and worst ways. One second, I’m cringing at folks brawling over a couture dress like it’s do or die, and the next, I’m completely invested, on the edge of my seat, holding my breath waiting for someone to lose their grip, spill the tea, or get roasted. That’s the kind of rollercoaster Cheongdam International High School has turned into — and four episodes in, I’m not regretting a thing.
For those hooked on Kdramas like Bitch X Rich Season 2, the season ups the ante with the dysfunctional elite clique, Diamond 6. Kim Hye-in (Lee Eun-saem) and Baek Je-na (Ye Ri) are caught up in a psychological maelstrom of murder cover-ups, revenge, and the vulnerability of status. While the first few episodes have been unbalanced — particularly episodes 1 and 2 — the show seems to be picking up steam. The premise is good: a murder mystery combined with power play and class war in the high school setting.
Apart from the over-the-top goofiness or the melodrama scenes, the complicated relationships and looming secrets have all of us captivated. And with Bitch and Rich 2 bringing in fresh layers every week, the majority of us are now on the lookout for Kdramas similar to Bitch X Rich Season 2 — those that blend high-stakes school politics with dark psychological plotlines. Here are five recommendations that have the same magic.
Chaotic Kdramas Like Bitch X Rich Season 2
Friendly Rivalry
From the webtoon Friendly Competition, this Kdrama puts a new spin on the age-old high school pecking order. The story centres on Woo Seul-gi, a high school orphan who enrols in Seoul to attend prestigious Chaehwa High School. Chung Su-bin plays Seul-gi as she becomes accustomed to a life of luxury. Seul-gi catches the eye of the school’s star pupil, Yoo Je-yi — played to perfection by Lee Hye-ri, whose fixation on Seul-gi becomes a fatal obsession.
The complicated relationship between Seul-gi and Je-yi is in the balance of respect and manipulation, as with the Hye-in/Je-na relationship in Cheongdam International High School 2. It turns to psychological warfare in an instant, and Kang Hye-won and Oh Woo-ri are such good support to the heavy plot. If you like the line between friendship and something sinister, Friendly Rivalry is your drama.
Pyramid Game
Adapted from the popular webtoon by Dalgonyak, Pyramid Game drops us into the cutthroat social politics of Baekyeon Girls’ High. The students vote monthly to place the classmates, and the bottom of the list are bullied, institutionally disciplined and culturally sanctioned. Bo Na plays transfer student Seong Su-ji, who comes in last in her first vote. As Su-ji fights to survive, she begins to hatch a plan to topple the entire pyramid.
The issues here are eerily similar to Bitch and Rich 2, particularly the way the show delves into status, cruelty, and the price of silence. With powerhouse performances from Jang Da-a as ice queen Baek Ha-rin and Ryu Da-in as keen-eyed Myung Ja-eun, this is one of those dramas like Pyramid Game that you’ll watch in one anxious sitting. If you enjoyed the ruthless atmosphere of Bitch X Rich Season 2, you’ll enjoy how Pyramid Game carries its dark premise through.
Class of Lies
Unlike most student-centred dramas, Class of Lies turns the camera around by following a failed lawyer who infiltrates his old high school as a teacher to uncover a murder case. Yoon Kyun-sang is excellent as Gi Moo-hyeok, whose own failure pushes him into the moral grey area of top high school life. Through his eyes, we learn how far teachers and students will go to keep secrets and wear masks.
This series has the same DNA, privilege, manipulation, and rotting decay under gilded surfaces. It gains one additional thing, however, in the way of legal procedural and adult responsibility. Whereas Bitch and Rich is teen-oriented and emotionally bare, Class of Lies is more mature and procedural. If you’re in the mood for something grittier and more realistic, this one is worth it.
Law School
Reputation and popularity at Law School are no longer at stake — life, death, and justice are. When the body of a deceased professor is discovered on campus, a group of law students are caught up in the middle of it all. The drama pits Yang Jong-hoon, played by Kim Myung-min, a stern professor with secrets of his own, against Kim Bum and Ryu Hye-young as top students caught up in the middle.
Although it’s a university setting, Law School is also about the matter of how ambition and secrets can fool even the greatest minds. The only variation is intellectual sophistication; the melodrama is not done for the sake of being sensational, but it will keep you thinking. You’ll enjoy the same level of satisfaction with this drama if you enjoyed the chess-like strategic games and hidden agendas of Kdramas like Bitch X Rich.
Beautiful World
For its biting, unnerving commentary on school violence and bureaucratic indifference, Beautiful World is a must-watch. When a student in a school is put into a coma following a mysterious accident in school, his family, played by Park Hee-soon and Choo Ja-hyun, sets out in search of the truth in a desperate effort. Nam Da-reum and Kim Hwan-hee are superb as traumatised siblings and depict the way trauma seeps down to an entire family.
Compared to the stylised violence of Bitch X Rich, Beautiful World is realistic and true to the emotions. It speaks to the cost of silence, the failure of schools to provide protection for their students, and the bravery to pursue justice. If you prefer a true-to-life and mature depiction of bullying, social injustice, and cover-up, this drama depicts them in the most realistic manner.
From toxic friendships to brutal struggles for power, the Kdrama such as Bitch X Rich Season 2, isn’t slowing down any time soon. If you’re in the mood for something as messy, more structured or emotionally rich, here are five dramas which are all excellent follow-ups to the chaos of Bitch and Rich.
Also Read: S Line Episode 1-2 Review: Provocative, Bold Premise, Strong Execution, and a Truly Gripping Start
