Japanese Drama, "School Trip: Joined a Group I’m Not Close to," Crushes Competition with Seven Times the Views of Concurrent Series—Secures Position as GagaOOLala Platform’s Dark Horse Hit!
Starring Hideyoshi Kan and Kodai Fujimoto in a School Trip That Crosses the Boundaries of Friendship
The highly anticipated Japanese drama, "School Trip: Joined a Group I’m Not Close to," adapted from a popular novel and starring the high-profile actors Hideyoshi Kan and Kodai Fujimoto, has officially premiered and immediately ignited massive online discussions. Fans have affectionately dubbed the core cast the "Four Heavenly Kings" BL Drama, celebrating the beloved group dynamic. The drama not only successfully visualizes the intense school hierarchy atmosphere of the original novel but has also set an astonishing viewing record: its watch count is seven times higher than other series premiering concurrently, effortlessly securing its position as the dark horse hit of the year’s BL dramas.
The High-Tension Romance Tornado of the “Four Heavenly Kings”
This work, dubbed "School Hierarchy BL" by its fans, is set during a high school sophomore-year school trip. The ordinary and gentle protagonist, Asahi Hioki (played by Kodai Fujimoto)—typically a loner in class—is fatefully drawn into the same travel group as the "Four Heavenly Kings," the most popular, super-handsome clique on campus.
A trip that should have been filled with awkwardness and distance instantly escalates into a high-tension romance tornado due to the relentless pursuit of the group's core member, Tsukasa Watarai (played by Hideyoshi Kan).
Tsukasa Watarai’s displays of tenderness and care initially seem like prince-like gestures of friendship, but they quickly reveal a strong undercurrent of possessiveness and obsessive affection. Watarai’s "thoughtfulness" toward Hioki is, in reality, a sweet trap that gradually crosses the line. During the school trip, their relationship quickly heats up:
On the first day, when Hioki loses his contact lenses and his vision is blurred, Watarai unhesitatingly grasps his hand in public, immediately dissolving their distance.
The two are later forced to spend the night in the same single bed due to a room shortage, with Watarai seizing the opportunity to whisper secrets into Hioki’s ear in the dark, flashing a sweet smile.
These intimate actions include the ambiguous hand-holding, sharing a single bed, the sudden back-hug while watching a video, and the probing question, "How would you feel about friends kissing?" fill Hioki with doubt: "Do friends really do things like this?"
Cast Dynamics: The "Wolf-Dog" Meets the Pure-Hearted Protagonist
The series is led by Hideyoshi Kan (as Tsukasa Watarai), who previously starred in Kamen Rider Geats. He brilliantly portrays Watarai’s image as a "wolf-dog" type handsome guy cool on the surface but privately displaying intense, "super-obsessive" feelings. Kodai Fujimoto (as Asahi Hioki), making his debut as a leading actor in a continuous drama, accurately captures the protagonist’s pure-hearted and plain features ("simple-featured type") despite his otherwise ordinary demeanor. Supporting roles, including Shota Morizaki, Haruki Nakasato, and Hayato Hotta from the "Four Heavenly Kings," also add rich chemistry to this school romance.
The campus BL drama, School Trip: Joined a Group I’m Not Close to, filled with dangerous and heart-fluttering boundaries, is now airing weekly every Sunday on the GagaOOLala platform. We invite viewers to witness Watari's sweet trap as he crosses the line from "friend" to "lover." Tune in now!