Duty After School (2023) Episode 7

Duty After School Episode 7 starts with the students still fighting the spheres. It has been a month since Lieutenant Lee’s death and we have no idea what happened to Soldier Kim Won-bin but the students are alone. They have managed to organize themselves and plan attacks on the spheres.

On the surface, it looks like they are coping and have adjusted well. They also look very cool, now that their skills have improved. Chi-yeol is still recording the video diaries and everyone takes chances saying what they are feeling or thinking. Bo-ra feels like she is in a dream, Jang-soo is proud of their growth and Jun-hee regrets signing the consent form. Yoo-Jung is aware of how fast time has passed, they are almost turning 20.  Unfortunately, the spheres are adapting too.

After a long day of hunting and killing spheres, the kids return to their base. They have started to consider it as home and Hee-rak is not happy about how the others are adapting. However, they let him complain because they understand it is his coping mechanism. The only pressing issue they have at the moment is that their walkie-talkie is not functioning.

Once they get to the base, they are greeted by Yoo Ha-Na who keeps feigning sickness so as to stay at the base. They are obviously tired and hungry.  They take account of their resources, fill each other in on their trips. Young-Soo is worried about the radio and Soo-Chul informs him that they have still not fixed it. Yeon-Joo is worried about not finding medicine to treat their frostbite so Yoo-Jung promises to plan a route to the nearest hospital to check for medical supplies.

After, the students enjoy their meal and it seems like Ae-Seol has a talent for cooking. As expected, they are rationing food and Deok-Joong and some other students are having trouble staying full but survival is more important.

Before dinner, they hold a memorial for Lieutenant Lee and the others they have lost. So-Yeon is still having a hard time coming to terms with Lieutenant Lee’s death and Kwon Il-Ha tries to comfort her by offering  a can of coke.

Most of the kids are having a hard time too but are holding it in. Ae-chol is doing better but is still worried about her grandmother. That evening, she spends time with Jang-Soo and wonders if they would have ever become friends if not for the war.

Bo-ra takes to drawing portraits of her friends to deal with her anxiety. Deok-Joong’s barber skills nearly put him in trouble when Lee Na-Ra asks him to trim her hair. Chi-Yeol and Soo-Chul, who have crushes on Lee Na-Ra, don’t want him to cut her hair.

Later that night, So-Yoon and Young-Shin try to fix the radio. Tae-Man suggests they check the penitentiary they saw on their way back to the camp for spare parts to fix the radio. They think is a great idea and plan a route.

The time to take their daily vote on whether they should remain at the camp or go to Seoul approaches. The votes indicate that they should stay still and others start questioning why it turns out like that all the time. Hee-rak and Soon-Yi in particular are looking forward to stopping the mission and heading home to Seoul. Even though they made rules not to get angry at each other, in the end they can’t help but feel frustrated. The voting is anonymous so they decide to try the next day. They want to make Lieutenant Lee proud and stay together till the end.

The next morning, Yoo-Jung divides the group into three. One group will head to the hospital and look for medical supplies. The other group will head to the penitentiary and look for a radio or spare parts to fix their broken radio so that they can communicate with the military.

Once again, Ha-Na feigns sickness and stays at the base. She is left with Joon-Hee and Deok-Joong to keep guard at their base. With Ha-Na playing sick, Soon-Yi offers to take her spot in the other group.  With everything settled, they set off to fulfil their mission.

So-Yoon, Bo-Ra, Ae-Seol, Yoo-Jung, Tae-Man, Young-Shin, Jang-soo and Hee-rak carefully approach the penitentiary.  They decide to spilt up to cover more ground quickly, as they search the isolated penitentiary, they start hearing strange sounds. Upon investigating the sound, they find five criminals left behind.

Meanwhile, Kwon Il-Ha, So-Yeon, Soon-Yi, Lee Na-Ra, Soo-Chul, Young-Soo, Yeon-Joo and Chi-yeol head to the hospital. Chi-yeol is preoccupied as he thinks back to the previous night. He and Deok-Joong eavesdrop on Soo-Chul’s love confession to Na-Ra. Soo-Chul was worried that he might die before confessing so he gathered the courage to ask Na-ra to be his girlfriend after the war.

However, he asked her to take her time before giving him an answer. Chi-yeol likes Na-Ra too and is hopeful that he still has a chance to win her heart. He also feels insecure since Soo-Chul is a worthy rival.

The episode ends with Yoo-Jung doing her video diary. She is aware of what everyone is going through and notes everything down so she can find solutions to everyone’s problems. She is also aware of the fact that Chi-yeol has a crush on Na-ra and assures him that his secret is safe. Chi-yeol asks  about herself and she says she is doing everything she can to make sure they can all return home safely after the war. Chi-yeol asks her to take it easy and she tries to tell him something but then decided against it.

The Episode Review

One of the biggest questions in this episode is what happened to Soldier Kim Won-bin. Why are the kids alone? Did he die? In that case, why is his drawing not up with the others who passed?

I feel for Yoo-Jung, she has taken up a bigger role and has to keep everyone safe. In the scene where she says that they are almost turning 20, it really hits how young they are and how long the war has been going on. I wonder what she wanted to say in the end. I hope she survives, she should see all her hard work pay off.

I hope Chi-yeol will muster his courage and tell Na-Ra how he feels too. They are in a war after all, so there is no time to spare. I think Na-Ra likes him too.

I wonder what they will do about the criminals, there is a reason why they were the only ones left behind locked away and hopefully the episodes ahead will shed some light on that!