Once Upon a Time in High School

The film focuses on male bonding and rivalry, without featuring any LGBTQ+ characters or exploring queer relationships.

Female characters play minor roles and have little influence over the main power struggles, which are centered around male dominance and hierarchy.

The cast is ethnically uniform, reflecting the demographics of 1970s South Korea without incorporating diverse casting to challenge historical norms.

The film critiques authoritarian educational systems as oppressive machines, portraying anti-social behaviors as survival mechanisms against corruption.

There is no significant depiction of physical or neurodivergent disabilities. Characters are defined by their physical strength, which is central to their social status.