I can see that the show, or at least the writers were influenced by 1984 by George Orwell. And it has many themes and many readings but the one im getting here is the a power structure trying to control and infringe on the rights of people. in this case the power structure is the school and those controlled the students. And one who is within that power structure task with enforcing it's rules and one who is seen as a rebel with his own agenda in coming to the school. You see how good of a premise it is, but boy do they mess it up real bad by not delivering on anything.
And the problem always starts with the writing.
This story is from a novel since I haven't read it I'm just going to review the adaptation as its own work. I don't know just how faithful or different it is from the book but as an adaptation to visual media there are things one can change to make it more compelling.
so let's begin,

1. The rules. what are they? how are they so bad that students are demonstrating? How are they in forced and what are the consequences of breaking them?
And the answer to these questions very underwhelming. With the first introductory scene of the school we see students pledging allegiance to the school rules of this hundred year old prestigious school seaming to imply that the rules must be archaic, but we were not shown what they are other than school uniforms and not using phones while in school but they get to use them right after? Just no, they can be minor inconveniences but not enough to have students "protesting". It would have been more believable if it was about heavy disciplinary actions, crippling student schedule not allowing them time for them selves. heightened serveilance with no sense of privacy teachers looming over the students every time. student forced to compete for grades, not being able to share thoughts even ask questions. doing what ever the teachers say no questions ask. All in all a toxic educational environment that is meant to be for the "good" of the students enforced by the school rules. With 1984 as inspiration how do you miss that? And I don't think it would have been that hard of a portrayal. These things are happening and could have been a commentary on the state of education.
In the version that we were given what was the consequences of breaking the rules. You get sent to the welfare department? what's the punishment? we don't know we are never told. And how are the students protesting, disrupting the school and student and tainting the school image, how are they delt with? Nothing they are just told to repeat the allegiance Infront of students ? As an institution of power they fail to show any off it.

2. why is this not set in a boarding school? why just are you having teachers and prefects patrolling a day school at night? It makes absolutely no sense but would have been right at home if it was boarding school.
Also boarding school would have been the perfect setting for control because of how isolated boarding school are. It's just the school and students for months on end usually with no contact between students and their parents as most boarding schools atleast in my country and I'm sure many others don't allow for students to have phone so I guess the phone rule would have made more sense here.
And if they wanted the students to be more obedient then an environment with no external influences would have been better suited to that cause.

3.The curse. How this was just so poorly done. I understand why it was invented. It was meant to scare the trouble makers, the rebels into submission. But damn even an idiot would have not believed those poor excuse for a prank as a curse sending panic throughout the school. It would have been better just to say it was ghost who punished students who misbehaved.
And it seemed that the protester didn't even believe in it and thought that someone was out to get them. when they didn't get help from the school why weren't we shown them trying to find the culprit them selves. It would have put pressure and agency to the person behind the incident.

4. Akk. What we could have had. He is an enforcer, who is very loyal to the school because of his position. he is from a less privileged position who got into this prestigious school with a scholarship and now he is in a position of power over his other students. And this is given to him by the school and mentor of sorts who didn't discriminate him. he sees this mentor as his idol hi leader and willing to do anything ordered of him. He sees the school as flawless can't even hear anyone say anything bad about it. He takes his job very seriously to the point of punishing those trouble makers.
But then he meets this rebel who slowly not only change his way of thinking which is at odds with his belief, he might be falling for the guy. His internal dilemma should have bigger, this is a person he should hate, the one his mentor shows absolute dislike for. He has to chose btn what he was taught, his mentor that he respects possibly a scholarship to a higher education and his heart towards a person who knows his secret. First tried to portray that as well as he could but there was so much missing. A lot of time was taken away from developing them as characters and his relationship with Aye. Just one longing gaze was enough to establish his feelings but we had to see it again and again and again getting repetitive and us going nowhere.

5.Aye. A seamingly charming carefree dare devil with a heavy secret. He goes to the school to investigate his uncle's death. An uncle who is very close to him almost like a father figure. But other than the first few episodes of him snooping and asking around that just stops when he sets his eyes on Akk? are you telling me we can't develop a relationship and the plot at the same time? even when the diary was stolen he flew at Akk then nothing? As we were led to believe his motivation was investigating there isn't a lot of it going on. And also why does he believe the school had something to do with it? the uncle didn't die at school nor while working there. Though I do believe it would have made a compelling narrative. A much beloved teacher dying at school and how it would affect the students grappling with loss. Another powerful theme if only it would have been written right. But I guess the writers didn't want to deal with that so it happened somewhere else. With the students not knowing about it.
It is just sad and frustrating because so much energy has been put onto this. The cinematography really is good. A nice color palette, the actors trying their best with what they have been given but for it to be bogged down by the writing is just angering.
I do believe I'm gonna finish those last 3 episodes when they are out.