Freshman at Forty

After spending years navigating the demanding corporate world, forty-year-old Jeong Han-Seong finally pursues a long-deferred dream by enrolling in university. However, stepping onto campus as a nontraditional student proves far more disorienting than he anticipated. Surrounded by classmates decades younger than himself, Han-Seong quickly realizes he does not blend in; in fact, his mature appearance frequently leads others to mistake him for a professor. Struggling to bridge the generational divide and find his footing in an unfamiliar academic environment, he begins to wonder if returning to school was a mistake. His isolation is interrupted when Baek Cheong-Bin, an approachable and helpful senior student, takes it upon himself to guide the bewildered freshman. Under Cheong-Bin’s patient mentorship, the daunting maze of university life gradually becomes manageable, allowing Han-Seong to experience the collegiate journey he always imagined. Yet, as their interactions deepen, Han-Seong begins to notice something unexpected. The way this attentive senior looks at him carries a weight that transcends simple camaraderie, hinting at an intense connection that feels anything but ordinary.