Summary
The School Nurse Files episode 1 is a strange, confusing opening episode that somehow grips the audience despite having no idea what is going on.
This recap of Netflix K-drama series The School Nurse Files episode 1 contains significant spoilers.
We recapped every episode — check out the archive.
The opening
It’s difficult to understand what’s going on in the opening episode but there’s definitely promise in this strange story about jellies and spirits.
Eun-young talks about how she can see a special world of her own from a young age. She can see jellies and traces of slime on people’s hands. Professionals thought there was something wrong with Eun-young because she didn’t have her mother. She can also see dead people. There’s a creepy scene at the start where her dead mother turns into jelly. In the present day, Ahn Eun-young is a school nurse.
Candle presentation
At lunchtime, students are placing candles on the floor for a boy who is trying to be romantic for Sun A-ra. Meanwhile, Sung A-ra is leaning against the school fence looking down at the candles and the boy. Meanwhile, Eun-young tends to the needs of Oh Seung-gwon but he quickly departs.
Episode 1 randomly flits between scenes but it all starts to come together nearer the end.
Finding Seung-gwon
Eun-young narrates and explains how sometimes jellies are sometimes full of worry — she then goes to meet 11th Grade, Class 6 Homeroom Teacher Hong In-pyo who teaches Chinese characters. She can see a large jelly bubble forming around him. She tells him she is looking for a student of his, Oh Seung-gwon. Eun-young states that the student’s wound us going to get worse and he will get sick.
Red blotches
She finally finds him and Seung-gwon looks despondent as he stares blankly at her. Ahn Eun-young walks away from him and she sees red jelly blotches all over the stairs. Eun-young is frustrated, stating she doesn’t have time for this. Suddenly there are many Seung-gwon’s on the stairs, presumably made out of jelly.
The basement
Seung-gwon heads to the school basement with a glow in the dark plastic sword. There are loads of jellies in the basement and they all sound like farm animals grouped together. Meanwhile, Seung-gwon walks through the school and he doesn’t look to be in great shape. Hong In-pyo continues to look for him — the teacher has a noticeable limp. He then hears screams coming from the basement so walks down the steps.
Anger
Ahn Eun-young seems to be enjoying herself, hitting all the jellies with her sword, destroying them. Hong In-pyo finds her and obviously, he cannot see the jellies so she looks crazy. She makes out like she was managing her anger. Seung-gwon meets Sung A-ra and asks for his headphones back. She’s sweating profusely and wonders what is up with him. Meanwhile, Hong In-pyo tells Eun-young that if they don’t find anything down in the basement then she will be fired.
At this stage of the pilot episode, there’s an eeriness in the story, supported by a relevant soundtrack to add to the atmosphere.
Heading further down
Seung-gwon collapses as he’s trying to tell Sung A-ra something. Sung A-ra gives him back his headphones and walks off. Hong In-pyo and Eun-young continue venturing into the basement. Eun-young gets out her glow in the dark sword and starts hitting more jellies. Hong In-pyo is fascinated by the place and doesn’t want to head back. Eun-young asks Hong In-pyo why he became a teacher as he could have done more with his life. He claims it was his great grandfather’s lifelong wish. She tells him he has a particular special aura about him and begins cackling. She then asks if he’s interested in mystic arts and Hong In-pyo thinks she’s crazy.
As they go further into the basement (it’s not even a basement anymore let’s be honest), they see a metal door.
Apji Stone
As for Sung A-ra, a boy is trying to woo her with flowers and romantic presentations. Seung-gwon looks down from the fence, listening to music. In the dungeon, Ahn Eun-young and Hong In-pyo see a hole in the wall with a slate that says Apji stone. Hong In-pyo flips the stone over and Ahn Eun-young flies through the air before she could warn him. Suddenly, at the school, students begin collapsing on the floor. This sends everyone into mass hysteria.
The ending
Ahn Eun-young runs back upstairs as more students begin collapsing. Loads of students join Seung-gwon at the roof of the school and they are acting strangely. Hong In-pyo reads the engravings that talks about a pond and how youngsters jump into the pond, disguised as a suicide. Meanwhile, Sung A-ra tries to stop Seung-gwon from killing himself. Suddenly, there’s an earthquake and the ground begins to crack and a huge hole forms.
Ahn Eun-young reaches the roof and tells all the students to get down. That might be a good idea…
The School Nurse Files episode 1 is a strange, confusing opening episode that somehow grips the audience despite having no idea what is going on.
