The Asian versions of ‘Yentl’, LOL!
I can’t remember Yentl at all, though I do remember hearing about it when it was out. Are the plots really close?
Poor girl copies books/writes novels to get money for medicine for her brother. Needing to repay a debt, she finally agrees to help a student taking the Sungkyunkwan test to cheat. Gets caught but her essay is so compelling that they insist that she (thought to be he) attend.
Then it’s the typical school bullying. As for romance, one roommate discovers she’s a girl and, shy and sweet, falls in love and protects her. The other is attracted to her without knowing why and is a long time uncomfortable about it.
As is typical of this type of drama, ignoring the geisha houses which seem to be socially acceptable, all the kids are quite pure with one another and with outside girls.