Plot: What School Trip: Joined a Group I’m Not Close To Is About
This Japanese drama starts with the kind of moment many students dread. The class trip is coming up, groups are being formed, and one shy, socially awkward teen ends up assigned to a group of classmates he barely knows. They aren’t his friends. They are the popular crowd, comfortable in the spotlight and at ease with one another in ways he has never been.
What should have been a few uncomfortable days of sticking together for sightseeing and shared schedules turns into something he never expected. At the centre of the group is the most popular boy in school, someone admired for his charm and easy confidence. As the trip throws the two of them together, a connection begins to form between them.
The series is a boys’ love (BL) story set in high school. It looks at the gap between how people seem from a distance and who they are up close, and at how a single school event can shift friendships and feelings. Its premise is built on awkward first steps, unlikely companions and the nervous beginnings of a romance.
What Makes the Series Notable: Cast, Format and Production
- Source material: The drama is based on a novel.
- Main cast: Kodai Fujimoto (Hioki Asahi), Hideyoshi Kan (Watarai Tsukasa), Masaya Sakuragi (Naoya Morisaki), Ayuta Fukuda (Nakasato Haruki) and Kairi Shimizu (Hayato Hotta) appear across all 20 episodes. Sayaka (Sagara Yuzuki) and Kento Yamada (Tsujitani Raiku) appear in 10 episodes. Kento Miura plays Ryoto.
- Directors: Hirokazu Fujisawa, Takehiro Shindo, Goro Yasumi and Takuya Hasegawa.
- Networks: Viki and ABC TV.
- Format: Two seasons of 10 episodes each, for 20 episodes in total. Each episode runs about 30 minutes, which makes this a compact, short-form drama.
- Status: Season 1 premiered on October 19, 2025, and Season 2 premiered on October 18, 2026. The series is still airing, with new episodes being released.
Who Will Enjoy It
- Fans of Japanese BL dramas and gentle school romances
- Viewers who like stories about shy or awkward characters stepping out of their comfort zone
- Anyone who enjoys high school settings, class trips and friend-group dynamics
- Readers who like seeing novel adaptations come to the screen
- Viewers looking for short episodes of around 30 minutes
Where to Watch School Trip: Joined a Group I’m Not Close To in the Philippines
The series is not yet listed on official streaming platforms in the Philippines. A Philippine release date is also not yet listed. The original broadcast is through Viki and ABC TV. Check back on this page for updates on legal viewing options in the Philippines, and watch only through official platforms once they are listed.
Cast
Kodai Fujimotoas Hioki Asahi20 episodes
Hideyoshi Kanas Watarai Tsukasa20 episodes
Masaya Sakuragias Naoya Morisaki20 episodes
Ayuta Fukudaas Nakasato Haruki20 episodes
Kairi Shimizuas Hayato Hotta20 episodes
Sayakaas Sagara Yuzuki10 episodes
Kento Yamadaas Tsujitani Raiku10 episodes
Kento Miuraas Ryoto3 episodes
Photo: TMDB
Episode guide
| Season | Episode | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Aired | |
| 1 | 2 | Aired | |
| 1 | 3 | Aired | |
| 1 | 4 | Aired | |
| 1 | 5 | Aired | |
| 1 | 6 | Aired | |
| 1 | 7 | Aired | |
| 1 | 8 | Aired | |
| 1 | 9 | Aired | |
| 1 | 10 | Aired | |
| 2 | 1 | Aired | |
| 2 | 2 | Aired | |
| 2 | 3 | Upcoming | |
| 2 | 4 | Upcoming | |
| 2 | 5 | Upcoming | |
| 2 | 6 | Upcoming | |
| 2 | 7 | Upcoming | |
| 2 | 8 | Upcoming | |
| 2 | 9 | Upcoming | |
| 2 | 10 | Upcoming |
Dates are original broadcast dates in the country of origin (Korea/China). Official streaming platforms in your country may add episodes the same day or later.
FAQ
- How many episodes does School Trip: Joined a Group I'm Not Close To have?
- The series has two seasons of 10 episodes each, for 20 episodes in total. Each episode runs about 30 minutes. The series is still airing.
- Where can I watch School Trip: Joined a Group I'm Not Close To in the Philippines?
- It is not yet listed on official streaming platforms in the Philippines. The original networks are Viki and ABC TV. Check this page for updates on legal options.
- Who is in the cast of School Trip: Joined a Group I'm Not Close To?
- The main cast includes Kodai Fujimoto as Hioki Asahi, Hideyoshi Kan as Watarai Tsukasa, Masaya Sakuragi as Naoya Morisaki, Ayuta Fukuda as Nakasato Haruki and Kairi Shimizu as Hayato Hotta. Sayaka, Kento Yamada and Kento Miura also appear.
- When was School Trip: Joined a Group I'm Not Close To released?
- Season 1 premiered on October 19, 2025, and Season 2 premiered on October 18, 2026. A specific Philippine release date is not yet listed.
- What genre is School Trip: Joined a Group I'm Not Close To?
- It is a Japanese high school drama with a boys' love (BL) romance, based on a novel.
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