Many K-dramas on Netflix that have become global hits are adaptations of already popular webtoons. Thrillers such as Bloodhounds and Weak Hero showcase various dilemmas and social struggles, stirring emotions in the audience and raising awareness about issues such as extreme violence, inequality, and bullying. While some K-dramas face criticism for exploring the darker side of South Korea, Netflix’s new series boldly adapts a webtoon that generated so much controversy it led to its cancellation.
Moving away from teen romances and bittersweet coming-of-age stories, Netflix’s new K-drama, Teach You a Lesson, takes to the halls of schools to unleash violent chaos that is sure to capture the attention of international audiences, even if it means challenging their moral boundaries.
Based on the webtoon Get Schooled, Teach You A Lesson will premiere on Netflix on June 5th, but its transgressive premise has even led Korean institutions to call for a boycott of the series. The series presents a disturbing alternate future where the ban on physical punishment in schools has resulted in lax discipline, turning students into uncontrollable threats to both teachers and their peers. Instead of educational reform, the solution comes from a new organization authorized to impose order by any means necessary.
Netflix’s Teach You A Lesson Brings a Canceled Webtoon Into the Spotlight
Depicting institutional corruption, violent hierarchies, and students being abused by delinquent classmates, the webtoon Get Schooled addresses real social conflicts from a distinct perspective, combating violence with violence in a crumbling educational system. Instead of adhering to ethical guidelines, members of the Teachers’ Rights Protection Agency have full authority to employ questionable methods, such as beating students and even acting behind the scenes to target bullies. The webtoon has a real-world legal context, even citing a current law.
While the webtoon always teetered on the edge of being overly edgy or too political, sparking debate by satirizing real social movements like feminism, it reached a point of no return with the release of its 125th chapter in 2023. Although this chapter explored reverse racism, it generated backlash for containing racist slurs and perpetuating harmful stereotypes with exaggerated character designs. This led to the cancellation of the English version of Get Schooled and its removal from the WEBTOON platform in the West. However, the series would return to South Korea’s Naver WEBTOON after a brief hiatus.
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Consequently, the announcement of the K-Drama adaptation also generated criticism, with fans asking actors to decline roles in the series and even releasing a statement objecting to Jin Ki-joo joining the cast. Numerous teachers’ and education workers’ unions in South Korea also called for the suspension of Teach You a Lesson, alleging that the story casts a bad light on the educational system by glorifying corporal punishment in schools and violating students’ rights.
Teach You a Lesson Is the Brutal Netflix Adaptation Fans Won’t Stop Talking About
While Japan produced series in the 90s like Great Teacher Onizuka that featured unconventional teaching methods leaning more towards comedy, some jokes have not stood the test of time. Therefore, although the school drama Get Schooled presents a fictionalized reality, some situations may still be difficult for viewers considering current social issues it portrays. However, according to Korean news outlet Twig24, Netflix’s Senior Director stated that Teach You A Lesson will strive to convey its story with appropriate sensitivity.
“This is a work created with a sense of responsibility as it deals with stories essential for this era. We are fully aware of criticism and concerns regarding certain episodes and are preparing accordingly. We have strived to create this work with a more responsible and refined perspective. You will be able to verify this once it is released.” — Bae Jong-byeong
The webtoon also failed to delve into underlying causes of many students’ destructive behavior, making many secondary characters seem one-dimensional. This was largely due to episodic nature where each story arc took place in different schools. Even so, these issues can be easily fixed in the K-drama adaptation. From governmental aspects to teachers’ roles in shaping new generations, Teach You a Lesson offers an amalgamation of relevant themes while providing plenty of exciting developments for an engaging viewing experience.
Teach You A Lesson is an unconventional story blending action thrillers with vigilante narratives similar to Netflix hits like Weak Hero and The Glory. This means it has potential appeal for those who enjoy morally ambiguous characters. Teach You A Lesson will arrive on Netflix on June 5, 2026, making it perfect for binge-watching as it keeps viewers pondering its themes while leaving them questioning if it manages to be as controversial as its source webtoon.
- Release Date
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June 5, 2026
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Hong Jong-chan
Cast
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Lee Sung-min
Choi Kang-seok
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