'Teach You a Lesson' tops Netflix rankings as viewers seek catharsis in justice — or vengeance

In Netflix's "Teach You a Lesson," a student at the fictional Daehan High School gets violently beaten up by a bully, but classmates either look away or watch in silence. Then a man in a black suit walks down the school corridor, slapping the bully across the face to send him sprawling on the floor.

The catharsis erupts when the man holds up his government identification card that reads "Inspector Na Hwa-jin" and declares that the educational rights protection bureau will "teach a lesson" to those at the high school.

The phrase "teach a lesson," once used by teachers' organizations, has become the defining keyword of a Korean drama. The series also criticizes how the teachers' authority has waned due to what it portrays as an excessive emphasis on student rights, sparking a broader debate and prompting statements from teachers' organizations.

Released on June 5, the series recorded 6.4 million views on Netflix between June 1 and 7 to top Netflix's global non-English show rankings for the first week of the month.

It also entered the Top 10 in 48 countries, including the Philippines, Singapore, Turkey, Argentina and Egypt. In Korea, it overtook "My Royal Nemesis," which held the No. 1 position since its release on May 8.

The series ranked No. 2 globally among all Netflix dramas, according to streaming analytics site FlixPatrol as of Wednesday. It ranked third in France, fourth in Germany and seventh in both the United States and Britain.

"A drama reaching the top rankings of Netflix's global rankings in its first week of release is something we haven't seen since 'Squid Game' [2021-25] season 3 last year," a Netflix representative said.

"Teach You a Lesson" has gained attention for directly addressing the issue of the declining authority of teachers. The series is set in a fictional Korea where an educational rights protection bureau is created by the government to defend teachers and schools from students and parents who cross the line. Its inspectors even use corporal punishment to address problems such as school violence, gambling and drug abuse.

Public concern over violations of teachers' rights grew after a teacher at an elementary school in Seoul died by suicide in 2023, according to Koo Jeong-woo, a sociology professor at Sungkyunkwan University.

"In the past, dramas and films focused on teachers who abused students or accepted bribes," said Prof. Koo. "Now, as student rights are being more prioritized, society is increasingly reassessing who should be considered socially vulnerable."

Schools and the education system have long been familiar subjects in Korean dramas.

But the nature of these dramas has changed significantly. Series such as the KBS drama "School" (1999-2021), "The God of Study" (2010) and "Dream High" (2011-12) primarily dealt with coming-of-age stories. While they portrayed the realities of Korea's competitive academic landscape, they ultimately emphasized friendship, effort and personal growth.

The shift began with "SKY Castle" (2019). The drama dissected the university admissions race among affluent families in Seoul's Gangnam district and the private education industry. University admissions were no longer portrayed as part of growing up, but as a brutal competition that could destroy families.

Since then, education-themed content has increasingly evolved into darker forms of social criticism. "The Glory" (2022) depicted school bullying as violence capable of destroying someone's life and followed a victim's decades-long pursuit of personal revenge. "Juvenile Justice" (2022) tackled the growing problem of juvenile offenders.

"Dramas such as 'SKY Castle' draw from real incidents that were never properly resolved," critic Jung Duk-hyun said. "Korean-style superheroes who appear in these dramas and solve social problems provide viewers with a strong sense of catharsis."

The way problems are resolved in these dramas is also influencing real-world discussions. Teachers on online communities such as IndiSchool have said many of the situations depicted in the series resemble their own experiences. Organizations including the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations and teachers' unions have issued statements calling for stronger protections for teachers' rights.

"Students who violate teachers' rights are thoroughly punished in the drama, but in reality, even disciplinary measures imposed on students by teacher-rights protection committees can't be recorded in their student records," said Jang Seung-hyuk, a spokesperson for the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations. "The Education Minister in the series takes full responsibility to protect teachers' rights. Real education ministers and superintendents could learn from that example."

Not everyone views the trend positively. Some critics argue that many of these dramas rely on simplistic and violent solutions.

"SKY Castle" ended in tragedy through the death of a central character, while "The Glory" justified personal revenge as a form of justice. "Teach You a Lesson," which comes with a maturity rating, likewise places corporal punishment at the center of its narrative.

"Series such as 'Teach You a Lesson' and 'SKY Castle' don't target teenagers, and because of that, there is a risk that such portrayals exaggerate reality," critic Kong Hee-jung said. "Producers should think carefully about what social issues should be addressed in a series based on a school setting."

"If the media repeatedly portrays crimes such as drug offenses within public schools, audiences may become desensitized to those issues. Greater consideration should be given to both the frequency and manner in which such topics are depicted."

BY CHOI MIN-JI, JEONG EUN-HYE, CHOI HYE-RI [[email protected]]