Park Jin-hai primarily focuses on K-dramas, entertainment shows and actor interviews. Beyond that, she also pens articles covering the broader arts scene, with a particular emphasis on classical music, dance and various aspects of lifestyle. Since joining The Korea Times in 2013, she has made significant contributions in the realms of hallyu (Korean wave), industry news and international affairs.
What makes Netflix's 'Teach You a Lesson' so popular globally
A scene from Netflix original series "Teach You a Lesson" / Courtesy of Netflix
By Park Jin-hai
Global audience finds crises in classroom relatable, feels sense of satisfaction
The Netflix original series "Teach You a Lesson" is taking the world by storm.
The drama follows the Korean Educational Rights Protection Bureau, a fictional government-sanctioned vigilante squad deployed to reclaim classrooms ruined by out-of-control teenagers and toxic parents. It has firmly established itself as a massive hit, drawing passionate audiences across Asia, Europe and South America alike.
According to the global OTT ranking site FlixPatrol, the show claimed the top spot worldwide on Tuesday, ranking No. 1 in 44 countries, including Korea, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.
Highly relatable
Many viewers have found the drama relatable.
Taking to social media to share the educational realities in their own countries, viewers worldwide noted with a mix of comfort and dismay that Korea's struggles are identical to their own.
"I expected this to be just a simple story of bullies getting their comeuppance, but the dialogue, characters and sense of justice are incredibly relatable," wrote one U.K. viewer on Reddit. "Even though it's a Korean show, every part of it feels completely relevant to the U.K."
Another former teacher who worked in an underprivileged area in England shared, "I was shocked by the behavior of some of these kids! To make matters worse, it's almost impossible to expel the truly awful ones who have no respect, disrupt classes, insult teachers and bully others. This definitely isn't restricted to Asian countries — which is probably why I'm enjoying this series so much!"
Park Ju-hyoung, a professor at Gyeongin National University of Education, said the collapse of public education depicted in the drama — symbolized by rampant smartphone use in classrooms and school violence — is already a global issue. "In Western countries, where student rights and individual freedoms are highly prioritized, similar breakdowns have been occurring for a long time. This is why international fans are responding so strongly to how the show resolves these issues through an institutional force," he said.
Sense of satisfaction
Other viewers praised the drama as "pure dopamine." One fan noted "Seeing students, parents and even schools finally being held accountable in such an unconventional way was incredibly satisfying. It reminded me that education isn't just about grades — it's about respect, discipline and character."
Kim Moo-yul is seen in this scene from Netflix series "Teach You a Lesson." Courtesy of Netflix
Cultural and educational experts say audiences should look at how the series brings the reality of a broken public education system into the spotlight, challenging society to find real-world solutions.
"The fact that the public empathizes so deeply with this fantasy and finds it so refreshing proves just how frustrating and suffocating their actual reality is," cultural critic Jung Duk-hyun said.
Unlike the real world, where similar educational crises reoccur indefinitely without resolution, the bureau supervisors in the show actively step in, punish the perpetrators and deliver a deep sense of catharsis to the audience on behalf of the victims.
Jung says although the drama offers refreshing empathy to some, it makes others uncomfortable, as Korea's current educational crises are deeply tangled in conflicting perspectives, making a single, clear-cut answer impossible.
"If this story only dealt with student delinquency, it would boil down to a simple school action genre or a social corruption drama. However, by introducing villains with diverse, complex problems, it addresses systemic issues rather than simply justifying physical punishment," he said. "The show successfully balances a multidimensional portrayal of Korea's educational problems while leaving room for deeper thought. As long as it sparks public discourse while being understood as a work of fiction, 'Teach You a Lesson' will have achieved its goal."