Teach You a Lesson (Korean: 참교육) is a 2026 South Korean action school drama television series written by Lee Nam-kyu, and Kim Da-hee, Moon Jong-ho, directed by Hong Jong-chan, and starring Kim Mu-yeol, Lee Sung-min, Jin Ki-joo, and Pyo Ji-hoon. Based on the Naver webtoon Get Schooled by Chae Yong-taek and Han Ga-ram, the series follows an inspector from the Educational Rights Protection Bureau (ERPB) who is authorized by the government to use physical intervention and unconventional methods to discipline delinquent students and reform the educational system. It was released on Netflix on June 5, 2026.
| Teach You a Lesson | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Hangul | 참교육 |
| Hanja | 참敎育 |
| Lit. | True Education |
| RR | Chamgyoyuk |
| MR | Ch'amgyoyuk |
| Genre | |
| Based on | Get Schooled by
|
| Written by |
|
| Directed by | Hong Jong-chan |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Original language | Korean |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | June 5, 2026 |
Synopsis
editIn response to a rise in campus violence and the decline of faculty authority, the South Korean government establishes the Educational Rights Protection Bureau (ERPB) under the Teacher Rights Protection Act. The Bureau is granted the legal authority to use any form of measure, including physical force and psychological pressure, to discipline students and reform the school system. ERPB inspector Na Hwa-jin is dispatched to various educational institutions to dismantle hierarchies established by delinquent students and address administrative corruption. Accompanied by investigator Im Han-rim and officer Bong Geun-dae, Hwa-jin utilizes his state-sanctioned immunity to neutralize school gangs and restore order.
Cast and characters
editMain
edit- Kim Mu-yeol as Na Hwa-jin
- A former Special Forces captain turned inspector for the Educational Rights Protection Bureau (ERPB).
- Lee Sung-min as Choi Gang-seok
- Minister of Education and founder of the ERPB.
- Jin Ki-joo as Im Han-rim
- A former Special Forces sergeant turned inspector for the ERPB.
- Pyo Ji-hoon as Bong Geun-dae
- A 5th-grade civil servant who is hired by the ERPB. He had graduated from KAIST.
Supporting
edit- Kim Jong-soo as Hwang Gi-tae
- A member of the National Assembly who supports the abolition of ERPB.
- Lee Bong-jun as Cho Gyu-cheol
- Ga-yoon's student whom she cared for before he killed her by stabbing her with scissors two years ago.
Daehan High School
edit- Lee Seung-gyu as Ryu Jun-hyeong
- A student of Class 2-5 who is a school violence perpetrator.
- Kim Do-geon a Kim Gwang-su
- A student of Class 2-5 who is Jun-young's right arm.
- Lee Chan-yong as Kim Gyeong-min
- A student of Class 2-5 who is a victim of school violence.
- Jeong Soo-hyun as Park Dae-seok
- A student of Class 2-5 who was a victim of school violence and eventually took his own life.
- Song Young-gyu as Ryu Gwang-pil
- Jun-hyeong's father who is a member of the National Assembly.
Guun Hitech High School
edit- Jeon Bong-seok as Kim Hyeong-ju
- A student of the school's automobile department.
- Yoo Tae-joo as Park Seong-hwan
- A student of the school's automobile department.
- Ok Jin-uk as Cho In-beom
- A student of the school's electrical department.
- Lee Tae-hwan as Jang Kwon-hyuk
- A third year student who joined a gang before graduating from the school, and has a huge influence in the school.
Soyeon Girls' High School
edit- Lee Sang-hee as Jeong Sun-young
- The form teacher of Class 3-4.
- Kwon Hyuk as Go Young-soo
- A former teacher who took his own life due to Ye-ri's manipulation of public opinion on social media.
- Park Seo-yoon as Han Ye-ri
- A student of Class 3-4 and an influencer.
- Kim Se-yeon as Jung So-yeong
- A student of Class 3-4 and Ye-ri's close friend.
Chukmyeong Foreign Language High School
edit- Bae Jun-hyung as Park Hyeon-ung
- The school's top student who is from an underprivileged family background.
- Choi Deok-moon as Cheon Sang-yeol
- A teacher of the school who is also a famous online lecturer.
- Sim Su-bin as Jung Su-jeong
- A student of the school who benefitted from her mother's connections.
- Kim Seon-hwa as Kim Kyung-ran
- Su-jeong's mother and the wife of the chairman of PH Group, a major corporation.
Hyunjung Elementary School
edit- Song Si-an as Choi Ji-seon
- The form teacher of Class 1-3, who faced various forms of harassment from the parents of one of her students Woo-jin.
- Park Ji-yeon as Lee Ji-young
- Woo-jin's mother who frequently harassed Ji-seon in the context of protecting her son.
- Choi Ja-woon as Kim Woo-jin
- A student of Class 1-3.
- Kwon Dong-ho as Kim Seok-hyun
- Woo-jin's hot-tempered father who works as a manager of a bank.
Hyunjin Middle School
edit- Jang Yo-hoon as Min Ji-woong
- A student of the school, and leads a delinquent quartet of the school who constantly caused trouble inside and outside school, but were always let go due to being under 14 at the time of committing the crimes.
- Kim Chae-eun as Oh Yoon-jin
- A student of the school who fell victim to the effects of narcotics.
- Lim Hyun-mook as Yoon Min-su
- Ji-woong's friend and one of the delinquent quartet of the school.
- Yoon Tae-sik as Lee Do-hyeon
- Ji-woong's friend and one of the delinquent quartet of the school.
- Choi Hyun-joon as Choi U-seong
- Ji-woong's friend and one of the delinquent quartet of the school.
Nakwon High School
edit- Bae Jae-young as Lee Jae-yoon
- A student of the school who is addicted to illegal online gambling.
- Jo Eun-soul as Shin Ji-soo
- The ringleader of an illegal online gambling operation.
- Jo Jun-ho as Ji Sung-bin
- A student of the school who is Jae-yoon's bestfriend and introduced illegal online gambling to his fellow students of the school.
- Jo Hyun-wu as Jae-yoon's father
- A company worker who resigned to pay for his son's gambling debts, while collecting a lot of material related to illegal online gambling and visited the ERPB for help.
Seungyeon High School
edit- Kim Tae-young as Jung Hyun-min
- The school's top student who fell victim to narcotics which were disguised as medicine.
- Seo Young-hee as Hyun-min's mother
Jinwon High School
edit- Lee Woo-je as Jang Sung-gu
- Kim Jae-seon as Lee Chi-ho
- Shin Dong-jun as Lee Jong-su
- Lee Seung-noh as Jung Hyun-tae
Special appearances
edit- Ha Young as Choi Ga-yoon
- Gang-seok's daughter and Hwa-jin's fiancée. She was a passionate teacher, but was murdered by her student Gyu-cheol two years ago. Her death inspired her father into establishing the ERPB in her honor.
- Lee Yeo-jin as a news anchor
Production
editDevelopment
editIn late 2024, it was announced that the Naver webtoon Get Schooled by Chae Yong-taek and Han Ga-ram would be adapted into a drama.[1] In early 2025 , Ylab Plex announced a content supply deal with Netflix ending in August 2026, which industry analysts identified as the production window for the series. Developed under the working title True Lessons, it is produced by Ylab Plex and GTist, directed by Hong Jong-chan, and written by Lee Nam-kyu, Kim Da-hee, and Moon Jong-ho.[2][3][4]
Casting
editKim Nam-gil was reportedly in talks to lead the series in November 2024.[1] On the same month, Kim Mu-yeol was confirmed to play the lead role and he cite his trust in director Hong following their collaboration on the 2022 legal drama Juvenile Justice.[5]
Jin Ki-joo, Pyo Ji-hoon, and Lee Sung-min joined the lead cast in January 2025.[6] By March 2025, Netflix confirmed the four actors' appearances.[7] In July 2025, Ha Young joined the cast.[8]
Filming
editPrincipal photography began in the first half of 2025.[5]
Release
editReception
editViewership
editThe series has seen strong global and local success, ranking in Netflix’s Top 10 in over 85 countries, including major markets like United States, Japan, India, Canada, South Korea, Australia, and Philippines. In South Korea, it also generated high buzz, with lead actor Kim Mu-yeol topping cast rankings and the series itself placing No. 2 in TV-OTT drama buzz during its debut week, alongside a record-breaking opening-week buzz score of 54,881—the highest for any Netflix original this year. All main cast members entered the Top 10 buzz rankings, and the show also led in news and video categories, with largely positive audience reactions, as well as growing anticipation for a second season.[10]
Critical response
editiMBC awarded the series 3 out of 4 stars, describing it as balancing teacher authority and student rights while avoiding the full glorification of violence.[11] The Fact and TV Daily praised its emotional weight, realistic depiction of teacher burnout and parental negligence, and its lingering impact that prompts reflection on the education system.[12][13] Ilgan Sports and Sports Today noted the cathartic satisfaction but also the bittersweet aftertaste and ethical unease.[14][15] Sports Seoul praised the series for addressing specific real-world issues such as malicious parental complaints, juvenile offenders exempt from punishment, "MZ mafia" parents, and teenage gambling/drug crimes. It commended director Hong Jong-chan and writer Lee Nam-kyu for focusing on structural education failures and victims' trauma. However, it criticized the series for ultimately justifying violence through extra-legal webtoon-style solutions, noting that this gap sometimes weakens narrative persuasiveness, and highlighted the irony of the 19+ rating limiting access for the teenagers most affected.[16] Joel Keller of Decider gave the series a "Stream It" recommendation, calling it an entertaining exercise in wish-fulfillment for those frustrated by bullying and ineffective institutions.[17] South China Morning Post was critical, describing the premise of government-backed corporal punishment as "alarming" and noting the series' unclear overall message.[18]
Performances received consistent acclaim, particularly Kim Mu-yeol for his charismatic and commanding presence across action, comedy, and drama. Lee Sung-min brought gravitas as Education Minister Choi Gang-seok, while Jin Ki-joo and Pyo Ji-hoon added energy and chemistry to the team.[12][14]
South Korean teachers' reaction
editFollowing the release of the series, Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations praised the drama for highlighting growing concerns in South Korean schools, including declining classroom discipline, violations of teacher authority, and the lack of institutional support for educators. While some criticized its depiction of violence and vigilante justice, the organization argued that the series reflects real challenges in education and has fueled broader discussions about strengthening legal protections for teachers.[19]
Controversy
editControversy of source material
editThe series is based on the webtoon Get Schooled. In 2023, the webtoon's 125th chapter attracted controversy after it depicted themes of "reverse racism" and included racial slurs and character portrayals that critics described as racist stereotypes. Following the backlash, the English-language version of the webtoon was removed from the webtoon platform, while publication later resumed on Naver Webtoon in South Korea after a temporary hiatus.[20] The webtoon had also drawn criticism from some commentators for its portrayal of social issues, including feminism, and for its depiction of women and ethnic minorities.[21][20]
Domestic protests and union boycotts
editFollowing the announcement of the live-action adaptation, the project faced immediate domestic backlash. Numerous educational institutions and labor organizations in South Korea, most notably the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU), publicly called for the series to be canceled.[21][20] In an official statement titled "Violence Is Not True Education," the KTU argued that the series' premise—which features a government official utilizing physical force to discipline students—effectively glorifies corporal punishment, an act strictly banned in South Korean schools.[21] The union further alleged that the narrative normalizes classroom aggression, undermines democratic conflict resolution, and harms the educational system by reducing real-world teachers to one-dimensional, passive caricatures.[21][20]
Public pushback also targeted the show's potential and confirmed cast. Actor Kim Nam-gil's fanbase issued statements opposing his involvement, citing the original webtoon's history of promoting corporal punishment and its controversial depictions of racism and sexism. On November 8, Kim Nam-gil addressed the concerns via his Instagram, clarifying that while the project had been proposed to his agency, he had not yet personally reviewed it or accepted the role, adding that his focus was entirely on the filming of The Fiery Priest 2.[22] Furthermore, viewers and fans actively petitioned other attached actors to decline their roles, with some groups releasing public statements specifically objecting to actress Jin Ki-joo joining the production.[20]
Netflix response
editNetflix addressed the pre-release backlash during the "Next on Netflix 2026 Korea" showcase in Seoul. Bae Jong-byung, a senior director for Netflix, publicly acknowledged the severe criticisms and sensitive themes surrounding specific episodes of the original webtoon. Bae stated that the production team approached the adaptation with a "strong sense of responsibility" and had actively taken the public's concerns into account during development. He asserted that the script and production had been handled through a "more considered and refined lens" to ensure the story was conveyed with appropriate sensitivity.[23][20]
References
edit- 1 2 Lee, Seung-hun (November 7, 2024). [단독] 김남길, '참교육' 주인공 될까..원작 각색이 관건 [[Exclusive] Kim Nam-gil, will he become the main character of Teach You a Lesson..the adaptation of the original work is the crucial factor]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 8, 2025. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ↑ Chae, Sung-oh (March 10, 2025). [단독] 웹툰 '참교육', 넷플릭스 오리지널 시리즈로 실사화 [[Exclusive] Webtoon Teach You a Lesson to Be Adapted into a Netflix Original Series]. Digital Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 14, 2025. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Netflix Series True Lessons (WT) Begins Production, Introducing a Refreshing Take on Education". About Netflix (Press release). March 20, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
- 1 2 Brzeski, Patrick (January 20, 2026). "Netflix Unveils Stacked Korean Content Slate of 33 Series and Films for 2026 (Full List)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
- 1 2 Hong, Se-young (November 29, 2026). ‘참교육’ 드라마 제작 확정...주인공 김무열 [공식] [Teach You a Lesson drama production confirmed...Kim Mu-yeol in the lead role [Official]]. Sports Dong-A (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ↑ Casting:
- JKJ: Hwang, So-young (January 16, 2025). [단독] 진기주, 드라마 '참교육' 주연..김무열과 만난다 [[Exclusive] Jin Ki-joo, starring in the drama Teach You a Lesson..meets Kim Mu-yeol]. JTBC (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- PJH: Kim, Chae-yeon (January 23, 2025). [단독] 표지훈(피오), 교권 위해 싸운다..드라마 '참교육' 출연 [[Exclusive] Pyo Ji-hoon (P.O), fights for teachers' rights...appears in the drama Teach You a Lesson]. OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- LSM: Hwang, So-young (January 31, 2025). [단독] '믿보배' 이성민, 김무열·진기주와 '참교육' 나선다 [[Exclusive] 'Trustworthy actor' Lee Sung-min heads into True Lessons with Kim Mu-yeol and Jin Ki-joo]. JTBC (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 9, 2025. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ↑ Kim, Ji-ye (March 20, 2025). "Netflix to unpack Korea's education system in upcoming drama True Lesson". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on April 19, 2025. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ↑ Kang, Hyo-jin (July 22, 2025). [단독]'중증외상센터' 하영, 김무열 약혼녀 된다...넷플릭스 '참교육' 출연 [[Exclusive] Ha Young from The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call to become Kim Mu-yeol's fiancée...Appears in Netflix's True Lessons]. SPOTV News (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ↑ Kim, Kyung-hee (May 7, 2026). '출연 거절' 김남길의 소신 재조명... 논란의 '참교육', 6월 5일 넷플릭스 공개 확정 [Kim Nam-gil's principles in 'declining the role' revisited... Controversial Teach You a Lesson confirmed for Netflix release on June 5]. iMBC (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 17, 2026. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ↑ "김무열, 드라마 출연자 화제성 1위...'참교육' 올해 넷플릭스 최고 오프닝 스코어 [공식]". OSEN (in Korean). 2026-06-09. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ "[리뷰M] 미지근해서 다행이야…'참교육'의 찜찜한 사이다★★★". iMBC (in Korean). 2026-06-05. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- 1 2 "[TF리뷰] '참교육', 은사 안부 묻게 만든 묵직한 여운". The Fact (in Korean). 2026-06-06. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ "'참교육' 우려와 공감 사이, 보고 나서 판단해도 늦지 않아요 [OTT리뷰]". TV Daily (in Korean). 2026-06-06. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- 1 2 "[IS리뷰] 논란의 '참교육' 봤더니…통쾌함 뒤에 숨은 학교 이야기". Ilgan Sports (in Korean). 2026-06-07. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ "어른에게 고하는 '참교육', 통쾌함 뒤에 밀려오는 씁쓸함 [OTT리뷰]". Sports Today (in Korean). 2026-06-06. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ Seo, Jihyun (June 9, 2026). "When the law fails, fantasy steps in… The dangerous appeal of 'Teach You a Lesson' [Seo Ji-hyun's Immersion]". Sports Seoul (in Korean). Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ Keller, Joel (June 5, 2026). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Teach You A Lesson' On Netflix, About A Government-Backed Squad That Fights Bullying". Decider. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ Conran, Pierce (June 5, 2026). "Netflix K-drama Teach You a Lesson: corporal punishment for bullies in alarming school show". South China Morning Post. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ Kim, Minjeong (June 9, 2026). "교권 붕괴 정조준한 '참교육'…현직 교사들 "사이다"". Edaily (in Korean). Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Piña, Vanessa (June 4, 2026). "Netflix's Next Big Action Thriller Is Adapting A Webtoon So Controversial, It Was Outright Canceled In America". Screen Rant. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Diffey, Hannah (May 26, 2025). "Netflix's New Manhwa Adaptation Is So Controversial, 1 Group Is Already Calling For Its Cancellation". Screen Rant. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ Lee, Min-ji (November 8, 2026). 김남길, '참교육' 논란에 "직접 검토 못해, 실망시키지 않을 것" [전문] [Kim Nam-gil, on the True Lessons controversy "I haven't review it myself, I won't disappoint (you)" [Full Text]]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ↑ Kang, Sun-ae (January 22, 2026). "Netflix Addresses Teach You a Lesson Controversy: "We Hear the Concerns and Are Moving Responsibly"". SBS Star. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
