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[TV Report = Kim Jin-soo, Reporter] Netflix series ‘True Education’ has received an explosive response immediately after its release, but some current teachers’ evaluations of the series have instead sparked backlash from netizens.
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Recently, online communities have taken note of reviews by current teachers after watching ‘True Education’. While they acknowledged that the series deals with problems in school settings, they also expressed concerns about the coercive methods shown in the conflict resolution process.
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One teacher claimed, “Many people misunderstand that teachers are eager to scold students,” adding, “What teachers want is not the revival of corporal punishment, but an environment where fair guidance on school life is possible.” Another teacher stated, “When my family said, ‘Teachers must feel relieved watching such dramas,’ it wasn’t that way at all. It was actually horrifying.” The teacher added, “When a school operates by force, it becomes control, not education,” expressing discomfort with certain scenes in the series. In fact, some teachers shared their experience of leaving low ratings for the series.
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As these reactions were shared, there was a wave of counterarguments among netizens. Many viewers pointed out that interpreting the core of the series as merely ‘corporal punishment’ or ‘violence’ misses the message the series intends to convey. One netizen claimed, “People feel satisfaction not because of the hitting scenes but because they want to see perpetrators held accountable and victims standing back up again.”
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Another netizen emphasized, “It’s not about teachers feeling thrilled from hitting students but rather because it relates to protecting victims who are not properly supported in reality and holding perpetrators accountable.” Further responses included, “If you watched the drama properly, you can’t pick on just the corporal punishment,” “I think the critics misunderstood the reason for viewers’ enthusiasm,” and “It’s not about the violence itself but about showing responsibility for wrong actions and the meaning of education, which resonates with audiences.”
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Particularly, some viewers analyzed that the unresolved real-life issues of school violence or violations of teacher’s rights contribute to the show’s popularity. Frustration with a reality where victims are left in pain and perpetrators face little responsibility aligns with the satisfying narrative of ‘True Education’. Amidst varied interpretations of the series, Netflix’s ‘True Education’ is continuing its global sensation, topping the TV show category in 27 countries, including South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan.
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Kim Jin-soo, Reporter / Photo = TV Report Archive, Netflix ‘True Education’