'Teach You A Lesson' Netflix Review: Is Violence The Sole Answer To Violence?

While the idea behind Teach You A lesson might be similar to something like The Glory, the way it’s presented is entirely different. For those of you who might not know, the show is adapted from a highly controversial Webtoon that was banned in the US for being straight up racist. Now, this is my first time hearing about this Webtoon, so I’m going to try my best to give my unbiased opinion on the show itself, but I thought it was important to bring to notice this detail that might not come across at all when you watch the show. The premise of the show is simple: there’s a bureau created specifically to handle juvenile delinquents, and they choose to treat these bullies in the same way they treat their classmates, like absolute trash. An-eye-for-an-eye, if you will, is the literal theme of this show, but does it work? What is it propagating, and is it worth your time? Let’s get into it. 

The more reviews I write, the more I realize that it’s usually not as simple as “this is terrible,” or “this is amazing.” There’s much more nuance to writing a genuinely effective review, yet still, you sometimes get a comment like “typical snob critic” or something on those terms. Teach You A lesson is a show that’s left me quite baffled with the themes it’s handling, and how simply it presents said situations without really diving deep into anything. Yes, bullying is a systematic problem in South Korea, and on the outside, this show seems to be trying to send a positive message: authorities can handle the worst of situations, and these “evil” kids will be taught a lesson. But when these authorities resort to physical violence and corporal punishment, does it actually result in a better world for the people? This is something the show doesn’t  really present a straightforward answer to. While we see a clear line between good and evil when it comes to the kids, the adults in this show don’t seem to be scrutinized in the same manner. 

Each episode sees a new school and a different kind of bullying. There are some episodes in particular that stand out for sure, like the one about a child growing up in an abusive household. There are clearly some good parts, highlighting the dangers of verbally abusive parents and the impact they have on a growing child. But at the same time, watching an adult completely annihilate a young school boy for bullying his classmates definitely feels at least a little bit problematic. Especially if it’s making you feel like he’s doing the right thing. I did feel that way initially, too. Over time, the school bullying shows have become plentiful, all somewhat coming down with a similar conclusion, never truly giving a solution to the roots of this problem. Two shows that approach the subject well are The Glory and Weak Hero Class 1. In each of these shows, we get the arc of each character who has either suffered at the hands of bullying or is a bully themselves, giving us a satisfying ending. In both of these cases, the responsible figure is the one who’s bullied and ends up taking revenge for their suffering. But in Teach You A lesson, the lesson comes from outside, and from an adult who has more power than the students themselves. 

While the messaging of the show isn’t all bad, the way it’s presented with contradictions makes it hard to take it seriously. As someone who has been watching K-dramas for over a decade, I found this show quite shallow, and it struggled under the weight of its double standards. While I can understand the intent, I can’t say I agree with the logic of the show. But I do think I’m critical enough to look at it as a show, set in a different kind of universe, and leave it at that. Alternatively, watching it as just another K-drama is also fine, because you don’t have to think about the material as much as just the idea of “good vs evil.” Now it seems like I’m contradicting myself too, but my intention is to make you see this as just a show rather than take inspiration from it in real life. If that makes sense. 

As a show itself, Teach You A lesson is almost an anthology, which has each episode set in a different school with different characters, but there’s one common link, and we get closer to the answers about that one case as the show progresses. There are some fun action sequences, and considering it’s adapted from a Webtoon, there are some interesting stylistic choices. There’s a really annoying bit in the soundtrack where they keep saying Chihuahua, and it might get stuck in your head immediately. While the leading male character has no arc at all, there’s this other character named Han-Rim, played by Jin Ki-Joo, an actress I’ve adored since Scarlet Heart Ryeo. Unfortunately, I really didn’t understand the point of her character being psychotic and just plain angry. Yeah, this is usually a stereotypical male archetype, but this doesn’t bring anything to the show except for an eccentric female character who’s raring to kill. I found it quite an unnecessary personality trait, especially for a show that’s putting this same character in a position of authority over children. 

While the first thought I might’ve had when I started watching this show was, “wow, teachers would enjoy this show,” a few episodes in, I started feeling like that would be a problematic take to have. At the end of the day, I see what Teach You A lesson is trying to do, but in my opinion, it doesn’t do it well. Additionally, its association with a “cancelled” Webtoon is not doing it any favours. But as a K-drama itself, I’ve seen many that cover the same topic far better, so for that reason, I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars. I’d love to discuss your thoughts on the show in the comments down below.