Netflix’s adaptation of Webtoon Get Schooled faces growing controversy as Korean teachers demand cancellation over violent themes

Netflix’s upcoming K-drama adaptation Get Schooled is already mired in controversy, and it hasn’t even premiered. Based on a Korean manhwa of the same name, the show’s storyline and portrayal of educators have sparked intense backlash, particularly from South Korea’s most influential teachers' union. The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) is calling for the series to be scrapped, raising critical questions about the role of violence in education-themed media and the ethics of adapting contentious content.At the heart of the dispute is the show’s premise: a government official is dispatched to schools to restore order through physical punishment. While this might be framed as a dramatic or stylized approach to discipline, the KTU isn’t seeing it that way. In a powerful statement titled “Violence Is Not True Education,” the union argued the show “distorts the role of educators and undermines efforts to promote a respectful, rights-based learning environment.”Corporal punishment has been outlawed in South Korean schools for over a decade, and the KTU warns that normalizing such violence—even in fiction—“could normalize aggression in classrooms and erode democratic conflict resolution.” The show’s storyline, which portrays teachers as weak and ineffective, only fuels the union’s fears that Get Schooled legitimizes authoritarian control rather than fostering constructive discipline.The outrage surrounding Get Schooled goes beyond classroom dynamics. Critics have taken issue with how the original webtoon allegedly portrays marginalized characters—particularly women and people of color—as villains. These depictions, combined with a glorification of force, contribute to what many see as a troubling narrative pattern that reinforces outdated and harmful social hierarchies.Even though Netflix has assured audiences that the live-action version will be more sensitive, skepticism remains high. The creative duo behind the show, director Jong-chan Hong and writer Nam-kyu Lee, are seasoned professionals, but the KTU argues that reputation alone doesn’t justify the adaptation. “Creative credentials are not enough to justify adapting a story with such contentious themes,” the union insists.Also Read: “The shonen manga that I read s*cks”: Dragon Ball’s original editor wasn’t into Shonen Jump or manga — and it changed the genre foreverAs public debate continues to grow, Netflix faces mounting pressure to reconsider its release strategy. The controversy surrounding Get Schooled is proving that entertainment, especially when tackling sensitive topics like education and authority, cannot afford to ignore its social impact.