[Sportschosun reporter Jo Ji-young] Director Hong Jong-chan said, "We did not take inspiration from the Seoi Elementary School or Sookmyung Girls' High School twin case."
In an interview with Sportschosun on the afternoon of the 11th, Hong Jong-chan shared behind-the-scenes stories about the Netflix series "Teach You a Lesson" (written by Lee Nam-gyu, Kim Da-hee and Moon Jong-ho, directed by Hong Jong-chan).
"Teach You a Lesson" depicts the satisfying and refreshing punishment carried out by the School Rights Protection Bureau, an organization created to protect South Korea's education sites, which have been undermined by students, teachers and parents who cross the line.
Asked about episodes that reminded viewers of the death of a teacher at Seoi Elementary School and the Sookmyung Girls' High School exam paper leak involving twins, Hong Jong-chan responded cautiously, saying, "There are probably many similar kinds of incidents or cases. 'Teach You a Lesson' is a story created through imagination. That only makes me think there must be many incidents and cases that people can relate to."
He explained, "At its core, 'Teach You a Lesson' is a work that wants to tell a good story. Our job was to make sure as many people as possible could see that story. We also combined the fantasy element of the bureau with entertaining aspects so viewers could enjoy it more. We tried to filter out uncomfortable perspectives. Internally, the producers and staff also worked hard to thoroughly review and edit out the uncomfortable parts during the editing process. That said, corporal punishment can never be justified in any form. In our drama, I hope viewers see it as an entertaining device. We wanted to present a good work in a way that would be fun for viewers, so we tried to develop it that way, and I hoped audiences would feel a cathartic thrill while watching."
Based on the webtoon of the same name by Chae Yong-taek and Han Ga-ram, "Teach You a Lesson" stars Kim Moo-yul, Lee Sung-min, Jin Ki-joo and Pyo Ji-hoon. The script was written by Lee Nam-gyu, Kim Da-hee and Moon Jong-ho, who also wrote "Daily Dose of Sunshine," and it was directed by Hong Jong-chan, known for "Juvenile Justice" and "Mr. Plankton." It was released on Netflix on the 5th.
Jo Ji-young, soulhn1220@sportschosun.com
