[SC Interview] "Even Kim Nam-gil, who said he would not do uncomfortable projects, is cheering it on" ... Director Hong Jong-chan on the full story of the turnaround success of "Teach You a Lesson" (full)

[Sportschosun Jo Ji-young] Director Hong Jong-chan, 54, who delivered a sharp lesson to a broken school authority system, shared his thoughts on the show's box-office success.

Hong Jong-chan, who directed the Netflix series "Teach You a Lesson" (written by Lee Nam-gyu, Kim Da-hee and Moon Jong-ho, directed by Hong Jong-chan), met with Sportschosun in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 11th and spoke about the production process of the now-finished series, as well as the passion and affection he poured into the project.

"Teach You a Lesson" is a series about the School Rights Protection Bureau, an organization created to defend South Korea's education sites, which have been undermined by students, teachers and parents who cross the line. Reimagined as a series from the webtoon of the same name by Chae Yong-taek and Han Ga-ram, it received praise immediately after release for its satisfying catharsis, fast-paced storytelling and the lively chemistry of its charming characters.

In particular, after its release on the 5th, "Teach You a Lesson" recorded 6.4 million views in just three days, topping the Global Top 10 Non-English TV list. It also ranked No. 1 in 10 countries, including South Korea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, and entered the Top 10 in a total of 48 countries, underscoring the strength of K-series content.

Asked about the wave of praise that followed the release, Hong said, "Honestly, I still don't fully feel it yet. But it means a lot to me as a director that viewers seem to understand the essence and sincerity of the work. I wanted it to be a project that raised questions, and many people seem to be talking about it in a positive way, so it feels rewarding. I'm also so happy that the evaluations of the rookie actors have been so good."

He also addressed the encouraging response from the education community. Earlier, on the 8th, the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) issued a statement saying, "'Teach You a Lesson' exposed, without embellishment, the reality of broken classrooms, the serious violations of teachers' authority by some students who have become uncontrollable, and the despair of teachers whose hands and feet have been tied by malicious complaints." In response, Hong said cautiously, "There are reactions from teachers, but I also like that ordinary parents and citizens have responded in different ways. I haven't looked closely at the KFTA statement, but I know about it. If there are viewers who felt emotions similar to the victims in 'Teach You a Lesson,' I just hope they found some comfort through the series."

On the show becoming a K-series that drew attention worldwide, he said, "I thought the issues involving children and relationships would be similar in any country. I think that part resonated with a lot of people. There's a saying that it takes a village to raise a child, and I think that really connected around the world. I think it's the same everywhere."

He added, "My previous work, 'Juvenile Justice,' and 'Teach You a Lesson' are very different in tone. 'Juvenile Justice' was such a heavy project that the set felt heavy, and even editing it was emotionally heavy. But 'Teach You a Lesson' contains the frustration of reality, as well as the desire to resolve it, so it gave me a refreshing sense of satisfaction."

"Teach You a Lesson" was a controversial project from the casting stage because of the intensity of the original work and the message it carried. In the original, a mixed-race Black male student was portrayed as a vicious school violence perpetrator who bullied Korean students, sparking accusations of racism. It also drew criticism for glorifying violence and corporal punishment through scenes in which problem students, malicious parents and corrupt teachers were physically beaten or punished, as well as for sexism and biased perspectives that seemed to encourage prejudice against a particular gender or ideology. The series adaptation of such a controversial original raised concerns. Last year, the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) even staged a protest calling for production to be halted, showing its opposition to the project. Against that backdrop, attention is focused on how "Teach You a Lesson" will adapt the problems in the original and win over the public.

On that point, he said, "We took only the core idea of the School Rights Protection Bureau from the original and rebuilt everything else from scratch. Internally, we kept filtering it to make sure viewers would not feel uncomfortable. At the production presentation, Kim Moo-yeol said, 'We speak through the work,' and directing was the same. We had no choice but to speak through the work, and I am grateful that people recognized the essence and sincerity of this project. There were controversies, but I was not anxious. I thought that once people watched it, they would quickly realize that we made it with complete sincerity."

Regarding episodes that reminded viewers of real-life cases such as the death of a Seoi Elementary School teacher and the Sookmyung Girls' High School exam paper leak case, he responded cautiously, "There are probably many similar incidents and cases. 'Teach You a Lesson' is a story created through imagination. That may be why so many people found it relatable."

He said, "At its core, 'Teach You a Lesson' is a project that tries to tell a good story. Our job was to make that story accessible to as many people as possible. We combined the fantasy element of the School Rights Protection Bureau with entertaining aspects so viewers could enjoy it more." He added, "We tried to filter out uncomfortable perspectives. Internally, the producers and staff also worked hard to thoroughly review and edit out the uncomfortable parts of the series. That said, there are concerns about the corporal punishment in 'Teach You a Lesson.' Personally, I believe corporal punishment cannot be justified in any form. In our drama, I hope viewers will simply see it as an entertaining element. We wanted to present a good work in a fun way, so we tried to develop it that way, and I hoped viewers would feel a sense of exhilarating satisfaction while watching."

He also spoke about casting. Hong Jong-chan said, "For any drama, I think the story only comes together when the characters feel relatable from my perspective. There are perpetrators, victims and bystanders, but my principle was that I had to be able to empathize with their stories."

He also spoke candidly about the casting controversy surrounding the Na Hwa-jin character played by Kim Moo-yeol. At the beginning of production, Kim Nam-gil had been cast in "Teach You a Lesson," but opposition from fans grew because of the controversy surrounding the project. In the end, he declined to appear and drew attention by posting about the casting on social media himself. Later, at the production presentation for "The Fiery Priest" in November 2024, Kim Nam-gil also made it clear, saying, "If fans feel uncomfortable, then it is right not to do it."

On that, Hong said, "Casting is the most important part of any project. We go through a lot of thought to find the right fit, and that was just one part of that process. Any project can run into issues like that. Kim Nam-gil is a truly great actor, and I always support him. If we get another good opportunity, I would like to work with him again. We support each other."

He also expressed gratitude for eventually casting Kim Moo-yeol, saying, "I was so thankful to Kim Moo-yeol. I already knew how charming he was as an actor. Through 'Juvenile Justice,' I had seen his emotional range, comedy and action, and I thought he was a versatile actor. I had always thought I should use that actor well someday, and this time we got to work together again. In fact, I relied on Kim Moo-yeol a lot on set."

He added, "Yesterday, Kim Hye-soo called me. She said Kim Moo-yeol is such a great actor, and she was so happy that so many people were able to see that. That is how hard he worked in this project. He had to work with all the rookie actors, and he put in even more effort than that, so I was very happy. Kim Moo-yeol is a really fun character. He can sing well on his own, and he has a lightness to him. Before this, hadn't he mostly played heavier roles? I was glad that he was able to show that through Na Hwa-jin."

Hong Jong-chan also talked about the rookie actors who made their mark through "Teach You a Lesson," recalling the episode about a law-breaching juvenile in episode 1. He said, "While working with the actors in the law-breaching juvenile episode, they were so good that I almost hated watching their performances. Even though I was the director filming them, I hated them so much as characters during that period. That is how immersed they were, and I was grateful for that."

"Teach You a Lesson" stars Kim Moo-yeol, 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 of "Juvenile Justice" and "Mr. Plankton." It was released on Netflix on the 5th.

Jo Ji-young, soulhn1220@sportschosun.com