Netflix gives 'Adolescence' brand another shot with South Korean series: 'One of the best dramas of the year'
A series produced in South Korea has once again climbed to the top spot of Netflix's most-watched series worldwide, and its success once again proves not only the popularity of South Korean series, but also the fact that they do not need big budgets and adequate publicity to cause a stir.
Flixpatrol, the reference site that monitors the popularity of various movies and series available on streaming platforms in real time, shows that “Teach You a Lesson” is the most watched Netflix series worldwide.
Like “Adolescence” or “Baby Reindeer” two years ago, the new South Korean series came out of nowhere, quickly climbing the streaming platform's rankings without benefiting from the marketing usually associated with productions that Netflix trusts will be successful.
The streaming platform didn't even highlight it in its monthly newsletter highlighting the most important productions it will release in June.
Unlike the other two series mentioned, which gradually climbed the rankings based on word-of-mouth recommendations, “Teaching You a Lesson” was an immediate success. It was released on June 10 and is already the most watched series on Netflix in 45 markets, enough to claim the first position.
In Romania, it occupies the second position in the ranking.
What is the Netflix show “Teaching You a Lesson” About
Like “Adolescence”, the South Korean series is related to the problem of bullying in schools, to which is added the decline of the authority of teachers. But its premise is one that might seem unimaginable in Europe.
South Korea's Ministry of Education is establishing the Education Rights Protection Bureau (ERPB) under the Teachers' Rights Protection Act, which granted the legal authority to reform the school system.
Under the authority of Choi Gang-seok (played by Lee Sung-min), the leader of the Ministry of Education who lost his daughter to school violence, his ERPB team does whatever it takes to protect victims of any form of violence (physical, emotional, mental, etc.) – be it students, teachers, or parents.
Na Hwa-jin (Kim Mu-yeol), a former special forces captain, uses his special investigative skills and force to lead the ERPB team, which consists of likeable characters such as unconventional inspector Hanrim (Jin Ki-joo) and geek Geun-dae (Pyo Ji-hoon), the deputy district manager.
Each episode focuses on a new school affected by corruption or delinquency, which undermines the education system or access to learning.
“Like many Korean legal dramas, it touches a chord through the stories of the victims, evoking anger at the lack of justice and offering relief when a solution is found,” Forbes writes.
The South Korean series, praised by Forbes
The success of the Netflix series was so unexpected that even reviews for it are almost non-existent on Rotten Tomatoes, the reference site for film reviews. But “We'll Teach You a Lesson” caught the attention of financial magazine Forbes, who noted that it could be “one of the best dramas of the year.”
“With the rise of bullying around the world — especially cyberbullying and the Telegram controversy — 'Teaching You a Lesson' seems like a necessary story to highlight these injustices that, frankly, are often ignored. It's especially evident in socioeconomic issues: the powerful take advantage of the system, while the less economically powerful pay the price,” she notes.
“It's not just bullying that's the problem. There are two episodes that show authoritarian parents (although I don't understand why it's always mothers) who push their children to the point of having suicidal thoughts. Although it may seem extreme, it's something that children have faced, especially under the pressure of the education system – again, globally,” explains journalist Laura Sirikul from Forbes.
“The series is well-written and engaging, keeping viewers hooked and eager to find out what happens next. There is an overarching story that is so fascinating and unexpected that it will not be revealed here; it must be experienced, not told,” she concludes.
On IMDb, where ordinary viewers can also vote, not just film critics, the series “I'll teach you a lesson” has an average rating of 8.7 / 10, higher than that of many popular series released in recent years. It is even above that of “Adolescence” (8.1 / 10), but the number of ratings for the new series is still low, according to IMDb standards.
