Popular Korean Webtoon Introduces A Sudden, Extremely Racist Plotline — Publisher Responds To Criticism

Manwhas or webtoons have become increasingly popular as accessibility has increased worldwide. Several popular dramas like True Beauty or, more recently, Mask Girl were adapted from web-based cartoon series.

One popular webtoon that is read by fans worldwide is Get Schooled. Originally published in Korea, translated versions are available through the WEBTOON app and website, where it has been viewed over 99 million times.

Get Schooled is centered around an employee of the Ministry of Education, Hwa Jin Na, who gets called in to handle school bullies in violent or indirect ways that have been outlawed in their world.

The latest episode has inspired some controversy over the new bully that has been introduced. The episode begins with a student setting the scene as a resident in a countryside town with more foreigners than native Koreans.

While this does not start as an issue, the character then refers to himself as the only “pure” Korean in his class.

I was the only pure Korean in class.

— Narratator

The narrator character then describes the bullying he’s faced as a “minority” in what the author tries to portray as “reverse racism.”

The bully, Lee Muk Hyun, is described as a mixed Korean-Ethopian with a “massive physique,” a description echoing the recent racism seen in Street Woman Fighter.

In another scene, the bully is shown getting called the Korean equivalent of the N-word by Korean students seeking to punish him for his racist behavior, whom he then beats up.

Hey, you f*cking black piece of sh*t.

— Korean Student calling out Lee Muk Hyun

In the scene with the most confusing displays of racism in the episode, the bully is first shown making fun of students pretending to be monkeys toward him, a common racially based way of mocking Black people.

This sets the scene for the new teacher’s introduction. Introduced as Daniel Hyun, he later explains that he is mixed with an American father. Lee Muk Hyun then begins mocking the teacher, asking him if he has ever been called a “yellow m*nkey,” a term historically used against Asians.

Student: Mr. Hyun, you have green eyes. Are you half, too?
Daniel: Yes. My mother is Korean and my father is American.

Have you ever heard anyone call you a “yellow m*nkey?

Instead of instantly reacting, Daniel Hyun explains that he countered the racism he received from mainly Black people by calling them “f*cking n*gga.”

The episode ends with Daniel introducing himself as a member of the same team Hwa Jin Na is part of and saying he will first try to correct the bully’s behavior in non-violent ways.

Fans of the series have found the content to be extremely racist to both Asians and Black people, with no real “reasoning” behind the content. Some have even seen the “reverse racism” plotline to serve as a way to be racist to Black people in a way that might avoid receiving criticism.

Get schooled is pissing me off cuz it used to be a genuine webtoon ab bullying when did it become a racist stereotypical story spreading black stereotypes and down playing what actual Black-Korean kids go through
LIKE WTF IS THIS pic.twitter.com/quTxDnOt1C

— Rose – ☽☾ Childes Wife (@Childesmoon) September 11, 2023

After reading the chapter, one fan shared their disbelief in a TikTok, leading the official WEBTOON account to respond, claiming the episode would be removed and the series reviewed.

@rin.joestar

#greenscreen i am so disapointed in this manhwa i really wouldnt have thought THIS one would go THAT far 🧍🏽‍♀️ #fypシ #manhwa #getschooled #webtoon #getschooledwebtoon #hwajinna #viral #webtoonrecommendation

♬ original sound – rin☆