Korean Webtoon “Get Schooled” Receives International Condemnation For Violent Depictions Against Women
The highly problematic Naver webtoon Get Schooled is back in the spotlight after recent reports claimed that it would be getting a K-Drama adaptation.
The webtoon received intense criticism last year for its highly racist plotline, leading the creators to apologize. But the story itself had so many disturbing elements that it was removed from the platform for international readers and placed on an indefinite hiatus on the Korean app.
The possibility of the K-Dramafication of such a webtoon naturally stirred up a controversy. Initially, it was reported that Kim Nam Gil had been confirmed to take on the role of the main character, bringing more attention to the issue.
In light of this news, a Korean Feminist account on X (previously, Twitter) brought up another problematic plotline from the webtoon that left international netizens fuming. In one of the episodes, a female teacher who was portrayed trying to teach her students feminist values was violently struck across the face.
Here's a scene from NAVER Webtoon's “참교육(The True Education),” which demonizes a female teacher as a distorted image of feminist and uses violence against her. This scene is implying the message that it is acceptable to assault feminists. pic.twitter.com/dQuk8WFdam
— (cat) 페미니즘=여성인권운동 (@dvu84djp) October 8, 2024
The particular panel became a hot topic among anti-feminists in South Korea and was widely seen as normalizing violence against Feminists.
“The NAVER webtoon ‘Get Schooled’ came out with a scene where a teacher smashes the face of another teacher who instills feminine thoughts.”
— Caption above
International netizens expressed their extreme disgust for such a narrative and vowed not to watch the K-Drama or support anybody who chose to appear in it.
We're gonna boycott this shitty drama https://t.co/dppmzLmCg7
— 💞✰Serenity훈🇵🇸 (@deuxSehUniverse) November 7, 2024
tw: misogyny, kdrama | #metoo
i am cancelling whoever is going to be on this drama https://t.co/N6ifjTAbJA
— 971518🫧 (@971518k) November 7, 2024
meanwhile, they can’t release a 2nd season of signal (since 2016) despite so many announcements.
I hope they’ll scrap this garbage, too. https://t.co/9mml799zeR
— 🚹=🚺 (@gaa2022_28) November 7, 2024
While the depiction of violence against women, in general, is harmful, in the context of Korean society, it has the potential to cause immediate danger to women. The country has seen a rapid rise in anti-feminist sentiment, to the point where men have physically attacked women just because they suspected them to be Feminists.
Meanwhile, Kim Nam Gil addressed the claims of him taking up the leading role in the K-Drama adaptation of Get Schooled on his social media. Read more about it here.
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