"Violence Is Only Fantasy"... The Precarious Line Drawn by Director Hong Jongchan [Limelight]

What the Director of "True Education" Left Unanswered
Public Discussion Sparked, but Classrooms Remain Unchanged
"Even Beyond School Violence, Today's Children Seem..."

"In reality, violence can never be justified." These are the words of director Hong Jongchan, who directed the Netflix series "True Education." Regarding the violence of the School Rights Protection Bureau depicted in the drama, he drew a clear line, stating that it is "merely a fantasy element for the sake of entertainment." This precarious boundary is at the heart of the controversy surrounding the work.

Director Hong Jongchan of "True Education."

In a recent interview with The Asia Business Daily, Director Hong repeatedly expressed his hope that the work would spark social discussion. The results exceeded expectations: "True Education" topped the global non-English TV show category on Netflix for two consecutive weeks and generated significant social resonance. He cited youth issues as the driving force behind its popularity. "Although it may seem like a story only about children, it reflects not just families and schools, but society as a whole," he said.

The message he wanted to convey was simple, encapsulated in the line by the character Na Hwajin (played by Kim Muyeol): "There are good adults in the world." Hong emphasized, "When children are struggling, we must not ignore or turn a blind eye. They need adults who can reach out to them."

However, there has been a strong backlash against the approach of using violence as a solution. Seoul Superintendent of Education Jeong Geunsik criticized the School Rights Protection Bureau as a "fascist policy," adding, "Even if you protect teachers' rights, it should be done in an educational manner." Among current teachers, there was resistance to scenes portraying Meister and specialized vocational high schools as hotbeds of violence. Critics argued that the drama carelessly revived the stigma from the now-defunct vocational high school era under previous laws, and depicted teachers as powerless.

Netflix's 'True Education' still cut.

The issues do not end there. The drama resolves problems through force, rarely showing any positive change among the perpetrators. The agency of victims to overcome their circumstances on their own is essentially omitted. The intervention of external authority is limited to resolving the problem at hand. Its approach to sensitive topics such as juvenile offenders and false accusations of sexual assault also tends to oversimplify reality.

These limitations lead to fundamental questions: How can the diverse parties gathered within a school coexist peacefully? Instead of tackling this question, the drama chooses to demonize one side and subdue it with violence. It inevitably raises doubts about whether it can address the root of the problem in the long run.

When asked about the possibility of change among perpetrators, Director Hong initially replied, "In reality, they would never change," but then withdrew his comment. Addressing the opposition to the production from the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union, he said, "It is only by looking from diverse perspectives that we can move to the next stage," deliberately avoiding a direct response. He maintained that the mere fact the drama provided a forum for public discussion meant it had fulfilled its role. "I hope that others can find the answers to the questions that remain after the drama concludes."

Netflix's "True Education" still cut.

That was as far as he would go as a director. Toward the end of the interview, as a father raising middle and high school-aged children, he revealed a different side. His eyes were filled with helplessness. "Even if it's not just school violence, seeing children these days makes it hard to breathe. They study fiercely from elementary school, and even after entering university, they face relentless competition for jobs. Life seems to be getting more and more suffocating." Outside the drama, he was just an ordinary father.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.