Teach You a Lesson‘s director Hong Jong Chan has responded to criticism surrounding controversial scenes in Teach You a Lesson, including dialogue referencing breast reduction surgery and the show’s portrayal of physical punishment.
Teach You a Lesson faced concerns before its release about whether some of the controversial elements from its original webtoon could be successfully adapted for television. While the series has earned praise from viewers and critics alike, some scenes have also sparked debate online, with critics arguing that certain moments contain unnecessary sexual references or language that could be interpreted as misogynistic.
One of the most discussed scenes features students at Soyeon Girls’ High School mocking Im Han Rim (played by Jin Ki Joo) by asking whether she has had plastic surgery. Han Rim fires back, saying, “I did have plastic surgery. A breast reduction surgery. But I don’t think anyone in this class particularly needs one.”
The line drew mixed reactions, with some viewers questioning whether the dialogue was necessary to the story.
The scene was adapted from the original webtoon, where the character similarly responds to remarks about her appearance.
Addressing the controversy, Hong Jong Chan explained that the production team made a conscious effort to tone down potentially uncomfortable material from the source material.
“We removed elements from the original that we felt could make viewers uncomfortable,” he said. “In Episode 3, the students use plastic surgery as a way to attack the teacher. We approached that scene with the same undertone. The production team continued refining and reducing those elements through the editing process until the very end.”
Hong also addressed criticism surrounding the show’s inclusion of physical punishment, which had been controversial since the planning stages.
“I personally believe physical punishment is unacceptable in any form. It’s wrong,” he said. “If we only make a good story for ourselves, it wouldn’t mean much. We need to make the show engaging so that viewers can enjoy it too. You can think of it as an element meant to entertain the audience.”
The director added that he believes the conversations sparked by the drama are valuable.
“I think it’s meaningful that people are discussing these issues from different perspectives,” he said. “Beyond that, I don’t think it’s really our place to dictate how those discussions should go.”
Hong also took a moment to remember the late actor Song Young Gue, who appeared in the first episode of the series.
Song passed away unexpectedly last August, shortly before the release of Teach You a Lesson. According to reports at the time, he was found unconscious in his vehicle by an acquaintance, who then contacted authorities.
Earlier that year, Song had been referred to prosecutors without detention on charges of driving under the influence after allegedly traveling about 5 kilometers while intoxicated in Yongin. His sudden death just two months later shocked both his family and colleagues in the entertainment industry.
In Teach You a Lesson, Song played a prominent presidential candidate.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Hong said. “When I first heard the news about Young Gue, I was editing Episode 1. It was incredibly difficult. He loved acting and always gave everything he had. Even while dealing with my own grief, I kept thinking that I needed to make sure his performance was presented as well as possible.”
He continued, “From the very first script reading, Young Gue hyung poured his passion into this project and gave it his all. I’ll always be grateful for that.”
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