Education minister draws line at 'Teach You a Lesson' vigilante unit: 'Problems can't be solved through punishment'

By Kim Yong-jae, The Herald Business

Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin said Monday that while the fictional "Teachers' Rights Protection Bureau" in the Netflix series "Teach You a Lesson" may give viewers a sense of satisfaction, real education problems "cannot be resolved through punishment or confrontation."

Her remarks, made amid growing public attention to violations of teachers' rights, signaled that she favors restoring trust within the education community and strengthening institutional safeguards over a punishment-centered approach.

Choi made the comments during opening remarks at the sixth "Education Jinjam" forum, held Monday at the government complex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where she referenced the Netflix series that has drawn wide public interest. "As someone responsible for education, I feel above all a sense of regret and sorrow," she said.

"The fictional bureau that resolves problems through forceful means does give viewers a kind of satisfaction," Choi said. "But I believe real change in education can come not through punishment or confrontation, but through respect, trust and cooperation."

The bureau has attracted significant attention for its portrayal as an organization that directly punishes those who violate teachers' rights — reflecting ongoing concerns about infringements on teaching activities and the chilling effect on educators. The issue has also emerged as a key topic in the education sector following the June 3 local elections, with some newly elected school superintendents pledging to establish dedicated teachers' rights protection units as a central policy priority.

Choi, however, emphasized building institutional safety nets and improving school culture over punishment-focused solutions. "The Ministry of Education will work with metropolitan and provincial education offices to embed in schools the institutional mechanisms and foundations we have developed together for handling school complaints and violations of teaching activities," she said. "We will respond firmly to cases of educational activity violations that cause suffering to all members of the school community."

Choi also identified false child abuse reports targeting teachers as an area requiring reform. She said she would "discuss ways to improve the system with the National Assembly and related ministries to ensure that teachers do not face a chilling effect on their teaching activities or suffer unjust hardship due to false child abuse reports."

"We will work to establish a school culture in which teachers, students and parents trust and respect one another, in order to strengthen the educational function of schools," she added.