Kim Mu Yeol of Netflix’s hit series “Teach You a Lesson” shared his honest thoughts about the controversy surrounding Kim Nam Gil’s refusal to join the cast.
On June 12, Kim Mu Yeol was interviewed at a cafe in Samcheong ro, Jongno gu, Seoul, discussing the series based on the popular webtoon. The story follows the Teachers’ Rights Protection Bureau, an organization created to protect South Korea’s education system from students, teachers, and parents who cross the line. The series is directed by Hong Jong Chan, known for “Juvenile Justice” and “Dear My Friends,” and written by Lee Nam Kyu, who worked on “Daily Dose of Sunshine” and “The Light in Your Eyes.”
In the drama, Kim Mu Yeol plays Na Hwa Jin, a former special forces soldier turned inspector who handles school problems in his own bold and refreshing way. The casting process drew attention when Kim Nam Gil publicly declined the role twice, but Kim Mu Yeol described the part as a turning point in his career. Following the series announcement, his social media followers jumped from around 200,000 to 640,000, with his posts gaining over 1 million likes.
Even Hollywood star John Cena drew attention to Kim Mu Yeol by posting a photo of him, calling him the “Korean John Cena.” Kim Mu Yeol responded, “Now you can see me,” while Netflix’s official account commented, “hey twin,” boosting global interest.
Before the show’s release, the series faced criticism for the original webtoon’s controversial themes, including corporal punishment, racial discrimination, and depictions of feminism that were considered problematic. These controversies led to North American distribution of the webtoon being halted.
Despite the controversies, “Teach You a Lesson” quickly gained popularity, recording 6.4 million views within three days of release and ranking No. 1 on Netflix’s global Top 10 non-English shows. It reached No. 1 in 10 countries, including South Korea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, and entered the Top 10 in 48 countries overall.
About the casting issue, Kim Mu Yeol said, “I feel careful and even sorry because I think it is now becoming rude that his name keeps being mentioned.” He added, “I have only met Kim Nam Gil privately, but I remember his support, encouragement, and respect. I was inspired by his character and acting in ‘The Shameless.’ Even during this project, I imagined his acting and gained inspiration. So I feel sorry and uncomfortable that this keeps being talked about.”
He further explained that casting issues like this are common: “In many projects, I was often not the first choice. Sometimes second or third. This project was just part of that process.” He also emphasized that the director and production team carefully considered all concerns during filming and editing, saying, “We constantly reviewed things while filming and during editing to make sure we stayed on the right path.”
“Teach You a Lesson” was released globally on Netflix on June 5, reaching around 190 countries.
Source (1)
