Netflix’s “Teach You a Lesson” is gaining major attention worldwide, but one scene from the series has now sparked a heated debate online.
Recently, viewers on online communities and X shared mixed opinions about a scene from episode 3. Some criticized the scene, saying it appeared to make fun of a woman’s body and use a female character’s appearance as part of a verbal fight.
In the scene, students at Soyeon Girls’ High School mock Im Han Rim, played by Jin Ki Joo, by asking, “Where did you get plastic surgery? Show us your before photos.”
Im Han Rim then responds, “I had plastic surgery. Breast reduction surgery. But it does not look like anyone in our class really needs reduction.”
A similar line also appeared in the original webtoon, which had previously drawn criticism. In the webtoon, Im Han Rim says, “I did have surgery in one place. Reduction surgery. But since you probably are not interested in reduction, I do not need to tell you the price.”
Director Hong Jong Chan explained that the production team tried to remove parts from the original that could make viewers uncomfortable.
He said, “We removed things from the original that we thought could be uncomfortable,” adding that the team “reviewed the scene until the end” and tried to reduce scenes that could become controversial.
However, viewers remain divided. Some said the scene was uncomfortable because it used breast reduction surgery as part of a fight between women.
Others argued that it was just a drama scene meant to show Im Han Rim’s strong personality and sharp response to the students.
One viewer commented, “Please just watch a drama as a drama,” while another said the scene was used to show the character’s power and attitude.
The debate comes as “Teach You a Lesson” continues to rise globally. The Netflix series tells the story of the Teachers’ Rights Protection Bureau, an organization created to protect South Korea’s education system from students, teachers, and parents who cross the line.
