On June 16, Jin Ki Joo sat down for an interview at a café in Samcheong-ro, Jongno District, Seoul, to discuss her role in the Netflix series Teach You a Lesson.
Based on the hit webtoon of the same name, Teach You a Lesson tells the story of the Educational Rights Protection Bureau, an organization established to restore order to South Korea’s troubled education system, which has been shaken by unruly students, teachers, and parents crossing the line.
Ahead of its release, Teach You a Lesson became embroiled in controversy over accusations of racism and sexism in the original webtoon. While the source material gained immense popularity, it also faced criticism for depicting severe corporal punishment by supervisors against students, racial stereotypes targeting people of color, and scenes portraying violence against feminist educators as “satisfying justice.” The webtoon was further criticized for allegedly equating feminist education with ideological indoctrination. After these issues drew backlash in overseas communities, Naver Webtoon eventually suspended the title on its North American platform.
Despite those concerns, Teach You a Lesson quickly became a global hit. Just three days after release, the series recorded 6.4 million views calculated by dividing total watch hours by the show’s runtime and climbed to No. 1 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV chart. The drama also ranked No. 1 in 10 countries, including South Korea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, while entering the Top 10 list in 48 countries worldwide.
In the drama, Jin Ki Joo plays Im Han Rim, a former special forces officer turned supervisor for the Educational Rights Protection Bureau. She first appears in Episode 3 as a timid student teacher at Soyeon Girls’ High School before revealing her true identity as a bureau inspector. However, her intense scenes involving military-style shouting and commanding discipline sparked mixed reactions from viewers. One critic even commented on the controversy by saying, “If the work itself isn’t a gem but a mess, how can there even be a flaw in the gem?” criticizing the drama itself rather than solely her performance.
When told that many viewers considered the role a potential “career-defining character,” Jin Ki Joo responded positively. “That phrase is such high praise that it feels like the greatest happiness. I worked really hard during filming, so I’m relieved,” she said.
Addressing the acting controversy directly, Jin Ki Joo explained that the foundation of Im Han Rim was shaped during script readings with director and co-stars. “Before the full script reading, the four members of the Teacher Rights Bureau gathered with the director for scene-by-scene rehearsals. If I remember correctly, the idea first came from senior actor Lee Sung Min. I thought, ‘Oh, this could be something different,’” she said.
“Since I had to portray the role, I constantly watched documentaries and variety programs featuring special forces soldiers during training. They had a very unique, almost beast-like roar. At first, even I found the sound unfamiliar,” she added.
The actress continued, “As I immersed myself in understanding special forces culture, I realized it wasn’t just a performance concept or habit. These are people who push their bodies beyond human limits for years. They have unbelievable physical endurance and strength. At some point, I understood that the sound came from reaching the edge of mental endurance.”
She explained that this understanding influenced her portrayal of Han Rim: “I saw Han Rim as someone who used to run away from bad students but became stronger through impossible training. That roar felt like a way to wake herself up mentally. I didn’t approach it as a gimmick or device I genuinely believed that was part of what special forces soldiers are like.”
Jin Ki Joo also expressed affection for the character she built. “I worked really hard for Im Han Rim, and because we created the character together, I feel attached to her,” she said. “At the end of the day, people are diverse, and it’s natural to have different opinions. Every opinion matters. People close to me say I have a fragile mentality, but what can I do? I just endure the criticism as best as I can.”
Meanwhile, Teach You a Lesson was released on Netflix on June 5 and is currently streaming in more than 190 countries worldwide.
Sources: Nate
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