Those who are watching and devouring Korean drama content must have noticed that a majority of them have school bullying as subplots. Even Tomorrow has one episode dedicated to it which also deals with the mental health issue it leads to. Korean show makers have often managed to weave this social evil into their narrative and have done a good job. What's interesting is that even in a series like Boys Over Flowers where the bullies are the heroes, they have addressed the problem. They even show the aftermath of the same as well but the narrative quickly shifts to the love story. Song Hye kyo in Glory, Jung So-min in Alchemy Of Souls: 5 Kdrama Good Girls Turned Bad in 2022.
Today, we will discuss 5 such shows which bared the various sides of bullying in schools that affect a person.
Glory
Song Hye-kyo's recently concluded series on Netflix Glory has bullying as a catalyst. Hye-kyo was bullied in school and so she exacts revenge on her perpetrator. While it's a dark tale with hardly any breather, it also highlights how this wound festers over the years.
Who Are You: School 2015
A part of the school series, this show is about twins who get treated differently in school because of the place they come from. To watch, young kids indulge in such atrocities in school is quite devastating. Even though the series makes light of it by introducing a love triangle, the real push for the series is the underlying bullying incidents and their aftermath. Check it out on Netflix.
True Beauty
Based on a webtoon, True Beauty hits close to home. We all have issues with the way we look but when you get bullied for it, this gets tougher. Moon Ga-young's character is so conscious about her look due to a past incident that she hides behind layers of makeup. This could be so damaging for any High school kid. Watch it Viki.
My Id is Gangnam Beauty
This series takes the previous plot a step further. Here, Im Soo-Hyang undergoes cosmetic surgeries when she could no longer take her classmates' ridicule towards her. But it only backfires so much that she couldn't accept the love of the person she deeply cares for. This series highlights the insecurity a person feels even when she becomes conventionally pretty. It's Okay Not To Be Okay, My ID Is Gangnam Beauty, Squid Game - 5 KDramas That Made The Cliched 'Umbrella Scene' Come of Age!.
Save Me
Although this series is about a religious cult, the trigger is a person who jumps to death after getting bullied incessantly. This show grips you and leaves you completely shocked by the turn of events. Watch it on Amazon Prime.
How to Buy A Friend
This is perhaps what happens when survival is at stake. One of the leads is so frustrated with getting bullied that he strikes a deal with a burly man. He asks for protection from him while the guy investigates the death of the latter's girlfriend. Watch it on Viki.
Itaewon Class
Many of you who have watched this series would know what we are saying. Ahn Bo Hyun's character is extremely toxic and is fuelled by his rich father's status. He bullies Park Seo Joon and when the latter retaliates, he ruins PSJ's life. The hurt and the aftereffects just never let PSJ's character have a happy and honest life.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 05, 2023 05:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).