Teach You A Lesson was not on my watch list but I caved smh.
Based on an ongoing webtoon "Get Schooled," Teach You A Lesson follows a special organisation called ERPB (Educational Rights Protection Bureau) created by Minister Choi Gang Seok (Lee Sung Min) and lead by former military officer Na Hwa Jin (Kim Muyeol). With the help of junior colleague Im Han Rim (Jin Kijoo) and civil servant Bong Geun Dae (Block B's P.O/Pyo Jihoon), the ERPB visit schools which are troublesome and try to teach the culprits a lesson in life, disciplining them with whatever force.
It's not just rowdy students that are involved in these cases, we also see corrupt teachers who do what they can to stop genuinely smart students from succeeding further, there are also crafty parents who push their children to do well or force the school staff to do things their way.
Never mind hitting minors, the ERPB do not hold back on challenging these students with whatever method is necessary when they refuse to listen. It was undoubtedly satisfying seeing unredeemable students who do not care about anyone get humbled by Hwa Jin when he slaps them into defeat or uses minimum physical force to give them grace. He has however been aggressive when shit gets bad or dealing with adults.
Im Han Rim has history with Hwa Jin and she respects him as a fellow military officer. We don't get much backstory on her or Geun Dae but we know Han Rim was picked on at school for standing up for a peer and Hwa Jin helped out years ago. She can be ruthless and occasionally screams or raises her voice when things don't go well. As for Geun Dae...this is the first time I've seen P.O act and it took me a while to get used to him being a bit of a dork since I'm used to him rapping but I've seen interviews off stage where he can be a bit of a joker.
The lessons the drama teaches you are insightful and that it is ok to ask for help if you are being bullied or if you see something is not right. I obviously wish there was an ERPB equivalent here and during my time at school. That would have made an impact on my school days.
I have not read the original "Get Schooled" webtoon yet and I heard about the controversies however it is still being scanlated by fans on other sites. I may read the chapters which the kdrama covers when I have the time since I've got too many webtoons, web novels and other books to read.
Trailer can be seen below
Painter Of The Night (Byeonduck) - Painter Of The Night is a BL Manhwa focusing on Baek Nakyum who used to paint erotic art of men and nobleman Yoon Seungho who has a reputation of a sodomy lifestyle and bedding men daily. Seungho seeks out Nakyum after being mesmerised by the latter's erotic paintings and wishes for him to paint him when he's copulating however Nakyum says he stopped painting long ago due to personal reasons. However Seungho refuses to take no for an answer and that's where the story kicks off.
I did not expect to find myself finishing this webtoon in one go over the weekend. Having recently found out there was a short kdrama adaptation only available via Lezhin Snack I caved and read the webtoon first. There are quite a few cliche tropes which make the Seme and Uke pairing so blatant and I had a mix of emotions while reading which went from frustration, shock and actual angst especially with the final season it left a heavy feeling in my heart.
Yoon Seungho is far from a green flag even with the character development in the much later chapters. I appreciate the character development for him and Nakyum and Seungho's background which lead him to behave like a sodomist but it doesn't take away the unhinged demeanour that shows up in nearly every single chapter whether it is sex or beating servants up as he loses his temper. It also doesn't help Byeonduck drew him so distinctively in each panel not just handsome, I know some fanboys and girls are guilty of this. Every time Seungho pops up I am intimidated yet can't take my eyes away. Every detail in his robes and his eyes...chills. As for Baek Nakyum, the poor guy didn't need to be tossed about like that. Good grief. No wonder he was often tearful.
As for the drama adaptation. It was a challenge to watch this as a vertical drama and I'm used to having the screen wider and horizontal. What the drama does give the viewers are the main key scenes you see in the original webtoon. If I hadn't read the webtoon first I would be very confused as to why some things had changed or taken out. Given the time restraints, the drama feels rushed and choppy and it shows in the acting overall. Kim Kang Jae certainly has the towering height of Yoon Seungho and the general visuals he presents is acceptable. Ji Min Seo as Baek Nakyum - he portrayed the wide-eyed Nakyum nicely in most scenes. This adaptation would have worked better as either an Anime or a longer Kdrama season. The short drama episodes combined make it like a 2 hr film but it doesn't capture everything from the original story and there are a few minor changes to fit the time limit.
Hakuda Photo Studio (Her Taeyeon) - Jebi takes a trip to Jeju Island to get away from the city life after quitting her photography job. However her holiday is cut short when she loses her belongings and is left stranded. She then spots a job advert at a photo studio and meets owner Seokyeong who offers her a role to assist him in running the studio.
Bought this on a buy one get second half price deal at a bookshop and was intrigued with the blurb When will I get to be the main character in my own life? That's what I thought about sometimes. As we read further into the novel, we learn more about Jebi's history which turns out to be quite harsh with regards to a past relationship with a man. In addition to that and the respectful colleague interaction with Seokyeong, this book goes through the Jeju Island traditions which Jebi learns about during her stay. The book does have a slow pace but it is interesting to see the various customers and their stories when they visit Hakuda Photo Studio to have a shoot taken.
My Royal Nemesis (2026) - Shin Seo Ri, a once child prodigy actress who dropped in popularity and talent over time due to an accident before becoming a has-been name in the background. She is suddenly possessed by the spirit of a Joseon villainess that transmigrated from the past to the present after the latter is forced to drink poison as punishment. Heo Nam Jun is the ruthless Chaebol Cha Se Gye who clashes with Seo Ri and they develop a love hate relationship which is the core of the drama.
Seo Ri had a culture shock when she woke up in the modern times but manages to adapt and learn as much as possible in order to survive in a new world. Given her background and struggles in the past, it would make sense for her to quickly pick up what she can thanks to her skills in the palace. Se Gye has his own insecurities with regards to his family which are shown later on.
This is my first time seeing Heo Nam Jun in a leading romcom role and I'm ashamed to say he blew me away as Cha Se Gye. The fangirl feels were inevitable. I already knew Lim Jiyeon's acting as a villainess type of woman was amazing however her chemistry with Heo Nam Jun on screen was a balanced mix of cuteness and angst.
Two people who were apparently seen as baddies to the public eye were actually far from 'bad'. Se Gye is a man who eventually lets himself be vulnerable when it comes to emotions which aren't limited to the usual hot headed nature the public know he has. Shin Seo Ri with the Joseon villainess soul possessing her surprises other film crew and actresses with her new persona that is aggressive and taking no nonsense from people. Lim Jiyeon does a really good job showing both sides of the character with her voice and mannerisms, showing the youth and naivety but even the odd cuteness that Se Gye can't help being amused by.
I know people will question the screenwriter's approach to how a man like Cha Se Gye was written but it has honestly been a while since I encountered a male lead like him who knows it's ridiculous for a man to behave in such ways when it comes to love. There's almost a sense of mockery towards it that isn't so offensive. He owns up to his behaviour but also shows when he loves someone, he will go all out. On the flip side when he shows his businessmen mindset it actually demonstrates his skills well. That's a well rounded male character I approve and I also appreciate Shin Seo Ri's character which shows her imperfections while she adapts to the new world.
Trailer can be seen below:-
Undercover High School (2025): Demoted NIS Agent Jeong Hae Seong (Seo Kang Joon) is given a mission to search for missing gold that is rumoured to be hidden within the grounds of a prestigious school. In order to investigate, he goes undercover as a high school student which proves to be a challenge when there is an evident generational gap in his first few days. As Hae Seong dives deeper into the history of the school, he finds out many more things regarding his missing father, the Chairwoman and his NIS senior colleagues.
Like with most school drama settings, we get the bullying, social hierarchies and the lack of equality amongst privileged and poorer students, as well as teachers unable to speak their minds and normally the temp has to do step up (in this case Oh Su Ah played by Jin Ki Joo who was pre-Ham Rim here).
The drama was fun action and often humorous, dabbled with the occasional angst to balance out the various emotions through each episode. There were moments where it might come across as a little icky seeing a teacher and student relationship where in fact that particular student was an actual adult and yes referring to Hae Seong here. Once that is out of the way and in the open, the environment in the school and drama overall changes a little. I felt this aspect was handled quite well and didn't make the entire drama very cringey in that manner.