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South Korean drama on teacher-student romance scrapped after public uproar

Barely a week after its announcement, a South Korean television drama based on a romantic relationship between a teacher and her 12-year-old student was cancelled following widespread public outrage. According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the series, tentatively titled The Elementary School Student I Love, was based on a webtoon of the same name and had only been unveiled in late June. But it quickly drew intense backlash from educators, civic groups, and the public, who condemned the plot as a dangerous romanticisation of child abuse. The backlash was swift and overwhelming, leading production company Meta New Line to announce that it would "suspend the production and planning" of the drama, citing "changing social sensitivities". The series was removed from other major platforms including Naver Series, Kyobo Book Centre's digital content store, and Ridi, according to The Korea Herald. Controversial premise sparks outrage At the centre of the controversy was a plotline involving Shim Cheong-ah, a woman in her twenties who unknowingly develops feelings for an online gaming partner later revealed to be her student, Im Dang-su. After discovering his identity, her feelings reportedly turn platonic. The drama adaptation was to be helmed by director Jung Sung-hyun and writer Jung Se-hyuk, although no casting or release date were announced, reported The Korea Herald. While the original webtoon had run from 2015 to 2020 and even won the Excellence Award at the 2014 World Comics Contest hosted by Lezhin Comics, its potential transition to television triggered renewed scrutiny. Critics compared the narrative to a glorification of grooming, a view echoed by South Korea's largest teachers' union. Educators warn of grooming glorification The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA), as quoted by the South China Morning Post, called the show a 'clear idealisation of sexual grooming", arguing that a teacher sharing private emotional space with a student is neither romance nor fantasy, but abuse. KFTA warned the content could 'undermine the values of child protection, damage trust in the teaching profession, and potentially cause harm to children and adolescents". In comments to South China Morning Post, a 25-year-old PE teacher in Seoul expressed disbelief that such a premise was even considered. 'It's shocking that a storyline like this was even considered for broadcast. Content like this is dangerous because it risks normalising unacceptable relationships,' the teacher said. Industry voices highlight evolving sensitivities Veteran comic critic and columnist Seo Chan-hwe, speaking to South China Morning Post, noted that stories involving adult-adolescent relationships had long existed in the shadows of South Korean and Japanese comics. 'This material used to be for a closed readership. What was underground has now surfaced to a broader audience,' he said. While not outright condemning the creators, Seo said the creators were carelessly repeating harmful story ideas. 'In the past, many turned a blind eye. Now, everyone understands the inherent danger in depicting such a power-imbalanced relationship. Today, we recognise it for what it is: grooming,' he said. Seo also noted that even when gender roles are reversed, with a female teacher and male student, the depiction still reinforces patriarchal roles and real-world violence. Despite the controversy, Seo warned against censorship, saying all forms of expression should be protected. Push for tighter regulation in media sector The controversy has reignited demands for stronger regulation of South Korea's expanding media industry, especially its prolific webtoon segment. The South China Morning Post noted that the country produces thousands of titles annually, many with limited oversight. In 2020, an online petition against a webcomic with unethical themes gathered over 130,000 signatures. Following the latest outcry, the Korean Teacher and Education Workers' Union, South Korea's second-largest teachers' union, renewed calls for government regulation of webtoons. The decision by Meta New Line to cancel the drama was welcomed as a rare instance of media producers responding to public sentiment. 'We will continue to respond so that the relationship between the teacher and student is not distorted (for entertainment), and so that non-educational and unethical content that makes fun of education is not produced,' KFTA chief Kang Joo-ho said in comments to South China Morning Post.