Teach You a Lesson

What it is about

Teach You a Lesson (참교육) is a Netflix series released in full on 5 June 2026. Netflix’s own announcement describes it as the story of a fictional government body, the Bureau for the Protection of Teaching Authority, created to defend teachers’ authority and the classroom when students, teachers or parents cross the line.

Kim Mu-yeol plays Na Hwa-jin, an inspector at the bureau; Lee Sung-min plays the education minister Choi Kang-seok, Jin Ki-joo the special-forces veteran inspector Im Han-rim, and P.O the official Bong Geun-dae. Hong Jong-chan directs from a script by Lee Nam-gyu. Newsis reported that the source is the webtoon of the same name that Chae Yong-taek and Han Ga-ram have serialised on Naver since 2020; Netflix said the series borrows the webtoon’s premise and adapts it anew.

Why it broke out internationally

By Netflix’s own count it is the biggest Korean drama of 2026. The Korea Herald reported on 29 July 2026 that it had recorded 60.2 million views in eight weeks and entered Netflix’s all-time top 10 for non-English series — the second Korean title after Squid Game, or the fourth Korean entry, as Herald Business noted, because Squid Game seasons 1, 2 and 3 are all on that list.

Ten weeks on the chart

Teach You a Lesson went to number one from its first chart week, 1 to 7 June, with 6.4 million views, drew 21.1 million in its second week, and stayed first through the fourth on 11.8 and 7.3 million. Then came 4.7 million (second), 3.6 million (second), 2.9 million (sixth), 2.3 million (seventh) and 1.8 million (eighth); after two weeks off the list it returned for 17 to 23 August at tenth with 1.1 million. By Netflix’s weekly figures the ten weeks total 63 million views.

Herald Business also reported that the series held first place globally for its first four weeks and was in the top 10 in 91 countries from its second.

Where to watch

Teach You a Lesson streams worldwide on Netflix. The official trailer is on Netflix Korea’s YouTube channel.