Trigger Warning: Bullying, abuse, assault

SOME scars just never heal.

Bullying is a very significant social issue not just in the Philippines, but also in other countries. 

In South Korea, many dramas revolve around the story of people who are abused and assaulted as a result of bullying. 

These mirror a sad reality in South Korea. Earlier, content creator Queentiwa, who worked as a teacher in the country, shared how bullying was prevalent in a school filled with students from rich and influential families. 

Teachers often found themselves unable to do anything because they get in trouble when they try to intervene, she said. 

Here are some of the K-drama shows that tell the stories of the bullied. 

THE GLORY 

One of the biggest hit series that tackles bullying is Netflix’s ‘The Glory’ starring Song Hye Kyo. 

Revenge-driven Moon Dong Eun (played by Song Hye Kyo) plotted payback on her perpetrators who did nothing but abuse her physically, mentally, emotionally, and sexually in high school. 

After her parents ignored her plight due to the money offered by the mother of one of her abusers, Dong Eun was forced to fend for herself. Ultimately, she had to give up her dreams to be an architect and studied to become a teacher instead.

But she did not forget her goal of getting back at the bullies. With her meticulous planning, it became easier for her to track down all the people who used to abuse her and those who ignored her sufferings. She implemented strategies to hurt them in the worst possible, yet surprising way. 

The eight-episode series, which premiered on Netflix last December 30, ended with a cliff-hanger where Dong Eun led Park Yeon Bin (played by Lim Ji Yeon), one of her tormentors, into a room that contains all the secrets she has.

Netflix revealed that The Glory will be back in March 2023 to continue the revenge of Moon Dong Eun on the people who killed her dreams.

REVENGE OF OTHERS

Seeking to determine whether her twin brother really committed suicide, Ok Chan Mi (played by Shin Ye Eun), transferred to his school and worked to unravel the mystery behind her brother’s death.

While trying to find out the truth about the crime, she became the subject of bullying by the people who wanted to cover up her brother’s death.

The series also tackled other social issues such as blackmaili, teenage pregnancy, and poverty.

Revenge of Others premiered on Disney+ Singapore in November 2022 with 12 episodes.

WEAK HERO CLASS 1

Based on the popular Naver webtoon Weak Hero written by Seopass and illustrated by Kim Jin Seok (Razen), Weak Hero Class 1 depicts the everyday lives of the victims of bullying in school.

Yeon Si Eun (played by Park Ji Hoon) is one of the top students in his class who is not interested in anything other than his studies. Although Si eun is physically weak, he never backed down from  the bullies in his class. He uses his decision making skills, knowledge of physics, and the objects in his surroundings to  keep himself safe from danger.

However, when he faced great danger, he got help from the strongest guy in his class, Ahn Su Ho (played by Choi Hyun Wook), and the tormented son of an assemblyman, Oh Bum Seok (played by Hong Kyung). They gradually became his friends in a place full of violence.

Weak Hero Class 1 aired on several online streaming platforms such as KOCOWA, Viki, and IQIYI on November 18, 2022, with eight episodes. 

THE HEIRS

The Heirs or The Inheritors is a classic series that made everyone relate to the divide between the rich and the poor.

Cha Eun Sang (played by Park Shin Hye) is a student who spends almost half of her day working different part time jobs to support her mother and her education. Hoping to have a better life abroad, she followed her sister who said that she will be marrying her American boyfriend.

However, upon landing in the foreign land she knows nothing about, her sister stole the money that their mother worked hard for. This tear-jerking scene was witnessed by Kim Tan (played by Lee Min Ho), a young man who helped Eun Sang help by offering to let her stay in his house. Little did she know that the guy is the son of the family her mother is working for.

After returning to Korea from the US, Sang learned that she and her mother had to stay in the house of the latter’s employer. She also received an offer to go to a prestigious school owned by the father of Tan.

Eun Sang faced more misery when she set foot on the grounds of this prestigious school attended only by children who are scions of different companies. She had to act like she was a newly rich person so that no one would touch her, since there is a huge boundary between the rich people and the students in need.

This series has 20 episodes which aired in South Korea way back October 2013. It is also available in online streaming platforms Netflix and IQIYI as of today.

THE PENTHOUSE: WAR IN LIFE

The hit series The Penthouse: War in Life is one of the dramas that will leave viewers in tears due to the intense emotions the actors will trigger.

The story starts with an issue between the parents of children who also became entangled with each other because of the competition between them. The children, who are opera singers, try to best each other using any means.

Poverty is another social issue tackled in the series, which illustrates the divide between the rich and the poor. There is also injustice, shown by the death of a character who uncovered a secret. 

This series became a hit not just among South Koreans but also among Filipino viewers who watched the drama through online streaming platforms such as Netflix and Viu. 

The Penthouse: War in Life has a total of three seasons with 21 episodes for Season 1, 13 episodes for Season 2, and 13 episodes for Season 3.

Banner Courtesy: Netflix