'Teach You a Lesson' actor on being called John Cena's look-alike, Season 2, what makes a good adult

On June 12, the lead actor of Teach You a Lesson Kim Mu Yeol gave an interview to local media, in which he shared his thoughts on the drama and its success. 

"We approached this project with great care and worked very hard on it, so while waiting for its release, my hope was simply that many people would enjoy watching it. But the response has been far better than I expected." He added, "What especially surprised me were the reactions from people working in the teaching profession. [Their messages were] also a source of comfort for me."

Released worldwide on June 5, the series quickly became a global sensation. Within just three days, it rose to No. 1 on Netflix's Global Top 10 list for non-English TV shows and entered the Top 10 in 48 countries worldwide. Kim Mu Yeol's follower count on social media also surged past 600,000 in a short period of time.

Kim Mu Yeol said, "I'm very happy and grateful, but at the same time, I feel the weight of it and take it very seriously. It's made me reflect once again on the story we were trying to tell."

Teach You a Lesson revolves around the Educational Rights Protection Bureau (ERPB), established to save South Korea's crumbling school system and restore teachers' authority, which has been undermined by unruly students and overbearing parents.

The series' popularity has been attributed to its plot inspired by real-life issues, the powerful performances of the villains, and the catharsis the ERPB delivers.

However, the production also faced its share of controversy and setbacks. The original webtoon had previously come under heavy criticism over allegations of racist content, drawing significant public backlash. In addition, amid concerns from some quarters that the drama might be seen as endorsing corporal punishment against students, an actor (Kim Nam Gil) who had reportedly been considered for the cast ultimately declined the role. Some teachers' organizations also went as far as to call for the production to be halted.

Despite these controversies surrounding its development, Teach You a Lesson ultimately reached audiences worldwide, sparking widespread discussion not only about teachers' rights and the realities of education but also about the difficult questions the series raises regarding authority, discipline, and where society should draw the line.

Kim Mu Yeol reflected, "Even before we began working on the project, I was fully aware that there were concerns and apprehensions surrounding it. We tried to approach it with the most refined perspective possible, and all of the actors and staff constantly kept that in mind as we worked."

"I had a very positive impression of how director Hong Jong Chan made every effort to approach the issue of juvenile crime with great care and sensitivity in Juvenile Justice. Because of that, I believed that if I worked with him, we would be able to handle this difficult subject in the right way as well."

However, he stressed, "I hope viewers will see the 'corporal punishment' depicted in the series as merely a device, a narrative tool used to guide the protagonists of each episode toward reflection, repentance, and remorse. We weren't trying to stop at punishment itself. Rather, we tried to focus more on how the children change afterward."

Kim Mu Yeol also spoke about John Cena, the professional wrestler-turned-actor, who had posted a photo of him on his personal social media account.

Kim Mu Yeol said, "I've been a fan of the WWE since I was young. I was a fan of John Cena from the time he was champion, so I even subscribed to magazines and bought bromides [of him]. I used to rent videos too. Even when he was in WWE, and later as an actor, watching him made me realize that he wasn't just entertaining — he was also someone with broad perspectives. He struck me as a genuinely fun person without barriers, so I'd always had a favorable impression of him. When he posted my photo, I thought about it a lot. I wondered, 'Should I post a photo of him too? How should I express my gratitude? 'After giving it a lot of thought, I ended up leaving a comment."

When asked whether he acknowledged the resemblance, Kim Mu Yeol replied, "We do look alike. A lot of people think we resemble each other. There are also Ong Seong Wu, Sean, John Cena, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt [i.e., they are among the people whom others say I resemble]. Even I can see the similarities. I was so surprised when I met Sean."

He continued, "I saw the director's interview, and apparently he misspoke, so he asked for it to be corrected. The person who shared in our group chat that John Cena had posted my photo was Pyo Ji Hoon. I had seen it myself too, but I'm not the type to go around saying, 'John Cena posted me.' Ji Hoon was the one who posted it. Of course, I'd love for there to be a Season 2. And if Season 2 happens, would John Cena make an appearance? Maybe he could make a special appearance just once?" expressing his hopes.

Kim Mu Yeol also shared his wife Yoon Seung Ah's reaction to the K-drama. He said, "She told me, 'This is fun. I think it's going to do well.' My wife tends to be quite strict when it comes to evaluating my work. I actually want her to be completely honest with me, without sugarcoating anything, but this time she gave praise. It was the first time she'd ever told me, 'I think this is going to do well.'"

Kim Mu Yeol added that, as a parent raising a son, he found aspects of the series resonated with him on a personal level.

He said, "I think I've [started] looking at things from a variety of perspectives. I'm still a novice parent who has only just begun worrying about my child's education. I believe I still have a lot to learn. We're figuring things out together through trial and error. I think Teach You a Lesson has been a valuable experience because it allowed me to look at issues from different perspectives. Through Teach You a Lesson, I had an opportunity to reflect on things once again. Now, when I have something to protest or object to, I think I've become someone who can stop and think once more [before reacting]."

Meanwhile, speaking about the behind-the-scenes of performing action scenes, Kim Mu Yeol credited his fellow actors.

He said, "As for the action sequences, there actually wasn't much that I found difficult. Na Hwa Jin is designed as an incredibly strong character, so all I really had to do was dodge, hit, and take people down. The person getting hit has to give good reactions. It really wasn't hard for me. Since my character's movements are mostly independent, I just had to push my way through. But the others have to think about their own choreography with one another as well as coordinate with mine. Unless you're an action professional, it's not easy to pull that off. The student actors in Episode 2 did such an amazing job that it made everything very comfortable for me. Even seemingly simple action scenes can lead to injuries if you don't rehearse properly, but thanks to them, I was able to film everything very comfortably."

Kim also spoke humbly about the car action scenes.

Kim Mu Yeol said, "I actually did the driving myself, but the drifting was performed by a stunt double. For drifting, you need a specially modified car with the proper setup. A professional driver handled those parts. But everything up until the drift — the driving and making the turns — was done by me. It wasn't all that difficult. 

I just had to make about four right turns and drive in a figure-eight pattern, so I didn't even feel that it was particularly dangerous while filming. We carried out the shoot very safely, so it wasn't hard for me. I think it ended up looking [much more intense] because of the camera movements and the actors' performances."

What kind of meaning does the character Na Hwa Jin hold for actor Kim Mu Yeol?

"When I really think about it, I think I have gone through countless trials and errors throughout my life and my acting career, just like everyone else. There's a line Na Hwa Jin says—'It's okay. Let's try again.' I feel like that's being said to me as well. I think that line will stay with me for a long time. I also wanted to say, 'It's okay. Let's try again,' to the students and teachers living in the real world. I don't know if it's because I've become a parent, but it resonates with me emotionally more than ever before. To me, he's a character who brings great comfort."

Sharing his thoughts on what makes a good adult, Kim Mu Yeol said, "I think it's about responsibility. Responsibility seems like a heavy thing. When you give someone advice — especially to a younger person — you should know well what you're saying and be aware of the circumstances. Even if your answer isn't something that everyone would necessarily agree with, I think being an adult means acting with the willingness to take responsibility for the words you've spoken and the actions you've taken toward that person."

Teach You a Lesson is streaming on Netflix.

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