For a long time, webtoons have transitioned to live-action adaptations, becoming a familiar trend to audiences. Successful adaptations like See You In My 19th Life, True Beauty, Business Proposal or the highly acclaimed What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim have made this trend even more popular. However, this does not mean that every webtoon adaptation will resonate with the public.
Recently, the webtoon Get Schooled garnered over 99 million views on Naver, becoming a focal point for discussions. Notably, it will soon be adapted into a live-action series. Last year, this webtoon also stirred controversy due to its portrayal of teachers, leading to backlash from educators who felt their profession was misrepresented. Subsequently, Get Schooled was deleted from the platform to cater to international audiences and to mitigate backlash in South Korea.
Initially, it was reported that Kim Nam Gil was confirmed to take on the lead role, which has since generated significant interest. Prior to this news, a South Korean Twitter account shared details from the webtoon, causing a stir among netizens. For instance, in one chapter of Get Schooled, a female teacher is depicted as being physically assaulted by another educator for spreading “wrong ideas.” This portrayal has sparked global debates, especially as it relates to the teaching profession.
Recently, Star News confirmed that actor Kim Nam Gil will play the main character, Na Hwa Jin. In the webtoon, Na Hwa Jin is depicted as a school employee who employs unorthodox methods to handle various situations at school.
With recent developments, the confirmation of Kim Nam Gil’s role has led to mixed reactions, with some fans expressing concern over the adaptation’s faithfulness to the source material. Many fans are urging him to withdraw from the project to respect the sentiments of those affected by the themes in Get Schooled.
As the project develops, Kim Nam Gil stated on his official Instagram that he is currently considering the role in Get Schooled, as he is busy with other projects. He mentioned, “Hello, I am Kim Nam Gil. Today is a wonderful day as I return to my role as Kim Hae Il in The Fiery Priest. I’ve heard many of you are concerned about the recent news regarding my potential role in Get Schooled. While it’s true that my agency has received an offer for this role, I still have not had the time to thoroughly review the material. I believe that whether I accept or decline this role is a matter of principle, so I need to consider it carefully before making a decision.”
According to Star News, there are still many details regarding the adaptation of this work that are yet to be disclosed. The only confirmed information is that the director in charge of the project is Hong Jong Chan, known for his previous works with Netflix such as Juvenile Justice and Mr. Plankton.
