[School Bullying. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

The growing popularity of the drama “The Glory” coincides with the emergence of the real-life story of Pyo Yerim, who recently confessed bravely on national television to enduring 12 years of relentless school bullying, highlighting the alarming prevalence and severity of the issue in Korea.

School bullying is an issue that does not receive the attention it deserves in Korean society. 

As the drama gained attention, stories of real-life incidents arose from silence.

After watching “The Glory,” a victim of school bullying, Pyo Yerim took a chance to reveal her experience to the world.

Pyo Yerim, now a 28-year-old woman, bravely confessed on a broadcast that she had been bullied for 12 years during her school days, drawing comparisons to the drama "The Glory." 

In response, two of the accused perpetrators sent her a written statement demanding an apology, threatening legal action if she does not comply. 

The exposing video went viral, leading to repercussions for one of the alleged perpetrators in their employment. 

Pyo disclaimed responsibility for the video and expressed frustration over the demands for an apology. 

She has also initiated a petition to abolish statutes of limitations and provisions favoring perpetrators in school violence cases.

Incidents and accidents like those shown in “The Glory” that Pyo experienced have been occurring consistently over a long period of modern Korean history without much resolution. 

“The Glory” is a suspenseful drama based on real-life incidents. 

While viewers were shocked by the content of the drama, the fact that most of those scenes actually happened in Korea brought an even stronger sense of shock. 

As recent cases faded from society’s collective memory, this drama has promoted people to reconsider the seriousness of school bullying.

The severity of school violence cannot be underestimated.

It causes deep emotional scars on victims and can have long-lasting effects on their lives.

The main character of the drama, who is a victim of school violence, allowed people to think and empathize with the perspective of the victim. 

In “The Glory,” the protagonist Doengeun had a tendency to blame herself after getting bullied. 

Instead of holding the offenders accountable, Dongeun reflected on why she became a victim and blamed herself. 

Such scenes in the drama reflect the reality where victims who got bullied often blame themselves and take on the responsibility for their pain. 

Drawing attention to this psychological impact, BBC News Korea interviewed victims of school bullying in a report titled “The Real-life Dongeun,” revealing the experiences of victims and the tragic consequences they face, such as self-harm. 

These stories demonstrate the need to recognize the profound effects of bullying on the lives of those affected.

The impact of school bullying does not end within the confines of the school.

It is an act that can completely ruin a person’s life.

Like Dongeun, even as an adult, the trauma can continue to disturb victims.

In an interview with BBC, one interviewee who experienced ongoing damage even after graduating school described the offenders as “people who completely changed my life by causing me pain.”

School bullying is a crime that often hides behind the word “pranks.” 

Additionally, in the drama “The Glory,” extreme acts of violence that cause lasting pain for the victims are disguised as jokes. 

For example, there is an episode where  classmates scorch Dongeun’s arm with a hot hair curler. 

These so-called friends were laughing and making fun of her pain. 

This scene is based on a real-life incident that occurred in 2006, serving as a stark reminder of the urgency to address this issue. 

Therefore, a more comprehensive approach is needed.

Korean society should pay appropriate attention to the issue of school bullying and provide necessary support to the victims.

In today’s society, where many teenagers evade punishment by dismissing their actions as mistakes of their immature school days, it is crucial to impose severe consequences on the offenders. 

Raising awareness and addressing this problem require comprehensive efforts involving prevention and punishment.