Director Hong Jongchan's Sincere 'The Worst of Evil' Interview

Director Hong Jong-chan of the Netflix series "Duty After School" stated, "Corporal punishment is a narrative device to drive the plot, and we created the work with the hope that viewers would think about what comes after." He added that he hopes people will pay attention to the children's transformation. "Duty After School" tells the story of the Teacher's Rights Protection Unit, established to protect a crumbling educational environment, and has received critical acclaim both domestically and internationally for its satisfying narrative, fast-paced development, and unique characters, reaching number one globally just three days after its release.

The director mentioned that he reconsidered the message the work aimed to convey, stating, "While I am happy and grateful for the global success, I am also accepting it with a sense of weight and seriousness." From its production stage, "Duty After School" faced difficulties due to controversies surrounding gender and racial discrimination in the original webtoon, as well as criticism for glorifying corporal punishment and violence against students. Although an actor declined a role during casting and some teacher organizations demanded a halt to production, the production team acknowledged the concerns and stated they would create a good story with a refined perspective.

While the controversies lessened during the adaptation process, the plot's core element of punishing problematic students with violence remained a target of criticism. Regarding this, Director Hong said, "We were fully aware of the concerns from the beginning. We tried to handle it with the utmost care and a refined perspective." He explained, "​We hope you view corporal punishment as a dramatic device to lead to reflection or remorse. We strived to depict not just the act of punishment but also what follows." He added that it was an unavoidable subject to approach with caution due to the clear, yet sharply conflicting, stances of each party involved.

Regardless of the controversies, Kim Mu-yeol's powerful performance in the series led to praise that he had met his "life character." Kim Mu-yeol played the role of Na Hwa-jin, a supervisor in the Teacher's Rights Protection Unit and a former special forces soldier, who decisively subdues students, teachers, and parents who cross the line in problematic situations. Regarding the reception, he said, "It seems the worries and concerns I had at the beginning of the project have transformed into positive energy. I approached filming with my heart invested in this work."

When asked about his reasons for joining the project, Kim Mu-yeol cited his trust in Director Hong Jong-chan and the staff, with whom he had previously worked on "Juvenile Justice." He stated, "I saw how the director handled juvenile crime with both caution and sensitivity. He focused on not missing the detailed emotional arcs of each character. I really wanted to work with the director again. The same production team from 'Juvenile Justice' was also involved, and I had the confidence that we could overcome even difficult issues."