A Study of Bullying Problems in South Korea through the Series "Revenge of Others"

Abstract

This article focuses on studying the issue of bullying in the series “Revenge of Others” by applying the concept of binary opposition to analyze characters, which are divided into two groups: 1) perpetrators and 2) victims. The study finds that the key problems in schools are violence against LGBTQ+ students and violence between students due to differences in social status. However, the problem of violence against LGBTQ+ students is considered the most complex. Because society does not accept this group, the presentation of these characters' stories is complex and layered. This series also presents the root causes of issues that are debated in society or various media regarding violence in schools. The causes of the problem stem from family, society, various organizations in both public and private sectors, and politics. But one of the most important factors is the legal issue. Because the country’s laws do not have serious penalties for youth under 14 years of age, violent acts occur repeatedly and affect the safety of students’ lives, and this problem has become a silent threat to society.