Turns Out K-drama Teach You A Lesson Has A Real-Life Version In M'sia

Netflix's latest Korean drama Teach You A Lesson has been generating plenty of buzz across Asia and it has even caught the attention of a Malaysian government official.

The series, which stars Kim Moo Yul and Lee Sung Min, follows the Educational Rights Protection Bureau, a fictional government agency tasked with protecting educators and restoring order to Korea's increasingly troubled school system.

As it turns out, the show's premise bears a striking resemblance to a real-life anti-bullying initiative introduced by Malaysia's Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA).

After being repeatedly tagged by netizens, MARA chairman Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki finally sat down to watch the series and later shared his thoughts on Threads.

"No wonder so many people asked me to watch this drama,” he wrote.

Dr Asyraf said the similarities became apparent after he watched the first episode.

In August 2025, MARA launched a pilot programme that appointed retired military personnel and former police officers as full-time hostel wardens at several MARA Junior Science Colleges (MRSM) to tackle bullying and strengthen student discipline.

The initiative reminded him of former special forces officer Roh Hwa Jin (Kim Moo Yul), who takes on school bullies in the drama.

He also reiterated his tough stance on bullying.

"My principle has always been: 'You touch, you go'," he said, referring to the expulsion of students found guilty of bullying.

Dr Asyraf stressed that schools should never cover up bullying cases to protect their reputation, nor should perpetrators receive special treatment because of family connections or social status.

He added that MARA's initiative has already shown positive results. A study conducted by independent researchers from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) reportedly found a significant decline in disciplinary issues and bullying cases at MRSM campuses with previous records of bullying.

The programme has also helped ease teachers' workload, as many had previously taken on additional administrative responsibilities.

The drama also reminded Dr Asyraf of a real-life bullying case he encountered shortly after becoming MARA chairman.

According to him, the case involved the child of a prominent politician. The student's father was influential and had made substantial contributions to the school's parent-teacher association, and administrators were allegedly hesitant to act.

Dr Asyraf said he only learned of the incident after receiving messages from concerned parents on social media.

He immediately contacted MARA and MRSM management and made his position clear: "There can be no compromise when dealing with bullying. We must act without fear or favour. Whoever bullies, leaves."

He revealed that the student's father later attempted to appeal the disciplinary decision, but he declined to intervene, insisting that there was no reason for further discussion once the disciplinary committee had already found the student guilty.

Dr Asyraf also warned that school leaders who conceal bullying incidents or protect offenders could face disciplinary action.