K-dramas That Tackle School Bullying: ‘School 2015,’ ‘The Heirs,’ More

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The Heirs
School 2015
The Penthouse
Boys over Flowers
True Beauty

School bullying and violence is a serious topics in South Korea. It is also the reason several K-dramas tackle these types of social issues. 

Through series like "School 2015, "The Heirs," "Boys Over Flowers" and more, it helps raise awareness regarding violence among students.

With that said, here are 5 remarkable K-dramas that touch on stories about school bullying and harassment. 

'The Heirs'

The Heirs
(Photo : SBS)

Released in 2013, "The Heirs" is one of the iconic K-dramas that centers around sibling rivalry and family riffs.

It stars today's top stars like Lee Min Ho, Park Shin Hye, Kim Woo Bin, Kim Ji Won, and more. 

"The Heirs" focuses on a group of privileged high school students who are groomed to take over their family's conglomerates. These high school students overcome difficulties and pressure from their families in order to do good in school. 

However, Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye) who was born in a poor family and was forced to support her family by taking odd jobs, ends up being bullied by Choi Young Do (Kim Woo Bin) after learning that she is Kim Tan's (Lee Mi Ho's) love interest. 

"The Heirs" also featured the tension between the heiress Rachel Yoo (Kim Ji EWon) and Cha Eun Sang. 

'School 2015'

'Who Are You: School 2015' Cast
(Photo : KBS Drama)

The sequel of the "School" series, "Who Are You: School 2015" which stars Kim So Hyun, follows the story of twins Go Eun Byul and Lee Eun Bi, who got separated at birth. 

Go Eun Byul grew up in a privileged family and got to enter Sekang High School, the most prestigious private high school in Seoul's Gangnam District. 

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On the other hand, her twin, Lee Eun Bi grew up in an orphanage. Unlike her twin who is among the popular students on campus, Eun bi experienced bullying in school. 

"School 2015" also featured how her life changed after losing her memory and being mistaken for her twin, Eun Byul. 

'The Penthouse'

Penthouse 3
(Photo : SBS Drama Official Instagram)

The SBS makjang K-drama not only features the affair, greed, and power of Cheon Seo Jin, Joo Dan Tae, Oh Yoon Hee, and more but also the intense feud among their children. 

Ha Eun Byul is Yoon Chul and Seo Jin's daughter, who harbors deep hate against Bae Rona, the daughter of Oh Yoon Hee. 

In addition, another villain in this story is Joo Seok Kyung, who is the twin of Joo Seok Hoon and were both children of Joo Dan Tae. 

As she excels in school, Bae Rona experienced being bullied by Ha Eun Byul and Joo Seok Kyung. 

Besides the conflict between the adults, the story also illustrates rivalry between the students at Cheong Ah Arts High School.

'Boys Over Flowers'

Boys Over Flowers
(Photo : filmdaily / KBS)
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Another iconic K-drama that touches on the school bullying issue is "Boys Over Flower" starring Goo Hye Sun, Lee Min Ho, Kim Bum, Kim Hyun Joong and Kim Joon. 

At the beginning of the story, Geum Jan Di, a middle-class high school student, managed to enter the renowned Shinhwa High School. 

This is also where she experiences bullying at the hands of the notorious F4, known as the most popular and powerful group at the school. 

Being the odd man out, Geum Jan Di becomes the new target of the group. 

'True Beauty'

True Beauty
(Photo : tvN Instagram)

Last on the list is the rom-com K-drama "True Beauty" headlined by Moon Ga Young, Cha Eun Woo, Hwang In Youp, and Park Yoo Na. 

Although the story focuses on romance, it also illustrates school bullying with the protagonist Lim Ju Gyeong, who suffered from harassment due to her appearance. 

As a way to cope, she uses her skills with makeup and eventually launched a YouTube make-up channel which became a huge success. 

READ MORE: 'True Beauty' Cast Cha Eun Woo, Moon Ga Young, Hwang In Yeop, and More Bid Farewell to Their Beloved Characters

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Written by Geca Wills

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