“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear …” – Leo Buscaglia
AFTER finishing Disney+’s Perfect Crown, I found myself searching for my next series. Netflix’s new Korean drama Teach You A Lesson had been generating plenty of buzz on social media, so I decided to see what the excitement was about.
I expected an engaging drama. Instead, I found myself reflecting on parenting, education and, perhaps most importantly, communication.
From the very first episode, it became clear that this was never just another Korean drama. It is a social commentary that holds up a mirror to the world we live in. While the story unfolds in South Korea, its questions are universal and deeply relevant to us here in Malaysia.
One quote from the series stayed with me long:
“If a doctor is scared of patients, he can’t treat them well. If a lawyer is scared of clients, he can’t protect them well. But if teachers are scared of students, they won’t be able to teach them well, and society itself will be ruined if this happens.”
It is a powerful reminder that teachers are not merely educators. Together with parents and caregivers, they are communicators, role models and guides responsible for shaping the next generation.
The series also raises a difficult question that many parents continue to wrestle with: Should discipline be firm or compassionate?
Truth be told, there’s no clear answer. Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in between.
Children deserve guidance, patience and second chances. But they also need boundaries and accountability. Grace should never become an excuse for ignoring behaviour that repeatedly harms others. Hence, every decision we make as adults affects not only one child, but an entire classroom, an entire school and, eventually, society itself.
Yet beyond the question of discipline, what resonated with me most was something even more fundamental: communication.
Many children today are growing up in the most digitally connected generation in history, yet meaningful conversations are becoming increasingly rare. We ask about homework, examination results and achievements. But how often do we ask, “Are you okay?”, “What is worrying you?” or “What happened today that made you feel this way?”
Sometimes behavioural problems are not simply acts of rebellion. They are cries for help. They reflect loneliness, anxiety, fear or emotional pain that children simply do not know how to express.
When communication breaks down, assumptions take over.
- Parents may assume teachers will notice.
- Teachers may assume parents already know.
- Children may assume no one wants to listen.
That silence is where problems begin to grow.
The series also reminds us how easily we become consumed by academic success while unintentionally overlooking our children’s emotional wellbeing. Good grades certainly matter, but they should never come at the expense of a child’s mental health, confidence or sense of self-worth.
Another disturbing issue highlighted in the drama is how children are increasingly exposed to drugs, violence and harmful peer influence at a much younger age.
It makes us pause and ask: What is happening to our schools today?
We do not have to look far for answers. Here in Malaysia, recent months have brought heartbreaking stories that have shaken the nation. The fatal stabbing of a student at a secondary school in Bandar Utama, allegations of bullying linked to the death of a Form One student in Sabah, and continuing reports involving bullying, self-harm, suicide and school violence are not isolated incidents. They are warning signs.
They force us to confront an uncomfortable question: Are our schools still places where children feel safe, not only physically, but emotionally?
Schools should be places where children learn, build confidence and develop healthy relationships. When classrooms become spaces filled with fear, loneliness or relentless pressure instead of curiosity and belonging, we have to ask ourselves whether we are simply educating children, or unintentionally raising a generation that is struggling in silence.
Perhaps that is why the Teach You A Lesson series resonates so deeply.
It is not simply a drama about schools. It is a reminder that raising children is about far more than academic excellence. It is about character, empathy, resilience, accountability and creating environments where children feel heard as much as they feel supported.
Most importantly, it reminds us that every generation is shaped by the conversations it has or fails to have.
After all, the lessons children remember rarely come only from textbooks. They come from the words we choose, the questions we ask, the patience we show, the listening we offer and the example we set.
Essentially, communication is not merely about exchanging words. It is about building trust before problems arise, understanding before judgement is passed and connection before correction is needed.
Because the children we nurture today will shape the society we live in tomorrow.
And perhaps, after watching Teach You A Lesson, the greatest lesson is not about education at all. It is about whether we are truly listening to the very children we hope to guide.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at Shirley.suat@gmail.com.
