Actor Kim Moo-yul / Courtesy of NetflixKim Moo-yul, who stars as the ruthless Na Hwa-jin, a field inspector for the Korean Educational Rights Protection Bureau, in Netflix’s high-octane drama “Teach You a Lesson,” is currently enjoying a new height in his acting career.The drama, which follows a government-sanctioned vigilante squad deployed to rescue classrooms ruined by unruly teenagers and toxic parents, has skyrocketed in popularity, claiming the top spot in Netflix's global non-English TV series category just three days after its release. Kim has become a hot topic among global fans for his striking resemblance to John Cena, and the Hollywood star himself posted Kim's photo on his social media."I honestly don’t quite know what to do with myself," Kim said, expressing his gratitude for the show's global reception during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Friday.In the series, his character is a former special forces operator who is dispatched to schools to use any means necessary — including corporal punishment — to discipline students. Every episode tackles heavy, real-world issues, from school violence and violations of teachers' rights to gambling and drug abuse."I never expected the show to resonate so deeply beyond our borders," he reflected, sharing that he recently received a deeply moving message from a fan who works as a teacher in Malaysia. "I’ve been told that surprisingly similar crises are happening in countries like France, Germany and the U.S. It made me realize that the perspectives of parents, students and teachers are universal. The classroom is a human space where people meet to guide one another, and the problems arising there are, in fact, challenges we all share."Adding that the drama was built on the foundation of these real-life cases, elevated by a touch of creative imagination, he continued, "I would be incredibly grateful if viewers could take a moment to reflect on these issues after watching. While that’s what we hope for, it’s not something we can force on the audience — but it would be wonderful if it sparks that conversation."Kim Moo-yul is seen in a scene from the Netflix series "Teach You a Lesson." Courtesy of NetflixGiven its roots, however, the live-action adaptation faced a rocky road to release. The project initially sparked concerns because the original webtoon had courted severe controversy over scenes of supervisors brutally beating students, harsh corporal punishment, and allegations of racial and gender discrimination.Explaining that the drama served as an opportunity for him to indirectly experience these issues within the educational field, Kim said, "We made a conscious effort to ensure the show wouldn’t be consumed merely as mindless entertainment or a cheap revenge fantasy.""I hope viewers see the 'corporal punishment' in the show strictly as a narrative device — a tool to push characters toward self-reflection, repentance and remorse. We didn't want the story to end at the punishment stage; instead, we tried to focus entirely on how those students change afterward."He noted that the most memorable arc is the finale, where his character confronts a student, Gyu-cheol, who killed his fiancée. Rather than pursuing a personal vendetta, Na faces him as an educator."Hwa-jin tells Gyu-cheol, 'It's okay, let's try again.' I felt that Hwa-jin's entire character arc came in full circle at that moment, by ultimately choosing forgiveness and discipline over revenge," he said.When asked what "true education" actually means to him, Kim acknowledged the complexity of the debate. "Issues in the educational field involve incredibly sharp, deeply entrenched conflicts of interest. It is a highly complex problem that even experts and educators on the front lines struggle to solve," he said, expressing immense admiration for the drama’s courage in bringing such a sensitive topic to the forefront of mainstream media."I believe the creators made this piece to shed light on the reality of these difficult issues so that people would actually start thinking about them. If the production team, actors, and staff did about 98 percent of the work, the remaining 2 percent is completed by whatever the viewers feel. Ultimately, if ten people watch the drama, ten different definitions of 'true education' will emerge. If a thousand people watch it, there will be a thousand different meanings."