Delinquent youths featured in Episode 6 of the Netflix drama "Teach You a Lesson" speed through the streets in a stolen car. In the series, the characters exploit their status as juvenile offenders who are exempt from criminal punishment even when they commit crimes. Courtesy of Netflix
“But as juvenile offenders, aren’t you meant to learn right from wrong by experiencing things? Isn’t it the nation’s way of giving you a learning opportunity? I’ll stop once I’m no longer underage ... I promise, really.”
In a scene from the Netflix Korean drama "Teach You a Lesson," a middle school student involved in serious crimes responds with a sneer.
“Arrest and lock me up, only if you can.”
Technically, he is both right and wrong. In Korea, juvenile offenders — more precisely minors under the age of 14 — are not subject to criminal punishment, such as fines or prison terms, even when accused of serious crimes such as drug distribution or car theft.
