Drama about school system crisis tops global Netflix ranking
South Korean series "True Education," dedicated to problems in the school system and the protection of teachers' rights, topped Netflix's global ranking of non-English-language projects just days after its premiere.
According to Netflix Top 10 rankings published June 10 on the official Tudum platform, the series garnered 6.4 million views for the period from June 1 to 7.
The figure is calculated based on total viewing time divided by the project's duration. This result allowed "True Education" to take first place among all non-English-language series and shows on the streaming service for the reporting week.
In addition to leading the global ranking in its category, the series entered the top 10 most popular Netflix projects in 48 countries at once, including South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Turkey, Argentina and Egypt.
The project's premiere took place on June 5. The main roles were played by Kim Mu-yeol, Lee Sung-min, Jin Ki-joo and P.O. At the center of the plot is the fictional "Bureau for the Protection of Teachers' Rights" — a special agency created to respond to cases of violence, pressure and abuse in the educational environment. The organization's employees intervene in conflicts between students, parents and teachers, trying to restore justice and order in schools.
The series touches on one of the most pressing social issues in modern South Korea: the declining authority of teachers and the prevalence of bullying in educational institutions. Many viewers and critics cite the relevance of the issues raised as one of the reasons for the project's rapid success.
"True Education" began showing high ratings in the first days after its release. Thanks to positive audience reviews, the series climbed to the top of Netflix's global ranking of non-English-language television projects in just three days.
The American publication Forbes also took note of the drama's success. In its review, the magazine highlighted the strong script work and high level of viewer engagement, emphasizing that the project holds the audience's attention from beginning to end and makes them wait for the continuation. The publication also named "True Education" one of the best Korean dramas released in 2026.
The series' rapid rise in popularity shows that stories based on current social problems continue to resonate with international audiences. By raising issues of school violence, the crisis in the education system and the protection of educators, "True Education" managed to achieve high ratings and spark widespread public discussion far beyond South Korea.
