Why is this S.Korean webtoon so controversial that it’s now cancelled, alongside a planned drama?

SEOUL, July 6 — You wouldn’t think a webtoon of all things would create a huge furore in South Korea but one has ruffled a lot of feathers with its questionable subject matter.

According to The Korean Herald, the webtoon The Elementary School Student I Love’s storyline about an elementary school teacher falling for her student is now no longer available online after severe backlash.

Interestingly the webtoon even had a live-action adaptation planned for it, which is also now cancelled.

The real question here is how did the webtoon even get greenlit in the first place considering its disturbing plot.

Naver Webtoon confirmed that it had suspended sales of the webtoon as a “precautionary measure” in response to “widespread user feedback.”

There is no set date for the resumption of the series.

Besides Naver Webtoon, Kakaopage, Kybo Book Centre as well as Ridi have removed the webtoon.

C&C Revolution, the original publisher of the webtoon, had announced a live series adaptation of the series but production company Meta New Line has confirmed on Friday it would not be happening.

The webtoon isn’t new — it was actually serialized from 2015 to 2020, telling the story of Shim Cheong-ah who forms a connection with an online gaming partner, only to find he is her student Im Dang-su.

Shim initially develops romantic feelings for her partner until she discovers his true identity and her affections grow platonic.

The Korea Federation of Teachers’ Associations condemned both the source material and its adaptation in a statement: “Attempts to sexualise children under the guise of creativity and artistic originality can never be justified.”

It further added, “Considering the harmful impact this drama could have on society and educational settings, as well as the potential violence it may inflict on children and adolescents, we strongly urge an immediate halt to production.”

The portrayal of a teacher being romantically attracted to an underage student is “a clear glamorisation of grooming,” the association said.