Meta New Line cancels K-Drama adaptation of controversial webtoon The Elementary Schooler I Love amid grooming backlash
Meta New Line has scrapped production on the K-Drama adaptation of The Elementary Schooler I Love following fierce public outrage.
The planned drama was based on a webtoon serialized from 2015 to 2020. It centers on a female elementary school teacher who develops romantic feelings for a gamer, only to discover he’s one of her own students. Critics slammed the story for romanticizing a teacher-student relationship, accusing it of glamorizing grooming crimes.
Meta New Line addressed the controversy directly:
“We have taken the public’s concerns very seriously and have decided to cancel the planning and production of the drama based on The Elementary Schooler I Love. We humbly accept the changing societal standards and sensitivities. This incident has reaffirmed our commitment to creating thoughtful and responsible content moving forward.”
The backlash intensified after Meta New Line and the webtoon’s platform, CNC Revolution, announced plans for the drama. Major platforms including Naver Series, Kakao Page, and Ridibooks removed the original webtoon following increasing criticism.
The Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations (KFTA) publicly condemned the project on July 1, 2025:
“Teachers are entrusted with building relationships based on trust and are held to high moral and professional standards. Portraying a story in which a teacher develops personal and romantic feelings for a minor student is not fantasy. It is a clear glorification of grooming crimes.”
KFTA added the drama sexualized children under the guise of creative freedom and risked damaging public trust in educators. Meta New Line ultimately bowed to pressure and canceled all drama production.
This cancellation highlights rising intolerance in Korea’s entertainment industry toward content crossing ethical lines involving minors. Multiple platforms pulling the webtoon signals a shift in cultural standards around such narratives.
