Netflix's Korean thriller series The Glory tells a compelling story of abuse and revenge, and it does have some real-life inspirations. The Glory part 1 dropped on Netflix in December 2022 and rapidly rose up the charts. A mere two days after its premiere, the series ranked 9th globally among Netflix's TV shows, thanks to its intriguing storyline, compelling characters, and high stakes. The story only recently reached its conclusion when the final eight episodes hit Netflix on March 10th, and its bombastic conclusion didn't disappoint. As of now, The Glory is one of the top 10 all-time Non-English TV series.
One of the best TV shows on Netflix, The Glory jumps around in its timeline, but there are mainly two, comprising of when main character Moon Dong-eun is in high school and is being relentlessly harassed by a group of bullies led by sadist Park Yeon-jin. The second timeline takes place after Dong-eun drops out of high school and begins her plan of revenge against the group. The most horrible part of the show isn't Dong-eun's plan, but rather, the abuse that was inflicted upon her. Bullying is a real-world problem, but that's not to say all the distressing events in The Glory are based on a true story. Here's where fact and fiction meet.
The Glory Is Based On True Stories
Many of the best Korean thrillers are either based on a true story or contain real-life inspirations, and The Glory does a little bit of both. Creator Kim Eun-sook made The Glory after being inspired by two things: a conversation with her daughter, and the long-standing problem of bullying in South Korea. As for Korea's systemic school violence issues, one harrowing fact that is evidence of this problem is that the leading cause of death has been suicide since 2007. Eun-sook did research on the issue, and Dong-eun's torturous bullying scene in the first episode is based on a real-life event that happened in 2006 at a girls’ school in Cheongju, Korea.
A ninth-grade girl was targeted by three other girls, who tortured her over 20 days, which included burning her with a curling wand. The girl was hospitalized for six weeks due to her injuries, which included a protruding tailbone. During a press conference, Eun-sook mentioned that her daughter asked whether she'd be more heartbroken if she were beaten to death or if she beat someone to death. She felt that The Glory answered that question in full, stating that if her daughter ever came home that way, she would have the means to take care of the problem herself.
How Basing The Glory On Real Events Changes The Story
Yeon-jin may be one of the worst bullies on the screen, but the fact that her sadistic, bordering on sociopathic, behavior is based on a true story is evidence of a much larger problem. While South Korea has taken more governmental action as of late to reign this in, the fact that suicide is the leading cause of death among young people uncovers a darker revelation of how huge this issue actually is. While the government ed The Special Act on School Violence Prevention in 2004, and schools have special groups to monitor bullying, it's still obviously a major social issue if The Glory is doing this well.
The Glory being based on real events adds an extra layer to Eun-sook's tale. It's now no longer just a story of revenge and the abuse that precedes it, but also a glaring look at a very real and dangerous problem that's perpetrated by those in power with no consequences for their actions. The scars that Dong-eun carries aren't just physical, they're emotional and psychological as well, and the same goes for anyone who has been a victim of bullying. The Glory seeks to shed some light on this global problem, while also showcasing its previous effects on the human spirit.