While Squid Game is a disturbing thriller about survival and human desperation, Netflix’s The Glory goes deeper into emotional trauma and cruelty.
Written by Kim Eun-sook (famous for Goblin), this 2022 K-drama follows Moon Dong-eun, a woman whose life was destroyed by severe bullying as a teenager.
The abuse Dong-eun endured was so harsh that she had to drop out of high school, while her tormentors moved on to live happy, successful lives.
The show is known for its dark revenge theme and realistically portrays the horrors of bullying, including scenes that are extremely difficult to watch—like Dong-eun being burned with a curling iron, leaving her with lasting emotional and physical scars.
The role earned Song Hye-kyo the Best Actress award at the 2023 Baeksang Awards.
Although The Glory is fictional, it was inspired by real-life bullying incidents in South Korea and was born from the writer’s conversation with her daughter about the topic.
