Actor Lee Seung-gyu has made headlines for a powerful act of goodwill: he has donated to support students who have suffered from school bullying, a striking contrast to his ruthless on-screen persona in the Netflix series Teach You a Lesson.
Having portrayed a school bullying perpetrator in Teach You a Lesson, which premiered on June 5, Lee chose to back real-life victims off-screen as well.
According to his agency JG Entertainment on the 18th, Lee donated to BTF Blue Tree Foundation (hereafter BTF), an organization that supports students affected by school bullying, lending strength to both prevention efforts and aid for victims. The agency added, "After hearing the actor’s wishes, we felt it was a meaningful decision," and continued, "We decided to help spread the word so that this positive influence can reach even more people."
BTF is a leading South Korean nonprofit public-interest youth NGO dedicated to preventing school bullying. Founded by Chairman Kim Jong-gi, who lost his child to school violence, the organization has consistently provided prevention education and support services for affected students and their families.
Teach You a Lesson shot to No. 1 among global non-English series immediately after release and held the top spot for two consecutive weeks. It ranked No. 1 in 46 countries and entered the Top 10 in 91 countries, propelling Lee Seung-gyu into the spotlight as a next-generation rising star. In the drama, he plays Ryu Jun-hyung, the son of lawmaker Ryu Gwang-pil (portrayed by Song Young-kyu) and a power-wielding student who rules the school through violence—leaving a fierce impression with his cold yet painfully realistic villainy.
Beyond the screen, Lee continues to quietly extend his good influence by joining efforts to help students affected by school bullying.