The production of the webtoon "The Elementary School Student I Love" has been halted. This webtoon deals with the romantic feelings between a female teacher and an elementary school student, which has sparked controversy.

On the 4th, the production company "Meta New Line" announced, "We will seriously accept the various concerns recently raised in society," stating, "We have decided to halt the planning and production of the drama based on the webtoon 'The Elementary School Student I Love.'"

The original work was created in 2015. However, the news of its adaptation into a drama has recently caused a social uproar. Criticism has been directed towards the potential glorification of child grooming.

The production company expressed, "We sincerely apologize for placing a new burden on the original work, and we extend our heartfelt apologies to the author," adding, "We will humbly accept the changing social sensitivity and currents."

They further stated, "As a result of this incident, we will strive to create healthy and meaningful content with a more cautious and responsible attitude in the future."

"The Elementary School Student I Love" features an elementary school female teacher as the protagonist, who discovers that her romantic partner in a game is, in fact, her student in real life.

In the education sector, there has been strong backlash. The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations and the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Unions have issued statements calling for the cessation of the drama's production. Naver Webtoon, KakaoPage, Kyobo Bookstore, and Ridibooks have also suspended sales.

<Photo source: Webtoon "The Elementary School Student I Love">