The education sector has raised concerns about a webtoon-based drama that deals with romantic feelings between a female teacher and an elementary school student.

On the 1st, the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) issued a statement urging for the cessation of the production and airing of "The Elementary School Student I Love," for which they recently secured the rights.

"The Elementary School Student I Love" is a webtoon serialized on platforms such as Naver Series. The story revolves around a female teacher who develops romantic feelings for a student she meets in an online game.

KFTA pointed out that "the narrative of sharing personal feelings with a minor student while abusing the teacher's position cannot be dismissed as a romance; it glorifies grooming crimes."

They added, "Attempts to sexualize children under the pretext of creation cannot be justified and will lead to distrust in the teaching profession."

Concerns were also raised about the commercial exploitation of children. "Acting in sensitive subject matter is bound to have negative psychological and emotional effects on child actors," they argued.

While KFTA acknowledged the importance of artistic freedom, they emphasized that depicting teachers as perpetrators of grooming crimes damages the trust in the educational field.

They also mentioned specific demands: △ Withdrawal of the drama production plan △ Strict review by relevant organizations, including the Korea Communications Standards Commission △ Establishment of a child and youth protection system.

Meanwhile, the drama "The Elementary School Student I Love" is directed by Jeong Seong-hyun, and the screenplay is written by Jeong Se-hyuk. Further details about its scheduling are expected to be announced later.

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