The Glory

What’s it about?

Moon Dong-eun, a former victim of ruthless high-school bullying, dedicates her entire adult life to getting back at her former abusers. The series explores the imbalance of justice between social classes and how bullying has affected Moon Dong-eun’s mental health.

The facts

• Directed by Gil Go Ahn (Stranger, Happiness)
• Korean language and English subtitles
• 16 episodes, each around 50 minutes

Why did it get this rating?

This series was self-rated by Netflix. You can find out more about self-rating by streaming providers here.

Cruelty

Bullying and domestic abuse are ongoing themes. Moon Dong-eun is taunted by her peers and is also neglected and eventually abandoned by her mother. She attempts to report the injustices to her teachers and the police, but she finds that she does not have the money or social standing to gain protection. This results in Moon Dong-eun seeking her own justice by causing harm to her abusers years later.

Violence

People are kicked, punched, and choked. Moon Dong-eun is also burnt with a curling iron and scratched with pins. The violence can be brutal and bloody, with some victims left with severe scarring and wounds.

In one particularly disturbing scene Moon Dong-eun is taunted for being poor and forced to dance while bullies burn her with a curling iron. The act is not shown but Moon Dong-eun’s screams are heard from outside and the aftermath shows her body covered in burns.

Suicide/mental health

Moon Dong-eun’s mental health suffers because of the bulling and neglect. She struggles through life and occasionally has intense emotional reactions to sounds and sights that remind her of the abuse she experienced. She also considers suicide but ultimately changes her mind:

• A flashback to her teen years shows her standing on the ledge of a building, looking down at the street below.
• A flashback to young adulthood shows her standing at the edge of the freezing Han River. A voiceover suggests she should jump in.

Although no suicide is shown, these scenes could be upsetting for people who struggle, or know others who struggle, with their mental health.

Drug use

Some characters are shown dealing and smoking cannabis. The characters are unpleasant people, making the drug use unappealing.

Sex

There are several sex scenes, with some bums shown. The sexual activity is not detailed.

Offensive language

Offensive language is regularly used, such as “f**k”, “bit*h”, “sh*t”, “b*stard”, “p*ssy”, “Jesus Christ”, “wh*re”, “sl*t” and “assh*le”. The language is often used in aggressive and insulting contexts.

Further information

Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?