[The Editors' Verdict] "A Boy's Time" and "A Family's Time"

‘Adolescence’ Sparks Global Discussion on Teenage Life
Exploring Smartphone Addiction and the Spread of Misogynistic Culture
Strengthening Digital Literacy Education and Restoring the Family

Kyung-ho Lee, Head of Issue & Trend Team

Police burst into an ordinary family home and arrest a 13-year-old son on suspicion of murdering a female classmate. When asked by his father, the boy says he did not kill her. However, the CCTV footage secured by the police and the evidence found on the son’s and his friends’ smartphones tell a completely different story. The Netflix series produced in the UK, "Adolescence" (original title: Adolescence), is gaining worldwide attention for its script, acting, one-take filming, and message.

In particular, it shows how smartphone addiction and the misogynistic culture spreading in online spaces affect teenagers like the protagonist Jamie. The drama features terms such as 'incel,' 'manosphere,' and 'red pill.' Incel (Involuntary Celibate) refers to people (mainly white, male, heterosexual) who are unable to form romantic relationships. Emoticons and encrypted messages in social media comments label Jamie as an incel, serving not as mere pranks but as tools that fuel gender conflict and hatred.

The manosphere refers to male-dominated online communities that harbor resentment toward feminism and focus on topics related to masculinity. The term "red pill," borrowed from the movie "The Matrix," signifies awakening to the truths of gender politics and is used alongside the "dynamite" emoticon in the manosphere, symbolizing the start of extreme actions. These terms and emoticons are widely used among teenagers but remain unknown to adults such as parents, teachers, and police in the drama’s world of "only adults don’t know."

Smartphone and internet addiction among teenagers is a global issue. Countries like the UK, the US, Canada, and Sweden are increasingly restricting smartphone use in schools, and Australia has even legislated a ban on social media for minors. Taiwan has gone further by not only requiring smartphones to be turned off during school hours but also collecting and storing them. Such measures may be effective in the short term, but teenagers always find ways around them. In Korea, a bill to limit smartphone use during school hours was proposed last year (an amendment to the Framework Act on Education) but was revised to focus on "education about proper use of smart devices." This revision reflects the fact that the Framework Act on Education covers common matters from early childhood to lifelong learners and considers restrictions on freedom of information and communication as well as feasibility. Rather than creating laws and systems, enhancing gender equality awareness and preventing smartphone addiction require strengthening school sex education and digital literacy education, known as digital literacy.

"Adolescence" does not focus on whether Jamie is the culprit but asks the question, "How was this possible?" The drama’s co-writer and the actor playing the father said, "This drama sheds light on the problems we face today. I hope many people watch it and have conversations." They added, "I hope it becomes a time for parents and children to talk and learn from each other." According to a survey by the Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education last year, half of elementary, middle, and high school students spent less than an hour a day talking with their families. When looking at happiness scores by conversation time, those who reported longer conversation times believed marriage was more important to personal happiness and felt happier when with family. What "Adolescence" truly wants to say is to spend time with family and have conversations. Lee Kyungho, Head of Issue & Trend Team