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Television | Korea
Analyzing the Bully Clique from ‘The Glory’
A cautionary tale of enabled narcissism and mimetic resentment
Major spoilers ahead.
The Glory follows Moon Dong-eun’s quest for vengeance against her five school bullies. After being failed by the school authorities, her adversaries escaped the consequences of their violent vices and are free to enjoy their adult lives, remaining as leopards with spots unchanged.
Instigated by their cruel ringleader Park Yeon-jin, the bully clique burned Dong-eun’s limbs with a curling iron, extorted her for money and subjected her to violent sexual abuse. Despite this, the clique were absolved of all repercussions due to bribery and the corruption of the teaching authority obstructing the course of justice, enabling the bullying to continue unimpeded. Hence, the traumatized girl withdrew from the school; swearing vengeance on her enemies.
Many years later, Dong-eun reappears in her bullies’ lives. Like an apparition, she haunts each of her bullies armed with intimate knowledge of their dirty laundry. Through a series of calculated moves, their lives unravel, and their persistent impenitence eats them alive.
