Are you saying that the situation shown (it being during missle school) is unrealistic due to your own experiences differing?
If that's the case then lemme tell you, its not. Middle school was horrible and full of bullying to me, while in university the ppl are mature and grown up. Something like bullying is silly. Being a bully isn't cool. Just kids might not see that in middle school.
Im sorry you went through what you did but anecdotal evidence is not a valid way to argue when it comes to a situation like this. Its like saying "I've never worn a seatbelt and i haven't gotten hurt" after looking at a story illustarating someone dying from unsafe driving. Its not an appropiate nor a based way to invalidate the way the author is portraying school violence and sexual violence. Your personal experience isnt universal.
I'm sorry regarding your experience and I am glad you were able to involve your mother in it because it can't be easy for some. However, is worth keeping in mind that if you read bullying cases in Korea, what Yeonwoo is going through and his reactions are very common unfortunately. Regardless of it being fictional, is not unrealistic given it being a big issue in Korea along with suicide (I believe) because most schools care about keeping appearances rather than punishing bullies. I'm sure is the case across the world but looking it from the perspective of the current setting and character, is pretty spot on in how some bully victims react.
That right I live in Pakistan here in school maybe in our environment these things doesn't happen because parents mostly keep their kid in check so there are less than 1% bullies in Pakistan but Korea is different here kids are equally troublesome not many students like yeonwoo we started to cause any bully get suspended for 2 years
Look up korean bullying cases... This is extremely mild compared to other cases there. Korean bullying is another level, it should be called straight up torture
Poor kids can government do nothing raping people and nearly killing them is not bullying it's straight on crime and they should be in jail
I mean come we know that his middle schooler not some adult his acting like his 30 years old I wonder what I did when I was in middle school I was bullied I straight on bring my parents to school and the bullies parents caught hell because of my mom a little trust is necessary our parents bought us up and knowing their kid has been bullied and they are unaware hurt them more than earning few pennies it's not university it's freaking middle school uff it's really is fictional