I’m a student in Korea currently in my third year of middle school. I live near the district where Amanda Ripley described almost as a mecca for mothers who are excessively interested in their children’s high level of education.
Having lived in Canada for a quite a bit of time, the strange paradox, or the backward logic, as she terms it, of sleeping in class came as downright shocking for me as well. Also, there is absolutely no doubt that there should be a lot more innovation and creativity instilled into the education system of Korea. People prioritize test scores over being creative and different. Coloring, making, or anything involved with creativity is no longer valued. Parents often tell their kids to entrust them with any assignments such as art if the kids are allowed to bring the work home. Subjects such as art, drama and even gym that don’t involve studying with books are not important to Korean mothers.
I’m just really glad this matter was written about on a magazine that is global. There is one part I think different, it’s the part where a teenage boy said, “It breaks my heart to see my classmates compete against each other instead of helping each other.” Although that is somewhat true, the shared pain, hardship and the experience of studying for exams makes the time with friends seem like sweet respite from toiling.
Yang Jinsung, SEOUL