Is Korea’s Suneung the world’s most stressful exam?
Nov 15, 2024
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Dive into the intense world of South Korea's Suneung exam, where students face an eight-hour marathon of tests all in one day. Discover the skyrocketing numbers of students resitting this grueling exam and the cultural pressures that lead to mental health challenges. Learn about community support, from adjusted transport to cheer squads on exam day. A glimpse into personal experiences reveals the emotional toll on students, making it clear that academic pressure is a universal issue, with comparisons to China's equally daunting Gaokao.
The Suneung exam in South Korea exemplifies immense academic pressure, impacting students' mental health and leading to severe anxiety and depression.
Socioeconomic disparities in educational resources for Suneung preparation highlight a growing social divide, affecting students' chances of university admission.
Deep dives
The Significance of the Sunung Exam
The Sunung exam is a critical event in South Korea, often described as one of the toughest exams globally. It lasts for eight hours and takes place on a single day, creating immense pressure on students to perform. The societal importance of this exam is highlighted by the nationwide adjustments made on exam day, including delayed stock market openings and grounded flights to ensure students arrive on time. Various forms of public support, such as cheering crowds and volunteer assistance, illustrate the community's recognition of the stress involved in this rite of passage.
Intense Preparation and Its Impact
Students in South Korea typically prepare for the Sunung for many years, often starting as early as elementary school. This intensive preparation includes attending cram schools, hiring private tutors, and participating in numerous late-night study sessions. The pressure to succeed can lead to severe mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, among students. Many high-achieving students even resort to extreme measures, such as delaying biological functions to ensure optimal test performance on the day of the exam.
Social Inequality and Systemic Pressure
The competitive nature of the South Korean education system creates a divide between wealthy and less affluent families, contributing to social inequality. Those from wealthier backgrounds often have better access to resources that assist in preparing for the Sunung, which can result in a higher likelihood of admission into prestigious universities. Additionally, this disparity is exacerbated by the high costs associated with private education and cram schools, leading some families to reconsider having children. Efforts to reform the education system are being made, but deep-rooted cultural beliefs about success in education persist, making fundamental change challenging.
Can you imagine sitting all of the most important exams of your life on one day? That’s the reality for Korean students, whose university-entrance exam, the Suneung, sees students sit an eight-hour marathon of exams, all on one day. Juna Moon, our reporter in Seoul, tells us why a record number of students are resitting the brutal exam this year. Plus Koh Ewe, a BBC journalist in Singapore, tells us which K-pop earworm students are trying to avoid to stop it from distracting them.
Julie Yoonnyung Lee, a BBC reporter from Seoul now in London, joins us in the studio, to give us her own experience of the exam, and the years of late nights and ‘cram schools’ preparing for it. We also discuss the mental health challenges that can come with such high academic pressure.
Plus we hear from our China media analyst Kerry Allen, who explains the Gaokao, China’s university entrance exam, which might be even harder.