Korean parenting is known for its strict approach, focusing on academic success and obedience. However, this parenting style is not just about the close family ties and dependencies valued in Korea. South Korean parenting is heavily influenced by Confucianism and emphasizes respect, discipline, and academic achievement. Parents are known for sharing disciplinary power over their children, whereas previously it was largely the father’s role. The ultimate goal of most parents is to see their child be more successful.
Korean American parents are defined as having been born in either Korea or the United States with parents from Korea. They tend to care more than American parents about school grades and often put a great deal of pressure on kids to get straight A’s. As long as they achieve that, they might be less strict than many American parents on other issues.
In many Korean families, the “role” of a parent is often wholly focused on raising successful children. However, parents of any culture want their children to succeed. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of Korean American parents on effective parenting strategies taught in a standardized US parenting program.
Education is a problem in many Korean families, with elementary school being very good even for public schools. Middle and high schools are not. Korean immigrant mothers’ attributions for parenting more closely resemble those of mothers in the United States, whereas their self-esteem may differ. Most Korean parents save and sacrifice everything of their own to focus on their children’s education.
Korean parents’ standardized Korean style education may lead to depression, anxiety, and anger management disorders in their children. Within most families, dads work and moms stay home. Extended family members are a huge part of the child-rearing village in Seoul. South Korean students outperform the US and other industrialized countries in science and math during the school years.
📹 What kind of Asian are you?
Licensing is required to screen this video. If you’d like to use this video for your company, school or other organization please …
Is South Korea a good place to raise kids?
South Korea offers a modern paradise for raising children, with convenient, safe, and attractive outdoor recreation and education. Universal healthcare has made it easier to have a big family, but the age gap between children is due to a miscarriage and infertility before their third child. Fertility treatments are available immediately in modern hospitals at no cost. After their third baby, they spent three days in a private hospital room eating traditional Korean postpartum fare. All Koreans have two weeks of free access to postpartum doulas, which can be extended for an additional two weeks for a fee of $375 a week.
Is it taboo to be a single parent in Korea?
The study demonstrates that in Korea’s collectivist and Confucian-influenced culture, single mothers are confronted with a societal stigma that discourages them from disclosing their identity.
Do Koreans prefer son or daughter?
Korea’s sex ratio has been declining due to growing awareness of gender equality and population decline. Statistics Korea released data showing that 104. 7 baby boys were born for every 100 baby girls in 2022, falling within the balanced sex ratio of 103 to 107 boys for every 100 girls at birth. This is the most balanced ratio since the 1990s, when the boy-to-girl ratio was 116. 5 boys for every 100 girls. The imbalance was caused by the son-favoring mentality in Korean society and parents choosing to abort female babies based on gender information from ultrasound scans.
The boy-to-girl ratio for the third child stood at a record low of just 105. 4 for every 100 in 2022. The ratio rose as high as 209. 7 for every 100 in 1993 and went down to 143. 6 for every 100 in 2000. However, it remained above the normal range for over 10 years afterward. Korea has a birth rate of 0. 78, the lowest among OECD member nations. In other countries, the rate is much higher, such as 2. 90 in Israel, 1. 79 in France, 1. 64 in the United States, 1. 56 in the United Kingdom, 1. 53 in Germany, and 1. 33 in Japan.
What is the Dutch attitude towards children?
Dutch parents are known for their freedom and less strictness compared to other countries, allowing children to play outside and on the streets. This is evident in the Dutch television show, Joepie de Poepie, which features children playing in the streets on their own. This video asks expats worldwide about strange Dutch sentences, such as “krokodil”, “broodje poep”, “Joepie de Poepie”, and “de grote grijze geitenbreier”.
What do Koreans think of single mothers?
The Korean government has implemented a policy to provide financial aid and communal residence to unmarried mothers who cannot raise children with their family or afford residence. However, these young mothers often have low economic independence and social adaptation skills. They face numerous challenges in raising children due to their living conditions in residential facilities and social prejudice. A study was conducted to understand the lived experience of unmarried mothers raising children in residential facilities.
Data was collected through in-depth interviews with nine mothers living in residential facilities with their children. The findings revealed three main themes: adaptation to the identity of an “unmarried mother”, willingly undertaking the heavy burden of childrearing, and indispensable but insufficient supports from facilities. Participants had childrearing responsibilities and tried to be good mothers while struggling to adapt to their new identities.
However, their self-doubt as a “good mother” and the absence of the child’s father made them feel sorry for their child. The facilities provided helpful but unsatisfactory support, leading to psychosocial difficulties such as anxiety, depression, fear, guilt, and anger.
What is the average age of mothers in South Korea?
South Korea is the only member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) with a fertility rate below 1. 0, with its women giving birth at an average age of 33. 6, the highest among OECD members. If this rate persists, the population of Asia’s fifth-largest economy is projected to decline by approximately 50% to 26. 8 million by 2100. In 2023, the number of newborns was 230, 000, representing a 7. 7% decline from the previous year.
What are the disadvantages of living in South Korea?
Living in Korea as a foreigner can be challenging due to the overwhelming smell of tentacles, the lack of public trash cans, and the constant questioning from Koreans. International TEFL Academy graduate Cassandra Simons shares her experience as an English teacher in South Korea and shares 10 secrets about teaching and living in the country that are not found in guidebooks. Simons, who is from East Asia, faced challenges such as not speaking the language, not knowing anyone, and not knowing where to go.
To overcome these challenges, Simons read articles, books, and social media to learn about the country and connect with people. This experience highlights the importance of adapting to new situations and embracing the unique challenges of living in a foreign country.
What parenting style do Asians use?
Asian parents tend to adopt a more authoritative approach, making decisions on their children’s behalf and expecting obedience. In contrast, Western parents tend to encourage autonomy, including children in decision-making processes and allowing them to express their opinions. These discrepancies can be attributed to a multitude of factors, including cultural, societal, and economic influences.
How do South Koreans raise their children?
Confucianism, a significant influence on Korea’s social behavior and morality, emphasizes filial piety, where a son obeys his father, while daughters follow mothers and mothers-in-law. However, as time has passed, younger generations have increasingly adopted a Westernized worldview. Confucianism’s highest moral principle is the duty of children to be dutiful to their parents, which has greatly influenced the Korean family system. This principle guides the socialization of children, requiring adult children to obey and serve their elderly parents and repay them for their work as parents.
In terms of infant care, rapid changes in lifestyles have led to varying care practices, depending on family class positions. During the first two years, children receive affection, indulgence, and nurturing from their parents, often being carried on their mothers’ back or in baby carriages. Many parents sleep with their infants in the same room, encouraging emotional dependence on their parents. This shift in cultural norms has led to a more Westernized worldview in Korea.
What is the Korean parent culture?
In contemporary Korean society, parents have assumed a more active role in their children’s upbringing, with the objective of fostering their children’s educational and professional advancement. This has led to a notable level of parental devotion to their children’s success.
📹 Real Families Investigates: Asian Academic Excellence
Welsh students experience the South Korean education system, one of the best in the world. Real Families brings you stories of …
It’s the subtle things in this that make it the more awesome. Like how she amalgamates in Irish stereotypes (Guinness, Top o’ the mornin’ to ye) with English stereotypes… the same way people like that guy mix Chinese, Japanese, Korean etc. stereotypes together as if those nations were the same thing.
I’m reading the comments and I’m surprised by how many people simply did not get the article… It’s not about asking someone where they’re from, or their ethnicity, or their race, or their nationality, it’s how you ask. He didn’t simply ask, “where are you from?” and then follow up with “what’s your ethnical background then?” he literally just went “Where are you from”, then said “Where. ARE. You. FROM.” as if she had not understood the question because her English must not be that good. Also him saying, “your english is perfect” that wasn’t a compliment, English isn’t even an American language, it’s from the UK. U don’t say to a white person, wow, where are you from? Your English is so good, if someone sounds like English is their first language, then they must be American-born citizens. He was making it seem like it was unusual for her English not to sound accented. He also didn’t say, “Where’s your family from” it’s like “Where are your people from” like .. lol Idk how the way he worded the question isn’t offensive… I can’t believe I have to explain this article to the people who don’t get it. The problem here is, it’s fine to ask ethnicity and nationality, it’s not fine to make assumptions and ignorant remarks about it and ask questions in a way that’s worded offensively. Cuz FYI, like she said “Really? You’re native american?” yeah. That’s what the real american is. Just ask things the right way, be mindful of others. It’s not what you ask, it’s how you ask.
I’d just like to point out that I watched this actress (Stella Choe) give such an incredible and moving performance in the latest Korean film “Ode to My Father” (the film is sooo good, I highly recommend it). Stella, you brought me to tears in that film and this hilarious article shows just how talented you are in any role. Bravo, Stella!! xx
My mother is Korean and my father is American. I was born in 1962 and lived most of my life being asked questions like this. It was tough growing up in the US. My experiences turned me into a hyper-aggressive adult. In some ways that was a good thing, but in most ways it has been detrimental. I do not fit in anywhere, not here in the US and not in Korea. That’s my life.
I had a roommate who was born in New Zealand, but who grew up in Hong Kong. They’d moved to Hong Kong from Scotland, but their ancestors were from the Philippines, so they still looked Asian, despite really being more Scottish than anything else. He also had a strong, very proper British accent from his Hong Kong boarding school teachers. He had a lot of fun with people like the guy in this article, who just couldn’t figure out how to classify an ethnically Filipino Scotsman who was born in New Zealand, grew up in Hong Kong, had a British accent, but was currently living in Australia.
No matter how many times I watch this, it’s HILARIOUS!!!! I get the same crap too but sometimes in a different way. Although I’m Asian, too many in Walmart think I’m Hispanic and, without even asking, they start talking to me in Spanish. When I tell them I don’t speak Spanish, they look at me like I should be ashamed of myself. So I’ve resorted to answering them in Japanese in hopes that they’d “get it”.
I am Chinese born in the USA with no accent. I shared an office with a Caucasian female whose married last name was Wong. People constantly came in looking for Mrs. Wong and would assume it must be me and freak out when I would point to my coworker and explain in flawless English that they were mistaken. Cracked us up all the time.
I am a white Swedish immigrant living in the US and I get the exact opposite of this. People don’t believe me when I tell them I’m an immigrant and try to tell me I am a real American. I’ve had conversations that went like this: ” No I am Swedish Swedish, I moved here when I was 23″ ” Nope, unless you count my in laws I don’t have family here. All my relatives live in Sweden, I think I may have some second cousins in New Zeeland.” ” I know I don’t speak with an accent. All foreigners can do that. We only use the accent when we want to confuse people.” Ok, so I only used the last one when one slightly drunk guy spent 10 minutes trying to figure out a way to classify me as a non-immigrant real American. White privilege is definitely working!
I also think it is natural to be curious but if the person already tells you: “I am american, I was born and raise in San Diego” then you should probably not ask about their “people” and stop your curiosity right there. To me it is weird when people ask where your parents and grandparents are from after just saying hello to you for the first time. Maybe get into that aftwr we are friends? So yeah, I think white privilegde sometimes includes the priviledge of interrogating people that are nor white and that is unacceptable.
This just happened to me (again) the other day. Only it went more like Him: “Where are you from?” Me: “Canada” Him: “Oh like you were born here?” Me: “Yes” Him: “I thought so, because you have no accent. What are you?” Me: “Chinese…” Him: “Oh really? Yeah I thought you were Korean. I don’t know why, you just look Korean. I think it’s your style, it looks Korean.” Me: “Cool…” Him: “I had a Korean girlfriend. You kind of reminded me of her.” Me: “Ok…have a good night then” walks away All this in between him a larger conversation of him talking AT me instead of with me. How do people think this is an appropriate way to start talking to a stranger?!?
This has happened to me more times than I can count. Well over a few hundred times, especially while travelling. Textbook conversation: “Where are you from?” – Canada “No, where were you born?” – Vancouver, Canada “Well where were your parents born?” – Vancouver, Canada. “No, no, but look like asia!” … translation: where your dead ancestors of over a hundred years ago are from is apparently more important than where me – living – here right now, is from.
I’d just like to point out that while a lot of you think this is a parody article and this guy is a characterized, over the top version of a person, it’s not. This is my life (minus me jogging and being as funny back). And it’s not even a compilation of lots of mini experiences all summarized in one article to make even more of a point. In fact, if anything, I think it’s missing the part where the man then tells her about how his last 5 girlfriends were all asian and how he has learned how to make awesome spring rolls, where he starts speaking Korean at her, and then proceeds to ask if she has a boyfriend. Because then, it would be real life. And a lot of people here politely asked, well how do you ask someone about their ethnicity? Or say they have asked people where they are from, but in a more polite way, so they don’t think they are this jackass in the article. My advice, when someone answers the question of “where are you from?” with a response that is anywhere in the US, that should be your final question about the subject for the time being. If we wanted to elaborate, we would. If you knew us better down the road, it might be more appropriate to ask those questions. Sure you can argue that you are just trying to get to know the person better, but knowing they are from Korea or any other asian country, without really knowing them, probably only makes you more susceptible to stereotyping that person early on. Knowing you are white from the US vs knowing you are 1/8 italian, and a mix of a bunch of other things does not make you suddenly a different person to me.
I’m extremely white and my family line has been in the US since the 1600s, but I never thought of asking anybody “what kind of Asian” they are. Maybe it’s the way I was raised, but it’s amazing rude to ask such a question in the first place, not to mention the assumption behind it. I learned from an early age that one of the things that’s great about America is how it’s composed almost entirely of immigrants from other lands. To assume that someone is not American just because they are not white is ignoring a huge part of what being American means.
When people ask this question, they ask it in one of the most confusing and stupid ways. If you want to know, you say “What’s your background?” or “What’s your heritage?” or “What’s your ethnicity?” Jeez. But trust me, it’s more entertaining asking an American white person where they’re from. The poor thing usually has no idea where they immigrated from! Haha.
0:14 His line almost matches what some girl in New Zealand said to me yesterday. I was just returning from my classes when some girl started a conversation with me and within the first few seconds of our conversation she said “Your English is good, where are you from?” To that, I could only think I’M FROM BLOODY NEW ZEALAND! She had a very funny expression on her face once I told her.
This makes me laugh because I come from Hong Kong, where I still live, and not only do locals ALWAYS ask you where you are from but even my two, Chinese speaking, half Asian sons get told they can’t really be from here because a)their last name is Indian (there have been Indians here since the Bits came) but b) they look a bit not Chinese! Mind you people under, say 35is don’t seem to have a problem with local born non Chinese saying Hong Kong is home, so things are changing a bit.
I was hanging out with a really international crowd in Paris this New Year’s Eve, and there was this guy who looked Asian, but he said he was from Spain. So, I didn’t question him any further about his ancestry. Instead, I told him about the pains I’d been through while learning flamenco. And we both laughed about it. I mean, I was a bit curious about his family background. Sometimes it does define you to an extent.. But I didn’t ask him that, because I thought that might have been rude, and he must be Spanish in his mentality if he grew up there.
Oof, I was like this when I first came to the US. I’m Japanese and I went to all the “Asians” in my college and asked them where they’re from. All the askers I got were “Bay Area” and one of them advised me that I avoid asking that because many of them may be 3rd gen or more. In a many homogeneous countries if you look “foreign”, chances are that they’re actually new there, so going to a melting pot like the US was such a great learning experience.
Watched this in a class on Intercultural Communication. Several years prior, I had a similar conversation with a professor of Korean heritage that was born in California. She was much more graceful in responding to me, but perusal this article helped me to see errors in my own thinking, so good job! 🙂 Thank you!
You know its so funny I get those questions so.. much, when I meet new people. hehehe.. usually it goes like this: “where are you from?” Me: “America” person: “Ohh ok but where before that?, I mean like whats your nationality?” Me: “I am american from atlanta Georgia” then usually I get: “No I think maybe your from somewhere in Africa like Nigeria” or “no no your not american” Rofl
Oh my goodness, I love this and definitely sharing! ^_^ This world is choke full of ignorant people that believe themselves intelligent. It all went downhill when he asked, “Where… are… YOUR…people… from?!” O.o I don’t think anyone cares for this question when we live in a country that was built off the back of ancestors that were indentured servants, immigrants, migrant workers and slaves as chattel. :/
i hate when people ask what is my heritage or ethnicity. ethnicity refers to culture, and i was adopted into a german dutch american family that is all caucasian. i prefer to be asked what is your race (which people think is a dirty word, but it’s not) or seriously, “what kind of asian are you?” that just cracks me up. I’m a teacher and one of my students asked me that question so in response, i showed the whole class this article because it makes me laugh every time!
Something subtle in this article that rings true, is why some people bother asking which ethnicity you are, when they can’t delineate the traits of certain ethnicities anyway? Why be curious if the girl in the article is Japanese or Korean when he muddles up teriyaki and kimchi (and heaven knows what else) into the same stereotyped mixed bag he’s got in his head…? This happens in real life too. :/
This kind of ignorance has existed in the United States for generations. This is the consequence of de facto segregation, book banning, and attempts to squelch history. My Latino family has lived in the present-day United States since the Spanish colonial era in the 1600s, and we are also descendants of the Pueblo Indigenous peoples from the present-day U.S. Southwest. And yet, we are asked constantly where we are from, sometimes from fellow Americans of European descent whose families have lived here for only a few generations.
Sort of related… Imagine calling customer service on the phone. Once they find out where you’re calling from (New Mexico), they try to refer you to their international line. Or they say they don’t ship internationally. Or they compliment your English, saying that you speak so clearly. This happens in person, too, while traveling. Ever had a basic geography lesson in grade school or even seen a US map?
this is great. i’m always reminding people that we aren’t born into countries. it’s impossible to be born american, or automatically be a citizen due to lineage, just like it’s impossible to be born communist or automatically be a communist baby due to parents. this article highlights a problem people tend to have about associating “looks” with nationality, in the same way people have this problem of associating “birth” with nationality. nature just doesn’t work that way. we naturally become citizens and representatives of cultures or nations as we learn about them. our parents decisions are also not our own. in some cases our parents aren’t even the same people that are biologically closest to us. they really need to start issuing identification that’s based on an individual’s submission to the government, such as personal history, photos, fingerprinting, heck dna etc. this birth certificate stuff and trying to force people into nations or to PROJECT nationality onto people based on their perceptions of birth are absolutely insane.
This clip never gets old! It’s my favorite article to use to show people how silly it can be, even if it’s well intentioned, when others culturally misappropriate things . It’s frustrating when others assume you’re not from here and therefore not American enough or something in their eyes to even ask “where are you from.” 😢
It hard for people who have not been subjected to this to understand why it is so annoying. It all about stereotyping. Just because she has korean heritage for example. Doesnt mean she was BORN IN S KOREA, speaks korean, has bad english and does all the cultural stuff of that country. She is totaly american, only just having Koreans roots. Just like if an white american born and raised who happens to have german ascestors is still an American. Not German. If you are just curious and want to find out where someone heritage is from just simply ask “where is your background from?” Stereotyping is just rude.
As a Korean, I didn’t really mind these questions. Most of the people who asked didn’t have any ill intentions,, they just were being friendly and wanted to make small talk. I actually appreciated how they approached me. I get it maybe for Asian-Americans it could be irritating, but for me I liked it. In Korea people don’t make as much small talk so it was a nice change of pace, and with the interactions they learned more about Korea and I learned more about US. 9 out of 10 times it was nice.
I was getting a haircut last week and I noticed all the hairdressers had foreign accents. So I struck up a conversation with the lady cutting my hair and asked about their backgrounds. To make a long story short I was the only non-visible minority in there but someone finally asked me what my background was. We white people rarely get asked about our heritage. I actually said “thanks for asking”.
Why would she get angry? There’s a huge difference between your people from The 1800s or your people from one or two generations ago. Some people identify as just Americans and others as “blank-Americans” and both are fine. What is wrong with Korean American? And what’s wrong with people liking Kimchi. Im Peruvian American and when people tell me they love one of our dishes I feel very happy. If this little question gets you all hot snd bothered, life will be incredibly frustrating 😅
First off, I am white, female, Jewish, and I’m married to an Asian man who is half-Chinese and half-Vietnamese. I also lived in Japan for 10 years, where Japanese people constantly bombarded me with questions about Americans and white people. Yes, it gets annoying but we should probably not make people feel stupid for being genuinely curious about other cultures. Asking someone’s ethnic heritage is not, in an of itself racist (white people ask each other about their family backgrounds all the time). Where the ignorance comes in is where the guy acts like she can’t be ‘from’ America, because she is Asian, or is surprised by the fact she can speak English as a native speaker. That is genuinely facepalm worthy.
As a light-skinned, light-eyed woman who covers her hair, I get asked CONSTANTLY where I’m from. “I was born here.” Where are your parents from? “They were born here, too.” But where is the rest of your family from? “Parts of my family have been in the U.S. for hundreds of years; I have ancestors from almost every conceivable region in the world, except the Americas, though my husband is Native.” They will not stop until I tell them the entire religious history of my ancestors, to explain why a person who looks the way I do and speaks the way I do could possibly dress the way I do. sigh
Far too many people will watch this article and then go on with their lives being oblivious and ignorant. This is so spot on. The point being: millions of white Americans would look at her and automatically feel they are “more” American than her. He believed he was being polite, kind, inclusive, etc while actually being superior – not in a directly racist sense, but still entitled.
Is there a polite way of asking about someone’s heritage without being offensive? Because, typically, I’m just curious about that kind of thing, but it’s not like knowing will influence or change how I think, and I normally never bring it up again unless it falls into the conversation. I try never to assume where someone comes from, foreign or not, simply because I’ve seen a lot of these situations where people assume someone is a foreigner with no prior knowledge of the person. The only reason I ever want to know is blatant curiosity of heritage, same as how if I were asked, I’d explain mine (however boring), even though I was, like many people, born and raised in America. So, is there a polite way to ask, that won’t make it seem like I’m “stereotyping?”
I may have a little bit different perspective. I am a Chinese American. When people ask me where I came from, I tell them China and the city I am currently living. (Now I know why people ask this question less and less) When people praise my English, I say thank you. Last week, my dentist asked me why my English was so good. I thought for a sec and said I don’t know, honestly. The thing is I am not offended. Most of the time, people are just trying to make conversation, to avoid awkward silence. Including the male here, running into the lady, nobody around, he might just be trying really hard to find something to say and compliment the lady. Not saying he was doing a good job, but I would just brush it off. I just feel that nowadays, there are too many taboos that weather and sports (careful too, as transgender is competing with biological females, which is a contentious topic too) might be the only safe topics. Also very sad.
As a White guy living in Japan, I get asked “where are you from” a million times a day. Japan is not an immigrant nation, why the hell would anyone think I was a foreigner? 🙁 Unfortunately, I am White so I can’t cry a racist river over it. Does not anyone feel like I am owed an apology for how much I am being oppressed in Japan??? Just kidding, it must just be me, but I really don’t care.
I feel like anyone who purposfully misunderstands the question more than one time, after making clear they grew up in the US, is just trying to be difficult. You obviously know what the person is asking. Yea it could be phrased better and yea it’s annoying hearing the same question over and over. And yes it’s important that others don’t just assume you’re not american. But if it’s not that then it’s NOT a nonesense question.
I’m Brazilian. I was born and lived in Brazil pretty much my whole life, but I blend in as a local a lot more in the US. Reason? I grew up in an American school where all classes were in English, so English became my 1st language. Now I have a heavy American accent, even when speaking in Portuguese. I ALWAYS get asked what country Im from! 😂
Hahaha. I’m a child of immigrants and I relate to this so much. Where are your parents from is always the next question after I answer I was born here. My parents are from two different countries and cultures and I have never visited either place. Knowing their history doesn’t say much about who I am.
When I first saw this masterpiece, I had high expectations because Googas was talked about in such amazing ways by a colleague of mine. I finally sat down and watched it with my friends and our expectations were instantly topped. This TV short should not be called a TV short because it is a masterpiece that tops other amazing pieces of media such as Citizen Kane and Pulp Fiction. When you’re perusal this, you might think, “There is no way this can get any better.” And then it does! If you have not watched this, get all your family and friends, dead or alive, and give them the gift of letting them experience this absolute astonishing piece of film. This is a story about, perseverance, family, rising up against oppressors, and learning to accept each other. This could be shown anywhere, from preschools to nursery homes. This story could be a metaphor for a variety of things, like the story of Americans rising up against the British instead of sitting idly and letting their oppressors take their land. Overall, this is an amazing story that never disappoints. To answer the question I posed in the title, yes, yes this is the greatest piece of media of all time. Every single person needs to watch this immediately.
I’m Asian and I don’t really care if you ask where I’m from or where my family is from. I like talking history so let’s be nerdy together about our different peoples, ancestries, faiths, cultures, everything if you wish to go into a deep conversation. I will not be ashamed of myself as a Miao American. If you’re curious, just ask. It’s not that serious.
Fantastic article. Never gets old. Because of it, I always ask, “where are you from?” whenever someone who is of European background in the US asks me the same question. The answers are always interesting. They also serve to remind them that while I may look “foreign” to them, their roots were once just as “foreign” as mine seem to them today.
The routine in this article is not just for the private rich schools. Even though I went to a public high school known for poor education performance in my town, I had a similar schedule with them. I remember teachers sometimes told us to make sure that your classmates are not just friends, but your competitors. I bet most Koreans have heard it in their life. That’s how toxic it is😅
Really admire the 3 kids of Wales who agreed to participate in this experiment, they went in knowing its difficult, living in a different nation, different culture & putting up long hours, it was really moving when they all said good bye .. at the end of the day, let the kids thrive, pursue their passions & live their dreams .. not their parents .
as a japanese growing up in Australia I always enjoy the less stressful schooldays during my childhood and now that I have lived and work in Asia, I always feel so sorry for the kids there where they hardly have time to relax or play sports and games, I seriously do not want my kids to be growing up in countries like singapoirre and many part of Asia, I think there are more things to growing ups and in life than treating kids like academic robots, I always find many asian kids might be bright in academic but they also lack many things I have seen in the kids in western countries. perhaps we should learn from each others and create a effective and more relax on our education system, after all not all kids are good at academic and that doesn’t mean that they will end up less successful, can we explore every kids individuality and give them some time and fun to be. kids!
I am korean and I think this frantic race for education might be due to lack of resource and rapid economic growth. The college entrance rate is about 70% in Korea and education is pretty much related to survival. It is perceived that which school you go to pretty much determines your life. But the problem is that Korean students are adjusted to get high scores in entrance exam which always have “answers”. This really makes students become test taking machines rather than learning what is useful to life. It is deteriorating the diversity and creativity. The education system is screwed but the students have to study for their survival in that system.
As a Singaporean I’ll put this out here. Although Asian education systems are generally stricter, Korea is notoriously high on the stricter end alongside China. Here in SG our government is starting to move away from the flat competition and creating a more balanced learning environment. (They removed mid-year examinations and are changing grading and subject selection systems to make it less stringent). Yes we have to get there by early morning and end by near evening, yes we have mandatory co-curriculars and yes our parents often send us through multiple tuitions and sometimes extra side classes like music. But no, definitely not as strict. We still have one day every fortnight where we can work from home (It’s called home-based learning) and generally there is more awareness of being less of an academic robot and slaving away at grades and instead growing more holistically.
As a former teacher from an underperforming gudeung hakkyo (high school) in Gyeongi Province, I can confidently say that the school featured in this article is not representative of all Korean high schools with respect to student learning and performance outcomes. The brutal schedule however, is representative. My students used to be in school till 11pm if they were preparing for the national uni entrance exam.
as an indonesian, i can relate to some of the routines korean students go through, like tutors and lessons, but i am grateful that as an indonesian student, there are still balance between study, socializing, and organizational activities that are really being encouraged in indonesia, which I think the korean education system lacks that of encouraging organization and social life lessons that can really be helpful for their future in society. After perusal this article, it makes me feel really lucky to have gone to a good school that regconises student’s need not just in academics, but also life lessons and have teacher with the same amount of respect to their students. Still..kudos to all korean students
Chinese here, with a very similar routine and perhaps even more pressure due to a significantly larger population in China. The year before the GaoKao (college entrance exam), we would start our day at 6:30 am with a morning workshop for either Chinese or English, as that time was considered optimal for better memory. We spent the entire day at school, followed by a late-night independent study and review session lasting two hours, starting at 9 pm. After the day finally concluded, we had to finish washing up within 30 minutes and then head to bed. Teaching assistants would patrol to ensure no one was still awake and goofing around, and you definitely didn’t want to mess with them. 😂Those three years in high school were a nightmare, and even just writing this comment brings back feelings of depression.😅
18:14 This really resonated with me as someone who grew up in Korea. Up until college, Korean students perform at an extremely high level, yet Korea produces very few world-class scientists, engineers or innovators. It’s because Koreans care only about getting into a top-tier college, not about actually learning or producing something original or creative. When you have a society that cares much more about appearance and status instead of pursuing your dreams, you end up with a depressed generation of kids who don’t even know what they want to do and become another layer of corporate slaves. The average student in the UK may not as smart as the average Korean student, but the smartest student in the UK is far more likely to become a world-renowned scholar/engineer/leader than the smartest student in Korea, and that’s because in the UK, studying is not forced upon students who could not care less about studying. Only those who are genuinely curious to study higher level subjects do so and end up becoming the best.
As an Asian, one of the main driving forces for studying and getting good grades is seeing my parents’ sacrifices to pay for my education. Seeing the part where the mom prays for hours at the temple for several years, wakes up very early to prepare meals, and the dad driving a taxi 14 hours a day, 6 days a week to pay for tutor. How can I not try to do well in school when my parents are doing all these so that I can have a better future? My mom has often told me, when I was younger, that education is the best gift she can give me.
the welsh principal has a great idea with bringing maths teachers from korea. however, i feel korean maths teachers will need to be well prepared for western students. while most are respectful and do their work diligently, there are many who talk back, don’t put in effort, have argumentative parents, etc. it’s a whole different culture and if they’re not prepared for it, they’ll just go back home no matter what the schools may offer.
its a cultural difference. Western parents frequently hold high standards for their girls, but low or no standards for the boys. Hence why girls do better in school, and are now outnumbering men in college. Asian put a tremendous amount of pressure on kids starts from age 3 and through k-12 Also, traditionally speaking, Teaching was thrown onto women. It was the first career a woman could have, but still paid nothing; it was deemed an undesirable career path for men, which is why the responsibility was thrown squarely on women. Teachers, educated women from educated families, getting paid nothing is actually what started the Feminist movement in the USA, not voting rights. Nowanddays, teaching is still one of the most abused and exploited professions, along with nursing. Now nobody wants to be a teacher .
I don’t think we in the US should completely change our schooling system to be competitive with Asians, but we can borrow some ideas from them. Such as respect for the elderly and the teacher. Next setting higher expectations for our kids. We can start there first and see how things go. We also, need to make our streets safe, so that kids can feel safe walking around at night and can enter a restaurant with being attacked. (San Francisco)
I think people have to understand where these strict and almost crazy education standards come from originally. Korea’s been a country that’s been attacked all its life. There are always powerful nations that attack Korea at some point in History. And to turn the ruins of a country after a war to an economic powerhouse is no easy feat. Competitiveness and the concept of efficiency has benefited Korea to grow and build itself back. Especially in a small country with a big population like Korea, you need to stand out somehow and that’s why education is so important to Koreans. I don’t think it would be easy to ged rid of the customs and the way of life, especially when Koreans are so accustomed to social burdens and the need to be the best. I think the hardships of the war and the hardened mindset has continued to this day; wanting comfort and a sort of stability in the midst of the current situation. So yeah. Just my thoughts. I’m not supporting the harsh education system in Korea, but what I’m trying to say is I can see where it came from and why we would change this rigid society.
YUP in Asia being a teacher is like every parents dreams for their kids other than doctor or lawyers. Being a teacher means that you will be respected for your whole life. Stable jobs and a lot of holidays. In my family we have 10 teachers, my uncle, my dad, my aunt, my cousins…etc…LMAO. Lot of Holiday and family times since childhood and great benefits xD
I went to an ultra competitive medical college prep high school in the US where we had on average about 6 hours of homework a night. A typical day was a couple of exams, multiple term papers due, in person hospital work, and practical exams for our medical classes. It was extremely difficult as it was meant to prepare us for actual medical school. The school made a sport out of us competing with our fellow students. When we could get our quarterly rankings, kids would literally be crying in the halls if they weren’t top 10%, so to some degree I understand this South Korean work ethic, but I also know as compared to friends in other schools I missed out a lot on social aspects of school. We really did not have any sports and extra curriculars were all academic based like health and math competitions, and clubs that basically were for college resume purposes.
Education is the most important thing these days, but this is a bit extreme. Human body needs to rest The amount of suicides and people shutting themselves inside of their own minds, loosing themselves in games and anime and manga, specially in these Asian countries, proves that they are overwhelmed.
28:40 This area is right outside my home and when parents sign their children up for hakwons there’s a massive line of parents, some even in camping chairs that stretch out for meters! It’s crazy how the education system has come so far for children to achieve social mobility in society. Parents believe that going to a prestigious university will set them on the path of a successful life, when in reality it’s actually very difficult to achieve that in modern society.
I’m from India…currently a sophomore.. School is not that long only 7 hours but after this I go to study at private coaching taking up 4 hours then again have to come back and look at school works it’s very stressful 😭 and I thought this was a torture but the Korean education system is something else
As a Korean, I am happy that foreigners are loving my country which was raged in war, resistance and ect. I am happy that outsiders are loving my country, I wish education improves and makes for better change for everyone. Idea: School starts at 8AM an finishes at 3:35pm and has extra ciriculem at 5pm to 7 or 8pm.
I won’t say Asian can score academically, but it just because they are being indoctrinated to complete a lot of exercises and exam questions. Therefore, the designated exam patterns and problem solving can be trained periodically. If the western kids are being exposed in such environment, they can excel too. The advantage of Asian education is the fundamental knowledge of the student is high. However, the lack of creativity and critical thinking skills can be seen as well. If you twist the question or change it into a whole different scenario, we will be confused at first, and not able to perform like the western kids do. Sometimes I do admire the western education. In my opinion, I think that the combination of both styles can be beneficial for the students in the long run.😄😄
I’m from SEA and unlike any other Asian countries, my country is somewhat have less stressful and less pressure when it comes to studying. The thing is there’s always a competition in between each students but only because some students want to prove something to their parents or to other people. And I guess we all have different priorities. To us, school starts at 8am and ends at 5pm and that’s 5 days a week. Sometimes, we only have Saturdays to play with our friends and Sundays will be spent doing assignments or the other way around.
I’m Asian and I’ve done great up until 9th grade, after applying for high school I was so tired to the point of giving up and let my grades being very very low, below average, I couldn’t care any more. And now I developed some kind of personality that wants to play with my phone whenever I’m free, I even look like a phone addict, I just lacked so much of my personal free time into all that studying, I can’t change.
@ChangBaek said: 18:14 This really resonated with me as someone who grew up in Korea. Up until college, Korean students perform at an extremely high level, yet Korea produces very few world-class scientists, engineers or innovators. It’s because Koreans care only about getting into a top-tier college, not about actually learning or producing something original or creative. When you have a society that cares much more about appearance and status instead of pursuing your dreams, you end up with a depressed generation of kids who don’t even know what they want to do and become another layer of corporate slaves. The average student in the UK may not as smart as the average Korean student, but the smartest student in the UK is far more likely to become a world-renowned scholar/engineer/leader than the smartest student in Korea, and that’s because in the UK, studying is not forced upon students who could not care less about studying. Only those who are genuinely curious to study higher level subjects do so and end up becoming the best.
Ethics and culture differs. Most times it amazes me greatly how I moved from an average lifestyle to earning over $63k per month, Utter shock is the word. I have understood a lot in the past few years that there are lots of opportunities in the financial market. The only thing is to know where to invest
If I were to choose in between being “an academically advanced Asian kid” or “Just an average kid from the USA/Australia/UK or anywhere in Europe”, I’d drop the first and opt for the latter. When I first left for Australia to start my undergraduate studies at a University, I wasn’t prepared for the mighty “culture” shock that I’d be encountering ahead (the shock would gradually into positive affirmation). As a Nepalese student who spent half of her life (that felt like eternity) following rigid rules at school and at home, this particular Australian institution was a gateway to realizing and discovering what freedom means and what it gives us. perusal Korean schools reminds me of how very similar we are, although we are galaxy miles apart in economic terms. We have talents in abundance but poverty becomes the “Scarlet Letter”. And although, I was fortunate enough to have been born into a well to do family, freedom was a costly thing to behold. So, whenever I hear or see this question of ” Are Asian kids academically more advanced?” I’ve a palpitating impulse to cry out ” Rather, ask us Asian kids the value of freedom”. 😅
I live in the United States. Half my family is Russian so I guess I relate to the strict eduction. Though, I noticed that none of them rely on sport scholarships that much, which is what I am going to college for. In my school none of us wear uniforms, instead we get to wear what we want. We respect some teachers but talk back to others (I don’t lol). I am glad where I live because of all the fun experiences I get to do. Prom, tennis team, playing piano, making many friends, going to sport games and etc. I would die in a environment like this to be honest. Yes pushing education for peoples futures is a must, but their is always a limit.
As a Korean who studied both in Korea and abroad, it’s a different identity and worldview as student in western countries as opposed to in Korea. As a student in Korea, there are expected boundaries as a student that a student can and cannot do (a lot of cant’s) and anything other than academic or hardwork related things, everything is almost morally incorrect of a student. The differences were felt for me not just culturally and morally, but in the most daily activities. The most basic calculations in life such as a meal or calculative decisions, my Korean friends are extremely fast and two steps ahead compared to my western friends, where some of my brightest western friends might be like that, but it’s mostly average in Korea. But competition is also a part of life, where everything is a bet, a competitive game, first one to the A gets B, last one to do X does Y, winners get all, losers lose all style of games and play are very common. This is very rare even compared to even some of my other Asian friends. One of my close Chinese friends told me at a social gathering when we were deciding which losers of a game were going to do the dishes “Man, do you Koreans always fight and compete for everything? Everytime we’re doing something like this” and I laughed telling him it’s the Korean life. But in the end the winners also help cleaning the house as well because of our communal nature. Tis the Korean life..
To add an additional perspective to Asian (Asia-Pacific to be more specific) education system. Here’s my experience in the Philippines. — Elementary: Flag ceremony is at 06:00. For Grades 1-3, it’s from 06:00 to 11:00; then the afternoon class is from 13:00 to 6:00. For Grades 4-6, it’s from 06:00 to 15:00, sometimes 16:00 depending on subjects and topics of the day, and other activities. High School: Flag ceremony is at 07:00 (some schools at 06:00). 1st Year to 4th Year: 07:00 to 17:00. Or, 06:00 to 16:00. That’s not counting the assignments and projects per subject that we are taking. And also to review because we almost had daily quizzes and surprise quizzes. We also have to prepare because recitation (teacher asks a question, students must answer correctly) is very important in our grades, not just quizzes and exams. Some of us stayed late in school doing our assignments, or in libraries. So when we get home, we can just relax, have fun, play, or sleep. Some go home immediately and do their assignments and projects. College/University, now that’s a different story. There are universities with classes scheduled between 20:00 and 07:00. Those who chose those time slots usually sleep in vacant classrooms. And your 1st and 2nd years, as a male student, you are required to take in military training during the weekends (Saturday usually). But, we do have extracurricular activities mixed in, which keeps things balanced. * Note: the above examples were from the late 80s up to the early 2000s.
A lot of it has to do with parent’s and student’s respect for education and the teachers that provide it. Don’t even get me started on the sheer lack of respect for teachers in the States. My father had parents that would send their childrens’ homework back to school ripped up with notes attached stating that their children would not be doing any homework. He would then get calls later in the year from those same parents demanding to know why their child had failing grades.
I remember my class start at 6am to 11:30 pm or sometime 12am, I have to wake up at 5am. I went to 2 schools which are private school and public school. Private school is for more effective education and public school is for degree because back then my country only accept public high school degree. 6am-8am private school, 9am – 3pm public school, 4pm – 7 pm private school, 8 pm – 12am study time at private school.
Long hours of studying is too much for a child. I’m from The Philippines and we have 8hrs of school daily, I hated school so much and get just an average grades but I can say I have a good life after finishing school. It’s not just about having good grades in school, it’s about your effort on how to succeed in life after school or in real life.
As an Indian student I really sympathize with the Korean education system so much lol.. we wake up at 5- or 6 am would have school from 7:50 am to 2:15 pm some schools get over at 3 pm and then after-school remedial’s which are like extra classes… till 4 pm maybe and then we go home eat lunch take a shower or something and most of us are then sent for tuitions by parents at like 5 or 6 pm till 7-9 pm then we go back home and do self-studying and assignments and projects plus we also buy extra studying materials and guidebooks to study from. on top of this we have extra-curriculars and stuff like culturals and sports day to participate in which i think is great gives us some relaxation.. but then we have monthly exams and sometimes weekly tests… some parents put their kids into extra online tutoring for notes and materials like Byju’s etc.. and most of us go to sleep very late cus of all this work and then are expected to wake up at like 5-6 am in the morning again.. and repeat we have our indian board exams which is a national level board examination which we all work towards and have rankinh systems we also have a similar culture i would say in terms of respect towards our teachers.. since ancient times.. i guess this is just something common which asian’s face daily…
At a certain age, people spend more time with their parents, family, and friends. However, once you reach a certain age, you need to focus on your studies. Kids these days play online games and don’t talk to their parents anymore when they’re at home. Some children often engage in wrong activities or face unwanted pregnancies during early relationships. Parents’ value education is the same for children. It’s really amazing!! This means that students learn to adopt values that match their parents’ expectations, have the same values as their parents, and understand their sacrifices. It is a very important role for both parents and children to work on their future career.
Living like this can not be healthy. I am a 40 year old woman working 40 hours per week and sometimes that feels overwhelming! I am an adult and I couldn’t handle living like this without having a mental break down. I don’t think these children should have to live like this! I wonder how Covid has affected this system?
I was born and raised in Vietnam – a SEA country. My school would start at 6:00 and end at 4:30. After 4:30, I go home and have 2 hours of get ready for my extra class (or we call it hoc them). That usually end at 9. And after that class, I have to finish my homework for the next day. On the weekend, I used to go to the english centre for extra class and also because im catholic, i have to go to religion class on sunday. Im lucky that I moved to the US when I was young so I dont have to be under that kind of pressure.
To the westerners, this may seem extremely harsh. I think South Korea have stretched it a bit too far by having after school classes well into the night. Here in the Philippines, school is a whole day affair (7:30am – 4:40pm) & it’s purely academics as well. Some opt to do after school tutoring for an 1-2 hours for homeworks and a bit of advanced learning. So if they just cut back a few hours then it’s just normal for us Asians. I don’t mind this school set up at all. Asians generally believe that our kids are better off inside the school than outside where they can be exposed to detrimental habits.
As Filipino I can really relate to this but this is on another level of studying. In Philippines we have classes all day from Mon to Fri and goes home at 4 or 5 in the afternoon. We still study at home for our many homeworks in different subjects and study in advance for any quiz the next day. But of course we still have to do house chores before doing homeworks. This goes to show that Asians are built different when it comes to studying. We’re already exhausted and mentally unstable.
Regardless of its pros and cons, it is amazing that every single person in East Asia can have so much determination to succeed in their studies. It is unknown whether it is a historical or genetic reason, but in China since ancient times and in Korea since the Middle Ages, the aristocratic system disappeared and every officials were selected through exams. This was possible because these countries were so centralized that the chief of each village was appointed directly by the emperor(king). They were overtaken in terms of technology by Europe in the 17th century and suffered numerous wars until the 20th century. Although they became poor, but this may be why they created a global economic power, unlike other Asian countries that were equally or less poor.
I studied in a similar way to the Koreans when i went back to get my nursing degree. I hadn’t been to school in over a decade and was worried bc i was a bad student in high school (like the Wales students). I had similar results. When you put a huge effort in you will get a huge good result. Students who are in sports have to spend a lot of time practicing etc… a lot more effort than regular students. More effort produces better outcomes. It’s probably an excessive amount but it does show why they have such highly academic superior results. And they are probably in last place when it comes to theater arts or sports… You get out what you put in.
This is insane. Learning in Korea is fundamental and fantastic. But…..The amount of kids fast asleep in their classes is telling. 6 hours of sleep per night, in school until midnight, basically working 18 hours per day, no social life, seeing your parents/kids only on the weekends. There needs to be balance. I can understand how the stress contributes to the suicide rate.
As a french, as weird as it sound I wouldn’t mind following the Korean schooling system since the french one is quite odd among the Europeans. I had classes 6 days a week(yes classes on Saturday morning from 8 to 12) and often started at 8h and ended at 17-18h and after I came home an hour later I still had homework to do and most of the time I stayed up until 10 to do them. But the grading in Korea seems less harsh than the French one.
i shudder to think how any person whos disabled/chronically ill survives in this environment. I have cfs and endometriosis and i struggled within my australian school system. I was able to get all in the A band this year (last year) however needed many extensions and support. I probably only went to 60% of the school days, in the past it has been worse. because of my absences due to illness I’m incredibly behind in maths and dropped it as soon as i met the grade requirements. i would literally die in this kind of environment, from the physical stress alone. this is absolutely not healthy, especially considering they only get 6 hours of sleep! yes, they get good grades, but at what cost? and i dont see much art, a shame really since art is incredibly important to development.
Canada in 2022 Pisa test was ranked 6th in reading, 9th in math and 7th in science. We have 6 hour school days (9 am -3:15 pm) with an hour lunch, and our kids still do very well . My son took the Pisa test in 2022, he did very well and he goes to a public high school.. I feel sorry for kids that are put under so much pressure
Balance is the key to a fulfilling life; it is the equilibrium that brings harmony and well-being. When anything is in excess, it can become detrimental, and when there is a lack, it can lead to dissatisfaction. Therefore, striving for balance in all aspects of life is essential for a healthy and content existence.
A lot of Asian families have two parents living in the residence that make sure their kids are pushed to study by having more supervision so they focus on their school work.A stable home life is critical for good study habits. Also,there is less disruptions in the classroom in Asian countries so the kids don`t interfere with the flow or time wasted. Friendly competition among the students increases learning. Kids wanting to be a little afraid to disappoint the parents?Family dynamics.