The episode starts in 2012 when the reunion is getting underway with the antics of the group despite their more matured states. Tae-woong is then seen to excuse himself from the table after receiving a phone call and shortly after, Si-won is caught by Yu-jeong calling him ‘oppa’ through a friendly request. Frustrated, she questions as to why Si-won would address him so casually despite his high status in the society and the audience realizes later on that Tae-woong is actually running for President!
The group’s agenda immediately switches to Tae-woong’s success as they highlight his personal achievements despite the sacrifice he made for his brother Yun-je. Meanwhile, in the center of the table another storm is brewing between Si-won and Yun-je as her request for his aid with her phone case ends up in a quarrel that soon got physical. However, the fight is soon broken up as the episode fades out and back into the familiar year of 1998.
The scene starts off with Yu-jeong staring offscreen at Hak-chan with anger in her eyes as she says the dreaded words: “Lets break up”. Fast forward to present day, Hak-chan is seen to be sitting at some steps in dismay being consoled by Seong-jae as they try to figure out the various (hilarious) reasons that Yu-jeong would have wanted to break up. After multiple scenarios however, Song-jae gives up his efforts of consoling and concluded that Hak-chan should just leave Yu-jeong where by he replied “I can’t do that”. (liking someone was so simple back then.)
Later on in the episode, Tae-woong is seen to be counseling the students about their futures, giving them reality checks as they transition into one of the most important part of their lives; post-secondary education. While the students may seem unsatisfied by what Tae-woong says about their aspirations, they are accepting of their capabilities and obediently listen to his advice as being “satisfied with the easiest dream” and how it ‘hurts if you aim for a dream you can’t reach”. (What do you think about this type of counselling? Do you feel like this is limiting a student’s potential or do you believe that within the given time frame, having a set student mindset would generate future success?)
While Seong-jae and Hak-chan battle with the reason for Yu-jeong’s anger, Yun-je later on finds out that he’s got secret admirers that want to give him a hand-made gift. However, due to Si-won’s presence and his feelings for her at the moment, he bluntly rejects them, leaving them heartbroken and confused.
Moments later, Yun-je is seen pleading his teacher to write a letter of recommendation for him to go the Korean Air Force Academy whereby his teachers rejects his proposal as he’s infuriated by the decision. Deeming him as a student that could go to Seoul National University on a full scholarship, the teacher feels that his pride is on the line when Yun-je’s decision comes off as wasted potential. (In light of this incident, do you feel that the teacher’s actions were justified? In the times of a competitive labour market, do you feel that Yun-je following his dreams would be the best possible outcome? How does academic performance in the present day compare to the past in determining one’s long-term success?)
Through a couple of unexpected events such as the classroom teacher finding out Si-won’s H.O.T fan-fiction and Yun-je and Jun-hee’s awkward conversation about their reasons for applying to the Korean Air Force Academy, it is revealed that Yun-je’s admiration for his father is apparent. Though he hides it from his brother as they share a moment regarding Tae-woong’s aspirations after Yun-je’s aptitude exam, Yun-je puts on his dad’s past Air Force uniform as he reminisces about the past and the joy he felt when he got a chance to see his father.
Although unexpected, Hak-chan finally finds out the source of Yu-jeong’s anger: he had forgotten about her birthday completely! As a way to make it up to her, he hands her the gift that was initially gifted to Yun-je and she ends up accepting his apology with a heartfelt hug rekindling her feelings for him.
The episode wraps up by recollecting Yun-je’s failure on his test for the Korean Air Force Academy and Si-won getting a phone call about her first place prize on her creative writing submission; granting her a means to go to Dongguk University. I felt that this was an interesting scene in the sense that Si-won has found merit in her passion whereas Yun-je is seen to be the ‘loser’ of the situation despite his great academic performance. In many ways, this episode has alluded to the success of students in back in 1997. By bringing the audience back to the reunion in 2012, it shows that they are all well off due to them following the right path to success. The audience may recall that during the start of the episode, Yun-je is shown on the television as a well-known judge which highly contrasts to what he wanted to be in high school. Did he find a new passion for the law or was this all because of his teachers pushing him to attend Seoul University? Only time will tell. Let me know what you think! 🙂
This episode was viewed on Netflix.
-Raymond
The teacher’s unwarranted backlash reveals two things to me:
1) universities (especially the top 3: Seoul National, Korea, Yonsei University (a.k.a “SKY”) are placed at higher prestige than other forms of tertiary education that are deemed arbitrary
2) teachers have great control of determining the future of students
Teachers are supposed to support students in their post-secondary endeavours, instead of acting according to their selfish interests. The teacher states explicitly, ” I finally have a student who can go to the medical program of SNU” implicating that he wants Yun-je to apply for SNU not because he truly believes Yun-je will find great success in the field of medicine nor has the personality that matches with the field. Instead, the teacher wants to improve his prestige and status as a teacher, able to boast that he’s once taught a student who went on to study at a prestigious university. Thus, he is more concerned about the welfare of himself, rather than his student. Although it is later revealed that Yun-je’s decision to apply for the air force is due in part of following the footsteps of his father (and to a lesser extent, to appear attractive to his crush), it is ultimately revealed his destiny is to not medicine at SNU. The teacher’s refusal is an example of Korea’s obsession with college entrance and SAT scores. It is a widespread idea that a prestigious university will result in well-paying, highly acclaimed career opportunities that promises a comfortable life. A good university therefore becomes the ticket to happiness.
This contrasts greatly with the Canadian experience of post-secondary. Personally, my teachers encouraged me to pursue activities that I excelled in or was deeply passionate about. However, they never pushed me into a specific direction, especially if I had no interest or disagreed with it. There was no psychological competition amongst teachers regarding who’s students went to which top university. In 10th grade, all students partook in a planning course, where students had to learn the importance maintaining finances, preparing for post-secondary (education or career opportunities), sex education, etc. In hindsight, it was basically a crash course on “adulting”. But what distinguished the course with other career counselling was the emphasis on leadership; to take ownership of your own life trajectory, recognize your gifts, pursue your passions, and be a part of the larger community. While the the Canadian schooling system does focus on academic scores/grades, they also include the salience of volunteering, proper work ethics, and community building. Of course, decisions change along the way, but personally the course was very helpful for me and encouraged me to apply to UBC although I had my doubts.
Hi Raymond, thanks for your post! I really liked this episode. The student-teacher sit downs where they discussed their future is a situation that I could understand. It is both dreadful and at the same time, it is illuminating when you’re forced to examine oneself and one’s talents.
In regard to your question about whether the teacher’s actions were justified or not – I definitely sympathize with the teacher. Unless he teaches at an elite school I would imagine that there isn’t plenty of students qualified to attend prestigious universities, especially when we’re talking about Seoul National University. Having such star pupils reflect positively upon the reputation of the teacher and their teaching skills.
While I’m sure we all have experienced this to a certain extent, in my opinion it seems that the importance of one’s education is much more intense within South Korea than it is in Canada. One article that I found on the Korea Times that I thought was interesting was Moon Jae-in’s intention to integrate all state universities and removing academic backgrounds from resumes (1). If there wasn’t a wide societal fixation on school rankings (at least in the eyes of the President), I wouldn’t think that he’d voice such extreme intentions. If there’s anything more recent on this topic, I’d love to know!
Lastly to address your question about long-term success, I would say that one’s academic performance is still important, if not even more important in the current day, in addition to other factors. To prove this, I highlight the ‘Samsung SAT’ (2), the fact that a third of the nation’s unemployed have an undergraduate degree and the youth unemployment rates despite 69% of 25-34 year olds having a college degree (3).
Sources:
(1) Kim, Bo-eun. “Moon’s education pledges under scrutiny.” The Korean Times. May 10, 2017. http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2017/05/181_229082.html
(2) Hu, Elise. “To The List of High-Stakes Tests In Korea, Add The Samsung SAT.” National Public Radio. April 16, 2016. http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/04/19/474621999/to-the-list-of-high-stakes-tests-in-korea-add-the-samsung-sat
(3) Steger, Isabella. “After 20 years of studying and exams, South Korea’s smartest graduates struggle to find a job.” Quartz. October 17, 2016. https://qz.com/805909/after-20-years-of-studying-and-exams-even-south-koreas-smartest-graduates-are-struggling-to-find-a-job/
Although counselling done by teachers to students on their career path can seem limiting I think it is a very important part of Korean society. In Korea there are more than one way to enter a university (other than grades), hence, there is a rise in popularity of university entrance consultants. Having experienced the consulting myself there are actually too many different types of entrances in Korea and I would say it would be impossible to understand and know all of them without outside help. Also, to apply to a university in Korea as a Korean student the teacher needs to write you a recommendation. If the teacher knows you are incapable of getting into Seoul National University for example, I think it is right for the teacher to consult you to take a different path to save your time and etc. If you really have a desire to go to a specific program you can always redo the Korean college entrance exam in the coming years.
No, the teacher’s actions were not justified and disagreeing with a student’s desire to go to a specific college or university is wrong. However, in the past if you were the top student in Korea you would go to Seoul National University Law or Medical School and it was considered an honour if the school sent a student to one of these schools. Also, I think the teacher truly believed that Yun-je would be more successful if he went to Seoul National University as thats what the society believed. With Korea being so focused on network, going to one of the SKY universities may not guarantee success but a higher chance of it.
For example, in Samsung Life Insurance 33.8% of executives were from SKY and 20% from foreign universities. There are 408 post graduate institutions in South Korea. This means that approximately only 56% come from non SKY. However, even the 56% is likely come from other top tier universities like Ewha Woman’s University, KAIST, POSTECH and etc. This leaves very limited opportunities from non elite institutions.
http://www.sisajournal-e.com/biz/article/167031
To relate to Yun-je, this is the report on % of judges in Korea from specific universities. SKY consisted of 56.8% of new appointments.
http://khei-khei.tistory.com/tag/%EB%8C%80%ED%95%99%EB%B3%84%20%ED%8C%90%EC%82%AC%20%EC%9E%84%EC%9A%A9%20%ED%98%84%ED%99%A9
To address Sean’s comment on integrating all state universities, I am aware that the president claimed to attempt it, however, I do not think that could happen because students who studied to get into Seoul National University will likely protest very heavily against the matter. I remember talking to a PI and graduate students during my lab work there and they told me if something like that were to happen, he would likely leave for a different institution. Hence, I think a ranking system is important to keep the best students and professors at the institution.
I personally think that Korea’s one-on-one counselling system with the homeroom teacher is beneficial for students. I don’t see it as teachers limiting a student’s potential, rather they are trying to maximize the opportunities for their students. Because Korea’s society is so heavily structured by educational hierarchy, ensuring that the students enter a university is the safest option that they can suggest. As sad as it sounds, the teacher who says “happiness is by order of merit” is true in Korea. One thing I wanted to point out is that Si-won had no particular career goals prior to finding her talent in writing. Though she was able to get into her desired university and get a career as a writer, the question whether ‘pursuing what you are good at is the same as pursuing something you desire’ still remains.
Lee’s (2001, 41) cross-cultural study compares the career maturity of Korean and US high school students. The results showed American students were more mature in career attitude than Korean students. The study also showed that American students were more goal-oriented, confident, and independent whereas Korean students scored higher only in preparedness. Lees explains this may be the cause of differences in social environment; where in Korea, “career-related activities or attitudinal development are not main task assigned to Korean high school students to achieve” (Lee 2001, 41) thus the lower scores.
Ki-Hak, Lee. “A Cross-Cultural Study of the Career Maturity of Korean and United States High School Students.” Journal of Career Development 28, no. 1 (Fall, 2001): 43, http://ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/docview/220426454?accountid=14656 (accessed October 16, 2017).
Hi Raymond. Thank you for the post. The picture you posted refers to the scene when on first day of school, students find out they are arranged by academic rank. Yoon-jae speaks up defiantly that he’ll comply, as long as the teachers post their grades and get assigned by rank as well. Korea in the 1990s represented the transitioning to a more democratic society, which is characterized by (1)valuing subjecting well-being over deference to authority and (2)accepting alternative interests. Social commentators coined the term “New Generation” to refer to the rebellious youth that emerged with democratization. The scene when Yun-je shouts back at authority, reflects the youth of the 1990s, who felt that they had been suppressed by the oppressive educational system. They “fought to transform a society built on vertical relationships into one founded on horizontal ones (Cho and Stark 2017).” This scene was likely included to show that youth during this time were not so subservient as the drama illustrated in previous episodes. The acceptance of alternative interest can be seen in this episode through Si-Won’s fan behaviour and her being accepted to university through her fan fiction. Si-won’s fan fiction earns her special admission to a creative writing program that leads to a career in television screenwriting. This demonstrates the transitioning of Korea to a more democratic society as “fan fiction” or pretty-boy idols are being tolerated and accepted in society. With democratization, we see that the Korean society is more tolerating of these alternate interests whether that is alternate interest in sexuality (jun-hee) or alternate interest in androgynous K-pop idols like H.O.T.
Cho, Jaejoan and Jeffrey Stark. “South Korean Youth Across Three Decades.” In Routledge Handbook of Korean Culture and Society, edited by Youna kim,119-133. New York: Routledge, 2017.
Thanks for your post Raymond.
“In the times of a competitive labour market, do you feel that Yun-je following his dreams would be the best possible outcome? How does academic performance in the present day compare to the past in determining one’s long-term success?”
As Dr. Saeji mentioned, even the smartest graduate in South Korea struggles to find a job. For most of the Korean students, they idolize themselves as a big conglomerate employee. There aren’t enough jobs for college graduates as the economy slows down. Many Korean graduates study for entrance examination for the companies like Samsung and Hyundai. As mentioned in the above comments, President Moon’s promise to ease the unemployment by creating more public-sector jobs, removing academic backgrounds, and integrating universities seems to be a short-term fix. So as for now the education system will still be like the time the drama is placed in. Where everything seems to rely on a single college entrance exam and perhaps company entrance exams.
The article below states that the South Korean airlines are struggling to fill the void that is created by the pilots resigning. They are lured by the other airlines and pay raise from abroad, since the Korean company ignored their demand of 37% increment. If Yoon-Jae were to become a pilot in present, he wouldn’t have to go through struggle that the other graduates are facing (company entrance exams).
Mollman, Steve. “Korean Air pilots are demanding a 37% pay raise—or else they’ll fly for China.” Quartz. https://qz.com/597205/why-korean-air-pilots-are-requesting-a-37-pay-raise-while-management-is-offering-1-9/ (accessed Oct 16, 2017).
This article shows the statics of unemployment rate in South Korea and explains the struggles of a demanding job market.
Steger, Isabella. “After 20 years of studying and exams, South Korea’s smartest graduates struggle to find a job.” https://qz.com/805909/after-20-years-of-studying-and-exams-even-south-koreas-smartest-graduates-are-struggling-to-find-a-job/ (accessed Oct 16, 2017).
Great write up and very detailed-in response to Yun-je following his dreams in times of a competitive labor market my thoughts are as follows. I feel that Yun-je should go for his dreams while hes young since you can always compete to get a job, yet how many times can you go for your dream while your young? I do think the job market is saturated and having a job at Samsung is something that many people will compete for as well. Might as well compete for something your passionate about. I think there is too much of an emphasis on grades and education being more important than any other part of your life. However, it is important to know that needs and wants can change with age. Maybe what he thinks is his dream now will not make him happy in the future.
The article below discusses how many people are overeducated with Koreas parents pushing their children.
https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-05-31/samsung-dream-jobs-are-running-out-young-overeducated-south-koreans
In response to Yun-je later being shown as a well known television judge my thoughts are as follows. I feel like maybe he hes changed and grown up from the shy introvert, to a more extroverted TV personality. Allot of people change when they age or grow up and Yun-je being pushed to attend Seoul university may have changed his direction. If he met new connections their, discovered more about himself, and his interests, it could have had a big impact on him.
Zifeng, nice job setting up the episode for discussion.
Kelly, I am fascinated with this idea of a leadership course, that I first heard of from you guys. It does seem really sad that Yunje’s teacher would push him in a direction different than what he expressed interest in, however, the teacher is also (from his perspective) pushing Yunje towards the best possible future and trying to emphasize how he’d be throwing away an opportunity others really would treasure– so I don’t think it’s all bad. Or maybe i lived in Korea too long and to me this sounds quite normal.
Yechan, another great post, love the sources you found. The president is right. Samsung actually made it against policy to disclose the university a student attended or ask it in the hiring process quite a few years ago (maybe a decade ago) for this reason, and some other big companies have done the same. Honestly, SNU or Yonsei and Korea aren’t that great as educational institutions. They aren’t in the same league as UBC for modern facilities and capabilities of professors. HOWEVER due to Korean perceptions, people really will get a huge boost from having attended those schools their whole lives– even if their education was at best mediocre.
Edward 규훈, I’m not sure what you mean by ranking system. The ranking systems in Korea right now 100% do not work, as I’ve experienced. For example, when they established the new system in 2014 it was important that your students didn’t receive inflated grades, so schools immediately made their classes mandatory curve. Where i was working many students were in classes for unusual foreign languages, and the advanced levels only had about 3 to 6 students in many classes. Professors were forced to give 3 students 1 A, 1 B, and 1 C. Can you imagine? An intimate class, all with advanced skills, all pushing each other, and you had to give one a C!!!! The number of publications is crucial, so schools give cash bonuses for publications, and require professors to publish more and more, so professors publish absolute rubbish — new versions of old papers they’ve already published 10 times– just to get the bonus and meet the requirement for publishing. So the ranking systems actually make education worse, not better.
Dohee, good job but don’t forget, family name first on that biblio entry. Korean universities focus much more on job preparedness now than they used to.
연실, if you want to use a quotation, you need a PAGE number in your citation (and your citation is not inside the “quotation marks”). I’d also like to point out that after the IMF crisis Korean society became more open to children following their own interests than before in the age of guaranteed lifetime employment.
Navneet, the top choice job for most people is not conglomerate but civil service (gov’t jobs). If you pass a high level service exam you have true guaranteed employment until you retire AND more reasonable hours, more gender equality, less after work mandatory drinking, etc.
Alex, please review the difference between ‘your’ and ‘you are’ although these may sound the same, they have different meanings. Also their and there (and they’re but you didn’t make that mistake).
I’d need to check with you here. Which is not something I often do! I get pleasure from reading a post that can make people think. Additionally, thanks for allowing me to comment!
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