Korea Explained: Korea's Education System As Seen In K-Dramas Like "Crash Course In Romance", "SKY Castle", And More

K-Dramas have provided more than entertainment to viewers from all over the world. For those who are not familiar with Korean culture, they provide an insightful look into Korean society, traditions, and norms. For one, Hallyu (the Korean wave) lovers can learn about societal factors such as the Korean education system as it is shown in K-Dramas.

Today, we'll take a look at the Korean education system as it is portrayed in K-Dramas like "Crash Course In Romance", "Green Mother's Club", "SKY Castle", and more. We'll consider the basic truths presented in these dramas and debate some of the exaggerations added to fiction for entertainment purposes.

These dramas have shown us different elements of the Korean education system such as hagwon culture, the hyper-importance of the Korean college entrance exam, the SKY university trifecta, and more. Let's take a deep dive into them now!

Note: This article may contain spoilers for the K-Dramas "Crash Course In Romance", "Green Mother's Club", "Penthouse: War in Life", and "SKY Castle". 

 

Hagwon Culture: What is a Hagwon & What Role Does it Play in the Korean Education System?

'Hagwon' is the romanized Korean word for a 'private academy' (학원 in Korean). Different from a private school, a hagwon is an academy that students attend over and above their school education. It is an after-school cram school that focuses on select skills or subjects like mathematics or English. There are specialized academies for subjects like piano or dance, as well.

Students as young as elementary age attend these hagwons to improve their academics a