Sofie to Korea

Today marks the day of the annual college entrance exam, 대학수학능력시험 or just 수능, in Korea. All over the country high school students are taking the Korean equivalent of the SAT. This test plays an important part in determining the academic future of the students and consequently it’s a much feared event.

Several students take the test twice or even more times. In fact, among the Koreans I know all of them have had more than one attempt because they were not satisfied with their initial performance. This day is a stressful one, but also an important one in the Korean society. In the streets you will see other people greeting students on their way to take the test and wishing them good luck. Celebrities also often appear in the media with a statement of encouragement for the distressed high school seniors.

If you want to know more of this exam and the importance of it, TTMIK has a great Iyagi lesson for just that. Here you can hear Hyunwoo and Kyeongeun talk about their memories of taking the test, and also how the Korean society adapts to make the day go as smooth as possible for the students. Among the funny examples are students being escorted by the police in case of traffic jams, and everything opening later (including the stock market!) in order to avoid the usual morning rush hour on this particular day.

Happy studying! (And feel free to feel happy that YOU are not taking such a test today!)