• smeg
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    11 months ago

    Although in hindsight, I’d rather have them absolutely destroy my sleep schedule than ending up getting in to less favorable university than I got in

    Seriously? If you’re going to university you’ll be fine regardless of where it ranks, how can that possibly be worth destroying your teenage years? Is this just social attitudes in Korea or does it actually make any difference?

    • Got_Bent@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      So the American equivalent is pretty much going to the ivy League then going to work at FAANG or a law firm or finance firm that only hires from the ivies.

      That stuff all exists in the US and it’s certainly something many Americans aspire to as evidenced by the whole college admissions coaching industry.

      What you’re seeing out of Korea is presented as though ALL families are basically telling their kids that they’ll be disowned if they fail to achieve these lofty heights.

      The reality is that there are a ton of more accessible universities throughout the Korean peninsula that kids attend and they end up with reasonable jobs living reasonable lives, current situation of unaffordable housing and rampant debt notwithstanding.

      I would agree that many if not most Korean students spend significantly more time studying than their American counterparts. I will not agree that it’s universally effective to do so.

      Source: Lived in Korea for four years in the nineties and eventually married into it. Though I will admit some of my experiences may be outdated as I haven’t been keeping up with latest trends.

      • novibe@lemmy.ml
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        11 months ago

        Everything you’ve written on this thread is very depressing. What is even the point? Why does anyone even want to live in Korea? It sounds like an absolute nightmare tbh.

        I’d expect to be mass immigration away from Korea.

        • smeg
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          11 months ago

          It’s not trivial for most people to leave their home, culture, language, family, friends, etc and move to another country

          • novibe@lemmy.ml
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            11 months ago

            I know… but my country has way more emigration and it doesn’t suck nearly as bad as Korea…

            *And also, I know I would 100% feel differently if I was born in Korea, but I would resent the fuck out of my parents, culture and government if that was my life. People joke China is cyberpunk, but South Korea seems way more dystopic.

        • jabathekek@sopuli.xyz
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          11 months ago

          Just as an anecdote: there is a huge Korean population in Canada. I’d say there is currently a mass emigration, but I suppose only for those able to afford it and want leave at the same time.

      • smeg
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        11 months ago

        That’s so alien to me. Well congrats on making it through that meat grinder of a system in one piece!

      • smeg
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        11 months ago

        Yeah but so is having a piece of paper that’s slightly better than someone else’s. Don’t burn yourself out for either.