It seems that South Koreans are willing to do almost anything to learn English. Elementary-school children are sent to foreign schools by their zealous parents, and there are even reports of some children undergoing surgery to cut the membrane linking the tongue to the bottom of the mouth in order to eliminate the Korean accent.
Adults attend English-conversation schools and listen to audio tapes while commuting, knowing that good English is essential to get on in business.
The latest victims of this English fever appear to be South Korean women. According to one website of foreign English-language instructors living in South Korea, women will do just about anything, including having sex, to learn English. The website was widely publicised by a leading newspaper in Seoul this week.
The confessions of these instructors are rather shocking. According to posts on the 'Ask the Playboy' column, many Korean women are willing to go to bed with their tutors in return for English lessons. 'I am treated like a king by Korean women who want to learn English, while enjoying free sex,' one instructor claimed.
Many of these claims are, of course, exaggerated. After all, South Korean women are raised with strong Confucian values, emphasising chastity, and many follow the teachings. But there is more than a hint of truth, as some will stop at little in their quest to learn the language.
Today, English-language education is a multibillion-dollar business. The market has expanded hugely following the 1997-1998 financial crisis, when the economy was rapidly opened to foreign investors. Today, many South Korean companies are owned and run by foreigners.