Opinion | How Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite highlights South Korea’s obsession for higher education
- An overemphasis on education, work ethic and competition has resulted in an excess of overqualified individuals
- For some young people, even a PhD degree from a top university cannot help them overcome South Korea’s social inequality
South Korea’s remarkable and unprecedented economic and technological transformation after the Korean war (1950-1953) is often referred to by observers and historians as the “Miracle on the Han River”.
The country’s makeover is the result of a strong emphasis on education and work ethic, entrepreneurship, pragmatism, nationalistic fervour, personal and collective sacrifices, and stress on efficiency in a highly competitive environment that permeates throughout the culture.
For centuries, but more so since the 1980s, Koreans have placed a high value on education. Generally speaking, as in most countries, Koreans view education as the path to financial security, economic prosperity, and prestige. Some perceive it as the way out of poverty, others as a way to maintain or improve their socioeconomic status.
In South Korea, these beliefs are intensified by the competitive nature of the culture. Therefore, families – both low- and high-income – spend excessive amounts of money on private education in the form of academies or “crammers” and private tutors.