Why do Korean students study so late at night in K-Dramas? Discover Korean hagwon culture, South Korea’s competitive college admissions system, and what my own high school experience was really like.
What Is Korean Hagwon Culture? Why Studying Doesn’t End After School
If you watch K-Dramas, you’ve probably seen students leaving private academies late at night or studying at their desks long after school has ended. These scenes might seem unusual to international viewers, but they’re a familiar part of life in South Korea.
A hagwon (학원) is a private educational institution where students take additional classes outside regular school hours. Some specialize in academic subjects like English and math, while others teach music, art, or sports. For many high school students preparing for college entrance exams, attending a hagwon becomes an important part of their daily routine.
To understand Korean hagwon culture, it helps to know how South Korea’s college admissions system works.
There are two main admission routes: Susi (수시) and Jeongsi (정시).
Susi, often called early admission, primarily evaluates students through their high school records. Depending on the admission track, grades, school activities, interviews, and other criteria may be considered.
Jeongsi, or regular admission, relies heavily on the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), commonly known as Suneung (수능), although specific requirements vary by university.
Because students must prepare for their chosen admission routes, many begin focusing seriously on college entrance requirements from their first year of high school.
American students also prepare for college entrance exams and sometimes attend tutoring sessions. However, South Korea has a particularly well-established culture of attending private academies after regular school hours.
For many Korean students, the end of the school day doesn’t mean the end of studying.
Why Do Korean Students Study So Late? My Experience With Korean Hagwon Culture
I experienced South Korea’s intense college entrance exam culture firsthand during my own high school years.
On weekdays, after regular classes ended, I either stayed at school for evening self-study or went to a hagwon.
Evening self-study is known as Yaja (야자), short for Yagan Jayul Hakseup (야간자율학습). It’s a period when students stay at school after regular lessons to study independently. The system varies by school, and not every student participates.
But even after my hagwon classes finished, my studying wasn’t necessarily over.
I often went to a study café to review difficult subjects or prepare for upcoming exams. In Korea, a study café is a quiet, paid study space designed for students who need somewhere to concentrate.
Many Korean high school students studying for college entrance exams go to bed around 1 a.m. and wake up at approximately 6 a.m. the next morning.
And weekends aren’t much different for many of them.
My schedule was packed with hagwon classes, leaving little time to relax. Each semester, we had midterm and final exams. The week or two after these exams was usually the only time I could take things a little easier.
Before long, it was time to prepare for the next exam or the Suneung.
Of course, not every Korean student follows such an exhausting schedule. But my experience shows how deeply academic competition and Korean hagwon culture can shape everyday student life.
Korean Hagwon Culture in K-Dramas: Why Is Getting Into a Good University So Important?
In South Korea, attending a prestigious university has long been considered an important stepping stone toward career opportunities and social success.
A university’s reputation can influence employment prospects and how someone’s educational background is perceived.
When I was in high school, I also believed that getting into a good university would give me more opportunities in the future.
I even heard people say that graduates from less prestigious universities might have to work harder to prove their abilities throughout their careers.
Of course, the name of your university doesn’t determine your success in life. But as a high school student, the pressure to get into a respected university felt very real.
You can see this side of Korean society reflected in K-Dramas.
In SKY Castle, parents become consumed by the competition to send their children to prestigious universities. The drama explores the extreme expectations and pressures surrounding college admissions.
Meanwhile, Crash Course in Romance takes viewers into South Korea’s competitive private education industry, where a famous hagwon instructor becomes the center of attention for students and parents.
Similar pressures exist in other countries. Students competing for places at prestigious universities in the United States or the United Kingdom can also experience intense academic stress.
However, in South Korea, the combination of school grades, the Suneung, hagwon classes, and independent study can make college preparation a major part of a student’s daily life.
That’s why Korean hagwon culture is about more than simply studying hard. It also reflects society’s hopes, expectations, and anxieties about education and future opportunities.
Closing: The Stories Behind the Late-Night Classroom Lights
The next time you see Korean students studying late at night in a K-Drama, you might look at those scenes a little differently.
When I think back on my high school years, I remember the fun moments I shared with my friends. But I also remember being constantly short on sleep and worrying about my exam results.
Some of my most memorable moments were the simple ones, like stopping at a convenience store for a late-night snack after hagwon or talking with friends about our upcoming exams.
South Korea’s strong emphasis on education can create valuable learning opportunities. But intense academic competition can also leave students with less time to rest, explore their interests, and simply enjoy being young.
Understanding Korean hagwon culture isn’t just about knowing why Korean students spend so many hours studying. It’s also about understanding the expectations and pressures they grow up with.
Behind those brightly lit classrooms in K-Dramas are students working hard, making sacrifices, and hoping to build a better future for themselves.