Cultural Post #1: Sky Castle and the Pressure of Korean Education
One Korean drama that had a big impact on me was Sky Castle. It’s about a group of rich families who live in the same neighborhood, and all of them want their kids to get into top universities—especially Seoul National University. The parents do everything they can to make this happen, even if it means controlling their children’s lives or putting them under a lot of stress.
What surprised me most was how serious education is in Korea. In the drama, the students aren’t just trying to do well in school—they’re trying to meet their parents’ huge expectations. The parents believe that if their kids succeed, it means they are good parents. If the kids fail, the whole family feels ashamed. It was intense to watch, and it made me think a lot about how different education can be depending on the country and culture.
One character that stood out to me was Kim Joo-young, a college admissions coach. She seemed more like a mastermind than a tutor. She told students exactly what to do and how to act, and some parents let her take full control. Her role showed how competitive and even scary the college entrance process can be.
While watching Sky Castle, I started to understand how important success and social status are in Korean society. There’s a strong focus on family honor and being the best. I also noticed how much students respected their parents and teachers, sometimes staying quiet even when they were unhappy. This made me think about how Korean values affect student behavior and mental health.
From a language point of view, the drama was challenging but helpful. The characters used formal and polite Korean a lot, especially when kids spoke to their parents. This gave me good examples of how to use honorifics. I also learned more emotional expressions and how tone changes depending on the situation.
Overall, this drama helped me learn about Korean culture in a deep way. It showed me that for many Korean families, school success isn’t just personal—it’s about family, reputation, and the future. It made me think about the pressure students face and how hard it can be to grow up in that environment. Even though the show is dramatic, it felt very real, and I now understand Korean education a lot better because of it.
One Korean drama that had a big impact on me was Sky Castle. It’s about a group of rich families who live in the same neighborhood, and all of them want their kids to get into top universities—especially Seoul National University. The parents do everything they can to make this happen, even if it means controlling their children’s lives or putting them under a lot of stress.
What surprised me most was how serious education is in Korea. In the drama, the students aren’t just trying to do well in school—they’re trying to meet their parents’ huge expectations. The parents believe that if their kids succeed, it means they are good parents. If the kids fail, the whole family feels ashamed. It was intense to watch, and it made me think a lot about how different education can be depending on the country and culture.
One character that stood out to me was Kim Joo-young, a college admissions coach. She seemed more like a mastermind than a tutor. She told students exactly what to do and how to act, and some parents let her take full control. Her role showed how competitive and even scary the college entrance process can be.
While watching Sky Castle, I started to understand how important success and social status are in Korean society. There’s a strong focus on family honor and being the best. I also noticed how much students respected their parents and teachers, sometimes staying quiet even when they were unhappy. This made me think about how Korean values affect student behavior and mental health.
From a language point of view, the drama was challenging but helpful. The characters used formal and polite Korean a lot, especially when kids spoke to their parents. This gave me good examples of how to use honorifics. I also learned more emotional expressions and how tone changes depending on the situation.
Overall, this drama helped me learn about Korean culture in a deep way. It showed me that for many Korean families, school success isn’t just personal—it’s about family, reputation, and the future. It made me think about the pressure students face and how hard it can be to grow up in that environment. Even though the show is dramatic, it felt very real, and I now understand Korean education a lot better because of it.
Comments
I also wrote a culture post about the pressure of korean education and I find it is very different from the more relaxed vibe of western education! I liked how you connected the drama to broader cultural values like family honor and success. Your insights into language use, especially formal speech and honorifics, also show how dramas can be powerful learning tools.