Dystopian thread by South Korean on why South Koreans don’t have kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. Why can’t people move to a less expensive town or opt out of the educational prepping insanity?

1. good jobs are mostly in the cities, like Seoul, and the majority of good paying jobs are with one of the chaebol (conglomerates) like Samsung, or Google Korea -- these types of jobs are very hard to get, which leads to...
2. unlike the US, there are not many top universities in Korea - there are maybe two - and if you can get in, you are set for life because the top companies will only hire from these companies

There are a lot of great things about Korea, but this kind of pipeline isn't healthy, which is why so many Koreans want to come to the US where the competition is less fierce, and one can get a great job without going to a T20 colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is "nunchi game" anyone know?

I think it's like "keeping up with the Joneses" kind of thing. It's a big thing in the Korean culture.

[Anonymous]

That thread was eye opening and explains a lot about the drive and outlook on education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. Why can’t people move to a less expensive town or opt out of the educational prepping insanity?

1. good jobs are mostly in the cities, like Seoul, and the majority of good paying jobs are with one of the chaebol (conglomerates) like Samsung, or Google Korea -- these types of jobs are very hard to get, which leads to...
2. unlike the US, there are not many top universities in Korea - there are maybe two - and if you can get in, you are set for life because the top companies will only hire from these companies

There are a lot of great things about Korea, but this kind of pipeline isn't healthy, which is why so many Koreans want to come to the US where the competition is less fierce, and one can get a great job without going to a T20 colleges.

This is all true. But Korea is such an interesting country. It's a really open, friendly, honest place generally. But the tension between traditional expectations and modern realities is like an elastic band that has just snapped. And the country is dealing with the consequences.

I'd like to think the U35 generation will fix this. They're certainly totally aware. There are no illusions. But I don't know. Think grandma might need to die before anything changes in Korea

[Anonymous]

Well i wouldn't have kids if I had to regularly work to 11pm either. That is terrible!

[Anonymous]

What a shame, they are a gorgeous race. I don’t mean the celebrities. Just about every Korean-American woman I know is slim and gorgeous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a shame, they are a gorgeous race. I don’t mean the celebrities. Just about every Korean-American woman I know is slim and gorgeous.

Oh God, the yellow fever “English teacher” has arrived on the thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "nunchi game" anyone know?

I think it's like "keeping up with the Joneses" kind of thing. It's a big thing in the Korean culture.

Korean American here. "Nunchi" is more like having awareness about what others are thinking and feeling. In context, the writer is saying that her mom couldn't use her vacation days because her bosses/colleagues would frown upon it.

"Nunchi" is a huge part of Korean culture, which makes sense because there's so much more emphasis on the community and the collective good vs. the emphasis on individuality and personal freedom in America.

[Anonymous]

Korean here. I’m in my 40s and the entire thread brought back so many memories. However I don’t agree that the role of misogyny should be downplayed, in fact, the society overlooks how difficult it is to live as a woman in Korea. The country is so dynamic and has made amazing progress in so many areas but ranks at the bottom of OECD countries when it comes to gender equality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well i wouldn't have kids if I had to regularly work to 11pm either. That is terrible!

Same! I’m exhausted just trying to manage my 9-5 plus kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "nunchi game" anyone know?

I think it's like "keeping up with the Joneses" kind of thing. It's a big thing in the Korean culture.

Korean American here. Absolutely not keeping up with the Joneses. It is more like having a sense and awareness of others’ perception.

In America, it may be normal or accepted that one leave their work to pick up a child even if there is work left to do. Absolutely not ok in Korea. That is how I understand it.

[Anonymous]

I recently visited Korea and grateful that my kids live in America. There is so much pressure to excel academically in Korea. If you are not top of 10%, it seems you have no shot at a good college. College acceptance and majors are determined by a single test. Depression seems common. Most parents push their kids and spending hours at these after school academies is the norm. So kids are at school all day and then have to spend several hours at these after school programs. Problem is everyone is doing it so it is hard to be at the top.

[Anonymous]

Due to rigid gender roles and a culture of overworked men, South Korean women are basically forced into being SAHMs whether they want to or not. So are Japanese women.

This is a hard no, understandably, for many women who now have options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. Why can’t people move to a less expensive town or opt out of the educational prepping insanity?

1. good jobs are mostly in the cities, like Seoul, and the majority of good paying jobs are with one of the chaebol (conglomerates) like Samsung, or Google Korea -- these types of jobs are very hard to get, which leads to...
2. unlike the US, there are not many top universities in Korea - there are maybe two - and if you can get in, you are set for life because the top companies will only hire from these companies

There are a lot of great things about Korea, but this kind of pipeline isn't healthy, which is why so many Koreans want to come to the US where the competition is less fierce, and one can get a great job without going to a T20 colleges.

People stay to 11PM - doing what? Really nothing. Just busy work. Nothing productive.

From the outside if you are hiring the best and the brightest like they claim why is it taking them so long during the day to do basic office work. They don’t sound very bright io me. What go they do? ChatGPT will make 99% of the jobs they are doing worthless anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. Why can’t people move to a less expensive town or opt out of the educational prepping insanity?

1. good jobs are mostly in the cities, like Seoul, and the majority of good paying jobs are with one of the chaebol (conglomerates) like Samsung, or Google Korea -- these types of jobs are very hard to get, which leads to...
2. unlike the US, there are not many top universities in Korea - there are maybe two - and if you can get in, you are set for life because the top companies will only hire from these companies

There are a lot of great things about Korea, but this kind of pipeline isn't healthy, which is why so many Koreans want to come to the US where the competition is less fierce, and one can get a great job without going to a T20 colleges.

People stay to 11PM - doing what? Really nothing. Just busy work. Nothing productive.

From the outside if you are hiring the best and the brightest like they claim why is it taking them so long during the day to do basic office work. They don’t sound very bright io me. What go they do? ChatGPT will make 99% of the jobs they are doing worthless anyway.

I don’t think everyone works until 11pm. There is just a lot of pressure to be at the top. America seems very accepting of being average. A parent would not put excessive pressure on their kid who isn’t that smart. Not everyone is smart. It is a difficult country to be an average student.

I don’t know if all schools are like this but my cousin told me all the kids are in the same class. They are not split by level. I told her in America, most kids are gen ed and then most school districts have a gifted or advanced program for the top 5-20% depending on the district.

Can you imagine putting all the slower learners with the advanced kids in the same class? They also rank you in order so you will know where you stand compared to your fellow classmates.