Welcome to the "Growing Up in Korea" Series

This is the index page for the series. You can find and explore all related posts in one place here.

Welcome to the "Growing Up in Korea" Series

This Substack is where I explore stories from Korean society—and right now, I'm diving into education and parenting in Korea. More specifically, I’m asking: What is it like to grow up in South Korea?

This series unpacks that question through the lens of history, education, culture, and everyday expectations—offering rich context to help readers understand Korean childhood far beyond the headlines.

I draw heavily from Korean-language sources so that even readers already familiar with Korea can discover new perspectives and lesser-known insights. As a social scientist and former tenured professor, I approach each post with both personal curiosity and academic rigor.

Each post offers one piece of that larger picture.

Below is the full list of essays in this series, in order. You can start from the top or jump into whichever topic interests you.

1. Growing Up in Korea: But First, Why Korea?
   This post sets the stage for the series. Korea is a country of contrasts—where economic success meets deep societal pressure.

   Before diving into how Korean children grow up, it explores why Korea matters in global conversations about education, ambition, and modern identity.

2. Past as Prologue: Understanding a Nation Through Its Historical and Cultural DNA
   This post traces the deep historical roots of Korea’s obsession with education—from Confucian ideals to colonial trauma and rapid modernization. Korea’s obsession with education didn’t appear out of thin air. It’s tied to a long history of Confucian values, wars, colonial trauma, and rapid modernization.

3. Of the King, by the Scholar-Officials, for the People: How Joseon's Radical Vision Shaped Korea’s Academic Drive
   This post explores the bold educational ideals of Joseon's philosopher-kings, and how their civil service system laid the groundwork for Korea’s modern academic values. A bold vision from Joseon’s philosopher-kings gave birth to a civil service system that rewarded intellect and hard work—and that legacy still echoes in today’s classrooms.

4. Why Koreans Study So Hard: A Journey Back to the Joseon Dynasty's Gwageo
   This post examines the fiercely competitive Gwageo exam system and how it helped normalize academic intensity in Korean society. The ancient Gwageo exam wasn’t just a test—it was a national obsession, a life-or-death pursuit that normalized academic competition in Korea.

5. The Royal Grind: How Joseon Dynasty Princes Studied (or Suffered?)
   This post looks into the rigorous and often isolating education of Joseon-era royal princes, offering an early glimpse into Korea’s elite academic traditions. Royal princes weren’t exempt from pressure. Their grueling schedules, harsh tutors, and emotional isolation give us an early blueprint of elite education in Korea.

6. Your Toddler Might Be Late—for College Prep in South Korea
   For some Korean families, preschool is where college preparation begins. From specialized kindergartens to private tutors, this post examines how children are evaluated and tracked—sometimes before they can even tie their shoes.

7. Shut Up and Do Math: Inside Korea’s Childhood Race to the Top
   This post zooms in on Daechi-dong, Seoul’s most competitive education district, to reveal what everyday life looks like for children at the heart of Korea’s academic pressure cooker.

8. The IMF Crisis and South Korea’s Hyper-Competitive Childhood
   This post explores how the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis—commonly called the IMF crisis—reshaped Korean society, parenting, and definitions of success. It traces how economic trauma intensified academic pressure and planted the seeds of Korea’s education obsession.

9. Korea's 'Iron Rice Bowl': The Rise (and Fall) of Civil Service and Teaching Careers

   This post explores how South Korea’s civil service and teaching careers rose to national prominence in the aftermath of the 1997 IMF crisis—and why their once-unshakable appeal is now fading. Through historical context, real-life stories, and cultural insight, it traces how the dream of the "iron rice bowl" reshaped—and continues to reshape—Korean society.

10. The Medical School Fever That's Reshaping an Entire Nation

    Why are Korea’s top students—and their families—fixated on getting into medical school? This post unpacks the deep-rooted anxieties, policy consequences, and societal shifts behind Korea’s “medical school craze” (의대 광풍). From collapsing STEM fields to overloaded children, this isn’t just an education story—it’s a national obsession with surprising ripple effects.

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🗳️The People’s Mandate: Korea’s Democratic Edge

A special series within "Growing Up in Korea"

What makes Korea one of the few countries where citizens routinely hold their leaders accountable—even mid-term?
This mini-series explores the deep historical, cultural, and generational roots of Korea’s fierce civic spirit. From centuries-old ideals of public duty to grassroots resistance movements and modern-day mass protests, each post uncovers how Korea became a country where presidents fall—and the people rise.

1. (11)🌱 The Root of the Matter: Why Koreans Expect Their Leaders to Serve

   In most countries, protests don’t topple presidents. In Korea, they do. Discover how centuries of history shaped a people unwilling to wait for the next election.

2. (12) Like a Phoenix: The Rebirth of Korean Democracy in 2025

   When democracy was threatened, Koreans didn’t stay home. They stood in the snow, night after night, to protect it. This is how a nation rose from crisis and reclaimed its future.

3. (13)🧨 Stolen Nation, Unbroken Spirit: How Korea’s Lost Sovereignty Sparked a Century of Resistance
   Before Koreans defended democracy with candlelight protests, they first survived the trauma of losing their nation. This post explores the deep psychological and cultural impact of Japan’s annexation of Korea, and how that historic wound continues to shape Korea’s fierce civic spirit today.

4. (14) The Korean Instinct to Save the Nation: From Cigarettes to Gold Rings

   When crisis hits, Koreans don’t wait for orders—they act together. From quitting smoking in 1907 to donating Olympic medals in 1997, this post traces Korea’s unique civic reflex to save the nation, one gold ring (or cigarette) at a time.

5. (15) The Roar of a Nation — How the March 1st Movement Forged Modern Korean Identity

   In 1919, millions of Koreans took to the streets to shout for independence—and discovered their collective power. This post traces how that one day became the spiritual foundation of Korea’s democratic will today.

6. (16) The People Own This Land: A Revolution That Never Ended

   Long before Korea became a democracy, farmers with bamboo spears rose to protect their land. This post uncovers how ancient ideas of shared ownership still shape Korea’s fierce resistance spirit today.

7. (17) Turning Pain into Power 1: The Unstoppable Emotional Force of Korean Storytelling
   Why does Korean media feel so intense—especially when it dives into history? This post explores how Korea’s national traumas became a storytelling superpower, turning sorrow into collective strength and cinematic brilliance.

8. (18) Turning Pain into Power 2: The Power of K-Storytelling from the Japanese Occupation

   From school textbooks to streaming hits, these stories of loss, resistance, and resilience shape how Koreans remember—and how they create. This post curates the most powerful reads and watches from the colonial era, complete with English-accessible links.

9. (19) A Royal Screen Behind KPop Demon Hunters—and the Cosmic Order It Represents

   This post unpacks the hidden meaning of Ilwol Obongdo (일월오봉도), the royal screen painted with the sun, moon, and five peaks. Once a symbol of heavenly authority behind Joseon kings, it's now reborn behind K-pop idols—like Rumi from KPop Demon Hunters—bridging ancient cosmology and modern fame.

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📎 Bonus/Related Posts (Not part of core series but thematically connected):

• Lunar New Year Presentation & Resources for Parents and Teachers 🎉
  A fun and educational Lunar New Year presentation for young learners, complete with slides, worksheets, and activity ideas!

• Eleven Years of Grief: Remembering the Sewol Ferry Tragedy 🕯️🎗️
  This post reflects on the Sewol Ferry tragedy, which claimed 304 lives—most of them schoolchildren—and forever changed South Korea’s collective relationship with youth, grief, and national accountability. It was written to mark the 11th year since the tragedy.

• Korea’s Bold and Beautiful Democracy in Action
  This post reflects on the 2024 impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol and the peaceful, creative protest movement led especially by young women. From light sticks to shared solidarity, it’s a story of resilience, innovation, and democratic power in action.

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🇰🇷 Korea’s Family Month (가정의 달)

• 🎉 Korea’s Children’s Day: When the Whole Country Hits Pause for Kids

  Every May 5th, Korea stops to celebrate its youngest citizens with a full-blown national holiday just for children. This post traces the surprising revolutionary roots of Children’s Day—from its origins under Japanese colonial rule to today’s festivals, parades, and toy-filled celebrations—revealing how one man’s vision helped reshape an entire country’s view of childhood.

• Parents’ Day in Korea: A Gratitude Remix with Korean Soul (Family Month Special Part 2): Every May 8th, Korea honors both moms and dads—together—with carnations, letters, and tearful tributes grounded in the Confucian value of Hyo (filial piety). This post unpacks the unique cultural blend behind Korea’s Parents’ Day, tracing its evolution from imported Mother’s Day to a modern celebration of elders, tradition, and shifting generational bonds.

• From Shadow to Silence: Teachers’ Day in Modern Korea (Family Month Special Part 3): Once a day of tearful songs and symbolic carnations, Korea’s Teachers’ Day (May 15) now sits at a cultural crossroads. This post traces its evolution—from royal birthdays and Confucian values to anti-corruption laws and fading rituals—offering a poignant look at how gratitude for educators is being redefined in a changing society.

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Thank you for reading and exploring these stories with me.
I hope this series helps you understand not just how Korean children grow up,
but also what their stories reveal about the values, contradictions, resilience, and anxieties shaping Korean society.

May you find something meaningful—not just in Korea’s victories, but also in its missteps.
Both have so much to teach us.

With heart,
Jiwon