Cram schools for kindergartners are the latest in South Korean college prep
South Korea has long been notorious for its hothouse education system, where kids go from classes at middle or high school straight to after-hours tutoring at cram schools, often until 10 or 11 p.m.
These private programs prepare students for extremely difficult college entrance exams. Getting into an elite university is often seen as the golden ticket to a stable career at a top-tier company or government ministry.
But the race to the top schools is intensifying amid a widening income gap, fueling parents’ anxieties about their children’s future job security, experts say.
As a result, some parents think it’s never too early to start preparing for college. Nearly half of children under 6 are now receiving some type of private education, most commonly English classes, according to a government survey released in March.
Excerpts from the story by Michelle Ye Hee Lee with contribution from So Jin Jung.
Commissioned and published by The Washington Post.
June 2025
Photographed in Seoul, South Korea
Keri Schnabel teaches a creative story-writing class to a group of kindergarten students at Twinkle English Academy in Seoul.
Daechi, a neighborhood in Seoul's ritzy Gangnam district, is known for its concentration of private educational institutions.
Students practice writing at Twinkle English Academy. Students usually leave the program with the writing skills of an American third-grader.
Kindergarten students attend a creative story-writing class at Twinkle English Academy. Students usually attend class throughout the day.
Kindergarten students return to class after a bathroom break at Twinkle English Academy.
Names of the kindergarten students and their progress showcased on the board in a classroom.
Seo Dong-ju picks up his son Seo Min-joon from kindergarten after school in Gangnam, Seoul.
Seo Min-joon watches videos in the car while his father drives him home after school.
Seo Dong-ju, 41, reads a book with his 5-year-old son, Seo Min-joon, at their home after kindergarten.
Seo Min-joon enjoys snacks while his father reads him a story at their home after kindergarten school.
Seo and his son walk home after a day at kindergarten school.
Seo and his son arrive home after kindergarten.
Schnabel, 31, is originally from Rhode Island and has been teaching in South Korea for several years.
Schnabel checks a student's workbook during a story-writing class.
In a “screaming zone” in Daechi, young people can scream to relieve their stress and measure the decibels of their scream on the meter.
People walk by “stress-free zones” in Daechi, where young people can go to relax and de-stress.