Once a bustling hub now quieter Seoul Noryangjin Elementary School stands. Let me tell you a story about this place. It is intertwined with dreams and the relentless pursuit of education.
Seoul Noryangjin Elementary School is located in a district famed for its cram schools. These schools called hagwons prepare students for the national college entrance exam. Noryangjin is a place of both despair and hope for young students. They jokingly call themselves closers. Their dream is often painfully elusive.
Teenagers have mixed feelings about Noryangjin. They might end up studying here if they do not do well on the test. Former students recall their time here as dramatic and fun.
Oh Jae-sung is a college admissions advisor at JoongAng Academy in Noryangjin. He says the area is driven by the education system and parents egos. The academy established in 1979 has nearly 500 students. One’s college dictates their life path job and marriage prospects in Korea. Many graduates spend another year studying for the college entrance exam. The exam takes place every November.
Jaesu means repeating an exam. It is a rite of passage for many youngsters. The competition starts in preschool. Mothers will work as maids to ensure their kids attend a good college. This mentality sustains the hagwon businesses.
Noryangjin’s hagwon street dates back to 1978. JoongAng and Daesung Academy opened branches there. A subway network emerged. The area near downtown Seoul attracted students from Seoul and suburbs. These suburbs like Suwon and Incheon lacked good cram schools. More cram schools opened branches. Noryangjin became the mecca for students repeating exams. They start arriving in February after college admission results.
The area has its own life cycle. It spans from March when cram schools start to December when students apply to colleges. Most businesses cater to these students. Bookstores sell textbooks and study aids. Restaurants offer budget meals. School supply stores stock voice recorders for hagwon lectures.
Cram schools aim for high scores on the exam. JoongAng Academy is known for spartan military-style teaching. Hagwons win parents’ hearts with discipline. Students arrive at 7:50 a.m. They cannot leave until late-night self-study at 11 p.m. They eat in a cafeteria. Cell phones are not allowed. Late arrivals are sent home. Three violations lead to expulsion. Parents receive daily attendance reports via text messages.
Cho Hoen-ok is the vice head of JoongAng Academy. He says it is a pseudo-prison environment. Most parents like it that way. Drama is inevitable with hundreds of teenagers confined together. High school peers enjoy college life.
Park Chang-hyun spent two years in Noryangjin. He finally got into Chung-Ang University for physical education after three tries. He recalls having fun in Noryangjin. He has many memories of studying eating and making friends. He even got a new girlfriend. He thinks about the place when he passes by it.
Another student Lee met her first boyfriend in Noryangjin. They shared their first kiss watching fireworks in September. Seoul’s annual fireworks festival is cherished by Noryangjin students. They watch from rooftops or windows. It is a rare colorful event in their routine.
Lee broke up with her boyfriend after she went to college. He studied another year. No high school student wants to end up in Noryangjin. No one wants to be a loser. She loves and hates the place at the same time.
Now as you stand before Seoul Noryangjin Elementary School remember the weight of dreams and the pursuit of a better future. This district and this school symbolize a unique chapter in Seoul’s educational landscape.