4. Why Koreans Study So Hard: A Journey Back to the Joseon Dynasty's Gwageo

What if I told you Korea’s academic pressure didn’t start with private academies or college entrance exams—but with a 600-year-old test so brutal, people spent their entire lives preparing for it?

In this audio essay, I take you back to the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), where the Gwageo—an ultra-competitive civil service exam—became the single most important path to social mobility and success. It wasn’t just a test. It was a cultural obsession that reshaped the nation.

We’ll explore:

* Why even the aristocrats (yangban) had to pass it to keep their status

* How a 5-year-old’s study journey could last into their 80s

* And why the legacy of rote memorization, cram schools, and “exam-taking machines” still lingers in Korea today

If you’ve ever wondered why Korean students (and their parents) push so hard, this episode will help connect the dots between the past and the present.

This episode is based on Part 4 of my Growing Up in Korea series and includes bonus insights that didn’t make it into the written post.

🎧 Audio generated using Google’s NotebookLM🔗 Read the full post here: 4. Why Koreans Study So Hard: A Journey Back to the Joseon Dynasty's Gwageo

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