During our lectures, a lot of discussion was on testing, overall views of education, and the culture of education in South Korea. The hagwons discussed in the reading felt like our tutoring businesses in the US but I didn't fully grasp the intensity and cultural importance placed on them. As an outsider, it is not something I would prefer to do (go to school and study for around 16-18 hours a day). I relate the disparities of socioeconomic status (not being able to pay for hagwons) to the racial inequalities in the US. There are systems in place to try to prevent these disparities, but unfortunately they are still occurring. All of the lectures have been extremely informative and helpful in understanding local and global education! The professors all have been extremely knowledgeable and welcoming. Great experience!
