"I Spent 4 Million Won a Month and 40 Hours a Week at Academies": The World of Private Education Revealed by a 'Daechi-dong Kid' Now at Seoul National University

Packed Schedules from Elementary Years, Peak Costs and Intensity in High School
Participation in Private Education Declines, but Per-Student Spending Hits All-Time High

The educational gap is once again under the spotlight as the private education experience of a so-called "Daechi-dong kid"—a student who spent their entire elementary, middle, and high school years in the academy district of Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and is now enrolled in the School of Dentistry at Seoul National University—has been made public.

On April 2, a student referred to as "A" appeared on the YouTube channel "StudioSha," run by Seoul National University alumni, and shared details of their school years, stating, "During high school, I spent between 4 million and 5 million won per month on academy tuition, and I spent around 40 hours per week at academies."

Academy expenses during the second year of high school for a dental student from Daechi-dong at Seoul National University. YouTube 'StudioSha'

The video explained that students attending academies in Daechi-dong typically enroll in major subject academies—such as Korean, English, mathematics, and science—more than four days a week from elementary school, while also fitting in extracurricular activities like swimming, basketball, and boxing during their remaining time. It was emphasized that it is common for students to attend multiple academies and take different classes simultaneously.

Learning Intensity Rises When Preparing for Both School Grades and College Entrance Exam

After entering high school, the intensity of studying increased further as students had to prepare for both their school grades and the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). Student A attended several academies at the same time—including two to three for mathematics, one for Korean, one for English, and four for science inquiry subjects—and said they studied science subjects such as physics, chemistry, and biology separately as well. Including study room fees, textbook costs, and online lecture expenses, A's monthly private education spending was about 4 million won.

As the amount of studying increased, A's daily routine became extremely rigorous. They explained, "After school, I attended academies until 10 p.m., then studied at a study room until 4 a.m., went to bed around 5 a.m., and woke up at 7:20 a.m." Due to lack of sleep, they caught up on rest during short breaks at school. During the "final period" leading up to the CSAT, the financial burden increased further as the number of classes, textbooks, and online lectures rose. A commented, "If you repeat a year (retake the exam), the annual cost can reach up to 50 million won. Without a scholarship, the tuition burden is extremely high."

Gap Widens by Income and Academic Performance

Such cases align with recent private education statistics. According to the "2025 Elementary and Secondary Private Education Expenses Survey" released by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the total private education expenses last year amounted to 27.5 trillion won. While the total amount showed a slight decrease, the average monthly private education cost per student nevertheless rose to 604,000 won, the highest on record. After steadily rising from 19.4 trillion won in 2020 to 29.2 trillion won in 2024, the total amount last year decreased by 5.7% compared to the previous year. The participation rate in private education also fell by 4.3 percentage points to 75.7% compared to the previous year.

Such cases align with recent private education statistics. According to the "2025 Elementary and Secondary Private Education Expenses Survey" released by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the total private education expenses last year amounted to 27.5 trillion won. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

However, the spending structure showed widening disparities. The proportion of students not participating in private education increased, but the amount spent per participating student rose. Last year, the average monthly private education expense per participating student was 604,000 won, up 2.0% from the previous year and reaching the highest level since data collection began.

By school level, high school students had the highest private education expenses, with an average of 793,000 won per month—the largest amount recorded—and the largest increase, rising by 20,000 won (2.6%).

Persistent Concerns Over Educational Inequality

By grade, first-year high school students had the highest spending at 806,000 won, followed by sixth-grade elementary (583,000 won) and third-year middle school students (645,000 won). The gap according to income level was also prominent: the average monthly private education expense per student in households earning 8 million won or more was 662,000 won, while it was only 192,000 won in households earning less than 3 million won—a gap of about 3.4 times. The participation rates were 84.9% and 52.8% respectively.

Students are heading to private academies after finishing school classes in the academy district of Mokdong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

There were also differences according to the number of children. Households with one child spent the most on private education, with an average monthly cost of 518,000 won, followed by households with two children (474,000 won), and those with three or more (358,000 won). The participation rate was also highest in single-child households at 79.6%. Academic achievement differences were also evident: students in the top 10% spent an average of 661,000 won per month on private education, compared to 326,000 won for those in the bottom 20%. Participation rates were 73.8% for the top 10% and 50.1% for the bottom 20%, highlighting the disparity.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.