South Korea is often regarded as one of the most involved countries in the world, especially in the fields of education and employment, but defining it as "the most involved country in the world" requires a comparative analysis with other countries based on specific standards. The following is explained from four dimensions: education, employment, cost of living and social culture:
Educational involution
- Competition in the college entrance examination is fierce: South Korea's college entrance examination (college entrance examination) is known for its high difficulty. Candidates need to master a large amount of knowledge beyond the standard, covering fields such as sociology, philosophy, and economics. In 2026, the difficulty of English subjects in the college entrance examination will be out of control, causing the proportion of first-class candidates (90 points or above) to drop sharply to 3.11%, a record low, triggering the resignation of the person in charge of the proposition.
- The admission rate of prestigious schools is low: The admission rate of top universities such as Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University (SKY) is only about 2%, which is equivalent to the admission rate of 985 universities in China. However, the proportion of repeat students in South Korea is as high as 31.1%. Students often need to repeat multiple times to be admitted to prestigious schools.
- High education costs: South Korean students generally participate in off-campus tutoring, and family education expenditures account for a high proportion of income, further exacerbating the pressure of education competition.
Job market corruption
- High youth unemployment rate: In February 2026, the youth unemployment rate in South Korea (aged 15-29) reached 7.7%, a record high in the same month in the past five years. Competition in the job market is fierce.
- Increased employment threshold: South Korean companies generally require high academic qualifications and prestigious school background when recruiting, which leads students to pursue higher academic qualifications in order to enhance their competitiveness, resulting in "academic inflation."
- High work intensity: South Korea's workplace culture is famous for overtime work. Employees work long hours and high pressure, which further exacerbates workplace corruption.
high cost of living
- High price level: South Korea ranks first in East Asia, and the cost of living materials is about 3-5 times that of China, increasing the living pressure of residents.
- High housing prices: Housing prices in large cities such as Seoul continue to rise, making it difficult for young people to purchase houses and the cost of renting is also high, further exacerbating the pressure of life.
sociocultural factors
- Strong sense of social competition: Korean society generally attaches importance to competition and success, and personal achievements are often closely linked to family honor and social status, causing individuals to face huge social pressure.
- Uneven regional development: Most of South Korea's population and economic activities are concentrated in the capital area, resulting in uneven development among regions and exacerbating social cohesion.
