One Thing That Works in the U.S. but Not in South Korea

In August, controversy erupted over merchandise produced by a university. Items emblazoned with the English phrase, “I am a proud parent of a student at S University”, intended to foster alumni loyalty and raise funds, drew criticism for promoting vanity and “vulgar academic elitism.” The issue escalated to the point where a civic organization filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea.

In defense, some argued that such practices are commonplace at American universities. Indeed, during a recent visit to the gift shop of the prestigious N University in the Midwest, I observed a wide variety of merchandise catering to members, alumni, and even local residents who proudly identify with the university. On the same day, I saw many community members casually sporting N University merchandise at a college football game, showcasing their connection to the institution.

The Premise That Universities Guarantee Life

My own college years overlap with the late 1990s and early 2000s, during and after the Asian Financial Crisis, when many male seniors returned to school after completing military service. These seniors often lamented how drastically the job market had shifted between their enrollment and their anticipated graduation around 2000. While a college degree once virtually guaranteed successful employment and life stability, the crisis made it evident that such advantages were no longer as attainable.

Fast forward over two decades to 2024, and opinions on the significance of one's alma mater in South Korea remain divided. Professor C, a scholar and social activist with an undergraduate degree from the country’s most prestigious S University and a Ph.D. from the globally renowned H University, recently asserted on his YouTube channel that "the era where your university determines your life is over." 

Yet, many still hold the view that if elite university graduates struggle to secure their futures, those from lesser-known institutions face even greater challenges. The term “education fever” emerged long ago in domestic and international literature to describe South Korea’s unique drive for upward social mobility through academic achievement. This fever to secure a stable life continues to illuminate the nights of Daechi-dong, South Korea's hub of private education.

The Enduring Power of Academic Prestige

Just as the term chaebol has entered global parlance without translation, hakbeol—the concept of academic prestige tied to one's alma mater—is uniquely Korean and difficult to translate precisely. It has long been a driving force in Korean society. One of the academics even analyze this phenomenon as a “fetishistic obsession with acquiring the phallus of academic credentials,” introducing terms such as masochism and sadism in his analyses.

South Korea's plummeting birthrate has led many universities to face threats, and debates about their declining utility have sparked skepticism, even verging on claims of obsolescence. Yet, aspirations for the top-tier universities seem only to intensify. While the surge in popularity of medical schools has disrupted traditional hierarchies, efforts to leverage these disruptions for higher positions within the academic "food chain" persist. The chaotic education landscape, shaped by constantly changing admissions policies, perpetuates this phenomenon.

The entrenched hierarchy among Korean universities poses a significant challenge for foreign institutions recruiting Korean students. Despite emphasizing their strengths, these institutions often struggle to convince Korean students and parents that their degrees are equivalent in prestige.

The fact that a simple act—owning an item that signifies a connection to S University—can spark debates framed by grand narratives such as “human rights” highlights the enduring power of academic prestige as social and cultural capital in South Korea. While some proclaim the end of the era of academic elitism, or hakbeol, most still chase the reputations and rankings of universities. The growing polarization of social energy around a few elite universities feels less like a challenge for higher education to solve and more like a foundational assumption.

A Hope for Transforming into Positivity

In the early 1990s, when the university entrance rate stood at 30%, in 2005, when it surged to 80%, and now, as it remains around 70%, the significance of academic prestige has evolved. Once a symbol of privilege and exclusivity available to a select few, attending a prestigious university today seems more like a necessary transactional tool for enduring a challenging society.

As we grapple with the societal costs of the “university nameplate”, the paradox remains: revealing oneself as a parent of an S University student provokes enough backlash to warrant a human rights complaint, yet wearing clothing with big “HARVARD” does usually not cause public's discomfort. This contradiction reflects a reality where university branding often outweighs considerations of aptitude or academic interest, as illustrated by the phenomenon of students choosing majors solely based on the perceived value of the university.

As demonstrated by the example of N University, universities have the potential to offer more than academic achievement. They can serve as spaces for learning life’s purpose and values, fostering a sense of pride and belonging. Context matters, of course—what works in the United States may not work in Korea, nor should it necessarily.

However, if we can ultimately cultivate a foundation of respect and understanding that allows individuals to express their university affiliation in their own ways—not as “vulgar academic showmanship” but as “a positive energy for fostering a sense of community and progress”—then perhaps healthier interactions among members of society will become possible. This is a cautious hope to share during this intense university admissions season.

* This is a translation of the article in Korean published in January 2025 through the University News Network. To read the original work, please visit https://news.unn.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=573883.