South Korea’s Education Pressure Cooker

When Dropping Out Becomes a Winning Strategy

Living here in Busan, I’m constantly confronted with education stories that challenge the way we see “dropping out” back home.
In the Netherlands, early school leaving usually signals trouble: lack of motivation, a poor study choice, or personal difficulties. But in South Korea’s most competitive districts, dropping out can be a deliberate tactic — and sometimes the best students are the ones doing it. Due to the ‘ Education Pressure Cooker ‘ – system in South Korea .

The Numbers: A Climb in Strategic Dropouts

In 2024, Seoul’s elite districts of Gangnam, Seocho, and Songpa recorded dropout rates of 2.1–2.7% among general high schools — nearly double their rates in 2021.
These aren’t disengaged students. Many leave to take the national qualification exam, which grants them a high-school diploma equivalent, so they can devote all their energy to Suneung — the national college entrance exam.

Suneung: One Day to Define Your Future

The Suneung is unlike anything in the Dutch system. Held only once a year, it determines entry to Korea’s top universities — and by extension, career prospects, social standing, and sometimes even marriage prospects.
If you miss your target score, you wait an entire year.
The grading curve in high school is so unforgiving that one poor mark can make it impossible to reach the coveted “first tier,” the grade band that keeps your elite university hopes alive.

The Role of Parents: Partners in Pressure

For Korean parents in these districts, education is a full-family project. When their child’s grades start to slip — sometimes after just one semester of high school — parents face a choice:

• • Keep them in school, risking further drops in rank

• • Pull them out and redirect all time and resources to Suneung prep

This second path is costly. A year in an elite “cram school” (hagwon) program, often including lodging, costs up to 50 million won (about €36,000).
I’ve met families who re-arranged their entire household: meals tailored for concentration, noise-proofed rooms for study, and family schedules built around mock exams

Mental and Emotional Impact

The system creates what many call a “pressure cooker” environment.

• • Students: Sleep deprivation, social isolation, and mental health issues are common. South Korea consistently reports some of the highest youth stress levels among OECD countries (OECD Education at a Glance 2023).

• • Parents: Financial strain and the emotional toll of seeing their child’s well-being tied so closely to one test are immense.

Some private academies now even offer “package courses” combining qualification exam prep and Suneung study — an industry adapting to a trend that would seem extreme in many countries.

And in the Netherlands?

Our dropout landscape is very different, but it’s also seen turbulence — especially during COVID-19.

Universities

In 2021/22, around 30% of first-year students either dropped out or switched courses — more than 40,000 students in total (GroningenMail, 2024).
Researchers estimate about 22% of these are “policy-induced” dropouts rather than purely academic (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2024).

Vocational Education (VET)

The 2021/22 figure was 30,242 dropouts — the highest in a decade (Cedefop, 2022). Pandemic disruptions, disengagement from remote learning, and strong job market pull all played a role.

Secondary Schools & Mental Health

Stress is on the rise. A 2021 HBSC/Trimbos Institute study showed 43% of girls in secondary school reported emotional problems, up from 28% in 2017 (Trimbos Institute, 2022).
Longitudinal research confirms increases in emotional, peer, conduct, and attentional problems during COVID lockdown phases (PMC, 2022).

The COVID Peak — and Beyond

Both VET and university dropout numbers in 2021/22 were inflated by pandemic effects. Based on longitudinal studies, we can estimate that COVID caused roughly a 20% relative increase in dropouts that year.

 

• • VET: From 30,242 (with COVID) to an estimated ~25,200 baseline without COVID.

• • University: From ~40,421 (with COVID) to an estimated ~33,684 baseline.

Even without the COVID spike, dropout rates remain high by historic standards, especially in certain study fields and among international students.

Two Systems, Shared Concerns

Drivers of Dropout and Stress: South Korea vs Netherlands

	South Korea	Netherlands
Main driver	Strategic Suneung preparation	Academic mismatch, mental health, economic pull
Pressure style	High-stakes, one-day exam	Continuous workload, performance monitoring
Family role	Heavy investment, logistical support	Supportive, sometimes stress-adding monitoring
Response	Private academies dominate prep	Schools piloting stress-reducing interventions

Why Dutch Educators Should Care

This isn’t just an interesting cultural difference — it matters for anyone involved in international education or student exchange.

 

• • If you welcome Korean students, know that “dropping out” may not mean failure but a redirection of effort.

• • If you guide Dutch students, there’s something to learn from both the strengths and dangers of Korea’s intense focus: ambition can drive excellence, but pressure without balance can harm the very students it seeks to help.

‘How we define success shapes the paths students take — and the pressure they carry.’

Join the Conversation in Korea – Spring 2026

In Spring 2026, we are planning an Educational Study Trip to South Korea. Our main focus will be on elementary education, but topics like this — the cultural drivers of student performance, the role of parents, and how both countries address stress in education — will provide valuable context for our discussions with Korean colleagues.

If you are a Dutch educational professional curious about these dynamics, this will be a unique opportunity to experience them first-hand, exchange insights, and bring new ideas back to your own schools and policy discussions.

Interested?

Contact me at riemer@kramerconsult.kr  or via LinkedIn to receive the first itinerary and program details when they are ready.

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