Video about 'life without school' attracts Korean youth

Videos of high school students' experiences after dropping out of school attract millions of views because they appeal to the curiosity about "life without school".

On YouTube in Korea, besides videos about beauty and celebrities, another trending topic is the lives of high school dropouts. These videos document the entire process of dropping out of school, from informing their parents, to the moment they go to school to submit their application, to the day they throw a farewell party with their classmates.

"I decided to document my experience of dropping out of school because I wanted people to understand more about it," said Park Jun A, who has made many videos about this content.

Many high school dropouts like Park do the same. Some of the videos have attracted 9 million views, equivalent to one-sixth of the South Korean population.

Videos sharing the story of dropping out of school have attracted millions of views on Korean social media. Photo: Korea Herald — Videos sharing the story of dropping out of school have attracted millions of views on Korean social media. Photo: *Korea Herald*

Most viewers left positive comments below. "Dropping out of school was not an easy decision. You chose what makes you happy," one viewer commented.

Lee Chae Won, 16, enjoys watching videos with such content because she wants to know about "life without school".

"School is the only life I know. I watch these videos not because I intend to drop out, but because I'm curious to know how people my age live without going to school," Lee said.

On the other hand, some young people look for these videos before deciding to drop out of school. Their concerns and questions about the process of dropping out of school will be compiled and answered by youtubers.

According to statistics from the Ministry ofEducation and the Korea Educational Development Institute, the dropout rate of high school students has increased continuously for three years, from 1.1% in 2020 to 1.9% in 2022.

Experts say the reason is that public education has some limitations and does not create opportunities for students to develop their unique personalities.

According to data from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, more than 88% of students said they would continue going to school if they had the opportunity to develop their talents or explore more diverse career prospects.

“The public education system should change to allow students to express their individuality,” said Professor Park Joo Ho of Hanyang University’s College of Education, adding that the change should be in the direction of promoting critical thinking in students, rather than focusing on textbook content as it is now.

Phuong Anh (According to Korea Herald )

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