Hakbeolism: A Historical and Curricular Consideration of Korean Test-Focused Education

Abstract

A study of curriculum requires consideration not only of the history of the field but also of a country’s history, and culture, since interactions among these elements may contribute to our understanding of curriculum today. Korean curriculum, for instance, while being strongly influenced by the U.S., has nevertheless retained its fundamental traditions. The strong emphasis on standardized tests in Korea today points to hakbeolism, a kind of social symbolic capital people achieve based on a shared academic background, which was established in the tenth century. The strong force for hakbeol continues to drive educational fever in the society and to degrade students’ efforts in their learning into only preparation for tests. This paper introduces the concept of hakbeolism and analyzes its historical, cultural, and political influences on Korean curriculum today. It concludes with a discussion of hakbeolism’s dire consequences from societal (also political), curricular, and personal (psychological) viewpoints.