It is the period during which you study from six in the morning until ten in the evening for a national exam that is not actually all that difficult, all things considered. The problem is that you have to score at least 98 per cent to be eligible for a place at one of the three elite universities, abbreviated SKY. This, in turn, guarantees a great career and immense prestige for your family. On the day of this exam, the Suneung, Korea comes to a standstill. Workdays begin later, the police escorts students who might arrive too late, no planes take off during the English oral exam, and parents pray like there is no tomorrow. Sounds funny? You stop laughing when you realise the tremendous pressure on the students. This extreme studiousness and pressure to perform is harmful to creativity, wellbeing, and healthy mental development. The winner of the prize for Best Belgian Documentary at Docville tells the whole story.







REACH FOR THE SKY

BE, KR, 2015, dir.: Choi Wooyoung, Steven Dhoedt, 90 min.