[Report] 'Quarantine Emergency' at Noryangjin Academy District... "Even Contact Is Scary" Exam Students' Anxiety Spreads

Visiting Noryangjin Academy District
Lecture Restrictions Disrupt CSAT Preparation
Anxiety Grows as Exam Day Nears
'Kagongjok' Busy Finding Alternative Study Spots

The streets around Noryangjin, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, were quiet on the morning of the 24th. Photo by Jeongyoon Lee leejuyoo@

[Asia Economy Reporters Yoo Byung-don and Lee Jung-yoon] On the morning of the 24th, nine days before the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), the streets of the Noryangjin academy district in Seoul, usually crowded with test-takers, were quiet. A cluster infection of COVID-19 occurred at a teacher certification exam academy, and with the implementation of social distancing level 2 starting that day, academies limited the number of students attending classes. Test-takers wearing long padded jackets and training suits were extremely reluctant to have contact with others. When a reporter approached, one test-taker shook their arm firmly and hurried away somewhere.

Test-takers voiced complaints that their exam preparations were disrupted due to the spread of COVID-19. The biggest issue was the disruption to final studies caused by restrictions on offline lectures. Under social distancing level 2, academies must limit the number of people to one per 8 square meters of facility area or maintain two-seat spacing to avoid restrictions on operating hours. If the limit is one person per 4 square meters or one-seat spacing is applied, academies must stop operations after 9 p.m.

Je Mo (19), a repeat test-taker, said, "The CSAT was postponed once, but because of COVID-19, I don't know what will happen, so I feel frustrated," adding, "The closer the exam date gets, the more anxious I become." Je said, "I heard that there was damage to the teacher certification exam due to confirmed cases occurring recently, and I worry that similar disruptions might happen with the CSAT."

On the morning of the 24th, the academy district around Noryangjin, Dongjak-gu, Seoul was visited. The streets, which should have been bustling with examinees, were unusually quiet. Photo by Lee Jung-yoon leejuyoo@

With the escalation of social distancing, 'cagongjok' (people who study in cafes) are busy looking for alternative places. Kim Mo (26), a test-taker who usually studied with several others at large franchise cafes, said, "From today, we cannot drink beverages or study in cafes, so I am urgently looking for a place to study with my study group." A cafe near Noryangjin temporarily suspended operations for two weeks due to the upgrade to social distancing level 2. Test-takers were often seen turning away after seeing the closure notice at this location.

Lee Mo (27), preparing for the firefighter exam, said, "The number of students attending offline classes has noticeably decreased due to concerns about COVID-19 infection," adding, "I am preparing for the exam through online lectures, but concentration is lower than offline classes, and I find it hard to hold a pen." One test-taker lamented, "If I get infected with COVID-19, all the studying I've done so far could be wasted, so I am refraining from going out as much as possible," and added, "Because of the different study environment from usual, I find it hard to concentrate."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.