Chuseok Becomes Up to 12-Day "Autumn Vacation"... Mobile Learning Content Draws Attention for Maintaining Children's Study Habits

Seoul Elementary and Middle Schools Designate Up to 12 Days Off with Discretionary Holidays
Family Travel Demand Surges... Parents Worry About Learning Gaps
From EdTech to SNS Challenges: Education Industry Targets Holiday Opportunities

With the Chuseok holiday approaching-a break so long that some are calling it the "autumn vacation"-parents are increasingly concerned about potential learning gaps for their children. In response, the education industry is attracting attention with a range of mobile-based educational content.

According to the "National School Status" data from the School Information Disclosure Service (School Alimi) as of September 28, out of all 614 elementary schools in Seoul (including those closed or temporarily shut down), 20 schools (3.3%) have designated all three weekdays surrounding the Chuseok holiday (October 1, 2, and 10) as days off (including discretionary holidays, school anniversaries, or short breaks), resulting in a maximum of 12 consecutive days off.

In contrast, only 19 schools (3.1%) in Seoul will not take all three weekdays off. Among middle schools in Seoul, only 37 out of 392 (9.4%) will not take all three days off. Most schools have designated at least one weekday as a discretionary holiday, meaning students will have at least ten days off. Given that some schools had summer vacations of less than ten days this year, this Chuseok break is seen as unusually long and exceptional.

As the long holiday approaches, demand for family trips has surged. According to a recent survey by Hotels.com, about 60% of travel demand during this Chuseok holiday is for family and group trips, far exceeding the annual average of 35%. Naturally, as more parents worry about their children's learning routines being disrupted, interest in mobile-based learning content that can be accessed anytime and anywhere is growing. Last year, the College Tomorrow 20s Research Institute found that late millennial parents (born 1989-1995) most preferred tablets and pads (40%) as supplementary learning tools for their elementary school children.

In response, the education industry is launching a variety of mobile-based programs designed to help children develop self-directed learning habits. Woongjin ThinkBig's "Woongjin SmartAll" is a tablet-based learning platform for children from preschool to middle school. Its core service, "Today's Learning," uses artificial intelligence (AI) to assign daily learning missions tailored to each student's situation, rewarding them with stars upon completion. Students can exchange collected stars for GS25 product coupons, gaining both a sense of achievement and tangible rewards. A representative from Woongjin ThinkBig stated, "Many parents are using SmartAll to help their children develop good study habits."

Ice Cream Edu's smart learning platform, "Ice Cream Home Run," supports both AI-personalized learning and the development of study habits. Its proprietary technology, "AI Dream Marble," provides generative AI-based feedback, while the flagship feature, "AI Student Record," analyzes each student's perceived difficulty and problem-solving habits to offer tailored strategies and a personalized learning roadmap. A representative from Ice Cream Edu commented, "With Home Run alone, students can not only keep up with schoolwork but also build strong study skills, making it a reliable support system."

Poster for Kyowon Kumon's 'Gongstagram Challenge.' Kyowon Kumon

Kyowon Kumon is running a study verification event called the "Gongstagram Challenge" for members in middle school and above until October 10. To participate, students follow the official Kumon Instagram account using a mobile device, take a photo of themselves studying with Kumon, and upload it to their personal account with the required hashtags. After leaving a comment indicating "participation complete," they are automatically entered into the event. The first 100 participants will receive coffee coupons. A representative from Kyowon Kumon said, "The holiday period is a great opportunity to boost learning achievement through immersion," adding, "We organized this event to motivate students to study."

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