Suneung Exams: Inside The 13-Hour Marathon

The Unseen Marathon: Inside South Korea’s Gruelling 13-Hour University Entrance Exam

Every November, a profound silence descends upon South Korea. The nation collectively holds its breath for what is considered a highly demanding academic assessment globally. For a single day, the country’s rhythm changes entirely to support the hundreds of thousands of students preparing for the notorious Suneung, also known as the College Scholastic Ability Test. Commercial businesses temporarily close their doors to minimise distractions. The country’s airspace clears as flights are grounded to ensure silence reigns around examination centres. Even the morning rush hour slows to a crawl, a nationwide effort to guarantee every student arrives on time for the test that could define their future. It is a day of immense national significance, a shared experience of anxiety and hope.

A Nation on Pause

The Suneung’s logistical scope is staggering. On the day of the examination, government offices and many private companies adjust their opening hours, allowing employees to start work later to clear the roads for students. Police vehicles are on standby, ready to provide emergency escorts for any student running late, a siren-blazing testament to the test's importance. The country’s stock market even opens an hour later than usual. This nationwide mobilisation underscores a deeply ingrained belief that the success of the next generation is a collective responsibility. Families gather at temple gates to pray, while younger students line the streets outside schools, cheering on their seniors with banners and songs in a powerful display of communal support.

The Decisive Examination

The Suneung is far more than a simple university entrance test; it is a critical juncture in a young person's life. The final score holds the power to shape an individual's entire future trajectory. It heavily influences not just entry into a prestigious SKY university—Seoul National University, Korea University, or Yonsei University—but also subsequent job prospects and even social standing. A high score can open doors to esteemed careers in law, medicine, or major corporations like Samsung and Hyundai. Consequently, the pressure to succeed is immense, casting a long shadow over the final years of secondary education and transforming classrooms into high-stakes training grounds.

The Eight-Hour Ordeal

For the majority of test-takers, the Suneung constitutes an academic marathon lasting eight hours. The day begins promptly at 8:40 am and runs continuously until late afternoon. Students navigate a relentless series of back-to-back papers covering a wide array of subjects. The core components include Korean language, mathematics, and English. Following these, candidates tackle sections on natural sciences or social studies, based on their academic track. The examination also offers an optional paper on a second foreign language or Hanja, which involves traditional characters from Chinese integrated into Korean writing. Each section is timed with military precision, leaving no room for error or hesitation.

A Test of Endurance

The structure of the examination is designed to be a rigorous test of not only academic knowledge but also mental and physical stamina. Students must maintain intense focus for hours on end, with only short breaks between sections. The sheer volume of material they are expected to recall and apply under immense pressure is extraordinary. The test format predominantly uses multiple-choice questions, which demand quick and accurate problem-solving skills across a vast curriculum. The day is a draining experience that pushes students to their absolute limits, leaving them utterly exhausted by the time they finally put down their pens in the early evening.

The Longest Day

While most candidates celebrate the end of their ordeal as dusk falls, a small group remains seated in the examination halls. For candidates who have profound sight limitations, the Suneung stretches into a monumental thirteen-hour challenge. They receive a time allotment that is 1.7 times greater than the standard for each section to navigate the complexities of their adapted test materials. This necessary accommodation transforms an already gruelling day into an epic test of resilience. Their examination concludes late into the night, often approaching 10 pm, long after the city lights have illuminated the darkened school grounds. The exam proceeds without any pause for meals, compounding the physical toll.

The Weight of Braille

The extended time allocation for blind students is a direct consequence of the nature of their examination papers. When the standard text, complex diagrams, and mathematical symbols are meticulously transcribed into braille, the test booklets become significantly larger and more cumbersome. A single subject's paper can expand to where the resulting packets are between six and nine times more substantial than their print counterparts. Navigating these bulky documents requires considerable time and tactile skill. Each question demands a careful, methodical process of reading through raised dots, making the pace inherently slower. The physical act of processing such a large volume of tactile information is a significant challenge in itself.

A Student's Perspective

Among those taking this prolonged format of the assessment is Han Dong-hyun, an eighteen-year-old from the Seoul Hanbit School for the Blind. Born without the ability to perceive light, he faces the Suneung with a unique set of challenges. His preparation involves mastering not only the academic content but also the specific techniques required to read and answer questions using braille documents and a computer equipped with screen-reading software. His fingers move with practiced speed across practice booklets containing sample questions from previous tests, a testament to years of dedicated study. For him, success on the Suneung is not just about intellect but also about managing his energy over the incredibly long day.

The Strategy for Success

In the final days leading up to the examination, the focus for students like Dong-hyun shifts from last-minute cramming to strategic preparation. He explained that managing his physical condition and stamina is just as crucial as revising the curriculum. The sheer length of the exam means that fatigue can easily set in, affecting concentration and performance. He added that no particular method exists for coping. His approach is methodical: he adheres to his study plan and focuses on his well-being. He views this disciplined strategy as the single viable approach to navigate the immense demands of the thirteen-hour assessment and ensure he can perform at his best until the very last question.

A Small but Determined Cohort

The number of visually impaired students taking the Suneung is relatively small, but their determination is profound. According to statistics from the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation and the Ministry of Education, just over one hundred blind and low-vision students sit for the exam each year. This cohort is typically divided between individuals having diminished sight, who may use magnifiers or large-print papers, and others facing profound challenges similar to Dong-hyun, who rely exclusively on braille and assistive technology. Each student represents a story of perseverance, having overcome significant barriers in an educational system heavily geared towards sighted learners.

The Societal Stakes

The intense national focus on the Suneung reflects the test's perceived role as a gateway to a successful life. In South Korea's highly competitive society, graduating from a top university is often seen as a prerequisite for a stable and prosperous future. This belief system places enormous pressure on young people from a very early age. The exam's outcome can influence everything from career opportunities and income potential to social networks and even marriage prospects. This societal emphasis contributes to a culture of relentless academic competition, where performance on a single day can have lifelong consequences.

The Hagwon Phenomenon

To gain a competitive edge, the majority of South Korean students supplement their regular schooling with intensive after-hours tutoring at private academies known as 'hagwons'. These institutions are a multi-billion-pound industry, offering round-the-clock instruction created to prepare students specifically for this test. It is not uncommon for teenagers to study for more than twelve hours a day, shuttling between school and various hagwons until late into the night. This gruelling schedule leaves little time for rest or recreation, contributing to high levels of stress and sleep deprivation among the student population. The reliance on private tutoring also raises concerns about educational inequality.

A Mental Health Crisis

The relentless pressure associated with the Suneung has led to a significant mental health crisis among South Korea's youth. The nation's suicide rate is among the highest in the developed world, and academic stress is frequently cited as a major contributing factor. The singular focus on one high-stakes exam can create a profound sense of anxiety and despair, particularly for students who feel they are not meeting expectations. The fear of failure is palpable, and the emotional toll of the years-long preparation period can be devastating for many young people and their families.

Calls for Reform

In response to these mounting concerns, there have been persistent calls for educational reform. Critics argue that the Suneung system stifles creativity and critical thinking by promoting rote memorisation and formulaic problem-solving. There is a growing movement advocating for a more holistic approach to university admissions, one that considers a broader range of skills and achievements beyond a single exam score. Some universities have begun to introduce more diverse admission tracks, placing greater emphasis on school records, extracurricular activities, and in-depth interviews. However, the Suneung remains the dominant pathway to higher education.

The 'Killer Questions' Controversy

A significant point of contention in recent years has been the inclusion of so-called 'killer questions' in the Suneung. These are exceptionally difficult problems, often drawn from material not covered in the standard school curriculum. Their purpose is to differentiate the top-performing students, but critics argue they unfairly advantage those who can afford expensive private tutoring at hagwons that specialise in teaching how to solve them. This has fuelled accusations that the test perpetuates social inequality. In a move to address these concerns, the government recently announced plans to remove killer questions from the exam, aiming to level the playing field.

A Shifting Landscape

The decision to eliminate the most convoluted questions marks a potential shift in South Korea's educational landscape. The government's stated goal is to reduce the reliance on private education and refocus the curriculum on core concepts taught in public schools. The policy aims to ease the financial burden on families and reduce the intense academic pressure on students. While many have welcomed the move as a step in the right direction, some educators and students have expressed concern that it could make the exam even more competitive, with perfect scores becoming more common and a single mistake being more costly.

Preparing for a New Era

As the nature of the Suneung evolves, so too do the strategies for preparation. With the removal of killer questions, the emphasis may shift towards ensuring flawless execution on the core material. Students will need to focus on mastering the fundamentals and avoiding careless errors. This change could alter the dynamics of the hagwon industry, with a greater focus on building a solid academic foundation rather than teaching tricks for outlier questions. The long-term impact of this reform on the country's educational culture and the well-being of its students remains to be seen.

The Role of Technology

Technology plays an increasingly important role in both the administration of the Suneung and the preparation for it. For visually impaired students, assistive technologies like screen readers and digital braille devices are indispensable tools. They enable access to a vast range of study materials and allow for a more efficient way of navigating the exam. For the broader student population, online lectures and AI-powered learning platforms have become popular supplements to traditional study methods. These digital resources offer personalised learning experiences and can help identify areas of weakness, making preparation more targeted and effective.

A Global Perspective

South Korea is not alone in its use of high-stakes university entrance exams. Similar systems exist in many other countries, particularly in East Asia, such as China's Gaokao and Japan's Center Test. These examinations are all characterised by intense competition and immense societal pressure. However, the Suneung is often cited as a particularly severe example, due to the sheer level of national coordination involved and the profound impact of its results on an individual's life. The annual ritual serves as a powerful case study in the social and psychological effects of a hyper-competitive educational system.

The Dawn of a New Day

As the last student completes the Suneung and the nation begins to stir back to life, a collective sense of relief washes over the country. For the test-takers, the day marks the end of a long and arduous journey. Regardless of the outcome, they have completed a rite of passage, a shared ordeal that binds their generation. The embrace of a waiting family member outside the school gates is a moment of pure emotional release. For a brief period, the pressure lifts, and the future, with all its possibilities, awaits. The cycle, however, will soon begin anew for the next cohort of students.