Koreans React to Teachers Being Disrespected and Bullied | Street Interview 

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The problem in Korea isn't just the students disrespecting the teachers, it's the parents bullying the teachers. One teacher committed suicide back in July, I don't know what age group she taught. Three more teachers committed suicide in September all because of parental bullying. Then you wonder why there is so much bullying among students, even parents bullying teachers, it's ridiculous. Korea needs to do something about it. You not only have low birth rate, but Korea ranks 4th in highest rate of suicides worldwide! What is the government doing to address these problems?

Same all over the world now. Parents just want to raise their kids superficially on mobile devices.

Wow. This is very shocking. I am surprised how little to no respect Koreans has about school teachers. A sign of bad fundamentals. Poor teachers.

I was a former Preschool English Teacher in an International School. I left the job coz aside from the daily exhaustion that I felt, the parents disrepect me a lot. I am teaching in a glass walled classroom equipped with CCTV with audio. While I am teaching parents can watch my classes in the lobby. I don't have a problem with this coz it shows transparency in my school. But after my lessons parents flock to me and tell me, why is my activity like that? Why I am not catering to their kids or why their 3 y/o kids can't speak English yet. My last straw was, I was preparing for my lesson when I stepped out for a minute to drink water. When I came back my laptop was gone and one of the kids said, it was thrown by another kid at the back of the room. All my lessons are in that device. Miraculously, it was okay but there's a bit of damage on the keyboard. The kid who threw my laptop starts laughing coz he think it's funny so I called the guardian who happens to be the grandma to tell her grandson to apologize for what he did. I believe as early as 5 y/o they should learn not to touch and damage other people's stuff but to my surprise the grandma told me, it's not a big deal. I am just a mere teacher and they pay that much money to accommodate their kids. I was very disappointed, so I decided to turn in my notice.

Im an online teacher for some Korean students and Chinese, they have it tough in this world with suicide rates. I know enough students that either knew someone, or saw something with their own eyes. Many only sleep 4-6 hours a night as young as 8-13 years old. Their teachers and afterschool programs assign them several homework assignments daily. Pressure is high, loneliness and isolationism is high. A lot of these kids really need good friends and something to do that's meaningful to them.

Looks like the lack of parenting in my opinion… How disgusting that these students act like they own everything when in reality… They don’t.

If my teachers complain about me to my parents, then my parents themselves will end my life😅😅

Growing up in Korea, I thought to myself, "Damn, being a teacher is the worst job ever." And yes, at least half of the classmates were pieces of shxt that had no respct for the teachers, and their parents were even more disgusting. Glad that I escaped Korea 15 years ago. Thank god that I do not have to raise my kids among those shxt heads. With the declining population, there won't be much demand for teachers anyway. You reap what you sow, I guess.

The main problem is how kids have access to the Internet on their phones and also tendencies for people to shame or 'cancel' people. On top of that, teachers are not allowed to discipline students like they used to in South Korea decades ago. Schools have become very politicized too. What these misbehaving children don't realize is besides teachers educating and teaching kids how to be productive members of society, they're also people too that are trying to do their job. But if these kids misbehave and teachers fear losing their jobs, they're going to either quit or just keep being patient. Things really can't keep going like this. South Korea as a country is going to crash if there are fewer teachers on top of couples having fewer kids.

People cannot harm others physically but at the same time cannot protect themselves from any other kind of harm. That's pretty sick

I honestly believe that parents are the first teachers to their children and then the teachers are second but both have to work together so that the children can succeed. However, If the parents aren’t teaching the children manner and respect in the home then they go to school and act a fool. I hope that the school administrators will assist the teachers and get the parents involved when the student acts up. Thank you Asian boss for another informative video.

I came to Canada in 1975 so I have very little idea of the changes that have been occurring in Korea regarding teachers. But this video shocked the crap out of me in terms of how much disrespect teachers are getting in a culture that traditionally venerated teachers! I am disheartened by this trend.

From this video, it seems like parents are leaving all the parenting on the teachers' shoulders and when the teacher takes action and tries to discipline students, they get bullied for it and sued. That sounds awful

I'm an English teacher in Korea. I gave up working public schools after my first two years. There's a saying that "North Korea doesn't invade the South because they afraid of 2nd Year Middle School boys" and I understand why. I had the kind of class they talked about in the video, where out of a group of 20-something boys, only 3 of them would even pay attention to the lesson. That classroom smelled like urine and I watched as one boy spit behind a cabinet. I had my own students tell me stories about students sexually harassing a teacher, multiple times. Recently there was a story about a young boy killing an elderly man by throwing a rock off a building. Accidents happen but it brought up again the problem that children in this country face 0 consequences for their actions. The parents all have this narcissistic belief that their child is perfect and can do no wrong, so any problems are blamed on the teacher as stated in the video. If parents don't discipline their children, and teachers aren't allowed to, you start the see the problem. As a foreign teacher, you don't have to deal with parents and thank goodness because I probably would've quit a long time ago. Academies are pretty much the same, except the fear is that parents will withdraw their children from the school, thus making the academy lose money. So Korean teachers pretty much do anything to please the parents (and we foreign teachers are told to just play games and goof off with the students so they can go home and tell mommy that they had fun in English class). Corporal punishment used to be the norm. Students would get beaten and abused by teachers in the past. Korea changed things, but they swung so hard in the other direction that they didn't think about the consequences of no punishment vs. harsh punishment. If even the parents don't understand that children without discipline turn into adults with criminal behavior, there's no telling how worse it will get.

Children don't respect teachers because parents and school administrations don't respect teachers. Children are sponges, they absorb what they see or hear and they replicate the same behavior. School administrators have only one priority: making parents happy and relegating complaints as a teacher's responsibility. Parents and kids know this, and they take advantage of the fact that, nowadays, they can abuse their power and that teachers have no power nor leverage. They cannot do anything. And I see this kiss up kick down mentality a lot in Korea. Parents don't go after people with power to vent their life frustration, they go after teachers (or service employees) precisely because they have none. More and more kids are raised online and not disciplined at all by their parents. I have seen some pretty abhorent behavior and the parents not paying any attention to it. I was a bit shocked when I arrived in Korea because I always viewed it as a country that was strong on discipline and respect for elders, but the reality now is a bit different with the new generation. It used to be this way like the old gentleman said in the video, but not anymore. I'm sure he faced a lot of abuse and unfair situations from his teachers in his time. I understand why parents wanted to protect their kids after this era, but now the pendulum is swinging too strongly in the complete other direction. I wish we could find a healthy middle ground. No physical/emotional abuse but boundaries and formative discipline.

you can always tell which kids had crappy parents or low-quality family by how they acted up in class, not 100% accurate of course cuz it can go either way, but pretty close. I always pitied those kids

A big problem, especially in private schools but in schools overall, is parents view teachers and the school as their employees, working for them to deal with their child. Their child can do no wrong, and blame the school for whatever their kid does wrong instead of taking accountability as a parent. And so school management side with parents and not teachers. Teachers have basically no power, it's pretty sad. Also a big side effect of hagwons/academies. Most students go there for after school classes, and view those as the places to really learn, so in school they just goof off. And that again goes back to parents making them study 10+ hours a day even in elementary school.

I can understand why certain aspects of a teacher's private life would be scrutinized since they are burdened with the responsibility of being an authority figure to children, but for parents to snoop at a teacher's IG and call her out for posting pictures of herself in a bikini at the beach is a bit much. Perhaps this might be more socially appropriate because of Korea's conservative culture, but what a teacher does on her personal time is not really their business unless she's leading a double life as a corn star or something like that.

Having taught in Korea, I found the kids so much more respectful and polite than students in Canada (of generation A). Overall, no matter where it is, Parents must take the responsibility of shaping their children's character and encouraging positive traits instead of leaving that huge responsibility just to teachers.

Sending much love and respect to all teachers out there and to this channel for pushing forward and continuing to share authentic and real news despite their unseen trials and tribulations that they go through onnthe daily ❤ thank u.

Korea better fix their bullying problem. Not only in schools, but also in general public society.

My experience is that, in Korea, if someone can potentially or technically step on you or belittle you, they will. There is no compassion for the weak and everything is a power struggle. If someone is responsible for something of yours, that entitles you to bully them for it. So it is all about a competition of life and social ranking. If you are of lower social ranking as in being a teacher compared to a parent, then you should "know your place" and endure everything they make you live through. I worked in Korea, in a large company and it was the worst mistake of my life. Now I work in Japan where many problems of Korea are also present but at least they are not really as lookist, classist or vain in my opinion and there are at least signs of slow improvements whereas in Korea nothing seems to be changing last time I checked. Also people are MUCH MORE KIND in Japan (but time to time very dishonest). Not to offend but I don't think we should really say "cultural difference" to everything and brush off any actual criticism of a society. Culture is subject to change. Traditional culture of Korea is basically what most other cultures shunned within their own cultural borders, being made the default. Many cultures talk about the importance of "inner beauty" compared to physical attractiveness for example but the emphasis in Korea is that if you are a good person inside, that would show in your physical appearance and if you are someone they perceive ugly, that must be because you are a bad person inside as well. I know not all Koreans are like this but this is what the lookism in Korea is basically about.

The behavior of kids at school is a reflection of their parents. A generation of spoiled, entitled, coddled brats has destroyed one of the most important professions in society

Wow. I'm shocked. Back in the 60's, we never heard of this kind of disrespect. Awful. Not progress.

Social media has really played a major part in children thinking bullying people is just fun and games. Kids’ behavior and their parents behavior these days is horrendous in America, it’s no surprise that the internet and mobile phones has caused the same issues elsewhere.

It seems to be a global issue where some parents are causing so many issues for teachers. Almost expecting the teacher to parent their children, but lash out when they discipline their precious babies!

That's why ethics and human values need to be add in the education system.

Kids are learning these bad behaviors from some place like either social media or at home or just from their surroundings . Kids are sponges at a certain age. Kids are not born with these bad behaviors they are witnessing and holding onto and repeating/acting on these bad acts around them from somewhere. Being a teacher is a calling . I have had my share of really awesome/sweet/enthusiastic/caring teachers and really not so great/weird/need to change profession ones. I know really nice teachers exist or out it the work because they believe in their heart and soul they love and want to teach .. they deserve our support. We need to believe in each other again! We're losing hope in people because so much is going on in the world at once or at a constant speed. We need to break bad cycles. Give and leave hope for the generations to come.

Come to India and experience the power of a teacher 😂 that's how students are disciplined here at least. Sounds like a nightmare to be a teacher in Korea though the parents are to be blamed .. discipline starts at home. The present generation itself is fked not just Korea it's all over the world . I'm sick and disgusted to be living among the hopeless young generation.

I always enjoy your street interviews and interesting insights.😍

as a Indian I feel so happy that our school's don't allow phone's. we dressed up like students not like models. in my class their are 55 student but no one dare to Talk in running classes. we're respectful towards our elders.

as a parent myself seeing kids nowadays disrespect teacher makes me lil bit angry. in my country there was even worst case. student attacked teacher with knife, after throwing chairs to her. i seriously want to know his parents. i want to say to them, "dont just segs, use your brain la". my mother also a teacher. thats why i really respect all of them. for me they are my second mother and father. and most doesnt have enough salary for even living like normal person. kid should know this, parents should control their behaviour. i always make a mad gesture if my daughter doesnt do salam and kiss her teachers hands. this also teach her, that you should also respect older ppl. hopefully. world doesnt turn into this bs freedom.

Such a contrast to the past. My grandparents were teachers in S. Korea. According to my mother, they were well respected back then. Also during my mother’s generation (“baby boomers”), teaching was an honorable profession. Clearly, times have changed.

It is Teacher's Day today in my country. I have been a teacher for 18 years and I want to say a big thank you to all of my wonderful students, you all give me huge faith in younger generations, that you all will have bright future and will bring so much pride to our country. I think I must have taught thousands of students already in these 18 years, and I only remember 2 students who were total pain in the a**, 😂. they were such deviant students who have no respect towards their teachers whatsoever, my colleagues at school blatantly refused to teach their class,but I did not want to lose to their stubbornness so I persisted. I wish these 2 students all the best, since they actually dropped out of school before completing it. For my other hard working, well-behaved, and respectful students, thank you again for making me the happiest teacher ever. You all make me love my job so much and I wish you all the happiest and brightest future that you all deserve.

This is really sad. Feel so bad for educators.

This is so sad and angry. I left Korea in 1978. Then we all respected our teachers. What changed and why so different?

I wish you’d interview people outside of Seoul. Daejeon, Daegu, Busan, Jeonju, Gwangju. There’s more to this country than Seoul.

Bullying, a teacher? Seriously?! I know korea is famous for bullying, but they went up to another level by bullying a teacher 😧

In the meantime, there are children who really regret they are unable to go to school - like, let's say, girls in Afghanistan. Interesting, that those Korean children don't feel the pressure to study, since their whole life will depend on how they do that...

Sounds like parents need to do some real parenting.

It happens in my hometown as well, a small region in Indonesia. Once students understand how much power certain teacher has over their life, they can adjust their action upon it, especially `contract`-based. I mean, some teacher even get paid daily, not a contract. So strange for me because culturally we respect elders unconditionally, yet it happens.

Most working parents do not have time or unwilling to give time to discipline and instill healthy morals into their children. Instead, they compromise and compensate with material stuff and leniency, which fuel the upbringing of unruly children. 🙄

In Indonesia, we parents most likely ask the teachers to teach and discipline our kids with care. I personally teach my boy to respect his teacher and follow rules at school. Just because he got time out by his teacher, i remind him that it doesnt make his Miss not liking him or make him a bad student. His teacher indeed cares for him and the students cares n love her. We remind our kids that teacher can get tired too, so please listen to ur teacher. I feel sorry for this young teacher. May she rest in peace and her legacy lives forever.

Over 10 years ago I used to teach English to Koreans. My students were older than I was and although I was young and did not have yet that much experience, I received much respect and appreciation. It was hard work but I loved the job and was so dedicated to teaching. I did my preparations every evening with pleasure. It's a pity that times have changed.

There has to be a limit. Teachers should be legally allowed to confiscate smartphones. And severe violation of school rules should mean the troublemaker gets expelled. My country's laws used to allow for school expulsion, but now do not. Too far, too lenient.

The long-term effects will be a sight to see in the future.

If Korean students and parents are bullying and harassing Korean teachers, I wonder if they would do that to a foreign teacher? 🤔

Thanks for discussing this important issue. I heard they just passed a law protecting the teachers, but it is still not enough. However, at least it is a start. It is a global phenomenon and not just a Korean issue. Some veteran teachers here in the US just quit due to bad behavior by the students and their parents. It is so sad as education is so important but yet they are treating teachers like this. A lot more needs to be done before it is too late.

This is what my sister is going through as a teacher in the Seoul area. Kids disrespect and parents causing stress if they will get her fired. Even when she is a good teacher trying to get kids to learn. Parents want the teacher to parents. But scream abuse when their child is disciplined. Schools take side of parents over teachers because they’re worried they will lose money of parents. Teachers living in fear of losing their jobs is not a good environment.

I'm a teacher in a Korean hagwon. The kids are 1000 times more respectful than back in Canada. This case was terrible and I'm not saying the kids in that class were good, just saying my experiences.

Well... If one reacts such a contrary manner: consequences must be established: zeros for day and on next exam whenever that is scheduled

9:22 This is it right here. Children replicate what they see their parents doing. The parents are entitled. Rather than respecting teachers as knowledgeable educators, they treat education like a consumerist good of which they are customers and demand 24/7 white glove service

I went to an after school concert. There was two kids riding bikes in school and not one adult said a thing. Almost ran me over. When I told them it was dangerous to ride bikes indoors, they called me a b**ch and kept going. So disrespectful.

oh how time can change, just 12 years ago when I was in high school, all my south korean classmates treated any teacher with utmost respect. i thought korea as a society respected the elder figure.

When you have a society where the parents (adults) do not respect other adults (professional teachers) then, I would predict, it is a downfall for everyone. I mean geez you have to show respect and be a role model to your kids.

Some kids are just getting out of hand because some ppl are just bad at parenting and cant even discipline their shitty children. Sometimes, a good iron fist isn't that bad. There are times where words won't make it happen.

As an English teacher in Korea, it is really frustrating when students are talking over you, yelling, screaming, not paying attention or refusing to sit down or do anything you ask them to... and my Korean co-teachers sometimes can do little to nothing to control them. Sometimes. Some teachers are respected more than others, some teachers are kind of tired and don't really do much for classroom management... some students are great and compliant while others are SO disrespectful and I (growing up in the US) would think the logical thing would be to give them some form of punishment like staying after class or during break, giving them extra homework, writing standards... it's ridiculous that they just get away with anything. I do consider this when I think of how much longer i would like to teach here.

I was an English teacher in South Korea and I can tell you that teacher’s authority, student respect for teachers have waned tremendously

The lack of compassion coming from those kids is really inimical to the growth of South Korea. I remember before when my grades were low parents asked me but now they'll probably ask the teacher why my grades are low.

When there’s no consequence, there’s no respect for the rules

Why is it allowed to have a phone in the classroom? That‘s insane!

When you have a teacher tell your kids they are learning stuff they won't use in real life how can you expect them to even listen. Yes, that happen to my kids.

I don't understand the parents behaviour in this.. haven't they experience educating their child at home while the pandemic hits??? how hard it is... do they really want to experience it one more time to really understand how important teacher's role in their children's life?? 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

It's solely due to korean culture right now. With society so focused on results and getting into SKY, kids are expected to spend all their time learning. Parents never do any actual "parenting" for kids to learn values, respect, and manners. I knew someone who before their family moved to america,their schedule was literally -wake up - school - hakwon (cram school) - get home at 11 - repeat This was when they were in elementary. There was zero time for parents to interact with their kids. With both parents working also becoming common and company dinners, parents are gone. What's the point of raising a smart, studious kid if they are depressed and suicidal?

Is there no detention/suspension in Korea?

and here i also disrespected my teacher but i got beaten by him so bad absolutely gave me a trauma and he was removed a month after and after that other teachers also ignored me my favorite teacher started to despise me i was 12 yr ol and he the marks of his beating took a few weeks to go away

As a former teacher, I can testify that this issue isn’t just happening in Korea (well it’s less extreme in countries where I used to teach though). Teaching is a very important and beautiful job but people don’t respect it and look down on teachers. On top of that we aren’t that well paid. I loved it at first but it was slowly taking a toll on my mental health and even physical health due to all the stress and struggles and the negative view people had of me.

Hot take but when your education system is plagued by a horrible culture of high suicide and pressure for entrance exams I’m glad students are fed up and are acting like this. (Parents seem awful as a teacher though). Hopefully this will inspire education reform but I doubt it. I hope we see these people disobey military officers next and stop the horrible culture of mandatory military service.

Well, with the suicide of the 28 yr old Korean teacher in September, I think fewer people will choose teaching as a profession. I don't blame them.

Until 10 years ago, the status of teachers in Korea was very high. Rather, the harshness of corporal punishment in schools was a social problem, but thanks to human rights activists, it was banned and this situation eventually arose.

The things teachers go through in New York and New Jersey are horrifying, I can’t believe this nonsense is happening in South Korea 😮

The teaching profession is declining everywhere in the world because the working conditions are so bad for teachers. Soon, everyone will be asking "where are the good teachers?" because all of the talented youth will go into other professions. Only people desperate for work will want to become a teacher and this will create huge problems for society. I would not want my child to become a teacher.

Back than we respect the adults ( just anyone that's older than you) . And yes some respect does came from fear. But now that we can speak up and stand up for our own rights, alot of people and especially the young one seem to take advantage of it. I'm scared that it's like this everywhere now. I always thought, at least in Asia we still follow the old way like how we respect each other and what not. 😢 We definitely need some ground rule, work place and school must have respect on the leaders and teachers. Either ways we should always respect one another wherever you are and wherever you go. ❤

Just Koreans being koreans

The source of all these problems: Parents.

When the leaders fear parents and focus on pleasing them, the teachers are not protected. It happens in many places in and outside Korea.

Yeah i would be worried especially if the authorities were Non Koreans especially The Chinese, Japanese, Mongolians, Taiwanese, Hong Kongans, And Macauns yeah.

What else do we expect from the social media generation?

It's not the kids, parents or the teachers. It's the system.

Everyone: that's bad for your society, you need to fix it Korea: nah, we just say every country has the same problem and call it a day

Nobody mentioned hagwons. Nobody mentioned the Suneung. Nobody mentions the 2 years compulsory military service for young men, once their childhood is over. Unfortunately, the life of a South Korean child is becoming ever more miserable. It was true when I was there, 2007-2014, I guess it's not improving. I don't know why South Koreans mums especially, are so harsh on their children's childhood, but they are. I really hope South Korea finds a way to let its children enjoy their childhood lives more. The consequences are profound if they don't.

As a Taiwanese, I really find Korea and Taiwan have so many similarities, our economy growth is very similar, we were both part of Japan, we both being the no.1 low birth rate country, now Korea has bullying teachers issues, Taiwan actually has some similar situations as teachers complain being mistreated, even though it seems it's more mild than Korea, but I find it very strange why are we so similar in so many ways?

The teachers who are sued for child abuse are being abused. They should turn around and sue the parents for libel, defamation and mental suffering.

Damn those cicadas really turn up over there

If the teachers provide more protection towards children that are bullied in schools, they can get a better respect from the public.

Kei looks exhausted 😕

The old man's word are so true. He knows life

Honestly, the big issue is this Gen Z generation. I don't know what it is with them but they think they are the kings and queens of the world and don't respect anything.

Like korean drama. There is no more respect for teachers nowsday....😢😢😢

It is not good for your health to be student or teacher in Korea

Especially Native English Teachers are not respected at all. Was recently threatened and bullied by high schoolers to the point that the school's vice principal had to get involved. They spread malicious rumors and were extremely r*cist, and when I addressed their prejudice, misbehavior, and disgusting comments I was the one attacked. It was extremely stressful. I can understand what happened to that teacher. I am so sorry she had to experience these things to the point where she saw no other escape other than unaliving herself😢

Grass is always greener on the other side xd

they beat up a teacher. gave her a black eye.

I don't want to pretend I know everything about South Korea but it seems a lot of societal problems had been because they hold on to old traditions dearly like the senior-junior hierarchy system which interferes with juniors not able to express themselves or stand up to the seniors. And the past trauma from the military rule where most policemen, armymen and teachers would mistreat, physically and mentally abuse the citizens/students to keep them in line could be a factor which resulted in stripping them of any strict authoritative powers because they were kind of given a free hand in the past. I have seen the portrayal of such army personnels, police and teachers in many movies and shows based on that period where the teacher was literally beating up students mercilessly to discipline or punish them. I have been told that police has lost it's power now and South Korean citizens have more power over the police.The teachers are also put under immense pressure. The homeroom teacher is given all the responsibilities of the students. He/She also has to manage the students outside the school. We had homeroom teachers too in my country but they were responsible only for their class inside the school premises. Also, a student's discipline and moral responsibility wasn't put on the homeroom teacher. It is parents responsiblity to discipline their child at home. They learn good and bad at home. So the question is why are the entitled parents not doing their job at home and expecting teachers to raise their unruly children? Principal should protect the teachers. Their should be teachers union or teacher's association to protect the rights of teachers against bullying and mistreatment. The bullying happens in school, office and other places because the people face no consequences. Democracy doesn't mean no discipline and that citizens are free to be bullies towards police, teachers, celebrities and weaker section of the society. It looks to me that the system needs to change to bring the change in the society. And South Korea has a scary cancel culture that needs to be addressed as well.

We don't get paid enough as it is. So glad my country doesn't have this problem. It happens sometimes, but not to this extent.

This is what get schooled webtoon was about. Too bad it got cancelled cus of the racist chapter.

Fun fact - the main culture of SK is bullying !😂

The students see their teachers the way the society see them... Low income jobs, so as today society values financial status only...surely not on education, respect for teachers is out of the question. Even in south Korea where they say education is so serious... Serious in paper, demands and diplomas to have access to better paid jobs... Not teaching

I don't know maybe *cheating* is the most given disrespect students have done towards the teachers and the nature of learning especially what students normally call as "teamwork" and sometimes used as "test of friendship". It's also like fooling themselves in the end with the grades vs what they have actually learned, acads or values wise. Proves that numbers only matter in the end, not learning and quality of education and people the system might produce.