A brief annual silence has once again enveloped South Korea, as half a million students across the country undergo the most important test of their lives.
Planes were grounded, construction work was halted and car horns were discouraged as the Suneung, an eight-hour college placement exam considered one of the toughest in the world, began on Thursday .
But this year, there was a sound that particularly scared students: “APT.”
The global hit by Blackpink and Bruno Mars' Rosé emerged as a “banned” song among students who feared its catchiness would make them lose concentration during the exam.
No distraction is too minor when it comes to Suneung, which many consider the culmination of years of formal education – and a turning point that determines their college placement, career and social status.
“I'm worried that the song will play in my head even during the exam,” one student told Yonhap News of the chart-topping song. “Adults might laugh and say, 'Why stress over something like that?' » But for us, with such an important test coming up, it can seem unsettling. »
Suneung students have already been encouraged to avoid other so-called earworms, with songs such as BTS' “Go Go” and SHINee's “Ring Ding Dong” repeatedly cited online as tracks that should be prohibited.
Ensuring the smooth conduct of the exam is a national effort. Shops and the stock exchange opened Thursday evening to ease traffic jams, and authorities adjusted public transportation operating hours and put more than a dozen reserve trains on standby in case of breakdowns.
More than 10,000 police officers were deployed, some of whom were responsible for transporting students to school in case of emergency.
In addition to grounding planes to minimize noise pollution during the 20-minute English listening tests, authorities also asked bus and taxi drivers to refrain from honking during the tests.
The disturbances in Suneung are being treated as a serious problem. Last December, dozens of students sued the government after teachers accidentally shortened their exam by 90 seconds.
A record number of candidates are retaking the exam this year, after authorities announced they would increase enrollment at medical schools – a move that sparked widespread protests among trainee doctors and was welcomed by doctors. future medical students.
