Civil Service Exam From Joseon to 2020
Several of the newspapers have shown this image of candidates sitting exams during the pandemic...
April 2020. Covid19 is affecting our lives in every way. But trying to carry on, applicants for jobs in a city-run company in Ansan (just outside Seoul) took the exam in a football stadium!
To follow the rules of social-distancing, the desks were 5 metres apart. The candidates also had to have their temperature taken, wear a face mask, and use hand sanitiser when they came in.
There’s a lot of competition for jobs in the public sector. And the exams often make headlines at this time of year.
Several years ago, a 25 year old man committed suicide by jumping from the 20th floor of an apartment building in Seoul.
Korea has a high suicide rate but this story made the headlines for several reasons.
Firstly, because another man died at the scene. When he jumped from the apartment building, a resident was coming home from work at the same time. Just as he was about to enter the building, the suicidal man landed on top of him. Both men died.
And then there was the suicide note. In it the young man described his life as ‘suregi’ (garbage).
His note revealed that he was studying for the civil service exam, but was having difficulties with his studies and had deep feelings of inferiority. He left his bag on the balcony with the note and his study books.
The young man must have believed that a job in the civil service would bring status and respect. But he felt that he couldn’t pass the test and that his life was worthless.
The tragic irony was that the second man who died at the scene WAS a civil servant. He had the dream job that the young man so desperately wanted.
This sad story made me think more about ‘status’ and why it is so important to us. I got answers from the fascinating book Status Anxiety by Alain De Botton and wrote about it in this post: How are Suicide and Status Anxiety Related in Korea?
JOB SECURITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
As well as status, a job in the public sector also offers job security which must be more desirable than ever in these unstable times!
As a freelancer, I’ve lost a lot of work and I’m certainly not the only one. Every industry has been affected – even areas I hadn’t thought about.
I was talking to the owner of a peach orchard who expects the price of peaches to be low this year because companies tend to buy a lot of fruit to offer clients at meetings. But of course meetings have been drastically cut back and employees are working from home where possible.
But on the other hand, jobs in the public sector are relatively safe. Although senior members of the civil service in Korea have now agreed to take a pay cut too. (This last happened during the financial crisis of 1997).
So it’s not surprising that despite the social distancing rules, candidates are keen to take the exam no matter what.
DESPERATE MEASURES
A few years ago, an over eager candidate made it into the headlines when he broke into the government building and accessed computers to change his score!
He was clearly unhappy with the test he had taken and so managed to access his results and adjust his marks! (That’s quite impressive, actually! I wouldn’t know where to begin to do something like that!)
But he was quite naughty as he had also falsified his medical records too, claiming poor eyesight to be given more time in the exams!
He must have been really desperate to pass.
Many candidates study for years to pass the exam. They must be under a lot of pressure since all that time could be in vain. Not to mention the money spent on tuition…
THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM IN JOSEON HISTORICAL DRAMAS
The Civil Service Exam in Joseon times has made its way into plot lines for lots of historical dramas.
In Painter of the Wind (SBS, 2008) it’s suggested that famous painter Sin Yun Bok got the idea for the painting Dano Day whilst taking the exam to get into the Dohwaseo Royal Academy of Painting.
Several of the plot lines in Heojun (MBC, 2000) surround the doctors going to to the capital to take the medical exam which could give them a place in the Department of Medicine at the Palace.
In Yi San (MBC, 2007) King Jeongjo struggles with feuding factions at court who try to disrupt the government by sabotaging the exam for scholars to become officials.
CONTEMPORARY KOREAN DRAMAS
And finally, if you’re interested in modern dramas and have some time on your hands in lockdown, here are just a few of the recent political dramas and films that I’ve got my eye on. They are available on Netflix:
Black Money (2019), a film about corruption in the government. Based on a true financial scandal.
Chief of Staff (JTBC, 2019), two seasons about politicians trying to climb the political ladder.
Stranger (tvN 2017) Season 2 coming soon. One of the highest rated dramas on cable TV. A prosecutor (Cho Seung-woo) and female detective (Bae Doo-na) team up to uncover corruption and solve a serial murder mystery. Season 1 was great. If you’re looking for a crime drama with interesting, quirky characters (and no romance!) – this could be for you.
Designated Survivor: 60 Days, is a Korean remake of the U.S. political thriller starring Kiefer Sutherland. Stars Ji Jin Hee as the Minister of the Environment.
I wonder what issues will come up with the exams next year?
This is very interesting and the story about the suicide… wow, so sad and ironic. Thanks for this unique insight.
It seems a lot of people here see their future as pretty gloomy.Korea has the highest suicide rate of all the OECD countries.
Great post, informative and sad that suicide happens, that story was very ironic.
Yes, it’s sad. And it seems more young people are thinking about suicide now because of work. Telephones have been installed on the bridges in Seoul across the Han River to encourage people to call the SOS Hotline for counselling.