More South Koreans study in Singapore, citing safety, open-mindedness, bilingualism

Students like Olivia Jung are among a growing number of South Koreans studying in Singapore. PHOTO: OLIVIA JUNG

SEOUL - While living in Jeju and attending boarding school, Olivia Jung - then 15 - came across a poster promoting a new school to be opened on the South Korean island by Singapore-based Anglo Chinese School (International).

"I thought, maybe I can go to that school, but my parents said, 'Why not just go to Singapore?'" said the Seoul native. "Singapore could be my new future."

In January 2020, she packed her bags and flew to the city state to enrol in boarding school at ACS (International), located near Holland Village.

She joined the school at the third of a six-year programme that prepares students for both the International General Certificate of Secondary Education and the International Baccalaureate diploma programme.

Now 18, an age whereby her peers in Korea are holed up in rooms cramming for the country's infamously tough college entrance exam, Jung is busy experiencing Singapore life and participating in a myriad of campus activities, while juggling a rigorous school schedule.

"I like nasi lemak and hor fun. There's also chicken rice, which looks simple but it's become one of my comfort foods. I adapt it to 'Korean style' by adding roasted seaweed and kimchi," she told The Straits Times.

The teenager is among a growing number of South Korean students studying in Singapore, as attitudes shift among parents now hesitant to send their children to traditional favourites United States and United Kingdom in the wake of xenophobic policies such as "America First" and Brexit.

Singapore is deemed a safe alternative that is nearer to home and offers the benefits of an English-Chinese bilingual education.

South Koreans account for 10 per cent of the 1,100 students enrolled at ACS (International), an increase from 7 per cent during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

About half the students there are Singaporeans, and the largest international group are the mainland Chinese, who comprise 12 per cent of the student population.

Seoul-based education agency Singaro Yuhak sends about 150 Korean students to Singapore a year, most of them to ACS (International).

Its chief executive officer Ray Kim told ST that he started the agency in 2014 as he was "impressed by everything Singapore has to offer" in terms of education.

The agency helps students to prepare for schools' entrance tests and provides private tuition for them to cope with their studies.

Ms Jung dressed in a traditional Korean hanbok for a school event. PHOTO: OLIVIA JUNG

Besides safety and bilingualism, Mr Kim also cited factors such as Singapore's global reputation for academic excellence in subjects including maths and science, open-mindedness towards foreign students, and "absence of harmful influences like racial discrimination, shooting crimes and drugs".

He also said 20 per cent to 40 per cent of Singapore international school students go on to enter major prestigious universities, including Singapore's own National University of Singapore (NUS), and there are job opportunities aplenty in the numerous multinational companies based in Singapore.

Korean parents like that ACS (International) "combines both Asian and Western values and vision", Mr Kim said.

"It not only focuses on academics, but also a holistic and all-rounded education. It has the capacity and expertise to lead students to maximise their potential," he said.

Mr Ray Kim (left), chief executive officer of Seoul-based education agency Singaro Yuhak, with his team. PHOTO: SINGARO YUHAK

Mr Kim Tae-hoon, a regional director at a Singapore-based retail group, has two children aged 15 and 17 studying at ACS (International).

He had placed his kids at an American school when the family first lived in Singapore from 2010-2015 but decided to move them to ACS (International) when they returned at the end of 2018, as he preferred a more disciplined Asian environment.

"Korean parents want to provide their children with quality education that will help them to excel in the ever more globalised environment. That means to be able to understand and mingle with people from diverse cultures and ethnicities, and also be able to communicate in foreign languages such as English and Mandarin," he said.

"ACS (International) provides such an international curriculum and environment. It has superb programmes enabling students to become leaders in different occasions while also being more disciplined in academics, and the student mix enables them to experience the real Singapore and the world at the same time."

Living in an Asian environment also means less culture shock, although Mr Joseph Ng from ACS (International)'s admission office noted that "most South Koreans tend to have a distinct national identity, which sees them taking a longer period to assimilate into our one-big-family melting pot".

This means they tend to stick together as a group and are less open to accepting other cultures, he told ST.

However, he added that the school does have a system in place to help these students overcome difficulties by providing relevant support.

South Korean student Yoona Son (second from right) graduated from ACS(I) with a perfect IB score of 45 last year. PHOTO: SINGARO YUHAK

The Korean agency Singaro also works with a team of guardians to help parents watch over their children who are living in Singapore alone, either in boarding school or private homestays.

As a guardian, Ms Michelle Ahn said she acts as a facilitator between ACS (International) and Korean parents, and helps to make sure the students settle down well.

She said food is the biggest complaint for those living in boarding school, as the in-house cafeteria does not provide Korean meals that they are used to.

There are also cases of rebellious behaviour, such as drinking and smoking, which are against the rules, and she once had to accompany a boy to the police station every month after he was embroiled in a fight with another student, who called the police in.

"Feeling homesick is also very common among the students and sometimes, it can get so serious that they don't go to school and just play games all day at the boarding school," Ms Ahn said. "I'd report it to the school and, at the same time, try to persuade them to go to school. We'd also monitor them and meet them face-to-face once a month to check on them."

She herself moved to the Lion City in 2005 to put her daughter in a local primary school. The daughter has since graduated from NUS and is working at a major e-commerce retailer.

Ms Ahn, a Singapore permanent resident of six years, said she was among the pioneer batch of Korean mums who immigrated for the sake of their children's education.

South Korean student Julie Park (fourth from left) graduated from ACS (I) in 2019 and is now studying at Cambridge University. PHOTO: SINGARO YUHAK

Most of their kids went through local schools, only to switch to international schools after 2011, when the Singapore Government started to raise school fees for foreigners and restrict intake numbers, Ms Ahn said.

This was after Singaporeans voiced their displeasure about the country's overtly liberal immigration policy.

Of the 60-plus international schools in Singapore, only three are local brands - ACS (International), St Joseph's Institution International, and Hwa Chong International School.

ACS (International) gets the bulk of Korean students, as the school appointed Singaro as its official South Korean regional office from 2015.

Mr Kim said the Korean students used to prefer heading to universities in the US and UK, but switched to NUS five years ago due to the more affordable tuition fees and high employment rate for graduates in Singapore.

Jung hopes to stay on in Singapore after completing her studies at ACS (International) next year, as she feels there are more opportunities waiting for her.

"I want to start my adult life in Singapore, go to university and get a job here," she said. "I want to experience and explore Singapore more."

This article was originally published on The Straits Times. Its inclusion on this website is solely for education purposes. 

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