Sociology professor Sam Richards from Pennsylvania State University recently analyzed a video by Lee Su-ji that depicts the daily life of a kindergarten teacher struggling with malicious complaints from parents.
On his YouTube channel, Professor Richards shared his thoughts on the content, saying, “On one hand, it’s funny, but on the other, it makes me feel uncomfortable.” He added, “Interestingly, I think many people who watched this video felt a strange mix of emotions while laughing.”
Discussing the unique Korean culture of ‘Nunchi,’ he noted, “The fact that there is a word like ‘Nunchi’ in Korea shows how important it is in Korean culture.” In his view, the act of reading the room and adapting oneself to others ultimately leads to a detachment from one’s own identity.
He further pointed out structural issues in the Korean education system that make it difficult for teachers to focus on their primary duties. Professor Richards diagnosed the situation, stating, “In Korea, it’s hard for teachers to fulfill their original roles because of the parents,” and explained that “there are too many expectations teachers must meet for numerous parents and students.” He added, “While not all parents are like this, many believe their child is special and therefore make special demands of the teacher. This is an important issue being discussed in Korea, and Lee Su-ji satirizes these malicious complaint situations very well.”
He also discussed aspects of Korean society by mentioning specific examples from the video, such as teaching stock trading to children or changing smartphone models to be mindful of parents’ perceptions.
Professor Richards emphasized that these hardships are a universal phenomenon, not limited to Korea. He explained, “The problem is that levels of loneliness and depression among teachers are very high worldwide,” noting that “the incidence of depression among US teachers is twice as high as in other professions because it is very difficult for teachers to be themselves.” He analyzed that the professional nature of constantly reading the atmosphere to meet others’ expectations causes psychological exhaustion.
Previously, comedian Lee Su-ji released two videos on her YouTube channel satirizing the reality of kindergarten teachers exposed to excessive complaints. The videos depicted teachers having to suppress their emotions and maintain specific expressions and tones, as well as dealing with interference regarding their attire, handling waste, and even managing pests.
