"Secret Mother" makes thriller out of Korea's unique education system

[waves-of-light.livejournal.com]

The upcoming weekend TV series "Secret Mother" on SBS features such a bizarre -- even disturbing to some -- occupation that many Korean viewers will easily dismiss it as being fictional.

But the job of playing a "surrogate mother," tasked with managing and improving a child's academic performance, has existed for some years in pockets of notoriously hyper-competitive neighborhoods in Gangnam, southern Seoul.

Only those with a proven record of getting their own kids into a top-tier university can get the high-paying job. The job specifications include finding best education and private teachers for the kid, arranging the kid's schedule down to the minute, helping with homework and following up on academic progress.

"Actually I have been hearing about the job for some time. I was surprised to learn that quite a few households use such services," actress Song Yoon-ah said at a press conference held at the SBS headquarters in Seoul on Friday.

"I don't think I can go that far, even though I hope my kid excels at school," said the mother of a 7-year-old boy. "There are kids who do well in school, and there are those who are good at painting. It is a parent's responsibility to help their children figure out what they are good at."

The mystery drama centers on two women -- Kim Eun-young (played by Kim So-yeon), a mysterious live-in surrogate mother who takes charge of education of a young boy, and the boy's mother Kim Yun-jin (Song Yoon-ah), a stay-at-home mom who goes so far as giving up her psychiatrist profession to help her son excel academically.

Kim Eun-young's entrance in her life slowly causes a crack in the boys' mother's otherwise stable and affluent life. Shrouded in mystery, the woman seems to hide issues and have ulterior motives.

The drama also paints a stark picture of the country's overheated education market where a mom's success is equated with her child's academic performance.

"I hope the drama helps raise awareness about the ill effects of the ultra-competitive education system," said the other main actor, Kim So-yeon.

On top of the educational issues, she said the story is also about comforting people prone to making mistakes.

"The characters in the drama have their own defects and scars. They knowingly make mistakes and soon regret them. As the story progresses, they gradually heal themselves. I hope TV viewers feel the same way."

The 32-part drama will premiere at 8:55 p.m. Saturday.

Sounds interesting. But I don't know if I can make it through 32 episodes. Hope it's good.

source: Yonhap News & SBSNOW

Comments

[scionofawhisper.livejournal.com]

They really sexed up the "mother" in that poster, I thought the plot was gonna be a lot more spicy cause of that.

Idol life and people choosing it really don't seem that far out when seen within the context of Korean society.. like geezus

[mjspice.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I'm not really shocked. I actually know some people here who were "adopted" by rich people & then sent abroad for studies & such. :/

[goldenrosalie.livejournal.com]

oh wow i had no idea that both song yoon ah & kim so yeonn are in it! i think i will check it out.
btw it's not really 32 eps, it's essentially 16 1 hour episodes, so pretty standard for a kdrama.

[hibaalhadid.livejournal.com]

I like Song Yoon ah's acting, she was great in the K2 (she was the only good thing in it tbh) so I'll look forward to it

[tsuyoi-hikari.livejournal.com]

I think its has potential to be good. Kim So Yeon was pretty bad ass if she wants to.