South Korea has some crazy practices regarding school. A friend of mine is there now shooting a documentary on 5 students going through their senior year of HS.
"In one of the most competitive societies in the world, how does one find their place? What does it take to achieve your aspirations and goals? Our documentary will take a look at the lives of five Korean teenagers on the verge of either reaching- or losing- their dreams. The film will follow the students during the most stressful time of their lives- their last year of high school. After studying for roughly sixteen hours each day, their futures boil down to one last exam. On November 10th, 2011, thousands of high school seniors will take a nine hour test that for many, will determine their economic and social status for the rest of their lives."
Documentary on Korean High School
Here's a clip from the documentary showing parents urgently praying for their children's success:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Cif46iyDcuU