'Idol Sagwanhakgyo' Hallim Arts High School Faces Closure Crisis... "Please Save the Students and Teachers"

On the 27th, a rally titled 'Ensuring Students' Right to Learn and Teachers' Right to Live Amid the Crisis of Hanlim Arts High School Closure' is being held in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seoyoung Kwon] Hallim Performing Arts High School, known as the "Idol Academy," is facing the threat of closure, and appeals from faculty and students to prevent this are ongoing.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the 18th, a citizen petition titled "Please save the students and teachers of Hallim Arts High School, Hallim Elementary, Middle, and Vocational School (Hallim Elementary, Middle, Vocational Performing Arts High School)" submitted last month has surpassed 10,000 signatures, prompting the Seoul Superintendent of Education to respond personally.

The petitioner, who introduced themselves as a staff member working at Hallim Elementary, Middle, Vocational Performing Arts High School (Hallim Arts High School), stated, "Currently, Hallim Arts High School has been ordered to close under the Lifelong Education Act since the chairman passed away in 2020, and in 2021, no freshmen were admitted, resulting in no first-year students."

The petitioner continued, "When teachers became unsettled anticipating the school's closure process, the school executives, including the Planning and Coordination Director, promised to pursue a transformation such as incorporation of the school." However, they added, "As the actual closure situation approached, none of the promises were kept," and appealed, "The executives have taken unpaid leave and dismissal measures against 40% of the staff and proposed a 30% wage cut for the remaining personnel, causing harm to the students as well."

Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Open Superintendent's Office Citizen Petition Page

Hallim Arts High School has produced numerous idol stars such as Taemin of SHINee, Chaeyoung, Tzuyu, and Dahyun of TWICE, Yook Sungjae of BTOB, and Ryujin and Chaeryeong of ITZY, earning it the nickname "Idol Academy." However, it is treated not as a regular educational institution but as a lifelong education facility recognized for academic credit, thus subject to the Lifelong Education Act rather than the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

The Lifelong Education Act, revised in 2007, restricts individuals from operating lifelong education facilities and requires facilities established by individuals before the revision to convert to corporations upon the founder's death. Because of this, Hallim Arts High School, whose founder passed away last year, is subject to the law and will face closure if it does not convert to a corporation.

Meanwhile, the education office has yet to present any special solutions regarding Hallim Arts High School's situation. Since the school is private property and the assets are under seizure, the education office's position is that there is no way to prevent closure other than persuading the conversion to a corporation.