"Freshmen Required to Attend MT and Prepare Talent Shows"... Is This Really College These Days?

Internal Exposure from Department of Civil Engineering at Jigeo University
"Mandatory Participation in MT and Talent Show"
Music Department Also Faced Exposure Last Year

March marks the transition from high school to university. However, there is a school caught up in an unexpected disciplinary controversy. The school in question is a university located in Chungnam. An internal leak revealed that a certain department is forcing students to perform talent shows during MT (Membership Training), intensifying the controversy.

The appearance of a university campus is unrelated to the content of the article. [Asia Economy DB]

On the 18th, a post titled "Is the MT talent show still mandatory?" was uploaded on this university's Everytime community. This community requires student verification from the university to join. The author, a current student identified as A, said, "The 1st-year students in the Civil Engineering department (presumed from the abbreviation ㅌㅁㄱㅎ) are forced to participate and perform in the talent show as a way to enforce discipline. Is this really 2024?" They added, "It's mandatory, and if you don't go, are you ostracized? It's scary."

Most students responded to A's post with comments like, "Makes me want to retake the year," "Is this 2014, not 2024?" "There are still departments that force 1st-year students to perform in talent shows," "It was mandatory for us too," and "If someone doesn't want to do it, shouldn't they be excused?" showing empathy.

However, a student B, presumed to be enrolled in the Civil Engineering department, scolded A, saying, "All the seniors did it too. Just do it." In response, A retorted, "Then you should serve three years in the military. Just because the older generation did it doesn't mean it's right." Another student C tried to persuade A by saying, "It's nothing once you actually do it."

An internal expos? from the Department of Civil Engineering at a regional flagship national university located in Chungnam.
[Photo by student community archive]

As the post gained attention, voices calling for reform grew louder within the university. Student D told Asia Economy, "I never imagined such a thing could happen. I don't know if it's true, but if forcing talent shows is confirmed, the student council should correct this mistake." They explained, "Not all departments attend MT to enforce discipline. In my department, attendance is voluntary, and talent shows are not forced."

Previous 'Disciplinary Controversy'... "We were told to bow 90 degrees to seniors"

An internal expos? from the Department of Music at a regional national university located in Chungnam. Please note that personal information and profanity have been blurred.
[Photo by student community archive]

This is not the first time the university has been embroiled in a disciplinary controversy. In March last year, a post titled "What's wrong with the Music Department?" was uploaded on Everytime, receiving about 180 recommendations and becoming a hot topic. Student F revealed, "It wasn't about wanting to play senior roles. During OT, we had to climb from the basement 4th floor to the 8th floor without using the elevator, and we were gathered together." They added, "We were lined up one by one and verbally abused, made to sing individually during choir class and evaluated. There was personal humiliation, and we were even told to bow 90 degrees to seniors."

F continued, "They mocked sick patients and criticized how we dressed. They even controlled our class schedules arbitrarily." They said, "My parents didn't raise me to be treated like this, and I don't understand why we have to endure this at school. It's shocking that such abuse still exists." F also added, "An ambulance was called because of the posture correction class."

In response, a senior student from the department said, "Posture correction is natural, and making one sing individually is also natural. If we don't do that, no one practices." They explained, "Criticism about singing is about lack of practice, and banning certain clothing like short skirts is to avoid embarrassment among students. I had many complaints when I was a freshman, but you come to understand it over time," scolding F.

Meanwhile, university disciplinary practices fall under Article 324 of the Criminal Act concerning coercion. Coercion is established when a person obstructs another's exercise of rights or compels them to perform an act they are not obligated to do through assault or threats. Violators can face imprisonment of up to five years.