"Please Buy an iPad for Problem Solving"... The 'Tablet PC' That Became a Backbreaker

Popularity of Paperless Learning
Tutoring and Problem Solving Also Using Electronic Textbooks
Concerns Over Creating Relative Deprivation Feelings

Kim, a 47-year-old parent living in Nowon-gu, Seoul, bought an iPad for their first-year high school child. This was because the child kept insisting that they were the only one studying with paper textbooks. Kim initially planned to purchase an entry-level model but, unable to resist the persistent requests, ended up buying a model costing about 1 million won. Kim lamented, "I bought it because they said it was for studying, but it seems too expensive."

Recently, tablet PCs have emerged as a new ‘deunggol breaker’ among teenagers. ‘Deunggol breaker’ is a newly coined term referring to items so expensive that they strain parents’ finances.

The above photo is not related to the article content. Yonhap News.

According to a survey conducted by Gallup Korea on the 11th targeting teenagers aged 13 to under 18 from February to July last year, 61% of respondents reported owning a tablet PC. This figure is about 1.65 times higher than the 36% recorded in the second half of 2020.

The tablet PC craze is influenced by the so-called 'paperless' study method becoming a learning trend. It reduces the weight of backpacks by storing textbooks on electronic devices, and already graded workbooks can be reused as if new. Lee, an 18-year-old high school student, explained, "Nowadays, many tutors solve problems using tablet PCs. Study materials are often sent via AirDrop (Apple’s content sharing service) or mobile messengers, so studying becomes very inconvenient without a tablet PC for problem-solving."

Some point out that tablet PCs may cause relative deprivation among students. Even low-priced models cost several hundred thousand won, making it difficult for students from less affluent families to afford them. Park, a 51-year-old running a private academy in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, said, "One middle school student took out an iPad to solve problems, and other students looked at them enviously. A few weeks later, two students bought iPads to follow suit. One student who ultimately couldn’t purchase one felt upset."

Professor Eunhee Lee of Inha University’s Consumer Studies Department emphasized, "The trend of luxury padded jackets among teenagers in the past has simply shifted to tablet PCs. To prevent this trend from spreading as relative deprivation, schools should take educational measures to curb conspicuous and conformist consumption."