Lecturer Choi Tae-sung Moved by Comment from Island Girl
"Proud That There Is No Private Education for the Korean History Proficiency Test Because of Me"
Choi Tae-sung, who has been teaching Korean history at EBS for about 23 years, revealed the reason why he insists on offering free lectures.
Choi appeared as a guest on the JTBC entertainment program 'Knowing Bros' aired on the 1st.
In response to the cast's question, "How do you make income if you give lectures for free?" he stated, "I have never done private online lectures."
Choi reflected on his early days as an instructor after retiring from school and becoming self-employed. He said, "The days I receive money come late, but the days I have to pay employees' salaries come quickly," adding, "I was so stressed that I lost 10 kg."
He continued, "Around that time, my lectures started to gain popularity, and I recovered my income through filming, lectures, and textbooks, and I endured it that way."
Choi Tae-sung mentioned that a comment left by a female student became the reason he insisted on free lectures.
He said, "In the early 2000s, online lectures were just starting to become popular, and a female student living on a remote island left a comment saying, 'I want to take private online lectures too, but my family is poor and cannot pay. I have no choice but to listen to your lectures, so please teach properly.'"
Choi recalled, "Seeing that comment, I thought someone was betting their life on me," and said, "I thought I shouldn't lecture like this, so from then on, I listened to and researched all the lectures in Korea."
He said, "I studied hard thinking that I should create the best lectures so that my lectures would not be ones people take because they have no money, but ones they have to take even if they have money," adding, "So now, I have become a 'top instructor' that people have to take even if they have money."
Choi revealed, "If I went into private education, my basic annual sales would exceed 20 billion won," and said he still receives many offers.
He added, "I am confessing for the first time here, but now I cannot retreat," saying, "I want to make money, drive a nice car, and live in a luxurious Tower Palace, but this is how my life has flowed. The name Choi Tae-sung has become established so that many people can easily access history for free."
Choi expressed pride, saying, "The private education market for the college entrance exam is enormous now, but there is no private education market for the Korean History Proficiency Test," and "Because I, as a top instructor, provide all lectures for free, private education does not exist. I carry that as the meaning of my life."
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