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Korean mothers credit Hotel Shilla CEO's choices as rumors of son's CSAT score circulate

Published: 04 Dec. 2025, 17:52

Hotel Shilla CEO Lee Boo-jin speaks at an event held at the Incheon International Airport on Oct. 23. [NEWS1]

Korean mothers are lauding Hotel Shilla CEO Lee Boo-jin's choices as rumors circulate that her son got only one question wrong on the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT).

“Lee Boo-jin has been a trending name in moms’ group chats for the past two weeks,” wrote Park Sun-young, the former chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which oversees government research into historical data regarding contemporary and modern history.

“Her son, a third-year student at Whimoon High School, is said to have missed only one question on the CSAT this year," Park continued. "He never failed to place first in his grade, even during middle school.”

Park contrasted Lee’s parenting choices with those of many wealthy families, many of whom send their children to study abroad instead of in Korea.

“These days, anyone with money will do whatever it takes to send their children abroad, starting with English-language preschools,” she wrote. “But here we have the heiress of the Samsung family, someone with no shortage of money or connections, choosing to raise her son entirely in Korea. I find it touching.”

Park added that Lee reportedly plans to send her son to a domestic university as well. “I really like the way Lee Boo-jin is raising her son,” Park continued. “Thanks to her, I hope our shattered education system can stand tall again. I’m grateful that she’s given Korean-educated moms something to be proud of.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]