PICTORIAL: S’ Korean parents hold marathon prayer sessions ahead of exam day

A woman enters the Jogyesa Buddhist temple, where prayers are taking place for students who are sitting for the annual College Scholastic Ability Test, known locally as Suneung, in Seoul on November 14, 2024 [Credit: AFP]

South Korean parents held nine-hour prayer sessions, live-streamed speaking in tongues, and performed 108 bows before a Buddhist altar as they prayed for students sitting for a crucial exam on Thursday.

The “Suneung” university entrance exam is a major event in education-focused South Korea, with officials taking extreme measures—from rescheduling flights to halting construction—to ensure students can perform at their best.

At a church in Seoul’s affluent Gangnam district, parents gathered for a nine-hour prayer marathon, with specific requests to God based on the structure of the multiple-choice exam, which will be taken by 522,670 students this year.

A woman prays at the Jogyesa Buddhist temple [Credit: AFP]

“I was so nervous that I couldn’t sleep last night, but the prayer session made me feel much better,” said parent Kang Soo-Jung, adding that she planned to stay for the entire event.

For the first section—Korean language—priests prayed for students to read clearly, and during the Mathematics section, parents prayed for their children to calculate smoothly.

At a church on the outskirts of Seoul, Pastor Han Seung-woo led a prayer session for hundreds of parents. Many wept as he asked God to bless their test-taking children with “wisdom and courage.”

A woman prays as she holds candles at the Jogyesa Buddhist temple [Credit: AFP]

“I shared my hopes that, regardless of whether students do well on the exam, parents can find reassurance in knowing that God is with them every step of the way,” Seung-woo told AFP.

‘Still Our Loving Children’

Another pastor, Lee Chan-soo, who has led “Suneung prayer sessions” since 1992, said he uses these gatherings to help parents cope with potential exam disappointments with calm acceptance.

“The Suneung isn’t everything in life. It’s just the beginning. They are still our loving children and God’s children, regardless of test scores,” he said.

At the Bongeunsa Buddhist temple, one of Seoul’s largest, head monk Wonmyung comforted parents by performing rituals to support their children.
Some parents bowed 108 times before the altar—a practice in Buddhist theology believed to grant their wishes.

South Korean students wait to take the annual College Scholastic Ability Test, known locally as Suneung, at a school in Seoul [Credit: AFP]

“I know this is one of the most important days in a parent’s life,” Wonmyung said, adding that it’s all about “praying so that the students have peace and calm in their minds.”can

For parents unable to pray in person, many churches and temples live-streamed the sessions on YouTube.

Yoido Full Gospel Church, one of South Korea’s largest churches with about 480,000 members, held a live YouTube session throughout the exam, featuring gospel songs and faithful members speaking in tongues.

South Korea’s largest Buddhist television channel, BTN, broadcasts chants that parents could join from home. If parents made donations, their hopes for their child’s exam results and the student’s name would scroll across the screen.

AFP