Jung Kyung-mi defends English musical hagwon amid online backlash

Comedian Jung Kyung-mi has spoken out after questions arose online about her qualifications to run an English musical hagwon in Incheon's Songdo district, where enrollment has grown large enough to generate a waiting list.

On Thursday, Jung posted a statement on her social media account addressing the controversy. "Hello! I'm Jung Kyung-mi, class of '99 in the theater and film department at Kookmin University and the 20th cohort of KBS comedy open recruitment," she wrote. "Our lovely children, talented young (?) teachers and a genuinely fun comedian director are spending each day happily together — I can't tell you how happy we are! Please watch over us alongside the children."

Jung added that the students would be putting on a performance in December. "Please come visit — I want to show off our kids," she wrote, signing off with a pledge: "Director Jung Kyung-mi will work hard."

The controversy followed a video posted Wednesday on the YouTube channel "Yoon Hyung-bin's One Punch Man," in which comedian Yoon Hyung-bin introduced the English musical hagwon Jung runs in Songdo, Incheon.

In the video, Jung introduced herself as the hagwon's director and gave Yoon a tour of the facility. Pointing to a keyboard in one of the classrooms, Jung said it was "the only gift my husband gave me when the hagwon opened."

Photos from a student musical production were also shown. When Yoon expressed surprise at the quality of the performance, Jung explained that the large number of enrolled students had made it worthwhile to bring in a makeup artist, adding that the costumes and props were all made in-house.

Jung also touched on enrollment demand, saying frankly that there was a waiting list, and described running the hagwon as "fun."

"Now that a year and a half has passed, I've settled in a lot, and many parents have been supportive of the hagwon," Jung said. "I just need to keep a close eye on the children's safety. I'm happiest when I'm working."

After the video went public, opinions divided online over whether Jung has the right background to run the hagwon.

Some users argued that an operator of a hagwon teaching English and musical performance should have relevant academic credentials, and questioned Jung's field of study. Others pushed back, noting that a director can handle management while qualified instructors handle teaching, making it difficult to judge a hagwon's educational quality solely by the director's major.

In practice, Jung has been open about the arrangement. In an appearance last year on the YouTube channel "A-List Jang Young-ran," Jung said: "I can't speak English well. I handle the management. Teachers far better than me teach the children."

Under current law, there is no legal obstacle to running a hagwon without a degree in the relevant subject. Operators are not required to have majored in or obtained a qualification related to the field of instruction they offer.

However, if a director personally teaches classes, the instructor qualification standards must be met. Article 13 of the Hagwon Act and Annex 3 of its enforcement decree set out separate qualification requirements for instructors who conduct lessons.

yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com