South Korea is largely a monolingual country, yet the English language presents one of the primary means to success in South Korean society. It is one of the main criteria in education, recruitment and job performance evaluation, thanks to the phenomenon of English fever. English fever can be defined as a strong desire to be proficient in English. Since English language proficiency determines one's social class, competition in schools has increased, which has been taken advantage of by private institutions that have been profiting off anxious parents. The number of students receiving private tuition and the hours of attendance increases each year during the preparation for the College Scholastic Aptitude Test, or CSAT. The CSAT is a test that every student who wishes to go to a university must take. There is a hierarchy of universities in South Korea. As enrolment in elite universities secures one a high-ranking job position, students often find themselves studying at hagwons late into the night. Private institutions reinforce the English divide, which is a social division created due to unequal access to English education, and deepen social reproduction. This thesis presents the role of the English language and English education throughout history and in contemporary South Korean society. It describes the origin and effects of English fever, with a focus on private education. Knowing and understanding the role of English in South Korean society is an important part of understanding the education system, societal structures and the functioning of society.
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