Channel A’s ‘My Grades, Please! - Teachers S2’: Between Personalized Support and Pressure to Compete
Channel A’s educational reality show My Grades, Please! - Teachers Season 2 brings together some of Korea’s top academic instructors to offer customized support for struggling students. The show aims to combine entertainment with meaningful educational insights, tailoring solutions based on each student’s unique learning challenges.
Hosted by model and television personality Han Hye-jin, along with Jeon Hyun-moo and Jang Young-ran, the second season pushes deeper into personalized academic support and emotional well-being. What makes Han’s perspective compelling is that she shares her own experiences navigating education as a parent. Her daughter studied abroad in the U.K. and the U.S., then returned to Korea—a transition that proved more difficult than expected due to vast differences in educational systems and expectations.
The Upside: Empathy and Truly Personalized Academic Help
Each student's struggles are different—and this show acknowledges that. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, the show features expert teachers who deeply analyze individual circumstances before recommending study strategies. For instance, one of the segments—“Math Camp from Hell”—lets students immerse themselves in an intensive two-day bootcamp designed to reignite motivation and reframe math challenges as manageable problems.
Han Hye-jin adds to this equation by representing a parent’s point of view. She doesn't just host; she shares openly about her daughter’s academic and emotional journey. In a country where education often feels like a competitive sport, having a parent figure on screen admitting uncertainty or frustration brings warmth and relatability. Many viewers, especially caregivers, connect with her vulnerability.
Moreover, the show may be addressing an overlooked group: students who grew up overseas and now face cultural and academic reentry struggles in Korean schools. Introducing them to Korean-style learning methods—while honoring their diverse backgrounds—helps bridge a growing educational gap. In that respect, the show could offer an important step toward more inclusive education.
The Downside: Encouraging Competition More Than Growth?
Despite its good intentions, the show has received criticism for further fueling Korea’s already high-pressure academic environment. The very phrase “Math Camp from Hell” hints at the kind of harsh, test-focused learning culture that can induce anxiety rather than inspiration. Are we motivating students, or overwhelming them?
During one episode, Han Hye-jin discussed her daughter’s English skills and the difficulties she faced adjusting back into Korea’s rigid school environment. While eye-opening, such comparisons also risk creating feelings of inferiority among students—especially when other kids see themselves as falling behind their peers academically or linguistically.
There's also the concern of exclusivity. The show offers individualized solutions, but many of them are only realistically achievable with access to elite resources or instructors. Viewers may enjoy watching academic miracles, but the real-world application could feel distant, even discouraging, for average students and families.
And while the show is branded as educational, it’s still broadcast television. Its pacing, dramatized editing, and occasionally sensational framing—such as tearful breakthroughs or teacher scoldings—may prioritize viewer engagement over actual student wellbeing. The risk? Turning real educational struggles into a consumable entertainment product.
Finding Balance: A Smarter Way Forward
My Grades, Please! - Teachers S2 sparks vital conversation around academic stress, parenting, and the diversity of learning paths. But we must ask: Should education content focus only on improving test scores—or can it uplift students emotionally and mentally, too?
A balanced show should provide more than just academic hacks. It should champion holistic development: confidence building, emotional resilience, realistic goals, and celebrating unique strengths. Not every student is wired for Excel-style memorization. Some are artists, some are builders, some are dreamers. The show could better reflect that variety.
And maybe that’s where Han Hye-jin’s role could deepen. As a mother who’s witnessed multiple systems—Western flexibility and Korean rigidity—she's well positioned to advocate for a more flexible, student-centered approach. Instead of inadvertently reinforcing competition, the show could become a platform for reimagining what it means to succeed in education today.
If nothing else, My Grades, Please! highlights the tension we all wrestle with: how to support our children without overwriting their individuality, how to push for growth without pushing them over the edge. These are questions that go beyond Korea; they’re universal for parents, teachers, and students everywhere.
