Etoos Apologizes After Instructor Lee Do Halts Exam Prep Courses
Online education provider Etoos faces backlash as instructor cancels remaining university entrance exam lectures.
1Sudden Course Cancellation
Online education platform Etoos issued a formal apology after social studies instructor Lee Do abruptly halted his remaining curriculum for the 2027 university entrance exam. The company stated that despite efforts to coordinate schedules and provide filming support, the instructor failed to meet the agreed-upon deadlines for the essential lecture series.
2Official Company Response
Etoos announced the disruption on November 9, acknowledging the significant anxiety caused to students during a critical pre-exam period. To manage the fallout, the company transitioned the instructor’s public Q&A board to private status, directing all student inquiries to their customer service center for individual handling and personalized support responses.
3Instructor's Stated Reasons
On October 29, Lee Do released a handwritten letter citing health issues as the primary reason for his inability to complete the Korean and World Geography curricula. This announcement arrived just three weeks before the national exam, leaving many students struggling to adjust their final study plans without the expected instructional guidance.
4Public Backlash Escalates
Controversy intensified when students discovered Lee Do attended a Netflix production press conference on November 5, despite his claims of health-related incapacity. Students expressed frustration on community boards, questioning the integrity of the cancellation and demanding accountability for the time and financial investments they made into the now-incomplete educational program.
5Pattern of Disruptions
This is not the first time Lee Do has interrupted his teaching schedule due to health concerns. In August of the previous year, he suspended lectures citing deteriorating corneal health, which he claimed hindered his ability to view monitors and write textbooks. These recurring issues have fueled student skepticism regarding his professional commitment.
6Context of Media Appearances
Lee Do, a Seoul National University Geography Education graduate, gained public recognition through appearances on Netflix reality programs. While he is set to appear in the upcoming series 'The Devil's Plan: Dead Again,' his participation in these entertainment projects has become a focal point for student criticism regarding his priorities.
7Evaluating Health Claims
While student anger is directed at the perceived contradiction between his health-related absence from teaching and his public media appearances, the specific medical details remain private. It is difficult to definitively assess the instructor's health status or the validity of his claims based solely on his attendance at a press event.
8Impact on Students
The situation highlights the vulnerability of students relying on individual star instructors for high-stakes exam preparation. As the 2027 entrance exam approaches, the sudden loss of curriculum access forces students to scramble for alternative resources, underscoring the risks inherent in the current model of private online education platforms in South Korea.
Original article: Maeil Business — Etoos Apologizes After Instructor Lee Do Halts Exam Prep Courses