The Gallery
All text and photographs copyright of Our Forgotten Children
South Korea
Seoul is the capital of one of the world’s largest economies. Over the last three generations, South Korea’s upper classes have amassed a staggering amount of wealth, to the point that the country has the greatest gap between rich and poor of any industrialized nation. 75% of its land is owned by 6% of its people. Of Seoul’s 9.6 million population, two million are squatters.
The number one priority of Seoul’s wealthy parents is ensuring their children get into a top university. They spend upwards of $25 billion every year on private tutoring - nearly double the government’s entire education budget.
Schooled by tutors from dawn to dusk, six year-old Bahk Hyunggoon will have little in the way of family memories to cherish when he grows up. But in a tae-kwondo class at this exclusive day-care center, Bahk’s innate spirit of mischief cannot be contained.