Suneung discounts roll out nationwide as students celebrate the end of exam season
Suneung, the daylong college entrance exam that serves as the culmination of a high school senior’s academic journey, is finally over. To mark the end of months of grueling preparation, retailers and service providers nationwide are rolling out special promotions for test-takers.
Students must bring their ID and test identification slip, issued by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, to qualify for the benefits.
"Test-takers! You've put in so much effort! To repay you for your hard work, we have prepared a small event for you," read an advertisement by an orthodontist offering discounts for Suneung test-takers.
Blow off steam at amusement park
Lotte announced Sunday that it will offer 50 percent discounts for high school seniors who bring the Suneung identification slips to its major attractions, including Lotte World Adventure in Seoul and Busan, Lotte World Aquarium and the Seoul Sky observatory atop Korea’s tallest building.
With the promotion, tickets to Lotte World Adventure in Seoul and Busan cost 26,000 won ($17.72) and 20,000 won, respectively, while Lotte World Aquarium and Seoul Sky are priced at 17,500 won and 15,500 won each. The discounts run from Thursday to Nov. 30.
Other amusement parks are joining in. Everland, the country’s largest theme park, is offering one-day tickets at 20,000 won (nearly 70 percent off) through the end of December. Students can also purchase a one-year pass at half price.
Everland will also give daily gifts to 400 students from Friday through Nov. 30. Scanning a QR code printed on the items unlocks 50,000 won worth of in-park coupons.
Smaller parks like Seoul Land and Daegu’s E-World are offering 55 to 61 percent discounts.
Time to travel
Korail Travel, the tourism arm of the national rail operator, is offering 20 percent off on 13 domestic travel packages for test-takers and up to two companions until Dec. 31.
Low-cost carriers have also announced promotions. Jeju Air is offering 20 percent off all domestic routes for students and one companion until Dec. 17.
T’way Air and Eastar Jet extended discounts to international routes. T’way is offering 5 to 25 percent off depending on destination, while Eastar Jet is offering 10 to 25 percent off all flights.
Air Busan introduced fixed-rate student fares, including Busan–Osaka and Busan–Cebu routes at 59,800 won and 59,900 won, respectively. The airline is also hosting a lucky draw offering 50,000 won worth of health and beauty products.
Local tourism sites such as Incheon’s Wolmi Sea Train and Tongyeong Cable Car are also offering Suneung discounts. Several hotels have released vouchers redeemable with the admission ticket.
Eat, indulge and unwind
Restaurants and buffets are offering celebratory discounts.
Momo Cafe at Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Namdaemun is offering a 20 percent discount for students and up to five family members until Nov. 30. Seafood buffet chain Qooqoo is offering a 5,000 won discount to students for five days starting Thursday across its 80 locations.
SPC Group’s La Grillia is offering a complimentary dish valued at 40,000 won to students who present their test identification slips.
CJ CheilJedang’s family restaurant chain VIPS is offering 25 percent off its salad bar, while Outback Steakhouse said Thursday it will give students a complimentary cheese fries menu for purchases over 70,000 won through Nov. 30.
Coffee chains such as Pascucci, Starbucks and The Venti are also participating in Suneung promotions.
Shop until you drop
Fashion platform Musinsa is offering 5,000 won discount vouchers in its offline stores and 10 percent off its Musinsa Standard brand for Suneung test-takers through Nov. 21.
Lotte Department Store is offering a 10 percent discount for test-takers on 90 youth-favorite brands — including Matin Kim, Superdry and Lee — from Friday to Monday.
Shinsegae Department Store brands such as Spao, 8 Seconds and Top Ten are offering discounts of up to 20 percent, while Nike and Adidas are discounting select products.
Electronics retailers are joining in as well. ET Land Electronics is offering up to 35 percent off laptops on its online mall, along with mobile phone discounts in stores. Lotte Himart is also rolling out promotions on home appliances.
Beauty and self-care
Dermatology clinics and beauty salons are also offering Suneung specials.
A dermatology clinic in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, is offering 20–30 percent off acne treatments. Another in Songpa-gu is promoting discounts on Botox, plus free acne and contour injections. A Seoul hair salon has advertised a 30 percent discount package, while an orthodontic clinic in Anyang is offering discounts on braces and laminates.
Enjoy culture
Major cinema chains, CGV, Megabox and Lotte Cinema, are providing 7,000 won coupons to all teenagers and Suneung retakers who show their test identification slips. Megabox is offering free popcorn and drinks to the first 5,000 test-takers, while CGV and Lotte Cinema are giving 50 percent off select concessions.
Local governments are also stepping in. Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, is operating three student-only theaters until Dec. 14, with tickets costing just 1,000 won for those who show their Suneung slip.
Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, is opening free coin karaoke rooms for test-takers from Thursday to Nov. 30.
Test-takers, be wary
With Suneung promotions flooding the market — from telecom companies to art museums — the exam slip has effectively become a “golden ticket.” But authorities warn that the frenzy brings risks.
Last year, police reported an increase in students buying and selling Suneung identification slips on secondhand platforms. Both buyers and sellers can face penalties if a non-test-taker attempts to use the ticket for discounts.
The Personal Information Protection Commission warns that reselling the tickets can expose sensitive data, including students’ resident registration numbers.
The Korea Consumer Agency also cautions against overspending and unnecessary medical treatments tied to Suneung promotions.
In one case, a student visiting an ophthalmology clinic offering Suneung discounts was told she needed an intraocular lens implant costing 5 million won. A second opinion later revealed that a standard LASIK procedure — costing roughly half as much — could have corrected her vision.
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