Another Academic Fraud

Chang Mi-hee's 1985 film Deep Blue Night

I just got back from a faculty retreat at Ocean Castle in Taean. It was fun weirdness in many ways, but I don't want to blog it. Why? Someone else has pictures and none were taken in any scenic areas. Blogs need pictures. I know a lot of you have ADD issues. If you have questions on how I faired at the faculty training, send me an email ;)

However, speaking of education, at this point the whole "I lied about my education" thing is just growing tiresome because a new story of yet someone else having a crisis of conscience comes out every few days. Honestly, I've got a much more cynical read on this. People are digging now most likely, so instead of getting exposed people are playing the noble but sorrowful role. If that will get them out of trouble, and it probably will to a certain extent here, okay. I sense more to come.

But sorry to break it to you all in Korea but most expats here already knew there were big issues. Of course, it was only en vogue to expose lying foreigners and not lying Koreans.

I'll keep linking the stories for the benefit of those who don't live or work in Korea and for those who are just curious.

Here is one I saw today: Movie Star Chang Mi-hee Confesses to Bogus Resume

Chang Mi-hee says she's not trying to pass the buck and diminishes the importance her fake degrees held for her job, so why lie in the first place? It's that kind of inconsistency. Why lie about your education level when you're already a famous actress and financially successful? That points to this being a bad symptom of mostly positive cultural traits.

What's funny is in my home sweet home of L.A. it's common knowledge that most actors AREN'T even college grads much less suited to teach based on academic merit. If they do teach, it would be based on their practical job experience. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, if I'm taking theater or acting I want an experienced actor to show me the ropes and not some academic. However, in the course of the development of its culture and modern society that was never a possibility here.

Anyway, read it and come to your own decision. For me, it just seems like there was no reason for her to even lie. So she just had a drive to layer more status on her already high status? Or maybe it was the fear of working with teachers and professors she assumed did have degrees so it was lying to save face with them?

Chang Mi-hee, 50, a leading screen star of the 1970 and 80s and now a theater and visual arts professor at Myongji College, is the latest high-profile Korean found to have lied about her educational background.

Chang, who is also a member of the Korean Film Council, claimed to have graduated from Dongguk University College of Buddhist Studies, Hawthorne University in the U.S. and Myongji University Graduate School of Education, according to the film council website and Internet portals like Naver.

But Dongguk University, responding to an inquiry by the Chosun Ilbo, said they had no record of any graduates by that name. Hawthorne University, meanwhile, was found to be an unaccredited school.

Reflecting on her 1978 visit to Stanford University in an essay published in 1998, the film star mentioned that she was a Dongguk University student. In a 2000 interview with Chosun weekly magazine, she said, "My Buddhism major was a philosophical choice, not a religious one."

Confronted by reporters at Myongji on Friday, Chang told them to check the facts with the schools and quickly left campus. But two hours later in a late-night interview, Chang broke down in tears and confessed to having lied.

"I'm embarrassed," Chang said. "I will willingly accept all criticism. But I stand firm in my belief that my teaching at Myongji was based more on my acting career than my degree. That's all the pride I have left."

― First, please clarify the facts.

"I debuted as an actress at age 19. A few years later I enrolled in Dongguk's Buddhist Studies department through 'extra admissions', which is how it's called these days. I didn't graduate but I took classes like other students."
― Hawthorne is known to be an unaccredited school.

"Believe it or not, I really didn't know. And that fact wasn't important. My childhood dream was to become an elementary school teacher. I really wanted to teach."

― The public is especially upset with you because you're a professor.

"I'm truly embarrassed. But when I was appointed to teach at Myongji's Adult & Continuing Education institute in 1989, the institute didn't appoint instructors based on their educational degrees. Over the years, I've done some 80 TV shows and films. I considered the appointment as recognition of my career. The hourly teaching fee was W8,000 then, while I received W50 million per movie. I put teaching before acting. I was famous for not skipping classes. I even received an award of merit in 1997."

― And what about the appointment to professor at Myongji College that came later?

"I'm not trying to pass the buck but I think that decision was up to the university. I still believe that the school considered my career more than my degree. Regarding Hawthorne, I still don't know what happened. I heard that the Education Ministry will launch a probe on the recent scandals next week. I will follow its decision."

Debuting on TV in 1975, Chang rose to stardom as the lead in the 1977 film "Winter Woman." Along with You Ji-in and Jeong Yun-hee, she was a top silver screen actress in the 70s and 80s. Chang has been teaching at Myongji College since 1998. She is a member of the Korean Film Council and executive committee chief of the Goyang International Children's Film Festival.

Another actress that confessed last week. Honestly, it was so underwhelming that I didn't blog it. However, now I can't find the link, so once I do, I'll add it here.

Update 1 - here is the link: Leading Actress Admits Faking Educational Background

Sphere: Related Content