Jung Jong-chul SNS capture
The son of ‘Okdongja’ Jung Jong-chul drew attention by sharing news that he had been admitted to one of the world’s top 10 universities.
Comedian Jung Jong-chul recently wrote on his Instagram, “An incredibly joyful day,” adding, “Sihu, who left for Vancouver in his first year of high school wanting to study abroad, has been accepted to university.”
Jung said his son was admitted to every school he applied to, including the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Toronto St. George campus, as well as the University of British Columbia (UBC), McMaster University, Western University, and Simon Fraser University (SFU). He added that McMaster offered a $25,000 scholarship, and Western offered an impressive $40,000 scholarship.
Jung said, “When I called to congratulate him, he said, ‘It is because Mom and Dad sent me to study abroad( as he put it)” and praised him as “a kid who, more than claiming credit for his own effort, always knows how to be grateful.”
Jung Jong-chul SNS capture
He continued, “In your first year of high school you suddenly said you wanted to study abroad and persuaded your dad, and within two months you went alone to a country you had never visited, so there must have been hard times, yet you are walking your own path,” adding, “There are still steps left until graduation, and you will need to decide which university to attend, but whatever Sihu chooses, Mom and Dad will support your decision.”
The University of Toronto, where Jung Jong-chul’s son was accepted, is a prestigious institution that ranked 10th in the ‘2025 World University Rankings’. The University of British Columbia likewise vies with Toronto for No. 1 and No. 2.
Jung looked back on the time when his son studied abroad in high school, saying, “Sihu had his own world from a young age; he was the kind of kid who dug deeply into what he wanted to do rather than studying, so academically he was mid to lower tier in the neighborhood, but his happiness index was always top tier,” and, “With an easygoing personality, he served as class president even at a regular high school and enjoyed school life, so when he suddenly brought up studying abroad, I was startled.”
He said, “You persuaded your father, who had been adamant that the family must never live apart, and with help from those around us, we sent you to study abroad within just two to three months. We put you on a plane alone, with no plan and no local connections, and to see you now going to university makes me both proud and happy.”
Jung then added, “Watching Sihu, I came to think that every child has their own time. Sihu still has to study hard until graduation and choose which school to attend,” continuing, “Sihu, Mom and Dad will cheer you on as you carve out your own path; we respect your choices now and in the future.”
