In Korea February is the graduation season. From primary schools to colleges, graduation is a meaningful event that marks the end of one educational stage and the start of another. It’s an occasion for both the parents and their children to look back on their achievements and shortfalls, and look forward to a hopeful future.

We cried so much. We were sad to part from our teachers and friends. When we were in school the times were so hard that our parents rarely made it to the ceremony. We were the only ones there.

A few decades ago students would dress up in their school uniform and the mood at the graduation ceremony was largely somber and serious. Students would cry while singing the graduation song, sad at the thought of not seeing their friends and teachers anymore. But today’s graduations are nothing like this.

It’s a celebration enjoyed by teachers, students, and guests alike. It’s no longer a sad ending to one chapter of their young lives, but a joyful start to a life bigger and better than before.

This is Deokso덕소 Middle School in Gyeonggi Province. The graduation ceremony started off like an ordinary one. But part one of the ceremony, with all its pomp and circumstance, was over quickly and the fun-filled second part soon began.

The principal and ninth grade teachers changed the lyrics of “One Fine Day in October” to suit the time of graduation in February. Singing in harmony, these teachers were no longer tough disciplinarians they had been during the school year. Here’s Deokso Middle School principal Kang Seong-mi.

Teachers asked me to do something special instead of delivering a boring speech. So I decided to sing a song with my fellow teachers. They said I should sing one of the latest hits, but I didn’t know any, so I chose this song. I believe this graduation ceremony will be remembered as a fun festival, unlike drawn-out, boring ceremonies of the past.



The principal said this is the first time she performed at a graduation in her 30-year teaching career. But this school has been holding special ceremonies like this for their graduation classes since a few years ago. Here’s Ms. Lim Hyang-chun, one of the teachers at Deokso Middle School.

Two years ago teachers and students got together to stage a special graduation ceremony. The response was great. We used to have a hard time holding people’s attention, because the ceremony tended to be meaningful only for a handful of students and their families. But after having such a celebration where everyone can enjoy the programs, graduates would tell us that the ceremony was very memorable. That’s why we hold such a ceremony each year.

Entertaining performances followed the ceremony, and the auditorium soon turned into a festival enjoyed by the graduating class, teachers, and guests. The preparation process was fun even for the teachers.

- This is a surprise prepared by ninth grade teachers. We’re going to dress up in rabbit costumes. We practiced the routine for more than ten days.
- Hey, kids, I love you all. This is a first for me. (laughter + sound of getting ready)

Ninth grade teachers are usually a tough lot – yelling at students dozing off in class and nagging them to study even harder. But their strictness was all forgotten once they appeared on stage dressed as rabbits.

Following the teachers’ performance is one by their graduating students.

During the two-hour ceremony teachers, graduating students, and even underclass students became one in laughter and gaiety.

After the ceremony, the graduating students returned to their own classrooms and had a separate meaningful time with their homeroom teachers. Deokso Middle School is proud of its mini classroom graduations as well.



The students lighted up candles on a cake and sang a song thanking the teacher for all the hard work he or she had done during the past year. Everyone tears up at the thought of leaving behind the teachers and the memories attached to the school.

Then the teacher handed out a diploma to each student, together with affectionate, heartfelt comments.

The students burst out in tears as they realized how much their teachers loved them.

The students were not the only ones getting emotional. The teacher was sorry to see them go, but more than likely proud of them for completing one phase of their education and moving on to the next.

If Deokso Middle School’s graduation ceremony was a festivity, Cheonil Middle School in Seoul turned its graduation into a photo gallery. The school rented a civic center and decorated it with the photographs of graduating students and set up a photo zone. Here’s Ms. Lee Geun-haeng, a teacher at Cheonil Middle School.

Ninth graders have some free time after their last final exams and high school advancement test. During the gap their art teacher asked them to bring photos and made a group portrait out of those photos. All thirty students in a class each had a picture taken against this photo portrait.

The graduating students thought that marking the end of middle school with a photograph taken at the graduation ceremony against the class portrait was special and unforgettable.

- It was new.
- It was different from the ceremonies in other schools. I think this graduation is going to be the most memorable one for me.
- I think it was a graduation ceremony for the students. It’s going to be quite memorable. I love you guys!

The theme of Yuhan Technical High School’s graduation ceremony was “Future Dreams.” The ceremony started off with a video presentation of students’ school life.



The screen was filled with the faces of classmates and snapshots of the students’ life from the past three years. Here’s Ms. Kim Hyun-min, a teacher at Yuhan Technical High School.

The teachers planned this to congratulate and bless the future of each student. The video contained the graduating students’ hopes and dreams for the future, and special messages from the teachers and alumni. I think our graduation was not a boring formality, but a celebration for the future. I hope the students would remember this as a happy ending to their high school life.

A singing performance by twelfth grade teachers’ came next. They didn’t have enough practice to sing as well as they liked, but everyone at the ceremony could have felt their genuine love for the graduating students. Here’s Ms. Lim Do-hee, one of the twelfth grade homeroom teachers.

At first we wanted to give the students something to remember us by. But as we stood on the stage today, it was more for us to remember them. The song is called “Goodbye” and as the lyrics said, goodbye is not the end, but a chance to have other encounters. I wish the students would remember this moment when they face difficulties in life and get enough courage and energy to forge ahead.

These students have completed one phase of their life, and because of their meaningful graduation ceremonies, they will have more to reminisce about and be thankful for. These special graduations help strengthen the trust and love between the teachers and students, and deepen the friendship between classmates and upper and lower classmen. Their unique graduation ceremonies would surely be an inspiration for their future endeavors.