Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.
Daekyo expands global education footprint with personalized learning model
Children participate in a classroom activity at ELIS Kindergarten in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Courtesy of Daekyo
By Lee Gyu-lee
Global brands Eye Level, TuniTuni gain traction overseas
Education company Daekyo is accelerating its global expansion with businesses including its supplemental education service Eye Level and storytelling play gym program TuniTuni, broadening its portfolio from tutoring into early childhood and activity-based programs as it marks its 50th anniversary.
Founded in 1976, Daekyo, best known for its flagship supplemental education service Noonnoppi, built its domestic presence on personalized learning, including home-visit tutoring and level-based curricula.
The company's roots date back to a small study room, where it introduced an approach that assessed each student's learning level rather than relying solely on grade-based instruction.
At a time when education was largely standardized and teacher-led, Daekyo focused on assessing individual proficiency and developing step-by-step learning programs, supported by its self-developed teaching materials, ongoing monitoring and teacher feedback.
The approach helped drive the adoption of level-based and self-directed learning in Korea’s private education market.
The model proved adaptable during regulatory change. Following the government’s ban on private tutoring in 1980, Daekyo shifted from small group instruction to a home-based system delivering materials and managing progress remotely, laying the foundation for its home-visit tutoring model and individualized learning management system.
That emphasis on individualized instruction became the foundation for the company’s overseas expansion when it first entered the international market in 1991 with a subsidiary in Los Angeles, initially serving Korean expatriate families seeking to maintain Korean-language education for children living abroad.
As its overseas operations expanded to Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries, the company shifted its focus to include local students, adapting its curriculum and teaching methods to fit local education systems and parental expectations.
“The company is approaching overseas markets by leveraging its strengths in level-based learning systems tailored to individual learners, combined with consistent academic monitoring,” the company said.
An Eye Level Center in Samborondon, Ecuador / Courtesy of Daekyo
Building on this approach, Daekyo has scaled its global business around the Eye Level brand. It now operates more than 1,500 learning centers across about 20 countries and regions, serving over 1 million members annually.
The program retains its core Noonnoppi philosophy of tailoring instruction to individual ability, while localizing branding and curriculum for overseas markets. Its math courses combine computational and problem-solving skills, while its English programs emphasize literacy and communication, aligned with U.S. academic standards.
Using its global operating experience, Daekyo has expanded beyond tutoring into early childhood and activity-based education. In Vietnam, it runs Eye Level Integrated School international kindergarten, integrating care and learning in a localized model.
In 2024, the company also launched TuniTuni in Hong Kong, marking a push into early childhood physical education.
Unlike conventional children's sports classes, TuniTuni combines storytelling, music, play equipment and structured teacher interaction into play-based sessions designed for children aged 1 to 7.
The program aims to foster communication, creativity and social skills through play alongside physical development. It has also been rolled out in the United States, Malaysia and Vietnam.
TuniTuni is part of Daekyo’s effort to diversify its global education offerings beyond academic tutoring, as part of its long-term growth strategy.
“(With the global expansion,) it is widening the reach of Korean-style play-based physical education for young children,” the company said.
“Daekyo’s experience in developing educational content and managing on-the-ground operations in Korea is also translating into competitiveness in overseas early childhood education markets.”
Children take part in a program at a TuniTuni center in New Jersey. Courtesy of Daekyo
Beyond its learning centers, the company has also sought to strengthen its global education networks, running an annual Eye Level Math Olympiad for over two decades.
Last year’s event brought together students from 15 countries, including both members and nonmembers through school partnerships.
The company explained that the competition is designed not only as an assessment platform for mathematics but also as an opportunity for students to share learning experiences across regions and demonstrate problem-solving skills.
In Korea, Daekyo is expanding its business across the full education lifecycle. Its portfolio spans early childhood to adult and senior education, anchored by brands such as Daekyo Summit, Soluny and Caihong.
The company has recently strengthened its personalized learning systems by incorporating artificial intelligence-based analytics to refine content delivery and track individual progress.
It has also entered the senior care segment through its subsidiary Daekyo Newif, combining cognitive training programs with care services as it responds to growing demand from the rapidly ageing population. This reflects a broader shift toward integrating education with care and wellness services.
The company is also extending its educational intellectual property into cultural content, reflecting an effort to expand educational content beyond textbooks and classrooms into entertainment. It has produced family musicals based on the globally popular children’s animation series “Numberblocks” and “Alphablocks”, adapting learning materials into live performances.
A poster marking Daekyo's 15th anniversary in July 1991 / Courtesy of Daekyo
As it marks its 50th anniversary, the company said its strategy centers on expanding both the scope and format of education services while maintaining its focus on individualized learning.
“Daekyo’s next 50 years are expected to focus on broadening the scope of education, diversifying learning methods and expanding its presence across more countries and regions to support student development,” the company said.