Hazing rituals for freshmen still rampant on campus

A senior student at Dong-A University in Busan pours makgeolli (traditional fermented rice wine) mixed with food waste onto the heads of freshmen in this photo posted on the school’s Facebook page. / Yonhap

By Kim Se-jeong

It’s no secret that excessive drinking and sometimes violent hazing happen at welcoming parties for university freshmen.

The most recent case which came under the media spotlight involved Dong-A University students in Busan being soaked with makgeolli, a traditional fermented rice drink, mixed with food waste.

In a photo posted on the school’s Facebook page, a group of freshmen are standing in a room, with a vinyl curtain hanging behind them. A woman in front of them is pouring makgeolli from a blue plastic bowl onto their heads.

The man who posted the photo identified himself as a brother of one of the freshmen, and wrote: “This is what happened at a welcoming party for freshmen students including my younger brother. Do you think this is okay? I want your opinions.”

Soon after, another photo was posted, in which two young men’s hands are bound with duct tape and another man is pouring what appears to be makgeolli on them. Makgeolli bottles are scattered around the floor.

It was found that the students are members of a soccer club within the chemistry department. Those who posted the photos said what was splashed upon them was a mix of makgeolli and food waste, and this was part of the club’s tradition with the aim to bring luck to the students.

As these photos spread quickly on social media outlets and drew public ire, a student representative of the department quickly posted a statement of apology.

“This ritual had nothing to do with assaulting the students,” the student, Cho Hyung-jae, wrote on Facebook. “It wasn’t compulsory. The students agreed to participate in this. This event was to wish the students good luck in upcoming years for this club. Yet, I can see that the photos themselves can tell a different story. It is a tradition, and I thought it would be okay. I apologize if I hurt anyone inadvertently.”

The apology has drawn hundreds of replies.

“The fact that this is a tradition doesn’t mean insane things should be tolerated. We’re in the 21st century, which should not tolerate things like this,” one student wrote. “Look at the students. They’re all looking down as if they were prison inmates. Do you believe that the students agreed to do this? I don’t believe so.”

Another wrote, “I am not proud of my school at all. I wasn’t aware this was happening at my school. I think this should be abolished.”

The university said it is investigating. “We’re speaking with people who were involved. We have a code of conduct, and will act accordingly,” a school official said.

Such traditions die hard on campus. At a private university in Seoul, it was found on March 16 that seniors of the sports department placed freshmen in stress positions and physically assaulted them.

At a university in Daejeon, a freshman was found dead on Tuesday after excessive drinking during a welcoming party with seniors the previous day.