87-year-old high school graduate to enter Sookmyung Women's University

Kim Gap-nyeo, who entered high school in her 80s, appears on the tvN variety show "You Quiz on the Block" in October. Captured from tvN

At an age when most people reflect on their lives, 87-year-old Kim Gap-nyeo is starting a new chapter as a university student.

After years of raising five daughters alone while working in markets, factories and bathhouses, Kim graduated from Ilsung Women’s High School, a school for adult learners, Tuesday, and is set to begin her studies at Sookmyung Women’s University next month.

Born in 1938 in Cheongwon County, North Chungcheong Province, Kim began elementary school after Korea’s liberation in 1945. However, her education was cut short when her mother asked her to quit school and help with housework.

Her teenage years were spent caring for her younger siblings and working in the fields. At 17, after her father passed away and financial hardships deepened, her mother urged her to get married.

Refusing to accept that fate, Kim ran away with a friend to Busan, where she worked as a housemaid at a shoe store. A year later, her employer encouraged her to move to Seoul.

Kim eventually married and raised five daughters. Though she never had a formal career, she worked tirelessly at places like Gwangjang Market, snack factories and kimchi factories to support her family.

When her husband passed away after 15 years of illness, Kim, then 47, became the sole provider. She worked as a bathhouse scrubber for 23 years, determined to support her children. "I kept thinking, 'If I can’t endure this, I can’t educate my children,'" she recalled.

At 80, Kim decided to return to school. Through a friend’s introduction, she enrolled at Yangwon Elementary School, which caters to adults who missed out on education. Initially, she simply wanted to learn how to read and write.

Kim Gap-nyeo sits in traditional Korean attire during the graduation ceremony at Ilsung Women's High School in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Yoo Dae-geun

Studying brought her immense joy, and she continued her education, progressing to Ilsung Women’s Middle School and eventually Ilsung Women’s High School.

Despite the hour-long commute, Kim cherished her school days, saying that wearing a backpack made her feel like a teenager again.

She also formed lasting friendships with classmates, many of whom still meet monthly. Studying subjects like history and Korean was enjoyable, though math and English proved challenging.

Her homeroom teacher, Kang Rae-kyung, described Kim as a model student who rarely missed class or skipped homework.

Known for her warm personality, Kim received both the "Perseverance Award" and the "Charm Award" at her graduation ceremony.

Kim's story gained national attention when she appeared on the popular tvN variety show "You Quiz on the Block" last October. Reflecting on her educational journey, she said, "My life opened up when I started school." Her daughters, now older themselves, are proud of their mother’s achievements.

Next month, Kim will take her first steps as a university student, studying social welfare at Sookmyung Women’s University’s Lifelong Education Institute. Excited about the opportunity to join campus clubs and make new memories, she said, "A goal? I don’t have one. I just enjoy learning and being with people."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.