KOR
On June 9, Ahn took to her social media to share the detailed story of what happened at the testing center, openly expressing her disappointment.
Explaining the situation, she wrote, "I couldn't find the parking lot, so I circled a one-way street eight times before finally parking and arriving before the 9:00 AM exam. But they told me I couldn't take the test because it was past 8:50 AM. The exam fee is 300,000 KRW. When I asked if they really couldn't let me in since I was already there, they replied, 'That's why you should have arrived earlier.'"
Expressing her frustration over being turned away, Ahn said, "What they said is absolutely correct, but I cleared my entire schedule today just for this exam." She also tagged the official account of IDP, the exam's administrator, adding, "If only they had provided at least some parking information."
She later lamented, "I should have just taken a taxi instead of wandering around. I was so annoyed with myself." She also described how she complained to the parking lot manager, saying, "The exam is at 9:00 AM, but they told me to just leave because I arrived at 8:51 AM."
The exam Ahn was scheduled to take is IELTS (International English Language Testing System), an internationally recognized English proficiency test administered by IDP. IELTS assesses listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills, and is used to evaluate the English language proficiency of individuals who wish to study, immigrate, or work in English-speaking countries.
According to the official IELTS regulations, candidates must complete the identity verification process and enter the testing room by 8:50 AM on the day of the exam. Entry is strictly prohibited after 8:50 AM, making it impossible to take the test.
Since Ahn's story spread online, it has sparked a wide range of reactions among netizens. Some defended the test center's strict enforcement, commenting, "It is only right for an internationally certified exam to strictly and fairly apply its rules for the sake of equity," "The consequences of being late for the entry deadline are clearly announced to all test-takers beforehand," "She should have looked up the parking information beforehand," "Everyone taking the exam cleared their precious time to be there," and "She only has herself to blame for not keeping the entry time."
On the other hand, other netizens sympathized with Ahn's situation, saying, "Isn't it too inflexible to turn away a candidate who had already arrived inside the building over just one minute?" and "If the parking information was insufficient for first-time visitors, they need to make improvements in the future."
[Photo = SBS Entertainment News DB, Ahn Sun-young's Instagram Capture]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)