KAIST Genius Heo Seong-beom on 'My Little Old Boy': "Graduated from the First Science Academy, Ranked 8th Among All Applicants"

KAIST genius Heo Seong-beom showed off his extraordinary giftedness.

On the episode of SBS's 'My Little Old Boy' that aired on July 5, Heo Kyung-hwan and Kim Jong-min met with KAIST genius Heo Seong-beom.

During the broadcast, Heo Kyung-hwan expressed his friendliness by noting that he and Heo Seong-beom share the same surname. Kim Jong-min also marveled at Heo, saying, "You are too handsome for someone who only studied."

Heo, who is currently pursuing a master's degree at KAIST after graduating from the university, drew attention by revealing that he has never paid tuition fees, which are required if grades drop, stating, "I attended school on full scholarships."

Heo Kyung-hwan then mentioned that Heo Seong-beom had also graduated from a science high school for the gifted. Heo explained, "I graduated from the Korea Science Academy of KAIST in Busan. It is a bit more difficult to get into than a regular science high school. There are a total of 8 science academies for the gifted in the country, and my school was the first one." His explanation drew admiration once again.

Hearing this, Heo Kyung-hwan asked about the admission criteria for the school. Heo Seong-beom replied, "There is a three-stage screening process. The first stage involves reviewing a personal statement, letters of recommendation, and academic records. The second stage is a math and science test. The math test lasts for 4 hours, but there are only five questions. You pass if you solve just three and a half of them," surprising everyone.

He explained that the final third stage involves an in-depth interview during a 2-night, 3-day camp, adding, "They conduct interviews on personality, leadership, math, and science, and there is even a debate."

Notably, he drew attention by revealing that there were approximately 3,000 to 4,000 total applicants, with only about 200 making it to the interview stage, and that he was admitted as the 8th-ranked student among all applicants.

When Kim Jong-min asked for his secret, Heo Seong-beom calmly replied, "I've liked studying since I was young, and I think I'm just a bit naturally gifted," which brought laughter to the set.

Reported by Kim Hyo-jung | Produced by SBS Entertainment News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.