The "Cheonghakdong-style" etiquette education that gained popularity some two decades ago is drawing attention once again.

Traditional methods—starting the morning with formal greetings, learning table manners, Sajasohak (classic Chinese character texts for children), and Chinese characters, while strictly prohibiting the use of smartphones and other electronic devices—are winning favorable responses once more.

Gongju Doryeong Seodang in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, which has been offering etiquette education since 2001, completely filled its capacity for its summer vacation program held in July and August.

With posts and short-form videos about sending children to Cheonghakdong camps spreading recently across online communities such as mom cafes, "admission inquiries" are reportedly pouring in.

This seodang is already accepting early applications for its winter vacation camp next January.

An official from the seodang said, "We recruit 60 students every vacation, but recently the number of applicants on the waiting list is growing, and parents are making inquiries much earlier." They added, "We do not use physical punishment with birch rods like in the past; instead, we focus on educating students on character and etiquette through experiences such as writing gratitude journals and meditation."

At Cheongrim Seodang, located in Cheonghakdong, South Gyeongsang Province, 10 out of 11 sessions for this year's summer "Character and Etiquette Camp" are already sold out.

Priced around 1.1 million to 1.28 million won for a two-week course, it is relatively expensive compared to private education in Seoul, yet parents are reacting positively.

One parent, who sent two elementary school children to a 2-day, 3-night seodang camp, said, "The most satisfying part was that my children experienced a 'digital detox'." They added, "Because my children had fun catching freshwater snails and frogs in the stream, they didn't even look for their cell phones," and noted, "I will send them again if I get the chance."

Regarding the high cost, the parent remarked, "Considering that they feed them three meals a day and take full care of them during the camp, I don't think it's an expensive price."

Posts about sending children to seodang camps have also drawn interest on social media (SNS), with one Instagram reel garnering 10,000 comments asking about prices and schedules.

Experts analyzed that amid an increase in dual-income couples and weakened teaching authority, seodang camps are being viewed as an alternative that teaches discipline and social norms within an organization.

They also evaluated that parents in their 30s and 40s grew up experiencing traditional seodang-style camps firsthand, meaning they do not harbor major aversions to this type of education itself.

Kwon Il-nam, a professor in the Department of Youth Guidance at Myongji University, analyzed, "There is an aspect where parents have had a wake-up call, thinking 'We cannot leave our children like this'." He added, "It is true that home education has weakened, and issues regarding teaching authority have surfaced at school, making the means to educate or control adolescents vulnerable."

However, Professor Kwon pointed out, "What is truly important is the role of the parents," adding, "If parents fail to set a good example when their children return home after receiving character education, the education becomes useless."

(Photo courtesy of Gongju Doryeong Seodang, Yonhap News)