Broadcaster Seo Kyung-seok Achieves Perfect Score in Korean History Exam

Seo Kyung-seok (서경석), a 53-year-old broadcaster and Seoul National University graduate, has made headlines by becoming the first celebrity to score a perfect 100 on the Korean History Proficiency Test. On July 1, he appeared on KBS's Morning Yard (아침마당) and shared that he achieved this remarkable score in the 73rd Korean History Proficiency Test held in February.

He expressed his disbelief, stating, "This score feels like a gift from the heavens. It depended on my condition that day and how much I enjoyed the content. All my energy was focused on that day." He humorously added, "Even history expert Choi Tae-sung (최태성) would find it hard to get a perfect score on a proper exam. I'm joking because we're friends."

Seo Kyung-seok took the exam four times in total. He recounted, "I initially scored 81 in a practice test, but my actual score was 79 because I misfilled the OMR card. I realized I couldn't take it lightly, so I developed a habit of marking my answers immediately, even if it took time and was stressful."

In his second attempt, he scored 94. After sharing his exam experience on his personal channel, fellow test-takers encouraged him to aim for a higher score, leading him to take the exam again and achieve 99. "I thought about stopping, but I decided to give it one last shot. A perfect score is something that must be bestowed from above," he added.

Seo revealed that his passion for history began in childhood, particularly after hosting a show on MBC called Feeling (느낌표), where he sought to recover cultural artifacts that had been smuggled abroad. This experience ignited his desire to learn more about history.

He clarified that his decision to take the exam was not solely due to Choi Tae-sung, with whom he became friends during a 10-day trip together. "I wanted to get closer to him because he is a history expert I admire, and I asked him many questions to learn more," he said.

Seo Kyung-seok graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in French Literature and debuted as a comedian with MBC in 1993. He has continued his academic pursuits, earning a bachelor's degree in Korean Language from Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and a master's degree from Chung-Ang University’s Graduate School of Journalism and Broadcasting.

In 2020, he also passed the first round of the real estate agent exam and successfully obtained his license by passing the second round in December 2021. He shared on his YouTube channel that he studied intensely, even moving into a study room for the last month leading up to the exam, returning to study after his broadcasts.