"I Also Retook the Exam—Stay Strong and Overcome"... KICE Employee Offers Encouragement to Student Attempting CSAT for the Fifth Time

[The Financial News] An employee of the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE), which administers the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), has become a topic of discussion after sending a heartfelt message of support to a student who announced their plan to retake the exam for the fifth time.
On the 7th, a post titled "Someone Who Messaged KICE After Failing the CSAT Four Times" appeared on several online communities.
The post included a conversation between student A and KICE employee B, exchanged through Social Networking Service (SNS).
After the announcement of the 2026 CSAT results on the 5th, A sent a direct message (DM) to the official KICE SNS account.
A wrote, "I have lost to you four times, but I will definitely win on my fifth attempt. Brace yourself and wait for me," humorously expressing determination to try again.
In response, B, who identified as a member of KICE’s public relations team, replied, "I also retook the exam in the past. I used to resent KICE deeply and ultimately did not get into my desired university. Years later, I became an employee at KICE, the very institution I once criticized. Life is truly unpredictable."
B continued, "I know things are tough right now, but I hope you overcome this and move forward. Wishing you the best of luck—you’ve worked so hard," sincerely encouraging the student.
Readers who came across the story commented, "I might have cried if I received such a reply as a joke," "The staff could have handled it formally, but instead they supported the students’ mental health—well done," and "The sincerity really comes through."
However, KICE clarified that the response was not an official statement, explaining, "It appears the employee replied out of personal sympathy."
newssu@fnnews.com Kim Soo-yeon Reporter