“After suspending lectures ahead of the CSAT...” Better Late Than Single’s Lee Do faces criticism from students over TV activities

[Financial News] Entrance-exam instructor Lee Do is facing criticism from students for continuing his Netflix variety show and YouTube activities after suspending lectures for the 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) due to health reasons.
Recently, students posted criticism of Lee Do’s actions on the lecture board of Etoos Education, an online entrance-exam education service company. They said it was inappropriate for him to continue appearing on television and producing personal content when, with the CSAT approaching, the remaining lectures had not been provided.
In a handwritten letter on the 29th of last month, Lee Do announced that worsening health had made it impossible for him to complete the Korean Geography and World Geography lecture curriculum for the 2027 CSAT. He also said that, following medical advice, he would devote the rest of 2026 to rest and recovery.
In the letter, he confessed, “I put my lectures ahead of my health, and after living that way for several years, warning signs began appearing in my body one by one.” He then apologized to his students, saying, “It pains me that my health has affected their learning.”
In this situation, Lee Do attended the production presentation for Netflix’s variety show The Devil’s Plan: Dead Again, held on the 5th, leaving students puzzled by his actions, which differed from his earlier announcement.
At the event, he also shared how he had personally asked producer Jung Jong-yeon to cast him on the show.
Lee Do added that at a Netflix event last year, he said, “When you make The Devil’s Plan 3, please, just look my way once,” and even revealed his CSAT scores to show how much he wanted to appear on the show.
Soon after Lee Do announced that he was suspending his lectures, his outside activities—including promoting the variety show and launching a personal YouTube channel—continued, fueling students’ frustration. They questioned whether it was appropriate to continue with television appearances and personal content when scheduled lectures had not been completed and the CSAT was approaching.
One student voiced their frustration on the lecture board, saying, “I was angry when I saw you attend the production presentation and launch a YouTube channel,” and, “It seems like you want to become a celebrity rather than an instructor.”
Etoos Education said it would provide only some of the new lectures and replace the rest of the curriculum with existing lectures.
Some, however, say the actual filming dates for the variety show and Lee Do’s current health should be considered separately. They say it is difficult to determine whether his worsening health—the reason given for suspending the lectures—is genuine based solely on his attendance at the production presentation or promotional activities.
Meanwhile, Seo Lee Do graduated from the Department of Geography Education at Ul University’s College of Education and worked as a Korean Geography and World Geography instructor at Etoos Education. He rose to prominence after appearing on Netflix’s Better Late Than Single last year. He is also set to appear in The Devil’s Plan: Dead Again, which will be released on the 10th.
[email protected] An Gaeul Reporter