University No Longer an Easy Ride for Starlets

Dahyun of girl group TWICE poses at a test venue for the annual college entrance exam in Seoul on Nov. 17.

Universities say the era when young entertainers were treated favorably because they made the school look pretty is coming to an end.

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Social media has increased the spotlight on celebrities' every move, and there is no guarantee that they can miss classes without anyone noticing.

Actress Seo Shin-ae and Kim Namjoo of girl band A Pink go to Sungkyunkwan University, and a school spokesman said classes are so small that everyone notices who is missing.

Kyunghee University insists it treats all students the same. Since 2004, it has had a total of 28 young entertainers in the music department, but 15 were expelled or dropped out because they did not meet the minimum attendance requirement.

Due to the strict regulations, some opt to take a leave of absence when they are on tight schedule. They include singer Min Kyung-hoon at Kyunghee University and Lee Hyeri of Girls Day at Konkuk University.

Others simply quit because their career is going well. Cases in point include actor Lee Je-hoon and Suho of boy band EXO, who were admitted to the Korea National University of Arts but dropped out to pursue their acting or singing work.

And an increasing number of young entertainers simply skip university and devote themselves to their career, such as actor Yoo Seung-ho and singers Lee Ji-eun and Lee Hi.