Inside South Korea’s Social Impact

  When I first learned several years ago that Mondragon University had established a LEINN Seoul Lab, I was intensely curious. I wondered how it differed from traditional higher education in Korea and what graduates would actually do after completing the program. Sitting down with Coach Yena Lee at LEINN Seoul Lab, one central theme kept surfacing: ‘entrepreneurship’. For those who yearn to make a tangible difference in society, LEINN Seoul Lab provides the training ground to turn their aspirations into reality. This article is the third and concluding segment of our interview with Coach Yena Lee.   Leinners in action at the LEINN Seoul Lab (Photo courtesy of Mondragon University LEINN Seoul Lab) 👉👉Read Part 1 First [Interview] A University Inside Real Business: Mondragon University’s LEINN Seoul Lab (Part 1)   👉👉 Read Part 2 First [Interview] Inside Mondragon University’s LEINN Seoul Lab: What Sets It Apart? (Part 2) Interviewee: Yena Lee, Team Coach at Mon...

Leinners in action at LEINN Seoul Lab (Photo courtesy of Mondragon University LEINN Seoul Lab)   South Korea has a uniquely demanding educational environment. Because university entrance exams carry immense weight, an intensely competitive academic culture has developed. Students routinely stay at school late into the night, often heading directly to private cram schools (*hagwons*) or study cafes afterward. Growing up in Korea, I followed this exact path — participating in late-night self-study (*yaja*) at school and attending private academies until midnight. Even in college, I spent most of my days in the library maintaining competitive grades. While this felt routine to me, compared to international contexts, Korea's distinct educational realities are undeniable.   Mondragon University’s LEINN operates on a completely different paradigm. As explored in Part 1, lecture halls are replaced by active business environments, and professors are replaced by team coaches. It fu...