Baek Kang-hyeon, who drew attention after appearing on SBS’ “Gifted Discovery Team” as a toddler who could solve equations at 41 months old, has shared an update on his life in a recent broadcast.
On the April 9 episode of SBS’ “Gifted Discovery Team Infinity,” Baek, now 12, appeared and spoke about his recent experiences. He became a national talking point after entering a science high school at age 10, but left after five months. He also recently applied to the University of Oxford in Britain but did not receive a final offer, the program said.
The broadcast showed Baek studying more than 15 hours a day while preparing for the Oxford exams. He reached the final interview after earning the top A-level grade, A*, and a high score on the MAT, but ultimately was not admitted.
A person in the study-abroad industry said Britain holds schools responsible for student safety, and suggested officials may have proceeded cautiously because Baek is 12.
Baek said he left the science high school because of bullying. He said he enjoyed studying there and got along well with older students, but his mother said there were repeated problems with one student, including posting malicious comments online. The alleged perpetrator was found responsible for school violence and received a Level 3 disciplinary measure of 10 hours of in-school service, according to the program.
“I remember crying a lot then,” Baek said. “I didn’t actually want to leave.” He added that he still considers the science high school his alma mater. In 2023, Baek’s father also drew attention after saying his son left not because he could not keep up academically but because of bullying.
After failing to gain admission to Oxford, Baek has continued pursuing new challenges, including writing lyrics, composing music and developing app-based games.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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