Derek Laan considers relocating from Korea to US for sons' education

1 articles · Updated · Business Insider · Apr 27

Laan, 39, a senior program manager at Interlink in Seoul, is evaluating a move to Boulder, Colorado, where his parents and sister live, as his sons are now 2 and 5 years old.
He cites the appeal of free elementary education in the US and the need to earn significantly more to match his current lifestyle, which benefits from subsidized childcare in Korea.
Laan, who built his career and family in Korea, weighs the trade-offs between career progression, cultural differences in education, and family support as he considers his family's future.

As Korean firms invest more in the US, will this create a new career path for returning bilingual professionals?

Could South Korea's intense 'cram school' culture give children a competitive edge over a 'balanced' US education?

Is a 'balanced' US education worth a 4x salary increase and leaving a vibrant life abroad?

Beyond academics, how does US gun violence risk weigh against the intense social pressures for children in South Korea?

Can childcare subsidies solve a nation's low birth rate when education costs remain the world's highest?

How do parents decide which culture's 'good childhood' is right for their multicultural kids?