Broadcaster and former comedian Ahn Sun-young sparked debate after revealing she was barred from taking an internationally recognized English exam because she arrived just one minute past the entry cutoff, despite clearing her entire schedule for the day.
On the 9th, Ahn shared on Instagram that she failed to sit for the test and expressed her frustration. "I couldn't find the parking lot and circled a one-way road eight times," she wrote. "I finally parked and reached the test center, but even though the exam was at 9 a.m., they said I couldn't take it because I arrived after the 8:50 a.m. entry deadline."
According to Ahn, she actually arrived at 8:51 a.m. Being turned away over a one-minute delay left her exasperated: "The test fee alone is 300,000 won. I was already there, but they still said no."
She added that a staff member told her, "You should come early," and continued, "They're not wrong, but I emptied my entire day just for this exam." Ahn also said, "At the very least, they could have provided more detailed parking information," voicing her disappointment.
The exam Ahn attempted to take was the internationally recognized English proficiency test IELTS. It is administered by IDP and is commonly required for study, employment, and immigration in English-speaking countries.
Official guidance states that morning test-takers must complete ID checks and test procedures from 8:15 a.m. to 8:50 a.m., and entry is restricted after 8:50 a.m. In Ahn's case, it appears she was ineligible to sit the test under these rules.
Later, Ahn updated her post, writing, "I should've taken a taxi," and admitting, "I'm so mad at myself."
As her story spread, commenters reacted with mixed views: some offered sympathy, saying, "That fee is a waste," "Go early next time," and "Public transit is easiest for test centers." Others pushed back, noting, "The rules apply equally to everyone," "If you're late, you can't complain," and "It's a test where even a 1-minute exception is hard to allow."
Ahn Sun-young debuted in 2000 as an MBC 11th-generation public recruitment comedian. She married a businessman in 2013 and has a son. She currently splits her time between Canada and South Korea to support her son's ice hockey career.