Original subtitles

- A highly anticipated event is taking place

this afternoon in the north of Seoul,

the capitol of South Korea.

A new kind of sporting event, as popular as

a football World Cup.

In front of the Olympic stadium, the atmosphere

is worthy of a science fiction film,

with super heroes and over 10,000 fans of all ages.

They're all there to attend a

national video game championship.

This is known as eSport, and the inhabitants

of this Asian country are passionate followers.

There are several hundred professional players

and millions of devoted fans.

- It's a very well-known gaming career.

There are clubs of fans like ours

who go to all of the matches.

- I am dressed as DJ Sona, one of the game's characters.

She fights with a star-shaped weapon.

She's very strong and beautiful,

and she has big breasts, unlike me.

- Smeb is one of the

rising stars of this new sport.

He's a star in Korea where his popularity is

similar to that of a European football player.

At only 20, he's the captain of the Rox Tigers,

the Super Cool Tigers in English, one of the teams

who have qualified for the national championship.

- I'm going to win, we have to beat them.

- You're going to win, son.

- Smeb gave up his studies two years ago

to devote himself to this online sport.

Around him, family members encourage him.

- My son is very famous here, a real star of online gaming.

People recognize him in the street.

As a mother, I'm very proud of him.

- At the start when he told me he was

giving up his studies to become a professional player,

I was worried and didn't agree.

But as he was really motivated,

I ended up letting him do it.

Now he's successful, I think he did the right thing.

- For the family, the stakes are high.

The winners of this final will take home 100,000 euros.

But even more important are the sponsors.

These young players are funded by big brands.

On average, Smeb earns 60,000 euros.

But if he wins, he can land new contracts

worth hundreds of thousands of euros.

So before the kickoff, he remains focused.

- We're playing a final game to stay on form.

It's going to be great, I'm looking forward to it.

We're going to win, I'm sure.

I can already picture us lifting the trophy.

- More than just a sporting event,

the competition is a live show broadcast on television

and watched by millions of viewers.

- Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the two teams

for the grand final of the Korean championship.

- And they're off for four hours of battle.

The match takes place in three rounds,

with each team made up of five players who compete

armed with just a keyboard and a mouse

in glass cages to isolate them from the noise.

The spectators follow the action on these giant screens.

The principle of the game is simple.

The two teams each have an army

of super heroes with super powers.

Combining agility and strategy, their aim is

to destroy the opponent and conquer his territory.

Eyes fixed on their son, Smeb's parents

anxiously watch the score.

- Not now, I'm concentrating.

- They're a little tense,

as it's not going too well for their son.

After over three hours of competition,

the two teams are at a draw with one set each.

But the opponents of the Super Cool Tigers

are very close to winning the final round.

- There are 30 seconds left to play

and the Rox Tigers are behind.

If SKT wins, it will be their fifth victory in the final.

It's over, it's over, SKT have won.

Another victory for SKT.

- SKT, they will win.

- It's over, their opponents take home the trophy

and the 100,000 euros in winnings.

For Smeb and all his fans, the dream is over.

- I'm sad, my son played well but I think

the other team was simply better.

I hope that he'll win the next match.

I'm still very proud of him.

- It's the third year in a row that

Smeb and his team have to accept defeat in the final,

but not all is lost; they leave

with a check for 60,000 euros.

Smeb still takes it badly.

- Honestly, I'm annoyed to have lost

but I'll give my all to the next match.

- The national championship

may have to wait until next year, but in the meantime

the Super Cool Tigers will have

other opportunities to stand out.

In Seoul there are several competitions like this

every month, all as popular.

♪ Oppa gangnam style ♪

♪ Oppa gangnam style ♪

- Famous for its stars of K-pop

who have spread their musical style and dances

all over the world, South Korea is a small country in Asia

between Japan, China, and its enemy brother in the north,

one of the worst dictatorships on the planet.

Its capital, Seoul, a megalopolis of 25 million inhabitants,

is the showcase of the society, which is at the forefront

of technology and innovation.

With over 30 million mobile phones for

50 million inhabitants, it's the most connected country

in the world, and the world leader in smartphones.

It's known for brands like Samsung, LG, or even Hyundai,

multinationals that flood the planet with their products.

At the forefront of robotics, Korea is inventing

the society of tomorrow, an economic miracle

because 50 years ago this Asian territory

was one of the poorest on the planet.

The secret of this success is the extreme spirit of

competition that the country has cultivated.

The pace of work is frantic at over 60 hours per week,

one of the highest in the world.

Exceptionally, we were allowed to film behind the scenes

of one of the country's lead companies, POSCO,

the Korean steel giant.

This multinational demands unlimited devotion

from its employees.

- And it's time for the POSCO motto.

Employee dedication is the foundation of POSCO's success.

POSCO is the best.

- To survive in this ultra-competitive society,

Koreans are ready for anything.

The latest trend is having plastic surgery

to please employers and make the difference

at job interviews.

- I've wanted to for a long time, I'm ready,

I'm looking forward to it.

- Others pay fortunes to Shamans

to keep evil spirits away and ensure

the smooth running of their businesses.

And children are not spared in this pursuit of excellence.

At just 15, Yoon Jae is under

incredible academic pressure.

Between high school lessons and his evening classes,

his days are over 15 hours long, a world record.

- Korean students finish their homework

even if it's one or two in the morning.

We don't have the choice.

- This is an investigation into South Korea,

a small country on the leading edge who is

determined to take on the bigger players.

In Seoul, Korea's fascination with new technologies

sometimes goes beyond the imaginable.

Mr. Kwan is the head of a renowned cosmetic surgery clinic.

He is rich but rather discreet.

The only display of his fortune is his

impressive collection of cars, collectors items

estimated at several thousand euros.

But he agreed to show us something which is

much more precious to him, his two

slightly disobedient little dogs.

- Come on, get in.

- Shandu One and Shandu Two

are so valuable because they are clones.

- Go on Shandu, hurry up.

- Unthinkable in Europe,

cloning of pets is totally legal in South Korea

and perfectly accepted.

Mr. Kwan's heart was broken a year ago

by the death of Shandu, his precious poodle.

So, he called on science to bring him back to life.

- It was so sad, I was so sad and I had no hesitation.

The technology of duplication is maybe for this stuff.

One of the first countries, the best country.

So, I had no hesitation.

- This afternoon, Mr. Kwan is taking

the two clones to the clinic where they were cloned.

He wants them to have a checkup.

In the suburbs of Seoul, this establishment has been

cloning commercially for over 10 years

and is unique in the world.

- Hello, hello, welcome.

- The practice, is nevertheless,

reserved for an elite.

To create an exact replica of a dog cost 80,000 euros.

- Hello.

- Here, the staff looks after

their very privileged clients.

No waiting, Mr. Kwan is immediately

taken care of by the head veterinarian.

His two five month old puppies aren't sick,

but one of them can't open his right eye

and Mr. Kwan is a little worried.

- In your opinion, doctor,

is this problem with the eye related to cloning

or did it happen at the delivery?

- Sometimes, the eyes of a clone dog do not develop well.

I think that in a few years, we will have to operate

because the eye is degenerating

and that could become problematic.

- It is a routine operation for the clinic

but that is not necessarily reassuring.

Mr. Kwan has heard many rumors about cloning.

- I've heard about a cloned dog who was in perfect health

until the age of five and then he

started to get weaker and play less.

Do you know the story?

- All I can say is that the first dog

cloned in our clinic was born in 2007

and he's still doing very well today.

- In ten years, more than 700 little clones

have come out of this clinic.

Customers come from all over the world.

To duplicate their dog, there's no need to move

they simply send a skin or organ simple by mail.

Technicians then extract the animal's DNA

and inject it into a female's ovum and animal is cloned.

The success rate is 40%.

- Thank you, goodbye.

- Mr. Kwan is relieved.

Apart from this small problem

with the eye, nothing abnormal.

Before leaving, he wishes to thank

the director of the clinic.

- Hello, how are you?

- They've grown.

- Dr. Wong is one of the pioneers of cloning.

He is also a very controversial figure

who was at the center of a scandal a few years ago

after he published incorrect work on human cloning.

Since then, he has refused to

answer questions from journalists.

- Okay, okay, understood.

- But the cameras are welcome

when it's good publicity.

That day a Chinese television channel

is filming the Cesarean delivery

of the latest of the clinic's clones.

- The dog I'm going to bring into the world

will be the same breed as this one.

Today, he's a month old; both dogs have the same genes.

They are not brothers; they were cloned with the same genes.

- The show is well practiced.

Potentially, a very good promotion for Dr. Wong.

After South Korea, the scientist hopes to develop

commercial cloning of animals in China.

In Seoul, wealthy individuals are not the only ones

to utilize Dr. Wong's services.

These German Shepherds were ordered by the government

and will soon join the Seoul police force.

- These are clones of Tracker, a very special dog.

To Americans is specific because it was the dog

that rescued the very last survivor in the 9/11 incidents.

And we here represent a good case in which science

and normal life of people have merged together

so that we help people by the use of science.

And these dogs will potentially, one day,

be able to help people in the sniffing out drugs

and forcing legislation and helping to rescue people.

- However, nothing says that these dogs

will perform well in the police force.

They may have inherited the genes

of a heroic German Shepherd, but cloning does not pass on

the character of the animal.

- Here, here, this way.

- Mr. Kwan has had

this bitter experience himself.

He is full of affection for his new Shandus,

but is still in mourning.

Every night he carries out the same ritual.

Before going home, he spends two or three minutes

at the tomb of his deceased pet to gather himself.

- I will not do clone again because the shape is same

but the brain and the heart is different.

Outside is same, inside is different.

Now I know the fact today, I really love the happy time

and the memory with Shandu, not the shape.

- Unlike in European countries

where there are serious ethical issues

surrounding the cloning of animals,

this issue is not even raised here

and the practice definitely has a future.

- Come on, follow me.

- South Korea is gambling on new technologies

and this race for progress has enabled it to go

from an underdeveloped country

to 11th in the ranking of the world's

major economic powers in less than 50 years.

A meteoric rise that the country also owes

to it's very particular work culture.

Officially, Koreans spend 52 hours a week at the office

but they often do more than 60 hours.

Almost twice as many as the French.

In Seoul, the capitol, it is not unusual

to see the offices still lit in the middle of the night.

Exceptionally, a famous multinational

opened their doors to us.

It's 4 AM at the headquarters of Hyundai,

the Korean automotive giant,

and several employees are doing overtime.

Chong Xang is responsible for communication,

a profession that is not normally practiced at night

except in South Korea.

- As I work in marketing, I have to do a press review.

I select articles and I post them on the company website.

I get up early and work early, but I think I contribute

to the good functioning of the company

because I provide essential information.

- This morning, Chong is not the only one working

and others have spent the entire night in the office.

In this restroom, a dozen employees catch up

on lost sleep as best they can; lying on these benches

or in these specially designed chairs.

Here it is common and surprises no one.

- I really don't know why they were sleeping here.

Probably they came to early so they needed

somewhere to rest, I dunno.

- Chong Xang finished his press review

before the big rush of the morning

and he also finds a quiet moment to take a nap.

For the well being of it's employees,

the company has invested in luxury,

state of the art massaging chairs.

- When I work all night, I often come her to rest.

These massage chairs really are very comfortable

and I'm grateful to my company

for installing them for the employees.

- Today, Chong Xang is going to work

more than 14 hours; per week he works more than 60 hours.

As for holiday, he is only allowed 10 days a year

and it's somewhat frowned upon to take them all.

This infernal pace was set in the 1960s

to revive a country that had been ruined by the war.

But recently, the government is trying to reverse the trend

because spending more time in the office

is not synonymous with efficiency.

Korean workers are among the

least productive in developed countries.

- Hello.

- So, for the past two years,

Hyundai has been implementing publicity campaigns

and American style methods to streamline working hours.

This morning, Chong Xang, participates in a meeting

with the director of his department.

Among those taking part is a strange guest, this cube.

This is the company's latest attempt

to limit the length of meetings.

- You turn it on and then choose the length of the meeting.

Five, 15 minutes, even a hour.

Today it will be 30 minutes and that's the time I need.

- It's a start but old habits are hard to change.

With or without a cube, meetings usually over run

and employees continue to work

an unreasonable amount of overtime and worse,

in South Korea, the boundary between

private and professional life is often blurred.

And even after work, many employees spend more time

with their colleagues than with their families.

We head to Pohang, an hour by plane from Seoul.

It is here by the sea, that Posco,

the fourth biggest steel producer in the world,

has set up some of it's factories.

Five square kilometers dedicated

to the metal working industry.

A city within a city,

the size of an average Parisian district,

constructed from scratch by the multinational.

6,500 employees work there,

entirely closed off from the world.

The firm imposes an almost military discipline.

Almost completely opposite to the french model.

It is 8 AM and their days all begin in the same way

with a gym session and slogans that glorify the company.

- And it's time for the Posco motto.

- Employee dedication is the foundation of Posco's success.

Posco will grow if all employees respect the security rules.

Posco is the best.

- Ty Sung, a good soldier,

has taken part in this ritual every day for 20 years.

- It is important to chant these slogans.

It allows us to keep the morale of steel.

- Ty Sung is a laborer.

He takes care of the maintenance of the machines.

On average, he works 12 hours a day

and that's without counting the unpaid overtime.

But here, this is normal, and the key word is devotion.

And all day the employee respect certain codes

to show their dedication to the company.

Most important is an extreme politeness.

This morning, Ty Sung made an appointment

with his spare parts supplier in order to identify

a problem with a broken machine.

- Just change the remote control, the rest works.

- The matter is quickly resolved

but before leaving his supplier

Ty Sung doesn't hesitate in bowing to show his respect.

This is compulsory in South Korea.

- When you meet someone for the first time, you have to bow.

And then you offer your hand;

it's the same with the elderly.

With relatives or subordinates,

you can greet them with a wave.

But to greet superiors, you have to bow to show respect.

In South Korea, this is important etiquette.

- The second important rule

to follow is respect for the hierarchy.

In Korean companies, you cannot question decisions

made by superiors even if they are wrong.

Everyone must stay in their place

and to remind employees of this, again, there are codes.

Ty Sung and his colleagues have a meeting

to take stock of the ongoing repairs.

When they address one another, they do not use

their first names but their titles as they do in the Army.

- Manager, how is it going with our supplier at the factory?

- There's a problem with the measurements.

It will take three months to do everything again.

- Head of reporting,

what should we do about safety standards?

- Head a planning cord and set to ask

the reporting assistant to assess them.

- In the eyes of the west,

this protocol can seem comical

but in South Korea it's very serious.

- Calling each other by our job title

makes us all responsible.

I think it is better for the efficiency of the team.

The hierarchy is better respected.

- It's a little after 7pm

Ty Sung and his colleagues have dealt with

all their urgent problems so tonight they'll be no overtime

and the employees can go home in peace.

But leaving the office does not really mean leaving Posco.

The city that surrounds the factory

belongs entirely to the multinational.

The stadium, schools, houses, shopping centers,

and even public transport;

everything was built by the steel giant.

- The conditions are ideal for us and our families.

Everything we need is here; the company has planned

everything for our well being in this city

and at the factory which is good.

It gives us more motivation to devote ourselves to our work.

- Ty Sung lives in this company city,

five minutes by road from his office,

with his wife and two children.

A modest four room apartment that

they bought from the company for 55,000 Euros.

- Since we were married, my wife and I

have lived here in The Posco Village.

We've never lived anywhere else

and we like this apartment.

- Ty Sung's wife is a stay at home mother.

Together, they have lived here for 20 years.

But the couple does not often have

the opportunity to share many intimate moments

because generally Ty Sung stays late at the factory

and after work he goes out with his colleagues.

Tonight, he invited them to his home

to celebrate the end of the school exams with his children.

- Good evening.

- Among the guests are a technician and his wife

and two wives whose husbands are still at the factory.

- I don't feel like we're doing overtime, not at all.

If we weren't here we'd likely be in a bar having drinks.

- You know, our neighbors are also colleagues.

We live together, we feel close.

For me, it's not a problem.

- It seems clear to everybody,

but Ty Sung and his colleagues

push the boundaries even further.

It's Friday night, the weekend, and they are off of work.

But they've planned to take part in a charity event

organized by the multinational tomorrow morning

in a little village an hours' drive from the factory.

- Has everybody collected their tools?

- It looks like a

normal work day except it's Saturday.

The Posco employees are doing charity work

for their company to help local farmers.

- We've come to repair their tractors on their iron gates.

We've come to help because they are poor

and can't afford to do it themselves.

- In South Korea, the economic boom has caused

an exodus from the countryside.

Many villages have been left empty and impoverished

so Ty Sung and his colleagues put their skills to work.

- Look at the space between the door and the wall.

You see it doesn't close properly; let's fix that.

- It's good what Posco are doing.

- The charity work is great advertising

for the company and it barely cost them anything.

It's the Posco workers who put their hand

in their pockets to fund the operation.

- The employees all give 1% of our salaries

towards the social activities of the business.

With this money, we buy what we need to work.

Especially iron, which we buy from Posco.

It is true that our lives revolve around the business.

I work and live in a Posco apartment,

I bring up my children here and I finished my studies here

thanks to a grant from the company.

So, it's normal that I give them my free time.

It's a fair exchange.

- This work mode has allowed South Korea

to escape from underdevelopment,

but today it shows it's weaknesses.

It has seen several financial crisis and for the first time

the country's experiencing unemployment.

At only 3.7%, the rate remains low,

but competition has become even more ruthless.

In Seoul, many people find themselves excluded

from the system and the poverty there is now exposed.

- Granny come on, have you already eaten or not?

- No, not yet.

- Do you want this rice cake?

- Yes, please.

- Choy is a Pastor and for several years

has been helping the most impoverished.

Every Saturday, he organizes a soup kitchen

in the Northeast of the city.

On the menu today is unsold food donated

by local shop keepers; rice with peas,

meat and sauce, fried tofu.

- Only take what you can eat, don't waste any.

- Probably the only meal

that these needy men and women will eat all day.

There are around 50 people wolfing down their lunches,

faces turned to the wall in shame.

- There are people here who were directors of big companies.

Others who were university professors.

They all lost everything in the financial crisis.

But they were part of the development of the country.

They've paid a lot of tax, but today they're not recognized

by the government who want to hide

all the misery in Korea and just abandon them.

- Most of those in need are elderly people.

In South Korean, more than three million

of them live below the poverty line.

The main cause is the pension system

which was only put into place at the end of the 80s

and many people haven't contributed enough

to earn a decent pension.

Most of them live in abandoned districts like this one.

Pastor Choy regularly visits them.

- When I don't hear from them for a while

I get worried and I wonder if they're still there,

if they have a problem, if they've died.

I'm always worried.

- He hasn't heard from one 60 year old man,

who lives in this dilapidated building,

for several days; the Pastor wants to check

that everything is okay.

- Hello, is someone there, how are you, have you eaten?

- No, I haven't eaten.

- Why haven't you eaten?

- I was lying down.

- You have to eat, I'm not going to come in.

Do you like rice cakes?

- Yes, I do.

- There you go, eat those.

- A few years ago, Mr. Kim was a designer

for an architect firm but business wasn't booming.

Today, he finds himself with no pension and his only income

is a minimal state aide of 300 Euros a month.

Not enough for decent accommodation,

this five square meter room is all he can afford.

- When I sleep, I unfold a sheet on the floor as I'm ill

and I put the pillow between my knees and then I lie down.

- In this box, Mr. Kim

piles up his personal belongings:

clothing, books, souvenirs, and a few appliances

that he managed to keep from his old life.

- That's my computer, that's my TV.

That's some childhood souvenirs.

- For the bathroom,

you have to go onto the landing where Mr. Kim shares them

with around 20 other tenants who live in similar conditions.

- That's the shower for everybody.

Those are the old style communal toilets.

We're always told that Korea is an advanced country

but look for yourself, it's a scandal.

The inequalities between rich and poor are enormous.

- Look after yourself, I'll see you soon.

- The Pastor has to leave.

Others who have been left behind

by society are waiting for him.

20 years ago, most pensioners lived with their children

but economic progress has changed peoples' mentalities

and the tradition no longer exist.

Nowadays, many adults over 60 find themselves on their own,

fending for themselves; to survive they

often need to work again.

This grandmother is 81, like all Korean pensioners

she receives aide from the state

but to improve her situation she collects

paper and cardboard that she finds in the streets

to sell to the rubbish tip.

- I never thought I would end up like this.

I worked my whole life as a cleaner, ironing.

I did that for over 30 years and now my legs hurt

but I don't have the choice.

- Four hours every day,

bent over collecting papers, of pushing the cart

is exhausting work but Mrs. Choy

hasn't found anything better.

Her two adult children try to help her from time to time

but they aren't rich enough to provide for her

so tirelessly she takes her bounty to the tip.

For this first delivery, she earns around 10 Euros.

The price depends on the weight.

- How many kilograms do you have?

- 50 kilograms.

- That's good for me.

- The man at the tip always tells me that I'm not well

and that I should stop but I don't have much money

and even if my hip hurts, I prefer to work than do nothing.

- On average this work

earns her 200 Euros a month; added to the 300 Euros

she gets from the government this work allows her

to live reasonably in this small two room flat.

But the pensioner is over 80 and worries everyday

how long she'll be able to keep going.

- I'm not happy, often in the evenings I think about dying

because this life is too hard.

I pray every night to not wake up.

I can't wait to join God.

- Mrs. Choy's words reveal a sad reality.

South Korea has the world record

for the highest suicide rate.

On average, 40 people kill themselves every day.

Twice as many as in France.

In Seoul, the bridges are all under surveillance.

To help potential suicides life savers

are on call 24 hours a day.

But despite their efforts, the authorities struggle

to contain the problem.

Over the last few years suicide is also affecting

the young due to overwhelming pressure at school.

In terms of education, South Korea is one of

the best performing countries in the world.

It's schools are among the best

and it's students attain the best results, a national pride.

But this success comes at a high price

and young Koreans are also the most stressed in the world.

It's 7 AM in a very stylish area of Guyana.

Mrs. Park is preparing breakfast

but this morning there's a problem.

Her husband has already left for work

and she can't wake up Yoon Jae, her 16 year old son.

- Wake up, go on, wake up.

- Please mom, 10 more minutes.

- The reason Yoon Jae

has so much trouble waking up is

that he doesn't get much sleep.

No more than five hours a night.

An incredible rhythm for a growing teenager.

The rest of the time he devotes to his studies.

He dreams of going to a top university after he graduates

and to do that he needs to be one of the best.

- Yoon Jae, are you up?

He's so tired he can't get up.

- Half an hour later

the young boy finally shows his face but he's late

so no breakfast; he'll have to make do with a banana.

- See you tonight.

- Bye.

- And his daily marathon begins.

Over 15 hours of study everyday from 8 AM to 1AM.

A daunting schedule, unique in the world.

First stage is high school, one of the best in Seoul.

Here the students wear uniforms,

boys and girls are in different classes,

and discipline is strict.

- Everyday we have to leave our phones here; it's the rules.

- This morning is an

economy lesson taught by this teacher.

Even though the lesson is interesting after a few minutes

some of the students are already crashing.

Like Yoon Jae, they work long days so they catch up

on their sleep as best they can.

Yoon Jae is also falling asleep so he decides to

go to the back of the class where there's a high table;

put there to allow students to fight against fatigue.

Standing up and without a chair, it's difficult to sleep.

- If I stay seated I'm going to fall asleep; I know it.

I've already had several warnings

and after three warnings I'll lose points.

So, I do my best not to lose any more.

- All of the students

start the school year with 54 points,

but the slightest error can cause them to lose points.

Sleeping in class cost two points

and if you reach zero, it's expulsion.

So, everybody watches their step.

The head teacher keeps count on his software

and he doesn't joke around with discipline.

- When I click on a name,

I can find out everything about a student;

especially if he has lost points.

Look at Yoon Jae for example, he fell asleep yesterday

despite my warnings so I was forced to take away two points.

His mother immediately received a message

so she can lecture him when he comes home in the evening.

It really is a good method for enforcing discipline.

- This system was put in place four years ago

when the state banned corporal punishment within the school.

But old habits die hard and students

making noise in the quarters should watch out.

It's 4 PM and the end of the school day

but Yoon Jae's daily marathon continues.

After more than seven hours in high school,

he now has five hours of private lessons.

- I'd like to go and rest but the day isn't over for me.

- And he mustn't hang around

because his mother is waiting to

drive him to a private academy.

It's a school who gives intensive lessons.

In Seoul 90% of students go to

these establishments after their classes.

- South Korea is a small country

and we don't have many natural resources.

Our wealth is our brains so we invest in

the education of our children.

It's our most precious resource.

- Bye mom.

- The lessons he is taking tonight

cost Yoon Jae's parents 900 Euros a month.

It's expensive but in South Korea

you can't put a price on education.

For five hours the young boy will

carry out mathematics exercises.

Not with the aim of improving his weaknesses,

but to get ahead in the school curriculum.

In Seoul alone there are more than 30,000 establishments

like this one; a parallel education system

that is designed to ensure success.

- Goodbye, see you tomorrow.

- 10 PM and Yoon Jae can finally go home.

Before leaving, he has to punch out like at the factory

so his parents know he isn't missing lessons.

- I'm very good, now I can go home

and take shower, I can go to bed.

- Every evening between 10 and 11 PM,

thousands of school children like him

are leaving these academies.

A surprising spectacle in the streets of the capitol.

But what is most incredible is that after 12 hours

in a classroom Yoon Jae still hasn't done his homework.

Before going to bed, his last stop is in

the study room of his building.

Many buildings have rooms like this

for students to work in peace.

- I'm really tired now,

but you know this my homework and I have to do.

It can be 1 AM and 2 AM but we have to

because that's our job.

- It's past midnight and the young boy

finally pushes open the door of his apartment.

- Mom, I'm home.

- His mother prepared him a last meal.

His father still isn't home from work.

- Here you go Yoon Jae, did you have a good day?

Bon appetite.

- Yoon Jae keeps up

this infernal rhythm every day.

His mother is aware of the short comings

of the Korean education system

but she doesn't see any other alternative.

- Of course I worry about my son.

He works a lot and has very little free time.

But as long as he can he has to continue.

Korean society is very competitive.

We worry about our children's future.

They have to work hard to get every chance on their side.

Tonight, once again, Yoon Jae

will go to bed exhausted at 1 AM.

The authorities try to battle against

the educational frenzy of children and their parents

by limiting the open hours of private academies,

but it's a losing battle.

The beginnings of unemployment has raised tensions

in the job market and to make it

young Koreans are ready to do anything.

The latest trend is to have cosmetic surgery

to improve your appearance and please employers.

In just a few years, South Korea has become kingdom

of the scalpel; ahead of Brazil or the United States.

And it's common to come across people in the streets

who are just out of surgery.

- Watch out for the pavement.

- A sculpted chin, a pointed nose,

or an enlarged smile; here anything is possible.

Even the most improbable, like having Botox injected

into your vocal chords to have a more beautiful voice.

- He's going to have a more deeper, more serious voice

and it will reduce tremors.

- All over the capitol

are adverts highlighting the skill of these surgeons.

Even photo booths have given in

to this quest for perfection.

As surprising as it may seem, for many people

going underneath the knife isn't just a question

of vanity but also a factor in your social standing.

- Bye, see you next time.

- 28 years old,

Hiyua has a degree in communication.

When he finished his studies three years ago

he thought he would find a job easily

but after sending out many CVs

and attending many interviews he's had no luck

and he is convinced that his looks are the reason.

- When I called back employers to find out

why I wasn't hired I'm told, "You're too skinny,

your face is too thin, your eyes are too small."

My appearance counts against me.

I don't think I give a good impression.

In short, they let me know that

I don't match the image of their company.

And in the end I'm rejected because of the way I look.

- Hiyua would like to work

in the marketing department of a big fashion company.

So, to improve his chances with the recruiter

he decides to get his eyes enlarged.

A decision that may seem extreme

but in such an ultra competitive society

this cult of appearance has become the norm.

Many recruiters admit that the looks of the candidates

is a determining factor in their decision.

Some go as far as requesting detailed information

on their future recruits bodies.

- These are all the CVs that I've sent

and the documents I've had to provide.

A company once asked me for a medical certificate

to say I was in good health; this document shows

all the details of my body.

The size of my chest, my thighs,

all the specifics of my anatomy are there.

I gave them this document at the interview,

but I wasn't hired.

- In desperation, Hiyua booked

an appointment in one of the many clinics in Gangnam.

The most exclusive area in Seoul.

There are over 500 here.

Hiyua chooses one of the most well known.

It spreads over 16 floors and 9 doctors work here

each with their own specialty.

Here the staff are in tune

with current standards of beauty.

- Hello.

- Hello doctor.

- Hiyua is going to be operated on by Dr. Dow;

specialist in eye enlargement.

- Look in the mirror, you have skin that hides your eyelids.

The fold of the skin pushes the eyelids down for an Asian.

You don't necessarily have small eyes,

but we can correct the form and remove the skin.

- In South Korea this is

the most popular procedure especially with women

who dream of having a face that is more western looking.

But Dr. Dow also operates on a lot of men;

around 15% of his clientele and the majority of them

go under the knife for professional reasons.

- I'm not surprised because competition

in the professional world in Korea is fierce.

There's a lot of unemployment.

So, for men who have problems

with their appearance it's harder.

Every body wants to stand out,

even if it's just the little details.

- The operation cost 1,500 Euros

which is a considerable sum but for Hiyua

it's worth the investment; it may be his ticket,

finally, to the working world.

- I've wanted to for a long time.

I'm ready, I'm looking forward to it.

- The operation only takes a quarter of an hour

and is carried out under local anesthetic.

For Dr. Dow, it's routine.

He carries out between six and 12 operations

like this every day.

In the recovery room, Hiyua is impatient to see his new face

but he's going to have to wait a little.

- Now my eyes have to scar well.

I need to take care of them,

but I really think it could change my life.

- Four more weeks of waiting,

a final visit to the clinic to remove his stitches

and then maybe, finally the job of his dreams.

Faced with increasing social and economic pressures,

Koreans are experiencing a growing unease

and in this majority Christian country

more and more are finding comfort in faith.

This morning, away from the eyes of onlookers

in the highest parts of Seoul,

a somewhat special ceremony is taking place.

A Shamanic ritual, an ancient spiritual practice

aiming to communicate with the spirits.

Behind the scenes, the leader of this joyful group

is concentrating before the arrival of his next client.

His name is Gimpa and he's a professional Shaman.

A former singer, he discovered

his vocation around 20 years ago.

Since then, he's been carrying out religious rights

to communicate with gods and nature

and his business earns him a lot of money.

- Everybody is trying in life,

but it doesn't always go the way you would like.

People come here to find a meaning to their lives

thanks to the power of our ancestors and gods.

It's especially young people who are discovering Shamanism.

- Among his clients are stars, sports players,

and more and more often businessmen.

This morning Gimpa is meeting an important client

who made his fortune in wealth management.

The millionaire is close to the government

so the Shaman greets him in person.

- Hello.

- Hello it's been nearly a year since we've seen each other,

hasn't it?

- Yes, that's right, you came last year.

- The man is a regular here

but he prefers to remain anonymous

because paying a Shaman to make

your business successful is considered taboo.

- I came to pray and to ask the spirits

to protect my business and my employees;

to give them good health so business goes well.

- To fulfill this personality's wishes

the Shaman has prepared a whole program.

To begin, the ritual of cutting straw.

A well known ceremony amongst his followers.

In traditional costumes, barefoot on this sharpened blade,

Gimpa dances himself into a trance and evokes the deities.

- The gods of the sea and the mountain

and all the other gods say things

have changed since last year.

- In the front row,

the business man doesn't miss a moment.

Though it should be said that

he's paid a considerable amount of money

for the services of Gimpa and his team.

Nearly 20,000 Euros and that's not all.

To receive favors from the gods

you have to offer more and more gifts in cash.

In the hut next door, the Shaman's coworkers

are preparing another ritual, sacrificing a pig.

The animal was killed the night before

and it's death is supposed to keep illness away

from the businessman and his company.

But for that the gods must be given

the equivalent of 50 Euros.

- Do you have 3,001?

- Yes.

- An offering doused in rice alcohol

which will end up in the Shaman's pockets.

- Spit three times and afterwards you can leave

but don't turn around as you're leaving.

- It may seem barbaric

but with this kind of ritual the businessman believes

he is keeping away the evil eye.

- At the beginning it scared me, I was uncomfortable.

But I watched learned and understood.

And once you understand the meaning of things,

you end up accepting them; it's obvious even.

- The ceremonies will go on all day.

For each dance, Gimpa changes his outfit

and his client increases his offerings.

In total, on top of the 20,000 Euros

that it's cost to book the ceremony,

he'll spend 3,000 more.

An avalanche of money that seems to amuse the Shaman

and the spirit that he seems to be channeling.

- I have money, money everywhere.

We're going to have fun, I feel the spirit

of grandfather waiting for me.

- At that price the

business man at least gets a good meal.

Even if the cost is exorbitant,

the business is firmly convinced it works.

- One day, I negotiated a contract with a new company

that I don't know, the Shaman told me to be careful

and pay attention to certain details of the contract

and that saved me; I avoided catastrophe.

- On average, Gimpa carries out

around 50 of these ceremonies each year;

enough to earn a pretty sum.

And his business has a future.

There are more and more believers in the country.

Every year 40% of South Koreans consult a Shaman.

A few kilometers away in Seoul Station, Hiyua,

the young job seeker who had his eyes operated on,

is in a hurry; this is the moment he's been waiting for

for a month, to get a new photo for his CV.

And he's banking on his new face to revive his job search.

- My face is softer, I'm still the same

but today I have better physique

and I think that will go down much better with people.

- The difference isn't necessarily obvious

but at least this cosmetic surgery

has given him more self confidence.

With his new face on his CV, Hiyua is convinced

that he will land the job of his dreams

in the marketing department of a big company.

- Before the operation, when I had more slanting eyes,

people didn't think I was friendly.

I've even been told that I wasn't getting

a job because of my looks.

Today my eyes are bigger and I can look

people more easily in the eyes.

I think people trust me more now which is important

and can make all the difference to a recruiter.

- Since the end of our filming,

three months ago, Hiyua still hasn't got the job

that he desperately wants but it's only a matter of time.

With growth at nearly 3%, South Korea is one of the most

dynamic countries in Asia and one of the most

innovative on the planet.