Last week, Baek Kang-hyun shared the admission results from Oxford University, a leading global institution he applied to at age 12, on his personal YouTube channel.
Baek stated that despite receiving support, he did not receive an offer letter from the computer science department. Due to high expectations, Baek knelt down and cried upon learning the outcome.
However, Baek views this as a meaningful challenge, helping him learn a great deal. Baek plans not to give up.
"My ultimate goal is to become an artificial intelligence (AI) expert," he affirmed.
Last september, Baek publicly announced his ambition to attend Oxford and maintained impressive scores in practice tests. He successfully passed the Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) and reached the interview stage – a knockout round for only about 400 outstanding candidates out of 1,600 applicants.
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Baek Kang-hyun in a video solving MAT exam questions. *Screenshot*.
Baek's application process faced administrative hurdles due to his young age. The UK's Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) restricts applicants under 13, requiring him to correspond directly with Oxford's admissions committee via email and phone calls.
A student visa also presented a significant obstacle, typically issued only to individuals aged 16 or older. Baek previously shared that even if accepted, he might have to wait an additional three years before officially enrolling.
Baek Kang-hyun gained prominence in 2016 after appearing on SBS's Genius Discovery Unit program. At just 41 months old, he could solve complex equations and demonstrated innate talent in both mathematics and music. Baek's IQ was recorded at 164 on the Wechsler scale and 204 on the Mensa scale.
In 3/2023, Baek caused a stir when he was accepted into Seoul Science High School at age 10, but withdrew after only one semester. At the time, he stated he wanted to focus on personal creative activities. However, Baek's father later revealed that his son was a victim of school bullying, ostracized, and forced to leave.
Khanh Linh (According to The Chosun Daily)
