South Korean university senior [PERSON_NAME] spends his summer at a chipmaking cram school in Seoul, aiming for a role at SK Hynix or Samsung Electronics. He is one of 30 selected for a state‑sponsored, three‑and‑a‑half‑month program covering semiconductor components, chip design, and data analysis, plus CV and interview coaching. The surge in chipmaker applications follows record AI‑driven profits and massive bonuses—Samsung’s average payouts near $400,000 and SK Hynix’s projected $500,000 bonuses.

Cram schools now compete with medicine for top talent, with semiconductor university programs seeing higher enrollment than medical schools in the 2026 cycle. Recruiters note even liberal‑arts graduates are applying for factory jobs at the conglomerates, highlighting a dramatic shift in career preferences driven by lucrative chip industry incentives.