Hello, my name is Mingwan, and I went to Seonggungwan, the national university of the Joseon Dynasty. I've learned about the Gwageo exam that the Joseon nobles took, and I would like to tell you all about it.

There was a exam called the Gwageo exam in Joseon. Only noblemen took this difficult and important exam. Actually, this exam was divided into two stages: Sogwa and Daegwa. After nobles passed the Sogwa first, they attended universities such as Sunggyungwan. After they earned 300 points, they could take the Daegwa, which could help them become officials. In the Daegwa, 33 people passed the exam and became officials. The first place of the Daegwa was called Jangwon Geupjae, while the second place was called Bangan Geupjae, and the third place was called Tamhwa Geupjae. From their rankings like these, they got their official classes differently.

I became interested in the Gwageo exam because even today there are many stories about it, such as the Gwageo cunning papers, the names of the nobles¡¯ rankings, and the two stages of the exam. I think the Gwageo exam is a very special and unique culture in Korean history.