Premiering at 10 p.m. on the 15th, Channel A’s new entertainment show ‘Teachers 3: Retakers' War’ is the third season of ‘Please Take Care of My Grades: Teachers’. Seasons 1 and 2 of ‘Teachers’ were observational entertainment programs capturing students transforming according to learning solutions provided by “top-tier star instructors,” receiving favorable reviews that “concrete study methods offer practical help.”

Such a ‘Teachers’ program has now changed its format into a survival show. In Season 3, 100 retakers challenging their “final CSAT (College Scholastic Ability Test)” compete through various missions and competitions to narrow down to a single winner. Beginning early this year, the survival show spans nearly a year until the CSAT, during which customized learning solutions from top-tier instructors such as Jeong Seung-je are provided. The final winner will receive a full scholarship throughout their entire college life. As this year’s CSAT is the final exam before the college admissions overhaul, expectations are high that viewers’ attention will gather on the desperate challenges and fierce competition of these retakers.

Season 3 took a full four years just in planning. It is said to have been based on a conversation that took place during a meal with mathematics instructor Jeong Seung-je back when Season 1 was being planned. Kim Seung-hoon, Channel A CP, stated at the production presentation on the 15th, “Since it is a work filmed over a long period, we tried to capture various variables, dramas, and the students' sincerity,” adding, “We hope you will watch what kind of dreams our children are dreaming, how they are developing through exams, and also ponder what words we should say to them.”

The instructor lineup centers around instructor Jeong while bringing in new members: Yoo Dae-jong, the “absolute powerhouse in CSAT Korean,” and Kim Ji-young, the “emerging powerhouse in English.” Instructor Yoo, who accepted the offer on the very day it was proposed, said, “People jokingly say that Korean is a subject where scores don't go up even if you spend the price of a house,” adding, “I thought it was necessary to explain a ‘code of conduct’ to the students and parents watching.” On the other hand, instructor Kim noted, “I worried a lot because I am not a top-tier instructor,” but decided to participate, thinking, “Just how many opportunities would I get to touch and guide the lives of friends up close?”

As for the hosts, Jeon Hyun-moo and Jang Young-ran, who were active in the previous ‘Teachers’, were joined by YouTuber Mimiminu, who served as a college admissions mentor in Season 2. Mimiminu, who entered Korea University after going through five attempts at the CSAT, mentioned his own experience and stated, “Taking the CSAT multiple times absolutely does not mean your scores will automatically go up,” adding, “I hope ‘Teachers 3’ can serve as a reference for those preparing for a retake next year.” Jeon Hyun-moo, who also has experience retaking the exam, said, “(Retaking) must be the first failure encountered at the most tender age,” and added, “Actually, looking back, it's not even a failure, but there is no one to understand their hardships. Even though I'm an MC, I was shaken a lot and thought of the old days.”

The 100 participating students were selected based on criteria such as the earnestness of their stories through consultations with the three instructors. The instructors also played the role of judges for the 100 selected individuals. The biggest criterion they picked was “sincerity.” Instructor Jeong said, “If you do as you are told, your scores have no choice but to rise, and we looked at whether there was the earnestness to actually do that.” Jeon Hyun-moo stated, “I've hosted many survival programs, but there has never been a survival show as desperate as this,” adding, “It was the most heartbreaking survival show because of the existence of rules where people drop out and move up.”

“You might misunderstand and think, ‘You have to receive care from star instructors to raise your grades.’ However, I wanted to show that anyone can accomplish it (even without special tutoring) if you simply pursue the essence.” (Instructor Jeong)

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