Woman Who Spent $13.5k Learning To Drive Passed Her Test After 960 Attempts

Image: AsianCultureUnlocked/YouTube

Almost 15 years after her international story made headlines, Cha Sa-soon, a South Korean woman who spent $13.5k on getting her driver's license, has gained renewed attention after her tale was shared on Reddit.

Her remarkable persistence in pursuing her license, which she finally obtained on her 960th attempt, has been the focus of interest. In April 2005, she first attempted the written test but was unsuccessful.

Despite this setback, she persisted, taking the exam five days a week, every week, for three years until she finally passed.

Image: AsianCultureUnlocked/YouTube

After numerous attempts, she managed to reduce her frequency to just two tests a week, until she eventually succeeded in passing the written test on her 860th try.

However, the challenge did not end there, as she still had to pass the practical driving test.

The total number of driving examinations Cha Sa-soon had to take increased to 960, encompassing both the written and practical components, with the latter requiring her to take the test ten more times.

Despite the reported cost of around $13.5k, she persevered due to the necessity of being able to drive for her vegetable-selling business.

Cha Sa-soon's driving instructor at Jeonbuk Driving School revealed that her success was a relief for both of them, describing it as a "huge burden off [their] backs".

The instructor, at Jeonbuk Driving School, said: “When she finally got her license, we all went out cheering and hugged her, giving her flowers."

'It felt like a huge burden falling off our backs. We hadn't had the guts to tell her to quit because she kept showing up.'

Cha Sa-soon's exceptional perseverance made her a national celebrity and her story received global coverage.

Her remarkable journey even earned her a brand new car worth $14k as a gift from the South Korean car manufacturer, Hyundai.

Recently, her story has resurfaced on Reddit, prompting discussions about her driving ability and road safety.

One Redditor wrote: 'I believe if you take a test nearly 1,000 times, you might have the whole thing committed to memory at that point.' 

A further commentator wrote: 'But now that she passed a very specific driving situation under ideal circumstances, surely she's fully capable of driving a death machine under all types of conditions, right?' 

And another wrote: '960 times? That sounds like a systemic failure. It wastes everyone's time if you don't have a mandatory 1-month or 1-week wait period. Otherwise, you just have people coming back and trying to shotgun the test over and over instead of studying.'

A Reddit user expressed sympathy towards Cha Sa-soon, stating that they felt a bit sad for her, assuming that she had no one to assist her with the preparation for the test. They wrote: 'Fall 959 times, get up 960. But seriously this kinda makes me sad, did she not have anyone help her study?'

And another added: 'If at first, you don't succeed....'