Idol groups balance careers and studies as CSAT season approaches

As the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test draws near, attention has turned to whether 2007-born idols will sit the CSAT. IVE’s Iseo has decided not to take the CSAT this year after extensive discussions about university admission, with Starship Entertainment stating she will focus on music activities for now and reconsider university plans later.

In addition to Iseo, several 2007-born idols—Yuha and Stella of Hearts2Hearts, Choi Jeong-eun of IZNA, and Wonhee of Illit—will not take this year’s CSAT, due to busy schedules that make balancing studies with activities difficult. They are reportedly prioritizing their main careers over academics.

By contrast, ZEROBASEONE’s Han Yu-jin and IZNA’s Yu Sarang will participate in the CSAT this year, with their agency WakeOne stating they plan to balance academics and entertainment activities. WakeOne has confirmed their attendance and outlined the intention to manage both aspects concurrently.

The 2026 CSAT is scheduled to be held on the 13th at 1,310 test centers nationwide, with about 554,174 examinees. The majority of these test-takers are 2007-born students, reflecting the cohort mentioned in this report.