Yu Minhong's Antarctic Letter Sparks Employee Backlash

An internal letter sent by Chinese education giant New Oriental's founder Yu Minhong from Antarctica has ignited debate and frustration among employees, overshadowing the company's 32nd-anniversary celebrations on November 16.

According to several netizens claiming to be New Oriental staff, many were still working late into the night on course-renewal plans after finishing classes when Yu's message — typed in red font and filled with poetic descriptions of Antarctic ice fields and wildlife — arrived in their inboxes.

Online discussion quickly focused on the contrast between Yu's luxury polar expedition and employees' heavy workloads. Some users even scrutinized the letter's language, noting it mentioned "I" 17 times and "Antarctica" five times.

Yu opened the letter with an emotional flourish: "At this moment, I am standing in the world of ice and snow in Antarctica." He went on to recall New Oriental's humble beginnings in a shabby classroom, the hardships of its three-decade journey, and the perseverance that sustained it. Watching penguins huddle for warmth and raise their young in extreme conditions, he wrote, reminded him of New Oriental employees supporting one another through adversity.

Meanwhile, Yu has been actively chronicling his Antarctic adventure on social media Weibo. Since November 13, he has posted 13 videos, featuring breakfasts at sea, sunrise-lit icebergs, circling seabirds, and emperor penguins marching across the snow.

But inside the company, reactions were far less poetic. The internal letter sparked an outpouring of frustration from employees, who publicly vented about the widening disconnect between management and frontline staff.

"Right now, I'm on the subway after finishing an 8:30pm class," one employee wrote. "Your red-font letter feels like an unintentional display of privilege, built on our blood and sweat."

Another commented bluntly: "The boss is in Antarctica's ice fields; I'm working overtime in the office."

Yu also revealed that he was traveling aboard the expedition vessel "SH Vega." According to Jimu News, a similar 29-day, 28-night itinerary is listed on a travel platform for about 1.48 million yuan (US$208,000) per person for single occupancy.

Public information shows the SH Vega, launched in 2021, can carry 245 passengers and features amenities such as an open-air hot spring, a theater, and Zodiac exploration boats. The vessel is marketed as capable of reaching remote polar destinations — from the geographic North Pole and emperor penguin colonies to Peter I Island.