They try to get their children to maximize their potentials.
I've known Korean Americans who have gone through it. Later in life, they may opt for different career paths but they have those options open to them because of the education,credentials, work experience that they got because of that pressure.
Which is a fine goal to have and they seem to have some results in that regard.
But the article only compares lax parenting, which doesn't achieve that goal, and the stereotypical Asian degrading one, which gets better academic results accompanied with poorer mental health.
I believe there are healthier alternatives that do lead to academically competitive children without stifling their other potentials (creativity, emotional expression and management, communication, love...). Knowing they exist, I don't see any reason to favor methods that involve the "ethering of children".