Korean Job Discussion Forums

[insam]

Anyone know about a place with these names (I've seen both listed on correspondence from them)? It's in Apkujeoung (Seoul) and is mostly for standardized/college entrance/essay preparation etc. There are so many under the Sejong epithet in Korea I can't keep up. Anyone know this one? The director's name is Mr. Jin-young Park.

Thanks in advance.

[insam]

Hmm, is this the same place referred to here as 'Golden Bough'?

[big_blue_21]

Yeah dude, that was their old name a few years back, maybe they've reverted to it . . . The guy is jin-young park (for a while--I think to hide his identity--he was going under (you got to love this) "Bruce" Park). When in doubt if there's a lanky lackey named Cho or a woman named "Kate" (yeah, guessing that's not her given name), or if it's in Apjugeong (Sinsa-dong on the official address), that's the place. Also, you'll be able to identify it by the broken windows, some taped up, others not. E-mail will be: [email protected] . . . sorry I didn't get back to you when it would have been helpful . . .

[thegadfly]

There is a Sejong institute about a block away from the old Sejong that was also Golden Bough -- not the same place, not the same guy, not affiliated or associated, I was just there last week looking for Park Jin Young, and he wasn't connected to the Sejong I walked into...at least the secretary indicated he wasn't....

Dunno anything about the place, except that it might just share a name....

[big_blue_21]

yeah, i do know a sejong, totally unrelated, one subway stop away, don't know anything about this Sejong that's only one block away, but if it's third floor of compton-style "office" building right across the street from Hyundai Department store and there's a hair cutting place on the second floor, stay away! unless your idea of fun is a night in Hannibal Lecter's home . . .

[Iago]

There is a Sejong Institute in Apkujung on the 2nd floor of a new building called "Apkujung Square". It has a "Mini Stop" on the first floor (ground floor). I didnt notice a Hyundai store. There are no broken windows and it looks pretty tidy. The deputy manager is now Jina Hong (Hong Seoung-Chen korean name i think).

Could be the same one but moved to a new building. It is still owned by the News Paper (and some publishing company). I dont know who the manager is.

Donsalma I have seen your threads on the bad practices of Sejong English institute. It is concerning. I have been offered a job by them and seen the school and met the deputy Director and all seemed ok. I guess i will be treading wth caution from now. Maybe things have been changed, I will find out who the director is.

Cheers

[big_blue_21]

all right, man! good luck, thanks for keeping me updated . . . Gina is definetly someone new. There will be a jinyoung park and a guy named Cho. There was a lady Kate, too, but she might be gone by now . . . if jinyoung Park and Cho are gone, it's probably fine, otherwise be careful! . . . there's a lot of good schools out there and from what i heard lately they are still up to their same old stuff . . . did you see the post by (I think) mexican-american-in-korea . . . just do a search using "golden bough." I know it shows up then. A search with "sejong" might work too . . . anyways, thanks for keeping me posted . . .

[Iago]

Yeah I saw the other posts by the Mexican American guy. I will let you know what i find out. Gina (or Jina as she spells it) has only just been appointed recently. Its a shame if its a crapwon because in all other respects it seemed to be a good deal. I actually visited the school while i was in Seoul, and i visited a bunch of not so good ones as well. Oh well, i will see how it goes.
Thanks for the warnings
Iago

[big_blue_21]

I definetly found out that they moved and they're definetly going by Sejong these days; Golden Bough is nitsky, at least till they need to change names again . . . They're near the Sinsa subway station, no longer the Apgujeong station . . . They pay all right, but just know you'll never get your health insurance or pension--that's certain unless they've really changed!--and also your job is in as great of peril as your life would be surfing off the Great Barrier Reef with a few raw steaks dangling from your board . . . I guess the guy--jin-young park--takes contracts pretty lightly so don't bank on making it through the year--most of us didn't, it felt like serving in vietnam in that way . . . i meant in the war, not in a hagwon . . .

[lfell428]

I had a meeting there a couple of weeks ago. They pay decent, but the atmosphere was pretty snobby (not surprising for the Apgujeong area). They provide almost no vacation (only 7 days out of the year and it's a different vacation from all the other hagwons) and they don't provide key money either. Your hours are also not guaranteed. According to Jina, you can stay later or stay earlier. I'm guessing 9times out of 10 it will be later.

Even though it was a trendy place and the pay was decent, I got a bad vibe from it. You may feel differently, but that was my take from it. When I went there for the meeting, I had to wait 20 minutes for someone to call me in (I had an appointment but no one was there to interview me) and no one even acknowledged my presence that entire time. It may pay well, but don't expect a homey atmosphere there. It also looks like a nail salon

[big_blue_21]