Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SeoulShakin]

I had a strange run in with a man today on my way to work. I work in the Songdong area at a public school, and just after I'd exited the subway station to walk to work, I was approached by an ajosshi in a business suit. He had near perfect English. He said "excuse me, where are you from?". I said Canada, but continued to walk towards school (I was a few minutes behind my normal arrival time, though it's still before I'm required to be there). He began to follow me. "Are you an English teacher?" he asked, to which I replied "yes, and I have to go to school, goodbye". He followed again. "Give me your business card". I don't have a business card for my public school so I said, "no, sorry don't have one" and continued at a quicker pace. He then said very insistently "Give me your phone number now". I said (at a near run now), "I don't know you, go away!".

When I got to school, I thought it was a little strange, so I told my co-teacher what happened. She seemed very concerned, and said that she's heard of people posing as immigration officers and demanding information from people who they think could be "illegal" (she mentioned Russian girls... I don't really know). Then they use it to get money from them. If it was a real officer, she said he would have presented identification, or identified him/herself to me.

My vice principal said he will be my bodyguard (that's a funny thought from a tiny man), and that if the same guy tries to do it again, I should lie and say my "husband" is the head of the police department in that area, so unless he has proper identification, he'd better eff off and leave me alone.

Anyway, do you think it was a criminal, or just some random ajosshi who wanted to talk to me and got way too assertive?

[dogbert]

[cbclark4]

Watch out for white slave traders.

cbc

[cubanlord]

That is strange.

About a year and a half ago, I was coming out of the elevator (from working out) and a guy stopped me and asked me in Korean if I was an English teacher. I said yes, and he said for me to come with him. I looked at him and asked why and he said, "teach, you, son". I mean FORCEFUL this guy was. I laughed at him, said no, and left. Yours takes the cake though.

[thebum]

definitely a criminal

[SeoulShakin]

Yeah it was definitely strange. Especially since I kept saying "goodbye" and "no, I have to go". He decided to keep following and trying to get information from me. He didn't even bother to mention who the heck he was.

Pretty weird... a great way to start the day really.

[spliff]

Well...If it had been me I would of very politly asked what the *beep* was his problem.

[Masta_Don]

My school got ripped off by one of these guys. Was posing as a police officer that would protect us in exchange that we pay for his dinner (300,000Won). I thought it was shady, all he had was a business card, but my boss believed it. Later he called the number on the card and it wasn't a real number. Imagine that. Then to make matters stranger, the department of education showed up the following week.

[Gwangjuboy]

Never get into a conversation with these weirdos. Just tell them that you don't have any time for a conversation. If they persist tell him to f*** off.

[JD1982]

Maybe he wanted free English lesson.

[contrarian]

About three times in a two year period while teaching at a uni I got phone calls asking if I would like to teach English. Every time I gave the stock answer I have a contract with, HIU and I will have to get their consent and an endorsement from immigration.

I thin it was immi giving me a try. None of them ever followed up.

[Masta_Don]

[cdninkorea]

[SeoulShakin]

[quote="cdninkorea"]

[hellofaniceguy]

What I do, is tell the person...YOU give me your business card and I will contact you.