Korean Job Discussion Forums

[The Perfect Cup of Coffee]

Just found out the unigwon is scheduling classes for Thursday and Friday at the end of the week after Chuseok. FARK! Anyone else get this dropped on their head? Lunar-calendar holidays suck!

[SuperHero]

why shouldn't there be classes on the Thursday/Friday? they are not holidays.

[The Perfect Cup of Coffee]

Common sense should be telling the managers and people who make the schedule that a low percentage of students will bother showing up. As usual some paper-shuffler can't see the forest for all the trees.

Why not make the whole week a holiday like other schools and companies are doing?

First it gives the students a full, uninterrupted holiday with their families, keeps the teachers happy, and just appears more considerate.

[AylaZ]

Yeh I think it stinks to. I am taking 2 vacation days so I get a long break . But they should just give people a break here eh... compared to another country the holiday really suck here anyways...

[T-dot]

[MarionG]

I suppose then that "common sense" would dictate that all businesses close on the Friday after Thanksgiving in the US...but they don't. As a matter of fact, most don't.

I'm not sure why you thought your school WOULD be closed on these days. If it's not a holiday, then of course it's open. And yes, there probably will be fewer students, but that doesn't mean the school should close.

[Pak Yu Man]

Why would a school close down? The student's/parents are paying for these classes.

I of course will give Thursday off. I don't teach Fridays so I don't feel that bad.

[sojourner1]

Yea, I would say most hagwons are holding classes on the Thursday and Friday after Chuseok. I asked my director for those 2 days off too, but was denied. It's too bad, because I really wanted 9 straight days off as I won't really get my Winter week of vacation due to my contract ending in the middle of it due to starting the first day after last Winter vacation.

We get 5 days total for Chuseok this year which is allot better than in other years where you only get 3 days such as Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Lunar New Year was only 3 days this year which I felt was rather short considering there was not one 3 day weekend or anything until July 28th! It was a long burn out run at work. If Chuseok or Lunar NY falls on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, then you would have class on the Monday and Friday of that week. I think the lack of holidays is lame too, but that how the cookie crumbles here. Honestly, it's too much schooling for kids and causes teacher burnout where you have the law of diminishing returns ever so present. That's why public schools do have more holidays and other reasons for canceling classes here and there.

[SeoulShakin]

I don't know which schools you are talking about, but MOST of them will be open, since it's NOT a holiday haha. There is no need to whine and complain because you weren't given two FREE days off, that aren't holidays. Poor baby has to work on a regularly scheduled work day that they're contracted for.
Sorry, just seems like a dumb thing to complain about haha.

[The Perfect Cup of Coffee]

As I said in my first post, Lunar-calendar holidays suck. So we get Sunday off as a 'red-letter' holiday (WOW! Bet you're all happy about that one eh?!) Plus, I know of a few school that are just giving the whole week off. SNET here in Seongnam is off all week...lucky bastards.

As for the rest of you being happy working Thursday and Friday, thanks for 'takin' it from behind' you scabs! Don't complain or anything. Just do everything you're told in Korea and meekly go back to goatf*ck Ontario or Oklahoma in a year telling all the wild tales of living abroad.

[SuperHero]

[yingwenlaoshi]

Why can't you just take those days a holidays? It's not like you're given the whole 10 days anyway. I usually end up with holidays untaken at the end of my contracts. But I get 4 weeks.

Bet your arse I'm taking those days off. I was going to go back home this month and called it off. So maybe easier for me.

[The Perfect Cup of Coffee]

[polonius]

I am just curious what you are angry about, the school/business owner for not closing, or Korea, for not having enough holidays.

On the national level, Canada has 10 holidays and the United States has 10. There may be the odd provincial or state holiday thrown in there. Korea has 15. Granted, Korea doesn't give the Monday or Friday in lieu if it falls on a weekend, but that would average out to be if not more, at least the same as back at home.

You can argue just the same that a happy employee is a happy employee in any industry back at home, but does that mean that employers are going to throw days off to suit your desires over his business' structure?

Whether you like it or not, this would happen the same back on the other side of the pond. It is not a matter of people bending over as you suggested, it is a matter of people fulfilling their job requirements.

[butlerian]