Korean Job Discussion Forums

Mashimaro · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Location: location, location

Anyone have a rough idea what I'd be looking at for a one room place in Shinchon? I'll hope to study at one of the Universities in the area and don't really like the idea of a hasuk or goshiwon or whatever. What kind of prices can I expect? Also I'm a little concerned about what happens if I pay big key money, then the building is sold without me knowing and I lose the lot..
thanks in advance

Mankind · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

sakamuras · Joined: 21 Jun 2003

Seriously...what kind of life do you want to lead if you'd be satisfied living in a ghetto... yeah, free is pretty swell sometimes, but you gotta move on. unless you're a complete cheap-o scrooge. in that case, we all feel sorry for you.

ratslash · Joined: 08 May 2003

i think we can safely say, apart from gord's or kimcheeking's friends, that most of us hav supplied housing. therefore, this sucks!

Pyongshin Sangja · Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: I love baby!

Yeah, well I didn't listen to my old man and NOW I live IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

Not only do I not want the hassle of finding an apartment, but I can not get my hagwon to agree to supply me with a housing allowance.

My apartment is not terrible. It has the normal korean housing problems, but it's acceptable. I brought girls home with no shame.

Why would a hagwon pay a housing allowance? They spend a lot of money to buy an apartment to house a teacher, just to have some whining ninny straight off the airplane saying it is not acceptable. I would say no if I were them.

So I live in my apartment which is ok, but not great. Does that make me an idiot? No, it makes me sensible.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Why would a hagwon pay a housing allowance? They spend a lot of money to buy an apartment to house a teacher, just to have some whining ninny straight off the airplane saying it is not acceptable. I would say no if I were them.

Just suppose you were the "ninny" off the plane who, upon arrival at the apartment, found that you had to share the place with an alcoholic ex-biker, whose hobbies included beating up roomates while high on crack.

Would you then request alternate housing arrangements? Shocked

Some do, some don't. Some will, some won't. The first place I worked offered it as an option. It depends on the size of the school, the availability of housing etc. Which brings me to my second point, the condition and availability of housing in Seoul is vastly different from what you might find in smaller centers.

Some places put teachers up in yeogwans, which for me, is a better option. No utilities or apartment fees, no heating costs and maid/laundry service is sometimes included. Not such a bad deal. Cool

Now before anyone starts on about how yeogwans are dirty, noisy, and not fit to live in, that again depends. Some are quite clean, spacious and as comfortable as any regular hotel room.

Cheers

shawner88 · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

I'm also lucky with my apartment this time (I lived in a pretty bad one last time). It's a brand new villa building and I'm the first tenant in my apartment, so everything is clean and brand new. (I moved in before the building was even finished, there was no gas connection for a week). The heat works awesome. The moment I push the button the water is hot and ready too.

Now that I remember, my boss and his wife had to clean the place from top to bottom before I moved in. When they contsruct a building, the owner doesn't have to clean up the mess the workers leave. There was mud and dirt all over. Isn't that ridiculous? Imagine paying big key money and rent, then having to clean the place too.

VincentVulgati · Joined: 02 Nov 2003

I'm very far from being a seasoned vet, having only been here for a couple months, but it seems to me that any employer who provides housing for his or her employees would have to look upon this expense as being part of the employee's wage, since it is part of the cost that is needed to keep them in the country and working.

I, for one, certainly look upon the cost of my housing as a "monthly deduction" from my wage, and would expect a higher salary (whether the raise would come in the form of a "housing allowance," or whatever) if I had to pay for my own place. When I signed a contract it was with the expectation that I would be paid 2m above and beyond the cost of my rent. For this reason I don't think that it is unreasonable to raise an eyebrow if there is serious talk of removing free housing as a "perk," although I don't think that this is the case generally.

I could understand it if a hagwon refused to pay a housing allowance if they owned their own apartment that they wanted me to stay in, but I think that it is unreasonable to expect people to pay for their own place on a salary that is calculated with free housing, return airfare, and a "bonus" of one month's salary in mind. Anyone who would agree to do so would seem desperate in my mind. The difference between having your rent paid to you, and having your rent paid for you is negligible. If anything it saves you the hassle of having to make the arrangements yourself in a new country and a new language.

LiquidSunshine · Joined: 31 Mar 2003

everyone here talking about owning your own apartment...it's no simple task. my pad is 10mil deposit plus one mil a month rent...or 100 mil deposit and no rent. it would be ridiculous for me to pay for this with my own cash. and i don't have 100mil to put on house.

i can understand how owning your own house is an advantage but, again, it's no simple task. at least in seoul. and there's no way MOST people own their own house. i may agree that the people you hang with do but if you go to a bar filled with foreigners i'm sure most don't rent their own house.

just a thought

howie2424 · Joined: 09 Jan 2003

Joe Thanks · Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Location: Dudleyville

Mankind · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

I've had good housing, usually outside Seoul. Cheaper I guess.

lush72 · Joined: 18 Aug 2003 Location: I am Penalty Kick!

Just my 2 cents. At every hogwon job I ever took here I had a housing allowance. This spans back to 1996! However, sometimes there was no key money, just 300k-500k more per month. I have found that, unless there is a vacancy at an apt the school already is renting, most hogwons were more then happy not to have to deal with any aspect of my housing.