Korean Job Discussion Forums

canuckistan · Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2003 6:34 pm Post subject:

It's the hagwon industry most foreigners work in that give them this idea about Koreans. It's the English-teaching industry that is mental. I've met plenty of Koreans who work in other fields that are normal, reasonable people.

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Len8 · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Location: Kyungju

We at a university are able to work extra jobs during the summers and winters, and that pisses the Koreans off even more. They come back with "Oh Your university isn't letting you work. Why are you doing it. You shouldn't be doing it. BLah Blah Blah". I turn around and say it's legal and they get more pissed off. Small; very, very small people.

Anyway. Big lesson. Don't tell them you are doing extra work, unless you know that the person you are talking to is one of the rarer bread of Koreans who wishes you well.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Toby: I see your point, but who says you can't criticise the place you choose to live in? even if you live at home in the US or wherever I'm sure you still criticise people and the country around you. Nowheres perfect and some places are definitely far less perfect than others.
Capt.Kirk: exactly, the men are usually posturing overgrown schoolboys- I've never had a decent friendship with a Korean man here- they're too shallow, predictable and uninteresting. Of course the women are great, especially the slightly older ones...

Seoultrader · Joined: 18 Jun 2003 Location: Ali's Insurgent Inn, Fallujah

You're offending mentals with your comparison.

Coffeecup · Joined: 30 Jun 2003

Toby, is it your day to play Thought Police on the forum?

Toby said:

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Location: Middle Land

Kwangjuchicken · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 1:31 am Post subject:

Been doing some more research on this topic. So far I have found 7 (in 5 years) that are NOT. So, I guess, yes 99.999% are.

bjonothan · Joined: 29 Apr 2003 Location: All over the place

Since everyone else is having a moan, I guess it is my turn. I think that in order to stay and be happy, you just have to laugh at all of the things that you see go on. I am in my 3rd year here and I have been screwed out of money, lied to e.t.c. It really used to annoy me and I used to get pissed off about it. Even my current boss who is a chairman in some hagwon board and is a really well respected man in my city......The hours have gone way over, I have lost all of any kind of privilages that I had when I first went there (for example:eating in the staff room, using the internet e.t.c.) the list goes on and on..... This time I have had enough. Even though my girlfriend is Korean, I always moan about Koreans to her. This helps me. I understand you guys on what you were saying. I think Korea is going to **** itself in the long run when other places produce better opportunities and good money. But then we can laugh at them.......
Very Happy

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

I don't think Koreans are going mental.

I think foreigners are getting greedier, and not picking schools that are well known and reliable.

I also think the quality of foreigner coming over here is changing. I have been hearing the same complaints for over 7 years now. How Koreans are this and that...however for those of you just off the plane, Koreans actually HAVE changed in the past 7 years. Not anything mind blowing, but Korea has seen a lot more internationalization in the past 7 years I have been here. More hawgwons have opened...more demand for foreigners, means there are a LOT MORE foreigners here now, then when I first got off the plane. There wasn't any Costco, Walmart, Carrefour or CGV/Technomart either when I first arrived. I have seen all of those things grow ever so slowly.

So now there is all this demand for foreigners. People get hired at colleges and universities without holding master degrees. The people working at hawgwons can get away with doing such CRAP jobs, because they know there are so many hawgwons out there, you can get a job tomorrow.

I don't mean to crap on the OP or those of you saying how Korea is getting worse. But live here a while and compare some things and you might realize, a few of you newer people to the country are what is making things worse. I have never heard of anyone taking a job at a well known hawgwon like Pagoda or ECC or ELS coming on here saying how they got cheated money, or their director did xxx or xxx. I also have never seen someone come on here complaining about working at some of the better universities.

Face facts folks. There are thousands...like 20+ thousand ESL teachers in South Korea, and like a few...under 20 come here and complain about their jobs/Koreans...do the math and figure if it really was THAT bad would't MORE people complain? Wouldn't we all just be in Japan if Korea was THAT bad?

I've seen that thread on getting shot. Do you Americans think that your country is so good, that you have to worry about being SHOT outside or inside your own home?

Give yourself a shake...or a slap and wake up...if Korea isn't for you, by all means leave after your first year...but STOP complaining about your jobs...DO SOME RESEARCH and don't just look at hours vs pay...again greed is what screws most people over. Go with a hawgwon with a good reputation.

Also stop complaining about how Korean people are <complaint here>.

I can find something wrong with people from EVERY country...just learn to accept it or move on!

/rant off

ratslash · Joined: 08 May 2003

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

ratslash · Joined: 08 May 2003

i just read the japan part and wanted to see if anyone could comment on what it was like in japan, whether it was as bad as here. i always write that about the minority complaining, the majority don't. my deepest, heartfelt apologies for daring to repeat you.