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Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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weatherman
Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: Korea
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 Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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I think it is interesting to hear about the ESL industry in Korea from somebody who lives in Korea but is not working in the industry itself. It puts some new perspective on things. Anyway he writes more, and as always, it is good.
http://brendon.typepad.com/goldbrick/2003/12/why_would_i_say.html
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A number of folks have found themselves over this way from Dave's ESL Cafe, which has, among other things, a Korea job discussion forum full of the kind of bitterness that informed the girls of Prisoner of Wonderland. But there are also people who either have had nothing but sunshine 'n roses experiences, or are Korean-Americans infected by national pride that keeps them from telling the truth about the industry here. (Ordinarily I don't read Dave's ESL, not having a lot in common with the folks there except for cynicism and empathy.)
On Dave's ESL, a knowitall poster going by the handle TheUrbanMyth mused "[Brendon] doesn't sound like a real lawyer... Come on! Would a real lawyer advise his client 'to take a dump on the employer's desk'?" |
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It's futile to be bound by a Western sense of "honor" and "legality" when dealing with someone who simply doesn't understand the concepts the same way. Most Korean relationships that aren't on an equal plane, especially employer-employee relations, end up being more about relative power than anything else. And since the world is a zero-sum game here in Korea anything you want, he must deny you. If you win, he loses. Been wondering why it's so hard for foreign companies to make a go of it here?
Power and law are different. In Korea as in the West, one who believes himself to have power often acts without regard to law. The difference is here, there aren't impartial and solid institutions to even the playing field on a reliable basis. Tonight I had dinner with a group of cynical yet successful long-term (15-20 years) foreign businessmen, and one noted, "Things don't go wrong here so often because the society basically works, but when they do, you're really in a jam then because there's no support -- other than the networks we don't have." |
Last edited by weatherman on Thu Dec 04, 2003 4:48 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Seoultrader
Joined: 18 Jun 2003
Location: Ali's Insurgent Inn, Fallujah
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| Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2003 2:28 am Post subject: |
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| Bulsajo wrote: |
| Brendan's been a lawyer in Seoul for some time now. Once upon a time he tried to start up free legal-info 'know-your-rights' sessions for English teachers in Korea, but I don't think it ever got off the ground. |
Just to clarify, ALL non-Korean "attorneys" here are called FLCs (Foreign Legal Consultants) as they are not admitted to the Korean bar/court as legit representative counsel (unless this has been changed recently). So technically, a FLC can be any foreigner regardless of whether he/she has a law degree or US-bar admittance. |
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dogbert
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: Killbox 90210
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| Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2003 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Seoultrader wrote: |
| Bulsajo wrote: |
| Brendan's been a lawyer in Seoul for some time now. Once upon a time he tried to start up free legal-info 'know-your-rights' sessions for English teachers in Korea, but I don't think it ever got off the ground. |
Just to clarify, ALL non-Korean "attorneys" here are called FLCs (Foreign Legal Consultants) as they are not admitted to the Korean bar/court as legit representative counsel (unless this has been changed recently). So technically, a FLC can be any foreigner regardless of whether he/she has a law degree or US-bar admittance. |
That would make it a bit more difficult to attain a visa though. |
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Haggard
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
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TECO
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2003 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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Met a couple of guys like Brendan in Tokyo.
Top notch people all way round.
Military backgrounds and then they went back to the States to get MBA/Law degrees and have since returned to corporate Japan.
When these guys speak about stuff like this, IMO we are well advised to listen - they have some insight on what happens in these countries, have lived here a long time and have a good understanding of what happens here and why.
Last edited by TECO on Sat Dec 06, 2003 6:41 am; edited 1 time in total |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2003 1:31 am Post subject: |
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| Haggard wrote: |
UrbanMyth, do you actually believe the real Brendon Carr wouldn't have been notified of this blog and its supposedly "fake" author by now if in fact your claims were true?
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Where did I say this guy was not the real Brendon Carr? What are you babbling on about? I was questioning his credentials not his identity. Also what "claims" did I make? I made no claims. I only asked questions. Next time please read the post BEFORE responding. It helps. Really. |
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