Korean Job Discussion Forums

sparklingkorea · Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Location: Ulsan, Korea

A friend of mine wants to apply for a job here. I know a lot of expats drink a lot. Have you taken the health check and passed it, in spite of you drinking nearly every day for the last six months or month or ?
I've told her that she probably won't pass it, because she's been drinking every day for the last three months. What do you think and what are your experiences?

drunkenfud · Joined: 08 Mar 2007

As a borderline alcoholic with a renewal health check coming up, I really want to know the answer to this question. Any other lushes have anything to contribute to this discussion?

Join Me · Joined: 14 Jan 2008

butlerian · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Location: Korea

Alcohol is broken down by the body quickly. Don't drink a few days before the test and you'll be fine.

Join Me · Joined: 14 Jan 2008

butlerian · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Location: Korea

Join Me · Joined: 14 Jan 2008

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

If you do drink regularly and/or hard, and you're over the age of 30, odds are you have a 'fatty liver'. Basically, this will garnish you a yuck-yuck, elbow to the ribs, nod of general acceptance from your male counterparts.

No worries.

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

There are two ways heavy drinking may influence your health check

Heavy drinking on a regular basis may increase your blood pressure. A regular blood pressure is between 110/70- 120/70 anything over that is considered prehypertensive

In Korean hospitals anything under 140/90 is generally ignored although a doctor in the west might precribe medication for someone who consitantly gets this reading.

Heavy drinking will also effect your liver. There is one number in your blood test that indicates your liver.

The health exam in Korea is not that strict. They are looking for life threatening contagious diseases. That can be passed onto Koreans like aids.

Cornfed · Joined: 14 Mar 2008

I got very good results on the health check despite being a reasonably heavy drinker for essentially all my adult life and drinking a moderate (but not huge) amount at a school function the previous night. It seems to be luck of the draw how your metabolism handles the stuff. Most young people should be all right if they stopped getting drunk the week before taking the test.

KoreanAmbition · Joined: 03 Feb 2008

How soon does someone have to take the medical check after arriving in Korea??

Ut videam · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do

You must apply at Immigration for the ARC within 90 days of arrival. Practically speaking, however, you'll want to do it sooner since many things (read: insurance and other financial transactions) depend on having an ARC.

The medical check must be completed prior to application for the ARC, as the medical check results are part of the application requirements.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Medical condition aside, if the drinking is done outside of work hours and doesn't affect your work during work hours, it shouldn't matter.

ds_fan · Joined: 07 Apr 2008

first of all- they dont check your liver, dont be an idiot and worry about this. I drink almost every night, even if its just sitting in the flat watching tv, i just like beer. Screw what other people say, its easy to pass- the only thing they give a damn about are aids and drugs. Relax, the only way he would fail the medical from drinking too much would be if he was so drunk that he couldnt actually make it.