Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jabbles]

First of, I've read through tons of forms here on the topic of breaking contacts early and potentially getting screwed, but I'm starting this thread not for opinions of what's morally right or wrong, but for people who actually have had experience successfully breaking contract and going back to the states without giving their employer any notice.

Basically I'd be grateful to know if without a release letter, once you get to immigration with your one-way ticket home if you can actually get stopped by them?

Like for example - if you're flight leaves when the school isn't open and your visa doesn't list a phone number, but does list the school name obviously - could you be stopped and how?

And if you can be stopped - is taking a ferry to Japan and leaving from there presenting the same issue?

Forgive me for not talking about my situation, but for my own safety, it's confidential.

And again, I'm not looking for anyone's opinions here, just experiences please.

Thank you.

[ttompatz]

[plynx]

i planned on a runner with my last job, but a few days before my decided departure date, another co-worker beat me to the punch. hilarious. i witnessed the actions taken against her firsthand. they went a little like this:

employer realizes that said employee did not show up for work (on a saturday). employer was incredulous, and thought that the employee had died in her sleep (why else would she NOT show up for work?). employer called escaped employee multiple times and refused to believe it was anything more than an unavoidable illness...until the following week when she faced reality: one of her employees had pulled a classic midnight run. by this time it was too late to do anything except act ridiculously upset. my employer claimed that she 1) cancelled the work visa, and 2) blacklisted the former employee. (both of which are extremely doubtable.)


if you don't plan on coming back to korea, pull a runner. getting back into the ROK after you've done the deed is a bit rough. good luck.

[bejarano-korea]

I left without a LOR and came back 3 months later.

You might need a recruiter who can pull strings like worknplay
and go through GEPIK/EPIK/SMOE for your next job which will
trump some whinging hagwon. But it aint the end of the world.

[Jabbles]

Thanks to everyone who's replied so far.

Just to be clear - I'm only worried about getting stopped before getting on the plane, that's all - I'm never coming back, so I'm not worried about re-entry.


Thanks again everybody.

[Jandar]

Do you promise to do a tell all when you get back home safely.

I'd really like to hear the dirt.

[bejarano-korea]

[nomad-ish]

my friend pulled a runner last summer, she called in sick that day and was closing her bank account and trying to avoid running into her students or her boss all afternoon (who was probably sending people round to check on her being sick). anyways, my point is, even with the hagwon boss (most likely) looking for her all afternoon and evening, she was not stopped at the airport.

[Faunaki]

I'm curious as to what you think will happen to you anyway. Do you imagine immigration will stop you, lock you up, call up your boss, who will come and strap on some electronic surveillance device.

I'm not making fun of you, I'm just wondering what you are imagining.

Imagine this: You're child back home has gotten into a serious accident, you have to leave that minute. Are you gonna give a fig what immi or your boss thinks?

[cdninkorea]

I would normally assure you, OP, that you'll be fine regarding Immigration, but it sounds like you're already aware of this fact. I do hope you'll update this thread about why you're running though; I can't be the only one here who is curious.

Also, plynx: how bad was your last school that you planned to do a runner and one of your co workers did too?

[Young FRANKenstein]

[rebel_1812]

[Tobias]

Someone gave a long list of the steps you'll take when leaving, ending with "logging onto Dave's" as the final step. Those steps are dead on.

You did mention that you are 'never coming back'. This means you need yet another step added to that list: "Return to Korea and do it all again in six months."

There is ONE thing that MIGHT cause you some static. Probably not, though. I did a runner once, and had no problems at the airport when I skeddadled. However, I was on a multiple entry visa. I assume yours is an ME as well. If you're on a single entry, that may get you some attention at the immigration desk. Don't know. Somebody here might, if there is such as a thing as a single-entry E-2. Mine have always been ME.

[jmbran11]

Nothing to worry about at the airport. Once you get to the airport, the hard part is done. Get on your plane and enjoy the free drinks!

If you have a multiple-entry visa, you don't even have to tell them that you're not coming back. They don't know the difference between running and taking a holiday. They wouldn't care anyway.

Really, you'll be ok.

[Young FRANKenstein]