Korean Job Discussion Forums

Fresno2003 · Joined: 22 Mar 2008

I have arrived in Korea in June 2008 to work for a Hogwon called BCM Language Center here in Chang-won City. The director was very nice and accomodating when I first arrived here. The first day of teaching the director took me into the office and complained about my teaching style. I have only taught two classes bdfore he started complaining. He complained a few other times, and I always listened to his suggestions.

I had a regular teaching schedule in June and July. However in August he cut my monthly hours from 120 a month to less then 60 months. The contract I signed with him stated that I was guarranted at least 120 hours, but he told me that there was no other work available for me, eventhough he is bring in college teachers on summer break to teach for him since one of his teachers had to go home and other is having an operation.
I am working for him on an E -2 visa, so is it illegal to only be working part time with this type of visa?

In my contract it is stated that I would only be teaching adults and University students, but he had signed me for an elementary summer school English class, eventhough he lied to me a few weeks ago claiming that no English would be taught He told me that I would be taking them to movies and on field trips and nothing more.

The director had informed me last Tuesday that I might not be working for him at the first part of September and offered to help me find other teaching job so I would quit instead of him firing me. My contract says that he has to give me 4 weeks written notice before firing me.

The last thing was that he has not paid me for the month of July. Everybody including the Korean Teachers got paid yesterday except me.

Is there a Korean Labor Board around Chang-won City and how do I present my case to them?

I was thinking of going to Masan Immigration Office to report my boss. Has anybody had a similar experience to mine and dealt with the immigration authorites?

I would welcome any other suggestions!
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BigBuds · Joined: 15 Sep 2005 Location: Changwon

I think there is another side to this story.

I have known several people who have worked for BCM Changwon and they all had positive experiences. I know cause I asked them. I almost took a contract with them for a year but my wife and I decided to open our own school instead. One couple worked there for four years and got me a gig working there for a couple of months before we opened.

I know they got everything that was due to them and so did I.

moosehead · Joined: 05 May 2007

I'm wondering why you consider not getting paid for July as "the last thing" - to me, getting paid is ALWAYS number 1.

that, first and foremost, is your main concern and unless you make it that, nothing else is ever going to go right.

just in general from the tone of your post it sounds like perhaps there needs to be a good sit-down discussion with your director over the various issues and discrepancies you are wondering about.

are you just going along with all of this without verbal objections? if so, then he's just thinking he can do whatever he wants. if you don't like something, you really need to let him know - or even if you just want to know why something is going on.

try to be more pro-active about your needs and expectations of your job - starting with the need to be paid. insist on having a discussion with him. remind him you expect him to follow your contract, that you are doing so.

Labor is 1350 anywhere in Korea. ask for an E translator. sometimes they are helpful, sometimes not.

you also sound like you don't have much experience with bosses. I'm just saying this because if it's true, you are going to have a huge learning curve so don't get too discouraged. Just try and keep communication lines open, don't ask for what you believe is your right, learn to expect it. that helps a lot.

I'm sure others will also have comments.

Tobias · Joined: 02 Jun 2008

If I were to guess what happened here, I'd say you caused some of your students to lose face somehow, they complained like little tykes, and they now refuse to sit in your classes. Face is everything to these people, understand. The bossman has to bring in another teacher to accomodate those who've lost face.

One option: you can hold out until the end of the current term and see if the complainers drift off and the boss jacks you back to 120.

Another option: you can bug out now. Just leave on good terms. This is the best option if I'm right and your problem children will be coming back for the fall term. No, they still won't want to sit in your classes. Loss of face is permanent until some rectifiying (sacrifical) action happens. You could be a lamb on an altar now.

I'd give him to the end of the term and see what happens. It's only a few more weeks. After that, he'd better start honoring his promise or I'd be hitting the road.

shifty · Joined: 21 Jun 2004

Hey Fres!!

How have your teaching experiences been?? Do the students respond well to you?? You make no mention of this aspect in yr post. Surely the director would not want to incur huge costs finding a premature replacement.

I mean, it's not that directors are unkind and would be rid of you simply for the hell of it.. Rather, they need you to make money.

Fresno2003 · Joined: 22 Mar 2008

The students I have been teaching for the most part have responded well and some of them even look forward being in my classes.

I even ask the students in my classes that anything that they do not understand to ask me to repeat or talk to me after class.

The director and I had quite a few discussions. He tells me that me one thing and does another. The director also tells me that the students complain about my classes but I ask what are their complaints, be he states it is the Korean custom for the students not give a reason for complaining.

The reason why I put the issue of pay at the last of my problems is that it is the latest thing that happened to me so far. I list things in when they happened in a time sequence not in the matter of importance.

I will definately discuss the pay with my director tomorrow!

Tobias · Joined: 02 Jun 2008

I'll add a little more to this thread by saying your situation mirrors mine in a couple of ways. Know that I worked for a HogPile about 3 years ago for 5 days.

1. My HogWart boss lied about the ages of my learners. He told me I'd be teaching 'young high school kids' before I signed the contract. When I got to the gig I did teach kids that fit into that age group...in one class. What he didn't tell was my other five classes were filled with the most uncontrollable, obnoxious brats who were at most 8 years old.

2. He lied about my start date. I had to begin a month later than he claimed I'd be starting. He had me sitting around for a month, and I didn't get paid for that month (only because I did a runner on his ass, though).

3. The location? Changwon. What is it about HogPiles in ChangWon? Do Pile owners meet every monday and talk about how to screw over their hired help?

Never again will I set food in a HogWart.

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

I am sorry to be this way, but seriously, check your spelling and grammar at the door.

Are you a gyopo?

sojourner1 · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:27 pm Post subject:

Sounds like your director simply doesn't like you. Look to move on out of this bad situation before it takes a toll on your health and well being. It's not worth trying to stay in a bad situation unless you're lacking money or almost to the end of the contract. Maybe they changed their mind on getting another foreign teacher shortly after you arrived. They can be that fickle.

It's like this just as in any other country. Some people do great with an employer, but others don't and this usually has to do with you not being liked for a dumb unspoken reason as it is human nature to be judgmental and have personal preferences that they let spill into their work. (unprofessional personality) There's a million reasons to be rejected after you put your best foot forward and did all the right things. I've seen it at home where I put my best foot forward and did all the right things, but I was just antagonized, hated on, under paid, dicked around, and well, just given a very hard way to go by assholes while other employees were liked even if they were brown nosing slackers. These sorts of organizational corruptions are very common the world over. This usually happens more often in stressful work environments where management fails to manage, lacks professionalism, and lack leadership skills to actually support their people in doing better for the company, themselves, and everyone else their work affects. This ugly situation happens most often when profits and future outlook are grim for the company. It's been brutal in recent years at home.

A hagwon or any other for profit business can be great to work in one year, but the terrible the next due to reasons like declining enrollment or sales. Things get real ugly if it's not operating at owner expectations and worse if not turning a profit. A real reason for problems has nothing to do with your teaching or managing ability, but Korea has negative population growth were the number of kids is declining while the number of hagwons continues to increase along with changing trends surrounding school brand names such as GnB, English Friends, BCM, Kids Club, etc. I know my hagwon director was very concerned about the future of her school and she finally admitted the real problem to me in the end. People are having fewer children while the number of schools increase resulting in decreasing enrollment each year.

It doesn't matter if you're in Changwon or elsewhere and doesn't matter if you're a great teacher, because it's a cut throat business with a competitive edge when it comes to work relationships and money matters just as in other jobs like sales and other business jobs directly effecting the bottom line. Things are great if you're personally liked and producing good revenues. They don't care about your teaching if profits and future outlook are good, because they assume you're a good teacher and doing all the right things in that case. It's easy for them to act like it's all good and then... WHAM! One day everything is phucked up and it's a last minute irreparable crisis due to letting a problem go on too long.

Be direct and don't let them think you're a pushover for a second. I almost left my hagwon job, but I was just straight forward and demanded explanations to senseless problems like shorted pay and cutting utilities off or I was leaving to blacklist the school. The school actually had runners before me so that tells a lot as to why I had problems. In the end, it worked out and I finally got all my money 7 months after completing the contract, because I wasn't giving up. Directors usually know nothing about teaching, but often use the students complaining crap as a weapon to mentally weaken you. It's a power struggle all the way to the end if it's not a harmonious relationship and work environment. Those who win are determined, because most of these directors will not respect you and pay you money if you're a pushover. Understand that they don't want you blacklisting them and calling your students parents so that's your leverage. It's business as usual.

Join Me · Joined: 14 Jan 2008

He made you an offer to help you find a different job...take him up on his offer immediately.

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

shifty · Joined: 21 Jun 2004

It's like you say Sojourner, but the OP is teaching adults as opposed to kids. The feedback, be it good or negative is almost immediate.

Hey Fres!! We're in a quandary about you b/c the grammar errors you make are holding us back. Do you post from a cafe or what?

Sahara95355 · Joined: 25 Mar 2008

Big Bugs seems like a hogwon asskisser

I think there is another side to this story.

I have known several people who have worked for BCM Changwon and they all had positive experiences. I know cause I asked them. I almost took a contract with them for a year but my wife and I decided to open our own school instead. One couple worked there for four years and got me a gig working there for a couple of months before we opened.

I know they got everything that was due to them and so did I.

How many of these so called several people were newbies? [b]None

Do not judge a persons situation until you have been in his shoes.

I bet your ripping off your teachers too!

BigBuds · Joined: 15 Sep 2005 Location: Changwon

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

Got to back up bigbuds here...

I have been here in changwon for 7 years and while i know that the split shift at BCM is a killer people are fully aware of it before they sign.

I have heard only basically good things(excepting the hours) since I have been here and have known at least 10 people(and that is probably an understatement) that have worked for that school.

The OP is certainly leaving some parts of the story out.

I don't work for BCM, never have and have nothing to do with them. just saying that there are always 2 sides to every story and while i am aware that teachers get screwed often here, i feel in this case something else is going on.