Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tombirner]

I spent the last year living in the sticks... I think one benefit was having a huge apartment. Or it seemed huge to someone with New York living standards. And everyone who came to visit (from Gwangju) said it was huge.

I worked for a Hogwan during my vacation. Stayed at another teacher's place while he was gone. It was surprisingly big. A studio, but very big. I'm bad with square feet... basically it could have been a small 1BR.

I found what seems to be a dream job starting in March. 2.6 for a public school in Gangnam. I'm worried the apartment size might be the catch. I haven't seen it yet. But just how small can these apartments get? Prison cell small? Dorm room small? Can't-do-pushups small? Anyone want to reassure me, or frighten me with some horror stories? Just want to know what to expect...

[joshuahirtle27]

The apartment I'm in would fit into the other bedroom of my apartment that I had in Canada. I had almost 1000 square ft back home and this one might be 150 or 200.

[IncognitoHFX]

It will definitely be much smaller than you're used to. Negotiate.

[RACETRAITOR]

I've lived in a few larger apartments. My current one has two bedrooms and my last one had three. It depends on what part of the city you live in. Of course, I pay for my own place rather than living in a company apartment.

[tombirner]

The contract says I will get 600,000W if I don't get company housing. Is this the standard? Do they usually give you a choice, even if they do have company housing?

How much will 600,000W get me? Could I get my own (small, I assume) place for that? Don't want a roommate... oh, and the school is in Gangnam, which worries me- I think that's the most expensive place in Seoul, so I guess the apartment will be that much smaller.

[pkang0202]

[tombirner]

Interesting. Yeah, that key money sounds pretty serious. But I thought Gangnam was really expensive (for Korea)... a decent 1BR for 400,000-500,000? Seriously? My chick lives in a decent or slightly better than decent place in a lesser neighborhood and pays like 800,000W.

If I sublet from someone, I suppose I wouldn't have to pay the key money... maybe I'll take a look at the place they have for me first, then if it's not to my liking I'll see if they can front the key money. Thanks for the idea.

[pkang0202]

When I say decent, I mean you can live there and not be claustrophobic.

An officetel 1 room, is around 800,000-900,000w a month with a 10 mil deposit. The same officetel room would go for around 600,000w in other parts of Seoul, and 400,000-500,000w a month in parts of Gyeonggi-do.

I got a buddy living in an officetel in Ilsan. His place is the exact same layout as mine, except its a little loner and wider. The rent on his place is 500,000w.


The higher the deposit, the less the rent money is. You can conceivably find a place for 5 mil, and 400,000w a month in the Yeoksam/Gangnam station area. It will probably be a basement room with no furnishings.

Gangnam is outrageously expensive when you look at putting down Jeonse 3/4/5 bedroom apartments.

[seoulsister]

If you take the 600 you will not get key money out of them. Also the 600 per month (which was 500 last year so congratulations) will be added to your salary and then taxed, so your 2.6+6 minus deductions will soon shrink that "600" to a lot less than you need to pay your rent.

IMO you are probably better off taking their housing because it will cost you a hell of a lot more than 600 a month to get the size you are used to on your own.

The teachers' places that I have visited were in 'villas' and one room style, no seperate bedroom, but reasonably good condition. Some teachers were living in Officetels around Seolleung Station but it was rumored that these places had gotten too expensive for the district and were going to be let go.

FYI the man in charge of housing is one of the biggest twats you will ever meet. And dream job.....probably not. Depends on your dreams of course.