Korean Job Discussion Forums

Cubic09 · Joined: 24 Aug 2009 Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Has anyone worked for either of the above? I'm looking at applying for both pretty shortly, and was curious to know of your thoughts.

EPIK is my preference at the moment, if only because of the bonuses that they offer - like their 'settlement allowance' of 300,000 Won and the 'entrance allowance' of 1.3 million Won. They also offer a 'renewal allowance' of 2 million Won, which is just grouse! Very Happy

Park English's website assert that you will earn anything up to $35,000USD, which is fantastic - I wonder what sort of qualifications that would require? I have a double degree in Arts and Law, as well as a Graduate Certificate in TESOL and (some) teaching experience.

I'm also reading that the money is getter for teaching in private hagwons, rather than public schools. How would I set up an interview for one of these, and is the extra money worth it? I have a student loan to pay!

I have read some horror stories of Korean hagwons, and am certainly keen to avoid a similar experience. I find it difficult to comprehend that it is all that bad! Shocked

OculisOrbis · Joined: 17 Jul 2006

the entrance and renewal allowance are what you receive instead of the specific cost of your airline tickets. epik no longer pays airfare buts gives these flat-rate allowances for travel instead. it seems youre in new zealand, what's a one-way ticket from NZ to korea cost? more or less than 1.3 million?

Cubic09 · Joined: 24 Aug 2009 Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Actually, the 1.3million won't cover the cost of the airfare! Evil or Very Mad

1.8million Won/month doesn't seem like a lot of money...would it be possible to save one million per month, considering that my housing costs are covered? I wouldn't be living frugally, but would not be out partying every night either!

One thing that is curious is that EPIK pay slightly more for areas other than Seoul/Incheon and Busan. Go figure! Confused

Carla · Joined: 21 Nov 2008

Ok, someone had already posted something about those "$35,000" a year websites.

That's almost $3000 a month, which is over 3.5mil a month at the current exchange rate, which it is unlikely you could get one of those jobs, mainly because there aren't that many of them and they can eat you alive. Now, the best the exchange rate has ever been, was like 750 that I know of. Now, if you take the around the average salary of 2.2mil at 750 exchange rate, you get $35,000 a year. But at the current exchane rate of 1250, that's only $21,000.

So, unless you have a super rare job or the econmy flips on it's back from the worst exchange rate to the best exchange rate, they're lying to you.

So, if this is how they start, do you think they are trustworthy?

Cubic09 · Joined: 24 Aug 2009 Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Hi Carla

$35,000USD is their upper limit...they start at $24,000, and a similar amount is written into their standard terms on their website: www.parkenglish.com.

I agree with you, my eyes bulged when I saw it, and I doubt with my entry-level experience that this kind of salary is within my sights.

It's interesting what you say about the exchange rate, that's a shame!! The NZ Dollar conversion is a little kinder perhaps, but still, that's more than a 50% weakening of the Won - not good. Sad

Carla · Joined: 21 Nov 2008

typo · Joined: 16 Jun 2009

EPIK? Has anyone ever worked at EPIK? Hrm, can't say I've heard of it...
must be a small company or something

Cubic09 · Joined: 24 Aug 2009 Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Tigerstyleone · Joined: 01 Feb 2009

Park never has jobs paying $35,000 usd. Its rubbish. Everything is all crap paying the average with long hours and terrible vacation time.

Cubic09 · Joined: 24 Aug 2009 Location: Wellington, New Zealand

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm Post subject:

Tigerstyleone · Joined: 01 Feb 2009

Who's worried about actually getting paid. There are a few horror stories out there, and those are the ones that get attention on this forum, but 99.9% of us are getting paid no matter where they work.

The old exchange rate was 1,000 won = $1 usd.

That means they are claiming to have jobs paying 3,500,000 per month.

You are not going to find a job that pays that salary at Park English or on this site. Not saying its impossible, however, not through Park.

Carla · Joined: 21 Nov 2008

Cubic09 · Joined: 24 Aug 2009 Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Reading all these posts, I am curious: is the Won a volatile currency, or are these fluctuations a result of the US dollar?

The NZ Dollar tends to fluctuate widely, primarily due to our export-driven economy and high interest rates...very different to the US economy, which seems to owe the Chinese some obscene amount these days in its trade deficit. Shocked

typo · Joined: 16 Jun 2009

The won was extremely volatile from october to around may (I think). It went from around 1150 (I think) to its peak at 1600 and now it's back down to 1250. The won then regularly made news on bloomberg and NPR, about how it lost some 35% of its strength.

The past few months it's been pretty stable hovering around 1250-1275. It hasn't really budged either way around the 1250 mark for more than a day. I'm hoping it'll get down to 1200 by the end of the month so I can buy some dollas.