Korean Job Discussion Forums

crazy_bagman · Joined: 07 Jan 2009 Location: Donducheon

I was just wondering what people's experences are at the afte school program positions. I have a friend that works at one close to Itaewon and she loves it. You get the same higher pay as a Hagwon, but less hours, and better conditions as it's associated with a Public schools.

Anyone have some insight in this?

vaticanhotline · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 6:07 pm Post subject:

To the best of my knowledge they're technically illegal. Apart from that, I know somebody who was working in one of those jobs and he was happy enough with it, although they didn't pay him for housing or airfare.

Seoul'n'Corea · Joined: 06 Nov 2008

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

Mallard · Joined: 03 Jul 2008

I worked at one of these, and loved it, until things turned sour. I was making 2.3 working 4 hrs a day to a classes of 8 or less. This was awesome for like the first 6 months and then I didn't get paid, and basically had to blackmail my boss into paying me and getting me a letter of release. Yes, they are illegal. You are technically sponsored by the school, but your contract is with the company you work for. So I threatened my boss by informing him I was going to immigration, he followed me there, begged me not to talk to immigration and gave me my money and LOR. I wrote about it here . http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?p=2011600 the people on this board were really helpful in helping me wrap my mind around this problem. So if you do it, think short term, and be ready for the worst

Mallard · Joined: 03 Jul 2008

Just to add, they are illegal if they are your visa sponsor. It is illegal for a company to sponser an E-2 visa. Only a school or hogwon can sponser such a visa. Usually the company gets around this loophole by stating on their contract that the school is sponsering you, but the school in my instance, had no record of me as an employee, they only had a contract with the company that employed me.

pandemic902 · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Location: Dorim-dong, Seoul

It may be unique to the company I'm working for, but I my case my contract is with the Public School and Salary is paid by them on the same day as all the other Korean teachers and the SMOE daytime waygook.

The company pays my key money and housing.

lifeinkorea · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Location: somewhere in China

I have a page up on this at http://jadarite.wikispaces.com/workinasia2

It is an email I sent someone regarding an after-school program I am doing now.

Haze Daze · Joined: 02 Sep 2009

I currently teach after-school programme in the country. I am employed by the POE and not by a private company.

As I am employed by the POE I never have to worry about being paid on time, but I do have to work an 8 hour day starting at 11 instead of 8.30 or 9.00 .

The starting salary is (I think) 0.2 mill higher per month than for people on EPIK contracts in this area, but there is less contractual vacation and certainly no oppportunities for being sent home on test days etc.
Otherwise it is pretty much like a normal public school job.

rocket_scientist · Joined: 23 Nov 2009 Location: Prague

Hi - I am significant on this matter because I'm pretty certain I worked for the first after school program in Seoul and I'm pretty certain I was the first that did the deposit smash and grab.

The school pays the owner in the account that you handed over to the owner.
Its still your account, you still have access to it but the owner will make it seem like you don't. At deposit time, you can turn the owners access off and take all of the money and then typically you flee.

That money, the 4 million Won a month is all yours every month, your pay isn't 2.3 million, its more like 4 million. I think you are tax liable but the K's have not been enforcing it.

plynx · Joined: 03 Jun 2008

blue.sky · Joined: 31 Aug 2009 Location: a box on the 15th floor

Some are illegal since 3rd party companies are involved in running them and it's illegal for PS to make money from their students. The fess should only cover costs.

I went for an interview for one a while back. I think it was 3 or 3.2mil but no housing/airfare etc. I turned it down because of the crazy woman interviewing me.

Stay away from MEC Korea and if you're interviewed by 'Sunny' - enjoy the fireworks.

rocket_scientist · Joined: 23 Nov 2009 Location: Prague

I like strange arrangements.... no offer of severance means you aren't owned by severance jerking. That last two months of contract... will they or will they not pay me? Its almost not worth having. Thats one reason these jobs are good but just one.

Jerry Todd · Joined: 15 Apr 2009

My gf works at an after-school program.

Her employer gave her 10-million key money and 400,000 a month for housing, she gets paid full-time money for part-time hours, the teaching is really easy compared to our last hogwan, and there is little to no oversight by management.

However, she gets annoyed at having to remind the school to pay her every month because they forget, the books are terrible, and the lack of a real manager means there's no one to talk to about problems or things that are needed for classes.

We're still waiting to see if they actually give her a flight at the end of the contract.

Also - does anyone know why her boss keeps asking for a copy of the information inside her bank book?

blue.sky · Joined: 31 Aug 2009 Location: a box on the 15th floor