Korean Job Discussion Forums

keithbu02 · Joined: 14 Jun 2010 Location: Texas

My friend and I are planning to come over, hopefully, sometime in September or October of this year. I've been having some trouble with the search function on this site, so I apologize if this post is repetitive. Basically, how does this work if you want to come over with a friend? Is there any possibility of working at the same school? Living in the same apartment building? I'm assuming this condition will be a constraint on the number of job offers, so would it be best to just forgo looking in Seoul or Busan and start on some other less popular choices? I have other questions, but I'm hoping some of your answers might cover them. I'd like to thank everyone that responds in advance for your time and I'll look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you

pangaea · Joined: 20 Dec 2007

Do you and your friend plan on living in the same apartment? Sometimes schools will advertise for "couple" teachers that they can place in the same apartment. As far as working for EPIK or another program that places teachers in public schools, I think you can request to be placed together but the school is not required to place you together unless you are married.

keithbu02 · Joined: 14 Jun 2010 Location: Texas

Thanks for the reply. My friend and I wouldn't mind being roommates, but it is not a deal breaker. We're most likely going to be using a recruiter for a hagwon, I was just wondering if anyone had any experience coming over with a friend.

air76 · Joined: 13 Nov 2007

The easiest way for you to ensure that you get jobs at the same place is to apply for the COUPLE jobs....PLUS, this means that you should get a much nicer, or at least bigger, apartment. Many single folk get tiny studios, or even decent sized studios....but if you're a couple you get a 2 bedroom place, which means that you'll have a proper living room and probably a much bigger and better kitchen. Clearly it doesn't matter if you are really a couple or just friends, the school won't care.

This has been hashed over again and again....but being in Seoul or Busan is not the end-all be-all, there are advantages to living in smaller cities as well....living truly rural in Korea would suck....but you'll find much closer knit groups of foreigners in cities of 200,000-500,000 people, and still enough foreigners at the same time that you can pick and choose your friends.

I would highly recommend a city called Mokpo....it is big enough to have everything you need, only an hour to Gwangju, which will REALLY have everything you need....but small enough that the foreigners hang out and have a real community. You won't be far from the beach (not the best beach, but nothing in Korea is really great anyhow) and you'll be near to lots of mountains and islands and whatnot....plus the weather there is nicer. Much of Korea has brutal winters. There are those who will say it's Seoul or bust, but what is more important to you? Having a great group of friends, or being closer to Burger King and proper Western style bars and night clubs?

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:39 pm Post subject:

My friend and I applied for Epik together (well not like a couple, but we both applied on the same day). There was a section asking if you applied with someone and who. We live in the same area, so I think they will put you near your friend if they can.

As for hagwons, like others have said, some schools have positions for couples, or you could just both apply to schools in the same city.

conbon78 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008

My friend and I came over together. We lived in the same apartment initially, but we didn't really understand what to ask for. We worked at the same job also. I would recommend asking for 2 single apartments. That was offered to us, but we decided to live together because we were not sure where one is in relation to another. We were in Daejeon, which is small and this we didn't realize. If you have any other questions, feel free to pm me.

furtakk · Joined: 02 Jun 2009

it is certainly possible as long as the hagwon you are applying for has openings at or around the same time AND wants to hire the both of you. if the two of you are girls, you will have a much easier time doing this. if you are two guys, i think you will probably have a much harder time. if you work at the same hagwon you will most likely live in the same building or very close to one another.

i think the two of you would have a great shot at finding something like this in daegu. it's one of the biggest cities and has plenty to do. the hagwons are also concentrated in a few key areas so even if you don't work at the same school, you guys shouldn't have a problem finding a position close to one another.

cayce23 · Joined: 19 Mar 2010 Location: Gwangju, South Korea

My boyfriend and I came over together. Our recruiter initially told us that we'd either be at separate campuses or get two apartments, since a 2-bedroom isn't available. It's worked out that we did get two apartments, but we only use one, and the campuses are right across the street from each other. Our school constantly hires couples.

Two of my co-workers came together too, two women, just friends. They had two apartments across the hall from each other. They were moved to Seoul to another campus and were put in the same studio apartment. As they are near to killing each other because they are together for literally 24 hours a day, they are in search of a 2-bedroom apartment now.

From what I gather, it doesn't limit your options as much as it would Japan or China. Korea is the best country to come to if you're wanting to teach with someone else.

keithbu02 · Joined: 14 Jun 2010 Location: Texas

Great Information, thanks everyone for the replies.

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

You could also try just emailing your resumes together to a recruiter and explain that you want to be placed near each other. Many recruiters will do their best to do so in order to collect to recruiter fees at the same time. I've tried that twice, the first time my friend and I were placed at the same school with the same apartment. The second time, my girlfriend and I were placed in the same apartment complex, but with different schools.

jrwhite82 · Joined: 22 May 2010

Most recruiters can find "couple" positions. My friend and I were going to do that a couple of years ago, but he backed out last minute.

If you are dead set on Busan or Seoul, you will find couples positions there too. If you're not going until Sept/Oct, you have time to hold out for the location you want. Don't rule out suburbs of Seoul though. When it says a "Suburb" in Korea it still means areas with 15 story high rise apartment buildings, subway lines, great restaurants, etc...

I used parkenglish when I went and they have a few listings on their site right now for couples.