Korean Job Discussion Forums

Caffeinated · Joined: 11 Feb 2010

Besides kyopos, do they exist? Just wondering.

ovid · Joined: 30 May 2007

I have seen South Africans (blacks) with university positions, but they have strong credentials (either PhD or university teaching experience).

I hate to admit it, but for a pretty simple university, most will take the white foreigner over the better qualified minority. I know a few teachers like this who got job preference over in Dongdaemun.

They had about a year experience teaching in Korea at a hawgwon and were picked over nonwhite candidates with masters and better teaching presentations.

I know for a lot of the better universities, race will be less of an issue, but credentials are a must (masters, PhD, lots of experience teaching).

Milwaukiedave · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong

I worked at a uni in Seoul that had an African American teacher from the East Coast, so yes it does happen. My current uni doesn't have any minorities aside from Kyopos.

PigeonFart · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

The racism is an absolute disgrace here. Diversity is known to foster creativity. You'd think the people at University level would know that. What a bunch of wankers (pardon my french).

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

I knew of a really nice Phillipine lady and an Indian guy who were professors at a foreign language uni in Seoul. They were teaching economic and marketing (?).

Both really nice people, and well educated and experienced. Both felt they were going to be canned after 6 months (bad student reviews) - but I left, so I never found out.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

TheFoodie · Joined: 18 Jan 2010 Location: Ebay Central

yesman · Joined: 15 Sep 2006

Yes, at a larger uni without a masters. But probably a rare situation.

djsmnc · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Dave's ESL Cafe

misher · Joined: 14 Oct 2008

I'm not sure about the mom and pop hakwons or public schools but at the chain I work at there are more than 4 or 5 black guys from the states. Heck, even 3 program managers are Canadian with a background from the middle east.

A guy a went to Sogang with is black and he gets just along fine in seoul. He just finished his 3rd contract at a hagwon and is now moving on to a uni gig.

There are some places with racist hiring policies for sure, but I think in Seoul this isn't as common as one would think.

makemischief · Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Location: Traveling

My uni has Korean, Kyopo, Indian, and African Americans teaching in its English department. Definitely not common, but some schools are becoming more progressive with regards to race: focusing on the professional qualifications instead (shocking!).