Korean Job Discussion Forums

triple50 · Joined: 06 Jul 2010

Anybody have any experience with English Village? I guess they have a number of schools around the greater Seoul area.

Italy37612 · Joined: 25 Jan 2010 Location: Somewhere

I am the current university/adult program coordinator at an English Village. PM me with questions you may have.

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

The very lowest step on the ladder that is English teaching in Korea. If you're just out of university and looking to blow a year living abroad, it could be an option. If you want something that people won't laugh at when they see your CV, avoid. I was asked years ago to do the admin work on one of these places, but turned it down when I discovered that teachers and teaching/living conditions were WAY down on the list of concerns for the establishment.

You'll get a lot of feedback on English Villages on Dave's, and they will be predominantly negative. Professional entertainer/baby sitter jobs. Best advice? Look for a public school position or even a hakwon first.

Italy37612 · Joined: 25 Jan 2010 Location: Somewhere

I would agree with you on that statement except for 3 of the EV's in Korea. Ansan, Yangpyeong, and Gwanak. They are not the, "edutainment" style that the others are. We operate like an actual Hakwon. I only teach TOEIC, University, and Business English courses here. Currently I am teaching a 3 month intensive TOEIC and Business English course to 20 mid and upper-level managers from LG.

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

Interesting. Goes to my point of these places prioritizing profit over initial goals. 'It's all for the kids!' 'Er, but we're not making any money.' 'Er, it's all for LG!'

While I appreciate your situation, the fact is that the words English Village will appear on your CV. If I were interviewing you, I'd ask why you were teaching exams and business English at an English Village to corporate stiffs. The management at the E.V. have the facilities and warm, native-speaking bodies, so they're out to make a buck. Sad, but most probably true.

If you have experience teaching business English and specific exams, you'd be better served by teaching at a test prep hakwon, or, if you have your MA, at HongIk University.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

face32 · Joined: 06 Oct 2010 Location: USA

Yangpyeong English Village is far from being worse than most hagwons. Yes, the name says English Village. Is it really like the typical EV? Not even close. It is basically a normal hagwon, except the kid's only stay for a week. It's frustrating to hear recruiter's and other people say my year there counts as nothing, when I did the same thing everyone else does at normal hagwons. The only difference being that I got experience with a much wider range of students for shorter amount of time. Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School, High School, College, Adults and even Korean Military Officers. But none of that counts for anything apparently.

They always paid on time. They paid my severance, roundtrip airfare (they actually agreed to pay for a flight to a different country rather than the U.S. because I wanted to travel), pension. Everything was right. Communication could be terrible with the Administration, just like every other school, but nothing that would make you do a runner. They paid well because it was in the middle of nowhere. If you worked overtime they paid you overtime, and it was not required OT. They even have a system where you can take paid time off instead of the overtime pay. I had at least 4-weeks of vacation while working there because of this.

It does get old doing the same things week after week, but it was far from a difficult job.

Weigookin74 · Joined: 26 Oct 2009

I've never worked at one. But all the ones in my area or nearby are run by the government. Same EPIK contract. But have heard some ones in Seoul or Jeju are run by private companies. People in my area seem happy enough. Visited Paju EV with my school for a day and some of the teachers seemed unhappy a couple of years ago.

toby99 · Posted: Thu May 30, 2013 4:12 am Post subject:

The Paju location is where the guys from "Kickin it in Geumchon" used to work. I think the fact that those guys had some of the biggest hard-ons for Korea you'll ever see and still all left the country should tell you everything you need to know about that particular camp.

I've heard awful things about the one in Incheon too.

I'd say an EV might be alright for a first-timer since there's usually a built-in network of foreigners, but any longer than a year and you've got some 'splainin to do.