Korean Job Discussion Forums

[yfb]

Actually I did some googling and found the original website written by the authors of that book:

http://web.archive.org/web/20050125213747/http://prisonerofwonderland.com/

I especially liked the "Experiences of Other" section, haha

[asylum seeker]

They call it Wonderland because it's a wonder why anyone would work there.

Edit- Damn, Troglodyte beat me to it!

[lorenchristopher]

"Everyone Smiles at Wonderland!"

There's a Wonderland right near the hagwon I work at (my hagwon conditions are amazing, I've renewed with them three years)....and sometimes as I'm going into work I'll see the Wonderland kids getting on the big pink bus, and the foreign teacher is standing there waving goodbye to them. I always feel so sorry for him.

[seonsengnimble]

As a few people have said before, it is a franchise, and not every location is terrible. I have worked for five different hagwons, and wonderland was one of the two that didn't cheat me out of money or pull some ridiculous bs like remodeling the classroom I was teaching in while I was teaching.

The conditions at the wonderland I worked at weren't great, but it was alright for a first year job. The director was very helpful. My apartment was decent. At times when the workload was ridiculous, compromises were made.

There were some parts I hated about the job, such as phone teaching, but overall I don't regret working there.

[aeihrig]

I've heard this about a lot of the Wonderlands, but I work at the Wonderland in Gyeongju now and it is wonderful. We do have to do stuff like phone teacher, report cards, and monthly lesson plans. But those aren't really that bad. The director really takes care of us and helps us with anything. We also have an amazing riverview apartment with a bathtub and oven. ^_^
I realize this is the exception to most Wonderlands, but wouldn't want to scare away potential employees at this specific one.

[lonni318]

I had a position at the Wonderland in Guro, and before I even started they retracted their offer because my paperwork took too long. Seems like I dodged a bullet there!

[toph]

My brother actually worked in Pohang, and he [b]hated[/b] it! Idk exactly which company it was for, as this was in 2006, but every time he talks about Korea he only has bad memories.

And we're gyopo!!!

I feel kind of bad for him though, because I had a great time when we were there. But I guess it was because I wasn't teaching at the time ... oh well. But he vows never to go back to Korea, because of that one experience. I find that very unfortunate, as SK has a lot more to offer than the city of Pohang showed him. For those wary people: try places closer to Seoul. This is better for you, especially if you've never been to Korea. It's easier to adjust (well, as easy as it will get), and there are a lot more accommodations in these areas. If you can't get into Seoul, try the Gyeonggi-do area.

That's my advice, at least.

[caesar]

I'd like to add an update to the previous post about Wonderland in Pohang. In the past few months, 2 foreign teachers have quit the school - 1 left the country, the other tried to get a new teaching job in South Korea.

Upon the 2nd teacher's quitting, the owner of Wonderland made this teacher's life a living hell by lying to immigration and telling them she was a "runaway" when she actually quit her job properly. It took over a month for immigration to investigate the school and finally side with the teacher to allow her to get a new visa and teach at a different school. The owner of Wonderland then had the audacity to harrass her new employer and tell him not to hire her, because she was a "bad teacher" and "he'd have nothing but problems with her." Luckily, the new employer was aware of the Wonderland branch's reputation and the reputation of the owner, and hired the teacher anyway. The owner of Wonderland is still making harrassing threats to the teacher, telling other teachers that he will get the police after her (for nothing illegal at all) just to threaten other teachers not to leave.

A 3rd teacher is currently quitting her job at the school, giving proper notice as stated in her contract. During her final weeks at the school, she was just told to move out of her apartment to allow a new teacher to move in. She was kicked out of her home with nowhere to go, and was told by the owner that he is "no longer helping foreigners." (Luckily, she was able to crash at some friend's apartment for the time being.)

Yet, the school is still in business hiring new, unsuspecting teachers as we speak. By all means, do a little research and read these posts - DO NOT WORK FOR WONDERLAND in POHANG, SOUTH KOREA!!

[tophatcat]

DO NOT WORK FOR WONDERLAND!

[kprrok]

[tophatcat]

[BoholDiver]

This thread is tempting me to find a school that mistreats people badly, have interviews with them under the pretense that I will work for them, and not showing up on the first day.

A waste of my time. But I would love to do it to a scumbag school like this. Or basically going into an interview with no intention of working there. if the director gets snotty, just walk out.

[kprrok]

[Zoisite]

Soooo how come no one calls the G-man down on Wonderland???
I am just starting out... so I am a bit naive. you can't report Wonderland to the government?


Also what is stopping you from just leaving???

[tophatcat]