Korean Job Discussion Forums

[penultimeta]

I've been working with a recruiter for the past couple months. After getting all my documentation together, I finally have an interview with a hogwon called the Royal Academy. However, I am approaching this with some trepidation. Does anyone have any experience working in Gwangju about 1/2 hours from Seoul? I do worry about getting stuck in a small town (small city? suburb?). As it stands now, the school hires just 2 native English speakers and 5 Korean teachers. I'm just curious if anyone can relay their experiences working 1 or 2 steps outside Seoul.

[cert43]

I do..but not that specific academy..there are many parts on the

outskirts of downtown gwanju.if the rectruiter is saying a small "town", ie

villiage, ( then this throwws up a major red flag) for selling someewhere

elsethat would no Westerner would wanna go, so just make sure IT IS

Royal Academy in gwanju, gyeggiodo. and NOT Child u Academy ( or any

other place) in or around Taejeon-Dong and you 'll be good to go.

You DO NOT want the latter that TRUST ME.

[penultimeta]

Well, the recruiter isn't describing it as anything. I read on a wiki that it's considered a suburb, but there doesn't seem to be too much info on it online, on these forums, or other forums. I suppose that, in itself, probably ought to put a red flag.

[cert43]

Yes.. , Iam afraid you won't find much either..

as there aren't many academies based outta that area

Downtown Gwanju is a very very nice suburb

Many foreigners and alot of bars, shopping, etc.

( it is the outside town that I

am thinking off)..."too rural and very "korean"

[meaghan]

my bf lives in gwangju so I spend a lot of time there.

it's a small city, yes, but nice enough. The foreigner community is VERY SMALL, but they are nice people. It's very much a "make your own fun" kind of place. If you are hoping to commute into Seoul all the time it's maybe not the best, as it's about 1.5-2 hours to hongdae or itaewon, just over an hour to gangnam, and a 50,000 won cab ride home. It's not too far from Bundang though, which is fairly happening, nightlife for that whole area is concentrated around the Soehyeon stop on the yellow line. that said, it's a pleasant enough place to live - lots of mountains and thai food.

I don't know a thing about this school you're looking at, but I'll give you the same advice I give to everyone considering a particular school: do your research. read the contract carefully, make sure you understand it, talk to AT LEAST one foreign teacher currently at the school. This is where you're going to be spending most of your time, so being happy in your job is at least, if not more important, than the community you'll be living in.