Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chris_J2]

[Reggie]

[Troglodyte]

Why not keep working until you have your Chinese visa in hand? You never know if it might be late. Then book the soonest flight to China and leave. In the mean time you have a place to stay.

Really it's no problem even if he knows that you've ran. He can't stop you. It's possible for him to accuse you of theft or some other crime but I've never heard of a hogwon owner doing that. (I'm sure it's happened at least once but I myself haven't heard of it so I doubt it's likely to happen.)
As others have said, immigration doesn't care about your work contract. They only care about visas and crimes you may have committed.

If you really want peace of mind, do the following. Keep going into work until the day before your flight. On the day of your flight, call in sick. Say that some friends of yours took you to a doctor for an examination. Say you'll call him back later after the examination to give more details. If your flight is in the afternoon then call him back after an hour and say that your friends took you to their house to recover (in case he goes by your apartment in person to check if you're there). You'll be gone from the country before he even realizes it.

If it were me though, I wouldn't book a flight until I knew for sure that I'd been paid for the last month. Unless you are 100% sure that you'll be paid on time, wait to buy a ticket. Or buy a ticket for a few days after your payday (however much you think is enough). After payday, I'd just leave and hang out in Seoul for a few days. See some sites. Drink some beer. Relax at a jimjilbang. Basically, have a break before starting your new job in China. There is not much that the boss can do to keep you from leaving the country.

[earthquakez]

How about giving hints if not the actual name of the hagwon doing this? Location etc. That way some newbie won't fall into the same nightmare or in fact anybody who wants to work in a hagwon and doesn't have enough knowledge of the bad ones.

[Troglodyte]

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

Definitely wait until you're gone, but once you're out of here, make sure to post the info so nobody else works for them.

[hotelcalifornia]

Earthquakes,

I absolutely would not give details of my plan, my school, my city, my co-workers plans, names, ever..... not until I see the beautiful blue lights of that MFing runway and I am watching K-land disappear into oblivion below the silver bird. Trust me, I will bring the guns to rain on this school (plantation/sweatshop) when the time is right. I get suspicious when people ask for details, btw. Don't think this sight is purely composed of teachers. It is highly rational in this environment to have information on runners such as myself and I strongly suspect owners/managers are in this forum right now.

Regards,

Don Henley

[calicoe]

I know you said there is a lot to tell, but when you get the chance, can you tell? It is helpful to know what employers are pulling out here, so that if we see even a shade of the same thing we recognize the pattern.

[hotelcalifornia]

calicoe,

You betcha. I will give details of my time in hell in this forum. Nobody should experience this ordeal.

I was thinking to myself.. this could be heaven or this could be hell...

it was the latter.

Regards,

HotelCalifornia

[eb]

Are you going to Hotel CA instead?

[hotelcalifornia]

I'll just jet straight to China.....

save myself a tonne of euros.

mother is in Seattle on business and I could visit yosemite by train, but that's a long way to go....

[lifeinkorea]

[hotelcalifornia]

Lifeinkorea,

Everything is taken care of on the other side. No problems once I'm past the gate. Airport pick-up, place to stay, new job, 4 positive reviews from ex teachers.

[OTCIXS]

[hotelcalifornia]

You may have been the only one to catch that! My favorite band of all time....ok maybe behind the Beatles/Led Zep./Rolling Stones.

Thank God for music.... the only thing that gets me through this life.

Regards,
Joe Walsh