Korean Job Discussion Forums

[forvalor]

I left Korea more than two years ago, having worked there for 2 years previously, and have been working back home ever since. I plan to get married to my Korean girlfriend of 4 years in a couple of months, and was wondering whether it would be an idea to go back to Korea on the F2 Visa.

I have heard from some friends of mine that the F2 Visa makes it a lot easier to secure decent work and make more money (in ESL). I make some pretty decent cash here in Australia, but am wondering if it is worth leaving my job and making use of this F2 Visa.

For the guys on the F2s, are you banking more than 4 million a month? How many hours are you working? Do you enjoy your life in Korea? Is it viable to run a hagwon style business from your two bedroom apartment?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated in helping me make this difficult decision! Thank you.

[Drew10]

Having the visa doesn't make you money at all. It's more about your work ethic.

Having the visa opens doors to earning more money, but it's up to you to go out and be proactive.

these all sound like AFEK questions to me.

[ttompatz]

http://www.afek.info/

.

[forvalor]

Thanks. I wasn't aware of AFEK's existence.
Unfortunately though, it seems that you actually have to have the F2 Visa before you can access the site. I'll try to register and see if I can at least browse the forums there.

[Zyzyfer]

[T-J]

Regarding AFEK membership, any ID with the first initial of each name and a birth date can be used to gain access to the open forums.

For access to the F visa forums an ARC is the only acceptable ID, again only first initial of each name and DOB need be visible.

[Yaya]

A visa won't magically make you more money, though it'll make it easier to find work and stuff. I remember one guy I had a flame war with years ago attributing my career in Korea to the F-4 visa, never mind that plenty of gyopos have that visa but don't do jack here.

[singerdude]

I think it would be very difficult for someone on an E2 visa to make the kind of money that is possible with an F2, unless you are doing illegal work. If you are lucky enough to get a low-hour uni job and a few business part time jobs, making more than 4 million shouldn't be difficult. You can also run a hagwon style apartment business, which is called a gongbubang (study room). It is quite difficult to get students though. However, the potential to make a lot of money is there if you are fortunate enough to get more than 30 students.

[sublunari]

If your wife is able to make connections with other ajummas, the sky is the limit when it comes to finding students, so it might be a good idea to move back to her hometown (or home neighborhood) where she already knows a lot of people and can send out some feelers for the kids you need. Don't bother with adults as they cancel their lessons all the time (this is what happens when there isn't an ajumma cracking the whip every moment of every day). And unless you can speak fluent Korean it seems unlikely that you'd be able to secure a job in a field other than teaching English.

Running this so called "gongbubang" is also a very good idea, although I can't speak from direct experience because we don't have the funds we need to get a place that's big enough. A rich ajumma we know does the very same thing in her place and it seems like there are all kinds of kids constantly going back and forth through her doorway. I was screwed out of a few hundred dollars by a loaded woman back in Busan who was doing the same thing.

Liking kids also wouldn't hurt. If you lack the requisite charisma they'll eventually get tired of you and find someone better.

[definitely maybe]

I teach at a university and my wife runs a "hagwon" that was originally a study room in the apartment next to ours. I teach in the afternoons/evenings and on my days off (always Friday and sometimes Thursday as well depending on the semester). She teaches classes Monday-Friday and handles other subjects and test prep. We don't do weekends and don't overload ourselves, and I can tell you that you can make far better than 4 million enough with this kind of set up.

To be honest, we'd probably do even better if I left the uni gig and worked at our place full time, but the uni job helps me keep my sanity with a somewhat normal job, keeps the resume in tact, and helps protect us against any unforeseen dips in business.

Keep in mind, we do everything above board. I did a lot of riskier privates outside the home when we moved to our area to build up my name and a client base, then we made the shift. There are risks involved there, but it was also quite lucrative and made it easier to take real vacations.

[T-J]

[detonate]

So if he's married to a Korean he still can't run a hagwon that way?
What a mess...

[T-J]

[detonate]

A legal mess. People should be able to convert an apartment into a study room if they so choose, and more than one teacher should be allowed.

[forvalor]

Thanks for all your responses, you've certainly given me a lot to consider. The legality of the 공부방 is disappointing. I was hoping that if I did return to Korea, that my wife and I could both do some teaching from home.