Korean Job Discussion Forums

[aq8knyus]

According to the BBC global pay scale calculator we not in too bad of a position as lowly hagwon monkeys.

I thought the breakdown of the figures in relation to Korea was very interesting. I always thought we as English teachers were on the lower end of the spectrum.

The below link takes you to the BBC news website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17543356

[soomin]

Really interesting chart~ thanks for the link ^.^

From what I've heard, we are making *bank*~ My Korean friends tell me that they wish they were foreign so they could make as much money, especially my friends who work in hagwons... Even working in English hagwons, they make about several hundred thousand won less every month, and that's not including housing, which would bump it up considerably. NETs make a good living~ ^.^

[Seoulman69]

Let's not get carried away. The average wage in Korea is $2,900 which is 3,400,000won. The average esl teacher earns around 2.4 million. Let's say we take the rent money, an extra 400,000won, instead of the apartment. That's 2,800,000won. Still way below the average.
If you think we are making *bank* then you are deluding yourself. However, there is the potential to make more money by doing privates if you have a suitable visa. If you are making 4mill a month then I would say you are doing ok. Get a wife who works and contributes 2mill then you can live a half decent life. But if you think that we are making a good living with a basic hagwon wage then you are kidding yourself.

[Leon]

Only Norway and Luxembourg average more than me, not bad.

[r122925]

[Seoulman69]

[aq8knyus]

@seoulman69

I remember reading somewhere on a korean news site that over 40% of Koreans earn between 1 and 2 million. Also 2-3mill was 20 something percent and 3-4mil was 10ish percent.

The source was the National Office of Statistics (통계청) and it was 2011 figures but I have no way of finding the link to see if my vague recollections are accurate.

That did include all types of jobs.

Obviously we are not living the life of riley but it did surprise me that we do pretty well in the Korean scheme.

[Seoulman69]

I'm going to go ahead and answer my own question. Korea's average full time wage is around $33,000 a year. Converting that to won equals 38,641,017. That equals 3,220,084won a month. This is without bonuses included. Pretty close to my initial figure of 3.4.
Now let's look at hagwon teacher. Their wage is around 2.4 with housing. With the housing money that puts it up to 2.8. Still below average. Hardly making *bank*, is it?
If we are to add in the flight and the bonus to the wage it does get closer to average but if we add our bonuses then we need to add the Korean workers bonuses too.

Here's the link to the average full time wage info:
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/12/26/2011122601341.html

[comm]

[Seoulman69]

[r122925]

[Seoulman69]

[Seoulman69]

Here's another link: http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2922210

"There were 7,945 foreign workers who received more than the average Korean worker�s income of about 40 million won."

40,000,000won a year comes out at 3,333,333won a month. Even closer to my initial 3.4.

[tiger fancini]

All I know is that I can save a grand (UK) pretty much every month, travel abroad once or twice a year and buy whatever I need/want on a weekly basis. And, most importantly, enjoy my life here. That's why I think I'm not doing too badly.

[alongway]

I remember reading about 2 years ago that the average salaryman was making 2.2 million/month in Seoul.
I can't imagine the average has crept up that much in just 2 years when a lot of companies don't even seem to offer inflation as wage increases.
Can't really imagine the average wage being 2.7 million at all.