Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SChis]

Do not work at this Hagwon. The following are things that happened to my partner and I while we worked there. We have far more information so if any aspiring teachers have questions- feel free to contact us!


ESL prevented us from getting our medical check for 2.5 months, our ARC cards for 3 months, and our bank accounts for 4 months. Therefore leaving us practically unpaid and ultimately uninsured for the majority of our time in Korea. We left after six months because they refused to reimburse us for our arriving flight (as per our contract). They also never paid into our pension, and assured us all along that these practices were perfectly legal, when they are in fact not. When we questioned this and insisted we may have to seek the labor boards' council, profanities were screamed us in both English and Korean. We were horrified that this was the cherry on top of the maltreatment we experienced there.

Because we were the only foreign teachers at the small hagwon, no one but us could call the director out on her illegal practices, nor advocate for us in any respect. As lovely as Chungju is, it is a smaller city. When we sought the labor board's council on these matters, no one there spoke any English.

Throughout the process we were understanding and patient. Please heed this advice and do not fall into a similar trap. These people are malevolent liars, and will take advantage of you. Their only priority is keeping their failing business afloat and pocketing as much money as possible.

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[SChis]

You actually waited that long on things that should be taken care of relatively quickly?[/quote]

We thought we could trust them to start, were new to teaching abroad, and were strung along by the hagwon. Obviously if we knew how it would have ended up we would have done things differently. Hindsight is 20/20, but our intent is to warn and protect future teachers so they do not make the same mistakes.

We were certainly too trusting of the hagwon, but we didn't want to poison the relationship needlessly if there was a diplomatic solution to be attained. Instead, we kept our heads down and were polite and respectful in asking for our money until the very end.

You actually signed on with a hogwan under the ruse of "reimbursed airfare"?[/quote]

When we signed the contract it said our flights would be paid for. They asked us (through the recruiter) if we wouldn't mind fronting the airfare. We had already gotten through with all of the paperwork and whatnot and were ready to seal the deal. We wanted to help and trust them as well, so we purchased the tickets. If we can protect any teachers from this ruse, then this post has done its job.


People...DO NOT SIGN ANY CONTRACT WITH A HOGWAN THAT OFFERS REIMBURSED AIRFARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/quote]

We hear you loud and clear. We didn't sign a contract that said they would reimburse our airfare, only that they would not deduct it from our pay if we worked more than six months. We and the recruiter were promised that we would be reimbursed upon arrival (this never happened). Hopefully people will read this if they find themselves under similar circumstances.

[trueblue]

[bossface]

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[SChis]

[Stain]

Contracts and recruiters have something in common in this country. They CAN'T be trusted. This information is so old that I can't believe we are still talking about it anymore. Immigration doesn't even read the contracts. Why? Because they don't matter. Sure, you can go to the labor board to file a complaint, but be prepared to wait a while. Maybe by that time you'll be out of here and don't give a shit anymore.

[Fallacy]

Everything was immediately understood about the troubles faced just by seeing the word "Chungju" in the thread title alone. Stain is correct.

[SChis]

We totally agree- we loved living in a smaller city but the down side is that there is no advocacy for foreigners and it makes it all the easier for Hagwon owners to take advantage of your isolation. By the time we went to the labor board, our onwers had shut the power off in our apartment to try and flush us out and make it unbearable... Unfortunately, it worked- we couldn't wait it out and had to leave. We're adults and while it was traumatic, what urks me the most is that children are involved in all this. We weren't able to say goodbye and were very attached to our students and visa versa. I just cannot believe that money and pride could take such precedence in this circumstance...

[PRagic]

Three problems: One, you waited too long before taking action. Two, you didn't seek advice here first before doing anything. Three, you told your employer that you might go to the labour board. You should have just done it.

Had you asked here, posters would have let you know that labour board hearings are always conducted in Korean. You need a friend or colleague to go with you. Actually, if you have all of your paper work, you physically don't even have to be there; you can sign off to have a Korean present your case for you.

Water under the bridge now, and it's too bad you had a terrible first experience. Hopefully, others will learn from this, and you'll bounce back more well informed and more apt to get a decent job. Best of luck to you.

[SChis]

Hear you loud and clear Pragic! Sound advice- this experience hasn't turned us off of Korea in the slightest but I'm going back to school for a Doctorate of Physical Therapy next month so I won't be returning to the country to teach again. The friends we made and the travel opportunities it afforded us were true blessings- this experience being the exception. I would never suggest people not go and teach in Korea- I would just urge people to be FAR more selective and less trusting than we were!