Korean Job Discussion Forums

EJKIWI · Joined: 26 Mar 2016 Location: New Zealand

Hey guys,

I taught in Korea from 2008 until 2011, I met my wife there, an American who, like me, taught there for almost 3 years.

We got married when we left and have been living in New Zealand ever since. We are thinking about heading back over again, the only difference is that we have 2 kids now. Our oldest is 33 years old and the youngest is a few months. Since it's been a few years, how are things over there now? Would it be possible for me to work and for my wife to stay home with the kids for at least a year? We have friends that have moved to Daejeon, so we are thinking about moving there.

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated!

edwardcatflap · Joined: 22 Mar 2009

I assume you mean 33 months Laughing

I guess your main issue would be housing as in most jobs they wouldn't provide you with a big enough places for four. You'd have to get your own flat and put down a deposit. As for jobs it all depends on your qualifications. Taking a hagwan or public school job and getting your own place would eat into your monthly salary. It could be done but you wouldn't save much. If any.

Lazio · Joined: 15 Dec 2010

I'm seriously wondering why would you do this?

Considering financials and your kids' well-being, it's not worth it.

Not only you wouldn't save money but it would be even difficult to make ends meet. You will need to rent your own place. And the allowance that you may get will be the smaller portion of your monthly rent. I don't know the prices in Daejon but I can't imagine they are much lower than where I live outside of Seoul. Even a 2 room so-so place would cost 800k a month. But you would want to live in something bigger and more decent, so think a million at least. On top of that the utilities. Bigger places are rarely equipped with appliances so you will have to fork out some serious money at the beginning for furniture and other household stuff. And 10k or more like 20k for deposit.

Public transport adds up. Even if kids are free but for two adults: work, shopping, weekend stuff etc. with a few taxis here and there... it could be 150-200k/month easily.
Food is expensive for 4.

If you send your kids to daycare or kindergarten it would be roughly 200k/month/child. But as neither of you are Korean citizen, it could be more. Or if you don't send them anywhere they would be trapped in the (smallish) house all day. Going to kids cafes and such places adds up to. And the weather is crap so it's not like you can just hang around in a park. Either cold, pouring, pollution or sweltering heat. Easily half of the year is not suitable for doing something outside.

Healthcare could be an issue. Yes, you and your family would be covered but that insurance is only good for a cold. God forbid something more serious happens and you will need to reach deep into your pocket. And with 4 people the likeliness of something happening is 4 times greater.

Did I mention the horrible air quality? The lack of space, greenery, peace?
Most Korean parents would give one of their arms to live in such places like New Zealand.

Oh, and let's not forget about getting here and out. You would get reimbursed but your family won't. So on the way in, that's 2 extra tickets and if you leave after your youngest is over 2 years old that would be 3 flight tickets to cover. That is thousands of dollars out of your pocket.

I honestly don't think you could survive.

I support a family of 3 so I know how much it costs. I own my place and we are very "smart" spenders but still. Thankully I'm not making 2.2 or whatever E2s normally get these days.

nicwr2002 · Joined: 17 Aug 2011

I wouldn't bring my kids here just because of the terrible air quality. That's why we are getting out of here asap. If the air quality wasn't so bad, then it would be a good place to live, but unfortunately that's not the case.

tophatcat · Joined: 09 Aug 2006 Location: under the hat

Bringing your children here is like forcing them to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day. Would you move anywhere that demanded you force this upon your children?

Coltronator · Joined: 04 Dec 2013

Unless you live in Busan, then the Air Quality Index compares to many cities in North America.

World Traveler · Joined: 29 May 2009

http://aqicn.org/map/southkorea

http://aqicn.org/map/northamerica/#@g/40.4426/-95.5371/5z

goat · Joined: 23 Feb 2010

10YearsExp · Joined: 02 May 2017 Location: The Big Apple

for 2 years and 6 months my wife and I lived in Gwangyang way down south, and we found the air quality to be excellent, as well as the weather, YEAR ROUND. this was 2008-2010. ***HAS IT REALLY become so much more polluted that some posters on here are really lambasting the air quality???*** Then, 18 straight months in Daegu outskirts ---- WE WERE QUITE HAPPY WITH THE FRESH AIR.

Perhaps the smog from Beijing drifting over has increased??? WTF?? Question

perhaps edward can help illuminate this. Idea

EJKIWI · Joined: 26 Mar 2016 Location: New Zealand

Thanks for the responses guys! Wow things have changed quite a bit in the last few years. The Korea we left was quite an easy place to live, low working hours, ok remuneration. I am very surprised to hear that the air quality has got so bad! 10yearsexpat, are you still there?

We are not interested in living in Seoul.

SeoulNate · Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa

On the air quality, this year was really bad, and it is trending up if you look at it on the scale of the last 10 years or so. I've been here quite a few years and I don't think I would call the air quality anywhere in Korea excellent. Passable in some areas maybe, but certainly not excellent.

As far as the remuneration goes, expect to make pretty much the same you were making when you left unless you upped your qualifications and experience.

As for the whole family/kids thing, can you do it? Yes, it would be possible, but as other posters here have said, it probably wouldn't be the greatest idea. Of all the people I know here in Korea with a family, I don't think a single one of them would give up the chance to move out of Korea as long as they were able to keep the same-ish level of pay.

denverdeath · Joined: 21 May 2005 Location: Boo-sahn

When you're considering air quality, PLEASE reconsider. Fukushima ring a bell? 31 yrs ago, the incident at chernobyl happened. Apparently, my part of eastern canada has no issues(finally!). THATs a LONG time. Besides the IMMEDIATE deaths(mentioned SO much for chernobyl, but barely even mentioned regarding fukushima), fukushima is said to have been SO much worse. Winds? Waves? ALL the lies are saying it's going to the west coast of NA. Winds n waves change, sorry. That CRAP is here, too. I, sadly, only REALLY realised it this yr. Yeah. Stick to the finland salmon...dont let koreans irradiated fingers touch a thing b4 cooking!

P.S. We're ALL glowing green now. ENJOY!

World Traveler · Joined: 29 May 2009

EJKIWI · Joined: 26 Mar 2016 Location: New Zealand

Thanks for the very interesting input. We will have to rethink things. We really wanted to give our kids a bit of an adventure, get them exposed to another culture and travel a bit with them. But after hearing reading some of the feedback, we might look at other options. Glad we got to experience the place back then, was an amazing time.