Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kain067]

First of all, hello to all. I have been reading here for a while since I started planning to come to Korea three months now (I have been here for about 2 months) but have not registered to post myself. I have really enjoyed the educated discussions and news that everyone has intelligently shared (guess that's what you get when you have a message board that indirectly limits its members to those with 4-year degrees! Much better than usual internet crap).

Just wondering, because I cannot ask myself here at my institute, what do your Korean co-teachers make compared to you? Do they generally make more or less than their foreign counterparts? I can see reasons why they should make more than us (usually more work, teaching a subject that is not natural to them, working Saturdays and holidays etc., more classes, more strict form to teaching) and why they should make less (do not have to relocate leaving all their friends and family behind as part of the "job description", can more easily teach and communicate with kids, do not culturally expect as high of a salary as Americans, etc.).

So, which is it? Do the Korean teachers (particularly hogwan teachers, I work at a hogwan) make more or less than the foreign teachers? I make 2.0 million just for reference.

Thanks and I will enjoy talking with you all.

[weatherman]

It depends on the hogwon, but I would say that a lot of the women teachers at your run of the mill hogwons make much less. That said, at some of the more top name hogwons in any large city, the Korean staff teachers can make millions. My ex made over 3 for teaching English, and the male science teacher and math teachers made over 5 million in good months. It really comes down to how well known the hogwon is, and does it deliver the good to the students? Generally our pay is low as english teahes in Korea compaired to Korean teachers working in the public school system; very low compaired to the university system and for established hogwon with a name for itself the male teachers do very well. The rest, meaning most of the women teachers at no name hogwons get paid crappy, more crappy than the average hogwon teacher english teacher....

[kangnamdragon]

Generally the hagwon makes money because of the native speaker, not the Korean teachers, so you get paid more. The movie star gets paid more than the cast, even if they work harder.

[crazylemongirl]

I make more than the korean teachers at my school, but they a) get the long vacactions off and b) are allowed to teach privates legally so it balances out.

[mindmetoo]

[Kain067]

[schwa]

[kangnamdragon]

[Mosley]

Crazy: you get MORE than Korean teachers in the PUBLIC system?! Surely you jest....

[VanIslander]

I make nearly twice what at least one Korean colleague makes, and I'm a bit uncomfortable with it. We do the same job, with her actually having extra duties.

I have to keep telling myself that I'm just a resource commodity whose value happens to be inflated due to where I am from. Supply and demand could shift tomorrow and the wages might go down. It's not about how much one is worth, or what one deserves, but what the market can bear.

[Demophobe]

Ghosts....

[Crois]

[kangnamdragon]

[Crois]

Or been on drugs aswell.

[FUBAR]