Korean Job Discussion Forums

CustomX · Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Location: Seoul

RT flight is around $650
Hotels/motels ~$30? Could someone tell me how much these places cost?
Food? Transportation?
Im estimating $1500 total. That will give me $750 to pay for my basic necessities until I can get a teaching job.

I got sick of dealing with recruiters so I've decided to come to Korea I think in early February to search for a job on my own. Im just trying to budget this trip out and know how much $ i should expect to spend. This will also give me a good idea on how much I should save in addition so I have a cushion to deal with in case things dont work out for some reason. Thanks a lot.

I forgot to mention that I'm not sure how long I will be in Korea. I would like to find a job asap, but I'm going to make sure its a fairly reputable school before signing any contract.

whatthefunk · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Location: Dont have a clue

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Custom X, if you do a search on goshiwons here, you'll see a lot of advice on cheap accommodation. I was staying at a place in Gangnam for 4 mnths for 200,000/mnth. You can negotiate daily rates at many. 90% of goshiwons don't charge a deposit, plus have free rice in the shared kitchens, all the time. So, in a pinch, you can keep things lean, if you are into rice dishes and buying the ready-to-boil curry packets for 2000Won/each, or buy cans of tuna, or develop a kimchi habit.

Also, bear in mind that most hagwons will reimburse your airfare after you come back from the visa run, plus most will give pay advances. As a general rule, don't sign with anyone who is unwilling to pay for your visa run, reimburse your airfare, and offer the availability of pay advances, if you need. If they are misers on these points, then they will be misers on a lot of other stuff.

Edit:

Here is the cheap accommodation thread, that I was talking about:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=25336&highlight=goshiwons

Also, as WTF was referring to, give yourself some spending cushion. Usually, the first month over here can be your most expensive month. Expect to be visiting a lot of fast food chains or places that have english names/menus for the first little while. Until you find some local Korean restaurants that you can get in the habit of eating at, and saving money. Or eat at home, as much as possible. Try to locate cheap gimbap restaurants, as they offer broad menus for under 5000Won per plate and they come with small refillable side of kimchi and radishes.

I honestly feel that you can keep the accommodation cost low, down to 7-8000/day at goshiwons, or if you are hard-pressed for cheap yeogwons that discount for long-term stays, look around Dongdaemun market, as I was quoted 400-450,000 Won/mnth at some, before I decided to go for a goshiwon.

The real expense that you will have to monitor will be the eating and drinking, as they can get out of hand, if you are not careful. Budget 20,000/day for food/expenses, excluding accommodation and clubbing. After a week or so, once you begin to get a bit more settled and oriented, you can trim your food/expense cost lower.

PM me in Feb, if you have trouble finding goshiwons or cheap discounted yeogwons.

tomwaits · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Location: PC Bong

Hi--Guess you didn't take the (topia?) job?

Not to alarm you but I'd be a little nervous trying to set up on --say---800 000 won. It could be done of course---1st day might land you something.

I did something like this before - but just barely. Costs add up--you need subway bus and the odd cab fare--go to PC's to check e-mail etc...get the newspaper-lunch etc. Something in the boonies might sound OK and then you wastre time and money. Someone might say--meet me at Starbucks...Do you say NO meet at 7-11 etc etc.

The goshiwan is likely best---you can't lose really....Cost is the same as a week in a yogwan...(PM me if you want to know the ones I stayed in.) What MIGHT happen on this budget is you will get low on cash and take the 1st offer anyway...

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Yeah, $750 is cutting it a bit close.

If you ride the subway to a job interview, it will cost you about W1500, total. Another W1,000 per hour at the PC bang to check ads. A newspaper is W700. None of those can be eaten and you are already out more than W3,000 before you have eaten any food or paid for a place to sleep. Food is important. ^^ Seoul in Feb. is still cold. Too cold to be sleeping on the street.

Even if you have W900,000 to start out, divide that by 60 (one month to find a job and one month to live before payday). That only gives you W15,000 a day.

In my opinion, you should re-think your strategy.

hellofaniceguy · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: On your computer screen!

$750 is to LOW! Be serious everyone! Exchange rate, taxi fare, busses, while cheap...it adds up, etc...
You need close to $1500.
Once you find a job...you still need to wait until the visa is approved and fly out again. School will pay for that of course...but...you still need money for the trip to get the visa, hotel, food, etc. airport fees, visa, and then there is the biggest need....once you start working...you need money to last you until your first cheque!
One of the FIRST things you need is a cell phone! Easier to make contacts and have them contact you. That takes money. Then you'll need to buy house cleaning supplies, blankets, pay for heating oil maybe...depending on what type of apartment you get.
No...$750 won't cut it. Not even close.
Come prepared and be professional...come prepared.
You WON'T get a legal job in one week.

Manner of Speaking · Joined: 09 Jan 2003

$750 is absolutely no cushion in case something goes wrong.

Safe and comfortable, figure out what your first month's salary will be in Korean won (1.8 million - 2.4 million) and convert it into your home currency. That's how much you'll need.

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

I agree with the above posters when they say bring the cushion. $1000-1500 is ideal to act us a buffer against surprises. But, I'm just saying one can swing it for 800,000. It has been and is being swung for less.

The big variable is how well you prepare yourself for the in-country job hunt. If you line up a whole bunch of interviews with schools and meetings with recruiters, prior to coming over, and if you don't have a lot of hang-ups about the job that you want, you will have work within 1-2 weeks. It's been done and is still being done. If you are looking for something in particular, then you may have to hunker down.

The whole bit about waiting a month for your first payday is true, but that doesn't mean you have no money coming in, prior to that. You will get your airfare reimbursed before your first payday, normally, as soon as you come back from the visa run(if they don't make you do the run within the first 2 weeks, you can ask for a pay advance.). Once you sign that contract, a good employer is not going to make your broke ass sit for a month until you have some cash in hand. And you are coming over to screen and qualify employers first-hand, so there is no excuse why you cannot get paid-visa-run and pay-advance caveats put in your contract, if you need. This is a lot more routine than you might think.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

I think if you get a job before you run out of cash you will be OK. I haven't known a hagwon owner/director/manager/co-teacher/roommate that would let the teacher go hungry. Makes it hard to do a good job. I showed up with under 600 before, got a job with a 2-300,000 won left, and after 2 weeks asked for an advance on first month's pay. Can they really say no after you worked 2 weeks?

canuckistan · Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 7:04 am Post subject:

I came here on spec because of the same reasons.....recruiters can say anything they want while you're 5000 miles away. I wanted to see the school/apt I'd be working at/living in considering I was going to sign for a year of my life.
Once I got here I stayed in a yeogwan and posted my resume. Within 5 days I had a good job and stayed the whole year, got my severence, airfare etc.
The offers improved a lot once schools/recruiters knew I was in Seoul. The first month was a squeak with the money I'd brought, but I managed just fine on about $600 Can--that's all I needed for my situation. However, the exchange rate was better then.
If you get a job quickly and buy some pots and pans and cook for yourself, it's cheaper.

CustomX · Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Location: Seoul

Thanks for all the advice. I've never been to Korea, so I really have no idea on how much things cost. I dont mind bringing more $, I was just trying to get some opinions on what a reasonable amount to bring was. I can bring $1500 with me, if thats how much it will take to be comfortable and not feel pressured to take the first job offered all because I am running out of $. I want to be thorough in my job search and take my time. I'm not worried about wasting my $ on stupid stuff, and I can go without drinking and going to bars until I am situated with a job and apartment and maybe more $. I drink maybe once a month, if that.

What is the difference b/w a goshiwon and a yeogwon?

Its funny because ever since I made up my mind about paying for my own ticket and coming over, I've been getting at least 10 emails/day from schools and recruiters who want to interview me. I was lucky to get maybe 2/day before I made my decision a few days ago.

And all this $ I've been quoting is in US dollars, so I guess $1500 would be ~1.5 million won.

Is it that common to have a school pay for your trip to Korea? I always figured it would just be an out of pocket expense and something I would have to pay for for having the satisfaction of conducting a job search in person. If a school would reiumburse me that would be nice though.

One more question. If I come to Korea without a job, that means I would be entering on a tourist visa. I've read some threads where the airlines wont let you board if you dont have an exit ticket. I've also read this also depends on immigration. I plan on purchasing a RT ticket leaving in Feb and returning in October (its the farthest I can book out at this point. I'll get charged $150 if I want to change the return date at a later time). Since I'll enter Korea without a job and my return ticket will be months away, will I need to buy one of those ferry tickets from Busan to Japan to show the airlines or immigration?

Thanks

mithridates · Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:33 pm Post subject:

I've swung it for less. Last time I went to Korea I had a Working Holiday visa (a useless visa for getting an English teaching job) and about $1200 CDN in the bank. I stayed in a Goshiwon for the first while but found a job in six days, went directly down to the school and decided to work there (as an administrator, not a teacher).
I think you can do it for $1500 US if you spend every day on the move and don't waste any time. Good goshiwons will have rice and other such things in the kitchen already so you can fill up there, go out and look for a job, maybe eat once more during the day if you want, and then you can eat at the goshiwon again when you go back at night.
A goshiwon is a small room of your own; a yeogwan is like a small hotel that costs a lot more, and they don't rent by the month usually. A goshiwon will charge you for one month up front but it's only around 200 - 400 depending on the place. If you have a notebook that's even better as most good goshiwons will have free access.

mithridates · Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:34 pm Post subject:

Should I have used the word swung? I'm confused. Where did that word come from?

CustomX · Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Location: Seoul

How do I get a visa longer than 30 days without a job?

So is a goshiwan a room in a motel or like an apartment? Do you share anything with other people?

mithridates · Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:49 pm Post subject:

If you are American I think you have a three-month period of time before the travel visa expires. The Working Holiday Visa isn't available to Americans for some reason (though it's near useless in Korea so whatever).
A goshiwon is basically a tiny tiny tiny room, about twice the size of a single bed. The bed is on one side, and the floor is next to it. There's a small tv, a closet, and sometimes a window. The kitchen is shared and there are a few washrooms and shower rooms. There is also a washing machine and maybe some other amenities like a computer or two or three. I lived in one for three months and it wasn't too bad, though really small. You can't be too loud either as the wall next to your neighbour is really thin. On the upside you can meet some people there as long as it's not a cheap one. People living in cheap goshiwons are generally not very happy people so I would go for one that is around 300 000 a month.