Korean Job Discussion Forums

[786]

Just a warning to anyone applying to jobs in Korea. If you are offered a position by a school called ASTA LCI Kids Club from Incheon, Korea (who may be recruiting soon, if not already), please, please, please save yourself a lot of grief and decline the offer.

I worked there for a brief period, and the work environment is particularly unfriendly, uncompromising, and particularly unsuitable to anyone holding a B.Ed. Also, being Chinese, it also felt like there were more than a few racist feelings coming from the Korean administration, and, while not being significant or overt, it still felt rather uncomfortable.

Long story short, I wasn't happy working there, so I contacted my recruiter from Morning Calm Recruiting and asked them for advice. I also requested that they not speak to the school until I had made a decision, so we could part on friendly terms. My request went unheeded, the Korean administration were apparently pissed that I wasn't happy, and they ended up taking close to 1500 Won (~$1800 CDN) out of my last paycheck before I was essentially asked to leave. I also had a number for good friends at that school who were egregiously mistreated, one of which was rather unceremoniously, and in no uncertain terms, asked if she wanted to leave (ie: firing without saying "you're fired") for no other reason than to set an example.

Although I certainly can't stop anyone from accepting a position at this school, I would certainly like to a warning out, so that this sort of thing does not happen to anyone else. If at all possible, avoid ASTA LCI Kids Club in Incheon, Korea. I don't know what the norm is, I've heard that there are a good number of unscrupulous hagwons/hagwon owners out there, however the buzz around the neighbourhood was that we were one of the worst schools in the area (with regards to the treatment of teachers). Also, from what I've heard, it's advisable to avoid this chain elsewhere as well. You may also want to think twice before using the recruiter, Morning Calm.

[periwinkle]

Are you talking about the one in Dongcheon Dong, Yeonsu-gu? I worked there in 2001, and it was the worst working experience of my life. I should've done a runner- I would've saved myself a lot of grief.

[786]

[Alan Partidge]

Was there a guy called Rick there? His last name is French and he's from Canada.

[periwinkle]

OMG- Rick the p***ck. He is hands down the most evil person I've met in my entire life. He's gone, or so I heard. Maybe back to Canada to turn himself in. If I didn't have class in 10 min., I could write pages about that guy. I'll have to PM Pauline and get her in on this. She doesn't post much, but she will post on this thread, that's for sure. Did you work there, Alan? I know he was in a hockey league, and a lot of people know him from hockey. One thing to work to work with the b a s t a r d, something else to play hockey with him. If there's anybody out there w/ Rick stories, I would love to hear them! Man, that guy really had it out for me- made my life a living hell.

[Alan Partidge]

Yes I worked there, but I left before he became senior teacher. I had heard that student numbers greatly decreased when he was there. He is the kind of person who makes me want to believe in karma.

[Roch]

[Roch]

[laogaiguk]

[The Chewbacca Defense]

I used to work there. I was there for 2 years. When I was there it was a fairly decent place to work...I mean sure there was a lot of BS floating around (whatever you do don't ask about the health insurence......), but you get over that pretty quick smart.

I was in contact with the guys who worked there after I had left and man.....some of the stories that they were telling me about Mr. Jung and Rick would make your toes curl.

I still think Mr. Park was a decent enough bloke though.

[billybrobby]

so let's hear some rick stories. with gory details.

[periwinkle]

[stumptown]

I was introduced to that assmunch (Rick) through a friend who worked with one of Rick's buddies. Talk about the dregs of Incheon running together. There was also another dude in that hockey circle named Robert who looked like he hadn't had eaten anything but pizza, had a haircut, showered or bathed since he got here. Those guys would smoke dope and drink all night at the girly bars. Real class acts. I can't imagine how they conducted themselves in the classrooms.

[ilovebdt]

[periwinkle]

(Funny story) Rick kissed the director's ass so much that he almost immediately became academic co-ordinator. No experience and no education degree, mind you (there were a good 15 or so teachers at this school- not small). One of the first things he does as part of his new role is to get a gold name plate made, which he proudly displayed on his desk. It was a pompous gesture, and totally unnecessary (to remind everyone he was more than a teacher He was a terrible teacher, also. No rapport with the kids- emotionally cold and always yelling at them). Anyway, everyone knew where his desk was. In response to the name plate, my friend made a bunch of tents with 3" by 5" notecards. He then wrote "copier", "table", "water cooler", etc., etc., and placed them on top of said objects around the teachers' room, where Rick's desk was located. Ijit walks in, sees all the tent cards, and can't fathom why everything was labelled. Duh.

He was a huge control freak. He created a miserable, negative work environment. For example, he made a rule that no beverages whatsoever were allowed in our classrooms. Man, that made me miserable. I had a chronic sore throat my first year in Korea (and in ultra-polluted Incheon, nonetheless). Hot tea was the only thing that soothed my throat.

If you needed to use the restroom for any reason (even if a student vomited), you were to stand at your door and call for Rick. Now this was not a small school. Hollering for Rick meant disturbing the other classes, for one thing. Again, a controlling gesture.

He talked down to all the teachers. He was insulting, demeaning, and treated us as if we were children. He always threatened our "job security" (if such a thing really exists in hakwons), and he would make-up lies to keep us on our toes. For example, toward the end of my contract, he claimed that one of my tiniest kindergartners was chronically pooing her pants because she was terrified of me. He said everytime she arrived home, her mother found that she had soiled her panties. He accused me of child abuse, saying that something must be very wrong with me for a little girl not to tell me she had to use the toilet. I was AGHAST. First, she was not afraid of me; I always let my kids use the toilet when they nedded; most importantly, she never, ever, ever pooed her pants. If a kid poos their pants in class, you and the other kids will know real quick, eh?

I remember Rick told a new teacher (with a B-Ed, mind you- someone who had won awards in NZ) that he was fired (cuz the guy wouldn't allow Rick to control him- after that, he always sought to hire weak people- people he could control). Anyway, he told the guy that they would not provide a ticket home for him (or give him a release letter- even though he was being fired!). He told the guy (who was Maori) that he would have to find a canoe and row himself back to NZ. Rick really screwed that guy over.

BTW- I heard he came to Korea because he was wanted for white collar crimes back in Canada. His business went under, and he totally screwed over his business partner. I think he was wanted for fraud, perhaps embezzlement. Anyway, he really, really took his business partner for a ride. No morals whatsoever. This guy is truly the most corrupt person I have ever had the displeasure of knowing. Someone mentioned that Rick made them want to believe in karma. OMG- that was the only thing that kept me going while I ticked off the days 'til the expiration of my contract.

One thing, though. I rose to far more success here in Korea than he could ever dream. In 'yo face, Rick. In 'yo face, mofo.