Korean Job Discussion Forums

ella · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

I keep reading posts about bosses showing up at your apartment or calling you during non-work hours. Is this typical? What happens if you just ignore it?

JeJuJitsu · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Location: McDonald's

ChuckECheese · Joined: 20 Jul 2006

jlb · Joined: 18 Sep 2003

I've had it both ways.

At my first hagwon, the owners appeared to have no life outside the hagwon and so depended on it (and the employees) to meet all their needs. They were constantly harrassing us to go out for dinner, having meetings on Saturdays, organizing school trips. It would have been okay if the place had been decent to work at but everyone, including the Korean teachers hated it. It was so stressful and there was a very bad vibe going on, originating with the owners. Eventually the other foreigner and I just refused to do all this stuff outside working hours and the boss was not happy about it at all.

Also, I would get these phone calls from my boss at least once a week. When I took a sick day, they were constantly harrassing me, despite me being obviously sick. They would come to my apartment sometimes to bring me "gifts."

But at the hagwon I'm currently at: in 4 months, we've had one school dinner with no more on the horizon. I have never had a phone call or visit from my boss, or a private meeting. I'm pretty much free to live my life and they're happy as long as I show up on time and treat the kids okay. It's nice.

Darkness · Joined: 12 Oct 2006

Everyone seems to be so negitive on this board. My bosses have taken me out twice for food, and stopped by my apt twice, once to drop off a rice cooker and some dishes, and another time to drop off a comforter and a table. Other then that they dont bother me at home at all, unless they need something.

I think I really lucked out with my hagwon....but it's only been a couple weeks. But if I keep positive it'll help!!

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

ella · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

ChuckECheese · Joined: 20 Jul 2006

ella · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

So simply ignoring/refusing, from the start, is the way to go?

babtangee · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:11 pm Post subject:

Bingo · Joined: 22 Jun 2006

Then they start calling me and asking me to come little early or stay little late to do some level testing for new students. I did a few times to help them out, but they were getting use to it so I told them "No pay? No Test!"

Level testing. What a howl. When I worked for GnB the owner would be so serious about level testing. Sitting down with the parent while I test little Kim in their presence. Then there's a lot of discussion.

Finally, after the parent has left, they ask me what class he should go into. I say that his level is extremely low, so he should go into a beginners' class. The owner looks at me as if I should be committed. He's nine year's old, she says, he can't go into a beginners' class. He must go into a clas with other nine year olds. Um, what was the purpose of level testing then? A charade in front of the parents?

And on the issue of privacy. Once they wanted to get something from my apt. Not only do they show up unannounced, but they knock on the door, wait three seconds and knock again. When I haven't answered the door after a whole seven or eight seconds they vigorously start turning the door handle. WTF is up with that? And after they gain access to the apt. the wife immediately starts sweeping my apt. floor, and the next day the husband tells me that my apt. was dirty and that I should clean it more often. (It wasn't dirty at all.) Talk about a shocking invasion of one's privacy.

This is one freaky country.

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

ella · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

mrd · Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Location: fluorescent-filled paradise

I had a friend who came home one day and discovered that the school's maintence worker was in her apartment!

She freaked out on him, waving her hands in the air, threatening to call the police.

In the end, the school apologized, and she paid a locksmith to put locks on the door so the school no longer had access to the apartment to snoop.

I did the same thing - if the school mentions anything about it, the only way they would know is if they were trying to get in without you knowing.

Bingo · Joined: 22 Jun 2006

On another occasion I received a knock on my door early on a Saturday morning. I didn't work Saturdays and I enjoyed my Friday nights. I don't leap up yto answer the door early on Saturday. Anyway after about 45 seconds I hear keys fumbling outside the door. I lived in a very small one-room apt, and the door was just a few feet from the end of my bed. So I sit up to wait what happened. The key goes into the lock, the lock turns and the door opens. I'm sitting up staring at the guy (who, again, was only a few feet away.) I'm furious but silent. He says anyonghasayo and proceeds to walk past the foot of my bed to the sink and starts removing the tap and replaces it with another. I get out of bed and stood there. It was becoming obvious to him that I was very annoyed. My silence was ice cold and he knew what it meant. It never happened again.

But the thing is. In such small apartments they are actually entering not only your home, but your bedroom. But they think nothing of it.

I knew another guy who came home one day and found not only his boss in his apt, but the bosses wife and kids also.

I'll never figure this place out. Bt what do we expect from a country where you can't take a piss in a public bathroom without some ajumma mopping the floor between your legs.

Freaky, freaky country.