Korean Job Discussion Forums

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

I was just tying to help. I could not imagine living well and paying off loans on only 1.8 .

kprrok · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Location: KC

Where is the job? Seoul? Daegu? Busan? That will affect the pay that you are getting. If the job is in Seoul, then 1.8 is way too low, and you shouldn't take it. I don't know about the other cities, but I'm in Jeju-do and 1.8 would be a fine salary. It's cheap to live here and I survived on 1.75 for my first job and now I'm getting 1.9.

You may also want to get that prep-time thing clarified. It says it unpaid, and if they require you to come in say 2 hours early every day as some hagwons I've heard of, that would really suck.

Everything else looks ok, but very simple. My contract was a lot longer and more detailed.

KPRROK

Alyallen · Posted: Tue May 18, 2004 1:19 am Post subject:

Well...to clarify..I'm would be working in Jeonju..which isn't exactly Seoul, so I don't think 1.8 would be horrible to live on...

Kangnamdragon...I didn't insult you, did I? You are right, living on 1.8 and paying off my loans won't be exactly a cake walk but if I stayed in the U.S., I would have as hard a time paying them off there. No car, no car insurance, no rent, low utilities bills..those are the positives for me, because I know I wouldn't be able to cope with all that and my loans in the states.

Hellofaniceguy...I see your point but I don't think this would be an issue if I had a degree in english or education (which I don't), a TESOL or Celta or whatever (which I don't). As far as lowering the standards, I wouldn't agree since my very presence with my lack of certifications and degrees would cause that no matter what I was paid.

I am here for money....but I'm here for teaching experience before I waste my time getting degrees and certifications for something I might not even enjoy doing.

AlyAllen

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Thats one of the most sensibly written contracts I've ever seen here. Clear, to the point, & covers all the important stuff. When contracts are full of fussy detail & dodgy mumbo-jumbo they create more problems than they solve.

What your director describes is a standard hagwon class format -- 6-50 minute classes. With the ages you'll be teaching he has no reason to deviate from blocked hours, & no saturdays is clearly stated in the contract. I dont see any red flags there.

Theres no need for prep time to be specified in the contract. If youre sincere about your work you'll put in what it takes at the beginning (& it makes your time in the classroom much easier) & you can ease off once you know what youre doing. Better to base it on necessity & trust than some time-clock mentality.

I also started in at a position a couple hundred thousand below the average but did so with my eyes open & satisfied with the location & the feeling I got from my initial contacts with the school. Zero regrets. The hagwon proved to be well-run, honest, & friendly. It was work but I enjoyed my 2 years there.

1.8 in a smaller city -- you'll be able to make your savings goal & still live well. If your instincts tell you this is the one, go for it.

Eazy_E · Joined: 30 Oct 2003 Location: British Columbia, Canada

The medical insurance looks a bit too high at 5% of your salary. I'm paying 3.75%, which takes a sizeable chunk (71,000 won) out of my 1.9 million won salary every month.

The amount that I pay is more than anyone else I know. For a single person with no dependents the amount should be about 25,000 won monthly.

It might be worth asking a few questions about that.

Does anyone else know more about medical insurance?

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

Juggertha · Joined: 27 May 2003 Location: Anyang, Korea

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

Juggertha · Joined: 27 May 2003 Location: Anyang, Korea

Kang.. I have no doubt of what your paying. what i'm saying is that EZ is paying something on par with me. Its not a percentage of my pay but rather a set rate.

I suppose its like any other thing... you get what you pay for. I get XXX for insurance. I pay for it. You get YYY and pay for it. Sound about right?

I guess what I'm trying to say is it felt like you said EZ was wrong (or getting jipped) in what he is paying. I'm saying mine is over 100,000 and that 50% of that is about right (as per most contracts). Really man, some people just pay more for different things.

If you doubt that, we should make a thread on all our varrying gas and electric bills. I betcha not one would be the same. Depends on the comany and where ya are (for all services).

*sorry just noticed your question.. yeah thats 61 per month.

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

sorry I am confused. I thought we are all on the same national health care plan. Aren't we paying a certain percentage of our salaries in which everyone in the same tax bracket pays the same percentage? For example everyone who makes 2.0 pays the same amount as they are on the same health plan. Or, are there other factors such as your age and location in Korea? I really am confused now.

oneiros · Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Location: Villa Straylight

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

Prices are rising in Seoul. Inflation will be high this year.

Juggertha · Joined: 27 May 2003 Location: Anyang, Korea

might be part of it man.. but I don't live in Seoul. I live in Anyang. Different province maybe? I know EZ isnt in Seoul either (i think??)

maybe different rates?

Zyzyfer · Posted: Tue May 18, 2004 5:18 am Post subject:

1.8 is the normal FOB going rate. While you could land 2.0 in Seoul, it's not the most important factor. I personally glance over pay and head to the meat of the contract, which has to do with location, scheduling, pension, and students taught.

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Alyallen: As most others have said, it's a straight-forward contract, simple and concise. Contracts aren't terribly important; the contract at my second job was entirely in Korean! Granted, I had problems with the school, but it wasn't due to contract grievances; it was due to disagreements with the staff.

For cities outside of Seoul (they do exist, everybody!), 1.8 million is fine, so long as you don't find yourself going to Seoul every weekend. Make local friends, read lots of books, go out into the countryside once in a while. Aside from food and Western hankerings, the basics for living are pretty cheap.