Korean Job Discussion Forums

[candy bar]

So far I haven't felt any downside in my lack of Korean skills. Well, I know a couple of words and phrases. Actually, I believe I could be happy if I never furthered my skills. Even, I'm somewhat surprised to have seen the high number of loser ticks in the poll.

[mithridates]

[curlyhoward]

OP, are you happy here now?

Most likely you will study enough to get you through the daily routines. Anything more than that and the loss will begin to outweigh the benefits.

Pick up some of the language at a happy pace and don't fret the rest. Do something more rewarding with your free time like picking up a hobby.

[happiness]

[big_fella1]

I'venever considered myself to be in Korea for the long term, although after 7 and a half years, I have been and I don't speak Korean.

I should have studied when I arrived but I got too busy living the undergrad life I had missed as a working student.

I have met people that have been here for over 12 years and have remarkably little Korean.

If you actually plan to be here long term, you should learn Korean.

If you plan to leave ESL you have less than 3 years to get competent in Korean to get out of the ESL business, as the jobs advertised require people to be bilingual, however if you stay in ESL for more than 3 years, you will have to go home to change your profession.

[candy bar]

I'm thinking I will probably just polish up on the very basics. I'm happy with my job, income, personal life, and social life.

[goat]

No, you are not a loser if you don't learn the language. It helps to know it but so would graduating in the top of the class at MIT or Harvard. There are many things that can make your life successful while in Korea. Not knowing the language does not automatically make you a loser.

There are some people who will call you a loser for not diligently studying the language. They can speak a little more Korean than the average Joe. The majority of these have a chip on their shoulder and are looking for the opportunity to belittle another. They use it as an EGO boost for their insecurities or own lack of happiness or success. It's their biased way of measuring others.

[World Traveler]

Korean is an extremely difficult language of limited (and declining) utility spoken by less than one percent of the world's population. Those who don't study it are probably the smart ones. I study it all the time, but looking back I regret my choice to get into it. But now I am in too deep to get out and there is no going back. If you are married to a Korean woman (as are Fox and many other posters), then yes, it makes sense to spend years and years and years of your life trying to get good at the language. If you are not married to a Korean woman, however, there is not a slam dunk case for studying the language intensively.

[candy bar]

[nicwr2002]

[frankhenry]

LMAO

Got a bunch of people squirreled away in their moldy little rat dens studying away in their How to Learn Korean in 3 Weeks books. They have been studying this same book for the past 6 months, taking a time out to plug the loser poll on the OP. In the meantime, some other chap is out making extra coin that will be used to further his financial well being while having an enriching and meaningful social and cultural experience that will lead to other great opportunities.

[nicwr2002]

[frankhenry]

[Ginormousaurus]

[frankhenry]