Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mikeybhoy]

Ill be honest, lately ive been getting turned off from Korea. In general i saw the saving potential plus a years experience in another country etc, as appealing. However, with all that i have read through the forums(overworked, burnt out, shady employers, midnight runner) is it worth it to come to Korea or is the grass just always greener. My main question is, with the new laws will/is there an obvious decrease in foreign teachers. I would be even more thrown off if the expat scene was becoming non existent.
-Also a friend just came back after 1 month there, on a professional football stint. He was offered a contract higher then he ever expected, however, he turned it down due to how he was treated by the locals etc.
Is it really bad and getting worse or should I just get the experience myself? At the same time i dont want to end up pulling a runner as seems to happen alot.
-also witht the new laws if i my grad is june 6 when would i be able to come by?

[Ukon]

I'm in the same situation as you....I've been scouring the boards and blogs for the past few weeks(I'm bored right now) to find out about it after getting screwed out of the JET programme(thanks to a medical office snafu):

Some love it here....mainly the ones who aren't being consistently screwed over by their jobs(susprise there). The ones being screwed obviously hate it...

You can help your chances of avoiding that by researching the school you apply at, contacting former employees, avoiding recruiters, reviewing your contract and learning how to negoiate with Koreans(don't be passive). Going for public school gigs has less chance of being screwed over, but that's not a garuntee.

Another factor is the locals and cultures....from reading blogs and the boards, plenty of people found koreans to be very nice and opening to them while others act like every korean is out to get them and hates their guts. Part of it seems to be location(city versus smallville) and various other factors...for instance, some folks have no interest in "traveling" and are here to make some cash fast....I can't imagine these folks are ambassadors of good will. Ugly and/or poorly dressed Losers/ weirdos at home will be seen as losers here...if not more so....that whole "I'm white and in a foreign country! Girls will worship my cock" is more of a myth it seems. Some people come over expecting that and get disappointed(really anywhere in asia).

Koreans have plenty of negative habits that they're japanese neighbors don't seem to share....if your a germaphobe, I imagine you'd have problems with spitting in public, sharing of food less washing of hands, and various other negative cultural traits things others will tell you....

Again, this is just the impression I get.....alot of negative folks post on daves while alot of positive folks are too busy having fun in Korea to hang out at Dave's.....

[normalcyispasse]

Korea's going through some growing pains. It's probably best to wait it out.

[mistermasan]

i've done both korea and taiwan. about the same pay but korean benefits tip the scale.

"expat scene"? what is that? is that the 15 guys at the bar? koreans aren't bad. if they don't know you, you might as well be invisible. if they are your friends you couldn't ask for better friends.

taiwan better weather, korea free airfare/housing. both have cheap medical (bonus for yanks!).

if you want to pileup the cash both places are feasible.

PM for more.

[marlow]

I'd go to Taiwan. You can learn Mandarin.

[mistermasan]

but the chinese are notorious accent snobs and the mainlanders sneer (or worse) at taiwanese accented putonghua.

[nicholas_chiasson]

-the accent thing is silly, unless you look like a native chinese speaker, most chinese people are going to be,like, "you speak mandarin! Wow!"

[IncognitoHFX]

How hard is it to get a job in Taiwan, anyway? Is it anything like JET (picky as hell) or is it as easy to get as a job in Korea?

I'm planning to stay in Korea of course, but if things go sour here (I don't think they will but you never know) I still want to teach in Asia.

[pugwall]

[Ukon]

[twg]

Go to Taiwan for a year. You really have nothing to lose and a lot of experiences to gain.

If I wasn't so sick of the ESL game, I'd be heading there next. Who knows, maybe I will anyway.

[Suwoner10]

[nicholas_chiasson]

[Traveller]

Depends on personal preference really.. if you're looking for a place with alot of cultural activities and things to learn, apposed to only language...Taiwan.
Most of Korean culture is basically a version of Chinese. No doubt I'll get pounded for that.

Either way...Korea for cash, go through EPIK(contact the Korean embassy in your country it's the easiest option).
Taiwan if you're not cash driven.

[Yaya]

I've heard Taiwan pays less than Korea, if you factor in housing and airfare. Plus Korea has more opportunities for privates and other side work, it seems.

Then again, it says a lot that the so-called pro-Taiwan camp commenting on this question is still in Korea or such. I guess Korea does have its advantages if they're still here, no? If you're really cash driven, try the Middle East if you don't mind not having a life.