Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Czarjorge]

Yeah, I searched and googled it. I'm really getting sick of having to start all my OPs with that you hard asses.

So, an officetel is supposed to have some amenities that a normal apartment doesn't, but be slightly smaller. Is that correct?

I've been offered a job where 'officetel' is the housing. What exactly should I expect?

[blurgalurgalurga]

One room, high ceilings, maybe a loft, with retail on the first couple of floors, rarely over five years old and usually newer, small sheety stand up shower usually, not so bad for the bugs, mostly between 10 and 16 stories.
Plastic hardwood floors, small washing machine, big ass windows usually. Go for the upper floors, man, try to get one with a loft, and check the view if possible.

[lohengrin]

what can you expect?

a tiny little one room apartment where you can never sleep because of noisy neighbours and paper thin walls and floors

a giant "maintenance" fee YOU have to pay every month (not included in the "free" apartment deal from your school) most of which goes to pay for shifts of "security guards" who spend their time sleeping in front of a TV and are of no help when your apartment gets broken into (probably by your noisy drunken neighbours, they are unlikely to have a job as they are drunk and noisy EVERY morning from 2am to 4am)

constant irritation from your overly loud doorbell being rung by: nosey neighbours wanting to peek at your stuff so they can know to bring a trolley next time they come to rob you / Jehovah's witnesses, Mormons or weird cultists wanting to evangelise you / drunken idiots mistaking your apartment for theirs at 4 in the morning, who invariably throw up all over the hallways and in the elevators on a daily (nightly?) basis

let me repeat that last bit: the real reason for the high maintenance fee is probably having to pay somebody to clean up all the vomit. If your officetel has a club/bar in it the way mine does (also responsible for a lot of the noise keeping me awake: drunken men fighting every night), you won't believe the amount of vomit in the elevators and foyer every morning. I'd certainly charge a fortune to clean that up

kids letting the air out of your car tyres and laughing at you when you're angry at finding that when you need to go somewhere in a hurry

finding out that your boss has a key to the apartment and comes to "inspect" it while you are busy teaching

[Ginormousaurus]

It seems as though the previous poster has had the exact opposite experience as I have.

[Enrico Palazzo]

[blurgalurgalurga]

They're not that bad...especially if you like blasting your music really loud and coming and going at whatever hour pleases you. It's a crapshoot, like so many things here, as to what kind of neighbours you'll have.
One thing about a one-roomer...it's dead easy to keep clean!

[maeil]

If you can get one with a loft, I find they are very decent living accommodations for one person. Put your mattress up in the loft (the lofts are usually 1/2 the height of a normal ceiling so you'll have to crawl around), and do your living downstairs.

I had a DJ living next to me when I lived in my officetel, and I could only hear him playing if I went out into the hallway. The view was nice, but the huge windows facing east really heated up the apartment in the morning. I liked that it was very easy to clean. No problems with bugs.

Ask to see pictures. There is a wide range of what qualifies as an officetel, from small boxes to large airy spaces.

[WoBW]

I've lived in 2 officetels, and I was very happy in both. Nice, modern fixtures and fitting. A proper shower cubicle, and proper kitchen fittings rather than just a portable stove and a sink.

Mine were both extremely quiet too. I could easily sleep at any time of day or night with no disturbance. It is, however, a crapshoot as one poster said.

[A2Steve]

I just started a new job at a public school, and the physical description describes my place. Its pretty nice though. no bathtub, but floor to ceiling glass doord to the shower, nice breeze off a main but not terribly busy road, and the loft.

I see spending most of the time on the main floor, and the headroom on the second is cramped, esp. where the bed is, but all in all very nice.

[seoulsucker]

I've lived in 4 officetels, and they've all been cool. First one was a bit small, but well furnished. The last 3, I've arranged for myself and have rocked.

[ChinaBoy]

Officetels are awesome.. they're new, clean, and I've never heard any noise... convenient as get all.. I look for jobs that OFFER officetels as opposed to old, dingy, bug-ridden rat traps they call "apartments"

[Dome Vans]

Having seen other's apartments I'm pleased with my officetel.

Small, clean, the walls are really thick so tinny noise never travels through, stamping around does though. Everything I need I've got. TV, DVD, cooker, washing machine, nice double bed, fridge, sofa, hoover etc. It's perfect for one person. The best thing about my one is that all the amenities are paid for. I get no bills for gas or electricity. So the ondol in the winter or the a/c in the summer is no problem. The only thing, is that it's on the top (third) floor of the block so in the summer it's generally hotter than the 'tels'? below me.

I have a lovely view of the mountain behind my apartment as well.

[Pooty]

http://www.oneroom.com/


http://www.nearsubway.com/


There might be an officetel on those websites...

[ckub]

Maintenance fee is something to ask about, as previously mentionned! I was not aware of that fee, and an 80,000 won per month for it really sucks. Make sure you ask about it! Beside that, mine is fine, small, but good enough for one person, even without the loft, although that would definately be nicer to have!

[renzobenzo1]

I thought that some officetels were used to work in and others used to sleep in with no real differences in between the building nature for the two purposes.

My last building fees ran up somewhere close to 80-90 dollars per month which peeved me a bit so hopefully they will be less this time around.