Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ulsanchris]

lately i have been mulling over the idea of opening my own hakwon.
I"m curious if anyone on here has gone down this road and would be willing to give me a few details of their experience.

i'm thinking that it will be a lot harder than i think it will be.

[dutchman]

This discussion group may be of some help to you.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/koreanbiz/

[cacheSurfer]

I know it's probably going to be a lot harder than expected. You better have a close Korean friend or wife/husband who can help you in the business. good luck.

[TECO]

In Taiwan there are guys making sevreal hundered thousand dollars a year doing this (with their local wives).

Cram schools are big business in N.E. Asia. so, you might do well.

Many more fail ,as well., though.

I'd rather save and invest in the stock markert IMO - LOL !

Sounds like a headache to me, though.

[shawner88]

I've met several foreigners who own their own hagwons. All of them had Korean wives and the backing of their families. Getting a business visa is not easy here.

[rapier]

Surely koreans would prefer to send their kids to a native-speaker owned hagwon? sounds like a good proposition to me.

[kangnamdragon]

It is not a good time to open a hagwon now. Too many hagwons are closing.

[Toby]

Yes. Lots are closing, including some of the big chains who can't get the students thanks to the over population of hokwans. It is very competitive to get and keep the students and you need a large bucketful of money to open and renovate a building. Plus you have got to pay teachers, housing, flights, insurance, tax on your students, pension, bus drivers, secretaries, advertising, yourself..... So it goes on. get involved with someone who is willing to invest a large sum of money, but guarantee your own safety first as far as getting paid is concerned.

Good luck if you do - we need a few more honest, foreign owners.

[Katz]

I am a Way-guk hagwon owner in Ulsan. It is not as easy as it sounds. You need to have a Korean partner, and expect to give up most of your free time. If you want to compete expect to have a full time bus driver, and also someone to deal with the parents. The over head is high when you add up rent, insurance, hagwon association fees, electric, heating, internet, phone, a korean teacher, a copy machine, computers, desks, chairs, white boards, markers, ect.. If you are serious about it I would me more than happy to meet with you , I assume that by the name you are located here in Ulsan. lso the competition is steep, and can be bit cut throat, I am in the Ok-dong area and have 6 other english schools in a 1 block radius, 3 which opened after me. Please contct me with any questions. Also there are two other Way-guk hagwon owners I can put you in touch with. One is even selling his school to move back home.

[Pyongshin Sangja]

I broke into a hagwon once. Does that count?

[waggo]

Katz.....

How is your business doing in the current situation?

Do you think the fact that a foreigner is the boss boosts student entry levels?

[ulsanchris]

i'm not sure where i will be opening a hogwon, if i do end up opening one. but just because seoul isn't doing well doens't mean the rest of the country is. Here in Ulsan the economy seems to be doing quite well and there are lots of new housing developments. I don't think Ulsan suffers the same problems as seoul does or at least not to such an extent.

[busan_boy2000]

Chris, here is my 2 cents. If you think you are up for the work - then go for it

Everyone is right to remind you that the market is competitive, schools are closing, and it going to be a bureaucratic nightmare at times.

Oh, and you will have to be prepared to work 25 hrs a day for a long time possibly. But if you aren't aware of this, or don't want to do this, it may not be for you (however there is nothing better, in my humble opinion than working for yourself to motivate).

Talk to people who have done this and make connections like the above posts suggest.

Just wanted to commend you. As I think that this forum tends to be a little discouraging when it comes to people that exhibit a little ambition and ask for advice.

No flames intended.

[shawner88]

I think it's all who and what you know. In Ulsan, my friend's school (Korean owned) went out of business after 6 months. The school I was at (also Korean ownded) went from 1 to 10 schools in 2 years.

[mack the knife]