Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nourozi]

I chose to work in Korea as it seemed the most lucrative and because I already had some Korean friends back home. I've heard Hong Kong is quite good in terms of workload and salary.

I've only been in Korea for 2 months and am enjoying it so far. I'm just wondering if any other countries have better conditions and pay?

[Otherside]

Hong Kong is far better in terms of salary.
In the public school programme, entry level begins at about 3.2million won and caps well over 5million.

Compare this to Korea where PS entry level is about 2mill and caps at about 3.

That being said, it's far more competitive to get in, and the requirements are far stricter (it's possible to get in without a B.ED, PGCE etc, but very unlikely), cost of living is also alot higher.

Japan pays more, but cost of living is much higher, so you'll probably make less overall.

Then there is the Middle-East, pay is much higher, again it's harder to get in. By far the best savings potential is here. Whether you'll enjoy it or not, is a different question.

The thing to remember about Korea is, is that benefits have gotten worse over time. Salaries have remained stagnant for a couple of years, so every year you are earning less thanks to inflation, and over the last year, the won has moved from about 950:$1 to 1250:$1, killing savings potential. In a nutshell, a teacher coming over to Korea in 2005/6 would have been doing far better on his 2-2.2mill a month than a teacher coming over now...

[alphakennyone]

I saved more USD monthly in Japan (on a 290,000 yen/month salary). I don't think it's much more expensive than Korea. Rent: 55,000 yen, Groceries: same or less than Korea, Utilities: Less than Korea (no ridiculous maintenance fees), Taxis: No way. Cost of crap beer and real beer: both less thanKorea. Depends on your lifestyle and your job. If your school doesn't get an apartment for you, startup costs can be prohibitively expensive in Japan.

I think China may be getting up there as well in terms of wages for those with experience. I interviewed for a job that offered 14,000 RMB plus housing and a $5200 bonus after completing a 10 month contract...I imagine you'd be saving quite well on a salary like that. It was in Shanghai, which can be expensive, but still cheaper than Seoul. Unfortunately, I didn't get my 2nd interview for this job until after I booked my flight to seoul - things were a bit too last minute for my liking, but I'll be keeping my eyes open for next year.

[js99]

This is what you have to consider;

Korea is one of the only places where people with a bachelor degree in anything could be paid, which is considered, a living salary. Most other places do offer high salaries, but they usually leave something out like airfare and/or housing. Korea is only of the only places that does that for relatively few qualifications in return.
If you want to make a high salary on many other places, you might need a B.ED and/or M.ED or MA-TESOL, a CELTA/DELTA. In Taiwan and Hong Kong, a public school teacher even needs state/provincial teaching credentials.

It is possible to go to the Middle East, where the pay is substantially high, but you will most certainly have to have a MA-TESOL along with a CELTA/Trinity Dip. or other type of TESOL certification.

Korea doesn't ask for any of that, only that the person has a BA/BS (to show that they can logically think) and be from one of the several countries where English is its mother tongue (even that is changing now).

It would be safe to say that the ESL industry is bottoming out in Korea and will hit a wall in the next several years.

[bassexpander]

The general comments from people who have worked in both Japan and Korea are that Korea has become relatively equal to more expensive than Japan, depending on what you do with your money. Travel in Japan is still very expensive, but other things are more similar. The value of the Korean won has become less, while the Yen is currently riding high (you'll make more money in Japan).

Korea's food prices have skyrocketed in recent years, for example. Taxis are more expensive. Phone use costs are very high.

[fustiancorduroy]

Other countries tend to pay better starting salaries, as others have mentioned, but it is possible to find higher-paying jobs in Korea. Foreign language high schools, test-prep academies, and textbook production companies all generally pay 3 million won a month or more, and some places pay upwards of 5 or 6 million won, even. And a handful of teachers here make more than 10 million won a month, just from their full-time job.

If you're good at teaching SAT prep and/or essay writing, you can teach private lessons to students looking to study in the US at very high hourly rates, possibly making 100k won per hour or more. And if you are interested in writing textbooks on the side, you could conceivably add another 20 to 40 million won to your yearly income here.

Note that in order to get some of these gigs, you'll need at least some level of Korean proficiency (a lot of test-prep places want at or near-native level fluency in Korean).

Perhaps similar opportunities exist outside of Korea, but I'm willing to be they aren't as profitable or plentiful as they are here.

[valkerie]

I agree with some comments made about the cost of living in Japan..

I was in Tokyo for 7 years and food was cheaper in supermarkets in my area (10 mins from a major section of town). I am still constantly surprised by the difference here. BUT eating out (anywhere other than a quick stop shop or family restaurant) was generally more expensive.

Taxis and other transport- Korea wins hands down but these things figure less in our lives than food (mostly).

Apartments cost more yes but there are places available with no key money/large deposits. I rented 4 different places without this expense. BUT I started in school provided accomm. I shared the first place with a mate. 2 decent size bedrooms and big enough kitchen/living with typical airline bathroom was around 90.000 yen a month (back in 2002-3). (Partly furnished, i.e. stove and air con)

Moved on to solo LARGE one room with excellent bathroom for around 74.000 a month.(Fully furnished)

No maintenance fee (absorbed into rent) but utilities were consistently more than here. The standing charges for gas/elec were always more a month than my bills here.

The killer is tax and stuff. If u stay more than one year u will be walloped with high 'local tax'. From the start the med/pension combo is crazy high. Bigger chance of dodging this and sorting your own cover for health but some companies make it compulsory.

Add in no severance option or pension refund and the tax issue in order to make a real FINANCIAL decision over the initial higher paycheck on offer.

***Of course I know a zillion ways to enjoy cheaper stuff there but for the new person tis harder. Plus the tax etc can wallop anyone, regardless****

[Real Reality]

Salary in Japan: 250,000 - 340,000 Yen/Month
Source: See the job ad for salary: Private Jnr/Snr High School English Teacher
https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/view/job_id/27005

250,000 yen at 95 JPY to US$1 (July 2009 approximate) ... $US 2,632
August 1, 2009: 250,000 JPY = 2,622 USD
XE.com Conversion at http://www.xe.com/ucc

2,000,000 won at 1,250 KRW to US$1 (July 2009 approximate) ... $US 1,600
August 1, 2009: 2,000,000 KRW = 1,612 USD
XE.com Conversion at http://www.xe.com/ucc

Historical Exchange Rate (approximate or rounded off)
Korean Won to USD
1993 - 2,000,000 won at 795 KRW to US$1 (January 1993)........ $US 2,515........
1994 - 2,000,000 won at 813 KRW to US$1 (January 1994)........ $US 2,460........
1995 - 2,000,000 won at 793 KRW to US$1 (January 1995)........ $US 2,522........
1996 - 2,000,000 won at 787 KRW to US$1 (January 1996)........ $US 2,541........
2009 - 2,000,000 won at 1362 KRW to US$1 (January 2009)........ $US 1,468
http://www.x-rates.com/d/KRW/USD/hist2009.html

Japanese Yen to USD
1993 - Japanese Yen to 1 USD January: 125 JPY, February: 121 JPY
1994 - Japanese Yen to 1 USD January: 111 JPY, February: 106 JPY
1995 - Japanese Yen to 1 USD January: 100 JPY (250,000 JPY = 2,500 USD)
1996 - Japanese Yen to 1 USD January: 106 JPY, February: 106 JPY
2009 - Japanese Yen to 1 USD January: 90 JPY, February: 91 JPY
http://www.x-rates.com

Historical Exchange Rates for 1995 (note: approximate)

1995 - South Korean Won to 1 USD
January: 793 KRW
February: 793 KRW
March: 781 KRW
April: 770 KRW
May: 764 KRW
June: 763 KRW
July: 760 KRW
August: 767 KRW
September: 772 KRW
October: 767 KRW
November: 769 KRW
December: 771 KRW
http://www.x-rates.com/d/KRW/USD/hist1995.html

1995 - Japanese Yen to 1 USD
January: 99 JPY
February: 98.2368 JPY
March: 90 JPY
April: 83 JPY
May: 85 JPY
June: 84 JPY
July: 87 JPY
August: 94 JPY
September: 100 JPY
October: 100 JPY
November: 101 JPY
December: 101 JPY
http://www.x-rates.com/d/JPY/USD/hist1995.html

[nfld_chingu]

Yeah is there any chance that the exchange rate will improve? If it gets any worse I won't be able to save at all.
When I was hired for a hagwon in 2007, I was making 2.2 mil which was about $2400 CAD at the time.
Just got hired at another hagwon this year, making 2.6 mil, which is just over $2200 CAD at the moment. So I am actually making less money

[zipper]

Okay, so I read a lot about the differences between Korea and Japan in terms of pay and the cost of living, but what about the quality of life? What about the comparing the infrastructure quality, night life, school conditions, peoples� openness and friendliness toward foreigners, and which women of these two countries are more friendlier toward foreigners?

[marlow]

[Sadebugo1]

My background:

4 years Korea
4 years Saudi Arabia
2 years Thailand
Last 4 years with US DOD teaching English to foreign military in Texas, Slovakia, Japan, Djibouti, Afghanistan and soon, Republic of Georgia

For a consistently high, tax-free salary with great benefits, Saudi was the place to be albeit, you needed good qualifications like a previous poster stated. Korea is probably the best in Asia for those with only a BA. My current job is the best I've ever had though because it allows me to travel to poorer, yet interesting countries and make my usual salary with bonuses.

Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/

[Theo]

Lucrative???

For training center/hagwon owners, perhaps ESL buisness is lucrative; but for teachers, I think ESL work is many things, but lucrative is not one of them -- no matter where you teach.

[js99]

The way a person defines 'lucrative' greatly depends on their perspective.
Some people want to live the high life that involves the nightlife, partying and all that involves money, so they don't save anything. Then there are people who live frugally and watch every penny they spent, whether it is to pay back student loans or credit card bills among other debts. Or simply to save for their lives in their homecountries or another place.

[DCJames]