Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bettypie]

Does anyone know a way to get around the whole marriage requirement for couples wanting to live together and work for EPIK? Alos does SMOE also require that couples be married to get joint housing?

[cruisemonkey]

[redhed]

My girlfriend and I have a couples apartment, it's two bedrooms, much bigger than a typical officetel, and cheaper than two officetels for the school. Neither of us gets a housing allowance though, we work for the same school in Incheon. We didn't do anything special, justed asked. It's good for the school though, as they don't have to buy two tv's, microwaves, refridgerator's etc, not to mention the loot saved on key money and monthly rent.

[Johnny5]

Just make it clear when you are applying that you are a couple and you wish to live together. My girlfriend and I had no problems with this and now live in a decently sized 3-bed apartment in a smaller city.

[bettypie]

Do you work for private schools or the government? I'm asking specifically about couple housing for public school teachers.

[babzie]

I live with my my partner and there is no problem.

My friends had to tell their Hogwan they where married!

The only down side is that my teachers think we live in sin - maybe just tell them you are

It shouldn't really matter!

[hapigokelli]

I currently work for SMOE. There is no way to get around the marriage requirement for couples housing with them. My boyfriend and I tried absolutely everything to get joint housing and ended up being placed over an hour apart in Seoul. I even know some married couples who were placed apart. They say that they will, "try and place you within the same district" if you aren't married. What that really means is that you get thrown into the lottery with everyone else and you get what you get.

[prideofidaho]

^
That sucks! And it's BS because I personally know two unmarried couples who got what they asked for. One couple asked for shared housing and the other couple asked for separate housing but nearby. Both got what they wanted.

I think the safest thing is to have your own housing and to try and have sway with the location of your placement rather than messing about with housing. It's better to live together and have long commutes than live apart with long distances, IMO.