Korean Job Discussion Forums

[austrian123]

Are you happy in Korea? If so why?

or

Do absolutely hate being in Korea, but are forced to do so because of economic or other personal reasons? Given a choice, would rather be home or do you prefer being in Korea?

I'm a gyopo born in Canada. I'll be going to Korea permanently in Jan to join my wife and settle down, find a job, and start a family. This should make me happy right? The problem is, I get this nagging feeling that I won't be happy in Korea. Yet a part of me is happy to be leaving Toronto, Canada because I can't stand it here anymore. I feel torn.


Leaving Toronto, means that I won't see my family as much and it saddens me. My parents are getting older, and I feel like I have to be a good son and this will be difficult to do being in Korea. My parents immigrated to Canada in 74, and sacrificed everything for us. I know for a fact that if we never immigrated, life would have been much more difficult if my parents stayed in Korea. I owe my parents everything.

At the same time, I'm sick of Toronto and I'm sick of working in the Canadian corporate world. Compared to living and working in a third or second world country Canada is paradise, but living here as long as I have, I guess you get used to it and take it for granted. Canada has been good to my family, but I can't see myself going to my cubicle in the Canadian corporate world everyday and be shackled with a mortgage for the next 25 years without being extremely unhappy. Life is short, I want to experience life and travel and live life to its fullest before I die.

I'm looking forward to seeing my wife in Korea, and a big part of me has always wanted to live in Korea because being a gyopo, I've always wanted to live among my people and experience my heritage. I'm very proud to be Korean, and there is nothing like living in a society where everyone is the same as you, shares the same cultural values, eats the same food, and sharing a common bond and understanding.....something that I could never experience in multicultural Toronto.

Yet, I am aware that Korea and Koreans aren't perfect. I'm not looking forward to the pollution, lack of personal space, etc. Working as a consultant in Canada, I did pretty good for myself but with the recession, companies aren't hiring as much, so I thought to myself, 'if you want to go to Korea, now is the time'.....However, I'm not entirely thrilled about making 2 million + won working at a Mod Edit hagwon. This is a big downgrade for me...but the positive side is that esl would be much less stressful than my corporate jobs in Canada..but nevertheless, teaching esl isn't exactly my dream job. Also, like I said, Koreans aren't perfect, alot of Mod Edit Koreans out there.

I'm not sure why I feel this way....Any input would be appreciated.

[Summer Wine]

Its hard to say:

You spend one year here - you have a feeling about the place.
You spend 2-3 years here - you have a feeling about the place.
You spend 4-6 years here - you have a feeling about the place.
You spend 8-10 yrs here etc. etc.

Everyones feeling change depending on how long they live here.

Its difficult to say how you will feel about the place, but your original feelings will change and your feelings will continue to change.

Thats a fact: I have seen it too many times.

Apologist today - Hater tomorrow
Hater today - Apologist next year.

etc

[jvalmer]

If your Korean is good, I think you'll enjoy it. Otherwise it's 50/50.

[discostu333]

Why oh why would you want to leave Canada? Just find a non-corporate job there.

Every North American born gyopo I know who has made the move to the motherland has hated it. I give you a year, 2 years tops before you realize and head back home.

Korea ain't bad but Canada has much more going for it. Freedom, space, variety, liberty, choice.............

[Yaya]

[happiness]

[carleverson]

Im so ronry, so bery ronry.

[kingplaya4]

I'd take a nice cubicle job over a hagwon gig anyday. Face it, work sucks everywhere. Fortunately, I've progressed past the hagwon level, but a cubicle and a mortgage doesn't sound that bad, especially considering prospects for further advancement are limited. That said, you're a gyopo who sounds like he's got some corporate skills, so perhaps a move here could benefit you. I'd consider your long term future before leaping though. Simply changing jobs can be a breath of fresh air, but how long before the air gets stale?

[Kimchifart]

[stevieg4ever]

A big influencing factor in your time in Korea will be your employer. People will instantly say 'cop out' and that 'the biggest factor is you' but to all intents-and-purposes its true.

But it does depend on you and how you will adapt and adjust to the challenges before you. Korea isn't perfect, nowhere is.

And there is a difference between 'unhappy' and 'pessimistic' or 'cynical'
if you like. This difference is not something illuscidated a lot on here much. There are things that annoy me and certain things that have happened to me and close friedns that have left me with a sour taste in mouth but doesn't mean I am unhappy here or not greatful to Korea.

[[email protected]]

First off....whether you're gyopo or not gyopo, tall/short, smart/dumb, introverted/extroverted, an experienced traveler or complete newb, open-minded/closed-minded, interested in Korea or ambivalent, and so on....you will never know how you react to living in Korea until you spend at least a couple years here. It doesn't matter if you've been here on vacation or think you know what it's like here....even after living here a year it's pretty difficult to know if it is a good fit for you in the long run.

By and large, foreigners (gyopo and otherwise) generally find that Korea is not a good fit for them to live beyond 3-4 years max. Yes, there are many folk who really like it here and stay for a long time (10+ years), but percentage wise they are a vast minority.

If you want to try it out for a couple years, what can it hurt? But if you want to make the decision up front to emigrate permanently based purely on your assumptions of what it would be like, without going through a trial period, then this would be a very unwise decision.

Clearly I know nothing of your upbringing....but I think that you'll find that your cultural values, common bonds, and understanding are far more Canadian than they are Korean. People place far too much importance on their ethnicity and don't put enough weight into their surroundings.

[Louis VI]

Today I'm happy in Korea because my classes rocked and I got a ton of free tangerines from students' parents' orchards here in Seogwipo.

[hondaicivic]

[blackjack]

[Mariella713]

I prefer to be in Korea rather than back home. I came back home 2 months ago, but only because my brother was very ill...I'm going back next August. Why am I happy in Korea? It's fun and exciting. The transport system is great, things are slightly cheaper than back home (VERY slightly these days though), people are friendly towards me, I like the crowds, the shopping, the language and culture, the attractive people...there are some beautiful sites here aswell. Back home I used to be quite stressed most of the time, here I have no stress suprisingly.


I know you want to be there for your parents - most of us do - but like you said, life is short and you need to focus on what's best for you. You might love it living out in Korea and really make a good life for yourself. Your parents can always visit and vice versa. It's easy to keep in contact with phone calls, email...


Money-wise, going to Korea was a huge downgrade. My job back home was �40 an hour, but the job was difficult and had me working very long hours to the point where I was always exhausted and was rarely able to go out with my friends. In Korea I have quite a lot of free time so I'm able to hang out with friends and my partner much more often.


Stop stressing and look forward to your new life! I'm sure you'll be fine. You're sick of Toronto so let this be your new start.