Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Soymylk]

I am a female with several ear piercings (most of them could be taken out) and stretched ears (too big to pass for just a big earring). I have long hair which easily covers my ears, and my stretched ears have only been noticed in my current job 2-3 times in the last year, by people who knew what they were looking for. The other piercings have never been spotted.

I was just wondering if this would be an issue when getting a job in Korea? The extremely paranoid side of me has been worried about coming across a job where tying hair back is compulsory - is this ever the case, or are employers generally not concerned about how you wear your hair as long as it is presentable?

Apologies for the ridiculous questions and thanks in advance!

[Chimie]

One of my coworkers removed them and had surgery to have it fixed. With stretched ears, you're not going to be a preferred hire for just about any office job unless you've got a model body to go with it. Not to sound like a dick, but that tends to be the reality of hiring in Korea for women. Looks tend to me more important that actual qualifications. (Again, not everywhere, but it happens)

[soomin]

I have some cartilage piercings, and while my boss and some of my students will say they're disgusting and ask me why I pierced the wrong part of my ear, I've never been asked to take them out...

Actually, cartilage piercings are quite common here (I got both of mine done here) and many Korean girls have more than the traditional one lobe piercing (usually a double lobe piercing or a side-helix or a tragus piercing)... The gauged ears shouldn't be too big of a problem... but, just to be safe, wear your hair long for a month or two after your job...

Also, I asked my recruiters about it when applying for jobs the other year and they didn't care. They just didn't want face piercings/tattoos, I think...

Don't worry too much, but make sure to read the "dress code" section of any contract you get~ Good luck!

[Dodge7]

The Gauged earrings WILL be a problem. A new girl came to my workplace and the boss was scared to put her in front of the kids. She was ordered to stay home until she could get her ugly ears back to normal.

[ayahyaha]

I think it really depends on the kind of place you are working at. If you can get a job at a more laid-back place that just needs a body in the classroom, you probably don't have much to worry about.

Then again, working at that kind of place can be good (hands-off boss/coworkers) or awful (no guidance, no respect).

I have several piercings in each ear, and a stud in my nose. At the more laid-back hagwons nobody cared. The kids will stare and probably freak out a bit at first, but they get used to it. At my former hagwon, they didn't care about my tattoo showing, either. (It's a big one.)

If you can cover it with your hair most of the time, I bet it will be fine if you find the right place to work.

[Soymylk]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Looks like I'm gunna have to have a serious think about whether or not the stretched lobes can stay. I have had them for the best part of 10 years and I hate the idea of them not being there, but I hate the idea of holding myself back because of choices I have made about my appearance more.

Cheers!