Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cubanlord]

For work I mean. Do you go to work wearing jean shorts and a T-shirt (like me) or do you go professionally dressed? What are the reasons for this?

During the winter, I am almost always professionally dressed. However, during the summers (like now), you'll catch me roughin it. Though I am always clean shaved.

What about you guys?

[Eunoia]

Interesting you should bring this up. The school for which I'm currently working will be instituting a strict dress policy for the next school year: Shirt and tie, "slacks" (God, I hate that word), i.e Docker's or the like - but no cargo pants - plus all shirts tucked in for the men, no sleeveless shirts or above-the-knee skirts for the ladies. No sneakers, sandals, or other open-toe footwear.

(Company Polo shirts - tucked, of course - will be acceptable in lieu of dress shirt & tie.)

Glad I won't be working there next year.

But to answer your question: I like to dress somewhere in between; the aforementioned Dockers or cargo pants, collared shirt (tucked or not, depends on the mood / style of the shirt), loafers or clean sneakers. Noe jeans, no shorts, no t-shirts, though. Once in a blue moon I may wear a tie - usually featuring Pooh or Marvin the Martian or some other such nonsense. Sometimes I go a few days between shaves, too.

[ttompatz]

[Captain Corea]

I wear a suit every day but Friday.

But then again, that's what most of my students wear.

[Son Deureo!]

I've run the gamut, depending on the situation I worked in.

Kiddie hogwons: Dress down. Don't wear anything that would be expensive to replace or clean. This was triply true when I taught kindie.

Adult hogwon: Business professional, strictly enforced. Pressed shirt and tie, dress pants, dress shoes at the very minimum. Short sleeved dress shirts were allowed June-August. A lot of the other guys wore suits on the first day of each session, and around evaluation day. The school actually catered mostly to university students, so I thought this was a little foolish. Students even occasionally complained about our dress code saying we would look better in, and I quote, "hippy clothes".

Uni hogwon: Doesn't seem to be strictly enforced, but the official dress code is business casual. No t-shirts, sneakers, or jeans. Some wear suits on a regular basis. I usually stick to dress pants and a sweater or dress shirt. I hate wearing ties with a passion and avoid them as much as I can.

[sadsac]

Shorts and collared T, all year round.

[flotsam]

I have generally emulated the Korean teachers at the schools I have worked at.

For example, now we all wear light slacks/khakis/dress pants with relatively nice button down short sleeve shirts of the hang out/not tucked in variety. Most of the cooler months it's button downs and sweatery things. But on the last day of the week(always Friday for me, but sometimes Saturday for them) most people wear jeans and the same kind of shirt as usual.

However, Koreans(and I) wear jeans like Europeans wear jeans: no b-boy, bared boxers bustin' out, denim-wrinkles-draggin'-at-the-ankles mo-fos up in here, y'all.

[poet13]

I dress down...most of the time. For my afternoon classes (kids), shorts, polo shirt, always clean and pressed. They are intimidated enough by the big hairy foreigner, and it seems to make them relax a little. I have a buddhist monk (sp?) twice a week in the morning. For her, long pants, button shirt, but no tie. Evening class (adult and uni), usually long pants and polo. Other adult classes, long pants, button shirt, no tie.

[the_beaver]

A double-breasted suit and a tie every day (different suits and ties, of course). It's a little hot for it nowadays, but in the tradition of the staunchest Victorian gentlemen, I endure it (only for a 3 more teaching days, then I'll dress in my slovenly, natural manner until the end of August).

[SuperHero]

suits - except for the past week when I caved in due to sweat.

[crazylemongirl]

I try to dress up... but finding clothes has been the issue.

[Qinella]

[Grotto]

Other

Casual: chinos, short sleeved shirt with collar.

In the heat of summer, Khaki shorts and the same short sleeved shirt with collar.

[simone]

Pantyhose. Everyday.

Actually, I can get away with bare legs and dressy sandals perhaps twice a week, but I don't like to push it.

It's not a question of what you can get away with, it's looking so dastardly professional that they can't help but take you more seriously.

In another week I'll start leaving a few suits at the office and come to work in my blouse/shirt and knee-length tailored shorts.

Put on my jacket, skirt, hose, and the three-inch heels I leave at work, and voila! Professional.

[Demophobe]