Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dtulluck]

hi, I am currently an undergraduate student in the Seattle area earning my BA in Linguistics and completing TESOL certification. I have been working as a teaching assistant for Korea University in an exchange program that they have with my university and I really love working with Korean students and I've been studying the language for over a year now, and I really want to experience living and working in Korea. I have some questions about what I can do to prepare for going to Korea next summer after I graduate.

1. Where is the best place to live in Seoul? Why?

2. With my education and experience, I feel like I should be able to land a teaching job at a university, but some of the hagwon jobs don't really seem that bad. In your opinion where is the best place to work?

3. What do I need to legally teach private lessons? How much could I realistically make teaching private lessons?

4. If I am hired by a university and wish to pursue graduate studies or perhaps, a degree in Korean, will the school pay for that?

5. How are the free furnished apartments really? How much money are you saving in rent because of the free housing offered by the school?

6. What is your monthly budget? What is the real cost of living? If anyone could show me how much they pay for food, transportation, phone, utility, etc., that would be great. I would like to have a realistic idea of how much money I can save, invest, and pay off my student loans with.

7. What is the cost of real estate in Korea? Have any of you decided to stay in Korea permanently and get married and buy a house/apartment and everything?

8. If I marry a Korean girl and choose to stay in Korea, does my visa automatically change, do I become a permanent resident, do I risk losing my US citizenship or what happens exactly?

9. Have any of you considered the possibility of opening your own hagwon? How much would it cost to do it and what would the process be?

10. If I am hired by a school, will I be allowed to legally work outside the school at all. For example, if I am only working 20-30 hours a week and want to work part time at a restaurant or something to practice speaking Korean and make more money, would that be allowed?

11. Are there any schools in Korea that offer a MA TESOL? If so, what is the cost and length of the programs, and links to the websites if there are any?

12. What are the best programs for studying Korean? Are there free classes available?

13. Are there any American banks with locations in Korea? What is the easiest way to deal with banking issues, paying off student loans, etc.

14. How much does it cost to travel to nearby countries such as Japan, Thailand, China, Philippines, etc.?

15. Are there any Brazilian Jiu Jitsu schools in Seoul?

16. What things should I bring/don't need to bring with me?

17. Do the schools offer very good teaching materials? Do you ever need to spend your own money to put teaching materials/classroom supplies?

17. What else can I do to prepare myself for coming to Korea to teach English?

I'm looking forward to hearing your advice. Thanks!

[spliff]

[Bibbitybop]

Read through the FAQs and stickies. I know many are old, but are relevant.

I'll attempt to answer some of your questions quickly.

1. Too many places, but central Seoul is the best since it's near everything. Other people prefer the quieter suburbs, though. I don't. See my answer to #2, then understand if you do work for SMOE, they place you where they need/want you. You may live central, you may live on outskirts. You don't have a choice, but you should get it in writing that you won't live in the Co-op Residence at Dongdaemun. Search for old threads about why.

2. Don't expect a uni job your first year, even w/ experience. Some hogwans are ok, but I recommend working for SMOE (Seoul public schools). Jobs start end of August and Feb., you need to apply 1-3 months in advance (thru their website or one of the recruiters they use like WorkNPlay).

3. You need a visa most ESL teachers don't have. That usually requires marrying in Korea. You can teach illegally, but you are taking a risk. Read the sticky about it.

5. Roll the dice. Saving 400,000-800,000 won a month.

6. 600,000 to 1,000,000 a month in Seoul. You can easily save 1,000,000 a month.

7. Fking high. Don't worry about that now, but a small apartment may set you back 2,500,000 easily in Seoul.

8. You think too much. You visa can change, you won't loose US citizenship nor be required to do Korean military.

9. If married here, maybe I'd do it, buy that's like becoming a lawyer: Sleazy.

10. Only if your school and immigration approves it. You won't get any other jobs but teaching jobs. (Restaurant????)

12. Free near City Hall in the Arts Center, but paid classes are cheap. Don't pay for the Rosetta Stone PC program.

13. Citibank, but you still have to pay transfer fees (or use other methods of getting the money stateside).

14. 250,000 to 1,000,000 won

15. Yes, in Korean as far as I know

16. Everything you need is here, though you may have to look for it.

17. Roll the dice, don't spend your own money.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[SeoulShakin]

Holy questions Batman!
At least you are putting thought into this though...

Just for a few of them.

2) Most University's will not hire someone from overseas, and usually choose a candidate who is already in Korea. Those jobs are high in demand, so they usually don't have too much trouble filling them with candidates who are already here.

3) To legally teach private lessons, you must have an F type visa, which means be a native born Korean, or be married to Korean. If you are neither of those, you will get an E-2 visa most likely, and it is NOT legal to teach privates, no matter how you go about it. You get caught, you will face heavy fines, and deportation.

5) Every school provides a different level of "furnished". Ask to see photos of your place before you go. You save A LOT of cash, mostly because you don't have to front the key money (deposit) here, which can be between 2 and 10 grand.

9) I'm not sure of the legality of this, especially if you are on an E2 visa. You would likely need an F-type, and go through tons of paperwork stuff at immigration. I'm not sure if anyone has done it. My guess is, you'd likely need a Korean business partner.

10) Short answer, no. Your E2 visa is for teaching English. You could technically get another part time job teaching English, IF you get permission from your visa sponsored school, get permission from immigration, and get it marked on your alien card as a second place of work. I doubt you could work at a restaurant on an E visa, since it isn't teaching.

[valkyrian2]

double post
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=98682