r/teachinginkorea

I feel paralyzed and lost in life right now. I have some desire to teach english in Korea for 1-2 years, but would this be a bad move for me?

I'm a 23F US citizen and half-Korean for reference. I have visited before, but only briefly, and I really enjoyed it.

Why I want to go:

- just graduated last Dec
- I'm having trouble finding a job in the states
- this would be my only chance to experience Korea before I start a real career
- I want to experience the culture
- I want to learn Korean
- I want LASIK in Korea
- I feel like the experience would improve me or help me find a direction in life

Reasons I feel I shouldn't go:

- I'm worried it will make getting a job later more difficult, and it feels like a career setback
- poor pay, and I would like to make some money
- I don't speak Korean (although I can understand some)
- I wouldn't move back and begin my first full time job until I'm 24/25

Other Misc. Questions:
- how would I get my prescriptions in Korea or ahead of time?
- Could I start during the second semester of the school year (in August), or would I would I have to wait til March?

My dad died within the same couple of weeks as my graduation, and I've been depressed and my twiddling my thumbs since then, half-heatedly applying to jobs in the states (without luck). I have this unbearable feeling in my chest that my life is slipping away, and I'm rotting alone at home with no friends or social life.

I have a shitty degree so I likely couldn't find a very well paying job in the states, but it would still be marginally better than what I'd make in Korea as a teacher, and I could probably move up in a company to make more over time. I'd be giving up that money and experience that would probably make my future easier.

I know the process to applying for teaching jobs is not that difficult (like getting a TEFL cert, resume photo, etc.) but my depression is making everything hard. Once I have structure (like a job), I can do it everyday and be functional. But having nothing that I actively need to do really demoralizes me from doing anything.

So my academy just informed us that if we arrive late to school, it will be deducted from our pay. I usually arrive way early to prep but that's just me and another person mostly so it doesn't apply. However, A few things to note:

- it does not say anywhere in any of our contracts (E2) that we have to arrive at a certain time, just that school begins a bit half past 9am.

- our director has not informed us just how much would be deducted from our pay, when, how it would be totaled, etc.

- this is all supposed to be starting tomorrow

One of the teachers was noted as being 'late' because she clocked in 34 seconds after the certain time.

I don't know how this will actually go; if my director will back down or have us all sign new contracts or what but this feels...sketchy. I've worked in Korea for 2 years and never had anything like this. It has to be illegal right? Or at least worth a pushback?

Two regions consistently dominate the conversation: Asia and the Middle East. Both attract thousands of international educators every year — but the experience of teaching in Bangkok versus Dubai, or Seoul versus Doha, can be worlds apart.

We’ve pulled real, unfiltered comments from teachers on the ground to give you a genuine comparison across salary, lifestyle, workload, benefits, and more. How are you finding this?

I’ve been teaching at a hagwon for 9 months, I usually teach adults 1-1 (F6) and this is my first hagwon job. I’ve heard the horror stories and only took it because a friend of mine vouched for it.

Today, I suddenly had a terrible headache but thought I could get through the day. Then I started to feel I was going to faint, lips went numb, foot, arms had pins and needles, body shaking, teeth chattering, felt nauseous. Had no clue what had come over me. I told my boss before my next class and went to the bathroom as I thought I’d throw up. She gave me medicine (소화제) but said I had to do the next hour long class as nobody could cover for me.

I tried but kept getting worse so asked my husband to pick me up and take me to A&E with about ten minutes left of my shift. Then my chest/heart was hurting which happens sometimes, and I was worried as I was hospitalised for pneumonia for two weeks last year.

I had bloods, xray, eeg, they gave me vitamins and medicine through an IV and told me to sleep. A couple hours later, much better.

The doctor said my test results came back normal so it was likely stress-related. Is that possible?

I’m also wondering if, should I be worried if my boss is forcing me to work even if I’m so sick? Any thoughts about either of these things are welcome, I’m a bit of a newb to all this, come from the UK where I never experienced all this before.

Today, I was in a situation that left me feeling unhappy with myself. One of my students just came back to school after a long week off for Labor and Children's Day. For our first class this morning, we had simple coloring and drawing activities that we needed to do. Every other child in our class was able to draw and color independently, not perfectly or even well, but they can pick up the crayons and pencils and get to work by themselves. Except for the girl that just came back, she started coloring okay by herself, but after the first page she kept giving me the color pencil and trying to get me to do it and I told her (and had my co-teacher tell her) to try to do it by herself, but she wouldn't. This continued for a while until I told her firmly (and loudly, but I did not yell) to do it by herself. At this point, she started breaking into uncontrollable sobs and refused to do anything else - when another Korean co-teacher came in to tell her to work by herself, she stopped to do it while the teacher was in the room, but started crying again as soon as that teacher left. Then, our Korean head teacher came in and immediately started to soothe her.

I felt bad for being so harsh on the girl, and when she sought my comfort, I did hug and comfort her and told her she did a good job for trying eventually, but I am not sure what I should have done. She didn't seem to hold a grudge because later in the day we did another arts and crafts activity and she enjoyed it a lot.

Anyway, the long story leads to some questions. Have you ever pushed a child in a way that you felt was too far? What happened after that?

I know kids cry for various reasons outside of our control, but I am not sure what to do when an elementary school kid has written 3 words (not independently, we work on sentences together on the board) in 20 minutes and then starts crying when I scold them either.

Hi everyone! I recently moved to Korea, applied for an F-4 visa in Korea, and got approved. I’ve started to apply to teaching jobs but I realized a lot of places really want prior experience. That is completely understandable but it’s just hard to find a starting point. I know I’m not tied to a teaching job but I’m not sure what else I can really apply for here. I have reached out to recruiting agencies and they have been looking around for me but they also noted that I need my diploma apostilled. I am trying to do that through monument visa (I have a copy of my diploma and it’s notarized). Do I need to physically send my copy to them or can I just upload a scanned image to them? I’ve emailed them but I was just wondering if anyone had any info. I know the start pay is very low for someone who has no experience, but I just wanted some advice on what the best route could be to obtain a teaching job? I’ve been constantly sending my resume to listings on Craigslist and Facebook groups. It seems like public schools seem to be ideal for a lot of people but I understand that’s not easy to start. I would love some advice from anyone who has similar experiences or just any type of advice you think could be helpful!

I have recently had an interview with an kindergarten hagwon and it seemed actually quite decent ^.^ however I am concerned about the Korean government considering shutting down these kindergartens.

Also separately, I am concerned about the likelihood of me being pressured to work outside of my visa (e2). I am going to try and get information from the current native teacher about whether they do any subject teaching as I have no desire to work outside of my visa.

This would be my first role in Korea. I am wondering if I should just keep trying to get an afternoon position instead. Is this something I should worry about or am I overthinking?

Edit - Yeah, I was overthinking the points I raised. Thanks everyone!

I just started working at two separate elementary school’s after school program, where I go in and “teach” for 3 hours, 3 days a week (2,1). I was told I had to do open classes for each within a month; four on one day and at 3 on the other.

I thought my open classes days were over now that I’m only working part time, but nope!

Does anyone else work at these types of places? How do schools expect you to plan for these things when you literally just go in to teach and leave? Do they expect you to work from home, or come early/leave early? It’s not my only job so that ain’t happening.

I covered for people a few times at these types of schools, and I thought they were so easy. So, when the manager of the company offered me to work for them, I was all over it.

Anyway, I’ll suck it up and do it for the remainder of the year and call it quits when the contract is over. The money is decent, but not decent enough to put in that much extra time.

Edit: People seem to be more interested in the part, just come in and teach. I have done this a while, I am pretty decent at it, but also use a lot of my own time making things better. Anyway, moving away from self defense, I am more interested in your thoughts about 7 open classes.

My current job ends on the 31st of this month and I start a new job on June 1st. It's now less than three weeks before starting and I still have no information about the housing at my next job.. is this normal?

When I tried to ask about housing before signinging the contract, the recruiter said the move in date is usually the weekend before starting (which in my case would be the 30th or 31st since June 1st is a monday).

I've tried asking for more information, such as the move in date and address twice within the past few weeks. I was told that the move in date would be the contract start date (June 1st), but a hotel could be provided the night before (which I would need as I have to move out of my house on May 31st). They did not provide any other information but said they would have more details later. I am worried about the logistics of this as I own all of my furniture, including my bed, and obviously can't bring everything to a hotel. I also assume I must go to work that day. I expressed that I was worried about this to the manager but they only read and "liked" my message and also did not reply to a follow up message asking for updates about the housing so that I could contact/hire movers (but they have replied to messages about other topics).

Is it normal to not find out housing information until very last-minute? Is it common to have to move in on the contract start date, and how does that usually work? (Do you have to move very early in the morning before starting work?) My current job is my first job here, so that was a different situation and I'm not sure how this usually works and if I am right to be getting stressed now.

It's not that much (25k) but seems odd. I work in a different school in the same POE now. Should I even pay? Why doesn't my current school ask about this?

*I just paid it. Sounds like it's owed to the government not the school so doesn't make sense to argue.

I work at a number of kindergartens, and one of them is having an event on a Saturday next month. I typically work at this place once a week for 2 hours, but the event is for 7 hours at my typical hourly rate.

I am fine working for that rate, but my question for the rest of you is: would you be asking more money? If so, how much would you ask for?

Repost:

I was wondering because I just spoke to someone who said in Asia they don’t know what a Ed.D is and PH.D
Is more valued, anyone living in Asia working in either of these could you give me some insight?

Hi everyone. I’ve noticed a lot of people getting panicky over things that are actually manageable. I’m not here to judge, but I am here to give you a reality check and help you think through the actual logistics of your situation.

I’ve lived and worked in Korea for over five years. I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve been through the ringer enough to help you stop spiraling.

Ask me about:
Workplace Dynamics, The Hiring Process, practical teaching advice, Logistics & Moving, Life Transitions, or whatever else may be worrying your mind**.**

If you have a highly specific situation or a question about a particular school, feel free to DM me. Otherwise, ask away below. Let’s keep it within the sub’s rules and focus on solutions.

P.S - If you’re just here to be a Negative Nancy, go wallow somewhere else.

Hey guys I’m a little confused cause I haven’t gotten a visa to teach English in Korea before and I started looking for a job in Korea (at least two months in so far) and one of my recruiters just told me “can you come to Korea and do the visa run?” but I don’t understand what it means?? I’m not sure if he is asking me to apply for my visa in korea but I don’t have a job yet?? I’m also wondering what difference would it make if I applied for my visa there rather than here in the U.S. ? Can someone please explain what this could possibly mean?

Hey everybody,

A friend and I have been working really hard to bring you ESLForge.com for both EPIK and hagwon teachers!

One of the worst parts of teaching English for myself is having to manually edit powerpoint games for different classes. It is tedious and time consuming for what feels like no reason. The online game forums also leave you at the mercy of other teachers and the games available for that specific lesson.

https://preview.redd.it/tsl3d619tezg1.png?width=925&format=png&auto=webp&s=c44af5f67bb29c100a388a41cf634cb3fc60a8ab

So in an effort to make PPT games entirely automated we have created a system where our high quality PPT game templates are generated from scratch in seconds, using your words and expressions.

We currently have 166 textbooks neatly organised and easy to find.
If we do not have your textbook available you are able to create and save custom lessons to use when generating our games.

https://preview.redd.it/v98jf8bctezg1.png?width=1413&format=png&auto=webp&s=b65e22f6552e510426e4680ed162a58d1207fd2d

We have 12 games at the moment each covering the different skills. We are still in development, so we plan to add some features and a bunch more games over time.
We would love for you to test out these games and give us honest feedback on the site.

It's free currently while in development, and once out of development and finished it will still be free to use but with a weekly crafting limit for users who want to use it for free.

If there is demand and we are able to generate users, using the framework we have created we will easily be able to add introduction PPTs and word twinklers etc into this system. Another future possiblity is for the site to house and automate PPTs the user uploads.

Have a great day!

TLDR: We made a new site that automates the PPT game process in 30 seconds using your lessons words and expression. You do no work at all. EZPZ. ESLForge.com

so i’m on my third year teaching in public schools and my contract will end in august. i’ve been thinking about going home for six months to be with family and coming back with the spring intake next year (2027). in order to do that i would have to start applying in august (2026) before my contract technically ends. has anyone done that before/ is that allowed? i’ve never had any issues with my schools or my contract (in fact i know my schools love me) so im not worried about leaving with any bad blood but i wasn’t sure if there was any rules about how long after your contract you have to wait before reapplying. tia!!

Im m23 from the UK, graduate - I have a few years basic experience tutoring British kids.
I’m very accustomed to Korean people and lifestyle. I have a few friends there.

I’m about to take the step into my teaching in Korea journey. I’m in the final steps of my applications

I’m hoping to get offers from the prestigious schools- but not sure how I can standout at this late stage

*AND IM KINDA FREAKING OUT*

why? :

- I don’t know ANY Korean , a few basic phrases… worried about the workplace and being an effective teacher
—>How badly will language separate me from the children and my colleagues ?

- im a sociable person and im worried about being isolated

- Im kinda very light brown/South Asian and worried about racism??? How that might affect me

[ANY ADVICE TO GET OFFERS FROM TOP SCHOOLS WOULD BE APPRECIATED]

I taught English in Korea from 2016-2020 and I really enjoyed my time there. A few photos just popped up on my phone of a kindergarten class I taught for two years. Out of the hundreds of students I met during my four years there, this group was my absolute favorite. It’s wild to think they were 4 to 5 when we were together, and now they’re already 10 or 11.

I find myself so curious about who they’ve become and if they still have any memories of our time together. I never shared my contact info, so I’ll likely never know where life has taken them, which makes me sad. Even though they gave me plenty of trouble times, they were wonderful kids who helped me grow so much as a person. I hope they’re all doing well, and I’ll always be rooting for them from afar.