About Korea

Whether you’re an urbanite or a naturalist, you’ll appreciate South Korea’s unique blend of fast-paced cities and pristine countryside. Here you’ll find ancient palaces alongside angular skyscrapers, highlighting the country’s past and present.

Teachers in South Korea enjoy the flexibility to experience both sides of the country: the long-held traditions as well as the modern conveniences found in Asia.

We encourage you to get out and explore, as this will deepen your understanding of South Korea’s culture and people. For starters, the city of Boryeong hosts the world famous Mud Festival every summer on its scenic beaches. You could also visit Jeju Island, which is renowned for its beautiful palm trees surrounding crystal blue waters. Haeundae Beach in Busan is one of the most popular beaches in Korea, attracting more than 2 million visitors every year.

For more on Korea, check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korea.

Education

Koreans value education, so around 85% of high-school students continue onto university. Koreans believe this is the only way to get a high-paying job or government position, so competition to get into the best universities is fierce. However, once students receive their acceptance, they can relax and enjoy newfound freedoms. Korean universities let students choose their courses and attend lectures (or study at home) as they choose. Like Americans, most Koreans will tell you that university was the “best time of their life.”

Everyone, from kindergarteners to machinery workers, wants to learn English, putting English education (and those who teach English in Korea) in high demand. Korea has two types of schools: private school (hagwan) and public school. The main difference between teaching in a private or public school is the schedule. Public schools start in March or April (with about 45 days for winter vacation and 40 days for summer vacation), and private school classes run year round. Private schools usually hold classes in the early morning and evening, so you would have your afternoons open for grading or personal time. Private school classes generally run 40 to 60 minutes, and public school classes run about 60 to 70 minutes. However, you can expect to work roughly the same number of hours whether you are working in a private or public school.

In addition to its differing schedule, public schools can only hire one Western teacher per school. This means that if you choose a public school for your teach English abroad experience, you will likely be the only English speaker at the school. Many first-time teachers choose to teach in a private school so they have support from other English-speaking teachers.

Food

Koreans enjoy eating in groups, savoring the food and the company. Westerners often find that eating with metal chopsticks poses a bigger challenge than eating with bamboo or wooden ones, but slippery metal chopsticks are the standard in Korea. You’ll find that it gets easier with practice.

You can find western food anywhere in Korea in some form, but imported items are more expensive. Seoul has a Costco that carries all the same foods you can find in a North American Costco. You can also order food online through sites like http://www.grocerymall.com or http://yoricome.co.kr.

Housing

You will be living in a typical studio apartment/bachelor suite that caters to the busy life of a single person. Apartments are not spacious, but they have enough room for one person to live comfortably (don’t expect a fancy loft, as Asia has a high population density and housing is tight). All of these apartments have modern, western-style bathroom facilities with a toilet, sink, and shower. However, bathtubs are rare in single-housing accommodation in Korea. Most instructors find housing in a “villa” or an “office-tell.” Villas and office-tells range in price from approximately $500 USD per month up to $1,200 USD per month, on average. Keep in mind that the lower end of the range is for apartments outside of Seoul, while the higher end is for apartments in downtown Seoul. Villas typically come unfurnished, while some office-tells come furnished. Of course, furnished apartments tend to be more expensive.

A. Villa

Four- to five-story buildings offer accommodations called “villas” in Korea. Mostly found in the residential areas of the city, villas are very affordable due to their low maintenance costs. These buildings typically have an owner who resides in the building and plays the role of superintendent.

B. Office-tells

Tall buildings that offer unit accommodations (alongside business or commercial space) are called “office-tells.” Office-tells are fairly new, which means they come with modern features. Most of the suites in office-tells have keyless entry and other conveniences, depending on the location. The costs may be higher than those of a villa because of building maintenance costs (approximately $50–150 USD per month). One of the advantages of living in an office-tell is the close proximity to shops and services, which are sometimes attached to the building itself.

If you choose the monthly remuneration option where rent is included as part of your salary and benefits, you will receive a furnished apartment within 10–15 minutes from your school location. Furnishings will include a bed, gas stove range, refrigerator, washer, and air conditioner.

Internet

As one of the most wired nations in the world, Korea has Internet access readily available for reasonable rates. Popular service providers include Korea Telecom, Hanaro, and Thrunet. If you’re agreeing to a one-year contract, you can usually get connected without a service charge. On average, you can expect to pay about $30 USD to $40 USD a month for Internet access. Some employers will assist you in setting this up.

Where North America has a Starbucks on practically every corner, Korea has Internet cafés almost everywhere you turn. You’ll also find lots of “PC Bangs.” Some are open 24 hours, with a snack bar service with beverages, noodles, and other snacks. PC Bangs generally only offer Internet service, and may not have business services such as faxes, scanners, or printers. Fees run about 1000–2000KRW/hour.

Tourism

We encourage those teaching English in Korea to explore their new country and soak up the local culture. Korea’s history spans over 5,000 years, so the country boasts plenty of historic towns, palaces, and Buddhist Temples to visit. Just a few hours from anywhere in the country by bus or train, Kyungju is Korea’s most famous historic city. The country’s largest island, Jeju Island, offers unforgettable views including the waterfalls at Hae-anjidae and the cliffs at Jusang Jeolli. Outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty of diversions on Jeju Island, from hiking and bike riding to paragliding and scuba diving.

Inexpensive flights run daily from several different Korean airports. Korean Air flies out of a dozen different airports in Korea to destinations all over the world (the flight from Seoul to Tokyo takes just over two hours). Flights run several times a day from Seoul Jeju Island and generally cost between 70,000 and 85,000 KRW each way (less than $200 USD round trip).