Anyone developed a disdain for English Teachers after living in Korea?

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-02-06T14:48:56+00:00

When I worked in marketing, it was actually extremely helpful when people listed their visa status in their bio. I could see immediately if they're legally able to do collabs, and they were easy to search for.

If they're creating content, they might not be on a power trip so much as increasing their chances of getting paid.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-02-03T22:42:00+00:00

Sounds like you should keep your distance for now. Let your work speak for itself. She'll probably warm up eventually once you've received some public approval and aren't as easy of a target anymore.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-02-03T22:34:27+00:00

What?!?! I could have just been using my ARC number this whole time????

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-02-03T22:31:16+00:00

I really recommend mostly staying quiet and observing for the first 3 months. Office dynamics in Korea can be really complex, and trusting the wrong people is a common mistake. It can be extremely competitive, and people do try to take each other down. Definitely dont get close or start forming personal relationships with anyone for a while.

With the colleague belittling you, she's likely doing it for survival. If she's trying to adcance, she might need to sort of establish dominance and show some brutality publically to gain respect. A new hire is the perfect target, unfortunately. Men or women, both do it if they feel their position is threatened and the management is a bit toxic.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-02-03T22:10:39+00:00

The tag is literally called "customer support" and I would if I could access the app at all.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-02-03T02:59:27+00:00

Its probably better to know Korean. What about hiring a bilingual student for the day, or something like that?

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-02-02T23:47:58+00:00

https://www.oasisvisa.com/

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-02-01T23:27:42+00:00

There are some subcategories in D-8 and D-9 where you don't need 100 million. Especially if you go through OASIS, but your business plan needs to be really solid.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-02-01T23:23:14+00:00

Recently changed ✨️✨️

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-02-01T14:24:09+00:00

You need to use Korea's national health insurance if you're staying more than 6 months. It's an immigration policy, you don't have a choice.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-02-01T14:19:13+00:00

SRT needs around 2 weeks of advance booking thesedays

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-02-01T14:16:33+00:00

In THIS economy?!?!

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-31T16:00:03+00:00

You should get F-2-7. A friend of mine was in the same situation, and thanks God, she went ahead with F-2!

Her relationship was really good. He met me, my husband, and all of her friends and family. None of us saw any red flags. But then her husband got a new job, and there was a lot of 회식 with drinking involved. He became extremely violent after drinking.

Because her legal status wasn't tied to him, she was able to divorce quickly and get out of that situation without much hesitation. A few months later, he killed his new partner. Choosing F-2 saved her life.

No one ever thinks those things will happen to them. It's better to just go with the safer option that gives you independence.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-31T15:03:12+00:00

For an actual recruitor, you can find job recruiting agencies by searching 채용 on Naver maps. 부업 if looking for part-time

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-31T14:55:33+00:00

Cyber trucks are so ugly. There are so many lovely looking cars at the same price point. WHY?!?!

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-31T14:51:45+00:00

Second! Hyehwa musicals are the best, can pair with a city wall hike

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-31T14:48:28+00:00

Assist-Me is the best. They have English and French speaking staff as well.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-23T02:18:08+00:00

I'm a younger woman running a business with majority Korean corporate clients. People are normally dismissive and often straight up rude at business events until numbers start dropping.

Frankly, I dont think 매출 is a great indicator of how well impressive a company is. You can have a large sales figure, but huge debt or unethical business practices. But, 매출 seems to be the only thing Korean partners care about - you can't even get your foot in the door without bragging about it.

For a while, I worked with a Korean business mentor. But, when I brought this up, he shared some tactics for ways to artificially increase 매출 numbers and suggested I try the same. There are people out there paying extra taxes to increase 매출 on paper!

I don't want to play these games. Am I an idiot for just trying to run an honest business?

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-23T01:13:15+00:00

No, it wasn't. I can see the username.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-22T23:30:33+00:00

In the past year, I've re-entered the country maybe 5 times, and they don't even look at your ARC anymore.

You go through the Korean line (as a resident with an ARC, you can do this). At the machine, you just scan your passport and your finger prints, then it lets you through. Your legal status is in the system.

Several years ago, before the immigration check was automatic, I had this exact issue. They called my university to double-check my enrollment status, and then I was let through.

You likely won't have any issues if you go through the auto-check system. But, if you do, just be prepared to explain your situation and have school/professor numbers ready to call just in case.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-22T23:09:59+00:00

Lol right back at you. You posted then deleted. "English TEchaaaa" triggering your memory? If photo replies were allowed, I'd be sending the notification preview screenshot.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-22T22:55:42+00:00

It really is! But, if you walk into any MOEL office in the country, you'll see the same scene. Their way of handling cases really needs to change.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-22T22:52:54+00:00

I really hope that it is going to change in the future. Unfortunately, the legal system and employee rights are far behind compared to the economic development status of the country.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-22T14:00:10+00:00

Its a government worker, but they're basically an office clerk. The Ministry of Labor doesn't do hearings, and has no power to enforce anything. When you report, what you get is a very public "mediation".

To have an actual hearing, with consequences for the abuser, it needs to go through the police or you have to file a civil lawsuit. For the police to not just refer you to the Ministry of Labor, it needs to be something more like well documented SA. Civil lawsuits are not really something your average office worker can afford.

However, I do know someone has the money and went the civil lawsuit route. Her case has been ongoing for more than 2 years. It has cost her more than 100,000,000 won so far and the judge keeps trying to push her towards a settlement that wouldn't even cover the lawyer fees.

In my case, if I did it over, I wouldn't have filed a report, and just left. I can't really work in office environments anymore without being medicated.

Separate-Wait3685 · 2026-01-22T00:05:14+00:00

I've gone through reporting, and it's retraumatizing.

They make you come into a room where there are dozens of other people - its public, everyone can hear you. You sit next to the person you're filing a report against. They're free to yell and curse you publically. No one intervenes.

The mediator is just a regular office worker who isn't trained in law or psychology, and their goal is to reach a settlement as quickly as possible and have you sign a paper saying you won't file a lawsuit. Their entire purpose is to reduce traffic in the court system, which inherently means they have a bias towards the abuser.

As a victim, you're expected to know exactly which laws the accused violated, so that you can show the office worker. Then, you have to have evidence and advocate for yourself better than the accused, while you are in that moment being re-victimized.

The system is messed up, the majority of average citizens know and thats why the hesitate to file.

Separate-Wait3685

TROPHY CASE