Korean Green List

Subject: Walnut Global Education, Mokdong, Seoul

Oct 29, 2024, 5:19PM

Plato English Academy, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

I'd like to recommend Plato for the Green List for a few different reasons.

I've worked at three hagwons in total and Plato is drastically better than the other two, one of which was one of the major franchises. Plato is really good about respecting its teachers and hearing them out. While there is way of doing things in the classroom here, the supervisors work with the teachers to help them get to where they need to be and try to find constructive solutions to problems and issues instead of just demanding teachers sort things out themselves.

Teachers are not expected to create their own curriculum and are given really great tools to make the class run smoothly. Teachers are able to add their own style and creativity to the lessons and enjoy themselves while teaching. There is weekly grading to be completed, but plenty of prep time is offered to get it done.

There are a lot of other benefits I could go on about (generous boss who gives gifts often, free lunch, great kids, reasonable supervisors etc.) but the main reason I'll recommend Plato is they genuinely do try to make adjustments and hear things out. They consider the teachers' concerns and don't put them in uncomfortable situations. If you're looking for a quality job and don't mind a bit of grading, I think most people would be happy in this job.

Subject: Walnut Global Education, Mokdong, Seoul

Fri, Oct 11, 10:54AM

Walnut Global Education, Mokdong, Seoul

I've worked at a few hagwons in Korea and I found myself comparing all others to Walnut.

The manager goes out of her way to make sure that you are experiencing Korean culture. She incorporates a lot into the special events and tries to make all of her teachers feel included.

Although curriculum is set and made by the school, you have the freedom to bring your own style into how you teach it. Every Friday is a non-curriculum teaching day. Meaning there will be special activities or events to participate in so you can have fun with your students.

The only time we have to stay late is to set up for the Halloween party because we always do an extravagant haunted house. Any other days you work extra, you are paid for.

You do not have to eat lunch with the kids and you are provided ample planning time.

We were always paid on time, and if there were any problems or issues, they apologized and fixed it as soon as possible.

The head teachers were always willing to help solve any problems we had.

TLDR; low stress work environment, helpful admin, paid on time

Subject: Dux- Ulsan- Ok-dong

Oct 10, 2024, 3:52PM

This academy is far from perfect like all academies. However, it has been enjoyable to work for. Xxxxxx is very understanding and tries to help when they can. In some cases, it isn't possible. I have worked for the academy for a year now.

Pros

-The stories aren't too hard to teach. Sometimes, they may not make sense, but it can be easy to figure something out.

- the students are typically well-behaved and work decently.

- the Korean teachers are mostly great to work with. Very attentive and understanding.

- I feel like the easiest days are novel days.

We work from 1 pm to 9 pm. we teach from 2:20-7:45. We get a good amount of prep time.

Every job has its pros and cons. It's inevitable.

Cons

- there can be a lot of essays to check.

- some students probably belong to a lower level. Not my place to say.

-Some students can cause major distractions and the discipline system isn't always followed.

- some days there are barely any breaks, while others have major break times.

Overall, the system isn't perfect, but things are being worked out. There can be a lot of work, but managing your time wisely might not be that bad. Also, getting along well with the teachers will be fine. However, if you argue, dismiss, or seem that way it won't be good.

Subject: Maple Language Institute

Sep 7, 2024, 11:02AM

It's been a while since I actively worked here. I came to Korea in December 2021 and this was my very first job. I worked until the end of 2022.

I've worked at 3 hagwon during my time in Korea. Generally this academy was the perfect gateway ob. Admittedly the salary is a little low, but it is a perfect academy to work at for a new teacher with no experience.

The xxxxx and xxxxx are both lovely people. I had a slightly difficult first year but that was not at all down to the managers or the academy, but rather personal issues adjusting to Korea and working here. My xxxxx and xxxx both fully supported me in this regard and never punished me maliciously.

The work load is very manageable. You will be working for less than 30 hours per week and you will be given all legally required time off. (11 days of your choice plus all red days). You will always be given a 30 minute break to do as you like with aside from when another teacher is sick you may need to cover. I think this is fair as there will often be days where you are allowed to leave early too. They also have movie days a few times a year where you literally do nothing but watch movies so that’s great.

You will write student comments every 3 months (quite manageable). The curriculum is completely 100% provided. But you will have the choice to develop some classes of your own if you want. I developed my own phonics classes and the Harry Potter novel class which is still running to this day 3 years later (The student is now reading the Goblet of Fire).

I spent about 3 hours of my days there literally reading Harry Potter, watching movies (As there was a movie class) and doing easy exam listening classes which I loved. The students themselves are also fantastic and very bright. Of all the academies i worked at, this one had the highest English ability in their middle school students.

You will be working with 1 or 2 other foreign English teachers. The foreign teachers run elementary classes while there is a single Korean teacher (who is a co-owner) that runs middle school classes. His classes are extremely good and the academy overall has the best curriculum I've ever seen in Korea.

Also, the xxxx will fairly routinely buy you food. The academy is in Yesan. An absolutely LOVELY town. Only 90 minutes by train to Seoul and it has famous restaurants, its own local Hanwoo beef, some famous bakeries, several beautiful temples. I thoroughly loved living in the town and still regard it as my hometown in Korea.

Finally, I do visit this town every year still and I always make sure to visit my first boss. She has always been extremely kind and given me generous gifts whenever I visit. That being said, I was NOT ASKED to make this post. I am doing it genuinely just because it was a great work environment and if you end up searching for it as you may work there, I want you to know that if you are a honest person and you try your best (even if you make mistakes, its ok, I made many) you will be treated well at this academy and have a great year.

That’s all I have to say. Overall, it’s a great place to work.

Subject: Coram Deo Academy (Misa / Hanam, Seoul)

Sep 5, 2024, 4:09PM

I’d like to recommend Coram Deo for the green list based on my positive experiences there. I worked at the academy for a year and would have stayed longer if life hadn’t pulled me in a different direction. Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons:

Pros:

-The academy has a genuine passion for educating students, with a vision and track record to back it up.

-My housing was only a 3-minute walk from the academy.

-The students were kind and respectful, thanks to the culture fostered throughout the program (e.g., Rule 1: Honor each other. Be kind, always!).

-I taught a variety of lessons, mainly using American curriculum books: Language Arts, Book Club, and Oracy (a conversation/speech class).

-There’s a strong focus on the process of language learning, with no rote memorization or translation involved (except for middle school Naeshin, which isn’t taught by native English teachers).

-Management listens to issues and works toward solutions that benefit everyone.

-Coram Deo values the teacher’s side when handling complaints or student issues; they don’t cater to parents’ demands.

-Little to no micromanagement if you know what you’re doing.

Cons:

-Flexibility is needed as the curriculum can change (though this can also be a plus if more time is needed for mastery).

-While technically in Seoul, the location is about an hour away from popular areas like Itaewon.

-The gender ratio was an issue for me—I was one of the few males, which made me feel a bit isolated socially. This may have changed since then.

Final Thoughts: Coram Deo isn’t without its flaws, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. It's a great place for passionate teachers looking to start or grow their careers. Management is thoughtful and dedicated, and the students are among the most polite I've encountered in my five years teaching English in Korea.

Note: "Coram Deo" means "With God" in Latin, but don't worry if you're not religious—there's zero pressure to conform. The most you'll encounter are prayers during company meals or meetings/gatherings, which I personally found heartwarming as a non-Christian.

Subject: American STEM Prep

Mon, Aug 26, 1:03PM

There have been some negative reviews about this place on here in the blacklist, and they are generally fair, but I believe that the school has improved significantly.

I am going to try to be balanced and fair, but this review will generally be positive.

Pros:

The facilities are satisfactory and adequate. The campuses themselves are in nice buildings, and there are adequate supplies for whatever you need.

Someone said in the black list that their STEM curriculum is non-existent and that you have to make it yourself. That’s a fair criticism but a little misleading. I would say that there are curriculum guides and materials in place that you are free to use, but you are also free to make your own materials. In fact, that is indeed what I do. If anything, I see this as a plus for the school - you get supporting materials but are free to manage your class as you see fit. The pay is satisfactory, and indeed, on a per-hour basis, it’s actually higher than anything I’ve gotten at any other school.

There was a complaint that the school is legally a Hagwon. I concede that this is true, but I would also like to point out that this only means that your diploma isn’t recognized in Korea; it will be recognized elsewhere, including the United States, where many students want to go for university.

So far, I do feel supported by the administration. They have professional guidelines in place, but in my experience have been accommodating. People here are very friendly - staff, teachers, and parents.

Cons:

Others have mentioned that the school is slightly disorganized and has to kowtow to demanding parents. They seem like fair criticisms, but I would also like to point out that the school has made significant improvements. For example, there’s a systematic software package used for communication, and great transparency between teachers and parents about what goes on in the classroom to minimize complaints.

Overall: I am happy with this company, and if it is a good fit for you, I would definitely recommend it. This is merely the subjective opinion of one individual though, so definitely do your own research before coming aboard. Still, the school has its plus points and so far I like it.

Subject: Maven Language Center - City Hall

Jul 5, 2024, 12:23PM

Working there for more than one year, I was able to take my time in observing the environment there.

My view of this institution will likely be the most balanced of all reviews online because I am willing to list both pros and cons of working there.

Con: When a lot of new teachers begin training and start working there, they become a bit overwhelmed because of how much there is to learn and do as an English teacher at the institution.

Pro: If you have ever worked even remotely hard in your life, adjusting to the workload will not be a problem. In addition, if you show that you are putting in effort and using your time wisely, mistakes will be forgiven, and you will be given enough time to get everything down.

Con: It can feel like there are unnecessarily strict rules that making you feel babied or monitored at all times.

Pro: If you have experience working in Korea and understand the culture of work there, you should have no problem adjusting. Furthermore, it should make sense that rules are strict at that institution. The students who attend are heavily accomplished and important people in society. They require your attention to detail.

Con: The split shift is not ideal.

Pro: If you want to challenge yourself and become more disciplined to better yourself, the split shift is not going to intimidate you. It will be a struggle at times, but if you set your mind to it, you can do it. Some people actually prefer the split shift because it means that they can rest and recharge in the middle of the day, run errands, and avoid rush hour. If you don't already know, avoiding rush hour in the city is HUGE plus.

Con: You can't expect pay raises.

Pro: If you do a good job while working there, and the managers and boss acknowledge that, you will be rewarded. If you don't do what you are supposed to, you won't. It's as simple as that. That's how Korea works.

Con: There can be periods of high turnover.

Pro: If you have any experience working as an English teacher in Korea, you know that turnover doesn't necessarily indicate how bad or good an institution is. It is often related to what the teacher's goals and desires are. You should be aware of the fact that a lot of the people who left on bad terms really had issues. Period. In addition, although this never got talked about, some teachers found themselves in unfortunate situations, and the boss was surprisingly quite understanding. I want to reiterate that if you are a good employee, they will be willing to work things out with you.

Con: No sick leave.

Pro: If you get to work on time every day and do a good job and communicate well with managers overall, they will be understanding. They are human, too.

Con: Unnecessary meetings.

Pro: Guess what? All companies have them. But to be honest, they really cut down on the meetings. In the past, meetings were held monthly. They weren't even held monthly by the time I left.

Con: You can't use your phone in your office.

Pro: No. You can't use your phone in your office when you are supposed to be working. I had certainly looked at my phone at times when something was urgent or when I needed it to actually do work, and I was never once scolded. But if it is clear you are using your phone unnecessarily when you are supposed to be working and doing your job, of course you're going to get scolded.

All in all, I never really understood why people found it so hard to work at this institution. No job or workplace is perfect, but it's the easiest job I've ever had. And you are much more respected as a teacher when teaching adults than when teaching kids. You genuinely get to make a difference in so many people's lives while working there because as I said above, you help respected people with very important matters. I hope that this more balanced review of the Mavens is useful for anyone thinking of applying. Just give it a shot if you are ready to work. They sponsor E-2 visas, and you can sign one-year contracts. A year flies by. Why not?

You know the saying, "Life is what you make it," right? I made a choice to work there, and I took responsibility for my actions. Because of that, I learned a lot about myself, Korea, work, helping others, and so much more. If you make the same choice, you can do the same. I have absolutely no regrets. In fact, I encourage you to apply there. The students that you are going to meet are amazing in so many ways, and when you really, really need help, the other teachers, managers, and boss are all going to be there for you.

Subject: Chungdahm Pyeongchon

Mon, Jun 24, 7:54PM

Hi Jon,

I would like to add Chungdahm Pyeongchon branch to the green list. I know this is going to come across as very controversial but hear me out.

Schedule: I often teach for only 27 hours but get paid for 40. Prepping is minimal once you get used to the course content. All content is pre-made which makes it easy to prep if needed. If you do need help the FM or module controllers are always happy to help. Also at the start of the term workshops are done with them so you can come tune your teaching methods and see how other teachers do things in the classroom

Accommodation: everyone is supplied with a brand new officetel or villa that is maximum 10 minutes bus ride from the academy.

Staff: faculty manager is very approachable and helpful. Branch manager is very kind and approachable; he is always happy to talk to you if he's not busy.

Pay and benefits: pay has been increasingly steadily and now starts at 3.2 million for teachers with no experience (excluding housing but key money is provided). We get 11 days holidays and that rises to 15 if you renew contracts. Red days now mean the academy is closed if it is not assessment week or first week of term (this has very recently been introduced)

Bad things- like every job there are downsides. The intensive weeks are a bit of a pain but they only last for a few weeks. Weekend work is mandatory for new teachers but Chungdahm has recently reduced the amount of Saturday classes and may get rid of them entirely in the future.

Chungdahm gets a lot of stick and I understand the reasons why. However, there are some good branches out there.

Subject: Cliff Academy - Siheung

Fri, Jun 21, 3:53PM

This school is a brand new school that has been open for around 2 years now. The owner of the school is a Canadian Gyopo so you will never have to worry about communication issues. The school is small so there is not a ton of pressure with big corporate goals or micromanagement. All the materials are given to you so you do not need to worry about making anything, but you can if you want. You are always paid on time and you have a lot of say in the day to day dealings of the school. The owner will always listen to your requests and helped me out a lot when I had some stuff going on. The kids themselves at the moment are lower level, but overall the environment is open and welcoming as long as you know what you are doing when it comes to teaching. I think this is a great school if you have some experience teaching and don't want to work at a big franchise school.

Subject: MPOLY Mokdong

Wed, May 29, 12:43PM

I have been teaching at MPOLY Mokdong for about 6 months and I can honestly say its been a great experience

I was anxious going into it because of the reputation Poly and MPOLY schools have but I can honestly say this branch has been a really good working environment.

The manager is incredibly helpful an understanding, it’s a comfortable working environment. Foreign teachers (which is what you would likely be) and Korean teachers get on well enough, no real drama or anything like that.

The hours are the only downside but we never take work home or have to come in early, so all things considered I have no complaints on working at this branch. The accommodations provided are lovely, honestly speaking this is a good place to work.

Subject: Vivian & Stanley Gangnam International Scholars

May 28, 2024, 12:17PM

Great place to work; satisfied with it. It's a small, intimate school and the students are generally nice and easy to work with. Administration lets you have virtually complete freedom with how you construct your classes, and there is literally NO micro-management - so long as you are doing your job, the management trusts you and is on your side. The school is in a good location and the compensation is adequate. There is also full transparency about pay and about expectations. Unless I find something that pays even more, I can definitely see myself here for a long time and would recommend it.

Subject: Pinewood English School

Mon, Apr 22, 12:59 AM

I would like to add Pinewood English School to the green list.

I was worried before starting work at Pinewood after seeing it on the black list. But after working there for a year, I can safely say it is such a great place to work.

-Everyone there is friendly and will go out of their way to help you with issues both inside and outside of work.

-They have really good supplies and the art cupboard is always stacked full of any materials you might need.

-Unlike most schools they are not afraid to contact parents if the children are misbehaving.

-Pay is decent and on time.

Overall everyone there is supportive, friendly and hard working. I would recommend working at Pinewood English School.

Subject: BEK Bundang-gu

Mon, Feb 12 at 12:41 PM

I recently saw a blacklist for BEK Bundang-gu and wanted to take a moment to address it and tell you why the school deserves to be green-listed. I've actually wanted to green list my school before but I didn't make an effort because I thought it wasn't necessary as the turnover rate is low here and teachers here are generally hired by word of mouth. When I read the complaint it was nothing but a few short sentences and also nothing but lies from a single disgruntled former employee.

No school is without flaws and our school isn't an exception to this in fact they are pro-active about giving teachers opportunities to have their voices heard and issues they may have addressed with real answers. They even have well-being team made up of teachers to address issues that teachers have regarding student and staff well-being. For transparency I will list the issues that have a lot of consensus at our location.

*teachers want more opportunities for professional development and training. It should be noted we do receive opportunities during the year but teachers want more workshops paced throughout the year and during induction training.

*inflation rate considered when issuing a fixed yearly raise to our salary

Positive things at BEK Bundang are resources.

We do crafts almost DAILY at least 3 to 4 times a week with EYFS. We have a large craft room fully dedicated to crafting materials. It's stocked with every colour and size of construction paper you can think of. We have hundreds of bottles of paints containing acrylics/finger paints/water colours/ of every colour. We have coloured chalks, colured pencils. We have fabric markers, various colours of sequens. We have pom poms, glitters of every colour, there are drawers of crafting miscellaneous like pegs, hundreds of stamps, coloured tissue paper, dozens of coloured felt, styrofoam boards, ribbons, yarns of various colours, and so much more. We have drawers and drawers of coloured sands. Modeling clays/play doh/ shaving foams for sensory play. Endless tools and sponges. We have coloured crafting sticks, pipe cleaners and so much more.

If you can't walk in that room and think of a dozen crafts to connect to your lessons you shouldn't be teaching.

In addition our staff room is loaded with boxes of costumes for role-playing for community helpers. Endless supplies to fill and make sensory bins with. We have shelves and shelves of board games , puzzles and a huge selection of library books. In fact this year each classroom got to choose an additional 15 books (teachers choice) to add to our library in addition to our regular yearly library book orders.

Finally if all that isn't enough you have a MONTHLY classroom budget that is exclusive to anything extra you would like for your lessons and anything purchased with your budget belongs to your class exclusively.

At hagwons I was required to decorate many bulletin boards and given ZERO supplies to do so with. It's so nice to have the resources to let my creative side explode. The school also has paid accounts for twinkl if you need/want additional materials for any project though it is encouraged to to leave crafts as open-ended as possible and to not use cookie-cutter crafts via twinkl

Something else that is very nice is we have hired on our staff a permanent housekeeper who is there everyday during school hours. She stays all day and attends to all cleaning needs routine things as well as unexpected. She cleans bathrooms, windows, sorts all the trash mops floors, cleans the lunchroom. In addition their is a cleaning service who comes DAILY after staff and students (and our housekeeper) leaves for the day.

The cleaning service vaccums and mops. The only real cleaning you need to maintain in the school is your own personal space (like your desk in your classroom) or your locker in the staff room. I've never had to take out the trash or clean a window and it's never been dirty. Occasionally there have been plumbing issues (our building is older). So on occasion there was an odour in our bathrooms that is an enitre building issue. We recently had multiple toilets replaced and plumbing worked on which resolved the occasional odour issue.

We have 6 + weeks of paid vacation and 5 paid sick days. In addition there are many red days throughout the year that don't fall on our desginated vacation days. The two week vacations are actually 17 to 18 days if you count the weekends.

*Two full weeks in the summer.

*Two full weeks in the winter.

*One full week in the spring.

*One full week in the fall.

You have a lot of support with your lesson planning and if you don't want to work with a team you don't have to but it's a chance to collaborate with other year groups and group lesson plan making your workload light and more productive.

You will NEVER take work home. If you were to take work home at this school it is because you have poor time management skills. There is more than enough time to plan and prep lessons.

We have fixed dates for report cards and they are issued 2x a year. We have plenty of time in house provided to complete all deadlines. There are no 11th hour surprise deadlines. All major deadlines for the entire school year are on the school calendar. If something has surprised you then that's on you and your time management. In years past at hagwons I almost always needed to take some portion of report card writing home. I've never needed to do this at BEK.

The school also advocates for the teachers really well. We have opportunities for professional development training throughout the year. Paid courses by the company. We have event budgets in addition to our classroom budgets/craft room. We have a social budget for staff party and events where teachers deciding on the events. There is also a huge yearly Christmas event to end every year with food/games/fabulous prizes/gifts/booze.

I have worked at many hagwons across Korea in 3 provinces over the years and I have zero desire to work at another school in Korea again after working at BEK Bundang. We have extremely comptent management, plenty of time for lesson planning, a plethora of supplies to bring lessons to life. I'm trusted to do my job, I'm not micromanaged. If we want to take our students outside for Literacy to read a book we can. If we want to plan a special field trip. We just need to write it up and tienit to our lesson plan and done. We aren't locked into any single space to teach. If I have a problem or concerns I can go to the "powers that be" knowing they are going to take the time to listen and address my concerns.

I've worked at horrible hagwons before. I've never written a blacklist for them. The schools that I worked for that deserved to be blacklisted were already on the list and most of what I read was accurate and relatable. This time what I read was just so wildly false I knew the time had come to say why this is a great place to work and gently remind teachers who are wise enough to research their school to also check your green listing and don't be afraid to ask to speak with a current teacher (one who has renewed preferably.) Thank you for taking the time to research this school accurately and good luck!

Subject: Ilsan Francis Parker

Thu, Feb 8 at 7:46 PM

Ilsan Francis Parker is a great place to work. It is a collaborative environment and has an awesome support staff and managing group. We constantly share ideas and work together as a team to provide the best experience for our students. We share responsibilities and ensure that everyone is aware of what is expected of them for tasks and events. The staff work closely together to help eachother out, Korean and foreigner alike. Each class has a dedicated co-teacher that you work closely with to develop the best results for each of your students while sharing classroom responsibilities as a team. It is truly an all-hands-in experience that can welcome seasoned teachers, as well as, support newer childhood educators.

Outside of work, apartments are modern, are a great size, and have an awesome location within the town center next to beautiful Lake Park and the shopping and entertainment district. The housing is also directly on the major bus routes and right outside the Line 3 subway station, making Seoul (and other destinations) easily accessible. It is also only a 10 minute bus ride from right outside your apartment or a beautiful 20 minute park-side walk to work ^^ . Ilsan itself has tons to offer anyone who lives here no matter your taste.

I could go on and on, but the gist of it is that teaching is not easy. It is hard work. It is not a sit back, do the minimal amount required, and collect a check kind of job. It is not a job at all. It is a vocation. It is fast paced, always moving, and ever changing. It requires dedication and perseverance. It requires loving what you do and trying to be your best at it.

I know you could ask any one of the teachers working here about how it is to work here and they would probably say something like, "you're pretty busy most of the time, but nothing that isn't manageable, and it's a pretty great place to work". I certainly would. I am coming into my ninth year at this school and I wouldn't want to work anywhere else. All-in-all, I can only say be diligent in your research, talk to people at the schools you are considering applying for, but take everything with a grain of salt.

Subject: Daejeon Worwick Franklin

Wed, Jan 31 at 5:31 PM

Good evening! I've known about this website for a long time, but this is my first post :) I'm currently working at Worwick Franklin in the beautiful and safe city of Daejeon. I had worked here previously for a year about 6 years ago until i went back to the States, and a year ago I came back and started working here again! I realized how fortunate it is to work here because as a foreigner and a native speaker, I know that living in Korea can be difficult and challenging.

Worwick Franklin in Daejeon, where I currently work, is the most successful Worwick Franklin franchise in Korea. I think it's because we have a great team of teachers and a great management team.

The number of classes and preparation time are guaranteed, and they will treat you in the best way you can think of. Compared to other academies, I think the reason why the school information is not exposed much on the Internet is because it is already famous among parents. The school is located in an independent building, not a commercial building.

If they hire a new teacher and you get the chance to work at the school: Daejeon Worwick Franklin, I highly recommend it. The management is doing their best to make you feel proud to be a teacher here!

Subject: Polar Bear English School (Daegu)

Mon, Jan 29 at 5:43 PM

I would like to recommend this great hagwon. It's foreigner run so communication is easy and everyone was helpful. I've worked at 3 other schools in Korea and this was the easiest year of my life. I'm only leaving because my husband lives in another city. The curriculum is set but I had the freedom to do anything I liked in class. NO CLASSES ON FRIDAYS was so great. There are meetings once a month of Fridays but they are relaxed. They offered me a large pay increase to stay. They always paid on time and even paid for my key money on an apartment. Overall, this is the school you want to work at if you are a serious teacher who likes to have a stress-free work place with lots of freedom. The facilities are top notch and it's located in a brand new building. I'm sad to leave such a good position.

Subject: Francis Parker Mapo

Thu, Jan 18, 2024 at 11:58 AM

I would like to add Francis Parker Mapo to the green list. It’s located close Hapjeong and Hongdae stations.

I worked at this hagwon for over a year, having worked at another hagwon and a public school for 2 years. This is a kindergarten with morning kinder classes followed by afternoon elementary classes.

The work environment was very positive. The teachers were allowed to get on with their work quite freely. There were five foreign teachers in the school while I worked there, and everyone was quite friendly and supportive. Being a smaller school meant that teachers got to know each other quite well, and someone was always available to help out if necessary.

The schedule and the workload were very reasonable. I always had at least one free period each morning to prepare for classes or catch up on any other work. In the afternoons too, there were a few free periods each week. Again, this was great if you need to catch up on any work. In general, there was more than enough time to prepare and do some admin work. There were never any moments when work was expected to be done outside of work hours.

The director and assistant director were also really helpful with any issues, either in the school or with apartments, which the school provided. Sometimes they even checked in to make sure that everything was working well with our apartments, and were very prompt to sort things out if there were issues. In the school, anything like needing supplies was very quickly organized. They were also very flexible with needing time to do things like visit a bank, post office, hospital etc. And again, having enough free time meant you could do these errands quite easily. Wages were always paid on time, there were no issues here.

Overall, I’m happy to recommend Francis Parker Mapo to any teachers looking for a good kindergarten.

Subject: I Love Clover English (ILCE) Based in Dunsan-dong in Daejoen.

Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 1:27 PM

This was my first time moving to and working in a different country.

From the moment I arrived in Korea, my management team made me feel very comfortable and welcome in the country. They went out of their way to ensure that I felt comfortable and secure by offering their time to take me everywhere I need to go to ensure a smooth transition into my new surroundings. All of the tasks that could potentially feel daunting to a new arrival in the country were dealt with the schools generous support, including my medicals, immigration appointment, getting a Korean sim card and opening a local bank account. Any issues I had they were more than willing to assist me. They went above and beyond to ensure that I was always okay whether it was personal or work related. I felt like I was part of the family.

When my sister came to visit they allowed me to leave early to ensure that I was able to pick her up at the airport. I had an amazing year with ILCE the teachers and the management are amazing, I am sad to be leaving the school and if circumstances were different I would have gladly stayed. The curriculum was so straight forward to teach and understand once I got used to the systems. I would definitely recommend this school to any foreign teacher. It has been an amazing journey and I feel very lucky to have been a part of such a great team. I hope I get to come back one day. It felt like a home away from home.

The teaching times are a maximum of 5 hours per day, which varies because you don’t always have 5 classes, in your free lessons you are able to organize your class, or you can plan for the next day. Your dinner break is a full one hour, and you are not obligated to eat at school, you are welcome to go eat and come back after your lunch break. The curriculum is provided and you are given all the supporting documents and additional resources that explains clearly what you need to do in class. It was reassuring to know that if I ever felt overwhelmed or didn’t know how to do something, the guidance was always provided. They are always willing to help and teach you or show you how it is done to bring out the best in their teachers, which ultimately impacts the progress their learner’s make.

Subject: GLITT Yeongtong branch

Fri, Nov 10, 2023 at 8:39 AM

Hello, I’d like to add GLITT Yeongtong branch onto your green list. I have worked there since March 2022 and recently just signed for a third year. The working environment is very positive, since working there I’ve never known anybody to ever be paid late. I received my flight allowance as stated in my first contract once my contract was completed. I’m very happy with my housing and it looks exactly as it did on the images they sent before I moved here. I also work with a great group of ethnically diverse teachers. Another bonus is we have on site school cooks so food is provided everyday for free which is great and money saving. I obviously cannot speak on teachers before my time at the school but I have really enjoyed and still enjoy working at this branch.

Subject: JM English in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

Thu, Nov 9, 2023 at 1:53 PM

I want to share my experience at JM English in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

I worked at JM for 2 and a half years and I absolutely loved my time there! The school isn't too big so I really got to know my students and all of my co-workers well.

First off, the interview. The head teacher conducted my interview and I was able to learn about the teaching style at JM. She was very honest and upfront about what was expected of each of the native teachers and how the Korean co-teachers would be assisting both in and out of class. The native teachers don't deal with the parents at all but my co-teachers always let me know anything about the kids that would be helpful in learning how to teach them.

I taught students from 5 years old (Korean age, so basically preschool) to 4th grade, some of them being the lowest levels and some being the highest. The different levels sometimes learn different subjects but I was always given the textbooks weeks ahead of time so that I could review them and ask any questions I had.

Every month I was given a monthly plan for each class I taught that outlined what books, what units and what topics would be covered that month. From that, it was really easy to make my lesson plans for each week and share them with my co-teacher. There was a lot of freedom to decide exactly how I wanted teach some topics to make it better fit my class. I never really had to stay late or work overtime because it was super easy to write all of my lesson plans and prep my materials for class, even the high level ones.

In addition to the monthly plans, JM has monthly workshops for the teachers so everyone can get an overview of the lesson plans, share ideas and ask questions all together. I was never stressed about not knowing what would happen in class.

My co-teachers were all really helpful if I wasn't sure how to plan something or introduce a new lesson. They communicated with me really well and would always tell me if any of the parents had concerns about their child so we could address it together. Every single person I worked with was respectful and understanding.

Moving across the world can be really difficult for some people but my co-workers were the best. The native teachers all get their own apartments but live in the same building, so I was able to grow close to each of them. I made several life-long friendships with them.

As for JM's leadership, the xxxxx is from the US so she understands exactly what the native teachers need to succeed at work. She was also super easy to go to if I had any issues or if I was confused about anything.

I worked at JM during COVID and the school's owner was very proactive in making sure all of the teachers were able to get their vaccines, that we all understood what was happening around the city, and that everyone was safe while at work.

I never had any problems with my monthly salary being late or any of my monthly bills for my apartment being incorrect. Before I left Korea, my boss sat down with me and explained exactly how much I was receiving in severance so there wasn't any confusion. Everything was processed quickly and painlessly.

As long as you understand your job and you are willing to complete your tasks, work is easy and fun.

JM really was an amazing school for me. I loved my time there and I was so sad to leave when I decided to move back to the US. If I went back to Korea again, I would definitely look for an opening there!

Subject: Jin English Language Institute in Seongdong-gu

Wed, Nov 8, 2023 at 2:48 PM

Hello, I would like to add JM Hagwon in Songpa-gu (close to Seokchon Gobon station to the green list).

I have worked at JM for many years and have found it to grow in all the areas it has needed to grow.

The foreign teachers are supported by the head teachers in both the Korean and Native forms.

The xxxxxx while xx may seem cold, will do anything for her teachers. I have experienced this first hand, when I became very ill and she took care of making sure I was getting the care I needed.

The working conditions are very normal for the area of Seoul the average teaching hours are 26-30 (30 being rare but it is stipulated in the contract and I have had times where I taught that much). There is more than enough prep time to get everything done, if the time is used wisely.

Pay is good and ALWAYS on time to the point, there was an accountant error and owner paid everyone out of her own account the same day.

Benefits: They offer a lot of benefits to stay with the company including extra vacation days after being with the company, paid sick days (that are paid out if not used), and work with you to get what levels and classes you want.

Curriculm: It is already made and has been tested over at least the past ten years that I know of, they are always enhancing the curriculum but they have staff the handle making it.

Housing: They offer housing allowance or a next officetel in the area of the school which was built within the past five years and is within walking distance of the school. In that area, many schools do not offer housing that close.

Overall: JM is a great place to work and honestly learn how to be a teacher. Many teachers come to JM as their first job and go to other schools without any problems adjusting because the school teaches you how to teach.

Subject: Jin English Language Institute in Seongdong-gu

Mon, Nov 6, 2023 at 11:57 PM

Hello, Jon!

I would like to submit Jin English Language Institute in Seongdong-gu to your Green List.

First, I've had the pleasure of working with friendly supervisors and colleagues. All my fellow teachers, the teaching assistants, and the administrators did not seem to care much for strict hierarchy, which I found quite rare in Korea. This made it refreshingly easy to approach anyone and get advice/help for pretty much anything, work-related or otherwise.

Second, more on the help thing, I had weekly training sessions for one month to facilitate getting accustomed to the Korean hagwon system. Although I already had experience working in Korean hagwons prior to working here, I probably learned more during this time, haha. The training teacher was also very thoughtful and I always felt like they truly respected me as a teacher despite my significantly fewer years of experience. They constantly asked for my opinions then thought of ways to integrate my preferences into lesson plans amongst other things, which worked out well for me!

Some other things I've noticed that I enjoy about Jin English:

*The supervisors get the teachers snacks to make sure we're eating despite busy schedules

*The work structure isn't too rigid so instructors have sufficient freedom to teach in their individual styles

*All necessary class material are already prepared or the hagwon provides them per request, but teachers are free to prep them on their own too

Though the workload was pretty overwhelming at first, the trainings helped me develop a know-how to managing it and my coworkers were quick to offer help even without myself asking. Overall, working here is quite comfortable and I hope only for the best for the hagwon and its staff!

Subject: JM English (Songpa, Seoul)

Mon, Nov 6, 2023 at 9:05 PM

I would like to add Jin English Language Institute in Seongdong-gu to your Green list!

I came to Korea to get rooted, and I was very nervous and anxious about the whole move. On top of that, this job was my first full-time position, and I just did not know what to expect. As every new job comes with some adjustment periods, my directors understood and waited for me through my journey. They listened to my concerns and asked for feedback. I appreciated how they created a safe and welcoming space where I could talk about literally anything (be open to initiate!). Whenever I needed extra time to prep or rest, they always listened and adjusted the schedule for me and the teachers. BONUS! They provided dinner (sometimes lunch, coffee, desserts…), which was very sweet of them. The workload felt overwhelming at first because this was my first job. Once I figured out my routine, it became easier and helped me learn time management. I did not have to work extra hours. FYI: I taught 4-5 classes per day (with 2-3 hours of prep time every day). Also, they did not micromanage and were always open to hearing and communicating with the teachers. Overall, I loved how flexible they were! I truly thank them for making my time in Korea positive and sweet.

I highly recommend Jin English if you want to grow as a person/teacher and experience Korea in the heart of Seoul :)

Subject: JM English (Songpa, Seoul)

Nov 6, 2023 at 8:04 AM

I want to share my experience at JM English in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

I worked at JM for 2 and a half years and I absolutely loved my time there! The school isn't too big so I really got to know my students and all of my co-workers well.

As for JM's leadership, the head teacher is from the US so she understands exactly what the native teachers need to succeed at work. She was also super easy to go to if I had any issues or if I was confused about anything.

As long as you understand your job and you are willing to complete your tasks, work is easy and fun.

Subject: Plato English Academy, Seodaemun-gu Seoul

Oct 28, 2023, 5:20PM

I'd like to add Plato English Academy to the green list. I've lived in Korea for a year and a half now and have worked at 2 English academies so far.

I started at Plato over three months ago. I cannot speak more highly about this place. It is truly an academy for the children. Each teacher cares so much about their students and it shows in how the students love their teachers back.

The work load in the first two weeks can *feel* a little overwhelming if you are coming from a school that did zero prepping (like I did.) But each supervisor, even other teachers, go above and beyond to make sure you're okay and supported. The support from everyone around you is amazing. The curriculum is pretty much set for you, but you have the creative freedom to teach in the style that works best for your students. You come up with your own comprehension questions that go with the reading and have in depth conversations with the students. The supervisors are NEVER hovering over you or breathing down your neck making sure everything is done. They trust you to get your work done and teach in a way that works for you. Any feedback they give you is extremely constructive and helpful.

After the first two weeks you get into the rhythm of how things work and it becomes MUCH easier. You know exactly what is expected of you and there is plenty of time to complete everything (grading and prepping).

I feel completely comfortable to go to any of the supervisors to express my concerns or questions and they are always willing to sit and listen and offer solutions. This is so very rare at academies in Korea and just jobs in general. This aspect alone makes Plato a gem.

At the end of the day, if you want a good academy that actually cares about their teachers and their students, this is the academy for you. No school/job is perfect, but this academy is as close as you will find.

Subject: Altiora Godeok, Seoul

Oct 28, 2023, 3:48PM

I would like to add Altiora Godeok, Seoul to the green list. The management and supervisors were super helpful and kind during my time there and despite previous reports about the school which I was nervous about, I had a great time. Other teachers were kind friendly and helped me learn a lot about teaching and enjoy a great stay there.

Subject: EIE Yongin

Mon, Oct 2 at 10:24 PM

I'd like to submit EIE Yongin. I worked there from March 2022 to March 2023. The directors are a married couple and very friendly and helpful. I was always paid on time and never had any issues regarding anything. The hours were short and the majority of kids were fine. The teaching materials were provided and there wasn't any work outside teaching. I was very close to staying an extra year but needed to visit home.

Subject: Plato school in seodaemun-gu

Thu, Sep 21, 2023 at 12:04 AM

Plato school in Seodaemun-gu

I had worked couples of hagwons in korea and I would proudly say its the best work place i have worked entire my life without hesitation.

Well first school isnt franchise itself like most of other hagwons in Korea. it has established 20 + years it has really well organized curriculum and supporting system. All the staffs are super friendly they believe in positive reinforcement so it really helps you to grow as teacher. They treat teachers really well and it definitely a place make your time in Korea memorable !

Subject: JLS Dongtan

Fri, Sep 8, 2023 at 10:43 PM

I'd like to submit my former academy, JLS Dongtan, to the Greenlist, located in Dongtan 1, which is the central-west part of town. It is legitimately one of the best academies I've ever worked at and besides one coworker there, I have almost nothing but positives to say about it.

First of all, the work schedule is sweet. The working hours are from 1:30pm to about 9pm, but the teaching hours are usually only about 4 hours, given the schedule, which changes every semester. No more than 5 hours a day; sometimes as little as 2 a day. Absolutely no "take-home work" either.

Secondly, the teaching is pretty simple. There's books to use, but mainly, the goal is to get the kids engaged in English and enthusiastic about speaking English. So it's less about "teaching" and more about engaging with the students so that they're having fun with English. As the native teacher, I rarely had to give out tests; the Korean teachers do the tests. My job was to get the kids speaking English and making sure they're enjoying their time there, and I had fun doing this.

Thirdly, the manager is very chill, laid back, and friendly. He is flexible and willing to work with you. He's a Korean who has lived in America and has taught for over ten years. Most of the other teachers are easy-going and laid-back, too.

Fourth, the students are wonderful and most are very friendly and relaxed. I'd say 95-98% of the students are easy to get along with. (Even if the Dongtan parents are a completely different story.)

Fifth, the living accommodations I had were great (east of Yeoul Park) and I was able to choose this place myself after the first place I was in when arriving had issues. It's a ten minute bike ride and about a 30 minute walk from the academy (about 1.5 miles away, which is shorter than it sounds.) I had a bike, so I rode to the academy everyday, myself.

I'm leaving this great academy for four reasons. One, I'm not "fun enough" for the students. While I am easy-going and like to joke around, they really want someone super-energetic and extroverted. Like a dancing, singing entertainer and party performer. Some of the other teachers go all out with the entertainment and showmanship. I'm very introverted and off-hours, pretty quiet. I was hired by them knowing this, but it's what they now most prefer. So I understand why I have to leave.

Secondly, I don't get along with one of the coworkers, the new HT. Me and him have had many disagreements, and I honestly can't stand him. He's the one and only person I dislike there.

Third, due to budget cuts, they had to let go me and others as well, and reduce the academy space by half, turning half our old space into a math academy. This is the main reason I, and others, are being laid off. There won't be a teacher replacing me for at least another six months.

And four, I don't like Dongtan in general. It's not a bad town, but some of the people here really annoy me with their lack of common sense and impoliteness to others in public. It's like people are so distracted by their phones, they're constantly almost walking into traffic or getting hit by cars. Zero observational awareness of their surroundings whatsoever. Like they're blind, deaf, and distracted 24/7. This seems to just be a Dongtan thing, in my experience.

So yes, besides one coworker here, I have nothing but good things to say about JLS Dongtan. Although they prefer a more energetic, lively, bubbly, loud, super-extroverted teacher, I still had a great time here and will be leaving with positive things to say about them. If they hire a new teacher and you get the chance to work at JLS Dongtan in Dongtan-1, I highly recommend it. (Not so much the one in Dongtan-4; the international JLS is terrible.)

Thank you.

Subject: PEAI

Wed, Sep 6, 2023 at 5:34 PM

Review of PEAI: An Exceptional Teaching Experience

I've been fortunate to be part of the PEAI (Practical English Application Institute) for over 8 years, and it's been an incredibly rewarding journey. I believe it's crucial to offer a comprehensive view of this academy, taking into account various aspects that make it stand out. Hopefully this will, at the very least, give some people another person's opinion of this academy.

Teaching Freedom and Outstanding Students:

One of the hallmarks of PEAI is the remarkable freedom teachers have to design and deliver lessons in their unique styles. The trust placed in us to provide quality education is truly remarkable. Additionally, our students, who are near-native speakers, bring an unparalleled level of enthusiasm and communication skills, making teaching a genuine joy.

Stability and Growth:

Since its establishment in 2005, PEAI has been a steadfast presence in the education community. Even during challenging times, such as the global pandemic, which led to some turnover (an issue faced by many organizations), our academy has demonstrated remarkable resilience. We've nearly tripled our teaching staff over the last decade, showcasing our dedication to providing top-notch education.

Supportive Management and Staff:

Our management team is exceptionally supportive, and I can personally attest to the excellence of my boss. There's absolutely zero micromanagement at PEAI, allowing teachers to thrive independently. The desk staff, with their years of experience, offer invaluable support, and their commitment to our success is palpable.

Professional Development and Ongoing Improvement:

PEAI conducts (almost) monthly staff meetings(sometimes less than monthly), which are not just routine affairs but are filled with enriching professional development opportunities. These meetings are instrumental in enhancing the overall quality and abilities of our teachers.

Compensation and Benefits:

PEAI offers highly competitive pay, with regular raises provided. All essential benefits, such as pensions and vacation time, are provided as well. The academy's commitment to ensuring teachers are well-compensated is commendable. Additionally, the academy regularly shows its appreciation with thoughtful gifts and gestures throughout the year, including free meals, gift cards, etc. (I got a cool pasta set once!)

Work-Life Balance and Professional Growth:

One of the most delightful surprises about PEAI is that maintaining a work-life balance is entirely feasible. Many of my colleagues, including myself, have pursued graduate degrees while working here, a testament to the academy's flexibility and support.

Shielded from Parental Issues:

PEAI's management and staff do an exceptional job of protecting teachers from the challenges posed by difficult parents. This allows us to focus on our primary mission—providing quality education to our students.

Clear Expectations and No Surprise Classes:

At PEAI, you only teach the hours agreed upon in your contract. There are no unexpected or surprise classes. This transparency ensures that teachers can effectively plan their work and personal lives.

In conclusion, PEAI is more than just a workplace; it's a dynamic and thriving community where dedication and commitment are recognized and rewarded. It's an excellent choice for those looking for a fulfilling teaching career. Do your research, consider your priorities, and make an informed decision. Here's to many more successful years at PEAI!

Subject: Astra Academy (Ulsan, South Korea)

Tue, Jul 18 at 2:08 PM

Hello,

Can you please add my school to the Hagwon Green List.

Astra Academy (Ulsan, South Korea)

- I have worked at this school for nearly 8 months. The director is so kind and there is no micromanaging from the school. The students are respectful and the workload is easy. My schedule has plenty of time for prep and the school has a curriculum so teaching is very easy. I highly recommend this school.

Subject: DYB Cheonan

Fri, Jul 14 at 4:16 PM

It's a newer school and part of the DYB-beyond Seoul franchise push. I've worked at a lot of schools in the past and there is nothing here that is far out of the ordinary. Hours are fair, there is no take home work. The location is nice and apartments are close. The management is reasonable and work hard to create a good atmosphere for staff and students. The DYB curriculum is good. Pay is slightly above average, which is nice since Cheonan is cheaper than Seoul. No eating with students, no cleaning, real beaks, etc. Just normal 21st century working conditions. The blacklist post from when the school was a few months old deserved to be balanced out. There are far worse places to work.

Subject: Saint Paul American Scholars Yongin (Gwanggyo)

Thu, Jul 6 at 6:02 PM

I would like to add Saint Paul American Scholars Yongin (Gwanggyo) to the Green List! This school is a great school, and one where there is always a mindset for improvement and education. The community of teachers is friendly, and the school's administration really know education and how to make is a part of the fabric of the school. You will be SUPPORTED by the administration, and there is someone assigned to every job for that support. Though it may make a less-experienced teacher feel overwhelmed to have so many supervisors, it is actually incredibly helpful to have someone who has a specific role in the administration to help with any needs we have.

The workload can be intimidating to teachers who are not self-motivated, or if they are not used to planning for themselves and reading standards, but for a certified teacher it is great to put into practice what we took time in college to learn. I was TRAINED to make unit plans, make lesson plans, and connect activities as a professional teacher, but I understand that non-certified teachers are not. SPAS provides book, online resources, budgets, and materials with templates, training, and prep time for me to feel professional and use my real skills. Other schools in Korea dictate the pages and lesson plans to you on specific days and at specific times, and I think that kind of teaching is okay for some who do not have professional training, but I want to be a REAL teacher and engage with my lessons and be a part of the education I am responsible for. I take pride in that effort and MANY of us do in the school. Again, I get it that it's not for everyone. I keep my own classroom clean as a measure of PRIDE for my WORKSPACE. By the way, we're encouraged to leave on time and arrive at work on time. No one is pressuring us to stay late.

Actually, the majority of the staff love the school. I love the school. When I read the comments on the Black List, my fellow teachers immediately knew the people who wrote them. All we can say is that they were not a good fit for this school as it grows, and we don't think it's right to write a bad review because they didn't fit the new standards or feel upset that they were not asked back, and that's why I wanted to write this review.

We have seen a lot of improvements at this school and the returning staff are very excited about how much better the next school year will be. If you're reading negative reviews about this school, you should know they were written by teachers who were not a good fit here. But, for ALL of us who are still here for anywhere between 2-7 YEARS, we know what a great school this actually is and we want it to be known on this website too.

Subject: IYA SKOOlA, Wirye, Songpa (seoul)

Sun, Jun 25 at 2:29 PM

IYA SKOOlA, Wirye, Songpa (seoul)

Iya Skoola Hagwon is not only an exceptional institution for students but also an outstanding place to work. As an employee at Iya Skoola Hagwon, I have experienced firsthand the supportive and stimulating work environment that makes it a truly remarkable workplace.

Iya Skoola Hagwon places a strong emphasis on fostering a collaborative and inclusive work culture. The entire team, from the management to the support staff, is friendly, approachable, and supportive. There is a sense of camaraderie and teamwork that permeates throughout the organization. Colleagues readily share ideas, resources, and best practices, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and motivated. The collaborative atmosphere at Iya Skoola Hagwon fosters personal growth, encourages creativity, and ultimately enhances the overall work experience.

The leadership at Iya Skoola Hagwon is exceptional, displaying a genuine care for both the students and the employees. They provide regular feedback, guidance, and support, ensuring that teachers have the necessary tools and resources to excel in their roles. The management team is receptive to new ideas and encourages innovation, fostering an environment where educators can bring their creativity to the classroom. This level of support and encouragement from the leadership team instills a sense of pride and satisfaction in the work being done.

Furthermore, Iya Skoola Hagwon offers a competitive compensation package and attractive benefits for its employees. They recognize and appreciate the dedication and hard work put in by the staff, providing fair remuneration and incentives. The hagwon also promotes a healthy work-life balance, recognizing the importance of employee well-being. The work schedule is structured in a way that allows for ample personal time and allows employees to recharge and maintain a fulfilling life outside of work.

The hagwon's commitment to excellence in education and its focus on holistic student development also translates into a fulfilling work experience. Working at Iya Skoola Hagwon means being part of an institution that prioritizes student success, academic rigor, and character development. This shared mission creates a sense of purpose and fulfillment among the staff, knowing that they are making a positive impact on the lives of the students they teach.

In conclusion, Iya Skoola Hagwon is an exceptional place to work, offering a supportive work environment, professional growth opportunities, and a strong sense of purpose. The collaborative culture, dedicated leadership, competitive compensation, and commitment to employee well-being make it an ideal workplace for educators. If you are looking for a fulfilling and rewarding teaching experience, Iya Skoola Hagwon is the place to be.

Subject: POLY Hanam Misa

Wed, Jun 14 at 4:06 AM

I would like to add POLY Hanam Misa to the Greenlist. I was one of its inaugural teachers (the school opened in 2021) so I experienced all of the ups and downs of trying to figure everything out, but I all in all had a good experience there. I was honestly terrified to try out a POLY due to the horror stories I'd heard from far too many people, but this one was very good during my tenure.

I'll try to keep it brief and break it down into three distinct sections: housing, workplace, company culture.

HOUSING: I was put up in a really nice, newish officetel maybe 7 minutes walking from the campus... like, I could walk to the corner and see the building from there. It was centrally located with lots of restaurants and bars and shops nearby, with a gorgeous park that I would take walks in from time to time... the train station was less than 15 minutes away on foot and there were ample bus stops to take you where you needed to go. I could not complain at all about where I lived. I was only one of I think two or maybe three teachers who lived in that building though; the majority of the teachers (there were about 15 of us) lived in an apartment building in nearby Gangil-dong and could easily walk to work though some elected to take taxis if they were running late.

WORKPLACE: This school is on the top floor of a commercial building that is constantly developing. When I first got there, there were maybe two businesses on the bottom floor but over the year I was there, a GS25, a kids' cafe, and some kind of specialty doctor's office (just to name a few) had cropped up. The area is also constantly developing and has plenty of places to eat or run to get things on your break. There's a Daiso in the adjacent building that I would go to to get treats for my kids on holidays.

The school itself is very modern and pretty. They have a large library with huge floor-to-ceiling windows and tons of books for all age levels. The classrooms are outfitted with touchscreen monitors and have whiteboards on three of the four walls. The teacher's room is pretty nice; the desks are big but the quarters can be cramped if all of the teachers are in there at once.

COMPANY CULTURE: I don't know if it was because we were opening the school or if this is standard, but prior to the first day of classes, the teachers were taken to Songpa-gu (where POLY is headquartered) for a training session. It was paid and spanned an entire day with free lunch and snacks. I felt like it gave me some good exposure to the curriculum and the teaching style they wanted us to use in the classroom.

When I first started, management was a little shaky... things that were promised in interviews never materialized in reality and we teachers were kind of sketched out. We were pulling extra hours after classes ended to try to prep for the next day. Then management changed hands and things started to settle out. Like any hagwon, there were annoying things (like weekly meetings that could have been a message blast on Kakaotalk) but none of the horror shows I've heard from others before I went to POLY.

The curriculum is very clear but if you had any questions or concerns, management was always happy to help. There honestly wasn't a great deal of prep time unless you were lucky enough to get free periods in the afternoons, but it was manageable. The Korean staff, for the most part, was very helpful. There is CCTV in every room that isn't a bathroom but there was no camera-stalking or management bursting into your room. Compared to the hagwon I worked at prior to this one, this POLY was a breeze... I never had any work-related breakdowns or wept openly at my desk from stress here.

Compared to other POLYs, this one had pretty nice work hours... I think it was 9-6 some days and 9-6:45 other days, meaning you had a good amount of free time after work. After initially staying late at work in the beginning, I would leave on time almost every night and even hop on the bus and go into Seoul every now and then.

I was always paid on time, and the salary was quite good.

In short, my experience working at POLY was pretty positive; the only reason I left was because I was homesick. I think I would have renewed again if that wasn't the case. Don't discount POLY in your job search just because you've heard some not-so-great things about the company.

TLDR - Pros: nice accommodations, thorough paid training, nice location, good on-time pay, helpful management, manageable work hours. Cons: the usual, some bureaucratic BS from time to time.

Subject: Altiora (Tongyeong Campus)

Mon, May 22 at 3:06 PM

Working at Altiora as an English Teacher has been an incredibly positive and rewarding experience. The staff treat me like family, always making me feel welcome and comfortable. The manager goes above and beyond to help all foreign teachers become accustomed to Korean language and culture. They provide support with translations, cultural advice, and help us navigate the various nuances of the language. All of this really helps to make us feel at home in Korea.

Aside from the wonderful support, I have also been impressed by the quality of teaching materials provided. The lesson plans are well thought out, comprehensive and easy to follow. The students are motivated and engaged, making teaching a really enjoyable experience.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to work at Altiora and to be part of such an amazing team. The atmosphere is friendly and supportive, and I am proud to be part of such a wonderful organization. Altiora has truly been a great experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a rewarding job as an English teacher.

Subject: Daechi DUX branch

Thu, May 18 at 3:49 PM

As someone who has worked at the Daechi DUX branch, while I have my gripes (like any job), it’s not all bad like these reviews say. To start, my contract hours were set as 2-9:15 M-F. My MF schedules start at 2:20, and end on time. My T/TH classes however, don’t start until 3:50. So if I come in at 2, I have almost 2 hours on Tuesday and Thursday for planning. That doesn’t include the hour and a half break between my two Wednesday classes. I’m also teaching an extra class. If I didn’t have an extra class, my teaching hours would be roughly 3-9:15.

The reading and writing classes are easy to teach, and the kids are pretty easy to manage even when there’s 10 in one class. I personally have a huge family, so I’ve been around lots of kids my whole life. Behavior management isn’t super difficult. As for the literature classes, all you have to do is teach them three themes from the book, analyze the characters, and then have them debate about the book. That’s three separate classes. Once you’re familiar with the books and how to split them across each term, the actual teaching part of the job isn’t that stressful.

As for the bad stuff, we do have to make our own tests from scratch, but all the teachers now have a google drive with a copy of lesson plans for the novels as well as every teacher’s term tests for the last 3-4 terms. Each teacher has 6-8 classes and there’s like 5-7 of us. You can do the math there. A lot of our classes will often share schedules or we’ll teach the same novel, so whoever makes test questions for a novel first will upload them, and we’ll just copy them onto our tests. The kids never read the same novel twice, so it’s not an issue. Also, you know the exact test dates and your teaching schedule 1-2 weeks before the next term even begins, so you can plan out how you want your test to look/what you’ll cover. For example, if your goal is to finish a textbook in one term, then you know by the time term test hits, you just need to be halfway done with book. Which means you can just start picking out questions and exercises to put on the test from the beginning of the term.

The most annoying part of the job is definitely essay grading, but I have almost 6 or 7 hours of planning time in a week that I use to knock those out. Sometimes I’ll crank em out early in the week, other times I’ll just do them all on Thursday and Friday. Also, as long as you are familiar enough with the books to teach the key points and themes, you don’t have to read all those novels. Online summaries do more than enough justice for 95% of novels out there. Also, anyone who went to school in the US is probably familiar with books/movies like Shiloh, Matilda, Charlotte’s Web, etc. Also, whoever said it takes 20 minutes to grade a 5 paragraph essay, that’s definitely exaggeration. That essentially means they’re reading roughly 20 words a minute. Grading essays takes time to get your personal rhythm as a teacher, but 20 minutes is is a gross overestimation. My strategy is to focus on one or two mistakes that they consistently make in the essay and just give detailed feedback on how to stop doing everything wrong.

That being said, I don’t have an official lunch break or anything, but I eat breakfast/lunch around 12, bring a snack/light meal for one of my 15 minute breaks, and then just eat a full meal later when I’m home. I almost never set an alarm to wake up, even if I’m awake until 3am. Because even if I fall asleep at 3am, I can get a full 8 hours, wake up at 11am, and still not have to be at my first class until 1:50ish. If I was working a full 8-10 hour day with no official 30min/1hr breaks then I’d be more upset, but for 6-7 hours it’s not that serious. Personally, every job I’ve ever been at has broken a labor law here and there, even back home. Some stuff is worth putting up a fight for, others not so much in the sea of crappy jobs out there, you have to learn what’s worth fighting and what you can take in return for the rest of the benefits. The kids are well behaved, and even when they aren’t, I know how to manage a classroom so I don’t have many problems.

In conclusion, DUX is definitely far from perfect, but the stuff to complain about isn’t terrible if you manage your time well. The only time I’ve taken work home is when I didn’t plan for term tests and was cramming it all into a couple weeks instead of slowly working on it over the term. Had I started early, I wouldn’t have had to take work home. Hopefully my review sheds a different light on DUX, specifically the Daechi branch, and people can decide for themselves if the good outweighs the bad, or if it’s something they’d be okay accepting.

Subject: St. Paul American Scholars Dongtan

Thu, May 18 at 3:40 PM

I have been working at St. Paul American Scholars Dongtan for a year now, and I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience here. The team is absolutely fantastic and incredibly helpful. The Korean staff members are not only nice and friendly but also provide lots of assistance when it comes to teaching. The foreign staff members are equally delightful, creating a truly pleasant atmosphere throughout the school.

Initially, I had some concerns when I saw a negative review on a website before arriving. However, I am pleased to share that I have not encountered any problems since joining this institution. Like many Korean hagwons, there is room for improvement in communication, but overall, I am extremely satisfied with St. Paul American Scholars Dongtan.

Subject: Dux School of English Reading Club, Daichi branch

Wed, May 17 at 11:43 AM

I would like to add the Korean Hagwon I work at to the green list. I work for the Daichi branch of Dux School of English Reading Club, and have been there for over two years. I am adding this to the green list because, when I first decided to come to Korea, the green list and black list helped me when deciding to go along with a contract, and I would like to help others as well. My experience here has been absolutely positive. The Korean staff is very kind, and helpful, and immediately addresses any concerns that can arise, especially for those new to ESL teaching. All interactions between myself and the staff have been very positive, and this branch has given me no reason to not renew my contract.

Subject: I.L.C.E.

Sat, Apr 29 at 3:47 PM

My experience working at I.L.C.E. for the last two years was generally positive. I know it’s more common to see only negative reviews for hagwons, but I didn’t encounter any big issues to complain about. I taught in Seoul back in 2019 so I have something to compare this place to and the two academies ended up being nearly opposites. This academy has a syllabus called a 'scope and sequence' planned out for each book with activities and homework all blocked out so you really can't get too lost when it comes to planning the content of the classes. Contrasting to my first academy, and what I've heard from my co-workers is quite common, I was given a few pages of a book to do each day and around half of the class was up to me entirely. At my first academy, I would stress a lot when making PowerPoints and the sort before every class to make sure they had some educational value but at I.L.C.E. most of the planning and material is already taken care of. The director has really taken to heart a lot of the more modern TEFL/CELTA principles about reducing teacher talk time, so it suits someone like me who doesn't talk that much anyway. Some days I missed the creative expression that comes with making my own lessons but most of the time it's less stressful overall and probably just better for the kids content-wise. After building some trust with the director he was open when I came to him with a suggestion for how an activity could be tweaked or how the scope and sequence could be adjusted.

The academy has about 5 native English teachers, and about 5 Korean teachers that speak great English and have no problem discussing classes and fluent level matters with you. Overall, there are many weeks that go by without any issues at all, so I'd say compared to other places it's relatively drama-free.

For new teachers they generally gave a week to 2 weeks of observing and easing someone into the role while another teacher assists (I got 2 weeks to observe). I found parsing through the pre-made scope and sequence of the various books a bit overwhelming at first, but I got it down with the help of the teacher I was observing and just asking the other native teachers if the director wasn’t available. We all helped each other out during our shared planning time of an hour and a half and it led to a good working environment.

My number 1 advice for teachers looking to start here is always remember to be polite to the management and they'll treat you well. Other teachers in the past have had issues with them for one reason or another but I've never had any issues that lasted more than a single conversion (as in they didn't hold a grudge against me when I respectfully disagreed with them). Other academies have a sort of distance between the natives and the Korean management because the Koreans can't speak English well enough for you to actually work out issues with them. In the end you might get screwed over due to this lack of common understanding or just downright shadiness. I.L.C.E. wasn’t the kind of place where you had to even remotely worry about not getting paid, getting kicked out of your apartment, or just not having a support network to back you up. Even a teacher that basically got fired for playing games on his phone during class (repeatedly) got to stay until the end of his contract doing busy work so there wouldn't be any drama. The management really cares about their image these days and didn’t do anything that would make someone write a blacklist post. As for the teaching, a positive attitude will go a long way. Building rapport with the kids is half the job so they'll feel good about what activities you ask them to take part in. The level of the kids is quite high compared to other places and being able to joke around with them in English makes the days go by quickly.

Subject: RISE Talented

Thu, Mar 23 at 4:28 PM

RISE Talented is a part of RISE Bundang, which has schools in two different buildings. I can't speak for the other part of RISE Bundang because I didn't spend much time there. But my experience with RISE Talented was mostly positive. The management worked really hard during COVID to make the transition to online teaching smooth. At my previous school, teachers needed to work extra hours with no additional pay to prepare extra things for online teaching. At RISE Talented, the management took care of everything, and the staff just kept regular work hours.

There were some issues with high turnover at this branch of RISE (and all of the issues that come along with that), but those are being resolved as most of last year's staff returned.

The staff is one of the best I've worked with. The management is really helpful with everything including immigration, taxes, pension, etc.

I'd recommend it to anyone interested in working in a hogwan.

Subject: SLP Ansan, Lyceum Department

Wed, Feb 22 at 4:29 PM

I want to anonymously post the following green listing please:

I’ve been working at SLP Ansan for over a year now and it is an amazing school to teach at. The teachers I work with are all wonderful (both foreign and Korean). They’ve made me feel welcome since day one and they are always willing to help with everything. And the students are fantastic, here at SLP Ansan we have fun with the students and both teachers and students enjoy their time at the school. They like to talk and interact with the teachers, making teaching even more fun. I mainly teach Middle school students (Lyceum) they are more advanced and they like to interact with the teachers. I also teach Kindergarten after-school programs and elementary students. When teaching the AP kindergarten classes we always have a TA with us when we need help and for Elementary classes, we have a partner teacher we can go to for help if we need any. My experience at SLP has only been positive.

Subject: VIS Academy - Yeouido, Seoul

Tue, Feb 21 at 10:03 AM

Hi, I would like to add VIS to the Green List. I have been working as a teacher in Korea for about 3 years now, and in VIS for about a year and a half.

First of all, this school has a very nice work schedule. I think the hours we are expected to work are very fair. I never feel overworked or like I'm being taken advantage of. (Especially in comparison to my old academy, I was worked like a dog.)

The co teachers are very helpful when taking care of the kids. They are easy to communicate and everyone works together as a team.

The director, head teacher and other teachers are very kind, understanding and helpful. For new teachers coming to Korea for this first time, there is a very helpful and detailed Teacher's Guide that will make it easier for you to get the swing of things at VIS.

The curriculum is also nice because we are able to have control over what we teach in each class! Of course we are assigned books and a deadline, but we are free to split up the workload and incorporate any fun activities we wish to!

We get lots of breaks and time to prep, so I definitely recommend it!

Subject: JM ENGLISH ACADEMY

Fri, Feb 3 at 12:23 AM

I’d like to submit JM for the green list. They have been a great school for me and from my understanding made huge changes. Almost all of the staff are staying for the next school year and there are around 16 native teachers and some are first years and other’s experienced.

The curriculum is given and we have monthly plans as well as weekly curriculum for kindergarten which makes it very simple to make our lesson plans. It takes about 15 mins on a normal week to make. Our elementary classes we teach anywhere from 2-4 classes but depending on how many that might be a homework class where there is no prep and you just help students with homework. We NEVER teach more than 30 hours.

We get to use our sick days, and we have someone to cover our class. We are an academic hagwon, so we do push the kids but it’s great to see their growth. The management is good and they have a good way of communicating with everyone. There is a chain of command and they use it. It’s nice to not have the director just coming into a class to yell as I have heard other schools have that problem. Your level lead would talk to you first then so on if there were still problems.

It’s nice to have a head teacher that’s from the states and makes sure to stay updated with the korean laws. She is always making sure that we are getting the benefits we are supposed to have, even if we were unaware.

It’s a great school, and is always making changes for the better it seems. I highly recommend it.

Subject: Redwood Academy in Suji-Gu

Thu, Feb 2 at 7:47 PM

I would like to submit Redwood Academy in Suji-Gu for this Greenlist.

I have been working at this academy for the last year.

The academy is run by a foreign Director who has lived in Korea for nearly 25 years.

He is a really stand out guy. He is honest, straight forward and goes out of his way to make you feel part of the team at the Hagwon. I have honestly never had a boss like him!

Also pay is always on time and any issues concerning housing etc are solved right away. I have also never had any contractual issues with this school.

The school environment is relaxed and positive and this is reflected in the students who attend this school.

Easily one of the best and easiest jobs I have ever had in Korea.

Subject: Coram Deo English Education - Gangdong Gu, Seoul

Thu, Feb 2 at 10:18 AM

I worked at Coram Deo for 1 year and loved it! The hours are 1-9 pm which I really liked because I was able to do things in the morning that I wouldn’t normally be able to with a 9-5. I also really enjoyed working with my coworkers and students. The directors are American and so kind and helpful. They would plan fun trips and feed us all the time which was so much fun! I was always paid on time and if I ever had any concerns about classes or students the directors were great to offer solutions and advice. The school and apt are located in more of a suburban part of Seoul which I loved because it wasn’t too hustle and bustle but still pretty close to everything. Apartment was beautiful! I 100% recommend Coram Deo if you want to grow as a teacher and work in a great environment :)

Subject: VIS/Little Socie School in Yeouido

Wed, Feb 1, 2023 at 5:24 PM

I have worked for VIS/Little Socie School in Yeouido for over a year now as a Homeroom Teacher. I’m coming to the end of my time with the school and I would love to be given the opportunity to express my positive experiences with them!

The school has been brilliant at helping me develop as a new and inexperienced teacher. They have provided me with adequate training and a ‘helping hand’ whenever I have needed the support. The school embraces all teaching styles, provides excellent teaching materials and has great facilities for the children to learn. If a child is experiencing a difficulty, all teachers – including the Director, reception staff and/or other teachers – have been willing to assist both the teacher and the student. The teachers put a lot of heart into the work that they do here.

The school has also been fantastic at helping me with any personal issues that I’ve experienced outside of work – including health, housing and banking issues. Pay has always been given on time and the school awards its teachers through their ‘Best Teacher of the Month’ award.

I’m sure others have seen, on this website, that a negative review was posted a few years ago. I can hand on heart say that the school is unrecognizable since then. I hope that this review can provide a more recent account of what it has been like working here. It has been an absolute pleasure to work at VIS school, and I would recommend any teacher to consider this school when applying to Korea.

Subject: Iya Skola / Hillside Collegiate, Ulsan Branch

Fri, Jan 13, 2022 at 8:32 PM

Hello, I would like to add Iya Skola / Hillside Collegiate, Ulsan Branch to the Green list. I am currently still working here and its been five months since I joined. It's going really well so far and therefore I wanted to share this so someone else can benefit from my experience. From the beginning, the Directors, colleagues and all the other staff members were all pleasant and really helpful. I am sure that I could not have adjusted well without everyone's help in some way. Even the homeroom teachers and other staff that don't speak English well have helped me in some meaningful way. Furthermore, everything concerning housing, visa issues and duties were explained to me beforehand and I was also asked for my opinion regarding housing.

Also, I have the privilege to work with great Directors from both of these institutions. They are both kind, helpful,hard working and treat me with due respect. They are always around and willing to listen which is great. My immediate colleagues are wonderful teammates. They lead by example, explain when needed, translate and always help me with anything (not work related as well)!

Finally, I hope that this will be helpful because I am certainly happy and content here. My supportive colleagues, positive working environment and caring Directors definitely make a wonderful difference!

Subject: Stephanie's English Montessori in Pohang

Wed, Jan 11 at 10:35 AM

I would like to nominate Stephanie's English Montessori in Pohang for greenlist. Stephanie is amazing and very helpful all the time in every way. Her's is a small hagwon, mostly kindergarten-oriented. While I was there there were only 2 classes, where the largest was 12 students. Only major complaint is that planning and prep time were not accounted for in the work day.

Subject: FTK Bucheon in Sangdong

Mon, Jan 9 at 5:58 PM

I have been working at FTK Bucheon in Sangdong for almost a year now and overall, my experience has been positive. The curriculum is well-planned and includes powerpoints and a teacher's guide, which made it easier for me as a first-time teacher in Korea to get started. The only preparation I had to do was during project week, where I had to come up with a theme for the students' presentations. Class sizes are small, with 10 students or fewer, and I have a Korean co-teacher who helps manage the students. The staff at FTK Bucheon have been friendly and supportive, and if I have any issues with teaching or the curriculum, I can speak to the head teachers or even the director, who is approachable and willing to listen to my concerns. While there have been some minor issues that needed to be resolved in the past six months, they have all been trivial and easily resolved. An example is occasionally there have been issues with playroom scheduling. Overall, I am satisfied with my experience at FTK Bucheon.

Subject: FTK Bucheon

Thu, Dec 29, 2022 at 8:37 PM

Subject: FTK Bucheon

Thu, Dec 29, 2022 at 8:37 PM

I’d like to place this school for green list based on the great experience I had working there.

The xxxxx team helped me so much settling in Korea and were especially helpful navigating the challenges faced by foreign teachers during Covid. They arranged a nice studio for myself and my partner even though my partner was working for a different company.

I have had an incredibly positive experience working at FTK Bucheon.

The students are eager to learn and always bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the classroom, which makes teaching them a joy.

The school itself is well-organized and has a supportive and collaborative work environment. I have never had an issue with my wages or insurance and the staff are all friendly and helpful, so I have felt very welcomed since starting here. Also, the owner always tries to make sure all teachers are happy while they are in Korea. She organises fun outings like teachers camping day/ Christmas dinner/ giving us vouchers for nice meal for special days or if we had our family visiting us.

Overall, I am grateful for the opportunity to work at this school and am happy to recommend it to anyone interested in teaching English to kids in Korea. The experience has been incredibly rewarding, both personally and professionally.

Subject: Cubs School: Yulha Gimhae Gyeongsangnam-do

Mon, Dec 26, 2022 at 10:11 PM

I haven't had any problems while working here. Here are some of the benefits some hagwons tend to not have or overlook:

1) getting paid correctly and on time. If you have any questions about your salary the director will sit down with you and your pay slips and talk about any deductions or questions you might have.

2) You get at least one class period off a day for planning, grading, homework assigning, or just resting if you are done with everything

3) 1 hour lunch, NOT eating with the kids

4) not only does the Director speak English well but so do most of the Korean staff so communicating isn't a problem. They also understand that as foreigners we might need help with things that are NOT work related and they do their best to help.

5) personally I enjoy the housing provided. It's so much better than housing provided by previous academys. Most of us foreign teachers here live about 10-20 minute walk away from the school.

6) no micromanagement. You are NOT constantly being watched through a window.

7) Training is provided, even if you already have teaching experience from other academys. Anywhere from 4-5 days.

Subject: Rise Pyeongchon

Sat, Dec 10, 2022 at 2:14 PM

Hi Jon,

I would like to add Rise Pyeongchon to the green list. Rise Pyeongchon has been a nice place to work at so far.

New management has taken over this year, and positive changes have been made. One of those changes is more breaks now for teachers. Foreign teachers do not teach every class. During these break times you can go outside to a nearby cafe or convenience store for snacks or a drink. You can also do your personal errands at those times such as going to the bank.

The communication in place has been improving with the new management. Everyone who works at the school has been very helpful. They even still have some staff members there who have been at the school since the first year it opened so they know how everything works. Everybody is willing to help each other out with their work and give out lesson ideas if needed. All the staff members have been very friendly so far.

There are newer apartments that have been found for teachers. The apartments while a little small are clean and safe. The apartments are very close to the school (a 10 minute walk) , a big grocery store, and next to some doctors offices where the doctors speak some English. I have had to use multiple sick days and the school was very accommodating. Being so close to a doctors office was very helpful at that time. When I was very sick the management at the school even helped by taking me to the hospital to help me communicate and understand what was going on.

I have really enjoyed my time spent at this school. I have met some really great people and made lots of friends working here.

Subject: Iya Skola Wirye

Wed, Dec 7, 2022 at 8:18 PM

In all honesty, teachers come to South Korea to work for a year with the intention of blacklisting schools based on their own experiences. When there are no issues with the hagwon, it is not always necessary to blacklist. Every hagwon has problems. It is all about figuring out how to continue improving the working environment.

Iya Skola Wirye deserves to be on this Green list, and I'd like to share my experience working there.

This school is fantastic, and it is a privilege to work here. Salaries: We are always paid on time.

Vacation days are assigned according to the school calendar.

Housing: The apartment is only 5 minutes from the school, there is no need for public transportation. The team is friendly and approachable, and you are treated like family.

This is an excellent school with a manageable workload and a positive atmosphere.

Happy job hunting, and we hope this information helps you decide on our school

Subject: Ansan SLP

Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 9:02 PM

I strongly recommend Ansan SLP since I have been working here for many years.

I have no idea why Ansan SLP has a blacklist.

The school provides a nice apartment even with a brand new bidet.

The managers are both Korean and American, British, and South African. They are great, friendly, and very cooperative.

If anyone wants to teach in Korea, I do not hesitate to recommend this school.

Subject: Wizville Seodaemun

Tue, Nov 29, 2022 at 1:22 PM

Hello, I'd like to submit my school Wizville Seodaemun for the green list. The school has gone through changes in management this year and is far more focused on improving working conditions for staff than most Hagwons. The Xxxxxx is very approachable with an open door policy and has been accommodating towards teacher's requests on many occasions. There are two Foreign Head Teachers, for Kindergarten and Elementary and they are always there to help. It is a large school, with the opportunity to teach a lot of different subjects, avoiding the repetitive feeling of teaching the same material over and over. We had field trips and fun days which did not require any extra prep. Pay has always been accurate and on time, with overtime paid when I came in early for the field trip. There are no weekly notes to parents or photos to be taken which caused a lot of stress at my previous school! The foreign and korean teachers get on well and often hang out together. There is a lot to get your head around, but with help from the senior teachers, you can quickly find a system that works for you.

Subject: Pots & Pans in Seocho, Seoul

Wed, Nov 9, 2022 at 9:17 PM

I want to recommend Pots & Pans in Seocho, Seoul to the Greenlist.

The students at this school are some of the nicest students I have met. They are quite respectful to their teachers, and when students exhibit bad behavior, the school tries to address it as much as possible. There is a nice atmosphere too because a lot of the students know each other. They also really like to talk to other teachers in the school.

The management sets the lesson plans and schedules for each class/teacher, so you never have to worry about what to do for each class. It made prep time easy and you could use that time to just relax with the other teachers. Some of the classes can be academic for the kids, but they have a lot of activity classes to make up for it. The kids seem to always have something to look forward to everyday. Also, the managers seemed to trust us to teach the curriculum. I was never formally observed and they never interfered with my class unless I asked for help. I liked setting my own class rules, teaching in my own style, and feeling comfortable in my own classroom.

The location of the school is perfect too. It was easy for me to go to Express Bus Terminal to go on a weekend trip right after work on Fridays. Also, since the school hours are short, it's not difficult to meet other friends after work. I loved getting off at 5:30 everyday too. I was never made to work over time and never felt like I needed to bring work home to finish it.

Lastly, I was always paid on time and didn't have any problems with my insurance or pension.

Subject: FTK West Pangyo

Sun, Oct 30 at 11:24 AM

I would like to add FTK West Pangyo branch to the green list.

I have really enjoyed working here. The work environment is very positive and everyone is always so helpful. I had a lot of difficulties with classroom management my first year teaching but they have helped me every step of the way. The workload is very manageable and I have so much prep-time every day (Around 3 hours). I've asked for new equipment for my classroom and they listened. The only downside is the hours are 9-6:30, but that is typical for kindergartens. They offer many professional opportunities and if you are looking for a positive work environment and support in your first year teaching I would recommend this hagwon.

Subject: Junggye Poly

Thu, Oct 13 at 3:59 PM

Hello, I just finished my year contract at Junggye Poly. I actually stayed an extra month so in total, I worked 13 months there. Overall, it was a wonderful experience.

I had low expectations when I first arrived because of all the horror stories you see online. The director and AC both are fluent in English so communication was easy and the structure was very relaxed compared to what I've heard from other Poly campuses. They were both very thoughtful and tried their best to help me whenever I had an issue. They definitely went out of their way several times to help me schedule appointments or with translation, although I wouldn't assume they would. There are definitely improvements that can be made but the job itself was relativity easy and the classes have a lot of structure already in place, like PowerPoints. The improvements that I hope to see are really things I hope Korea as a whole improves upon, not the school specifically. The biggest complaints I've heard over the year were the long hours, which is true. If I can in the future, I would 100% come back to this campus. If you're on the fence about which school, you should definitely consider why you want to come. If you want to go out all the time, maybe go to another school that has fewer hours and doesn't take the students learning as seriously. If you want to save up money and do some sightseeing on the weekends, Junggye Poly is a great option.

Hope this helps!

Subject: Jackie's English School in Gumi-si, South Korea

Mon, Sep 26 at 9:14 PM

Hi Jon,

I want to submit the academy I've been at for 3 years, Jackie's English School in Gumi-si, South Korea to the green list.

This is my first and only academy and I refuse to work any where else, everyone is that great. Here’s some BIG differences with this academy:

NOT a franchise or branch, but an independently owned academy that has been in business for 15 years and counting.

The founder of the academy is also the head teacher! I don’t have to worry about a disconnected leader, our director teaches the same amount of classes as the other teachers, and takes care of all student interviews, monthly parent comments, lesson and curriculum planning.

ALL teachers are fluent in English, (no, not “kind of”, totally and entirely fluent, we do not use Korean when discussing things, you won’t feel left out).

I get to teach 1st grade - Middle School grade 3 (9th grade). It's a great experience to teach across grade levels because you really get to see the students grow and you’ve gotten the opportunity to build that rapport with them from their early years onward.

The xxxxxxx even helped me through school this year, so I was able to finish my teaching degree online. I'm going back to the states soon, but I want it to be known how great this academy is, so different from other korean academie :-)

Subject: DUX Academies

Tue, Sep 6 at 5:01 AM

I'd like to submit the DUX literature company to the green list. I have taught at two different franchises and had a good experience at both locations.

First of all, there are zero issues with compensation. DUX always pays the correct amount, on time, and with zero hassle. Severance was also paid correctly on my last day of work. You never have to ask them about anything pay related-it's always taken care of.

The apartments were pretty good,as well. Mine were within 15 minutes walking distance of the school. They were clean and properly furnished. If I had any issues, my managers were always quick to sort things out for me.

The teaching schedule is very reasonable. Usually it's 5-6 hours of teaching a day. The curriculum definitely isn't perfect, but overall I did enjoy being able to teach literature stories to the kids (such as Roald Dahl stories).

Managers and support staff were very helpful. They play a delicate balancing game between teachers and high maintenance parents, but I always felt supported and listened to by my DUX managers. There's never the feeling of someone watching over your shoulder.

The only downside to this job is the term test time of the year. It's a 3 week slog of making/marking tests and report cards. And it really sucks. But, once you get through it, the following 10-11 weeks of normal classes feel very manageable.

Overall, I had a really positive experience with DUX. I think it's a great place for both novice and experienced teachers, who want to work for a good Korean education company.

Subject: MilkEnglish

Mon, Sep 5 at 1:57 PM

Milkenglish is a small hagwon in Yongin near Dankook University. It's not a typical hagwon in that classes are more focused on making sure the kids are enjoying themselves rather than finishing books as quickly as possible. The owner and manager has a doctorate in teaching English through music and she prioritises the children's well being and happiness over systematic studying. Coming from a hagwon where crying children would be made to sit back down and continue working, this was like a breath of freash air.

She also teaches right along with you and is always ready to support anybody who needs it. She is always ready to listen to any suggestions and will work with you to find solutions or make improvements.

It is an after school program for kindy up to middle shool ages and the school is full of toys and games that they can play with between classes. The school is still small and growing, but it is a place truly focused on helping children.

Subject: Simson Language Institute (School) in Seoul

Sep 3, 2022, at 2:23 PM

Not too long ago, I completed my contract with this school and although the school year was not always peaches and cream, on the whole this recognition is deserved. Having never taught at this school before nor after school it was a major adjustment especially the in place debate program. The Simsons have been enabling the teaching of English at their schools for over 20 years. It is a large organization as such at whichever school you are placed there is a chance that you maybe impacted by human error. Hopefully, not however if any type of situation occurs there is a system for you to relay your side of the given story to HR in the form of a grievance HR relations form. It is located in the online system. Mr. Xxxxxx is fair and genuinely, expects you to work hard and to do your best. Throughout the classrooms at all locations is engraved, "Work Hard, No Short Cuts." This is expected of both the teachers and students. You, may or may not get along with your home room teachers however, you must do your best to remain amiable and have an authentic drive to see the success of your students. In the classroom, teaching materials are provided and it is up to the teacher to make the lessons interesting and engaging. Simson has great technology in the classrooms. If you should encounter some snags along the way, don’t take it to heart. Always work earnestly and you will have a great year. The school pays on time. Your vacation will be part consecutive days and remainder in the form of leave that when approved can be used as days and hours. The students are absolutely awesome! You will encounter all levels of English speaking abilities from beginners to advanced. In conclusion, no previous teaching experience is sufficient however for your success you must be flexible, there are no American-European styled lunch breaks. When you are not teaching and if your schedule allows, you can run and grab a quick takeaway to have back at school. The student reward coupons are fun and the students enjoy them. If, you are offered a contract with this school, accept it. It’s a well oiled machine and Simsters are great!

Subject: English Learning Bay, Sinwol Campus

Thu, Aug 25 at 12:28 PM

I've worked as an English teacher in Korea for 2 years and I was soo lucky to have spent 1 of those years at English Learning Bay. It's a great school with a manageable workload and great vibe.

The management are 2 really kind Korean women. They're really approachable and try to help us to settle in Korea. For example one time I had an emergency during summer vacation. I called one of the managers and she spent 5 hours on her vacation day sorting things out for me. Another time one of the managers came with me to the hospital to make sure my bill with a reasonable price. They have frequent 1 on 1 meetings and check how you're doing. They also bring snacks to the office and about once a week theres snacks or coffee or something for the staff.

Management also made a language exchange group in our office. Once a week we meet after work and practise korean or English with the other staff. This is totally optional but I've done it and it's been really fun an wholesome.

All the coteachers are kind too so overall there's just a good atmosphere. I asked them to move this school to ireland so I can continue to work there lol.

In terms of workload, it's manageable. Lesson plans monthly and comments but theyre not too long. All the curriculum is already made.

Also the apartment they provide is really nice.

If my best friend were moving to Korea, I'd tell them to work for this school. They're really great people and I've been really lucky to work here.

Subject: Hillside Collegiate Wirye

Wed, Aug 17 at 6:57 PM

This school has been featured on the blacklist, however positive changes has been made since. I think some of the advantages would be that it has nice apartments that are new, the school is located in nice area close to banks, dog parks, bus stops and gyms which is nice for foreigners. Teachers don’t use textbooks so they can adjust their curriculum based on progress and ability of their specific class, the school has buses available and encourages teachers to take learners on fieldtrips to expand learners knowledge so you are not always in the classroom. The school does not use textbooks but they are open to collaboration with the foreign teachers.

Subject: ILS Junior Hagwon/Academy, Bongdam, Hwaseong

Sun, Aug 7 at 8:06 PM

ILS Junior Hagwon/Academy, Bongdam, Hwaseong

I worked at ILS in Bongdam, Hwaseong for three years, from 2019 to 2022. It was a positive experience overall. At the time I started, I was a lightly experienced teacher, having taught mostly adults face-to-face in my home country, but also a range of ages online. The xxxxxx was very accommodating, helping me to leave Korea and return for the purpose of getting a visa, including letting me stay a little longer in the nearby country I went to for that. He paid for the flight too, and arranged accommodation for me to wait in before the start of the contract.

I didn't have much experience teaching children when I first started, but the director was very patient with me as I learned the difference between children and adults in the classroom environment.

To be honest, for some time since I started there I was pretty lazy during break time because the curriculum was great and the co-teacher helped to organize everything. I spent far too much time on my phone, or laptop, doing non-work related things. The director was patient with me about that. But I regretted it and started to work harder. I now just want to use work time to improve my classes and myself as a teacher.

As mentioned, the curriculum is great. I don't like every textbook, but many of them are excellent. They take the students through a course of learning, meaning that lesson preparation was easy, and the content was designed to increase English skills. The textbooks ranged from famous publishers such as Oxford and Cambridge, but also some not as internationally known but just as excellent Korean publishers. My personal favorite is the English Bus series. Because such great materials were supplied, it meant that more thought and time could be put into additional activities, such as games, during the lessons.

Another good thing was that when we had important things to do for our visa requirements, such as going to a medical center (doctor's office) for the required checkup, or an appointment with the immigration office, the director would arrange it and drive us there. You would expect this to be normal for a director to do for their staff, but actually it isn't. So big kudos to him for that. He also helped us to get our COVID tests, vaccinations, and our tax returns. I spoke to other teachers at other schools and they said that it wasn't always the case that staff were as helpful. And now after working elsewhere I have firsthand experience of how other schools can treat their teachers.

The location of the school is very good too in regards to amenities. It is surrounded very closely by a supermarket, banks, cafes and restaurants. It also has very good public transport access to the local major city of Suwon, where there are two big malls within a 30 minute bus ride. Also, there is a big Emart within a 20-30 minute total bus ride, which includes a department store like floor, and a large supermarket on 2 floors. Taxis are relatively cheap in Korea too, so getting a taxi back from the Emart or even Suwon is relatively affordable, especially useful when you're hauling back some shopping. To go to an English-speaking church I took a single bus too, which went all the way from the area to central Suwon in about 45 minutes. There is even a bus that goes directly to and from the airport, not too far from the accommodation I was provided and the school itself, which allows you to put luggage into a compartment under the seating.

The next thing to mention is the students. They were really excellent. I miss them all. I very rarely had behaviour problems, and the school was effective in addressing the more outstanding cases. Of the least poorly behaved among them, I never felt the disruptive children made learning impossible for the class. Some of them were just energetic, but not violent or out of control. I think the director drew a good line between wanting children to come to the school, and setting limits. He took a keen interest in the behavior and performance of the students, and also I think he had good knowledge of how children tend to progress, as students who were falling behind eventually did well with good encouragement and patience. Speaking of which, the school has a points system which rewards students for their good behavior. It was running smoothly such that we didn't need to penalize students anymore. The rewards were very nice too, including a variety of snacks and even Pokémon cards. It is very lucky to have such good students overall, because I have heard of horror stories from teachers at other schools, and now also experienced more impulsive and less disciplined students for myself.

One of the best things about the school is they give 5-10 minute breaks between classes, allow time for a snack, to hang out with students in the common areas and classrooms, to prepare all your things for the next class, to write a student report, etc. etc. 10 minute breaks are rare in Korea, as far as I know, and I currently only get 5 minute breaks between classes at a different school (and previously there was no break time at all!).

My co-workers were all good, too. I had two head teachers and they were both very helpful.

One more plus was that the apartment I was given was a short walking distance (15 minutes) from the school, but also had the option of catching a bus. Right outside my low-rise apartment building was a number of restaurants, and also a 24/7 convenience store with friendly staff. The area might seem a little isolated, but as I mentioned it is actually very well serviced in regards to public transport. The area itself is nice too, with more trees and birdlife than you'll typically find in Seoul. The worst thing is the social isolation, but it seems that is rather common as a foreigner in Korea. It is easier to meet people in Suwon, which is about 30-40 minutes away by bus or taxi.

Before I left, some of the students begged me to stay. They gave me gifts and notes. I felt very bad about leaving. Unfortunately, at that time I had a visa issue and some personal problems which prevented me from staying.

My advice for any teachers interested in joining this school (and really just for any teacher of children) is to try and maintain a cheerful disposition. It isn't always easy, but it does make the children feel more comfortable and it yielded good results in my experience. And also to be patient, because even the students who seem to be learning at a slower pace than the others will surprise you when things begin to 'click' for them. And of course, don't be lazy! It demoralizes everyone to have a lazy co-worker.

Every day I went to work there were so many kids who cheered me up. I just wish I could've been a better teacher for them. I miss everyone there, especially the students, and hope the best for everyone. Bongdam must be a nice place to grow up.

Subject: GLITT (Children’s Musical Company) Dongtan

Mon, Jul 4 at 12:14 PM

I would like to recommend the GLITT (Children’s Musical Company) Dongtan branch for the Greenlist. So far my time at GLITT has been good! The curriculum has been well prepared and there is flexibility if it is needed to better accommodate the students. Class subjects are very fun and there is a good amount of variety to keep the kids interested and excited while also learning English. You have your own private classroom with a computer and plenty of space for organization as well as space for the kids to play. The class size is very manageable, with 12 being the maximum. Foreign Teachers and Korean co-teachers work very well together to make sure the students are well taken care of and that they are receiving the best care and education possible. The schools facilities are very nice and there are a lot of different places to teach and let kids explore and play, including a dance room, an outdoor field, 2 libraries, a theater, a sand box, and plenty of classrooms.

The working hours are from 9-6 with an hour for lunch which is provided by the school, as well as a good amount of prep time for classes. Homeroom teachers teach from 10-2:30 everyday, and after 2:30 the schedule rotates weekly for after school special classes. The staff here is nice and everyone is willing to help wherever needed, with classes at the same level working well together to help manage the subjects.

Subject: Dux Reading Club School of English

Wed, Jun 22 at 12:35 PM

I would like to add Dux Reading Club School of English to the green list. I have been in Korea for nearly 3 years, nearly 1 year at Dux, and this is by far and wide the best Hagwon I have found. Many academies here truly do not care about their foreign teachers or students, and only see dollar signs. This is not the case with Dux, since first speaking to them about a possible job I have felt nothing but valued. If I need any assistance, which is minuscule, I always receive what is needed. I also ran into an issue with my apartment, on a weekend, and my manager quickly responded and helped in this issue as well, as I am still learning Korean and do not have the confidence to handle such issues on my own as of yet. There is also no micromanagement, which is very uncommon in most academies. There has been not 1 time I felt as though anyone was watching over my shoulder, and any feedback I have received was very respectful and helpful. This school also cares about the English development of their students, and does expect the teachers to help foster real growth in all students; as any educational institute should.

Subject: Hillside Collegiate Geoje

Mon, Jun 20 at 2:21 PM

Hillside Collegiate Geoje has been getting a lot of bad commentary on the Blacklist, some of it really unfair in my opinion. No one has separated HCIS from the 43 separately owned Hagwons with similar names. Sure, I get some staff members had bad experiences, and they are quick to complain, but they never get online and praise the school for the great apartment they received or all the additional fees the school pays, or the high quality lunch.

No where has anyone mentioned that they pay decent holidays, and give staff excellent work hours. Nor, it is mentioned that they have changed their direction and model of service significantly over the past 4 months.

If you have 43 differently owned franchises, you are not going to keep all staff happy all the time. I can not comment about other staff experiences at HCIS, only to say they have been very good to me, never lied and have been very flexible, I really enjoy working there and can't wait for the changes that are on the horizon.

Subject: DUX (Nowon branch)

Tue, Jun 21 at 9:29 PM

I would like to review DUX Nowon as a green list Hagwon.

I have worked there for the past two years and am very happy with them.

They have always paid me on time. The staff is always kind and helpful. The kids are high level and very polite and enjoy working. Because the academy is focused on literature, and not just grammar, I have fun teaching some of my favourite books from childhood.

The work hours are reasonable, 2:30-9:30. However, the schedule is a little different each term, so I have never had to work these full hours. The teaching time is usually 5 hours, so the rest of the scheduled hours are used for planning and marking essays. This felt very overwhelming the first term, but become much easier after I got used to it.

It is a great place to work for people who expect it to be a full-time job, but with fair treatment and travel time on weekends and holidays.

Subject: YBM ECC Dongtan 2

Tue, Jun 21 at 3:09 PM

I would like to add YBM ECC Dongtan 2 to the green list. There is also a branch in Namdongtan which I have not been to so I can not comment on however it is owned by the same directors. I almost didn’t take the position here due to some bad comments I had read however I am so glad that I did. I have been very happy here and I plan to stay for much longer. I believe there were issues in the past before I arrived however there is new management now. A lot of the teachers are signing their second year contract and also plan to stay longer. I am writing this because I remember how daunting it was trying to find any decent Hagwon with all the bad remarks out there. I almost gave up coming to Korea altogether but I’m so happy that I didn’t. To give a bit more information about the school for those looking; the management are very friendly and approachable, all of the teachers get along fine, the apartment is fantastic(modern officetel) and the workload is decent (between 6-8 classes a day) with very little preparation to do.

Subject: Hillside Collegiate in Songdo

Sun, Jun 19 at 3:26 PM

I wanted to make a good post about Hillside Collegiate in Songdo. There are lots of negative comments about this location from bitter employees who weren't there for long (it was easy to tell by the voice of the comments who they were and I know the actual reasons they left). But I wanted to leave my comments on this school because I worked there for a long time. I had to leave due to family issues back home, but I would be back in a heartbeat. The following is my response to most of the negative posts:

- You have to teach subjects like grammar, science and math. Sure legally E2s are suppose to teach certain subjects, but let me tell you, Iv'e worked in korea for over 5 years in mulitple different schools and 90% of private hagwons IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY treat E2s this way. Thats how korea is. They dont care about E2s teaching science or math. They turn a blind eye to it until someone raises an issue where they cannot anymore. The country cares more about the education of their citizens and the educational ranking of their country than a little rule of which subjects you can teach. In EVERY. SINGLE. SCHOOL. I've worked for, I taught more than E2s should. Thats life here in Korea, a foriegn country.

- Hillside is an actual international school. I know because I had to particpate in some interviews required to get that title. Since it is a school, you have to actually teach, which includes making the lesson plan, resources, etc. This is very different from other hagwons who hand you a book and say do pgs 10-17 today. Hillside does lots of hands on learning which is super fun for both students & teachers. You wont be bored while you teach. But this requires a lot of prep time. All teachers have roughly 3-4hrs a day to prep. I could finish ALL my work within 1hr.. I went around helping other teachers do their work with my remaining hours. Or, Hillside Songdo has a full body massage chair for teachers. If I finished all my work, I like to take naps there. Theres a thing called time management, and if you cant manage your time well, you will have a bad experience.

- Lunch is 1hr long. Both korean teachers and foreign teachers should serve the kids lunch. I finished the class before lunch a few minutes early. Whilw the kids cleaned up, both me and my korean teacher served lunch. I told the kids Enjoy your lunch, and I went to enjoy my 1hr nap in the massage chair. Again, all about time management.

- E2 teachers are living un different buildings close to school. Why? Hillside doesnt own apartment buildings.. they rent out apartments. Sometimes there isnt an apartment available in certain buildings so they need to go somewhere else. Each building will have different bills. If you don't like it, you can find your own apartment. And if the bill is too high and you don't know why, ask. Hire an inspector because maybe you are doing something wrong... you know, because this is a different country from your own. In my first apartment owned by my then hagwon, apparently my heater was always turned on but I had no idea.. because Korea isn't the same as my home country. Korean Labor laws was also mentioned in the negative post above... umm not even actual Korean Business follow Korean Labor laws..... Its just the Korean/Asian work style, which again you are in a different country, not your home country. You are never FORCED to work overtime. You are NEVER forced to work more than you sho uld. Yes you probably shouldnt leave the building during your breaks (not including lunch) just incase something happens with the kids (for example a fire alarm goes off, then all hands need to be on deck obviously) and they need you. But if you want to go grab a coffee, just tell a member of management verbally or through a message "hey im going out to grab a coffee real quick."

- its normal in Korea for your taxes to be different every month. Its also normal for you to owe taxes suddenly every year because thats the country's government tax system. Not something Hillside just decides.

- No the emails are not monitored. If you ask to speak to a current employee, they will ask teachers and you will be in contact with them. They NEVER ask what you spoke about. They NEVER see the actual emails. They only ask if you got in contact with person. Thats all. How do I know? I've been that contact person. They NEVER ask.

- Yes, tons of teachers left. But this was not the school for them. This is a SCHOOL. Not your typical hagwon. You have to WORK as an ACTUAL teacher. Not just a random foriegner who is here to talk to kids for 4hrs and then go party in Itaewon. If you are looking for an easy job to make money and then party, then this is not the place for you. I suggest you go to a Poly, but thats a whole different shit show. Here you actually work. You earn your money. And in exchange, you have fun lessons everyday.

- lessons: management gives you a broad topic for each subject and then the same grade teachers meet weekly to dicuss what they want to do that week and divide up the work. This is one of the main reasons why i LOVE Hillside. Because I have the freedom to decide how to teach the kids with any lesson I want. We are learning about Long Vowels? Alright lets make a scavenger hunt throughout the whole school where kids have to find the hidden pictures that has a long vowel using a magnifying glass so they can feel like detectives. We are learning about Solids, Liquids, and Gas? Okay, lets make ice cream using ice, salt, and cream! I love art, so I have the freedom to pick different art projects that I think the kids would have fun with. Is it a lot of work to do this? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes.

- Centers: yes you need to make centers. Yes they are a lot of work. But if you do them well, you can reuse them. As mentioned before, its a new school so things like centers arent available. You are not the only teacher in your grade. And even if you weirdly are, you can always ask others for help. But you shouldnt need it if you manage your time well. The teachers in my grade had worked hard and made tons of centers. The new teachers for this grade are lucky because they wont have to make any since the first teachers made them already.

- time management: this is where I see SOO MANY TEACHERS fail at. And almost all of those teachers are the ones who are bitter and angry and hate the school enough to make posts like these. If you time manage well enough, you will be BORED more than half the week. In the beginning when you are learning the ropes... oh gosh you just want to quit right there and then. Hillside is the worst school in the first few days of work because its SO MUCH. But once you get used to it in like 2 months or so... gosh its easy. Within my 6 month mark... I was so bored. I managed my time too well that I was left with nothing to do. I would look at next month's topics and start preparing for those until I was 3months ahead already.... then I would go to other teachers and asked if they needed help because I was so bored. Time management is KEY.

Overall: Hillside Songdo is still a new school. They started in the beginning of COVID and all hell broke loose. But as COVID is dying down, Hillside is starting to get their boat back from sinking under the water. New systems are being made. Management team is increasing. The school itself is increasing. Things are formalizing. The grass is becoming much greener.

YOUR VOICE IS HEARD here in Hillside. Which is NOT typical in Korean hagwons. YOU just have to realize that a business is a business. A school is a school. This is not an easy going -- I am going to be an English speaking robot at work and then go live it up in Gangnam -- school. When you look at vlogs of people teaching in Korea, where they go to work and basically just babysit, they are not talking about Hillside Songdo. Hillside Songdo requires a lot more work than the schools those vlogs talk about. This is a REAL job that requires you to give it your best. And its extremely rewarding when you see your kids enjoying and learning English because of the lessons YOU physically created. But also this is not to say that you dont have a life. I used to do my normal work day, go to a different school near by to study korean, then go home have dinner and relax before sleeping. (I dont like going out during the work week regardless of job and or country) During the weekends I would book a bus to different parts of korea to explore and have adventures. Hillside also offers more vacations than other private hagwons that I know. When I left recently, the vacations were 1 full week in the spring, 1 full week in the summer, and roughly 2 weeks in the winter. Along with all major holidays. They also offer personal days and sick days, which other hagwons dont. (You will get laughed in the face if you ask other hagwons)

If you are actually passionate about teaching and are willing to go the work in creating super fun lessons for your students, you should apply for Hillside Songdo. Just remember that time management is KEY. Have a calendar for yourself and spread your work evenly throughout the week. Right now, I plan to do 2 things everyday with my 3-4hr breaks. If you ask to speak to a teacher, ask for someone who manages their time well and ask for their secrets.

Before I left, I saw a few new teachers who were very passionate about being REAL ACTUAL teachers and I am so glad that Hillside Songdo has people like that. If you are someone like that, please apply. I will try to be back as soon as possible because Hillside Songdo is the type of school where I will STILL be working at as an old grandma.

**Of course this is my view of the school. As someone who has worked in multiple different fields for over 15 years AROUND THE WORLD, I think if you come into this country expecting the same as your home country, you are not realistic. Every country is different, ESPECIALLY asian countries in comparison to western countries. Everyone needs to understand that. Even within Korea, Hillside Songdo is a place where you will experience less grief than in other schools. You can and will be treated as NOTHING when working in a private hagwon (aka any school not run by the government) because you are so easily replaceable. Remember that. But Hillside Songdo will work with you and treat you like a human. Hillside Songdo is the closest to feeling like you are working for a western company that you will EVER get in Korea.**

Subject: GLITT(Childrens Musical company) Yeongtong branch

Wed, May 25 at 5:59 PM

I would like to add our school in Yeongtong, Suwon to your green list. I have had a wonderful time teaching at this kindergarten over the past 5 months. The curriculum is clear and if there is any small issue it is never too much for the Korean teachers/management staff to help you resolve it and it is always resolved quickly and efficiently. We also have an R&D manager which is great when it comes to curriculum. The Korean Co-teachers and the head of age groups are always on hand for help and are a great support to the English teachers. All teachers (native and foreign) are professional and friendly and provide a great atmosphere to work in as well as the school is one building adding to this atmosphere as we are close whilst still having our own space to teach in.

Working hours are 9-6 Monday-Friday you generally teach 6/7 35 minute classes per day with maximum 12 children in each class, you also teach afterschool classes for elementary and preschool. In subjects such as speaking you have freedom to create your own lesson plans which is great as you can add a sense of fun to the day, and you can adapt to the children learning style as well as your teaching style.

The children also have musical teachers in singing, dance and acting. I think having these teachers is lovely for the children and much more progressional than having unqualified teachers teach these subjects, as well as musical teachers the school also has a gym teacher. Lastly, the school also has an on-sight chef who provides free meals to all teaching staff, they are delicious meals too! I have been teaching for 5 years and I always look forward to going to work in this School.

Subject: EDISEN Academy

Tue, May 24 at 12:59 AM

I have been working at EDISEN Academy for over a year and it has been a great experience. They give a certain level of trust to teachers, and they care a lot about the quality of teaching that their students are receiving. There is no micromanaging or threat of CCTVs watching your every move. If there's a problem with parents, the principal will hear out your side instead of immediately simpering to the parents. There are very few meetings a year, and most notices are sent out through Kakao for efficiency.

Some of my coworkers might rightfully complain that the syllabuses keep changing, but they aren't major changes. New teachers are also going to be encouraged to adopt a new method of teaching, so slackers might not do so well. The grand majority of materials are provided, and the desk staff is kind and helpful. All in all, EDISEN is a decent, fair place. There is a sense of safety and security that comes from the principal through the rest of the staff that makes me glad to stay.

Subject: Hanam Wizisland in Hanam

Wed, May 18 at 12:52 AM

I want to submit the following for the green list:

I've worked at Hanam Wizisland in Hanam, Gyeonggido for just over a year. Hanam is a “small” city that is quiet and beautiful with greenery, parks, etc. yet with the conveniences of the city such as restaurants, entertainment (the main of which is the second largest mall in Korea, Starfield Hanam), and proximity to Seoul, especially with good public transportation like buses and a subway. If you don’t want the cons of living in a big city, but want to be able to get there easily, this is a great location. As for the school, I love working here. It's a small "play school" with a lovely boss and about 6 full-time teachers, 2 full-time assistant teachers, around 4 part-time teachers that come in on specific days for subjects such as P.E., art, ballet, etc., and the cook. Everyone is very friendly and cooperates, creating a very supportive work environment in which everyone helps and looks out for each other. Though I am considered a full-time employee and get the same benefits (health insurance, pension, etc.), I only work 9:30-4:30 Monday through Wednesday and Friday. Thursdays are "special days" during which students have parties, holiday celebrations, field trips, or special lessons, thus not requiring English lessons. Classes start at 10:10 and end at 2:50, except for after school programs, which end at 3:50, allowing you plenty of lesson planning time before and after school. They typically hire only 1 NET at a time. NETs can choose to eat alone or with a class and homeroom teacher. The students range from ages 3-7 and are separated into classes of no more than 12 students based on age. They are usually very smart and cute, though a few might have behavioral issues. The English program is robust and of excellent quality with a built-in curriculum, making lesson planning very easy. It is carried out with a computer program run on a large touchscreen TV. Classes are 25 minutes long and it is of note that the NET English program runs mostly independently. All teachers are often tasked with 2 weekly after school programs which are assigned to you. With short classes back-to-back, lessons can feel a bit rushed and require good time management skills, especially if you want to squeeze in extra games or activities. To fit in and contribute to a nicer work environment, I recommend eating lunch with a class (Don’t worry. You are not in charge of the students during this time), playing with kids in the mornings, after lunch, or after school, and making an effort to speak to your coworkers, even if only with a translator app. Overall, it's a dream job, though it does come with a little bit of a lower salary since you work fewer hours than a typical 9-5. If you want to live comfortably, have a nice work-life balance with time to explore Korea, and have a low-stress work environment, it's worth looking for an opening at this school.

Pros:

- short work hours

- great (city) location complete with a big mall and a Costco.

- always paid on time

- enough prep time given

- very supportive boss and coworkers

- you can create extra games and activities if you like or just stick to the regular English program

- an assistant teacher will sit in on the youngest classes to help keep the kids under control and make sure they are understanding the teacher’s instructions, but they don’t interfere with your lesson. You are the teacher.

- provided apartment is in the building next door so getting from your apartment to the school takes about 3 minutes between walking and waiting for the elevator. The location is also ideal because it’s surrounded by restaurants and businesses (like massage, hair salon, karaoke, pc bang, etc.), has a great view of the park just past those businesses, and has an Emart past the park.

Cons:

-overly involved parents. Some parents are very picky and spoil their children. Other parents are awesome.

- 2 after school programs that you will be assigned at random.

- the occasional behavioral-issue student.

- since you are the only NET, it can be difficult to get a personal non-sick day off, unless you can find someone to sub for you.

- a minor issue but the English room is also where extra books are stored and the only room with a large touchscreen TV, so occasionally another teacher may need to enter it to retrieve a book or want to borrow the room during a class period for the TV.

- end of year reports with individualized comments. You only have to do this once a year, but you have to do it for every single student. That means you have to check off the performance report and write a mostly positive comment for around 60 students.

Subject: IN2 English Academy at Dongtan

Wed, Apr 6, 2022 at 1:23 AM

I would like to add IN2 English Academy at Dongtan to the green list! I worked there for a year and really enjoyed it. The job isn’t without stress; especially when it comes to grading and doing report cards. But I feel that is an inevitable part of Hagwons.

The management team listens to your concerns and ideas on improvements (you can’t win every battle, but at least they try).

The curriculum is provided, with kindergarten curriculum being open to teachers ideas if you have extra time, but elementary schedule needs to be followed EXACTLY, so that is something to consider.

Hours are 9:50-6:50 (9 hours a day minus one lunch break) THE LUNCH BREAK IS TO YOURSELF. NOT WITH THE STUDENTS. I cannot stress enough how important this is. With so many hagwons breaking the law making teachers supervise the students during their lunch break, it is nice knowing that IN2 is a good hagwon that won’t work you to death. But you HAVE to be on top of your time management skills. Per week there is about 6~8 hours of prep time (completely depends on which position you’re doing. Ex: homeroom teacher vs. extracurricular teacher). The prep time is mostly used for grading, completing report cards, or if you have a very creative mind, coming up with extra activities for your students (like art for kindergarten or Kahoot for elementary). If you start working on things like report cards early, it’s enough time to finish it all.

My favorite part about working here is that director trusts you as a teacher to teach in your style. If you haven’t found your style yet, you can ask for additional training and the head teacher or other management will give it to you.

In short:

Pros: - always paid on time -lunch breaks to yourself -enough prep time given -boss listens -boss trusts your teaching style but will give extra training if asked for -kindergarten has some freedom for extra projects if you like that, kindergarten has a full schedule so you don’t have to plan if you like that.

Cons: 1 A lot of grading. And parents are nitpicky. So you have to grade thoroughly or else suffer the wrath of someone who just suffered the wrath of a dongtan mom. 2 sometimes moms can be so picky and have fragile feelings and certain sensitivities. And sometimes children say something happened the way it didn’t really happen (example: “teacher didn’t let me go to the bathroom” but in reality the student doesn’t know how to ask for the bathroom so they just sit there. But when the parents tell the korean teachers, they don’t know this so they go to you to question why aren’t you letting this child go to the bathroom and you say but I always let the students go to the bathroom such and such child never asks. After all this communication though solutions come up and parents WILL help teach their kids the word "bathroom").

I think that’s it. I loved working at IN2 and was sad to leave. I wish good luck to everyone who works there. You are working for good kindhearted people.

Subject: Avalon Langcon's Asan campus

Tue, Mar 22, 2022 at 9:35 AM

Hello! I'd like to add Avalon Langcon's Asan campus to the Green List. I didn't know that Avalon had a bad reputation when I came to Korea, but if you get hired at this campus you don't need to worry! Maybe it's because this campus is a bit small, but the work environment here is so relaxed and everyone just does their own thing during the day. The director is amazing--she's understanding and tries to accommodate us as best as she can when things come up. The Korean teachers are all extremely sweet and can speak English so you don't have to worry about not being able to communicate.

Like I said this is a smaller school, so there are only 2 foreign teachers total (and around 6-7 Korean teachers, including the director and the desk teacher) so sometimes, like any job, it can be a bit overwhelming. But the support system amongst teachers is really strong so if you ever need help you can always count on having someone to ask.

Overall, I loved this school. It was an amazing first job to have here in Korea and I highly recommend it!

Subject: Cheongshim Kindergarten in Bucheon

Wed, Jan 26 at 1:50 PM

MESSAGE: I would like to add my current school, Cheongshim Kindergarten in Bucheon, to the Green List. I have worked at public schools and nightmare hagwons a like. But I have really found the right fit at my current school. The best part of this school is my co workers and work enviroment. My Head teacher is very fair and looks out for the teachers, the Korean teachers, and other staff are very friendly and take care of you when you need help. They are very open and work together with you if you need help at work or with housing.The other native teachers are also very helpful and we help eachother out a lot. I have been working here for 4 years and signed on for my fifth. If you are looking for a hagwon you can trust and depend on I full recommend this school. Even with COVID going on I have always felt supported and secure in my job.

Subject: Second Language Acquisition or SLA

Sat, Jan 15 at 2:38 PM

I would like to add Second Language Acquisition or SLA to this list.

This school is located in Jeju-si. It is a rather small school, but the students are a lot of fun, and the owner is a very understanding and good person. He and his wife run the day to days of the school and both are helpful should you need anything.

I was employed there for five years, and would jump at the chance to return. (I left for family issues during the height of the COVID-19)

Some of the positives that make this school so great are of course the owner and his wife. The proximity of the apartment to the school (literally across the street). The access to medical facilities (I am diabetic) is great. They always pay on time, and if you have any problems they are on the spot getting it resolved immediately.

There are of course some negatives, but nothing I would mention because those very few things were simply personal issues in our family.

Subject: Whykids Changwon branch

Tue, Dec 14, 2021 at 1:19 AM

I'd like to add Whykids Changwon branch to the green list. I worked there from August 2020-September 2021. There are honestly a couple of things that were done under the table, so just be aware of that, but it was always to benefit me. In the beginning, I had spent all my money getting to Korea, so I was broke once getting there. I couldn't afford the first couple apartment fees or first month's utilities, so the director paid them without complaint and took them out of my paycheck gradually over the first few months so I could build up some savings. I'll always be grateful to her for that. She always sent me home when I didn't feel well (of course after getting a negative covid test first) and when I lost my voice. She was very kind. As for the job itself, it's a Hagwon job, so..... yeah. It's a lot of work! They did however take into consideration when I'd say it was too much stress and try to accommodate me. They even hired a part-time teacher to take some classes off my hands. I would teach around 5 classes on the lightest days to 9 classes on the hardest day. Classes range from 20-80 minutes depending on age. The coworkers and owner of the school are all very sweet and helpful. The kids are very sweet (mostly) and overall I greatly miss living in Changwon and I miss my favorite kids a lot. I couldn't find any reviews on Whykids before working there, so I'm writing them a green list review now. If you get an offer from them, TAKE IT. It's loads better than any of the Hagwons my friends got stuck working at. A great find!

Subject: Yulgok Language Centre (YLC)

Mon, Dec 13, 2021 at 2:37 AM

I am writing this as I would like to add Yulgok Language Centre (YLC) to your green list. This place is a pleasure to work at. As one of the English instructors there, I have had a peaceful and enjoyable time. We are extremely well supported by all the staff above us, given snacks often, unlimited coffee, and are supported in our teaching work in a friendly and loving manner. We are given all the resources we need and are often encouraged. We are given achievable incentives and even helped out on a personal level if we get sick and need to visit the hospital. YLC has also opened the door for us to earn extra money by giving us an optional hour or two every week, for top pay. I have worked at good places before, but Yulgok Language Centre is a highly desirable place to work for.

Subject: JM English Academy

Fri, Nov 12, 2021 at 4:13 PM

I would like to submit EiE Yangsan to the Green List.

I was with EiE Yangsan for over 3 years and had a great experience working there. The owner and manager is an extremely kind, thoughtful and friendly person. She always went out of her way to make sure I was taken care of and helped me with issues going far beyond just visa and work stuff. Often treating the staff to lunches and dinners. I never had any pay disputes, even during COVID, and was given full pay when we had to go online for a short time.

The staff and school is still relatively small, so you will be part of a team; not just a number. The other teachers are extremely experienced and competent. This combined with easily accessible class materials makes for an efficient and friendly working environment. Each teacher is given their own classroom, so you won’t be running from room to room between classes. There’s also a huge storeroom filled with extra toys, puppets, games and resources you can incorporate into your lessons.

Classes are small (max 8 students) with well behaved, great students. One of the downsides is you’ll get to know and become extremely attached to your students, and it will break your heart when it’s time for you or them to move on. You’ll be structuring lessons around prescribed materials, and there’s always a ton of resources to use, and flexibility to tailor lessons to your own teaching style. I also had a great work-to-planning-time ratio, which gave me lots of time to work stuff out for classes, write reports, post pictures and videos on the school’s social media, etc.

The school and apartment are in extremely convenient locations. The apartment I was given is about 5-7 minutes walk away from the school. There are plenty of grocery stores, restaurants, gyms, coffee shops, to choose from. There’s a dentist in the same building as the hagwon, and a hospital a block away. The apartment itself is on a street with many bars and restaurants as well, with a 24 hour convenience store right across the street. This location is also close to main bus and subway lines, with access to Busan under an hour away. There’s an active community of expats on the Yangsan Facebook group.

Working at EiE Yangsan were some of the best years of my life, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking to teach in Korea.

Subject: EiE Yangsan

Mon, Nov 1, 2021 at 10:30 PM

I want to write about JM English Academy.

I have worked at this school for 2 years now and want people to know how great the school has been for me.

JM has great training and is constantly helping teachers whenever they struggle. There are at least 2 meetings a month to go over new curriculum, or lessons that your level will be teaching. Whenever you have questions there is always someone you can ask that is happy to. help. The school does teach you a specific way of teaching topics, and when you can teach their way you have a lot of freedom to create new games and introduce things that fit your own teaching style.

Some people have mentioned about JM's living situation and for new teachers especially it can be a wonderful thing. Coming to a new country can be scary or difficult but JM's housing makes it feel much safer and easier for you to meet and make friends.

The owner of the school is very kind and has looked out for the teachers in ways other schools won't or can't. During COVID many schools were shut down permenatnly, or closed while not offering teachers full pay. We were offered full pay for even the time we weren't able to work. At one point we were asked if we would be ok to take a small cut and then be paid that amount back later. After all of the teachers agreed our boss still didn't take it because she wanted to make sure everyone would have enough money for the month. When teachers were being turned away for vaccines the owner of the school walked 16 teachers down to the center and defended us all. Our head teacher is from the US and fights for any problem we might have. She is always there to help and answer questions. She is loyal and will defend the native teachers as much as anyone could.

For anyone reading- I strongly urge you to remember that most do not tell (or write) of the good, only of bad when angry. We have teachers that have been here for over 7 years, which is not the case at every school. Our school is one that offers a lot of room for leading positions and wants you to succeed.

Subject: EASM Academy Changwon

Thu, Oct 28, 2021 at 9:13 PM

I've seen the academy listed on the blacklist and was a little careful, to be honest. But after working for more than a year, I would like to say it was a pleasant surprise. The co-workers were very welcoming, the office and I had great communication. There were no issues with any warnings nor was I advised leave on my 11th month which was mentioned in the blacklist comments. The classes are manageable, lesson plans are set, students are hardworking, great working atmosphere, and just overall really just great. I am still working as a part-time teacher after my full-year contract. Would recommend!

Subject: S.O.T. in Seocho

Mon, Oct 25, 2021 at 11:31 AM

I would like to add S.O.T. School in Seocho to the green list. I've been teaching a class of 7-year-olds for the past five years here at S.O.T., and the experience has been quite wonderful. S.O.T. in Seocho is one of the most renown and established hagwons in Seocho area. The school system and curriculum are very well organized, and all foreign teachers are provided with a Korean-speaking assistant teacher who helps with different situations. When I have any issues, I discuss freely with my supervisor who is always willing to help. The students are generally nice and cooperative, and most of the parents are highly educated and supportive, so it was pleasant for me to work here. I’ve formed a nice relationship with my co-teachers and Korean staff members. The most important thing for me was that I always got paid on time! I would definitely recommend teachers to work at S.O.T. in Seocho. I, myself, am planning on staying another year here, and can't wait to meet the new students and teachers next year.

F.Y.I., to set the record straight, S.O.T. in SEOCHO is not related in any way with SOT in Gwanakgu campus or any other hagwons by the name of School of Tomorrow. I heard that some teachers are being confused and are concerned after reading the post on the blacklist. Please understand that S.O.T. in Seocho is an independent hagwon and has nothing to do with the one on the blacklist.

Subject: Lucete English Academy, Anyang

Fri, Oct 15, 2021 at 6:49 PM

I've been here for just over two years. I've only had good experiences - never had an issue with pay, rudeness, dodgy labor conditions or any of the typical hagwon nightmares. Had a change of manageent during the second year which made an already good situation better.

Good management, kind and competent co-workers and best of all, no kindy students!

Subject: LOTIS in Songpa-gu Seoul

Sat, Oct 2, 2021 at 1:55 PM

I'd like to add LOTIS in Songpa-gu Seoul to the Greenlist. I have had a wonderful time teaching here over the past year. The curriculum is clear and written out so if you ever forget to add something to your lesson plan you always have a reference. It's so breezy and if you ever need help there is a whole R&D department to help answer any questions. You have your own private classroom which is nice for quiet working space. Our working hours are from 8:50-5:30 and I have never had to stay overtime, neither do my co-workers either. We communicate over a communal Kakao Group chat but they are very good about only messaging during work hours which is awesome. Once I'm clocked out, I'm really clocked out. If you ever get sick they have a system locked down to take over your classes so you don't have to feel guilty if you are sick and need to rest for a day. It's one of the only places in Seoul that I've heard of. They really take care of their staff. The classes are easy to manage, you teach six 40 minute kindy classes a day and 2 hours of 1 elementary class on Mon,Wed, Fri. I really feel proud when I go to work and I feel like I have a sense of identity. Some hagwons that you work at just make you feel like a tool or just a face.

There is a large staff and I really enjoy the privacy I have with working at a larger school. I don't have to get to know all my co-workers if I don't want to but even still we all remain professional and friendly. The only negative thing I can say about working here is the upper level 7 year old classes can be stressful at times because they are more advanced and have a greater workload. I work with first year students so my workload is different, but I tend to be good at organization and flexibility.

I really enjoy working here and can see myself staying here for a long time! A lot of people stay, have families, bring their pets, and really have a stable environment while living in Korea. I hope this helps someone :D. Subject: YMB ECC Yangju

Tue, Sep 7, 2021 at 10:59 PM

I want to recommend YMB ECC Yangju. The xxxxxxx (both of whom work as teachers at the school) are amazing and kind and they actually care about their staff. I have had no problems, and unlike quite a few other hagwons, I have always been treated like a human rather than a working machine. I have a feeling I'll be working at this school for a long time to come. Plus, the curriculum is pre-made and very each to use for teaching. There is much less (almost no) extra work to do each day/week/month.

Subject: Canada Language Center (C.L.C.) in Suwon

Thu, Sep 2, 2021 at 3:25 PM

Hello,

I'd like to submit a hagwon by the name of Canada Language Center (C.L.C.) in Suwon to the green list.

This academy has about 100 students, two foreign teachers, a secretary, and three Korean teachers (two of which are the owners). It's definitely a small business in every way.

Both xxxxxxx care very much about their students and employees. Communication was easy with them and they seemed to strive for a win-win situation for everyone. They gave us adequate prep time, meetings were scarce, and hours were very reasonable (and regular).

I will remember them well and wish only the best for them and all the students at C.L.C.!

I recommend this location if you're a team player and willing to help make learning a memorable experience for the students.

Subject: SLP, Buchean

Sat, Jun 26 at 5:13 PM

SLP typically has a bad reputation, but Bucheon SLP is great! The xxxxxxxxx is so kind & friendly. He always goes above and beyond to help the employees at the school. The manager is also lovely and really helpful. The workload isn’t too much and the work isn’t stressful either. Most employees that work there stay there for years because it’s such a great school. I cannot recommend Bucheon SLP enough! Also, the accommodation provided by the school is typically a one bed officetel and it’s quite big. You’ll have plenty of room.

Subject: Jeongbal POLY in Ilsan

Wed, Apr 28 at 10:11 AM

I would like to submit Jeongbal POLY in Ilsan to the Greenlist. I had a great experience working here.

Most of the students are sweet and pretty easy to teach. The school is organized, and the teaching schedule is laid out every day. You don't have to create your own curriculum/units. All of the staff speaks English.

The foreign teachers here are nice and experienced. Most of them have been here for at least 2 years and are very helpful with day-to-day stuff. I've learned a lot from them!

The management really goes out of their way to help the teachers, even with things that they are not responsible for (finding doctors/dentists, banking, navigating a new country, etc.) When I first came, they gave me a lot of helpful information about living in Korea. They also share many classroom resources.

When we had to go online due to Corona, we didn't receive a reduction in pay (other than missing a week of work and pay). After that, we were paid in full. Some of my friends at other schools received 60% their pay or were laid off.

Like all teaching jobs, there are a lot of things to do, and I wish we had more prep time. I also wish communication was a little clearer, especially with parents. However, I would gladly take these minor problems over some of the issues I've dealt with at other Hagwons. All in all, it is a good place to work. Subject: RISE Jookjeon

Wed, Mar 31 at 12:07 AM

I’d like to add my employer to the green list. 2020 was a definite challenge, but my school did a great job of making sure teachers were taken care of.

Korean staff: fantastic. Many experienced teachers who are warm and friendly to foreign teachers. There is a team focus between teachers.

Students: The students are a higher English lever than I’ve seen at other academies and are generally well-behaved. Working with kindergarten is a plus.

Text/ Curriculum: Many American textbooks and books made by the company. The curriculum is designed to be easy to teach while allowing for a lot of progress each term.

Management is good, and there is a positive work culture with higher pay than nearby academies. Good housing and location as well.

Subject: Banana Kids (Uijeongbu)

Mon, Mar 29 at 10:17 PM

I have really enjoyed my experience here so far. There has been some changes in management since I have joined the school so I can't account for past experiences. The Korean teachers are lovely, hard-working and really friendly. Schedules are provided and not much prep work is expected from English teachers. It is rarely necessary to stay late. Communication is a work in progress, but I find some of that comes from cultural differences. I honestly feel that management is consistently trying to improve. I love the kids I teach and have never experienced some of the problems (poor housing or late pay) that some of the other hagwon teachers have. If you are a hard-working, positive person I'm sure you will enjoy your time here. Subject: Milestone Institute (MI)

Sat, Mar 27 at 8:07 PM

I would like to leave a review of my current school as there is a blacklist post which is not a fair representation of the company at all.

Firstly, the academy has handled the COVID situation admirably. Management took a number of decisions that prioritized the students and staff ahead of financial gain. Having seen other teachers go unpaid or lose their jobs during this time, it was comforting to receive assurances about our jobs and income. The company is very professional; teachers don’t need to worry about any of the typical hagwon horror stories.

In terms of the working environment, my campus (Mokdong) has a great atmosphere. Teachers are respected and trusted by management. Hard work doesn’t go unappreciated, and teachers are rewarded for their contributions. The working hours are very good and include administration hours for prep, reports, etc. Wednesday is a short working day which is a great way to break up the week.

The students here are great too. Their level of English is high, and they are motivated to learn. Teachers don’t need to waste time and energy with behavioral issues. Classes are kept to a maximum of 6 students.

Personally, I have already re-signed for a second year here and see no reason to leave even after I finish my second contract. Subject: English Speaking Language Institute in Ilsan

Sat, Mar 27 at 12:35 AM

I'd like to green list English Speaking Language Institute in Ilsan. I've worked here for a year and a half and I've been very pleased with this hagwon. The school is small and privately run. All of my co-workers are super friendly and we generally have good communication. There is a maximum class size of 6 students which intimidated me at first (I was previously accustomed to teaching classes of 20-30 students), but I have come to really enjoy the smaller class size. Things are well organized, the housing is decent, I'm always paid on time, and I have never been asked to work over time. The work expected of the teachers really is quite reasonable. Overall it's a great location and I highly recommend it. Subject: Wonju Sahmyook Elementary School

Thu, Mar 11 at 10:30 PM

Wonju Sahmyook Elementary School

Good day, I would like to add Wonju Sahmyook Elementary school to the green list.

Located in Gangwondo, Wonju Sahmyook Elementary school is one of the top private elementary schools in Gangwondo. The school has ten foreign English teachers who each have their own classroom. The English teachers are allowed to be as creative as they want when teaching their classes however, they must follow the curriculum. The working hours are from 8:30 AM to 5:00PM (Monday - Thursday) and 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM on Friday. The English teachers teach 24, 40 minutes, classes per week and the teachers are always paid on time. The school's vacation time is 2 weeks off in the summer and 1 month off in winter.

As for the students, their English language skills are above average compared to other elementary school students in Gangwondo. In addition, the English teachers work together with the current coordinators to help improve the English department and the English curriculum.

Although the school is a great place to work, there are some cons to be noted. The apartments that the school provides are typical studio size apartments. Some apartments do come fully furnished (depending on if a previous teacher lived there) and some don't. However, once a teacher's contract has been renewed, they have the option to negotiate with the school to change their apartment to a one-bedroom or a two-bedroom. Another noticeable con is there can be some form of miscommunication or a lack of communication between the Korean staff/ teachers and the English department. There were times where a class was canceled, but in actuality, the class was never canceled. In addition, the English department does get unbearably cold in the wintertime, but as an individual who has worked at multiple schools in South Korea, I guess this is the norm.

Furthermore, Wonju Shamyook Elementary school is a great place to work at and in all honesty, this school is not for everyone. Depending on your mindset and your knowledge of South Korea's work culture, can determine whether or not you are going to enjoy working at this school.

Subject: Wonju Sahmyook Elementary

Wed, Mar 10, 2021 at 2:14 PM

Despite what some discruntal former employees have stated, Wonju Sahmyook Elementary school is a good school to work at. Yes there have been problems in the past, but the new administration has improved the quality of the English department and the working conditions for its foreign staff. The information these fo provided by the former employees are inaccurate case in point, the school never forced the English teachers to work on particular weekend. The English teachers decided on their own free will to use their free time to come in to work. The school noticed how hard the English teachers were working and provided them with free lunches and a 100,000 won gift certificate for their hard work. In addition, the individuals who were so wrongly fired were not terminated because the questioned the school's administrators. These individuals were fired because of the use of vulgar language towards the English coordinator and for their lack luster work performance. Everyone's experience at the school is different, so please take everything with a grain of salt.

Subject: Gangnam SLP

Tue, Feb 16, 2021 at 12:41 PM

I would Like to add Gangnam SLP to the green list for several reasons.

The work is difficult, but if you are organized there is plenty of time to get your work done. Management is very conscious of teachers need for prep time to prevent staying late. Teachers rarely stay late.

The school pays on time, and adheres to the contract. Since COVID-19, the school has also stepped up in taking care of the teachers in quarantine by providing groceries, and essentials for the 2 weeks.

The school is diverse and inclusive, with a supportive management and staff. Since management has changed, the school has become a relaxed and good place to work for, which is hard to find in a hagwon.

I have worked for the school for 4 years and I can say the direction the school has taken is very positive.

Subject: Milestone Institute in Daechi

Fri, Dec 11, 2020 at 6:21 PM

Hi! I remember when I was first looking for a contract, I wondered how academies were like in Korea. So, I decided to leave a review for the academy I was able to land a job at which was Milestone Institute in Daechi. I had a great time at this academy. All the fellow teachers were polite and the upper management was very kind. They would help us file our tax returns and if we had any problems with our room and board, they would fix the problems or lead us in the right direction. When I was there, Kevin and Allen were the main upper management and they treated all the teachers with respect. They never spoke out of line and were friendly. The owner would come in to check up every once in a while, and chat with the teachers as well. He made sure we were treated well and he made sure we were enjoying our time in Korea. They also threw parties on holidays and took care of all the teachers’ birthdays!

As for the workload, it was exactly as stated in the contract. We would get a short day on Wednesday and we had a syllabus which told us exactly what we needed to teach. All the workbooks were easy to follow as well. Since the students were all very fluent in english, they were very easy to teach as well! It seemed more like a daycare than teaching. I would recommend this academy to any teacher. It can be challenging because it is in Daechi which is one of the busiest spots for academies, but I think it was worth it working there. If I could go back I definitely would! Subject: Han's Language School in Gwangju, South Korea

Mon, Oct 19 at 7:54 PM

Hi Jon! I wanted to write you to recommend my former employer, Han's Language School in Gwangju, South Korea.

I've been working for this grammar hagwon since June 2017 and it's been great. The previous couples have also stayed for multiple years as well. My fiance and I have never had to worry about getting paid on time or anything financial while working for the Hans. Sean, my manager, has been a great resource and extremely helpful since we landed 3 years ago. The hours are great too. Maximum of 6 hours a day and there's never any overtime. I'd recommend anyone looking to stay in Korea for a few years to get a job with the Hans.

Subject: Yes English Academy

Thu, Oct 1 at 6:39 AM

Wonderful school. The owner of the school is the head teacher, and she is big on trusting the teachers to know what they should teach and how to teach it. She wants the teachers to feel free to do what they think is best for the kids (within reason). There's structure, but not too much. For example, the students have books, but they're go-at-your-own-pace, and you can teach the material HOWEVER you want. I even used the book as a springboard to also teach them phrases that are related to the book material but aren't in the book (like if the book mentions the word pain, I maybe would teach them the phrase, "I'm in pain!" in addition to the book material, even though it's not in the book). To thrive at this school, you must be self-motivated enough to come up with ways to teach and not be struggling because you’ve never had to teach alone or teach without structure before.

There were 10 minutes between classes in which I corrected papers sometimes, but I had zero prep-work. Seriously, none except when we had a Halloween party and I had to think of a fun activity to do with the kids. Did I mention that the last 15 minutes of class is always game time? My boss said to me, “Kids don't think games are studying, but they really are,” and told me that the kids should have fun in my class as a kind a break from their other classes (but still learn, of course). She's seriously the best. Sometimes she would surprise teachers by buying us food and having all teachers come down during break time to eat together and chat. My boss went out of her way to make sure I was happy. If I were to move back to Korea, I would definitely work there again.

Subject: Chungdahm Ulsan Branch

Mon, Sep 28 at 6:24 PM

I want to post this message on behalf of the Chungdahm Ulsan Branch. There is a black list post that is now outdated and I hope that this helps to clarify some of the issues that were mentioned in that post.

First, the management of this branch has changed and a lot of the borderline illegal things mentioned in the previous post do not happen here. I think no workplace is without issue and particularly for those who have complained about Chungdahm in the past, little can be said to defend the straight politics and bureaucracy that can sometimes prevent foreigners from being happy within the company.

That being said, this is one of the best locations I have worked at, because the staff have been very kind and forgiving of a lot of the issues that I have had. This Branch Manager in particular has helped me to resolve issues with my taxes (problems caused by a previous branch).

The staff here try their best to be friendly and respectful and I really feel like our work and work ethic speak for themselves. Like any other place, we are still sensitive to parental demands/complaints, so the only thing that still needs some improvement is their response to parental complaints. However, overall, I feel that this branch is no longer the hell hole previously described and is on steady incline and is improving.

Subject: IYA SKOLA WIRYE

Mon, Aug 31 at 10:54 PM

I'm presently employed at IYA SKOLA WIRYE Seoul

I would like to share my experience working in this amazing hagwon. I am honoured to be working for this academy.

Lately, I have been extremely impressed with IYA SKOLA so I thought I would share my experience on the Green List. I am presently employed at the IYA SKOLA WIRYE, and I have no intention of leaving any time soon. The following are a few reasons why I think IYA SKOLA is entitled to to be on this list.

Our bosses do a pretty good job of keeping everyone happy. They are always kind and willing to help not only at work but with anything personal.

They truly care about the teachers and want you to be comfortable. Often they will go out of their way to make the situation better.

We are always, 100% of the time, paid on time. Occasionally early depending on the holidays. The pay is highly competitive.

Vacation is always given and planned out well in advance.

Housing: The apartment is located 5mins away from the school walking distance to and back.

I am blessed to be apart of this family.

Our team are friendly and down to earth.

The Head manager who is an absolute blessing to this school. She goes above and beyond everything to make this school perfect. I can't imagine a better working environment.

The curriculum is easy to learn. All new teachers get very useful manuals on everything they need to know. Like most Hagwons, there is a lot of little things to do, but the staff is constantly more than willing to help remind you. There is little to no extra work that requires teachers to stay late. It is very easy to plan for this school. The students are amazing, It is very easy to work with the class and the students are very well-behaved. I love all of my students and I am so happy to be teaching them.

I would like to recommend IYA SKOLA WIRYE to any teacher looking to work in an established and professional environment.

Subject: IN2 English Suji

Wed, Apr 29, 2020 at 12:57 AM

This place isn’t perfect but it’s pretty chill. Unlike other hagwons I’ve worked at, this place is positive, laid back, and the environment is nice enough that the kids care about learning.

The drawbacks:

-long days

-you have to pay extra rent out of your paycheck

-some things are out of pocket for the employee

The benefits

-small classes

-shorter classes

-Laid back atmosphere/work culture

-classes are fun and engaging for the kindergarten students

-employees are not expected to work outside of working hours

-elementary classes are effective

-decent housing

It’s a decent place and a good starter school for someone new to Korea or needing a chill vibe.

Subject: Jeongbal Poly Returnee Institute (Ilsan)

Mon, Aug 17 at 11:05 PM

This school had a great support system. My coworkers and managers all actively participated to finish their tasks well, give feedback, and just help out anyone who needed it. They were understanding of personal situations and genuinely cared about your outside life. Some of my coworkers were my best friends and we did everything together.

That being said, this school also expects someone with a great work ethic and serious teachers who also know how to incorporate fun into their lesson plans. If you can be professional and have a good work ethic, this place will really teach you how to manage a real job, while helping you learn to do your job effectively. The kids are so smart and loving, and you get a lot of job satisfaction.

Subject: DUX Academy's administration

Wed, Apr 29, 2020 at 12:57 AM

DUX Academy's administration has been supportive and friendly the whole time I've worked there. My boss always wants to make sure I have everything I need, and I've never felt intimidated or manipulated in our communication. I appreciated all the staff's efforts to make me feel welcome when I first arrived, and I'm looking forward to continuing my time there.

I also have a lot of fun with DUX's literature curriculum because I get to teach Korean kids to think about books in a more creative, conversational way, rather than in a more traditional, test-based way. Usually, the only outside work is essay grading, which is the main means by which we track students' improvement, so I enjoy reading their writing and helping them improve it. I think teaching at a "Reading Club," as DUX calls itself, provides a more unique teaching opportunity than a traditional ESL gig would.

Wed, Apr 29 at 11:31 PM

The people here are great. They covered medical testing, a number of meals, often provided snacks, and generally kept up with my well-being (in a non-invasive way). When I needed a doctor, they escorted me. My apartment was adequate.

They showed there true colors when I had to leave early on my contract. Many hagwons will try to pull legal junk on you, but these guys supported me.

Of course, they have some of the standard negatives of working at a hagwon: very little training and many classes. But that is what you will get at a hagwon. There will be a learning curve.

Biggest advice is to just show them respect and you will have it returned.

Bongdam is about an hour from Seoul by bus, which means only a handful of people there will speak English. Be prepared to go 30 minutes into Dongtan or Suwon if you need to hear proper English. Decent place to live besides that though, and it is right between many things.

Subject: FastONE (Seoul Branches)

Tue, Apr 28 at 11:54 AM

I worked at FastONE for over a year. I found it to be a good place to work, particularly for F visa holders who were looking for a block set of paid hours. Considering that you could get 3 or 4 classes in a row, the hourly wage was decent, and it's nice to have students come to you instead of jumping from place to place. Students were great, management was friendly, the office itself was new and modern, and payment was always on-time.

Subject: Fast Campus in Gangnam.

Fri, Apr 24 at 5:01 PM

I would like to give a short review of my time working for Fast Campus in Gangnam.

I worked there for 6 months in 2018. I really enjoyed teaching adults 1-1 and the facilities were excellent. There were a lot of supplementary materials which I had access to and could use to prepare my classes.

I worked the 7-11am day shift.

Fast Campus and the management also helped me with my visa situation and were very accommodating. I found the senior instructors to be particularly helpful if and when I ever had a problem.

My salary was always paid on time and was exactly what I expected and was offered in the contract.

Subject: Fast One (Gangnam branch)

Tue, Apr 21 at 3:43 PM

I saw my ex-employer had a couple of black list postings so wanted to share my experience.

Unlike the other postings, I enjoyed a good time at Fast One (I was in the Gangnam branch but had friends in other branches who had a similar experience). I'm on a F visa like most of the teachers and get paid per class (basically like a freelancer). Of course, the wage is lower than privates but it's a lot more convenient. I was getting paid 25,000 per class (started on 23,000). I started teaching 12 hours a week but ended up teaching over 30. Classes are consistent (could do 5-6 in a row easily enough), prep is easy and I got paid for cancellations.

Very good communication from my Senior Teacher. Would recommend for F visa teachers who want some extra hours, works well going from after-school to here in the evenings.

Subject: Dux Academy (Seocho branch)

Fri, Apr 17 at 1:43 PM

I'd like to offer a review of Dux Academy (Seocho branch) after 3+ years of working there.

Compared to other academies in the area, I've found Dux's working hours to be very generous. The highlight of the job for me is that we are not required to show up to work outside of teaching hours. The exception is for infrequent interviews with new students. After working jobs with desk warming requirements, this has been very refreshing. Usually I am actually *at* the academy for < 6 hours daily.

I've found the Korean staff to be accommodating, and I've never felt jerked around or screwed out of small details on my contract or anything like that. They especially stuck their necks out for us foreign teachers during the recent coronavirus pandemic. We are always paid on time, or even early. The overtime pay is generous, too.

I think Dux is a good place for independent teachers who understand the context of the academy. It is in a wealthy neighborhood and definitely caters to parents who are looking for a place with "accelerated learning" (i.e. lots of homework). If you are willing to follow the academy's occasionally wacky curriculum and classroom management rules, this will be an easy gig for you.

I can't speak for other branches, but Seocho Dux gets a thumbs up from me. I will miss it there!

Subject: Seocho branch of Dux

Mon, Apr 13 at 11:05 AM

Lately I have been particularly impressed with my academy, so I thought I would share my experience on the Green List. I am currently employed at the Seocho branch of Dux, and I have no intention of leaving any time soon. The following are a few reasons why I think Dux deserves to be on the list.

1. The schedule: The hours at this academy are shorter than other academies, currently 3pm-9pm. This means you are not expected to sit at your desk and do nothing during prep time before you teach. I usually go into work about 30 or 40 minutes before my first class to prep. But the days I do not have much to prepare, I can show up 15 minutes before my first class. Even with the prep time included, you spend less time at work.

2. Curriculum: Personally, I like to have the ability to teach at my own pace and not be micro managed in the classroom. At Dux, the desk staff provides the novels and reading/writing books for each class and gives a deadline. The rest is completely up to the teacher. You can teach the materials however you like. There have been a few times that I have thought the books are too difficult for a class, and the desk staff has always taken my opinions into consideration.

3. Treatment: I fully believe that Dux respects me and does its best to support me. The main reason I am writing this post is because of what has happened as a result of the corona virus shut down. The academy had to close its doors for a month and a half due to the virus. During that time, the headquarters assigned a staff member to act as a support hotline for the foreign teachers. Without discriminating, they were willing to assist teachers even in the case of infection. My branch manager told me that she knows most foreign teachers do not have a safety net in Korea, so she wanted to assist us any way she could. They didnft apply our vacation days to the shutdown or dock pay, which many other academies did.

In addition to the situation above, I know that Dux trusts me as a teacher. First off, there are no CCTVs in the classroom. When there is a situation where a student complains, the desk staff comes to me first to hear what I have to say about it. They never point fingers or blame you before they hear what happens directly from you. And up until this point, I have always had them take my side and support my response to the situation.

4. Vacation: The contract includes 10 days of vacation in addition to national holidays. These vacation days are often taken during two of the four exam weeks at the academy. However, they are readily willing to allow time to be taken off outside of that if you find a substitute to cover classes. It is nice to be able to have vacations, but also know that you wonft need to miss an important event back home if you need extra time off.

So to sum it up, I would recommend Dux any day to a teacher who is looking to actually make a difference in the classroom with a supportive team behind them. I hope that this post will help you if you are looking to come to Dux.

Subject: DUX Academy's administration

Mon, Apr 13 at 1:52 AM

DUX Academy's administration has been supportive and friendly the whole time I've worked there. My xxxxxx always wants to make sure I have everything I need, and I've never felt intimidated or manipulated in our communication. I appreciated all the staff's efforts to make me feel welcome when I first arrived, and I'm looking forward to continuing my time there.

If you've got a can-do attitude, genuinely like talking about books and children's lit, and don't mind the at-home work that most teachers must do? regardless of the school or even country? then you'd probably be happy at DUX. I think people who complain must be expecting either a) to do whatever they want at work without standards, or b) a some study-abroad romp without any real responsibility.

Happy to say good things about DUX Academy.

Subject: Carrot Global

Sun, Feb 16 at 6:29 PM

Carrot has many job offerings from business to public schools. I was teaching in 2 community centers in Goyang.

They have a good reputation

The pay was quite good and I had tons of freedom (there's no direct manager), but as a beginner I would recommend to have a direct manager (so you can improve your teaching). It's no turn-off however.

They always paid on time and if the date changes, they let you know in advance (this happened only once).

I know Goyang city changes the hiring company (not carrot) every (two) year(s), so it might be another agency next year.

During network meetings and training sessions I met many skilled teachers/instructors. A great source of learning opportunities.

Subject: Suwon Global Village

Jan 10, 2020 at 9:24 AM

I'd like to add Suwon Global Village to the Green List. I’ve been work with SWGV almost a year. I enjoy Suwon Global Village. I will break down this with two ways. (Work environment, Fairness) Work environment

1. SWGV try to make teachers happy and try to help not only work but with anything personal.

Fair policy for teachers

1. There are bus duty and lunch duty that teachers have to do. For the bus duty, teachers have to come earlier than 9, but same time teachers can go home early. This applies to lunch duty as well. Sometimes teachers have only 30min lunch break, but teachers can go home 30min early. I enjoy going home early sometimes. If there are bus duty and lunch duty same time, I can go home maximum 50 minutes early.

2. There are Saturday events such as Children’s day event or Christmas event. Teachers can choose money or vacation. If teachers choose vacation, they can select the dates anytime.

3. Teachers have a good relationship each other and there are events that they can participate such as potluck party or roller skating.

4. Teachers can go hospital anytime if they need to and team manager try to take teachers place to place.

Should you like to contribute to the Green List, please head to here. You must provide a valid e-mail address for submission.

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