Considering you mentioned that you both made Eat Your Kimchi into a business, I'm curious about the regulations on foreigners starting businesses there. Like, for example, an art business.
nomadcapitalist.com/2014/01/06/get-south-korea-residency-passport/ This answers your question. I don't want to sound rude, but I guess simon are martina are very busy to answer everone's questions, better try to do some googling first ;)
during this video, simon and martha failed to mention that if you're korean male, and wants come back to korea for whatever the reason, they might want to double check. because all korean males are due for mandatory military service.
My cousin and I were looking at BB creams at a small Korean cosmetics store in Toronto the other day, and the two girls working there practically trapped us in a corner by standing there and staring at us until we picked stuff up to purchase. Are shopkeepers in Korea also like this? Or did my cousin and I just omit an aura that told them we were gonna rob the place?
This is almost 3 yearss ago lol... :3 but I understand the last thing you said: "they dont want foreigners getting jobs instead of koreans" I fully understand that... In México we have lots of americans and even some japanese ppl working on the petrolium field with high salaries and mexicans working there are not... i find that unfair... So I understand why koreans is rough for giving. Working visas and that stuff... :/ I wish I can be like ypu one day and buikd my own company there! :)
Lol, my friends are some of the engineers you talk about. The thing with those kind of jobs in Mexico, is that they are truly looking for Mexicans to fit the job (it's less expensive to hire them), but they have trouble finding qualified Mexicans. It basically comes down to the education system in Mexico.
My goal is to become a translator, I speak fluent Mandarin, Taiwanese, Korean Portuguese and English. I'm interested in seeing if there are any translating jobs there?
Of course we have translating jobs here. But there are so many people here in Korea already who can speak and write in all of the languages you mentioned above.
Astrophysicist in Korea! My two dreams can finally become one!^^ I thought I would have to give up and either just stay here (in boring Denmark) or just get a teaching job in Korea. Now I finally see hope!
Yes i got to know korea from kpop, but i've come to learn that I absolutely adore the culture and South Korea and the style there and peoples mentality and i have everything when i am and i know the only way i'll be happy is if i live in sk because it defines who i am... I love korea so much its crazy
im a exchange student in Japan and I have been watching your videos many times, and I notice Korea and Japan are almost the same in 95% of the topics you guys talk about. I just "blindly" hear your opinions and interpret as if it was japan case lol
What about jobs in the medical field? I plan on going to school to be a paramedic but I'm a bit weary on it because I'm not sure if I want to stay in the US. I want to keep my options open but I don't know if other countries will accept an american certification or if I'd have to go to school all over again. So this is less of a South Korea specific question and more of an in general . . . How hard is it to transfer medical certifications worldwide?
I'm currently in grade 12 living in Canada and I'm in the process of learning Hangul. I know how to have a basic conversation with someone in Korean so far, and I plan on obviously expanding my knowledge. Anyways, after my first year in college I want to visit Korea with my friends for a couple of weeks to experience what it is actually like to be there. If I enjoy my trip, after college I want to go to Korea and live there for a couple of years or more depending on how it all goes. My aunt and uncle actually live in Korea currently and are still teaching English. Now my only concern is, because in College I'm going to be studying Interior Designing and most likely English, would i be able to teach English in for Elementary schools? Or am I only able to teach if I go to University? What my plan was is to teach English (Which I'm actually looking forward to) and then later on if I get my work visa ect. I was hoping on maybe doing something with Interior Designing or Music (My dads a DJ and i'm like his assistant) ANYWAYS. I was just hoping I could find answers on if I need to go to University to teach or if in College what courses I would have to take.
Well this video is encouraging. I really wasn't that concerned on finding a job until I came across this video. Poo. My family is moving to Korea in just a couple of weeks and I really don't know what to expect. BUT all of your TL;DR videos are really helpful to my whole family so thank you Simon and Martina! :)
This has been said an insurmountable amount of times, but I would kill to become an intern at YG, this thought has only come to me for a few weeks (because I only had just discovered kpop) but I guess I'm a late bloomer, I want to work in YG and compose music and write up concepts for songs, etc. But I don't know any Korean whatsoever, apart from a few phrases in songs.... Therefore I've made it my goal to learn the language and put in my best effort to learn Korean culture and behaviours. I know this process is very slow, and I'm not sure what I want to do. Do I stay in England and learn Korean through websites like Rosetta Stone or do I go to Korea and go to a uni to learn the language? Would like a response on this please
Check out the video they did with Intern Leigh about her being an exchange student and how she learned Korean. That may be able to give you some insight on learning Korean at the university and if whether or not you want to go that route :) hope that helps a bit
Hi! I recently moved to Korea from New York and theres a special program in some universities for Koreans who have lived overseas for a couple years and then theres also programs for international students! These programs are awesome because it allows us to get into amazing schools without taking required tests like TOEFL or TOEIC. I recently got accpeted to HongIk University!
You've no idea how long I've been waiting for this~~~ But it more-or-less said what I predicted- regardless it is always difficult for foreigners to get jobs. But the entire process and learning more about your business was really interesting! I hope you can challenge some of those restrictions- you are forerunners of the Korean job market for foreigners! way to represent!
This was actually so relevant for me, because I've taught English in Korea for 2 years now and I'm 교포(gyopo), but I am trying to work in the fashion industry. I really want to intern for a specific designer, and I have been wondering how difficult it might be. Thanks for the video!!
This video was very helpful. I currently work at Costco in Utah and I have been there 8 years. I have spoken to our corporate offices about transferring internationally and they said that the Asian market is "booming". I plan on moving out to South Korea by Fall of 2014. I would really like to see a video about the districts in Seoul. Which are more sketchy, safer, wealthier, etc! Thanks!
So informative! Thank you! It seems I'm on the right track! I actually really LOVE the Korean language, it feels so natural when I speak it and I love the Korean lifestyle... I'm actually double majoring in Korean Language and Music. I am hoping to teach English in Korea, or work for a Korean music company, or even teach music in Korea the future!
I got a "job" at a YMCA in Seoul. You don't get paid enough to live on your own, but they give you a stipend as well as pay for your rent and food. I would recommend finding a volunteer exchange program that suits you, they are an excellent way to experience Korean life without the committment and ultra-stress of finding a job.
Is there a cut off age at universities to learn Korean? I am so ever slowly teaching myself Korean cause since discovering B.A.P and kpop a few months back I have done nothing but watch everything I can get my hands on that's Korean as well as learn as much about South Korea as I possibly can and the more I learn the more I fall in love with the country its getting to were all I think about is trying to figure out how I can get at least myself to South Korea especially since the gov here in the US is so fast going to hell. But I loved South Korea and wanted to go there before I really saw the US gov for what it is so its more of a side note love u guys love ur vids so wish I lived near u guys to hang out u seem like very fun people to know.
Nope not at all! The guy I took classes with was 42 and took Korean classes because he was extending his business from Japan into the Korean market. Another guy I know took Korean classes at 37 y/o. ^__^)/
Thank you for making this video. I'm going to start a degree in Korean Studies in September and I was looking for jobs that weren't teaching Jobs and how to get them for after I've completed my 4 year degree. You guys are friggin' awesome
I know this is like two years late, but there's a LOT of prep schools ("hak-wons") in Korea that illegally use people from the US without work visas to teach. I mean, I would know, I attended one for the summer, and that ha-kwon was quite well-known for its SAT prep, and all the teachers were pretty evasive about the issue of their work visa lol. Intelligent people, but they clearly were there just for the summer or semester since many of them were just undergrad/grads, and they had the freedom to come and go as they wished. Very convenient for both the ha-kwon and teachers, though teachers CAN get paid like shit as a result of having no formal contract. It's funny because no one's policing these things when something that obviously shady is right under their noses lol. But I would recommend just checking those places if someone's looking for something in Korea:)
The incubator program at the Seoul Global Center provides 6 months to a year of free office space for foreign entrepreneurs planning to start up business her in Korea. They mainly prefer technology or patent based businesses but service industry business as well. The downside is that they do not help you with visa stuff :(
research TEFL Certificates (Teach English Foreign Language). you will probably find a course in a major city in your country. However, teaching in korea requires you (depending on which company you go through to find employment in teaching) to have a: - TEFL Certificate - At least a Bachelor Degree in any field from a qualified College/University
I'm sooooo glad you guys answered this question!! I have to admit I'm kind of sad that its difficult to get a job in Korea but now I can think about such dreams more realistically. I could actually devise more of a strategy now! Also, I am a fashion designer and I lolled pretty hard when you said how people all want to work for SM or YG cause as much as I love K-pop I would much rather makes clothes for you nasties!
Hey Martina & Simon, so it's now April 2015... how much has changed? Is there any hope for a very foreign Animal Care person there? or even working for you both?
See, I've thought about sending you an email with a resume and such, because I would love to work with you guys on your videos (writing up skits, acting in them, etc.), and I'm currently living in Korea myself, but I had no clue what you were looking for. And there are certain jobs, such as translation and website coding, that I couldn't do. So this video was actually kind of helpful for me. Thanks.
yay! I recently applied to a study abroad program for a year in Korea. Im hoping i can learn the language and learn tons more on South Korea. being an English teacher is something i would like to do, this video was really helpful and informative!~ Thanks n.n ....lol good luck with your business guys!! 화이팅!
I've been in Korea for almost 5 months now as a scholarship university student and as u guys said they don t like us working. This is my biggest problem right now bc I wanna work but my visa doesn t allow me to do so and plus I m not a native english speaker ㅠㅠ Anyway thx guys! Watching you before coming here helped me alot. My dream was to study here after I started to watch ur videos and now here I am hehe~
actually you don't have to have a teaching degree... if you've already finished school, get a TESOL certificate. that will help you remember all of the things about English that you might have forgotten. i finished my TESOL right before coming here and it helped me out a lot!
Very cool that you guys elaborated on this, it explains a lot. It is definitely easy to forgot how different things can be between different governments. You just kind of assume that it will be the same and then... Anyways, I was the one who asked on the last TLDR what you were looking for in your future employees. So, this explains a lot.
Yes. The university go to offers a program to study in South Korea and you can take classes in English, unless you know Korean then you have the option of choosing to take classes in Korean or English.
my husband only has an associates degree (computer technology). he's trying to get his 4-year degree in game art and design. he's REALLY wanting to get a job in Korea 1) because he loves the culture and 2) because i'm half-Korean and I would really love to be near my Korean family since I've spent my whole life apart from them. I on the other hand have a 4-year degree in Social Work and have contemplated on getting a teaching job in Korea. (and i'm trying to polish up my Korean language)
Thank you for doing this video! I've told my family I wanna go teach in korea (I am a kpop fan but I do have a passion for teaching) and they say "no you'll fall in love and want to stay here with him, but if that happens he either comes with me or it's not gunna work (I'd never give up on my dream!). So now I know what my future husband needs to do to get a job! But that won't be for a long time so korea will change.
Martina I love your pink hair and makeup! I can't wait to come teach in Korea. I am passionate about teaching AND Korea and Kpop so it works out well for me. But I still have a few years to go :/
Simon and Martina, THANK YOU about the teaching thing. I met SO MANY Asian language majors in my university (usually Japanese or Korean language) who say they want to go teach English in Japan or Korea, when really, they just a) like anime, b) like k-pop, or c) want to date/marry an Asian. I feel so sorry for their future students...
i remember my teacher told me that you can work outside of the country (US) as a nurse but you have to pass their own local boards. because each country do have different protocols. You don't need to go to a nursing school again. However, if you want to learn the medical terminologies formally then going back to school IN Korea would be helpful. Though, they do use some terms in English. Like "suction" & etc. Hope this helps.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING THIS QUESTION! I really want to be fluent in Korean and visit Korea and possible live there and stuff but I'm always wondering what I could do there besides teach. This really helps and it really makes me want to go to Uni there!!!
Thank you very much for this video!!! and I do wish to eventually study in South Korea full time for my PhD, and preferably take on a job afterwards, but you are right it takes dedication and perseverance
What you said is so true! I went to Korea to teach English even though I had no interest in teaching and I had a horrible 6 months because I had no experience and I had no idea what I was doing. Lucky for me after 6 months I hit my stride and teaching became FUN! But at least 90% of the other foreigners I knew were so unhappy and they would curse at the kids and stuff because they hated their jobs.
Most recruiting companies that I've looked at only require a 4-year degree in anything. Basically, the most important requirement is that your first language is English, or you've lived in a recognized English-speaking country since grade 7. Some programs require you to have a TEFL certificate as well. The TALK program doesn't require a degree, but you can only teach in rural areas and the pay is not as good. I'm no expert, but this is what I've gathered from most websites.
I am a Medical Doctor. I am also a martial arts instructor, I knit, I cook Mexican Food and Italian Food... I'm a Medical School Teacher (pharmacology, pathology and physiology), English and Spanish teacher...
Yes, you helped a lot! My mother doubted they would hire anyone without an English major/degree, but I felt like that wouldn't matter. Thanks so much! :D
Thanks for the reply, it's nice to get actual insight! I've heard the exact thing from others as well, I guess we just have really different cultures. It's funny, b/c before having heard these testimonies from others I thought "Omg I want to go live in Korea so bad & have a k-drama life" and I think a lot of us K-pop & K-drama worshipers think this way, but now I see that it really isn't like that, and there's more to consider before actually making the move! Good luck over there, best wishes :)
Probably my favourite video by you guys. Seeing people that want to move to Korea because of kpop bothers me a bit. Why do something if you aren't going to enjoy it? I was planning to move to Japan to teach when I became older because I was always interested in the culture of Japan, etc. Soon I became introduced to Korea. Everything about the culture & language really just caught my attention. I've been doing research ever since. I found this interesting. Thanks so much for opening peoples eyes.
Ehwa only accepts foreign male students because it's an all girl university (go figure). But universities like Yonsei, Korea, and Seoul National University (the top 3) accept foreign exchange quite easily if you have the money. Many others do as well. But I must stress FOREIGN EXCHANGE, that means you return to your university after your studies. Getting accepted to a Korean University as an actual student is more difficult and I'm unfamiliar with the process.
I want to add that the US military hires civilians to work on the American posts and bases.. so you don't necessarily need to be soldier, airman or sailor.
Hey darkbabyninja, I am studying Korean and I've been told I'm a fast learner. However, I feel like I learn painfully slowly. I read online that it is one of the most difficult languages for English speakers to learn (with Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Japanese being the others in the top five). However, if you have already learned a language, you will already have those skills you need to learn so it will be easier (I speak Spanish). Fighting!
It's extremely difficult. I am a Korean with a dual citizenship of the USA and Korea. But often times, if a foreigner decides to get a Korean citizenship, not only is the process very difficult, you often have to give up your own citizenship. Even Koreans who have dual citizenships often have to give one up when they become an adult.
There is a Nigerian woman (The official language there is English, and then she speaks her specific dialect) who moved to Seoul and began a Black hair salon there. I believe she still works there and her daughter was born there so her daughter actually speaks Korean.
I want to go to Korea because 1- My dad was an english teacher and I want to follow in his path 2- I seriously want to go because of the awesome culture 3- I enjoy teaching kids 4- I love english, reading, writing.. My point is that not all people want to go because of kpop. In my opinion the ones that want to go because of kpop are the ones that dont even end up going because they don't really have a true passion to go to Korea. I also want to go to Vietnam, Japan, and Belgium. JS
im indonesian and im still in high school, ive always been a kpop fan and for a couple of years now ive been very passionate about korea and all of it's culture! especially after finding out about EYK, ive fallen more and more in love with korea
Yea I was exactly like that too, I was in the science field in my first year of university cause I wanted to go into medicine mainly for the money. Then I realised I'd rather be happy with a moderate income rather than miserable with a lot of money. So I changed my major to international studies and I'm so glad that I did.
get your bachelor's degree if you don't have it already. You can't teach/get a teaching gig (legally) or a visa for that matter without one. get a TEFL/TESL certification. It will prepare you on how to properly teach English as a second language. Not knowing your own language well, as in, knowing why you say things one way and why not another and the history behind certain words, the relations between common roots and grammatical syntaxes is really important. You need to be able to explain
i met and American friend who did Master's in Korea University in Korea and had part time job and got a scholarship, (they even give out to exchange students! foreigners only!) and he worked and earned so much money, paid off his student loans and his tuition fees! So if you guys cannot come as a university student (which is best option to settle in) try exchange student program if you are in school :)
If you actually study full-time in a Korean university, you usually need to do your TOPIK exam and actually prove that you can speak Korean because most undergrad degrees have all courses in Korean and even the English speaking degrees have some courses in Korean. Post-grad degrees are usually all in English but you still need to do the TOPIK. So that's a problem for those who can't speak Korean prior arriving.
we do celebrate Christmas but its not as big as USA. people give gifts like the u.s and stuff but its pretty different. for one, american christmas is a family holiday where family members meet up and have huge dinners like thanksgiving. in korea, its just another day and you eat as you normally do and family members dont meet up. its mostly known in korea as a couple's day. a lot of couples come out on streets holding hands and stuff.
You need to have a teaching degree for English first. There might some schools/hagwons want you but if you want a career with a good time period and payment, I recommend you having a teaching degree. I read the Korean news where they are starting to hire foreign teachers only if they have a teaching degree. Of course some places might don't care but that the chance of finding them is quite slim. I know this stuff since I am Korean-Canadian. Hope it helped XP
I will admit that I discovered kpop/ kdramas before Korean culture. However, I have learned to love the culture through the music. I really love how music connects the world! I plan to study Korean and hopefully get a job there one day. Some people may think I am just doing this because I am super into kpop, but that is only part of the reason. My main reason is my respect and fascination for the culture. The fact that I happen to appreciate the music there is just a bonus. :)
Like Tokee said, you can only get a work visa if you already have a job and your employer does the paperwork for you. You cannot go to the nearest Korean consulate/embassy and apply for a work visa.
What was like to be in Korea when you moved there? How was the whole experience the first year? Did you get used to the jet lag? Did you have any culture shock? What are somethings that you can still not get used at first to in Korea? Are there still things that you question about the Korean culture?
Yeah, I also want to know this!! I have a Korean friend and we study together in the US last year. She was very surprise about the things that people thought were funny... Also I love Korean dramas but I always notice that the sense of humor is not the same that other north american comedies... for example, would koreans find funny comedies like "The Big Bang Theory" or "Friends"???
I totally agree. I'm kind of in the same situation as you, but now I think I'd rather go to China or Japan because it would actually be possible for me to get a job in one of the other two countries. And besides, being in the same country as somebody doesn't mean you'll actually get to meet them. I mean, I live in the same country as JK Rowling, and I've never met her. Chances are I never will, too.
I'm guessing your soon to be wife is a Korea citizen? If you're working for a major type of company that you know hires foreigners that would be helpful, also a big one that I hear and know of is that you really do need to be bilingual in English and Korean. It really boils down to how good you are at your profession and can you speak both languages fluently. Sometimes you can get lucky and a company can teach you Korean through tutors. Each company and field is different.
Korea is a cool place to live and certainly a very unique culture. But getting a job here will be quite a challenge. Of course if it's a teaching job you might be able to get one without too much difficulty. But outside of teaching it will be tough. I just went through the application and interview process of a top company in Korea, and it was very difficult and time consuming. But Korea is such a fun place, that I'd really like to stay there.
hi, i might be able to help a little bit if simon&martina don't answer your question ^^ so, i think you're talking about international students? if so, then no, not all korean universities accept foreigners. in fact, only the top few korean universities (like seoul, yonsei, etc) offer studies to international studies, and it's actually pretty difficult to get in (you probably have to be in the top 10 or so depending on your school) and skill required would vary on your field of study.but yea GL!
I did my own research on getting into korean universities and it's a little more work then expected but not impossible. Some universities will grant a scholarship for a few foreigners that score above a 90% on the TOPIK test and have a letter of recommendation from your current university as well as your gpa which should be 3.2 or higher.
It depends! Some people learn languages very easily, some find it hard! Personally, I learned to read and write hangeul on my own and I find it easy to learn Korean and other languages, but I know some other people who just can't learn any language, they just can't no matter how hard they try! It really depends on your ability to learn and willpower as well.
Completely agree. I'm currently a freshman engineering student, so a lot of my friends aren't sure if they want to be engineers but they chose it because it's a well-paying field. But they're not passionate about it, so I don't see how they'll be as successful as the friends that I have who are very passionate about engineering. >_>
![How to get non-teaching jobs in Korea [resources and tips]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ESUN1A3K0dk/mqdefault.jpg)
Considering you mentioned that you both made Eat Your Kimchi into a business, I'm curious about the regulations on foreigners starting businesses there. Like, for example, an art business.
I want to thumbs up your comment so bad, but I'm on mobile T-T
Aww, you can't thumbs up on mobile? I haven't tried the mobile version so I didn't know that. That's disappointing to find out.. =(
nomadcapitalist.com/2014/01/06/get-south-korea-residency-passport/ This answers your question. I don't want to sound rude, but I guess simon are martina are very busy to answer everone's questions, better try to do some googling first ;)
during this video, simon and martha failed to mention that if you're korean male, and wants come back to korea for whatever the reason, they might want to double check. because all korean males are due for mandatory military service.
I know I would like to come work for you in Korea as a spudgy petter.
Dude I want to be vet...............................for SM Entertainment
army 💗
이 사람 한국인아니요 same😂
Can you update this video please. ..this video is from a few years ago. Has there been any change since then?
yess!
yes please!
Yeah I need an updated version
yup yup
How to easily get a job like I did:
www.korninja.com/single-post/2016/06/17/How-to-get-a-teaching-job-in-South-Korea
Simon and Martina predicted Boss Baby
My cousin and I were looking at BB creams at a small Korean cosmetics store in Toronto the other day, and the two girls working there practically trapped us in a corner by standing there and staring at us until we picked stuff up to purchase. Are shopkeepers in Korea also like this? Or did my cousin and I just omit an aura that told them we were gonna rob the place?
CEO= Child executive officer
Lol good one
This is almost 3 yearss ago lol... :3 but I understand the last thing you said: "they dont want foreigners getting jobs instead of koreans" I fully understand that... In México we have lots of americans and even some japanese ppl working on the petrolium field with high salaries and mexicans working there are not... i find that unfair... So I understand why koreans is rough for giving. Working visas and that stuff... :/ I wish I can be like ypu one day and buikd my own company there! :)
Lol dont you mean this video is a little more than 2 years old?
Sherry Jeong yes... The video is from time ago, thatd what I meant...
Lol, my friends are some of the engineers you talk about. The thing with those kind of jobs in Mexico, is that they are truly looking for Mexicans to fit the job (it's less expensive to hire them), but they have trouble finding qualified Mexicans. It basically comes down to the education system in Mexico.
Thats a good point... Is a shame for my country, I mean, the foreigners are not the problem the problem is México... :(
elvira escalante Not all of its citizens... Mainly the government. =/
It's been almost two years, maybe in another year or so ya'll should do this video again!
My goal is to become a translator, I speak fluent Mandarin, Taiwanese, Korean Portuguese and English. I'm interested in seeing if there are any translating jobs there?
Of course we have translating jobs here. But there are so many people here in Korea already who can speak and write in all of the languages you mentioned above.
En Ers teach me korean ?😅
Astrophysicist in Korea! My two dreams can finally become one!^^ I thought I would have to give up and either just stay here (in boring Denmark) or just get a teaching job in Korea. Now I finally see hope!
Wow, I always wanted to become one too :D but now I'm more into molecular biology so I'll se in 9-10 years if I can do that job there lol
Yes i got to know korea from kpop, but i've come to learn that I absolutely adore the culture and South Korea and the style there and peoples mentality and i have everything when i am and i know the only way i'll be happy is if i live in sk because it defines who i am... I love korea so much its crazy
im a exchange student in Japan and I have been watching your videos many times, and I notice Korea and Japan are almost the same in 95% of the topics you guys talk about. I just "blindly" hear your opinions and interpret as if it was japan case lol
What about jobs in the medical field? I plan on going to school to be a paramedic but I'm a bit weary on it because I'm not sure if I want to stay in the US. I want to keep my options open but I don't know if other countries will accept an american certification or if I'd have to go to school all over again. So this is less of a South Korea specific question and more of an in general . . . How hard is it to transfer medical certifications worldwide?
I've been watching you guys for the past 4 years and I just wanted to let you guys know I'm really proud of you guys. Keep up the good work.
I'm currently in grade 12 living in Canada and I'm in the process of learning Hangul. I know how to have a basic conversation with someone in Korean so far, and I plan on obviously expanding my knowledge. Anyways, after my first year in college I want to visit Korea with my friends for a couple of weeks to experience what it is actually like to be there. If I enjoy my trip, after college I want to go to Korea and live there for a couple of years or more depending on how it all goes. My aunt and uncle actually live in Korea currently and are still teaching English. Now my only concern is, because in College I'm going to be studying Interior Designing and most likely English, would i be able to teach English in for Elementary schools? Or am I only able to teach if I go to University? What my plan was is to teach English (Which I'm actually looking forward to) and then later on if I get my work visa ect. I was hoping on maybe doing something with Interior Designing or Music (My dads a DJ and i'm like his assistant) ANYWAYS. I was just hoping I could find answers on if I need to go to University to teach or if in College what courses I would have to take.
Well this video is encouraging. I really wasn't that concerned on finding a job until I came across this video. Poo. My family is moving to Korea in just a couple of weeks and I really don't know what to expect. BUT all of your TL;DR videos are really helpful to my whole family so thank you Simon and Martina! :)
This has been said an insurmountable amount of times, but I would kill to become an intern at YG, this thought has only come to me for a few weeks (because I only had just discovered kpop) but I guess I'm a late bloomer, I want to work in YG and compose music and write up concepts for songs, etc. But I don't know any Korean whatsoever, apart from a few phrases in songs.... Therefore I've made it my goal to learn the language and put in my best effort to learn Korean culture and behaviours. I know this process is very slow, and I'm not sure what I want to do. Do I stay in England and learn Korean through websites like Rosetta Stone or do I go to Korea and go to a uni to learn the language? Would like a response on this please
Check out the video they did with Intern Leigh about her being an exchange student and how she learned Korean. That may be able to give you some insight on learning Korean at the university and if whether or not you want to go that route :) hope that helps a bit
hey sorry to burst your bubble but it wont happen lol
Oremiasz Listen here you fuckbag, he can do anything!
you should go to uni you will learn faster
+I Turdle (CJ) If you want to write kpop songs you must become swedish :p
Hi! I recently moved to Korea from New York and theres a special program in some universities for Koreans who have lived overseas for a couple years and then theres also programs for international students! These programs are awesome because it allows us to get into amazing schools without taking required tests like TOEFL or TOEIC. I recently got accpeted to HongIk University!
Simon has uncontrollable head moving xD
You've no idea how long I've been waiting for this~~~ But it more-or-less said what I predicted- regardless it is always difficult for foreigners to get jobs. But the entire process and learning more about your business was really interesting! I hope you can challenge some of those restrictions- you are forerunners of the Korean job market for foreigners! way to represent!
Simon and Marina since the making of this video, has there been any changes made for foreigners bring able to work in Korea? Thanx
This was actually so relevant for me, because I've taught English in Korea for 2 years now and I'm 교포(gyopo), but I am trying to work in the fashion industry. I really want to intern for a specific designer, and I have been wondering how difficult it might be. Thanks for the video!!
You should do an update
after about 100 videos, ive finally realised why i stuck around.
Your head movements are so hypnotising i keep watching them >.
What if you wanted to start your own business in Korea?
This video was very helpful. I currently work at Costco in Utah and I have been there 8 years. I have spoken to our corporate offices about transferring internationally and they said that the Asian market is "booming". I plan on moving out to South Korea by Fall of 2014. I would really like to see a video about the districts in Seoul. Which are more sketchy, safer, wealthier, etc! Thanks!
Since this video is about three years old now, would you say that Korea is very open to foreigners now? How would applying for a work visa work now?
So informative! Thank you!
It seems I'm on the right track! I actually really LOVE the Korean language, it feels so natural when I speak it and I love the Korean lifestyle... I'm actually double majoring in Korean Language and Music. I am hoping to teach English in Korea, or work for a Korean music company, or even teach music in Korea the future!
2016 IS IT THE SAME?
yep
2019 is it still the same? @@galadriel3816
I got a "job" at a YMCA in Seoul. You don't get paid enough to live on your own, but they give you a stipend as well as pay for your rent and food. I would recommend finding a volunteer exchange program that suits you, they are an excellent way to experience Korean life without the committment and ultra-stress of finding a job.
Is there a cut off age at universities to learn Korean? I am so ever slowly teaching myself Korean cause since discovering B.A.P and kpop a few months back I have done nothing but watch everything I can get my hands on that's Korean as well as learn as much about South Korea as I possibly can and the more I learn the more I fall in love with the country its getting to were all I think about is trying to figure out how I can get at least myself to South Korea especially since the gov here in the US is so fast going to hell. But I loved South Korea and wanted to go there before I really saw the US gov for what it is so its more of a side note love u guys love ur vids so wish I lived near u guys to hang out u seem like very fun people to know.
I attended Korean classes at Yonsei (KLI) with a 42-yearold Japanese guy : D
Cool so there isn't a cut off age yeah :)
Nope not at all! The guy I took classes with was 42 and took Korean classes because he was extending his business from Japan into the Korean market. Another guy I know took Korean classes at 37 y/o. ^__^)/
Yeah so there's still hope for me yet LOL ;)
Thank you for making this video. I'm going to start a degree in Korean Studies in September and I was looking for jobs that weren't teaching Jobs and how to get them for after I've completed my 4 year degree.
You guys are friggin' awesome
I know this is like two years late, but there's a LOT of prep schools ("hak-wons") in Korea that illegally use people from the US without work visas to teach.
I mean, I would know, I attended one for the summer, and that ha-kwon was quite well-known for its SAT prep, and all the teachers were pretty evasive about the issue of their work visa lol. Intelligent people, but they clearly were there just for the summer or semester since many of them were just undergrad/grads, and they had the freedom to come and go as they wished. Very convenient for both the ha-kwon and teachers, though teachers CAN get paid like shit as a result of having no formal contract.
It's funny because no one's policing these things when something that obviously shady is right under their noses lol. But I would recommend just checking those places if someone's looking for something in Korea:)
The incubator program at the Seoul Global Center provides 6 months to a year of free office space for foreign entrepreneurs planning to start up business her in Korea. They mainly prefer technology or patent based businesses but service industry business as well. The downside is that they do not help you with visa stuff :(
So what exactly does your business (Eat Your Kimchi) do?
+John Yang multimedia vlogging. think of Buzzfeed, The Fine Bros, Vlogbrothers, Cut.com, etc
research TEFL Certificates (Teach English Foreign Language). you will probably find a course in a major city in your country.
However, teaching in korea requires you (depending on which company you go through to find employment in teaching) to have a:
- TEFL Certificate
- At least a Bachelor Degree in any field from a qualified College/University
Getting into a Korean university huh? Challenge accepted... See you when I graduate from high school :D
Xuan Liu same
Xuan Liu How did it go?
Xuan Liu how did it go?
i wonder how it went
How did it go?
I'm sooooo glad you guys answered this question!! I have to admit I'm kind of sad that its difficult to get a job in Korea but now I can think about such dreams more realistically. I could actually devise more of a strategy now! Also, I am a fashion designer and I lolled pretty hard when you said how people all want to work for SM or YG cause as much as I love K-pop I would much rather makes clothes for you nasties!
Hey Martina & Simon, so it's now April 2015... how much has changed? Is there any hope for a very foreign Animal Care person there? or even working for you both?
See, I've thought about sending you an email with a resume and such, because I would love to work with you guys on your videos (writing up skits, acting in them, etc.), and I'm currently living in Korea myself, but I had no clue what you were looking for. And there are certain jobs, such as translation and website coding, that I couldn't do. So this video was actually kind of helpful for me. Thanks.
I cant understand anything you guys say in this video. it's like you speaking a different language.
English is not my first language and I can understand them pretty well. Maybe... idk dude.
Their voices in the CEO part are indeed hard to understand. jeremysev's comment is so lame.
yay! I recently applied to a study abroad program for a year in Korea. Im hoping i can learn the language and learn tons more on South Korea. being an English teacher is something i would like to do, this video was really helpful and informative!~ Thanks n.n
....lol good luck with your business guys!! 화이팅!
SWEATWIPOROLOGY LMAO
I've been in Korea for almost 5 months now as a scholarship university student and as u guys said they don t like us working. This is my biggest problem right now bc I wanna work but my visa doesn t allow me to do so and plus I m not a native english speaker ㅠㅠ
Anyway thx guys! Watching you before coming here helped me alot. My dream was to study here after I started to watch ur videos and now here I am hehe~
actually you don't have to have a teaching degree... if you've already finished school, get a TESOL certificate. that will help you remember all of the things about English that you might have forgotten. i finished my TESOL right before coming here and it helped me out a lot!
Very cool that you guys elaborated on this, it explains a lot. It is definitely easy to forgot how different things can be between different governments. You just kind of assume that it will be the same and then...
Anyways, I was the one who asked on the last TLDR what you were looking for in your future employees. So, this explains a lot.
Yes. The university go to offers a program to study in South Korea and you can take classes in English, unless you know Korean then you have the option of choosing to take classes in Korean or English.
my husband only has an associates degree (computer technology). he's trying to get his 4-year degree in game art and design. he's REALLY wanting to get a job in Korea 1) because he loves the culture and 2) because i'm half-Korean and I would really love to be near my Korean family since I've spent my whole life apart from them. I on the other hand have a 4-year degree in Social Work and have contemplated on getting a teaching job in Korea. (and i'm trying to polish up my Korean language)
I've been watching these TLDR's all day. I can't stop. Help me.
Thank you for doing this video! I've told my family I wanna go teach in korea (I am a kpop fan but I do have a passion for teaching) and they say "no you'll fall in love and want to stay here with him, but if that happens he either comes with me or it's not gunna work (I'd never give up on my dream!). So now I know what my future husband needs to do to get a job! But that won't be for a long time so korea will change.
Martina I love your pink hair and makeup!
I can't wait to come teach in Korea. I am passionate about teaching AND Korea and Kpop so it works out well for me. But I still have a few years to go :/
I'm in love with Martina's sweater. So cute.
Simon and Martina, THANK YOU about the teaching thing. I met SO MANY Asian language majors in my university (usually Japanese or Korean language) who say they want to go teach English in Japan or Korea, when really, they just a) like anime, b) like k-pop, or c) want to date/marry an Asian. I feel so sorry for their future students...
i remember my teacher told me that you can work outside of the country (US) as a nurse but you have to pass their own local boards.
because each country do have different protocols.
You don't need to go to a nursing school again. However, if you want to learn the medical terminologies formally then going back to school IN Korea would be helpful. Though, they do use some terms in English. Like "suction" & etc.
Hope this helps.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING THIS QUESTION! I really want to be fluent in Korean and visit Korea and possible live there and stuff but I'm always wondering what I could do there besides teach. This really helps and it really makes me want to go to Uni there!!!
Thank you very much for this video!!! and I do wish to eventually study in South Korea full time for my PhD, and preferably take on a job afterwards, but you are right it takes dedication and perseverance
What you said is so true! I went to Korea to teach English even though I had no interest in teaching and I had a horrible 6 months because I had no experience and I had no idea what I was doing. Lucky for me after 6 months I hit my stride and teaching became FUN! But at least 90% of the other foreigners I knew were so unhappy and they would curse at the kids and stuff because they hated their jobs.
Most recruiting companies that I've looked at only require a 4-year degree in anything. Basically, the most important requirement is that your first language is English, or you've lived in a recognized English-speaking country since grade 7. Some programs require you to have a TEFL certificate as well.
The TALK program doesn't require a degree, but you can only teach in rural areas and the pay is not as good.
I'm no expert, but this is what I've gathered from most websites.
ah, I do love your current videos and know how well you two have taken to Japan but I do miss the Korea days sometimes 🌏
I am a Medical Doctor. I am also a martial arts instructor, I knit, I cook Mexican Food and Italian Food... I'm a Medical School Teacher (pharmacology, pathology and physiology), English and Spanish teacher...
Yes, you helped a lot! My mother doubted they would hire anyone without an English major/degree, but I felt like that wouldn't matter. Thanks so much! :D
Thanks for the reply, it's nice to get actual insight! I've heard the exact thing from others as well, I guess we just have really different cultures. It's funny, b/c before having heard these testimonies from others I thought "Omg I want to go live in Korea so bad & have a k-drama life" and I think a lot of us K-pop & K-drama worshipers think this way, but now I see that it really isn't like that, and there's more to consider before actually making the move! Good luck over there, best wishes :)
Probably my favourite video by you guys. Seeing people that want to move to Korea because of kpop bothers me a bit. Why do something if you aren't going to enjoy it? I was planning to move to Japan to teach when I became older because I was always interested in the culture of Japan, etc.
Soon I became introduced to Korea. Everything about the culture & language really just caught my attention. I've been doing research ever since. I found this interesting. Thanks so much for opening peoples eyes.
Yes, it is. Korean employers like people who are bilingual or trilingual!!!!
You can speak 4 languages, that's amazing...!!
Ehwa only accepts foreign male students because it's an all girl university (go figure). But universities like Yonsei, Korea, and Seoul National University (the top 3) accept foreign exchange quite easily if you have the money. Many others do as well. But I must stress FOREIGN EXCHANGE, that means you return to your university after your studies. Getting accepted to a Korean University as an actual student is more difficult and I'm unfamiliar with the process.
I want to add that the US military hires civilians to work on the American posts and bases.. so you don't necessarily need to be soldier, airman or sailor.
Just got back from Korea, best time of my life!
Hey darkbabyninja, I am studying Korean and I've been told I'm a fast learner. However, I feel like I learn painfully slowly. I read online that it is one of the most difficult languages for English speakers to learn (with Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Japanese being the others in the top five). However, if you have already learned a language, you will already have those skills you need to learn so it will be easier (I speak Spanish). Fighting!
Martina, I love your hair and makeup here....it's GORGEOUS!!
It's extremely difficult. I am a Korean with a dual citizenship of the USA and Korea. But often times, if a foreigner decides to get a Korean citizenship, not only is the process very difficult, you often have to give up your own citizenship. Even Koreans who have dual citizenships often have to give one up when they become an adult.
There is a Nigerian woman (The official language there is English, and then she speaks her specific dialect) who moved to Seoul and began a Black hair salon there. I believe she still works there and her daughter was born there so her daughter actually speaks Korean.
Yay! A video posted on my birthday! It's a good birthday!
I want to go to Korea because 1- My dad was an english teacher and I want to follow in his path 2- I seriously want to go because of the awesome culture 3- I enjoy teaching kids 4- I love english, reading, writing..
My point is that not all people want to go because of kpop. In my opinion the ones that want to go because of kpop are the ones that dont even end up going because they don't really have a true passion to go to Korea.
I also want to go to Vietnam, Japan, and Belgium. JS
i just noticed...martina blinks alot
also, im super excited to study abroad in korea!!!!
im indonesian and im still in high school, ive always been a kpop fan and for a couple of years now ive been very passionate about korea and all of it's culture! especially after finding out about EYK, ive fallen more and more in love with korea
Yea I was exactly like that too, I was in the science field in my first year of university cause I wanted to go into medicine mainly for the money. Then I realised I'd rather be happy with a moderate income rather than miserable with a lot of money. So I changed my major to international studies and I'm so glad that I did.
get your bachelor's degree if you don't have it already. You can't teach/get a teaching gig (legally) or a visa for that matter without one.
get a TEFL/TESL certification. It will prepare you on how to properly teach English as a second language.
Not knowing your own language well, as in, knowing why you say things one way and why not another and the history behind certain words, the relations between common roots and grammatical syntaxes is really important. You need to be able to explain
i met and American friend who did Master's in Korea University in Korea and had part time job and got a scholarship, (they even give out to exchange students! foreigners only!) and he worked and earned so much money, paid off his student loans and his tuition fees! So if you guys cannot come as a university student (which is best option to settle in) try exchange student program if you are in school :)
If you actually study full-time in a Korean university, you usually need to do your TOPIK exam and actually prove that you can speak Korean because most undergrad degrees have all courses in Korean and even the English speaking degrees have some courses in Korean. Post-grad degrees are usually all in English but you still need to do the TOPIK. So that's a problem for those who can't speak Korean prior arriving.
we do celebrate Christmas but its not as big as USA. people give gifts like the u.s and stuff but its pretty different. for one, american christmas is a family holiday where family members meet up and have huge dinners like thanksgiving. in korea, its just another day and you eat as you normally do and family members dont meet up. its mostly known in korea as a couple's day. a lot of couples come out on streets holding hands and stuff.
Needed this! Thanks guys... Feeling a bit down but appreciate the info.
You need to have a teaching degree for English first. There might some schools/hagwons want you but if you want a career with a good time period and payment, I recommend you having a teaching degree. I read the Korean news where they are starting to hire foreign teachers only if they have a teaching degree. Of course some places might don't care but that the chance of finding them is quite slim. I know this stuff since I am Korean-Canadian. Hope it helped XP
Korea sounds like a very interesting place. I hope when I am old enough to find my own way there I can go.
You're a business!? Oooh, I'm excited! Tell us more about that please!
I will admit that I discovered kpop/ kdramas before Korean culture. However, I have learned to love the culture through the music. I really love how music connects the world! I plan to study Korean and hopefully get a job there one day. Some people may think I am just doing this because I am super into kpop, but that is only part of the reason. My main reason is my respect and fascination for the culture. The fact that I happen to appreciate the music there is just a bonus. :)
Like Tokee said, you can only get a work visa if you already have a job and your employer does the paperwork for you. You cannot go to the nearest Korean consulate/embassy and apply for a work visa.
wow i always wondered about the jobs there..... im so happy you made this video
What was like to be in Korea when you moved there? How was the whole experience the first year? Did you get used to the jet lag? Did you have any culture shock? What are somethings that you can still not get used at first to in Korea? Are there still things that you question about the Korean culture?
Yeah, I also want to know this!! I have a Korean friend and we study together in the US last year. She was very surprise about the things that people thought were funny... Also I love Korean dramas but I always notice that the sense of humor is not the same that other north american comedies... for example, would koreans find funny comedies like "The Big Bang Theory" or "Friends"???
I totally agree. I'm kind of in the same situation as you, but now I think I'd rather go to China or Japan because it would actually be possible for me to get a job in one of the other two countries. And besides, being in the same country as somebody doesn't mean you'll actually get to meet them. I mean, I live in the same country as JK Rowling, and I've never met her. Chances are I never will, too.
I'm guessing your soon to be wife is a Korea citizen?
If you're working for a major type of company that you know hires foreigners that would be helpful, also a big one that I hear and know of is that you really do need to be bilingual in English and Korean.
It really boils down to how good you are at your profession and can you speak both languages fluently. Sometimes you can get lucky and a company can teach you Korean through tutors. Each company and field is different.
Martina!!! I love tour sweater!!!!!! Love it
Korea is a cool place to live and certainly a very unique culture. But getting a job here will be quite a challenge. Of course if it's a teaching job you might be able to get one without too much difficulty. But outside of teaching it will be tough. I just went through the application and interview process of a top company in Korea, and it was very difficult and time consuming. But Korea is such a fun place, that I'd really like to stay there.
hi, i might be able to help a little bit if simon&martina don't answer your question ^^ so, i think you're talking about international students? if so, then no, not all korean universities accept foreigners. in fact, only the top few korean universities (like seoul, yonsei, etc) offer studies to international studies, and it's actually pretty difficult to get in (you probably have to be in the top 10 or so depending on your school) and skill required would vary on your field of study.but yea GL!
I did my own research on getting into korean universities and it's a little more work then expected but not impossible. Some universities will grant a scholarship for a few foreigners that score above a 90% on the TOPIK test and have a letter of recommendation from your current university as well as your gpa which should be 3.2 or higher.
It depends! Some people learn languages very easily, some find it hard! Personally, I learned to read and write hangeul on my own and I find it easy to learn Korean and other languages, but I know some other people who just can't learn any language, they just can't no matter how hard they try! It really depends on your ability to learn and willpower as well.
Completely agree. I'm currently a freshman engineering student, so a lot of my friends aren't sure if they want to be engineers but they chose it because it's a well-paying field. But they're not passionate about it, so I don't see how they'll be as successful as the friends that I have who are very passionate about engineering. >_>
very helpful! u guys explain everything so clearly and well! i love you guys :)