Thinking about teaching English in Korea? This is the only guide you need.
I've spent over twenty years living and working in South Korea, recruiting, placing, and mentoring English teachers from around the world. I've helped thousands of teachers navigate the process from their first curious Google search to their last day in a Korean classroom. This book is everything I wish someone had handed me before I moved to Korea more than two decades ago.
Teach English in Korea walks you through every step of the journey. You'll learn how to choose the right TEFL certification without overpaying, build application materials that Korean directors actually respond to, ace interviews with hagwon owners and public school coordinators, decode your contract before you sign it, and navigate the visa and immigration process without the confusion that trips up most first-timers.
But this book doesn't stop at getting the job. It covers what happens after you land, setting up your apartment, opening a bank account, surviving your first week in the classroom, and adjusting to a culture that will challenge and reward you in equal measure. You'll find honest, practical guidance on classroom management, lesson planning, teaching different age groups, Korean workplace culture, travel, food, dating, finances, taxes, and planning your next move when your contract ends.
What makes this book different?
It's built on real experience, not research from a distance. I've sat across the table from Korean school directors. I've mediated contract disputes at midnight. I've coached teachers through culture shock, homesickness, and career pivots. And I've made plenty of my own mistakes along the way, many of which I share in this book so you don't have to repeat them.
Throughout the book, you'll find over seventy Teacher Stories drawn from real people I've worked with over the years. These aren't hypotheticals. They're vivid, specific accounts of teachers who navigated challenges, made smart decisions (and some not-so-smart ones), and came out stronger on the other side. Every story ends with a clear takeaway you can apply to your own experience.
You'll also find Pro Tips in every chapter, insider advice on everything from negotiating a better contract to claiming your Korean tax exemption to knowing exactly what to do if your school violates your agreement.
Inside this guide, you'll find:
A month-by-month breakdown of what your first year in Korea actually feels like, from the sensory overload of month one to the bittersweet goodbyes of month twelve.
A real paycheck walkthrough showing your gross salary, every deduction, your net take-home pay, and how much you can realistically save, with actual numbers, not vague estimates.
A complete section on what to do when things go wrong, including how to document problems, file a labor complaint, and avoid the costly mistake of a "midnight run."
Guidance on Korean culture, dating, food, weekend travel, and building a social life that makes your time abroad genuinely fulfilling, not just professionally productive.
An exit checklist for your final month covering severance, pension refunds, bank accounts, phone contracts, references, and returning your ARC at the airport.
Who this book is for:
Whether you're a recent graduate looking for adventure, a career changer seeking something meaningful, or a seasoned traveler ready to live abroad for the first time, this book meets you where you are and walks beside you every step of the way. No fluff. No filler. Just twenty years of hard-won experience, written in the voice of someone who's been exactly where you're about to go.
Your Korea adventure starts here.
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