Teaching in KOREA | EPIK vs Hagwon | PUBLIC Schools vs. PRIVATE Academies

Thinking about teaching abroad and living in South Korea, but don't know if you should teach in public or private schools? Here are some differences between EPIK (public schools) and Hagwons (private academies). This information is based off of our own personal experiences. Some people may experience something different.
Things we didn't get a chance to talk about: housing/location/contract termination/students.
If you want to know about these topics (because they are different) or any others, let us know in the comments below :)
Don't want to sit through the whole thing?
0:35 interview
6:52 workload
11:03 classroom and co-teachers
18:07 money
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[@Monicuhs]

As someone who is looking into teaching in Korea after getting my bachelor's, this video was super informative! Thank you both so much for all the information. It helped me a lot! Stay safe and healthy! Wishing you both nothing but the best. :)

[@busanbasics247]

Thank you so much! We’re so happy we could help you! If you have any questions and would like us to make another video about it let us know :)

[@anshikasattavan5894]

This video was really informative..... seriously.... Thank you ❤️❤️❤️

[@busanbasics247]

We're really glad we could help! :)

[@meraki6380]

I want to know about Indian teacher scopes in Korea? Like i know we need a license but how to get it?

[@katyarrg1887]

Thank you for doing this video! I am currently in the process of deciding between Epik or Hagwon and this helped a lot!!

[@mariahc.crawley884]

They Broke It Dowwwwwwwwwwwn!

[@bongiwentseto3121]

Epik teachers always talk about the disadvantages of hagwon a lot, but what I just heard right now is amazing. The fact that you have free rein to create your own lessons, tests and all that, kids get to enjoy the lessons and you enjoy teaching too, it gives you room to teach your way and most probably the best way. Sucks that with Epik youre not the main teacher and everything is textbook, you told what to do when you know better 💀. That's why kids struggle with progress. Question for an epik teacher. How does a korean teacher teach English? is it in Korean or english? Cos I read somewhere an english class was taught in their language, translation here and there hence kids failed dismally. Tell me how does it work.

[@anthonygreenfield123]

Yeah it sucks, even in the Netherlands English classes in high school are taught by Dutch people in Dutch language only! That's why I learnt English on my own and through Hollywood and stuff.

[@khanyisilendelu2696]

I'm subscribing ❤️

[@jirayamana4749]

This was super helpful, thank you! Is it possible to start off the bat as a part-time teacher at a hagwon? I'm trying to also take Korean language classes while in Korea and don't think a full-time position would be doable.

[@busanbasics247]

I'm glad this helped! Honestly part-time jobs are hard to come by and even harder to find one to sponsor your visa. I also heard they usually like people who are already in the country. But I know plenty of people who work full time and are still able to take Korean classes. They don't take the classes at the university but there are lots of other types of classes that you can find to fit around your work schedule.

[@cuangao1]

Very informative

[@shesmiles09]

See, I wish there was a way to look at how people feel about specific Hagwons they have taught at in the past. In most of the videos I have watched they don’t say which Hagwon they have had bad experiences with. If it is so hit and miss, I wish people were more open to helping others know which ones they had bad experiences with. I keep trying to do research on the Hagwons that are offering me a position and there are no “reviews” on the school or the teachers experience.

[@busanbasics247]

Unfortunately due to Korean law, people can't publicly give bad reviews of places because here it is considered slander (even if it's true) and the person can (and most likely will) be sued. However, if you search online for blacklisted hagwons you should be able to find some websites with a list of really bad places to work.

[@shesmiles09]

@@busanbasics247 Oof, definitely not worth the suing! I think I can tell from some of my interviews, but there is still a lot of fear. Thank you for the advice! I will definitely look into the black listed hagwon websites. And thank you for informing me about the strict laws, that explains a lot!

[@goldhawk151]

Definitely helpful since I taught at a hagwon for a year and now i’m about to teach for EPIK in Gyeongi-do

[@meainkorea1937]

This video was super informative and fun ! And I loved that y’all just happed to match . 🙂. I teach in a smaller city near daegu (that I ❤️) with EPIK and wanted to add a little bit of info too. I also got my renewal bonus after completing my second year . My settlement allowance was 300 and I got it 3 weeks after my contract started and got my entrance allowance at the same time (1.3 million .) For vacation I get 26 days (I use all 26 days because my school has no special holidays). I can use my vacation anytime during the almost 2 month winter vacation and anytime during the month long summer vacation. I will use 16 during the winter and 10 during the summer . Also if I teach camp in the winter I don’t have to teach during summer .

[@busanbasics247]

Thank so much girl! Pretty jealous that you only have to teach camp once a year!

[@sabbiemoon]

I really appreciated your video. I'm moving to Busan in March, and while I'm really excited, the closer it gets, the more nervous I feel. Especially since I will be working for a hagwon. I would really love if you guys could do a video providing personal experiences (good and bad) about working in Korea!

[@busanbasics247]

Hi Sabrina! We will definitely add your request to the list! While you’re waiting, we made a video about packing for Korea. Hope this helps you to prepare for your trip here! kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYTRdHaKiM-paMU

[@SundariGangte]

Hello Sabrina..can i ask you something out of curiosity, are you an Indian? If you are, can you please give me some advice on how to land at a teaching job in Korea? I am also planning to teach English there and I'm doing my Masters right now and planning to take up TESOL/TEFL Course. Thanks.

[@lostandfound504]

Hi Sabrina r u Indian?

[@aileensmith2953]

@@SundariGangte Im not indian but I do know about teaching in korea. So I know with EPIK there are exceptions that you must meet in order to be qualified and I believe one of them Is to hold a teaching license. Since you took a TEFL course I'm going to assume your not studying to be a teacher so I don't believe you can work through EPIK. BUT! I believe hagwons don't require a specific country. So you need the TEFL and with foriegners like that they usually look for those with clear accents (so the kids can understand, so you must enuciate very well) and you must have really good grammar and English language skills. I hope this helped even though its 2 months later.

[@爪几Princess]

Your lucky girl,many people dream abt going Korea.

[@SweetLala25]

This is scary because I watched a woman, Queentiwa talk about her experience working with Hagwon and it was vastly different. I know everyone's situation is different but it really shows Korea's racist attitude so clearly. Perhaps white people will just always be treated better though some may still have strife.

[@kennykwan5103]

What an interesting video!! For the after school academy (hagwon) that I work at, we hardly grade anything and we do not make our own test or materials either. Teachers usually teach around 24-28 hours a week. Also the Korean teachers are usually the ones teaching grammar. It is pretty chill and I love working there! However, I have heard some horror stories about shady hagwons so there’s that too.

[@jirayamana4749]

Okay you've got me super curious about your hagwon now lol 😆Can I possibly message you to find out more (Facebook or IG)? I'm looking for jobs to teach in Korea, and as a newbie ESL teacher, I'm trying to cover all the bases before I sign a contract. Any help would be appreciated!!

[@josephchiorazzi8276]

i had two nightmare experiences while over there. I want to give teaching another try but this time find a much better school

[@boredomisnevergood]

I think the flight reimbursement is depending on hagwon too, the one I applied to says they will reimburse the flight within the first month.

[@caseinseoul5490]

Yup! I work at a hagwon and I got my flight reimbursement in cash in the first week I landed in Korea. I think it is just up to the specific hagwon and the director at your hagwon.

[@wwjdn6935]

what is your advice for someone in their last semester of university?

[@busanbasics247]

Try to get a TEFL certificate (online is cheaper) and you can probably start applying for EPIK and hagwons that are looking to hire after your graduation date

[@coyotelong4349]

Thanks for the info! I taught in EPIK 3 years ago in Ulsan and had to cut my contract short because of a bad experience, but now I’m trying to go back to Korea to go for a Hagwon this time so this is helpful

[@busanbasics247]

We're glad we could help! :)

[@lucymo6540]

What was your bad experience?

[@danielpark8003]

I guess these two gals are from the USA. I like Busan compared to Seoul and Daegu. People there are very relaxed. I love the breeze from the ocean. Haeundae Beach is nice, too.

[@jenoasis94]

Thank you soooo much for making this video. I really enjoyed it.

[@busanbasics247]

We're so glad you liked it! :) We hope it was helpful!

[@chemophile14]

0:08 mam may I crop your clip just for 4 seconds for my vlog?

[@busanbasics247]

haha yes you can :)

[@chemophile14]

@@busanbasics247 thanks 😊

[@suhyungkim7041]

What about sick days? Does that come under vacation days?

[@lizetchavez7685]

Hi! I love your video, definitely informational! 😇 I’m looking into applying through EPIK to teach in the spring but I’m a little nervous since I just graduated uni 3 days ago so I do have my BA but no teaching experience and my experience with kids is just babysitting within my family and sometimes at church. I am planning on taking the TEFL, since I believe taking that and having a BA in any field gets you that level 2 status you need to be to qualify. I am also nervous about lesson planning on my own, like the way I will execute the lesson. :// but I do very much want to take the risk and do this as I heard from people I know that they enjoyed their experience with no prior teaching experience. Can I have some of your thoughts on this? 🥲

[@busanbasics247]

Hey there! You don't have to be nervous, many people that come to Korea have little to no teaching experience. You'll be given a textbook and pretty much told what to teach so you almost always have something to go off of when lesson planning. If you're still nervous about lesson planning or teaching in general I have 2 videos about lesson planning and tips for new teachers, maybe they can help you out! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHuUcpWoba-riKs kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKCXiJV4qMRnlZY

[@rachelmanzano4766]

hi! thanks for this video. i have a question. does epik and hagwons prefer to hire employees that just finished their tefl certificate or can you wait let's say a year after you received your tefl certificate to apply?

[@deeanastyles5658]

This was very well-made and informative. Thank you💓

[@katyrye]

My husband has one school

[@lookslover3436]

Didn't realise how relaxed the workload for EPIK teachers was, 22 hours?! And the rest essentially 'free time' . That blows my mind, sad I didn't apply for this Autumn intake now. Currently looking at Hagwons which are on the opposite end of the scale, purely because I wanted to be in Seoul.

[@busanbasics247]

Yeah it's definitely a trade off-- EPIK is not a lot of work (you still have to lesson plan during your "free time" or help with other things but it's not that hard) butttttttt you have zero control over where you go

[@zannatunfarhana479]

Hello! Are you still staying in Korea. I'd love to take some pronunciation lessons from Native Speakers. Could you guys please recomend me something!

[@busanbasics247]

If you’re doing self study, Talk To Me In Korean has really good books and a KZbin channel. iTalki is also a good online tutoring platform where you can learn from native speakers. If you’re in Korea you can sign up for language exchanges (just Google search them in your area), KIIP classes or you can probably find private tutoring in your area

[@rachaelcassidy9062]

Thanks so much for such an informative video. Can i ask what the attitudes are in korea to small tattoos which can be hiden? Would this reduce chances of getting a teaching job?

[@busanbasics247]

As long as you can hide them while teaching it shouldn't be a problem.

[@Henry-gb8cl]

Its funny. When you guys say hagwon, it sounds like something from that kids book, ...? I forgot the title, but the one about the witches. I am glad Julia explained what hagwon is. Julia would you be my private hagwon teacher? I know it sounds creepy, but you are so funny.

[@wifipdfs]

this is extremely helpful!! Do either of you have any thoughts on teaching high school students or know someone who teaches high school?

[@danieldemicco4769]

It's really hard to get high school positions. When I was in Korea a few years ago almost all the high school positions were gone. In high school the focus is on grammar/ test prep which is easier to do with a Korean teacher.

[@danielpark8003]

Nowadays I do not think people are going to Asia or Europe to teach English. Corona is the problem.

[@busanbasics247]

Such a good point! We're actually going to post a video soon about how COVID has effected things here

[@ashleykenny5135]

love this - this is so helpful! OKAY BUT I NEED TO KNOW , how do you keep your curly hair non-frizzy in Korea?!

[@busanbasics247]

A LOT of trial and error! haha I get a lot of American products (like shea moisture) from Coupang. Lush also made an "afro" line that I use as well because Lush is in Korea. But in the summertime, there's no stopping the frizz!

[@ashleykenny5135]

@@busanbasics247 haha yes I definitely relate- thank you so much! 🙏🏽this is so helpful ❤️

[@lostandfound504]

Thanks ..made for details

[@phelelentlebi2439]

When you say one should be cautious if a hagwon offers them 2.5 million won with not much teaching experience,What are you referring to? Is it too good to be true? Is there a high possibility that their employees don’t stick around much because of their treatment? 🙆🏽‍♀️ what are the red flags you should look out for in such cases? Thank you for the video!! It’s very informative

[@busanbasics247]

2.5 million won is on the higher end (depending on where you're located) so if you have zero teaching experience, you have to ask yourself "why would they pay this much?". Usually it's a red flag and something to look out for

[@expatchick]

OMG I watched this video like a year ago! Crazy that we ended up meeting LOL

[@busanbasics247]

Such a small world!

[@alanalovato5563]

anyone have experience with KPS (Korean Poly School), just got offered a position there but am thinking about turning it down. Are there better options? thank u:)

[@harrue]

Do they have summer programs for people that want to only teach in the summer? Do you know anything about sports in korea, such as are is it all done privately or offered through the schools?

[@hennessyhd7879]

Girl on the right is marriage material. Jane from breaking bad without the heroin 🤝

[@bexxxxxxy]

Does EPIK have open classes?

[@busanbasics247]

Usually there is open class once a semester

[@ANIMEO30]

Hi I am wondering how do you find job offerings in Hagwons? I am a masters student and I have TA experience. I have not yet got the TEOFL.

[@busanbasics247]

For hagwons it’s best to find a recruiter. They do all the work for you and are free. You can find a recruiter by googling it

[@kalyanidhamdhere4921]

Hii! I'm from India & have completed my masters in mathematics... Can you please guide me how can I teach in korea I mean like what exams or course I have to complete to teach in south korea..??

[@kaylamendoza26]

You can get a certified TEFL/TESOL online which is required for teaching at EPIK (100+ hours I think). However, it is not required for working at a Hagwon

[@Andrew-ol4te]

Super informative video! Hope to be in Korea by August. Thank you both :)

[@joliejeolla1394]

I was surprised about the EPIK vacation comments - everyone i know gets 26 to 28 days a year plus red days. Im taking 12 vacation days this summer alone. Is Busan's contract different?

[@busanbasics247]

When I first came here my vacation days were 9 in summer and 9 in winter. After my first contract it got bumped up to 10 each plus 6 "extra" days. The extra days can be used for vacation but recently EPIK changed some stuff and whereas before we would get off days like the school's anniversary or if the school randomly had a day off that wasn't a red day, we now have to use those 6 "extra" days for that (but we still get red days off). So maybe that's what people are counting when they say they have 26 days off.

[@joliejeolla1394]

@@busanbasics247 Ah I see! I got here in August 2019 and have always been able to just take a total of 26 days off in either of the vacation windows. I know some people who have a couple of extra days that they've 'earned' from being here for a few years. I did hear about that school anniversary thing, though - that we need to spend a vacation day if we want to be off. Some people I heard just elect to go in and deskwarm anyway so they don't need to spend the vacation day.

[@RisticXMMII]

This was great! Thank you ladies for all the details + love your vibes :) edit: I have a question though regarding EPIK vacations. When you mentioned that the vacation days are 9 working days, I got a little confused because then you mentioned it was actually 2 weeks? So does that mean we would get 2 weeks in winter and 2 weeks in summer vacation? Excluding "sick days". Also, since COVID, would they allow you to travel abroad for a vacation? just because I assume one would still have to quarantine for 14 days after returning?... Would love to hear your thoughts thanks! :)

[@busanbasics247]

Thanks so much! So it’s 9 working days so if you schedule your vacation a certain way you can make that last about 2 weeks. For example if you took a vacation from March 27th (a Saturday) until March 8th (a Thursday) that’s only 9 working days but with weekends it’s almost 2 weeks. You get 9 days in summer and 9 days in winter. You have to work around your school’s calendar when choosing vacation days. This is excluding sick days. You have 3 sick days where you don’t need a doctor’s note and 3 where you do. As of now, it would be impossible for anyone in EPIK to travel abroad because of the 2 weeks quarantine in both counties. Hope this helps! :)

[@literarybookish]

I’ve been planning on teaching through EPIK - my question is if through EPIK I get a job would I have the option to choose my location? Or would they choose it?

[@busanbasics247]

Unfortunately with EPIK the biggest downfall is that you can't choose where you end up. You can request a city and there's even a spot on the application you can check that says something along the lines of "if I don't get my city I don't want to be placed somewhere else" but it's never a guarantee. The advice I've seen about going to Seoul through EPIK is that you should apply THE DAY applications open and get all of your paperwork in ASAP. EPIK usually places people in the order that they've gotten their stuff in, and since Seoul is so competitive it's better to be one of the first ones to apply.

[@literarybookish]

@@busanbasics247 this is really really helpful! Thank you so much

[@nicoleprice6702]

Would you ever consider moving from EPIK to a private system? Are you able to shed light on experiences from anyone who has considered this, or do people typically stick with one route or the other?

[@busanbasics247]

For me personally I don’t think I would switch. I like that with EPIK you’re guaranteed to get paid and have a job (even during COVID) and you REALLY have to mess up to get fired. However I do know some people who have switched from EPIK to hagwons. Usually people switch because when applying to hagwons you can choose a hagwon depending on location, work hours, and pay. EPIK you really don’t have any say in those things. I haven’t met anyone that’s switched from hagwon to EPIK.

[@Shadescoco77]

Hey, salary amount you talked about monthly or yearly

[@jenoasis94]

Is it wise to take up a job with a school you can’t find much information about? I can only find info for Altiora’s Seoul branch but nothing about the Yangsan branch so I’m wondering if it’s wise to take my chances and work there.

[@busanbasics247]

It's hard to say. If it's a respectable hagwon in general then it's usually okay because they follow the same guidelines. It could just be a new branch. Maybe try looking on expat Facebook pages and see if anyone has worked at that specific branch before. We also would like to point out that many jobs in Yangsan advertise that they're in Busan or close to Busan but in reality Yangsan city is about an hour away by public transportation. We hope this helps!

[@sigheu]

I just found you two today and just wanted to say you two seem very fun! Thank you for making this video. I have an interview with a recruiter tonight and am very nervous but excited. I have been on the fence about EPIK vs Hagwon and now I think I know what I want! I really would like to be placed in Busan so wish me luck!

[@busanbasics247]

Thank you so much :) We're so happy we can help! Fingers crossed you can get placed in Busan. It really is an amazing city.

[@anshikasattavan5894]

Can you make a video how Indians can get a teaching job in Korea. I have done plenty research on it but since this process is a lot different for indians under CEPA, it gets a lil confusing. It would mean a lot if you could give us ur valuable guide😇

[@busanbasics247]

Unfortunately neither of us have a lot of knowledge about Indians getting teaching jobs in Korea and we don't want to give any false information. We do know that most teachers with EPIK and hagwons are on an E2 visa. However to qualify for that visa you would need to have a passport from the United States, Canada, UK, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa. You maybe be able to teach with an F-visa. Sorry we couldn't be more help.

[@clairecain1292]

What hagwon would you say that are not good to work for

[@busanbasics247]

It's hard to say. A lot of hagwons are big chains and since each branch is run by a different manager, the same company can have complete different reviews for each of it's branches. Also, because of Korea's defamation laws I can't really specifically name a hagwon as bad on a public site. However, if you google "Korea hagwon blacklist" you'll find a website that has a whole list of hagwons to avoid.

[@meraki6380]

Can hagwan teachers also be epik teacher?

[@busanbasics247]

Unfortunately you can't do both at the same time

[@sayedakhan4597]

You mentioned that you get 9 working days off, is it normal/standard for teachers to actually use those days?

[@busanbasics247]

For EPIK you get 9 days for winter vacation and 9 days for summer vacation. You can only take a vacation when your school has vacation and if it doesn't interfere with winter camps. EPIK also gives you sick days, which you can use if you need them. Hagwons vary on the amount of vacation days and times

[@englishielts4704]

Thanks a lot for this fabulous video you're so great. Actually, I'm a teacher and I have a bachelor's degree in English with 10 years of experience in teaching English. In addition, I have a TEFL certificate and preparing for IELTS to have a higher score of more than 7.What else should I do to teach in Korea as a non-native teacher?

[@busanbasics247]

With that much experience you’re set! As long as you’re from one of the seven English speaking countries required for the visa, you have nothing to worry about

[@englishielts4704]

@@busanbasics247 Hi Katie, you are so nice. Well, unfortunately, I'm a non-native teacher of English and I realize that it becomes more difficult to be accepted in Korea! I'm doing my best nowadays to be more proficient especially in speaking skills and to be much more confident and fluent in English hoping in finding a job in China or Japan, etc.I would be so grateful to you with any kind of tips or advice .thanks again cutie

[@busanbasics247]

@@englishielts4704 Unfortunately I don't have a lot of experience or knowledge in this situation. I think you definitely have enough experience, but you have might have to be really open minded to where you end up

[@englishielts4704]

@@busanbasics247 Thanks for your attention I wish you all the best with your career in Korea . I hope we'll meet soon as co-workers maybe in Korea or somewhere else, who knows!😊Anyways, I'm so grateful

[@Hannah-zb5ji]

Very informative, thank you!

[@sophiemarie1905]

How much more money do you get at hagwons?

[@busanbasics247]

This depends on your experience. You can find EPIK's pay scale on their website. In our experience, in Busan, we haven't heard of someone making more than 2.8 million won, but that depends on your experience.

[@daizystevens5698]

I'm nervous about making my own lesson plans

[@busanbasics247]

Understandable! Both EPIK and hagwons usually have a book that you are assigned and can base your lesson plans off of, so you are given most of the criteria upfront. No one is perfect at planning when they first start out, so try not to be too nervous :)

[@emompoint29]

Do the students only get 4 weeks vacation total for the year?? Sorry I kinda misunderstood that part lol

[@busanbasics247]

In public school students have more than 4 weeks vacation. However the GET (guest English teacher) only gets 4 weeks vacation. During the time when the students aren't there but the GET does't have vacation, the GET is desk warming. As for hagwons, students usually still go to their hagwon during vacation