I’ve never taught in Korea, but have met several teachers in taiwan who have had bad experiences of the place.
I don’t know how pet-peevish it is of me to be saying this, but:
It bothers me to no end seeing grammatical errors like this on a thread about teaching English.
Would you like me to clean up your post a little?
It’s more that people type quickly and don’t proofread than that they are stupid. We oll maek mistacks.
I was in Korea for a couple of years, and am about to come to Taiwan (to work) for the first time. Like many of the others who responded, the earning potential was (and I guess still is) much higher in Korea, but at this moment of my life, I’m willing to give that up to be in a slightly more open-minded place.
Nothing horrible happened to me there. Just didn’t like it that much. Maybe it’s personal.
I taught in Korea a while back. My experience was nowhere near as bad as other people’s was. The people are more open minded and friendly here.
Here is one reason you will save more money in Korea. You usually get an apartment paid for in Korea. That is both good and bad. You will have to live with other teachers from your school. You may not always get along with all of them. There were also maintenance issues with our apartment. Out water heater broke down several times and we couldn’t get the hogwan owner to want to pay a repairman to fix it. Each time it happened, it would be weeks before something was done. Finally, the hogwan owner bought a new one. It was done with much complaining and grumbling on his part. When something breaks at my apartment in Taiwan, I see to it that it is fixed right away, but I pay for it. 
I have a question. Everybody knows the birthrate in Taiwan is plummeting and this will affect the future of EFL here. Does anybody know how the birthrate in Korea (or Japan for that matter) is doing? 
South Korea was the country with the lowest birthrate but Taiwan recently overtook them. They still have the busiest Costco in the world now. Japan has been looking forward to population decline for awhile now. Makes me wonder about those inter-generational mortgages they have. Basically for Young Japanese the past of lifetime employment and a stable job is a thing of the past. It’s a shame too because the Japanese export companies are doing fabulous, but the domestic market is complete shite.
I’m not sure if this is currently the case. I know at least a dozen people teaching in Korea, and none of them have shared accommodations. Granted, their single apartments aren’t massive, but I daresay the majority of them are nicer than my past apartments in Taiwan.
I don’t often throw in my opinion on this kind of post, but with nothing to do this afternoon, here goes.
I taught in Korea from 1994 to 1996. I taught several months at a hogwan and then I taught at a university for the rest of the time. I did not like it and that’s why I’ve been here for 16 years.
In fact, I was treated very well by the hogwan I worked for. There is not a single thing I can complain about. I can easily imagine teaching there for a long time, although I didn’t. I also taught at Korea University, which is a leading school. As one of my colleagues put it, “If the mafia ran a university, it would be just like Korea University.” Perhaps it’s better now.
But there are people who like living South Korea. Some of my friends from that time are still there. They teach at universities, so I don’t know how general this experience is. At least one of them lived in Taiwan before they went to Korea. My point is that polling forumsoa.com gives you a skewed survey because these are by definition people who left Korea and like it here more.
I would not go back to Korea. I don’t recommend teaching in Korea. I do know some people who like it there and I personally got a really good deal while I was there. Taiwan is a pretty tough place and you’ll be expected to do a lot of stuff on your own. That can be good and that can be bad. For the people you talk to here, it’s what they want.
My main problem with Korea is that the locals were so xenophobic they looked at me like I had burst out of John Hurt’s chest! 
Hi there
Was just wondering if anyone here living/lived in Taiwan has also lived in South Korea - and how the two countries compare.
From my own research, friends testimonies etc I have the feeling that Taiwan is a lot better than S.Korea. Not that I didn’t have a fantastic time in that country. But perhaps Taiwan has better food, weather, nicer more open people, natural beauty and wildlife, scenery and architecture, culture.
I’m very excited to come - anyone able to tell me about it?
Step one: search
living in Korea
on forumosa (aka “flob”).
You’ll be surprised to find things like this.
Since the God awful Mr. Kalgukshi (worthy of another thread altogether) shut you down on Dave’s Ill comment here.
In my experience, 5 years in Korea (hagwons and PS) and seven months here, Taiwan is a much nicer place to live and work as a foreigner. If you can find a job here working five days a week you will have time to visit the countryside which is attractive. Lots of accessible coastline unlike Korea. Ill try not to be too negative about Korea and its people but the people here, at least the ones I have met, are so much friendlier than Koreans. They smile and have little of the ridiculous social interaction restrictions that take over Koreans. The people here do not have that awful “uri-nara” mindset either.
Taiwan def has better food. The architecture while not always pleasing to the eye is more varied than Korea and has character, I esp like the old red brick buildings, good for taking pics. Korea is devoid of wildlife except for pigeons. Taiwan has lots of community cats and dogs but in the countryside there is a variety.
I have worked in a cram school here in Taipei for seven months and have not encountered any bs so far. It is the standard 20 hours a week. Arrive 30min before the first class and leave after the last class. I teach each class once a week with a Taiwanese teacher in the room. The students are like kids anywhere. They think it is funny that Koreans eat kimchi with every meal. There is no pressure and it as a comfortable working environment. No snide comments from the Taiwanese teachers about the amount I get paid compared to them.
So yeah Taiwan is pretty good. The weather is hot and has been since April, seems like no four seasons here.
Good luck with the job hunt.
That MOD is the biggest douche-bag of a Nazi I have ever seen on a forum. He has no sense of humor at all and I was banned right after your thread was butchered by him for saying that “you should ideally post in the Taiwan-Korean Comparison Job Discussion Forum Board, which requires separate registration and bureaucratic approval.” He is on some kind of power trip - I just pray he never assumes a REAL position of authority (see forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=84502). The mods on F.com are great!
No worries though because I used a proxy and signed up again under a different user name just to spite him. 
Oh my GOD, as soon as I found Forumosa I signed up just to get away from Kalgukshi. I recently posted a thread asking how long it takes to get a 60-day visa for Taiwan in Hong Kong, because I am kind of being forced to leave Korea on short notice and I need to find work. I said “Since we’re not allowed to talk about Korea on this forum, I won’t explain my situation.” I came back to find “[MOD EDIT] I won’t explain my situation.”
Not only are we not allowed to talk about Korea, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO MENTION THE SIMPLE FACT THAT WE’RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT KOREA. I didn’t criticize the policy, I just stated it. And that was deleted. And so was pretty much everything that anyone posted afterwards. He is out of control, and completely stifling productive conversation.
Anyway, I haven’t been to Taiwan (yet), but my experience with Korea has been about 80% negative. I can’t say it is all bad, I’ve met some great people and I have had some good times, but I don’t think it has been worth it. If you’re thinking of coming to Korea, keep in mind the strong xenophobia you will encounter. Even young children will treat you like dirt because their parents have taught them that westerners are stupid barbarians. Learn a bit of Korean and you’ll begin to understand them talking about you right in front of your face. Also, the Korean government’s requirements for the ARC and visa are ridiculous bordering on insanity (much like Mr. Kalgukshi).
I don’t know if Taiwan is any better, but I don’t think it can be much worse.
I assume that it is similarly against the rules to post about Taiwan on the Korea forum. In which case, how can any discussion comparing the two take place? This guy Mr. Kawasaki sounds like a complete dick.
I’ve just registered on the site in order to ask him this question.
EDIT: I’ve just taken a look at the site and I guess the general East Asia forum is the place to ask comparative qs.
So did he ban you 5 minutes after you posted?
His sig is “I never met a troll I didn’t ban” 
That itself tells me he enjoys hitting that ban button as part of a power trip personality.
Hi guys
First thanks for those who posted on Daves and got banned for it. That mod is indeed a prick, and I thank you for your most amusing comments.
I find it quite odd sometimes when people talk about the Korean’s xenophobia. Perhaps as I lived in the countryside my experience was different, I really was treated like gold most of the time, by colleagues, students and strangers on the street. However I can understand where other people are coming from. I wonder if there is a major shift in opinions on Brits and Americans? Korea however certainly does deserve the name ‘Hermit Kingdom’ as the people have little knowledge or regard for anything going on in the world outside Korea, or that doesn’t effect them in some way. (like the USA ;P)
Korea has a lot going for it, but after a year the bad things really catch up with you. The weather borders between sweat city, and freezing cold, the cities are miserable concrete jungles, there is literally no green space or natural beauty to be found. The food of course wears one down.
Why would they ban comparing Korea and Taiwan at Dave’s? Dave’s is a little Korea centric. He should go to Taiwan sometime.
Waegookin. Your avatar scares me :scooby:.