Newspapers in Korea...

Being that the English speaking expatriate number is growing, so has the amount of English language newspapers reporting Korean and international news. Additionally, most have developed websites for access from any location. Below is a list of various newspapers and their websites along with brief descriptions and commentary on each.

- The Chosun Ilbo http://english.chosun.com/ (English and Korean)
This newspaper is a popular one among the online community. It is often cited within certain subjects of controversey and also covers international topics. Its format is much like an American news site and is easy to navigate.

- The Korea Herald http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/ (English)
This is one of the most well-known English language newspapers in Korea. Its language is easy to read and its aesthetically pleasing. The Korea Herald also is affiliated with a langauge academy called "Herald School."

- The Korea Times http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/index.asp (English)
This is another of the most read English news sources in Korea. It contains quite a bit of information in many different domains. The Korea Times also has many subjects that are of interest or pertain to English teachers in Korea.

- The Joong Ang Daily http://joongangdaily.joins.com/?cloc=home|gn|jdaily (English and Korean)
The Joong Ang Daily stems from an originally Korean newspaper. It deals with mostly Korean topics and presents topics related to business, commerce and the economy.

- The Seoul Times http://theseoultimes.com/ST/index.html (English)
This newspaper is specific to the city of Seoul and carries news of similar calibur to the Korea Times and Herald. It also includes news happening in the Seoul metropolitain area.

- Yonhap News http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/ (English)
Yonhap News is another news source unique to Seoul. Its contents focus mainly on things happening within the South Korean peninsula.

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Here are also some Korean language newspapers for those of you who have the ability to read and understand Korean.
- Donga Ilbo http://www.donga.com/
- Oh My News http://www.ohmynews.com/
- The Korean Economic Daily http://www.hankyung.com/

A Korean Apartment...

As an English teacher, chances are that you will be housed in a one room studio, especially if you are in the Seoul area or a major city. In the more subur ban and rural areas, apartment sizes will be a bit larger in area due to less expensive monthly costs and deposits. The studios' area is measured using a Korean unit of measurement called a "pyong." One pyong is approximately 3.3 square meters or 35.5 square feet. Average apartment size is 7-8 pyong. As housing is relatively expensive and hard to obtain in Korea, expect smaller sized accommodations.
Most studios are found in buildings called "officetels." Officetels are generally small rooms equipped with apartment furnishings (full bathroom, closet space, kitchenette, etc.) and are used by small companies as work places. Officetels also serve as living quarters for students as they are usually inexpensive in comparison to villas and other living spaces.
Your school will take care of monthly rent and the deposit, which is significantly more expensive than in most Western countries. Deposit tends to be 12 months worth of rent. This means that if your rent is 600,000 won (approximately $600 USD) per month, the deposit will be around 7,000,000 won. This number is generally bumped up to 10,000,000 won. Schools realize that most Americans who are coming to teach in Korea do not have that kind of money sitting in their bank account, so that is why schools are willing and have planned to take care of the deposit expense.
Nearly all Korean apartments/studios come with private, full bathrooms. However, the shower situation may be different than what you are used to. The shower is typically over the toilet or sink and is rarely in a separate compartment.
Another difference is found in the heating system. Korean homes have heating through the floor. There will be a control in your apartment in most cases and it is to regulate the temperature in your room. The air conditioning is also not central, but is regulated via a unit mounted on your wall.
Korean apartments are not extremely different from those in other parts of the world, but there are a few differences that may require some adjustment. If you have questions regarding controls and buttons in your studio, it is advised to ask some of your English speaking Korean co-workers to assist you in translation.

Food in Korea -- Galbi

Also known as Korean barbeque, galbi is a very popular Korean dish. Galbi (갈비) literally means "rib" which does not necessarily signify that the meat is cooked. It is generally made of beef ribs, but can also be found in chicken and pork varieties. You may find the typical beef galbi listed on a menu as "so(e)galbi" (소갈비). In establishments where more than one variety of galbi is served, you may see pork galbi as dwaejigalbi (돼지살비) and chicken galbi as dakgalbi (닦갈비) on the menu in order to differentiate between the different types offered.

Galbi is traditionally marinated in soy sauce, garlic and sugar. Don't be fooled by its Korean BBQ moniker, it is not your typical Memphis dry rub BBQ with cornbread and coleslaw. Its typical accmpaniements are lettuce and other leafy vegetables. A red bean sauce is also typically served with galbi for dipping.

Like BBQ, Galbi is a popular picnic dish. Portable stoves and grills are used to cook the meat outdoors.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galbi

What to wear to work...

Deciding what to wear to work in Korea can be difficult, especially when you don't have the opportunity to visit the location and see your future colleagues prior to beginning to work there. A good general rule of thumb is to dress conservatively no matter what you observe among your co-workers' fashion habits. As in most professional and educational work environments), if you want to be taken seriously and treated with respect, it is a good idea to show up to work in a presentable manner.

For men, casual slacks (i.e. khakis) are acceptable. A collared shirt is usually a good idea and in some places, a tie may even be required. Most schools in Korea do NOT require a tie, but if you feel like it's something you would like to sport on occasion, it is not frowned upon! Casual dress shoes are the norm. The key is to make sure that they're comfortable. You will be standing for extended periods of time (while teaching.) Make it easy on yourself and dress comfortably! For men, t-shirts, jeans, and tennis shoes are not a good idea. You are a representative of yourself and your home country, so it's a good idea to look put together.

Females, you are lucky to have a little more flexibility in your dress code. You can choose to adhere to the same dress standards as men, but you are not limited to a pair of khakis and polo shirt. Skirts (in good taste) and dresses are also okay. You may get some funny looks if you come into school wearing a ballgown, but the key is to look presentable. High heels are alright, but as mentioned above, you will be standing for somewhat longer periods of time and if you can't do so in heels, they may not be the right shoes for you.

All in all, it's not difficult to dress to impress in your school. As you have been working for a while, you'll begin to learn what passes and what does not pass in your particular place of work. Bottom line : just try your best to look nice.

Hit the shops in Korea!

Shopping in Korea can be a blast, or an extreme experience...or even both! Being that Korea is heavily populated for its land area, you may often feel that there are a lot of people around at all times. You'll get used to it and what better way to really dive into the seas of people than to go shopping?

Korea has a wide variety of clothing/apparel stores that also have locations all over the world. Listed below are some international clothing store found in Korea (mainly in Seoul) that may be worth checking out. There are also some uniquely Asian stores that are sometimes more affordable. Just a forewarning, these stores tend to be more expensive than in your home country.
- Gap
- American Apparel
- Zara
- Forever 21
- ABC Mart
- Uniglo
- Lush
- Bean Pole
- Mango
- ...and many more!
Korea's also got loads of small, independently owned boutiques located in various places throughout each major city. Check out the larger subway stations, touristy areas and university neighborhoods in larger cities. These places tend to have stands that offer lower quality clothing for a very low price. (5,000-20,000 won per article.)
There are also shopping malls in Korea, but they may be different than the traditional shopping mall that you are used to. Many shopping malls in Korea consist of hundreds of different stands in a huge building with various "shopkeepers" trying to lure you to their stands in hopes that you will purchase something from them. In places like these, negotiating prices is somewhat normal, but some finesse may be required. If you somehow manage to offend a shopkeeper, he/she may refuse to sell you anything at all.

Deparment stores such as Hyundai (an upper scale one), Lotte Super, Homeever, and E-mart all provide reasonable prices on things such as groceries, home appliances and clothing. They can be compared to Wal-Mart and Target in the USA, ASDA and Tesco in the UK.

This is just a short guide of types of places to shop in Korea. As your co-workers and friends about more specific places with the best bargains! They'll prove to be a great source for you!

FAQs...Part 2

Here's another FAQ entry to answer common questions that we at HandS Korea here pretty regularly! Don't worry, there's more to come!

* I have a wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/children/significant other that would also like to come teach in Korea. Is it possible for us to live together?
Sure! The more the merrier! As long as your "other" is at least a bachelor-holder, then he/she is more than able to come to Korea. We tend to advise that couples don't work in the same school. Sometimes living and working together can become a bit much. However, it is very possible for you to live in the same accommodation. Just be sure to let us know what kind of living situation you'd prefer, and we're more than happy to help you out!* I have a wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/children/significant other that would NOT like to come teach in Korea, but wants to come live with me while I teach. Is this possible?
Now this situation has proven to be a bit more difficult in our experience. While it is difficult, it is not impossible. Your "other(s)" would of course have to apply for a visa just as you do. It is a different kind of visa and usually for children, it is a bit more complicated to send them to a Korean school as in most cases, children do not have a working knowledge of the Korean language. As mentioned earlier, it IS possible, but can sometimes be difficult. If this is your situation, please notify HandS Korea and we will do our utmost to help you out.

* A starting salary of 2 million won per month sure doesn't sound like very much, especially when compared to US dollars. Will I be able to survive on this amount each month?
The answer is yes, but in most cases, a budget will most likely need to be established. While the cost of living in Korea is relatively low, especially in comparison to the USA, a budget is typically a good idea. The first couple of months may be hard as you are beginning to settle down and there will be a couple of more expenses than in the later months. (i.e. Any extra home appliances that you may desire that are not provided to you by your school.) However, after this point, many teachers find it easy to pay their bills back home as well as live a comfortable life in Korea. Personally, I usually advise teachers to budget 500,000 - 600,000 won per month for your own personal spending. The rest is up to you!

* Will the school pay for my trip home should I choose to visit my family in my home country during certain holidays?
Your school will pay for your initial round-trip airfare for you to come teach in Korea. Other trips are up to you. While there may be a school out there that is nice enough to help you pay for your trip in this situation, I haven't heard of one in my experience in the ESL teacher recruiting sector.

* What if I decide not to stay for one full year as stated in my contract?
Should you decide not to stay for you contractual 1 year period for any reason, you will be obligated to reimburse the school for your incoming flight cost as well as provide for your own outgoing ticket. It is a part of the majority of the contracts. You will also not be entitled to your severance pay as that too is conditional. If your contract is terminated before the 1 year period for any reason, you will not receive this bonus. You will however, have the right to collect your pension from the duration of your stay. That is up to you to file for and collect.

** Per usual, more FAQs to come! Be on the look out!

What to drink in Korea...

Korean has a variety of drinks (hard and soft) to accompany meals, enjoy on a hot day, or just have a party! Below is a list of beverages distinctly Korean...

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
- Green tea (nokcha) ... A staple in Korea. It is consumed as coffee is consumed in Western Europe and the USA. However, coffee is becoming more and more common as you can find many cafes such as Starbucks and Coffee Bean all over the peninsula.- Barley tea (boricha) ... Another variety of tea that can be found in restaurants and bottled in convenient stores. It can be drank hot or cold. Don't let the name fool you, it's quite good!
- Corn tea (oksusucha) ... Again, another bizarrity in Korea. It is often drank cold and there are several varieties that often contain traces of other grains and vegetables.
- Milkis ... This may or may not be for you. Think of milk, and then add some sugar and carbonation to the equation. Then you've got Milkis. Korean kids tend to enjoy this drink. If you're looking for fizziness, this is a healthier alternative to Coke.
- Chilsung Cider ... This is a soft drink similar to Sprite. It is a bit less sugary and is excellent when paired with soju! (Read below for more information about soju.)- Bacchus-D/Vita 500 ... These are energy drinks marketed in Korea. For those of you who enjoy Red Bull and Rockstar, this is your solution. These tiny bottles are not carbonated, but have a syrupy, citrus taste and are promoted for good health in Korea.

Alcoholic Drinks
- Soju ... Soju is an alcoholic beverage made of sweet potatoes. It has a slightly sweet tinge to it and tastes stronger than the actual alcohol level would indicate. (About 20%). It is often taken with big meals such as galbi and samgyeopsal. Western bars have also created soju kettles mixed with a Kool-Aid type powder and sometime Chilsung Cider.- Beer (Maekju) ... There are a few different varieties in Korea. Some brand names to look for are Hite and Cass. Don't be expecting finely brewed beers. If you're a beer connaisseur, you might want to pass up this one.
- Rice wine ... It is probably unlike any wine you've ever tasted. It's got a relatively chalky consistency and is a little less strong tasting than your average fruit wine.
- Raspberry wine (Bokbonju) ... Editor's pick! This fruity wine is pretty thick in texture and very sweet. Be careful not too drink too many glasses. It's so good it may just sneak up on you an knock you out!
Sources : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Korean_beverages

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_wine