Want to Work in Korea, But Korean Not Perfect? Teaching & Non-teaching Jobs in Korea
Do you want to work in Korea but don’t speak Korean perfectly just yet? Find out what your options are for jobs in Korea! We have teaching jobs in Korea as well as non-teaching jobs in Korea along with visa sponsorship information as well. Read on to see how you can come and work in Korea!
This post is for those looking for jobs in Korea, but whose Korean isn’t perfect (yet ;)). Of course, you’ll need a proper visa if you want to work in Korea. But lucky for you, we’ve included that information in the post too. Now like us on facebook π
Popular job sites in Korea (English): craigslist.co.kr, worknplay.co.kr, daveseslcafe.com, Koreajobfinder.com, hiexpat.com.
Popular job sites in Korea (Korean): saramin.co.kr, jobkorea.co.kr, incruit.com.
Teaching Jobs in Korea
Teaching English in Korea
The majority of teaching jobs for foreigners in Korea are English teaching jobs. Many Korean people feel that they need to learn English to gain a step over the competition. So even if people don’t want to learn English, many Koreans feel like that have to learn English. And for kids, whether they love or hate learning English, pretty much every Korean kid is sent to an English hagwon (academy) at some point in their life. All of that equals many teaching jobs in Korea. Typical benefits include free housing, paid round-trip airfare, insurance, year end bonus (1 month’s salary). Also, you can dance like a money in a classroom and be loved by little Korean kids.
Basic requirements: native-English speaker, 4 year degree from a university in an “English-speaking” country (Asian English-speaking countries such as Singapore or India typically don’t apply :(), non-criminal background, etc. Entry level jobs usually don’t require any job experience.
Don’t forget to check out Seoulistic’s post on the highest paying (English) teaching jobs in Korea!
Teaching Other Languages in Korea
There are of course students that learn languages other than English, but generally, the money and the benefits are not as good as teaching English in Korea. The most popular languages to learn in Korea other than English are Chinese and Japanese. But European languages such as French, Spanish, Italian and German also have a presence here in Korea. These jobs are available but are not as easy to find as English-teaching jobs in Korea. It may be hard to find a place that will offer visa sponsorship, but at least they’re a bit more relaxed with the requirements :P.
Basic requirements: native-speaker (not always a requirement), university degree (not always)
Tutoring Jobs in Korea
Tutoring is one of the best ways to make good money in Korea. It’s usually higher pay then just working at a hagwon (νμ/academy), and the hours are more flexible. Tutoring subjects range from language to test prep. But the problem is that tutoring jobs in Korea are hard to find! You can try registering on Korean tutoring sites, but they’re not so easy for most non-Koreans to navigate. So Seoulistic.com suggests getting tutoring jobs how Koreans get tutoring jobs: by knowing lots and lots of people! Meeting as many Korean people as you can will lead to tutoring job opportunities. Make Korean friends, join a knitting club (with Korean people), join a biker gang or just chat it up with your janitor. They all know someone who wants to learn English or is studying for a test. Putting yourself out there will make sure you’re the person everyone thinks of when they’re looking for private tutoring lessons!
Tip 1: No visas issued (Boo! :(). But most are cash jobs (Yay! :)).
Tip 2: Depending on the subject, tutoring rates can start from 25,000 won an hour to even a 100,000 won an hour or more!
Non-teaching Jobs in Korea
Media Jobs in Korea
Maybe education isn’t your thing. If you’re one of those ultra good looking people that everyone had a crush on in high school, why not give modeling/acting in Korea a try! If you’re sexy enough, talent agencies in Korea will offer visas for the right candidate. But even if you just want part-time work, you can usually find a few one day gigs on craigslist.co.kr, or worknplay.co.kr. Most of these jobs don’t require Korean ability, so you’ll get paid for just sitting there and looking pretty. But if you’re not the next Brangelina, don’t worry; there are also acting and modeling jobs for the average foreigner too. There are some castings for just general “foreigners.” In addition to acting and modeling jobs in Korea, there are also radio or television jobs in Korea that don’t require being on air (i.e. writers for shows, etc.). There is more part-time work than full-time, so it’s perfect for supplemental income.
Tip: Work experience or mega good looks will usually get you a visa sponsorship. But no experience is usually ok for part-time gigs.
Some media companies that hire: TBSefm Radio, Arirang TV/Radio
Voice Acting Jobs in Korea
Even if you don’t like coming out on camera, you can take your acting talents behind the mic. Voice acting jobs in Korea include English language material, voices for GPS (“turn left here!”), reading maketing copy for TV or radio, reading shopping mall announcements, and tons of other opportunities. The more experience you have in voice acting (and of course, the more awesome your voice), the better paying jobs you can get. But even for those with no experience at all, many of these jobs simply look for native speakers of other languages. Not all voice acting jobs are advertised on the internet, so if you have a demo tape (or can make one), try going by foot to these studios to sell your services. There are plenty of part-time opportunities advertised on the internet at decent rates, but visa sponsored jobs are extremely rare. These are great for supplemental income, not so great for main income. Be sure to have your own job!
Tip: Places with many recording studios: Hongdae University Station (Line 2, see Naver map here) and Gangnam-gu Office Station (Line 7, see Naver map here)
Editing Jobs in Korea
If you’re not a teacher, but pretty good with words, there are a number of editing jobs in Korea (mostly for English). Many of these jobs can be found with agencies that will look stupid if they have super Konglish (Korean-style English – e.g. “Now, Happy Sunny Smile Day with Us!”) on their work. Most of the work is to make sure the company or agency doesn’t look stupid. The pay is comparable to teaching English in Korea, and there are many opportunities for full-time, visa-sponsored work. Most of these will be advertised on the internet, but are of course not as numerous as teaching jobs. Don’t forget to constantly check Korean job sites to apply as soon as possible. Oh yea, and be good at English too π
Tip: There are editing jobs for languages other than English, but not common.
Education (Non-teaching) Jobs in Korea
The English-teaching industry in Korea is so big that there are non-teaching jobs in Korea for education companies. The very same companies that offer English teaching jobs in Korea will also offer non-teaching jobs in Korea, including human resources, trainers, content development & research jobs. These jobs usually have to do with teaching English but will not require you to be in front of a classroom teaching kids that’ll run circles around you. You’ll most likely be the ones making the English language textbooks or hiring/training other teachers. Full-time work with occasional visa sponsorship.
Marketing Jobs in Korea
Maybe you want to go the corporate route. If you do, and don’t speak much Korean, there are still some marketing job opportunities in Korea (usually full-time work with visa sponsorships). Many of these will still greatly prefer Korean speakers to make inter-company communication easier, but it is not a must. Experience is also usually the same (preferred, but not always a requirement). Because these companies sometimes have to market to non-Koreans, they’ll need someone with a non-Korean mindset. So be ready to sell your own peeps some Korean stuff. If you’re good with social networking, job opportunities will also increase as well. All those 4 AM facebook sessions weren’t a waste after all!
Specialized Jobs
If you’re uber talented and have specialized skills, you might be able to score a few jobs in Korea. Usually this is with IT jobs (programming, engineering), but if you’ve got the goods, you don’t have to speak too much Korean. Just be sure that you can show them your skills. Visa sponsorship is usually offered for full-time work.
Have you worked any of these jobs in Korea? Tell us your experiences in the comments section!
242 Comments
Hi Keith, do you mind giving me advise of seeking jobs in Korea? I’ve decided to move there this coming October. I speaks Mandarin, English, Cantonese, Bahasa Malaysia and Korean. Diploma in Marketing.
Any job will do. As long as i could afford goshiwon rental fee π As a Malaysian, we only offered with travel visa.
If you have any ideas, please share with me. I’ll appreciate your help!
Hi Keith,
I’m working as a copywriter in South Africa writing exclusively in English. Are there any specialised (yep, specialised – we don’t use American spelling in SA) sites I can go to? I am considering teaching English over there, but would prefer a job in writing and/or editing so I don’t stray too far from my career path… I’ve got a degree and experience and stuff, so I should be able to get something, right?
Thanks a lot!
Ruan
Hi Keith, I’m currently studying basic korean language here in the philippines. I’ve work in call center industry for 5 yrs and now I’am still doing home base jobs with my US clients. I’m very good in speaking English but my problem is, I wasn’t able to finished my college degree here. By the way my course is BS Information Technology.I need your advice if i should pursue my plans in working in korea. If ever i will, what are the test or requirements that i need to comply? Or am i qualified for teaching english? Khamsahamnida π
Hi Keith,
Hope you are doing well. I am from India and working as a Research Executive in a Market research Company here itself. I did 3 years of Advance Diploma in Korean Language. Afterwards I did Management with Marketing , so looking for the opportunities to work in korea, but one thing that I would like to mention is my Korean language is not up to mark.
Waiting from your positive response.
free candy crush
Hi Keith! I’m very interested in working in South Korea when I graduate from university. At first I thought of being an English teacher but now that I see that foreigners can also be a part of the media in South Korea I think that’s where I’d rather head. I’ll be majoring in media (and communications) at University, do you think that could help me for getting a job?
P.S I’d also love to be a model but how would someone go about that? Hahah.
Thank you for the post!
Hiii,i like kore,im from iran
Hello,
I am currently living on Yongsan Garrison U.S. army base with my parents. I work at the Taco Bell right now and I make enough that in a little time i could get a one room flat in seoul. My problem is next year I want to move in with my girlfriend and am looking for a better job. One of my managers used to teach english and he says its a good job, but I will only have a 2-year associates degree this time next year. I have read that you need a 4 year degree, but he told me a 2-year degree would work. I was wondering if anyone knew if this seems like a good option, going for this english teaching job so I can afford living with my girlfriend.
i am mechanical engineer from nepal ,i want to work in korea manufacturing compony so what i have to do ? and what specialization is required ? give me some suggestion.
And what about teaching french ? and volunteer work like help in orphanage…?Is there any website about intership in Korea for foreigners?
Hello, Is there any opportunities to teach chinese or other jobs such as diploma level jobs?
i’m studying Psychology i want to get my degree and move to S Korea i hope it i can do it
Hi,
I want to experience working in Korea. But I don’t know where to start. I am from Malaysia and I am law graduate. I can’t speak, write or read Korea. Is there any chance? Just asking. Have a good day.. ^___^..
Hello,
I understand why Korea wouldn’t regard Singapore as a native english-speaking country. I am Singaporean but I did my degree in Australia and am currently studying for my MA in Australia as well. (I studied a total of 6.5years in Australia)
Would they only regard my nationality as to whether I am good enough to be a tutor? I am really keen in working in Korea. My boyfriend is Korean and we plan to settle down in Korea in 2 years so I’m worried about not being able to find a job there.
Some advice will be appreciated! π
Hello Keith, thank you for this post, but I have a question: Do I have to be already in Korea to apply for those non teaching jobs? or can I apply from my country?
Please reply, I really need to know.
Thanks a ton π
Hello Keith,
I am from Romania and i like to move in Koreea, i like verry much youre culture and people. I know just a few words in korean but i can learn . I work in auto domain but i guess i cand orient to something alse also π
Can u sugest me some sites for jobs to aplly π
tHK
Hello hello!
I’m a South African currently in my final year of getting my Bachelors Degree in Graphics Design (3 yrs). I love the Korean language and I am learning Hangul (beginner – self taught), however, I’m quite modest and not the most confident person. Do you think it would be possible to find a job in the design field in Korea, where there is english spoken and not just Korean?
Hi Keith!
Thank you again for a great blog!
I’ve always wanted to work at Arirang TV, doing work behind the cameras, such as in TV production or something like that. I would like to work with helping the team set up for the show, maybe include helping with the makeup as well, but I’m not sure what to major in in college, as well as if I would need lots of experience for those types of jobs?
Thank you so much for you time and for your great blog!
Momo
They have Korean production staff as well as make up artists. Most of the TV jobs are for broadcasters with a lot of experience. Journalism may be a good major to start.
Hello Keith,
My name is Faith. Your blog was amazing! It was extremely informatory. I will be graduating with a Communication Bachelors in May and am looking to move to Korea to work. Most jobs that I have found are just teaching jobs. Do you have any suggestions on where else to look for jobs besides teaching for only English speakers?
It’s not easy for non-Koreans to get a job because of visa sponsorships. I’d suggest getting a job at a company that can transfer you to Korea
Hi Keith. I heard ajumas on tv are almost always Korean. Are there any jobs open for western ajumas on a drama or voice acting?
Hi Liz, there are always sporadic TV roles for non-Koreans of all ages, but usually nothing consistent enough to make a living. Voice acting is also quite similar. It’s more for supplemental income, and you’ll most likely need a visa from a different source.
Hi Keith! I’d like to ask if it’s not hard to get in on TV Industry in Korea? I am Mass Communication student, major in Broadcasting and I’ve always wanted to work in Korea. I am currently working here in the Philippines, in a job which is very far from the course I finished. I also studied basic Korean when I was in college do you think that could help me get a chance in Korea? I really want to move there, if you have any advice please let me know, I’m still trying to figure out what I really wanna do as of now, I’m only 20 years old but one thing for sure, I wanna have a job and live in Korea. I would really appreciate it if you respond. Thank you so much! Have a good day! π
hello keith, my name is imti i’m from india im doing my master’s in physiotherapy right now. after finishing my master’s i want to work in korea..is it possible to get a job in this profession..if not then is there any job that i can do in korea aside from non teaching because i really want to work and live in korea. i would really appreciate if you respond to it. thank you!
hello Keith, Thank you so much for your information!!
I’m Chinese and use English as second language, basic Korean, already got F4 Korea visa.
After December, I want to find a part time job teaching Chinese, in one to one way, is it possible in Korea ? and could you offer some website/advise π
thank you so much in advance!!!
Hello,
I loved your blog! My name is Loreanyi Feliz and I have dual citizenship (Dominican Republic and USA). I’m fluent in both English and Spanish.(I can’t speak much Korean but I can understand about 60% of it) I have an associates degree and currently trying to get my 4year degree. I was wondering if there was any jobs for Spanish speakers in Korea that would be great for me.
Hi Keith
I was trained as a graduate teacher form Makerere University Kampala. I have a long teaching experience of 6 years from 2010 to date. I have been teaching and supervising students in Tutorial Groups at several schools in Uganda (Africa). I have always hoped for an opportunity to work in Korea and be part of the Korean culture.
I’ll be glad for any assistance from you
Best Regards
Paul
Hello keith iam from india and residing in busan as a house wife.I completed my bachelor’s in accounting can i get a job here.plz suggest. Thank you.
Hello,
I’m Junior and I speak spanish and i study here in korea (korean language) but my korean its not very perfect (but i can speak and understand little bit)~~ I’m looking a part-time job (all the afternoon)~~ i can teach spanish or tutoring, I live with my parents (my father is peruvian and my mother Korean but I’m from Peru) however, now i study the korean because i need the topik 3, and being able to study in a university (and personal documents), i live in icheon but i can go to seoul taking the subway (κ³€μ§μμμ μ μμΈκΉμ§) i study in λμλνκ΅. please , can you help me?!
Hy I am living in italy. .I can speaking more than 5 languages do you have any jobs for me. And I graduated from university
Hai Keith,
I’m form Indonesia, I can’t speak, read or write in Korean. My English and Mandarin skill is everage. But I like to read, write ( I started to write some lyrics, I’m just a beginner) and draw. I have most confident in my drawing skill. And I’m currently studying psychology. Is there any possibility for me to work in Korea? I’m curious to know.
Hi Keith, I am a native Chinese speaker moved to United States when I was 14. I speaks both fluent English and Chinese. I am looking to move to Korea. What are my chances of finding a teaching job, and how should I go about it? I am also a singer and life Coach in United States
Hey Keith,
As of now, I’m studying to be a Network Administrator (it deals with the computer servers, and the general IT deal). I plan to move in with my girlfriend in Incheon within the next 4-5 years, give or take. What do you think my chances of finding work are? Do you think a network administrator would do well in Korea, or just programmers?
Also, I’d like to thank you for the article! It’s a great read and gives me some solid ideas for work.
Thanks!
Tyler