D to F
Daeil Foreign Language Institute
near Nonsan in Yeon-mue
One report back in Jun 99 involving being stiffed on severence pay and other non-contractual complaints.
David English House
Pusan
Havn't heard any complaints so far. They have a good speel on their ads and do 2 weeks (paid) training which is reasuring. 1/01
Ian Davidson recruits mainly for YBM. This company (YBM) has a somewhat dubious reputation for very low pay but it seems that this recruiter has misrepresented their conditions to some prospective teachers. Apparently ECC actually pays better than other schools because ECC only require you to teach for 90 hours per month rather than "the usual 120". Of course 90 and 120 are actually roughly the same thing its just that the usual 120 hours quoted includes the usual breaks betwen classes, prep and so on just the same as ECC has. So adding that on to 90 hours and you get around 110-120 hours as is standard. Note that there are individual variations at ECC schools as to how much prep you have to do the same as other schools. In summary the pay conditions at YBM/ECC are actually not very good at all. 4/01
Davidson Recruiting Services
Day By Day Language Institute
One report of lying, stealing, spying and other problems by management. See the attached letter. 11/00
Ilsan/Koyang
Ding Ding Dang Childrens English
In General
They have around 20 schools in Korea. Lots of preschool kids who speak hardly any English. I hope you like singing and other similar activities. Can be very stressful. Generally teachers in Korea find kindergarten kids among the most challenging. Salaries are the fairly standard 1.6-7 or so. 8/00
Taegu
Siji DDD in Maeho dong, Soosung gu
Jisan DDD in Bummul dong, Soosung gu
Disney Language Institute
Chejudo
Dongin Language Training Center
Chejudo
DongYang University
One report with a couple of relatively small complaints. Depending on the more important issues of whether you also have to teach kids, teaching/office hours required,  and length of paid holidays I wouldn't consider the two complaints raised serious enough to avoid working there especially considering its a university rather than a hagwan. In other words depending on further contractual info this is in effect close to a back door white listing. See the attached letter. 6/01
E2
Taegu Sang in dong
Mr Lee
One report that they take out 600000 of your first months pay for the "telephone". Even if true thats a lot from one pay check. ECC takes out 200000 a month over three months which while also illegal is more manageable. 7/00
Changwon
One report that they pretend to hire you and then try and recruit you for another school. 11/00
E&B English School
EAC English Campus
Kyonggi
Eastern Language Academy
One unhappy trooper reporting being fired just before the end of the contract probably to avoid paying severence and airfare. One way or another its pretty standard practice for them avoiding paying severence and airfare. See the attached letter. 3/02
Kumi
ECC
In General This is the arm of YBM, one of the biggest Korean chain schools, thats devoted to kids. ECC alone has about 70 branches of which about 17 are owned by ECC and the rest are franchises. Some schools have complaints (see below) but generally their reputation for keeping contracts is better than the smaller schools and now that they have brought their salaries up to average levels of other schools at around 1.8 mill they are worth a look for begginers. EEEEExperienced hands can get more elsewhere. One downside is that they generally take out an illegal  "security  "bonus" of around 600000 to cover "telephone and other bills", still at least they tell you about it before hand and its all there in your contract. Bottom line is thats its recommended as a good, well organized place with a strong curriculum which helps a lot for begginers but you can do better once you've learned the ropes
Andong
(near Taegu)
Mr Lee And Ms Oh Mi Sook
One report of significant cheating on pay. 7/00
One unhappy trooper. See the attached letter. 8/00
Ansan, near Seoul
Chechon
Mr Oh		 One report including things like being forced to do a lot of extra hours without extra pay. 7/00
Kangnung
Kimhae
One report of lying, minor contract breaches and not being paid for the breaks between classes. Apart from not getting paid for breaks it sounds okay by Korean standards. 7/00
NaWoon Dong Mrs Lee
Kunsan
NamTaegu Had several complaints back in 98 about a Mrs Joe Jung Hwe
Pohang
Duho dong
One person saying they held their passport and a couple of other vague complaints. Recomendation: never give them your passport for any reason even if they seem "nice". They can regard it as more than reasonable to hold your passport till you finish your contract. If you want to change your visa to multiple entry or whatever do it yourself.
Pusan Kaegum
Reports of lying about things like overtime, Saturdays being free and so on under the assistant director Hans Lee. But also that they pay in full and ontime all monies owed including severence pay.  7/00
Keumjeong
One negative report but not much in the way of details. 8/00
Sanbon
Seoul
Banpo
Joongkye
Kangnam gu
Kwanak
One negative report over mostly noncontractual issues and high staff turnover. 8/00
One negative report of mostly noncontractual complaints. 7/00
Sanggye
Songpa
SunChon City, ChoNam Province
One negative report of serious threats and similar problems by a Mr Park. There are two ECCs in SunChon both owned by Mr Park. 2/01
Taechi One negative report of lies, lack of heating and other problems. 3/01
Taegu Puktae-gu
A couple of reports in early 99 of late pay, broken contracts, lying, and cheating on final and severence pay. Also known as Puktae-gu Foreign Language Institute.
ECO ( English Center With Oe Dae ) Look under the letter O for OeDae.
ECY Kids Land Foreign Language Institute
Eduland School
Suwon
Kwonsun-Dong, Kwonsun-Gu
They have two branches. This second one opens Jan 2001. New schools are more risky. They often have teething problems.
EEC International/
English 20/20
In General
They have around 21 branches. 8/00
Kwangju
One report of minor contractual breaches but otherwise fine. 8/00
Mokpo
Pusan
Haeundae
Nambu
Seoul
Kangnam gu
EG Language School
Seoul
Daechi dong, Kangnam gu
Elite Educational Institute
Seoul
ELS/Si-Sa-Young-0-Sa
In General
This is the adult branch of YBM, one of the biggest chains in Korea. The parent company also owns ECC (see above for some comments about their contracts that apply to ELS as well) which is the kids section for YBM. Unfortionately with ELS their pay rates are absolutely terrible, usually about 1.2 mill won although they do the usual bait and switch trick of offering 1.2 to about 1.5 "depending on experience and qualifications". In other words in practice nearly everone ends up with the figure at or near the bottom end of the scale.
   The upside is that you will be teaching adults which you may find a lot easier than teaching kids although you will find you are expected to entertain them as much as teach them, whereas the kids largely entertain themselves. It may depend on what you find easier, entertaining or disciplining.
   Bottom line is that if you want to teach adults at this chain school you will have to accept a lower salary just as with Pagoda (where you also have to pay your own rent). Recomendation: you can teach adults at other smaller non-chain schools who WILL provide you with free accomodation.
Inchon
Pusan One report of not fully paying, one day notice of firing, and refusal to give a release letter. 7/00
ELS Choryang, Chungang-dong Mr Choi
Somyon
ELS Chong No Gu A couple of negative reports including a full-time illegal reported some serious money lost to these people plus the usual lying. Unfortionately this is all too common for full-time illegals (as opposed to the usual legal full-timers doing a bit on the side). 7/00
Seoul
ELS Kangnam at Yeoksam dong, Kangnam gu
ELS Seocho, seocho-dong, seocho-gu
ELS Shinchon, or Nogosan dong, Mapo gu
ELS Yeoksam at Yeoksam dong, Kangnam gu
ELS Youngdeungpo
A couple of reports including not getting the 600000 bond back and other complaints. 7/00
Taegu
Woosung ELS had one report of not being paid (amount unknown). 7/00
ELS not YBM ELS! Taegu
EMI
Terrible reports about this place including trying to blackmail a teacher into staying with a child molestation charge. Also tryed to sue a teacher for saying bad things about the school. Well let him try and sue me! 7/00
Ulsan
English 20/20, see under EEC International above.
English Camp Junior English Institute
Kyonggi
English Educators
English Friends Academy
Several negative reports including threats etc.  High staff turnover. Careful of sending email from the free school computer facilities, apparently they monitor internet use. They have nine schools all in Seoul. 7/00
In General
Seoul
Sanggye dong
Panghak dong
One report of not being paid, high staff turnover and other non contractual complaints. See the attached letter. 12/00
English Go
Seoul
Seocho4 dong, Seocho gu
English House
Chinju
One confirmed report that 4 teachers have run in 2001 apparently due to problems with management. Somebody is conducting a smear campaign on Daves Cafe by posting multiple posts under different aliases which doesn't improve ones confidence in their honesty. Still any school where people are having to run doesn't sound very good...
English Island School (EIS)
Kwangyang City
ENI School
Anyang City
E-One Language/Culture Academy
Seoul
Apkujong dong, Kangnam gu
EOS (English Only System) Suji just south of Seoul Mr Cha One serious complaint involving assault. 7/00 Another negative report, see the attached letter. 12/00 A letter perhaps refering to the first report of assault. See the attached letter. 10/01
Suwon One unhappy trooper. See the letter for the Suji branch. 12/00
EPIK
Many complaints. A lot depends up on the school you end up with. Originally based on the Japanese JET scheme but something went wrong in Korea. Probably not the best choice.
All over Korea
EPS Foreign Language Institute
Taejon
Dunsan
ESL Language Center
Kwangju
ESL Language School
Seoson
ESS Pusan
One unfavourable report but it didn't sound very convincing in my opinion. Also in response the institute was willing to give emails of all the current teachers willing to give positive reports of the place. 7/00
Essence English Camp
Kwang ju
ET Camp
A couple of negative reports about this recruiting service. Apparently they tell big lies over salary and stuff which isn't really what you want in a recruiting service. 3/01
ETS (English Training School)
112-2, Su an dong, Dongnae Gu
Pusan
Many reports of serious contract breaches including significant amounts of unpaid money, assault, theft and so on. 7/00, 4/01.
They have a second branch in Pusan which although having some complaints they don't seem to have been so serious despite having the same owner Mr Choi who goes under the guise of various English names.
Ewha A.L.S. (Ewha American Language School), a.k.a. LEI,
Inchon
Buchon
One negative report of very high turnover due to the working conditions but no contractual breaches. 4/01
Seoul One teacher reported that they failed to get the proper visa and then got raided three days after they started working and deported. 7/00
Pyongchun
One negative report but no details. 7/00
Pundang
Kangnam One negative report but no details. 7/00
Hwa Jong (?Àå) next to
Ilsan (ÀÏ»ê)
One negative report although most of the things they complain about like lack of furniture, bad mouthing teachers who quit, not providing a fan and so on are fairly common. In Taiwan and Japan they don't provide any of this sort of thing for you. Sometimes you just have to go out and buy your own fan...See the attached letter for details. 8/01
Expo Language School
Taejon
Junmin dong, Yoosung gu