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Korean Horizons

Why choose Korean Horizons?

Korean Horizons is an official provider of teachers for EPIK (English Program in Korea), SMOE (Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education), IMOE (Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education), BMOE (Busan Metropolitan Office of Education) GEPIK (Gyeongido Office of Education), GOE (Gyeongsangnamdo Office of Education) & the CNOE (Chungcheongnamdo Office of Education.) We provide government public schools for the peak seasons of March & September and also we provide government public schools for the off season periods as well. We have public school positions throughout the entire year.

We work with more education offices than any other recruitment company out there today.

Founded
2004

Reviews

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Chloë Jane
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Exceptional service and unparalleled support from Alistair Wery and Korean Horizons

Applying to teach EFL through Korean Horizons, especially with Alistair Wery's help, simplified the otherwise gruelling process significantly. Alistair’s knowledge and expertise were evident as he patiently addressed all my queries, no matter how trivial, guiding me through the intricate process with prompt professionalism. His support extended from the application phase to interviews and even relocating to Korea, where he arranged accommodation, offered invaluable insights, and kept in touch with me throughout, despite being in the UK when I arrived. The practice interview proved incredibly beneficial, enhancing my preparedness. Alistair's hands-on approach and continuous feedback were instrumental, ensuring I completed the daunting paperwork accurately. Korean Horizons was supportive, patient and understanding despite the challenges and delays I experienced with getting the paperwork from my home country. The fact that all this exceptional support is free through Korean Horizons is the cherry on top of a fantastic program. I am immensely grateful for the stress-free, seamless experience and wholeheartedly recommend Alistair Wery and Korean Horizons to anyone wanting to embark on this journey.

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Meg
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Absolutely unrivalled service from Korean Horizons

I could not recommend Alistair and Korean Horizons more if you are looking to get into the EPIK programme. His level of knowledge and expertise is unparalleled and he answered all of my questions (both legit and silly) very promptly and professionally. I always felt that I was in safe hands and guided through the process - and given how complicated a lot of the paperwork is I think I would have struggled hugely without Korean Horizons helping along the way. The practice interview was particularly helpful too. Would highly recommend.

Pros
  • Great advice
  • Practice interviews
  • A huge amount of support for what can feel like a very intimidating bureaucratic process
Cons
  • No cons, Alistair was great. This review is of KH, not EPIK for reference.
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Joshua
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A once in a lifetime opportunity.

If you are looking to travel abroad and are thinking of going to South Korea to teach English, then I thoroughly suggest using Korean Horizons to help you achieve that goal. The support they provide is incredible. Any question I had, they answered. Any documentation I required, they helped me get. My placement into a school in Korea took me ages because of how much I struggled getting paperwork together from my home country but Korean Horizons were understanding, patient and helped whenever they could. Korean Horizons also goes out of their way to ensure that you have the best possible experience when coming to Korea. They help you set up your new life when you arrive and link you with the online community so that you can make new friends, wherever you may be in Korea.

Pros
  • Incredibly helpful support staff
  • Great job benefits
  • Vibrant and friendly ex-pat scene
Cons
  • Culture shock on arrival
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Lukhona
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great programme

Applying for EPIK via Korean Horizons was the best decision I ever made. It made the whole process a lot easier. The support given by Alistair was invaluable. He supports you throughout the process, from the application process to interviews, and moving to Korea. When arriving in Korea, he arranged for accommodation and even taught us how to use the train system. I really appreciated how Korean Horizons really held my hand throughout the whole process and I would recommend Korean Horizons to anyone.

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Carter
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Decision Ever

Going through Korean Horizons was the best decision I could have made. The first time I applied to EPIK I really struggled with the timing of getting my documents and ultimately, that was why I didn't pass the process. With Alistair, I was able to take my time getting my documents and get help along the way. He gave me so much support and feedback along the way. I truly would not have successfully done this alone because there's SO MUCH to consider that I had no clue how to do.
On top of that, Alistair coodinated hotels for the first night, taught me how to buy train tickets, and met us all at the airport. And it was free to go through KH. I genuinely can't imagine carry the stress alone if you don't have to. I'm so grateful and you will be too.

Pros
  • Support and Feedback
  • Step by Step Instructions
  • A Warm Welcome on the First Day

Jobs

Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I did not exactly choose this program. My TESOL/TESL/TEFL certification was through Oxford Seminars. Oxford Seminars offers graduate placement which lead to my contact with Korean Horizons. Korean Horizons services, prompt responses, and interests in me is what lead me to choose the EPIK program.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Korean Horizons provided me with all the information necessary to start teaching abroad. They emailed me the required paperwork in addition to advice on how to fill out the forms. This kind of help was invaluable for someone that had never left the country before. Moreover, Korean Horizons offered mock interviews and key feedback to prepare me for the interview process. That being said, there is plenty of leg work on the applicant end such as getting necessary paperwork notarized and having it apostille in a timely manner.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

The transition from a biweekly paycheck to a monthly salary was a new experience. So, be prepared to budget accordingly!

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

The workday is 8:20-16:20 Monday-Friday in addition to teaching a night class once a week at the local high school for 2 hours.

Note: The high school night class is not a typical requirement of EPIK teachers. I was offered the additional hours and accepted them.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it and/or how did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was teaching. I had no prior experience and was very concerned about my ability. Fortunately, I reflect on every class and constantly look for ways to improve. Moreover, if something does not work I change it and if something does work I make sure to take note of why it was successful.

What's the most important thing you need to remember when living abroad?

You have to be willing to laugh at yourself and not dwell on mistakes. You are going to fail a lot and that is okay. There's no way to improve without making a mistake. Be prepared to learn and grow with your experiences and remember why you came in the first place.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Alistair Wery

Alistair Wery is an English native recruitment agent living in South Korea. He represents Korean Horizons, a company, which is ranked highly. His advice has assisted many in finding teaching positions and he has received glowing reviews from the ESL community (which can be viewed on various ESL forums, blogs, social media websites, and throughout the Internet).
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What position do you hold at Korean Horizons? What has been your career path so far?

Alistair: I’m the consultant here at Korean Horizons and I’ve been working for the company for around 8 years now. I manage all of the incoming applications from new teachers, assist them during the application process, and provide support for all of those teachers currently living and teaching here in South Korea.

I love my job – speaking and meeting to people from all over the world – and it’s so fulfilling! Living here in South Korea, I feel set to remain here and I enjoy my career working for Korean Horizons, helping people achieve their professional teaching goals. Life is good.

Did YOU teach abroad?! If so, where and what inspired you to go?

Alistair: So, I had to get away from my boring job in England. I was in finance and I had enough of the regular boring, day-in-day-out life as an office worker. I needed excitement, so I started traveling and I made some Korean friends who suggested teaching in South Korea - that was it for me!

Before I worked for Korean Horizons, I worked for a private academy and a public school. My private academy was just awful – they didn’t honor the contract (i.e. didn’t pay me, no vacation, no medical) and made my life hell (I wanted honesty.) It seems that a lot of recruitment companies, who recruit for private academies, just care about making money. For my second job, I worked in a public school – it was bliss – and I got everything in my contract (so I was very happy). Though, with my background, teaching wasn’t for me and I began working for Korean Horizons!

What does the future hold for Korean Horizons - any exciting new programs to share?

Alistair: A lot! Have a search online and you will discover that Korean Horizons is probably the most recognizable recruitment company for public schools today, period. There is no other recruitment company that provides public schools to EPIK (nationwide public school program), SMOE (Seoul public school program), IMOE (Incheon public school program), GEPIK (Gyeongi public school program), and GOE (Gyeongsangnamdo public school program). We specialize in public schools and provide no other type of positions. As for the future, quite simply, we are just looking to remain where we are and continue to provide a professional and personalized recruitment service.

What about the future of the teach abroad industry? How do you think international education will change over the next 10 years?

Alistair: The industry is like a business cycle – jumping up and down all of the time. South Korea knows that English education is now a natural requirement for its educated labor force, thus, things will always be on the up!