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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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mokete
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

my experience with korean horizon

My experience altogether was a great one I would not trade it for anything else. The fact that I had a place to sleep the night I landed and was picked from the airport made everything else way way more easier for me. The information I got about certain things that were going to required when landed made it even better because I avoided most of the paperwork since I did everything online while at home. The only thing that I had to focus on was the orientation. In general everything for me was extremely easy and straight forward for me because of the information provided to me by Alistair

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
Not being prepared for the weather in terms of clothes.
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LAUREN
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Korean Horizons very helpful!

Korean Horizons was extremely helpful and informative throughout the application and interview process straight through to the EPIK orientation. We had a facebook group where updates were posted and the mock interview we had together was a great way to prepare and to get useful feedback! Gathering all the documents was quite stressful but Alistair gave us a lot of help with this which was great.
We were also able to meet other program participants one day prior to the orientation as they provided a hotel stay for the night. Highly recommend Alistair and the services Korean Horizons provide!

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J
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I recommend!!!

At first glance, the EPIK application and process seemed overwhelming and daunting. However, much of the pressure was alleviated from the moment I contacted Alistair. He is professional, supportive, and thorough, providing detailed updates, prompt responses, and frequent check-ins. I appreciate his consistency, dedication, and professionalism in his services. By following all the advice and guidance of Alistair, your chances are very positive. Look no further - Korean Horizons comes recommended!

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Saffron
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Chose Korean Horizons!

I was really glad I went with KH - mainly because there was a large group of us who arrived at the same hotel before orientation, and we were able to all meet each other and settle for a day before orientation began. This might not sound like a huge deal - but to me it was incredibly comforting to have met people and spent some time with people before we went to our orientation. Additionally - Alistair had provided us with so much information about orientation, that we knew exactly what to expect. I met others at the orientation who had come independently, and they seemed clueless about the whole process, and were asking us (from KH) lots of questions.
In other areas, Alistair helped me to prepare for my interview, so I knew exactly what to expect. We had a Facebook group with everyone in Korean Horizons, and this was really a lifeline when navigating the paperwork and interview process!

What was your funniest moment?
I really enjoyed the orientation. It was definitely intense, but I met some incredible people and was constantly laughing and joking with my new friends! It is so refreshing to hangout with others from all over the world - Australia, USA, South Africa etc etc.
Pros
  • Korean Horizons meets before orientation, so you have an extra day to meet people and settle.
  • Alistair guides you through all the relevant processes, offering really helpful advice along the way.
  • EPIK is an opportunity to push yourself out of your comfort zone, meet amazing new people, embrace a different culture and, last but not least, gain some incredible work experience!
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Lisa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Exceeding my expectations

As a new teacher who did not know the Korean language, I did not know what to really expect. I knew I wanted to teach in Korea, so I chose a credible helpful agency like Korean Horizons. Applying through Korean Horizons lifted many concerns I had as a new teacher and teaching abroad. My recruiter, Mr. Wery, has eased my concerns and made the whole process easier. It is not easy going from one country to living in the next, but Mr. Wery made the transition very smooth. I am grateful for choosing Korean Horizons.

Pros
  • Helpful
  • Efficient
  • Supportive

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!