Pretty good so far!

I am 2.5 months into my contract. I am a certified teacher with 2 years teaching experience in the States.

Program: As mentioned before, you don't really have a clue as to where you will be placed until a. you get here or b. the teacher you are replacing finds you on Facebook and gives you a heads up (I got lucky here). The placement, school, and apartment situations vary greatly. Some teachers teach at multiple schools, some have only one. Some teachers have rather large one-bedroom apartments, some live in tiny studios. Some teachers have a 50/50 teaching relationship with Korean co-teachers, some are human parrots. Some teachers teach more than the required 24 classes and get paid overtime, some teachers teach less than 24 classes per week. Some teachers have nearly fluent students, some teachers have very low level students. It's really the luck of the draw.

Life: Varies due to placement in larger city vs. town vs. very rural. Expat community is well connected and thriving in certain areas despite actual size of community. It is what you make of it, if you stay cooped up in your apartment and never attempt to experience what Korea has to offer then it will be a very long year. Joining a gym, joining a sports league, hiking, Templestays, etc. If you make connections and explore the country time will fly.

Finances: The pay is great, and the expenses are minimal. My Korean bills total to about $120 per month (including iphone contract, water, apartment maintenance fee, and gas). Your pay is at least $1,600 per month and that's at the very bottom of the pay scale, it's very easy to make/save money here in Korea.

Teaching: As an experienced teacher I can say that it is not a challenge at all and I do get bored with the lessons. I do have a little freedom in that I follow the curriculum but do not have to teach directly from the book. If you are new to teaching it will give you a great introduction and experience in a classroom. If you've taught before you will not feel fulfilled as a trained teacher.

My Rating: So far so good! There are downsides, but everything in life has a downside. Do these downsides outweigh my new happiness and peace of mind? No. You have to adapt, that's the name of the game. I would recommend EPIK to all that are interested in either teaching, or living abroad as it gives a glimpse of what it is like in both areas. If you are an experienced teacher, just be aware that it is less work and less fulfilling than an actual classroom.