I worked for a privately owned Avalon school located in Seoul. The owner was in charge of three Avalon campuses including ILSAN. His name is Mr. Chey. If you are interviewed for one of his schools you will probably be called by a man named John Kim. Mr. Kim worked for UBC (University of British Columbia) for 15 years. So his English is spot on until issues with money arise. "Mr. Kim when will I receive my pay? It's late again." His response "Sorry can you repeat that. I don't understand what you mean." He did this with late pay and when new teachers asked him about pension.

The outstanding debt is well over 10's of millions of won! Contracts were ending and teachers were promised their pension and severance after they returned home. They still have not received their money. Another teacher (foreign) is owed roughly 7 million won (severance, flight, last pay cheque....).

The Labor Office in Seoul was visited by the teachers many times. Only small amounts of money and empty promises were made. The foreign teachers refused to work until they were paid. Mr. Chey said he would sue these teachers (he had the labor office tell them). He said the teachers were breeching their contract and that it would ruin his school. He had an enrollment of over 300 students and still couldn't pay his employees (Korean and foreign).

Mr. Chey still owns the ILSAN Avalon branch. With Social Networking sites like Facebook, the foreign teachers spoke quite often. The information above was happening at all three schools. Mr. Chey sold his other two Avalon schools for next to nothing since he was months and months behind in rent. Rent is Seoul is far from cheap! Even after selling the school the teachers were not paid. He had a Richard Park, Victor Co and Eunice working with him as well. I don't know if they still work for him. If so don't trust them either.

They also changed the working hours. Originally is was 3-9 which is still pretty late. Then it was 2:30-10:00pm!! That's rediculous. Now (I no longer work there thankfully) its 2:00-10:00 and you have to scan your fingerprints each time you go in. Facebook and gmail are officially blocked on their computers. The Korean teachers quit frequently and were very stressed out when I was there due to their lack of pay.