interloper
- 2011-04-06
That's too bad, I hope he goes bankrupt soon. Any Turnoi/Silverboy types in Korea to help speed up it's downfall?
SeoulTravel
- 2011-04-05
Since you've put your own name here, perhaps it's appropriate to mention that Dave Park is Person 'C'.
Dave Park's ghost
- 2011-01-12
Supposedly they closed up shop and the owner is starting up a new business in Busan.
Curious
- 2010-07-05
Did the Modern English Studio close? There is no website, job posting or voiced concern to be found.
Theo
- 2009-08-21
I have to say, I'm rather stunned by your post/query. So many people made negative posts about Modern English Studio, and you want to know more and claim nothing has been posted recently when some posts are from this past June (only a matter of weeks ago) and a great many in the thread are from 2009!?!@%^&*()!???
What more do you need, a newspaper report of a homicide at MES?
If after reading the MES thread, you're still confused and conflicted... well... I'm at a loss for words at this point, except to ask: What do you expect?
what can I expect
- 2009-08-21
Ok, I have read all of the threads. This must be an "interesting" place to work. I am now second guessing my interview. Nothing has been posted about Modern English Studio recently. Are things better? Or should I consider other teaching opportunties?
Alec Baldwin
- 2009-04-22
If any of you have seen the filmic version of "Glengarry Glen Ross," you would recall the opening scene where the Alec Baldwin character walks into the office and tries to rev up/scare the employees. ("first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anyone want to see second prize? Second prize's a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired." - that scene).
Alec Baldwin (Blake) goes on to say:
Blake: You see this watch? You see this watch?
Moss: Yeah.
Blake: That watch cost more than your car. I made $970,000 last year. How much you make? You see, pal, that's who I am. And you're nothing. Nice guy? I don't give a s***. Good father? F*** you -- go home and play with your kids!! You wanna work here? Close!!
The first time I walked into MES, I was astounded by the opulence of the place. It's in one of Seoul's premier buildings, in a swanky area, and decked out in white marble. The conversation I had was as follows:
Owner: You see this coffee machine? You like coffee?
Me: Yeah, it's nice. I think I can learn to.
Owner: What kind of car do you drive?
Me: Um, an Accord.
Owner: New, that's maybe a $20,000 car. This coffee machine costs about that. You see, Koreans, they like nice things. Modern English Studio provides the best of everything. It's like a country club.
So, ok, maybe not as flamboyant, dramatic, or, um, (overtly) profane as Alec Baldwin, but as materialistic. So, yes, I slurped on an iced coffee and took the job on the spot. And I should've known better, but I too like shiny things.
Both managers - mentioned elsewhere in this thread - are in the video here. If this looks like fun - and it does seem to be to the sycophantic small dude - then sign up. If not, consider looking elsewhere.
Proud Hairy Man
- 2009-04-02
As the proud hairy man mentioned above, I should also add that I was strongly encouraged to wax the hairy on my hands and fingers (the only part of my [grotesquely disfigured] body which showed through the suit). I should note that I did not go through with it, but they went as far as to present me with a flier of a body-waxing service in Itaewon.
This is not a job for anyone with body issues, since they will likely be confronted in such a crass way. Someone, for real, in those early months was fired immediately upon arrival in Korea for not being attractive enough.
Ana
- 2009-04-01
I worked for the MES longer than most and it was by far the most intense and dysfunctional year I have experienced under any type of management.
In the beginning there were 15 of us and as far as teaching in Korea was concerned we all felt like we had won the lottery. I think we all agreed that what they were offering did seem too good to be true but we were all willing to take the risk and roll the dice.
Deluded by his dreams of grandeur the owner laid out the most lavish spread for us all, he showered us with beautiful meals at lavish 5 star restaurants, suits for the boys, full length mirrors for the girls, he set us up in fully furnished $1000+ per month apartments, flew us all home for free at Christmas time and gave us 2 weeks pay to boot.
Unfortunately on our return we were told that the vacation was over. We hadnt even reached a of the projected number of students sign ups and to say that the owner had overwhelmingly lofty dreams would be a gross understatement. The owner realized how much of his fathers money his generosity was wasting and decided it was time to trim the fat and quick.
Things started to change quite dramatically after that, the one Sunday a month tour of Korea went first, and then the monthly meals, then teacher after teacher began to fall. The reasons were too numerous and varied to list but lets just say that over 30 teachers and staff had quit or been fired for various reasons within the first 12 months of operation.
I think one of the funniest firings was when the owner walked past a classroom and overheard one of the teachers saying gee I wonder who is going to get fired next. As good enough reason as any to fire someone I suppose (that and the fact that his stubble had a nasty habit of growing back to quickly) and a week later he was sent packing.
The unpredictability continued to keep me on my toes throughout the year and I never knew when would be my last day. I held on for dear life in what felt like a sinking shit and managed to make it to the final 4. I was one of the few who didnt get vote off and was lucky enough with a little manipulation to get what I was promise.
For the fragile few that didnt get voted off the island we all tried our best to keep our senses of humor about it all and hold on for dear life as we rode the wave of a drama chaos and uncertainty through to the end.
I personally dont regret working at MES because in a very roundabout way it taught me more that I could have imagined and because I enjoyed life outside of work so much. With all the drama the teachers really stuck together which made for an amazing group of people to work and play with.
For those of you who dont heed the warnings and do decide to take the plunge and work on The Show (thats what we called it) and try to survive a year at MES you definitely need to be willing to play the game, whose rules change on a daily basis, you need a very thick skin and an incredibly flexible moral backbone.
Do I think either the owner or the managers were bad people as individuals? No, but as a group of three trying to run a school that has been floundering and hemorrhaging money from the beginning you couldnt ask for a more volatile and toxic trio.
If only the management would let go of the reigns just for a second and let the wonderful teachers that they keep on attracting do their job.
As the famous Chinese proverb goes the scab will never heal if you keep on picking at it.
Been there, too
- 2009-04-01
I'm going to jot a quick scattered post. Even with the benefit of handsight, my time at MES are very difficult months to summarize.
Let me say that it would be a mistake to consider this. Even if the management has changed (and I know at least one person has) it would be a foolish move.
Everything about this place was truly bizarre, and at times it felt like our lives were being televized for an upcoming reality tv series - it often made more sense that this was the case since the way the business was being run made absolutely zero sense [someone seemingly got fired at the end of every month, so it did seem set up like a reality show, for realz]. The owner/head dude is exceptionally hands-on. Naturally, everything looks good about the place (Koreans are exceptional at design) but the content within the teaching was very, very unconvincing. This, and the prices of the courses, led to a very high turnover rate, which the owner would blame on teaching performance. The owner has an exceptionally fragile ego, and suffice to say that he was/is very disinclined to accept blame for the shortcomings of the business.
This is a man who - with no business experience of his own to speak of - says, in earnest: "Do you watch 'The Apprentice'? Watching that show is better than getting an MBA." Or, a grown man who still has fantasies of becoming a movie producer (he himself is a failed actor with a rich father - who presumably invested in MES). He is very keen on "you know, like Arnold Schwarzenegger-type movies." He is the most materialistic, shallow person I have ever met, and I tend to employ hyperbole only cautiously.
Because the apartments and teaching center are very glitzy, they will continue to attract top teachers who are skeptical about what they read on the internet (In Korea there is an idiom "a rice cake that looks good also tastes good"). However, there are plenty of other places out there which would offer a much more satisfying experience. If, however, you must proceed, then please do so with a heaping dose of caution.
molly
- 2009-04-01
It's all true...I'm the midnight runner, which is a terrible thing to do but as one of my friends who was also teaching there said, "If they can hurt you, they will. Just disappear".
I made the decsion to leave after the new employee was evicted without notice. I had never felt job security at the company but the possibility of being thrown into the street was too much.
Aside from everything mentioned, the sexism really frusterated me too. I was informed I was a successful teacher because I was "maternal". Any attempts i made to address the issues employees had with the company resulted in me essentially being treated like a gossiping busy body who needed to mind my own business. I don't know. Was it sexism or stupidity? Maybe a little of both...
The shallow and unprofessional nature of the company never ceased to amaze. They actually write comments on the pictures people send, disparraging or admiring people's looks. I recieved a make-up lesson and one of my friends was told to slick back his hair (he refused, haha).
It was the most bizarro work environment I have ever experienced. I am stunned at the quality of people they manage to hire given their skewed views. The students, housing, salary and everything else is lovely but for me, it ammounted to trading in my dignity and self-respect.
Charlotte
- 2009-02-24
I am very torn about the comments. Is the same management still there? If so it would make my decision obviously no. Otherwise I would still consider it. Feel free to scare me out of taking the position. Help!!!
SeoulTravel
- 2009-01-13
I would strongly advise you to reconsider before taking that job. It's still the same management there and you would be dealing with the same people. The job of script writer was not there when I was a teacher and is a new thing, but I wouldn't recommend going with MES.
Just so you all know, every single teacher working at MES since I quit has also quit working there. Still the same horrible management but an entirely new staff.
mark higgins
- 2009-01-03
I've been reading the various posts re: MES. However, I'm not a teacher but a scriptwriter. An ad was posted on Monster for a writer to write scripts for the company that would be for beginners to advanced learners. What do you think about this?
Mark
Confusion
- 2008-09-11
So, I read all your reviews.
I wasnt one of the first at that school, but I have to say I never experienced anything that bad personally. The management had some teething problems, but I was acutally treated pretty well. Since leaving there and moving on to another place in Korea, it seems like it wasnt that bad acutally at all. At least they were friendly and had a lot of organization. They know exactly what they want to achieve and they have a pretty good idea about teaching. More than I can say about where I am now. And, the apartments were amazing for Korea! Oh well, guess its all swings and roundabouts. Hope you all have good luck.
Been There; Done That
- 2008-07-28
WOW! I was one of the first teachers to work at MES (sept 2006). I left the company for unethical business practices, too. That makes me one of the 30 that left before completing a 12 month contract and receiving the bonus. It saddens me to know that the company has not changed.
If I were still in Korea, I would complain to the Korean Labour Board. They have helped teachers at MES with employment issues. The Labour Board can't help unless you are actually in the country.
I applaud you for sharing your story. I have a feeling the company will have to go out of business before their business practices change.
Thank you!
- 2008-06-19
All I can say is thank you so much for your post. I interviewed with them and got the artificial/shallow/insincere vibe. After the interview, I was going to say I wasnt interested. However, after getting offered a position, I was actually considering the job. All I can say is that Im so lucky to have read your post and cant thank you enough! I have no doubt that these things and more have and will continue to happen. The interview consisted of them commenting on my looks, being asked what my nationality was, what my parents did, how Id feel if colleagues got fired etc. Everything you said makes perfect sense considering how the interview was conducted. Thank you so much!!!
BigAppleBob
- 2008-06-14
Hello, ST,
Thanks much for taking the time to detail your terrible experiences with Modern English Studio in Seoul. I arrived in Seoul only five weeks ago. I work for the the longest established, most stable, leading, and most reputable English training center franchise in Korea. I think theyve treated me (and most of their foreign teachers) badly although much better than what you endured.
Due to the new, much stricter policies and requirements regarding E-2 visas, these English language enterprises are going to have top clean up their act if they hope to retain and attract foreign teachers. I was the first teacher to enter the company under these new policies, and so I am much less tolerant of their shenanighans.
Foreign teachers are leaving my school in droves every month, and so the school is desperate to keep and attract new teachers. I think theyll lose scores of teachers until they begin to understand they need to change their horrible attitudes and practices.
Best wishes to you, and thanks again for taking to time to warn others about MES.
Modern English Studio Seoul, Korea
On the outside, Modern English Studio looks like an amazing English institute. The studio is clean and well presented. The staff are very nice people and well dressed. The managers are friendly and schmooze with success. Once you penetrate the outside of this company you come to realize how disgusting and morally horrible the management of this company is.
I was not fired; I left on my own terms. However, during my time working at MES I have counted no less than 14 incidents that have occurred due to or as a direct result of disgusting practices by management. I will name them now because if you are considering a job with this company, I strongly advise that you consider other options.
In chronological order:
I was reprimanded for writing a NICE email to a prospective teacher. Management found out and told me that all correspondence with other people about the company was a fireable offence (including positive correspondence).
Someone in management felt up an employee outside work hours and it was not consensual.
Someone in management makes many comments regarding employees sexuality and religious choices making almost all employees extremely uncomfortable.
New employee is fired after ONE day. Two people in management turn up at her apartment and the conversation is as follows:
Someone in management: We dont think this is going to work out, when can you leave your apartment?
Employee: In a couple of days?
Someone in management: Were thinking more like minutes.
Two people in management stood there and watched the employee pack before putting on the street. No reimbursed airfare. No phone. No support. She flew in from NYC and was literally stranded by the company in a foreign country.
One employee quits in protest about this, another does a runner and leaves overnight in protest.
One month later, another employee is fired after ONE day because he is not good looking enough.
Employee quits because he is disgusted with office politics.
Someone in management asks me to speak to an employee because she is too shy and unless I can fix her behavior he will fire her.
The same person in management asks me again to speak to an employee because she is a little down and he will fire her unless she gets more cheerful. I am only a teacher, not management and this situation made me feel VERY uncomfortable.
I refuse to sign a document written entirely in Korean (I cant read Korean). Someone in management is so angry I wouldnt sign it, a meeting was arranged to fire me (I was not fired).
There are 2 sick days a year. We get paid aprox. USD$20 an hour. If you are sick more than 2 days then the company deducts USD$30 an hour from your pay. I know, it makes no sense. Not only would you lose your salary for that day, you would also end up having to pay extra money to MES.
During my training, Someone in management was very happy to inform me and the other new employee that we would receive Chuseok week off for holidays. Two weeks ago they changed their mind and denied ever mentioning that and that I was lying and must be wrong. The result: One less week of holiday.
MES management fire employee with two days notice. He has 3 months left on his contract. A good employee, a good person and probably the least controversial person in the company. MES offers him a pro-rated bonus and nothing else. He is given 1 week to leave his apartment. Reason for firing: He is a GOOD teacher, but does not PR outside of work enough. PR is not part of our contract, nor is spending personal time with students.
In the companies 18 months it has been open there have been aprox. 30 teachers who have worked there. In 18 months, only ONE teacher has finished a 12-month contract. Everyone else has either been fired or quit in protest.
Person in management "A":
Currently being sued for sexual harassment of a past secretary and touching himself in front of her in an inappropriate way. He was also drug tested by the police at work last month. A very nice man when he is not drinking, however he has come to work a few occasions smelling of alcohol with very red eyes. Unfortunately the nice man can disappear in a second and he can be a morally despicable person.
Person in management "B":
Obsessed with looks. Botox, fake tanning, fake boobs, fake personality. If you are good looking she will be your best friend, if you are average, dont expect favors. She told me during training that I was employed because I was good looking. Forget my degrees and experience, it was all about looks.
Person in management "C":
The most shallow man Ive ever met. If possible, more obsessed with looks than "B". This guy pulls all the strings. "A" and "B" are like his dogs and bend to his every will. This man has fired a person because she did not say hello to him in the mornings (that is a quote from "C").
I realize this is a very long post. I could write more, but everything written above I have seen or experienced first hand. If you look around for more background on this company I am sure you will find more negative comments from past employees. Take it as you will, but I strongly encourage you to find alternate positions before taking up employment with Modern English Studio.
I encourage past employees to add their own experiences to this post.