Matthew Naffziger
- 2017-01-09
This is great to hear because I just got assigned to work at the Ilsan campus this February
titans101
- 2016-12-26
This post in regard to the Avalon Ilsan campus is VERY old (2011). There needs to be an update. I have worked at the same campus since November of 2015 and just extended for another year. The hakwon for the past couple of years is run by different people that have NO connection with the previous owner. The current owners are probably a 180 from the previous one I read about.
We are ALWAYS paid on time, and even paid on a weekend if the payday is on a weekend. There are none of the issues that I read about on previous posts. This is a reputable hakwon run by nice people!
Jeffrey
- 2011-10-23
I just wanted to update this.
Here is a facebook link to the real John Jongwoo Kim.
The real-deal:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=519245659&ref=ts
If you see this man don't believe a word he says!!!
Cassandra
- 2011-07-21
Just so you know John Kim from Ilsan Avalon English Institute also uses:
Avoid this man at all costs!
Tom12
- 2011-07-15
Baekma Avalon English Institute is to be Avoided as it's also owned by this individual. He does business like no one else. Has a massive enrollment and is getting away with not paying his employees. The Labor Office can hardly get him to sweat. Most lawyers won't take on cases due t teachers have no money!
Avoid John Kim and Mr Choi.
Mr Choi owns Seven Monkey's Coffee as well and has an office in Omokgyo behind the Seoul Immigration Office!
Tom12
- 2011-07-15
Ilsan Baekma: Madu-dong, Gyeonggi-do
Jill
- 2011-07-10
Hello,
I am happy I saw this posting. I had a friend who actually worked at the Ilsan Avalon branch! (small world 
) She never did receive her severance pay. She told me all about that Mr. John Kim 
He also ignores her emails when she asks about the pension money that is owed to her. And when he does reply, his emails are just jibberish. Even though he sent weekly emails to the teachers when they were at school! That just backs up Jeff's remark about Mr. Kim pretending to not speak English when money comes up in conversation. That's his way of ignoring her!
My friend provided me with John Kim's email address:
I don't want another person to go through what my friend went through, and obviously Jeff Thomas had to deal with the same crap!
I also agree to avoid this school and to never work for these men!
Thomas, Jeff
- 2011-07-08
411 - 310
Ilsan-dong Goyang-si Gyeonggi-do
Korea
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.