There are about about 22,000 English teachers in South Korea. It is by far the most common job for expats in the country, although not the only one by any means (there are also about 29,000 American servicemen, though they live on bases and are very much part of their own, separate discourse community). Some other positions worth considering:
- Working as a professor (in all disciplines--many Korean universities run programs in English which aim not just to train students but to train them to work abroad, in subjects ranging from art to architecture)
- Working as a doctor or nurse in a foreign hospital
- Working in the engineering, law, or other professional fields--the amount of trade Korea does with other countries is massive, and there is a need for people in design, sales, and taxation sectors of international business.
- Working in the importing/exporting fields
- Seoul is often called "the Paris of Asia" since it's fashion industry is huge
- IT work
- Aerospace jobs
- Aerospace support jobs
- Foreign restaurant work and bar management
- Work in the foreign franchise field
- Curriculum development (in schools, businesses, etc.)
- H.R. work
- Journalism and copy-editing
- NGO and non-profit work (especially in regards to North Korea)
- And acting/modeling/singing--Korean entertainment and advertising need people who are foreign just as they need people who are Korean. And many of these jobs are not hard to get! Ooh-la-la!
Working in Korea can be a very rewarding experience. Even jobs most foreigners are used to at home are simply done differently abroad. Did you know many Korean businesses begin the day with calisthenics? Calisthenics are increasingly being used in other countries to increase workplace productivity, an idea which is not at all new in Asia. Imagine that, coming to work and talking about stretching, glutes, hamstrings, and triceps! It's also very common to see people taking short naps in Korean businesses throughout the day for the same productivity reasons. But that's just in Korean-run businesses.
Many of the listed job fields above are run by foreigners. Think of the diversity in your own workplace, and then imagine what it could be like in Korea. What would it be like to work in a foreign restaurant, say, a trendy Japanese-Indian fusion place? The head cooks could be from Japan and Indian, while the people who do the books are from Canada (for example), the serving staff a mixture of Australians and Koreans, and the janitorial work done by Americans? Think of the different patrons, too. What could you learn in such an environment?
Many of the listed job fields above are run by foreigners. Think of the diversity in your own workplace, and then imagine what it could be like in Korea. What would it be like to work in a foreign restaurant, say, a trendy Japanese-Indian fusion place? The head cooks could be from Japan and Indian, while the people who do the books are from Canada (for example), the serving staff a mixture of Australians and Koreans, and the janitorial work done by Americans? Think of the different patrons, too. What could you learn in such an environment?
Since English teaching is the most common job in Korea, you might want to know about "hagwons" (if you saw the page on language, yes, "hagwon" is a Korean word but no, it really shouldn't have an "s" on it). Hagwons are like after-school schools, and there is a hagwon for almost everything in Korea. If you want to go to Korea and teach and don't know what to do, a good start is typing "English hagwon South Korea" into google. Or maybe just start with this overview on wikipedia.