Realistically, almost all public school teachers will never get to TOPIK level 3. Beginner level is the ceiling for virtually all. Why? Korean is freaking hard. Gotta study for four hours a day every day for years to have a shot at being decent. Talent means a variability in the opportunity cost, but it is large for all. And there is no guarantee of success. How many NETs do you know (who didn’t grow up speaking Korean) who are conversant?

Look at the sample tests for TOPIK ii (non-beginner). Freaking hard! (Give it a look ye who doubt me.)

A fair number actually.

Of Western English teachers who have been in Korea more than 20 years, what percentage are above a beginner level (as defined by TOPIK)? Not many. (Anyone want to throw out a percentage? It’s very low.)

Of Western English teachers who have been in Korea more than 20 years, what percentage are above a beginner level (as defined by TOPIK)? Not many. (Anyone want to throw out a percentage? It’s very low.)

The types of people coming to Korea now aren't the same as 20+ years ago. The younger teachers are much more interested in Korean culture and language. I have met plenty of people who are interested in learning the language. I'm not suggesting Korean is easy to learn. I'm more than aware that it is difficult and requires time and effort. I'm only trying to make the point that the F-2 visa is attainable for people who want to put some effort into it. And for those who graduated from a top 500 university almost no effort is required until you reach 40. For most English teachers it has become more attainable with the recent changes. There is less emphasis on language now than there was previously.

More emphasis on age (younger is better), income, and having graduated from a top 500 university.

For many the visa is harder to obtain.

And now it lasts for one year rather than five, which is more expensive and a pain in the @$$.

I agree that the benefits of obtaining the visa aren't what they were. You were complaining about how hard the language is to learn. There has been a move away from language requirements. No language skills are required for many in their 20s and 30s. That gives a lot of time for people about to hit their 40s to learn the language or reach 40m a year.

You guys do realize there are 2-year E-2 visas?!

I had one 2018-2020. I signed a one-year contract in 2017, then a 2-year contract in '18 and am finishing up a 1-year contract now (my boss wanted another 2 year deal but COVID19 made me decide on 1 year only).

Indeed.

If you marry a Korean or gun for a Korean language test, then good on ya.

How many hours per day did you study and for how many years? I remember you wrote about studying it in university. Like I said talent for adult language acquisition varies person to person. Looking at the very few who succeeded is ‘survivorship bias’. Almost everyone who tries their hand at Korean fails. It’s a very, very small percentage who speak decently. Some people can dunk a basketball. Most can’t. Could everyone reading this who tried hard enough eventually dunk. No. How about get to an intermediate level of Korean? Maybe. We’re all uni grads. But the older  one becomes the smaller the likelihood (because of hearing loss and other factors.)

If you date Korean women, or marry a Korean, it is expected one will learn the language well.

I have dated an American, a Malaysian, a Brit (Scottish, really), a Thai (restaurant worker), a Korean (26 year old living with furniture store owning parents in a small town) and an Australian. The Aussie came with a 9 year old and dreamt of emigrating to Israel where her grandfather (her mom's dad) had abandoned her family to go to.