Yeah, he was earning 100 million dollars.
100 million dollars? That's a lot. Per year?
No, per month.
Per month? What on earth can he earn that much money by? How?
He was working at a private English school and at the sides he was tutoring too.
Is it that good to teach English in South Korea?
Just teaching is considered to be a descent job. But it's for public school teachers. As an English teacher at a private school, Korean teachers don't earn that much.
Then, how could your cousin make that much money? Is it because he is a native English speaker and teaches English in Asia?
He doesn't teach English anymore. He has an art shop.
An art shop?
He majored in Fine Art.
But didn't you say that he went to South Korea as a native English teacher?
Yeah, if you marry a Korean woman, you can own a shop.
Did he get married to a Korean woman?
He is divorced now.
Doesn't he have to close the shop then?
He doesn't.
Is it ok if I ask you how much you earn these days per month? I am curious about the salary for a native English teacher there.
I don't earn much.
5000 dollars per month maybe?
Less than half of that, frankly speaking.
How did your cousin earn 100 million dollars per month in South Korea then?
He worked 7 days a week, 12 hours per day, and what I found out was that having students for his tutoring business was illegal.
Oh, you are not tutoring then.
I am.
But it's illegal.
I want to earn as much as my cousin earned per year.
But you don't earn as much as him. Why are you still tutoring?
The hourly salary is good.
I see. I guess you don't work 7 days a week 12 hours a day then.
That's right. Also when you come to Korea, don't worry about the flight.
What do you mean?
My cousin told his Wonjangnim that I wanted to work in South Korea too. So his Wonjangnim helped me find this job.
What's Wonjangnim?
The owner of the private school is called Wonjangnim. Anyways, if a Wonjangnim hires you before you come to Korea, the Wonjangnim pays for your flight.
Are you sure?
Yeah, and the benefit includes a studio too.
Housing?
Yes, you don't earn much money, but the basic things are provided at least. The flight fee for your returning to your home country is paid by Wonjangnim too if you finish the contract.
How long does the contract go usually?
For a year. You renew it every year.
That sounds like a good deal, but if I can't be like your cousin, I don't want to take the risk moving to an Asian country.
You should come. Like I told you, my cousin has his own art shop now.
But the art isn't a thing for earning money. Is he famous in Korea?
He teaches how to draw and paint in English to Korean customers.
So, it's not like a shop. It's like a private art school.
Kind of. I don't know what his business is defined as, but anyways he sells his paintings and teaches how to paint in his shop.
You said that you need to get married to a Korean person to have your own shop.
Yeah, I am planning to get married to a Korean man in June.
June? Why were you keeping it sealed to me till today?
Because I told my boyfriend that I don't want to invite my parents to our wedding.
What do you mean?
I just want my own private school. I don't really want to get married officially.
Do your parents know this?
Of course not.
What about your boyfriend? Doesn't he think it's weird that you don't want to invite your parents to your wedding?
He thinks that I am not in a good relationship with my family.
Did you make up stories to get married to him without letting him meet your parents?
No, I just told him that I don't really want to talk about my family, and he guessed that I don't have a good relationship with my parents.
So is it that you are going to get married to him because you want to open a shop in South Korea? Like your cousin? Is it, like, are you opening a shop?
I can teach English at home legally if I have a house and a Korean husband.
What does your husband do?
Not my husband yet, but he's my coworker.
Is he an English teacher?
Yeah, he teaches here with me under the same boss.
So you guys are going to open a private English school at home?
My cousin told me that if we teach English to grownups at home, it's illegal. But if we lower the age level and teach students who are under age, then it's legal as long as I have a Korean husband.
So you are starting a business with him in June.
Yes. He will teach English in Korean, and I'll take the part as the native English teacher.
You don't love him, do you?
I just plan to be like my cousin. I and my boyfriend don't have much money like my cousin do. So I'll start my business at home first, and then when I have enough money, I will open a shop.
What will you sell in your shop?
If you can speak English, Asian people who want to speak with a native English speaker just become your customers.
But you don't even know what you are going to have in your shop.
I will speak in English whatever I will be selling in my shop.
Why don't you just teach English and have a private English school?
I am thinking of it too, but in that case, I might need my Korean husband longer for him to work for my English school as the Korean English teacher.
Did your cousin get married to a Korean woman because he wanted the art shop in Asia? Just for the sake of it?
No, he was jobless back in Texas, so he got a teaching job in and moved to Korea. Then he met his ex-wife and opened a shop in Korea. Then after he opened a shop, the shop was not doing well for like a year. They argued a lot because his Korean wife didn't want him to quit his teaching job. Like I said, he was making 100 million dollars per month. Anyways, he opened a shop, and the Korean wife and my cousin got separated later0.
And then they got divorced.
Right.
But 100 million dollars. I think the Korean wife was not wise. Even though the shop might not have been successful, I think you don't need to worry for the rest of your life about what her husband does with that much money.
Hmm, it's not a lot though. Like, for 10 years, if you earn that much money per year, that's still going to be just... let's see... Oh, wait. Have I told you the whole time that it's 100 million dollars?
Yeah. You did. That's insanely good. That's a lot.
Not in dollars. I apologize. Sorry, sorry, in Korean won. Approximately 1,200 won is a dollar.
So like 1 dollar is 1,000 won. You need to get rid of 3 zeros from won to dollars.
That's right.
Now that makes much better sense.
Right.
Anyways, good luck with your business. And congratulations.
Thank you. For what are you celebrating?
Your wedding in June. Do you want me to come?
No, no. Don't let people know about my wedding there. I have enough friends to come to my wedding here. So don't worry. Keep it just sealed.
I see. Are you going to get divorced like your cousin did?
That's my plan.
Sounds vicious of you to do that to your boyfriend.
Well, it's a life experience.
What do you mean?
Because of my plan, he won't be just an English teacher at a private school. He will be one of those Wonjangnims.
But you don't know if you can open a private school. Didn't you say that you guys are going to teach English at home first? I guess it's not considered a private school.
My final goal is to open a private school in a commercial building here under my name.
Didn't you say that you don't want your boyfriend to stick with you, so you are opening something that is not relevant to what he does for a living?
Hmm, that's right.
I think you didn't firmly decide what you're going to do after you get successful at your teaching thing in your house.
That's true.
Christina, I think you are not going to be successful in this.
Why do you think so?
Your husband might be in love with you, but what if he wants to move to your hometown with you after getting married?
What do you mean?
The green card thing. Have you been aware of it?
Oh, you mean that my boyfriend want to have the American citizenship by getting married to me?
Yes, that too. If he wants to come to America with you, it means that your business is never going to even get started in South Korea.
I will message him.
Pardon me?
Hold on. I just asked him if he wants to live in America after we get married.
Okay. You really need to check that first before you marry him for your business to go smoothly.
He said yes!
He wants to live in the USA after he gets married to you?
He says that after, like, 5 years, we are going to go to Texas.
Geez. Now ask him why.
He says that I am American, so he will sacrifice for me.
I don't think he is sacrificing for you. He just wants to move to America with you because he speaks English and he has an American wife.
I will ask him why it is important. Oh, my. This is not what I was expecting.
Maybe he wants to make you feel at home with him. Also, he might just want to marry you to have the American citizenship.
He says that he feels guilty to have me stay in South Korea for the rest of my life because I am from Texas!
Your plan needs to be modified, Christina.
No, it doesn't. My plan to have my own business in South Korea is firm. But, above all, my plan right now is to break up with him.
I beg your pardon?
I don't want him anymore.
Are you not going to get married to him and teach at home with him, then open a private English school in a commercial building?
I will find another Korean guy to marry me.
Christina, you can't make it successful.
Make what successful?
Your whole plan of staying in South Korea and becoming a successful Wonjongnam.
It's Wonjangnim. Why not?
Because the Korean guy that you are going to marry will want to make you be back to Texas at some point with him. He'll want to be with you feeling at home with him. He will sacrifice for your comfort of living in your home country or he will want the benefit of having the citizenship in America with you.
Not all guys are going to be like that.
No, Christina, think about it. If a husband and a wife have the different nationalities, there are no such things that you need to stay only in the husband's country or the wife's country for the rest of their lives. Chances are that they will relocate themselves for various reasons because they have options unlike other couples in South Korea.
Blair.
Yes?
....
Christina? Are you still there?
Blair, I am coming back to Texas.
How come?
In June, my contract with this Wonjangnim finishes.
What about your wedding?
I will call it off.
What are you going to tell your boyfriend?
I will just get the flight ticket and leave without telling him.
Geez, Christina, that's not really clever. Tell your boyfriend that you are not renewing your contract and come to Texas. Tell your boyfriend honestly.
If I really have to be honest with him, I have to tell him that I am using him for my future business to be owned by me here in South Korea.
No, no, just tell him that you are leaving Korea in June, and you don't want to get married to him anymore.
He was going to use me to get the American citizenship.
That's not true, Christina. That was just our assumption.
Alright, alright, I am sending him the message.
What are you going to say to him?
I told him to break up with me.
With no specific reasons?
I said that I don't have a good family, so I can't marry him. Because his parents and sister are such nice people.
What did he say?
He is not replying to me yet. I will message his sister too.
Do you know her phone number?
She asked me to give her English lessons on the phone time to time. I just sent her the message that says that I just broke up with her brother.
What does she say?
My boyfriend sent me a message saying.. that his sister is on the phone with him. And it reads that he can't be sure that he understands me anymore.
I think you shouldn't have messaged his sister.
No, that made him bugged. And things got escalated I think. It was good that I send her a message.
So you, really, are sure that you want to break up with him.
Of course.
Aren't you going to meet him at work everyday till June?
It'll be ok.
Your face is so thick. Christina.
What do you mean?
Christina, please don't let that poor guy be around you at work.
Blair, are, are you taking sides?
I am on his side. Christina, I gotta go. I will talk to you later. Bye.
Blair! Are you hanging up on me?