1. For a period of time, there was some soon-to-expire food available to take, though most of it expired within a week.

2. The manager often treats us to drinks.

3. The company is in a new building, and the work environment is fairly okay.

1. The big promise of business trips to Korea

The boss and the boss’s wife are Korean. People who know Korean and apply will only get to use it for everyday conversation. Those who want to learn Korean should not expect to learn much more. During the interview, they say there may be opportunities to go on business trips to Korea, but in reality, you can forget about it!

2. Appearance-based interviews

During interviews, the interviewer takes photos and circulates them among the managers to see whether the applicant’s photos are misleading. They comment critically on the applicants’ appearance. If you are not good-looking or are too heavy, you basically will not be hired (unless they are very short-staffed).

3. Overtime pay you never receive

During the interview, they say there will be overtime pay. However, the workday ends at 6:00 p.m., and overtime pay only starts counting from 7:00 p.m. (overtime is calculated in half-hour units, so if you work until 7:29 p.m., you receive nothing). They say there is a break in between to eat dinner, but usually there is no opportunity to go out for a meal. Also, if you work overtime without the supervisor’s approval, the supervisor will not sign off on the overtime pay. After being promoted to主任, there is no overtime pay. If you work overtime because the work is unfinished, that is considered a problem with your ability.

4. High turnover

Except near the end of the year, staff turnover is high at other times. After six months, you are considered a veteran. In addition to the increased workload, you also have to keep training new employees.

5. A promised raise after three months

Promises about salary raises and promotions within a few months are basically just something to hear and forget.

6. Year-end bonuses are not guaranteed

If the boss wants to force you out, there will be no year-end bonus, regardless of whether it would normally be paid after the New Year.

7. Taking leave

In principle, you cannot take leave on Mondays or Fridays.

8. Shared computers

You cannot set a password on your computer. During your days off or after work, other people may open your computer. The email system also uses several accounts shared by everyone.

9. Verbal bullying

Supervisors sometimes insult people with profanity or yell at them, or tell them they are completely worthless.

10. Forging documents

Sometimes you are asked to sign forged documents—for example, signing to confirm training that never took place, or signing someone else’s name on a funding application to the Korean government.

11. Pirated software

The company uses pirated software and demands high work efficiency while making you use extremely laggy software.

12. Resigning

It is extremely difficult to resign because the company is always understaffed. When you submit your resignation, they pretend not to hear it, which is highly disrespectful. Otherwise, they make the handover materials unnecessarily difficult or keep postponing your departure date.

13. Accommodation for event staff

The company is extremely disrespectful toward female event staff. When staff from northern and southern Taiwan are asked to provide support, the hotels they stay in are what are commonly called “rooms for prostitution,” and both the environment and safety are extremely poor.