Complaint Review: Samuel Baik

This is an advisory against Samuel Baik, director of Mirae Consulting Group (Mirae Edu) the Korean based representative of www.dramakids.co.kr, an education exchange organization.  Samuel Baik also provides education services to Samsung Electronics in Seoul.  His business conduct brings his firm, which arranges student exchange and homestay in Australia, NZ, Canada and the USA, into disrepute.

I have retained the email, SMS and digital phone logs of all matters supporting the following record of events.

My regular employment had been in a seasonal lull so, after the better part of two months of unwelcome leisure I jumped at the chance to do a stint of ESL teaching, for which I had 9 years experience.

I applied on the same day to a Craigslist advert, dated 31st of January 2012, seeking an English teacher to take classes at Strathfield South High School in Sydney, for 20 visiting Korean students over 6 x 90 minute sessions scheduled for 7th, 8th, 9th 14th, 15th, and 16th of February. Compensation was advertised as $300 for the 6 x 90 minute sessions.

On 31st of January I spoke to Samuel Baik on his mobile phone, arranging an interview with him at Strathfield for the 2nd of February, where I was briefed on teaching requirements and informed that I would receive payment from Mr Baiks fellow Korean colleague, Damian, at conclusion of the last class on the 16th of February.  *It is worth noting that, following my interview with Baik, another employer offered me lucrative work which would have conflicted with the agreed class schedule, but I was obliged to decline it as I had already given my word to Mr Baik.*

On arrival for the first class on the 2nd of February I was introduced to Damian, who was to be my troubleshooter contact and we then exchanged phone numbers.  That was the last I saw of him.  Each of my classes proceeded fine and I next spoke to Samuel Baik on the evening of the 15th of February, following the second-last scheduled class, when he phoned to tell me that he was now in New Zealand.  At that point he offered me an additional teaching session on Friday the 17th of February, but I had to decline as he had already provided me with a fixed schedule, and on this basis I had committed myself for work elsewhere on the 17th. 

I completed the agreed teaching assignment on the 16th of February but Mr Baiks colleague Damien was absent, so I didnt receive payment as promised.  I did, however, receive a call from Baik on the evening of the 16th and he asked me to supply my bank details, so that funds could be transferred from NZ.  I immediately emailed my account details and also asked that payment be made without delay, as I had counted on being paid on the arranged date and was now placed in an awkward financial position.

On the 20th of February, with no funds transfer in place, I rang Damian requesting that he arrange a bank deposit.  Again, I gave my account details and he confirmed that a deposit would be made that same afternoon.  However, I was obliged to message Damian on the 21st of February to enquire into the whereabouts of the deposit.   I was then told a deposit was now to be made
on the 22nd of February.  But then on the 22nd of February Damian informed me that I must deal with the matter of payment with Samuel Baik personally.

I then tried to get in touch with Mr Baik over several days on different numbers.  His landline always
rang out and I got no response from the messages I left on his mobile number.  When I eventually got through on Baiks mobile number I spoke to his Australian-resident brother, where it emerged that the phone was the brothers own and that Baik had merely borrowed it while in Sydney.

Finally, on February 24th I received call from Samuel Baik, in response to my email of February 22nd enquiring about my payment.  I was asked to be patient as the New Zealand banking system was not like Australias and that funds where to come from head office in Korea.

On March 5th I sent an email to Samuel Baik reminding him of his responsibility and again urging payment.  On the same day I received a reply email from Baik, now in Korea, apologizing for the delay and stating that I would have a bank deposit via telegraphic transfer in 2 weeks following review of the program.

On March 15th I received an email from Mr Baik stating The review process is done, and the payment due to you will be paid into your account via Telegraphic Transfer on the 30th March 2012.

On April the 2nd I sent an email stating that no funds had been transferred.  No reply.

On April 3rd I sent an email requesting payment by the end of the week.  No reply.

On the 10th of April I demanded a bank transfer be put into effect within 24hours.  To date I have heard nothing.  To say that I am disappointed in Mr Baik is an understatement.    As a company director, Samuel Baiks conduct discredits Mirae Consulting Group, www.dramakids.co.kr, and the Korean Student Exchange industry in general. 

I wish that I could report that Samuel Baik has ceased his deceit, has regained a sense of fair play, and is resolved to be bound by accepted business ethics.  I would like to report that Mr Baik has paid me in full, but until that time, let any person or business that comes into contact with Mirae Consulting Group, Mirae Edu Consulting, www.dramakids.co.kr and especially Samuel Baik, beware.