How do I find out the lesson fees and available times?
Send your current score, target, test date, the skills you need and your preference for in-person or online lessons by KakaoTalk or email. Brian will explain the format, fees and available times. No essay or phone appointment is needed to ask.
Are lessons online or in person?
Both. Choose whichever suits you: in person in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, or one-on-one over Zoom from anywhere. If you live abroad, lessons run on Zoom in your own time zone. Either way, everything we cover stays in your private student portal to review later.
I live abroad — can the time zones work?
We check availability together using your location and time zone. A particular morning or evening slot is subject to availability. Just tell me where you are and when you are free. Explanations are given in Korean, so you can understand grammar and essay logic in your first language while living in an English-speaking country, and you sit the test locally.
Do you teach both Academic and General Training?
Yes, both. Most students take Academic (target 6.5–7.5) for graduate study, university admission or professional registration, and General Training for immigration is taught the same way. Listening and Speaking are identical; Writing Task 1 (a letter) and the Reading passages differ, so we confirm which test you need first and plan with the matching materials. Per-band minimums, such as CLB for immigration, are built in from the start.
What score can I realistically reach?
Most students aim for IELTS Academic 6.5 to 7.5+. The curriculum is built around your starting level and your goal, so we spend the time precisely where you need it. If your requirement is a minimum in every band — 7.0 across all four, say — rather than an overall score, the plan itself has to be built differently.
How long does 6.5 to 7.0 take?
Honestly, it varies, and I would distrust anyone who promises a number of weeks. What can be seen early is what is actually in the way, and the free level check usually shows it. If one skill is holding you back, we focus there and it moves relatively fast. If all four sit at 6.0–6.5, the foundation has to be rebuilt and it takes longer. The time needed depends on your starting skills, practice time and the changes required in each area.
How are materials provided?
You get a private student portal with class notes, homework, replay videos, and downloadable handouts (PDF). Everything in it is yours alone, so reviewing is easy — and your writing and speaking feedback reports and score history live in the same place.
What is Brian's background?
Brian holds an IELTS Band 9.0 (perfect score) and taught IELTS full-time at Pagoda Academy - Gangnam from 2013 to 2026, into a 14th year. His official Pagoda profile documents his teaching role; it is not a score report.
How do I ask about lessons and availability?
Availability and details are shared personally in a consultation. I recommend starting with a free trial lesson to check the fit before you commit — just reach out on KakaoTalk or by email. If you are abroad, mention where you are and we will start from the time zone.
Do I have to book a call first?
No. You can ask about lessons and fees with just your level, target and test date. Send one writing answer (or a speaking recording) on KakaoTalk and it comes back marked up, with no consultation and no phone call: which sentence loses marks, why, and a fixed version. No band number. It is free, and you decide what happens next after reading it. If you have nothing written, I will send you a question to answer.
How do I get started?
Share your current score, target and test date on KakaoTalk. If you have an essay, you can also try a free review first. Only if the report makes you want to continue do we move on to a 30-minute level check and a free trial lesson, after which you get a study plan built around your goal. Nothing is charged up to there.