I attended my last two Korean class sessions in the past two weeks. I honestly cannot believe that I finished another semester of the self-directed language and am proud to say that I have improved my hangul more than I have before. In retrospect, I can say with confidence that I enjoyed every class session because my language partner and my peers helped make them enjoyable. For these past two weeks, I voice chatted with my language instructor and reviewed everything that we went over this semester. Upon reviewing a semester's worth of material, I could not believe how much I accomplished. I was able to read news articles and academic journals with the highest level of hangul grammar and vocabulary. I still remember when I struggled to read a short news article about a sports event that took place in Korea. I am now able to read articles that update me on the coronavirus outbreak, geopolitical issues between the two Koreas, economic losses from lack of business activities, and more. After gaining a clearer understanding of what I've accomplished during the semester, my language instructor and I created our podcast to document this milestone.

I also learned new phrases and Korean concepts such as root words. I learned the root words for terms such as fire, water, mankind, power, office, teaching, and etc. While I knew these terms intuitively by practicing Korean, I had never learned this conceptually. I think these root words will be very useful in the future when I have to learn the meaning of new words. Instead of referring to a dictionary or Google Translate, I could use context clues and my knowledge of the root words to figure it out.

If there is anything I would do differently, I would be more proactive in my studies. Because my course load for the past two years have been tremendously in quantity, I was unable to exert my full effort into each class session and assignment. During the weekends, I would take breaks and spend more time resting. In retrospect, I should've used at least thirty minutes in those rest days to practice more Korean. Although my hangul skills are quite impressive right now, I would be at another level if I spent that time studying.

This week, I repeated the routine from last week. Like in the previous journal period, these two weeks were also reading intensive. My language partner sent me articles again and they were very challenging to understand. However, I was able to completely dissect and analyze the articles after spending some time with them. One of the articles I read was about the confirmation of China's cover-up of death tolls in Wuhan. The Wuhan Municipal government stated that the number of deaths was actually 3,869, which is 1,290 deaths higher than what was originally reported. The city authorities gave a reasonable explanation for the gap in the reported numbers and actual numbers. They stated that many of the patients died at home because the hospitals in Wuhan were completely booked and did not have enough medical personnel to look after new patients. However, citizens are not very accepting of this explanation. They accuse the government of displacing the responsibility to the medical professionals and health care providers rather than taking full responsibility. In addition, Chinese media has reported that the number of urns ordered far exceeds the number of deaths reported. While more investigation is needed, we still cannot completely trust the released reports from the Wuhan municipal government.

I thought that this was an interesting article because it confirmed a suspicion that was going on for some time. I also took a questionnaire like last time, except I had to explain the article and answer questions in conversation format. The conversation aspect was different from the one from the last journal period because it was testing different aspects of my Hangul. I'm glad that I was able to talk about the article through conversation because I was able to practice it. Because of the quarantine, I do not have many opportunities to practice conversation. The questionnaire was challenging, but doable. While I was explaining, I would correctly answer the main idea questions, but misinterpret some of the minor details. I received a decent score with some constructive feedback, which made me not only glad, but also motivated and confident in reading more difficult material.

Another article that I read was about the abrupt decline in oil prices due to lack of demand for gasoline. This lack of demand was caused by government lockdown policies that forced citizens to stay indoors. Earlier this year, the price of each oil barrel was around $60, but now it is around $20. Because of this sudden decrease, OPEC announced that they would cut oil drilling by 9.2 million barrels a day in order to combat the sudden decrease in demand. Experts, however, state that this will not be enough to combat the decline of growth in the oil industry. This was an article that I was interested in because it deals with economic issues. Because I was interested, I was more attentive to the words and the interpretation of the article as a whole. I was able to use context clues to define words such as "petroleum", "economic decline", "slash of production", and etc.

Since my class sessions with my learning partner has moved online, the ways we can learn are pretty limited compared to before. This is because my language partner and I operate on different time zones as we live in different countries. Despite this, we try our best to improve my Hangul. For the past two weeks, my learning was very reading intensive because I asked my language partner to provide me with difficult material to understand, analyze, and discuss. One of the articles I read was about South Korea's achievement in stabilizing the Coronavirus situation. The article summarizes a conversation between South Korean President Moon Jae In and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven. The Prime Minister congratulated and praised South Korea in its successful results in calming the situation. The President expressed worry about the situation in Europe at the time. The two leaders stressed the importance of bilateral cooperation to not only improve the economy, but also to produce a vaccine as quickly as possible.

The article was challenging to understand because there were a lot of vocabulary terms that I did not know. While I recognized some words from previously reading articles that deal with political issues, this article was simply on another level. It took me about an hour to read through the seven paragraphs. I made lots of mistakes when explaining to my language partner the meaning and main idea of the article. To test my knowledge further, I was given a questionnaire that would ask me specific questions about the article. I have to admit that I did not get a perfect score, but I was able to answer some questions about the two leaders' conversation. While I was proud that I received a decent score, I know that I need to work harder. 

Another article I read talked about the United States increasing pressure on South Korea to agree to the increase in defense costs. This news was released shortly after the South Korean government furloughed employees from the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).The United States responded stating that it would compensate South Korea by stationing some of its troops there. This would only happen, however, if South Korea agreed to the Special Measures Agreement (SMA). The questionnaire for this article was challenging as well because I needed to understand what the military agreements were and their implications for the relations between the United States and South Korea. Unfortunately, I received a lower score on this questionnaire than the one mentioned in the previous paragraphs. Despite this, I'm glad that I am still being challenged despite living in uncertain times. While there are lots of room to relax, the intensity of study has not diminished as much as I thought it would.

Recently, I read an article on CNN about a 24 year old man named Cho Joo Bin who coerced at least 74 women, some who are minors, to act out demeaning sexual acts. For example, "one girl wrote the word slave above her genitals" while another was forced to "bark like a dog while naked". Cho has been arrested for "distributing child pornography, sexual abuse, blackmail, coercion, fraud, illegal distribution of private information, and sexual assault through illegal filming". The acts were committed on "Telegram", a live broadcasting app that operates like a chat room. Room hosts can choose to either publicize or privatize the rooms by adding an entry fee. Viewers pay the room host to receive videos of these girls. This issue received lots of attention as four million South Koreans signed two petitions that would pressure the legal system to deal the harshest punishment.

While the news is indeed shocking, this is an extreme manifestation of the ongoing issues of sexual harassment and assault that is present in not only these private chat rooms, but also in the workplace. In the past, citizens have protested illegal filming and harassment of women. For example, "tens of thousands of women" protested against the motels that hid cameras in their bedrooms and restrooms. This was an incredibly big issue in 2018. I've watched videos on Youtube of undercover activists who visited these motel rooms to locate and disable these cameras. This could only been done by an expert because the cameras were hidden very well within objects like a flower vase, remote control, sprinkler system, coffee maker, lamps, and etc. These activists would use equipment such as infrared detectors to locate metallic objects planted in walls and the previously mentioned objects and fixtures. In addition, South Korea also dealt with the scandal where Korean pop artists were arrested for illegally filming and distributing sex tapes among each other. This was an even more shocking news compared to the one in 2018 because it not only displayed acts of sexual harassment, but also an abuse of power over women by Korean pop artists and the entertainment industry. The news served as a tool that would disillusion many of the fans of the Korean pop industry.

An aspect of Korean society that exacerbates the issue of sex crimes is its lenient justice system. For example, an individual who distributes or possesses child pornography is sentenced to only one year in prison or fines up to $16,000. For comparative purposes, a person who is convicted of possessing or distributing child pornography can be sentenced up to 10 years of prison. I think the leniency is an issue because it does not provide enough incentive for distributors to stop their immoral acts.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/27/asia/south-korea-telegram-sex-rooms-intl-hnk/index.html

Recently, I've been watching "Heart Signal", a South Korean variety show about eight strangers who live together for a month to see if they can potentially find a romantic partner. Among the eight participants are four females and four males. Each participant lives out his or her life during the day and come together for the night in a luxurious home that comes with amenities such as automobiles, swimming pools, stunning views of the landscapes near the home, and etc. While on the show, the participants are free to go on dates with one another, but are not allowed to explicitly state their intentions until the last episode of the show. This rule creates a sense of anticipation for viewers and keeps them guessing about the love interests of the participants. This show has two completed seasons and an ongoing third season. After completing the first two seasons, I was able to understand the subtle ways in which Koreans prefer to express their interests to one another. I found the participants' methods to be somewhat different from the straightforward method that Americans prefer. Because of this, there were times when I was very frustrated with the participants.

As I was watching "Heart Signal", I began to wonder why there was any demand for a dating show like this. The show is edited to feel like a Korean drama. For example, the producers select background songs that evoke a certain emotion and choose participants who meet Korea's high standard of beauty. I began to wonder why the producers have to edit and select participants to such lengths rather than just selecting average people to be in the show. After researching for a few minutes, I realized that Korean culture tends to romanticize relationships not only because of media portrayals, but also because many Koreans in their twenties find relationships difficult to pursue due to stress from work and an aging society. Like Japan, South Korea faces an issue with employing younger individuals because the elderly tend to work longer than those in other countries. According to studies, 1/3 of South Korea's population will be 65 or older if current trends continue. Another reason why South Koreans in their twenties are not dating or getting married is that they find relationships too expensive to maintain. According to an article, South Korea's average wage was slightly above $30,000. For comparison, the average wage in the United States was slightly above $60,000. Considering that the average cost of a wedding in South Korea is around $90,000 , it's understandable, from an economic perspective, that South Koreans would forgo marriage. 

While "Heart Signal" may pull on heart strings of viewers with their romanticized edits, the show highlights an ongoing issue in South Korea. While the issue is somewhat trivial now, it will become a major obstacle for politicians and citizens to overcome. I hope to study this issue further and make some recommendations for politicians to follow to start correcting this issue. For now, I think that politicians should give the elderly incentives to retire and start restructuring their education system so that it trains their students to choose diverse areas of study to diversify the job market. This will lessen the competition within a certain industry and create jobs in new ones.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, I was unable to meet with my language partner. In addition, I travelled during spring break, which further prevented me from continuing my Korean studies. However, I was able to get in contact with my language partner and review the lesson plans that she personally outlined for me in the beginning of the semester through Kakaotalk, a messenger application that is popular among Koreans. This review eliminated some of the uncertainties that I was experiencing in regards for the continuation of the self-directed language program and helped me to reevaluate my learning goals.

My language partner and I decided that it would be best for her to continue her original teaching style. I agreed with this method because it would reduce the amount of variability in my learning experience and would save time by reducing the time of experimenting with learning styles. In the past, my language partner would give me two to three news articles and video links for me to translate, understand, and discuss. This has been the most effective way of learning for me because I get to simultaneously read, write, listen, and speak Korean. In other words, I am currently at an advanced level where I can multi-task with numerous language material. The only topic that we did not discuss was the date, time, and method of recording the podcast at the end of the year. There is still much time left in the semester, so we decided to review that topic later.

For the past couple of days, I was able to see the results of changing my default language to Korean on my computer. My mother encountered an issue with her computer and needed my help in resetting the default settings. The task was challenging at first because I had not practiced using Korean on my computer during Spring Break. With enough time, however, I was able to translate most of the settings in my head and reset the computer for her. I was very proud upon completion of this task because I never actually demonstrated this ability to anyone other than myself. While the task itself didn’t add much pressure, considering that I was helping my mother, I was still nervous because I was not sure if I could reset the device on my own. This experience validated my Korean skills and my ability to use my Korean in uncertain and new scenarios.

Since the last two weeks were technically considered Spring Break periods, I relaxed and watched several Korean dramas in one sitting. People who know me and have read my bi-weekly journals in the past know that I love learning Korean while engaging in an activity that I enjoy. The dramas that I watched were Itaewon Class and the second season of Kingdom. These two dramas take place in two different time periods. The former takes place in our current time while the latter takes place in a more ancient setting. While watching the dramas, I learned words like 박새로이, 순두부, “왜!”, and much more.

For the past two weeks, I’ve kept my lesson plans relatively the same. I’ve changed the default language on my phone for about four weeks now, and I think I can see the results of this change. When I’m on my phone, I catch myself constantly thinking in Korean. At first, I made lots of mistakes because I could not understand all of the words in the settings and applications. After about the third week, I was able to associate words with the images correctly. I am most challenged by this method when I am notified of a software update or any other settings in Korean. Since I receive different notifications all the time, I take my time to determine the meaning of the notifications. When I could not figure out the words after a few minutes of trying, I translated the words using Google translate. While Google translate is not the best method of learning a language, the site completed most of the task. I am not sure if I will continue this learning method as it does not challenge me as much anymore. I am thinking of improving upon previous learning methods that I have incorporated in the past.

About four weeks ago, I also changed the default language on my computer to Korean. I think changing my default language on my computer is much more difficult than changing the language on my phone for several reasons. First, the computer has a plethora of settings that a phone does not have. When using my computer in Korean, I have to take multiple attempts before I select the correct settings. The images that indicate each setting are also different from those of my Iphone. Currently, it’s much easier to associate words to images on my phone because I’ve been practicing more often. I could not practice much on the computer because I could not complete assignments for other classes in an efficient manner. I would only switch the default language to Korean only during my free time when I would practice. Second, I was not entirely familiar with the Koreanized internet settings that would appear when I clicked the right mouse button. This applies not only to the settings, but also websites as well. I saw changes in the default language of sites like Youtube, which I visit frequently. Third, I have never practiced typing Korean on the computer. While I do have some practice from typing in Korean on my phone, I realized that it would take more practice and greater muscle memory for me to master the skill. When I type in Korean on my computer, I constantly try to remember which buttons I would press when I type on my phone. This process slows me down significantly as I only type a few words per minute. For the next two weeks or so, I am going to research methods that I can use to get better at typing in Korean.

When the term “K-pop” is brought up in a conversation, most people associate this term with groups like BTS, Blackpink, Big Bang, and Psy. Each and everyone of these groups and individuals have become global sensations, performing for events like Coachella, Daily Shows, the Grammys, and etc. People love these groups for their aesthetically pleasing music videos, uncontainable energy in rhythm and melody, and beauty. While these artists have played a significant role in paving a path for interaction between Korean and American culture, they account for only a small percentage of the many great artists that perform in Korea. After further investigation into Korea’s entertainment industry, I have found several amazing ballad and r&b artists that the rest of world is missing out on.

            I want to start providing some insight into the Korean ballad artists because ballad is my favorite genre within the whole industry. My favorite ballad songs are sung by Park Hyo Shin who is considered one of the legendary singers in Korea. He is able to sing songs very softly using techniques that he derived from pop, choir, and musical genres. Like many Korean ballad singers, Park Hyo Shin’s songs evoke feelings of sadness, loss, heartbreak, and all the words that you can use to describe someone’s sadness. I’ve talked to many Korean natives about this and they state that Korean songs are embodiments of Han, “a concept of an emotion, variously described as some form of grief or resentment that has been said to be a characteristic of Korean culture” (Wikipedia). This characteristic originated during the Japanese occupation of Korea, which inspired Koreans to unite “through a sense of shared suffering” due to “turbulent modern history” (Wikipedia).  I believe that this cultural characteristic may resonate with the African Americans and their inspirations and emotions behind soul music. “According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is music that arose out of the black experience in America through transmutation of gospel and rhythm” (Wikipedia). I found the similarities between the two music styles to be very interesting because I am a avid listener of both genres. Somewhat detracting from the flow of this paper, I would like to recommend a few songs for everyone to listen to. Everyone who is somewhat interested in Korean music should start listening to Wild Flower, Breath, Goodbye, and The Day by Park Hyo Shin.

            The Korean music genre also includes Korean R&B. The artists in this genre produce content with all kinds of messages. These messages include sadness, heartbreak, money, love, power, dreams, random thoughts during the day, and even the kinds of food they’re craving. The most importance of Korean R&B songs are rhythm and “chill” vibes. I would like to recommend artists and songs from this genre as well. The songs are Sleep Talk by Zion. T, Wiing Wiing and Hooka by Hyukoh, Gold by offonoff, and Any Song by Zico.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_music

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_(cultural)

I was rather surprised that we had another bi-weekly journal due as I submitted my first journal a week ago. Because of this, I can only write about the things that I’ve learned over the past week. Do understand that the content of this journal may be limited as only a week has passed.

            This week was filled with unfortunate and tragic news. Kobe Bryant, the iconic and legendary basketball player, was tragically killed along with his daughter, Gianna Bryant, and others due to a helicopter crash. In order to explain the relevance of this news to Korean culture, I must first talk about Kobe Bryant’s impact on the Korean community in Los Angeles. To me and my friends, Kobe Bryant was more than a basketball player; he was a role-model, an example that people of all ages could follow. He was dedicated to his craft, constantly pushing himself to the limit. He would never be content with winning championships or scoring some of the highest number of points in a single game. He was obsessed with inspiring a generation so that the legacy, teachings, and fruits of his hard work would carry on into the future. Like many Korean kids in Los Angeles, I grew up in a community with few opportunities. Every opportunity that presented itself for a higher education, rigorous extracurricular activities, and a better life was competitively fought for in the Korean community. As my Korean friends and I would learn to socialize with one another at school through basketball, we came to idolize Kobe Bryant for his hard work and determination. It was sheer coincidence, but a blessing that Kobe’s work ethic was so similar to that of Korean culture. As we grew older, my Korean peers and I would adopt the mantra called “Mamba Mentality”, which describes Kobe’s insatiable desire to chase his dreams and enjoy the process of perfecting his craft in basketball. My friends and I would practice this mantra in every aspect of our lives especially in academics. Because of that mentality, I was able to attend the University of Richmond and attend Korean class with some of my peers.

            I also read about the countless number of deaths due to the coronavirus. The article that I read was very challenging as it was using terms to describe the nature and trajectory of the virus. I’m particularly interested in this topic because I was planning on traveling throughout Asia for a month with my best friend. Unfortunately, my best friend and I had to postpone the planning of our trip because the coronavirus has spread to countries like Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. I want to continue reading Korean articles like this because it challenges me to study a subcategory of vocabulary. In the past, I’ve studied terms that relate to the Korean government and politics. Now, I am interested in learning about terms that define medical terminologies and biological processes in the human body.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCu5oKwRP0U

To prepare for my first cultural post, I watched Youtube video called “Common Mistakes Foreigners Make in Korea” by Rachel Kim. Although the video is only nine minutes long, it provided very useful and interesting information that is applicable to not only non-Korean foreigners, but also Korean ones that were born outside of Korea.

For her first tip, Rachel advised foreigners not to drink all the alcohol that people pour for them. She states that it is not actually rude to turn down drinks. Rather, she states that it is incredibly rude for the pourer to constantly pour drinks even when the receiver feels uncomfortable. I was surprised about this because the information she provides differs from the research that I conducted about Korean drinking culture. According to several cultural blogs, Korea’s “hweshik” or corporate drinking culture encourages employees to constantly take drinks from their superiors to create a corporate bond. While I do agree with her statements it is incredibly rude to pour drinks for an individual who is uncomfortable, I think she does not provide a holistic perspective on drinking culture. In my opinion, her views on Korean drinking culture are mostly applicable to the casual drinking sessions among friends and acquaintances.

For her second tip, Rachel teaches her viewers Korean table manners. She states that an individual should bear partial responsibility to distribute utensils, napkins, and water to members of the table. For example, if an individual is busy passing the utensils, another may pour water for other members of the group. This shows that he or she is considering the other members of the group. As a Korean who has eaten Korean food his whole life at home and at church, I agree with her advice completely. Offering to help to set the table is a sign of humility and respect for other people. She also advices a person to wait to eat before an elder or a group begins. She states that this is also a sign of respect and an acknowledgment of the unspoken social hierarchy in Korean culture.

For her third tip, Rachel cautions foreigners from calling a person they just met by their first name. Rather, they should attach suffixes such as “oppa” or “unni” if the person they met is older than them. This is especially important when socializing with people in Korea as this is also a sign of acknowledging the social hierarchy in a group. In my experience, calling a Korean by his or her first name without attaching a suffix is not the most shameful behavior, but if it is repeated, he or she may feel disrespected. I personally advise people to follow all of Rachel’s tips because they effectively cover the basic social skills needed to interact with Koreans.

I honestly cannot believe that I am writing my last bi-weekly journal of the semester. This not only signifies my last time taking a self-directed Korean class, but also the midpoint of my senior year. I am proud of how far I have come in my Korean studies. I improved my writing, reading, speaking, and grammar skills dramatically from when I first started learning Korean on campus. I plan to continue this journey, even when I am not taking a college course.

            For the past two weeks, I continued to practice my conversation skills not only in person, but also through text messages. Conversing through text was always my weakest point because I did not know how to replicate casual speaking into text. I would always feel awkward using slang and non-formal speech. I also was self-conscious in the past about my spelling as I knew my spelling was imperfect. However, I started to see progress slowly, but surely. I was using vocabulary words that I could not use in the past and my spelling improved dramatically. I think working on several skills at once helped me to improve communication through text. I also did not realize that I was improving until I started receiving feedback from the people that I communicated with. For example, my mother complimented me on my Korean and that she was proud to have raised a son to use hangul. Many of my friends recognized that I was articulating my thoughts more coherently than I did in the past. I’m glad that I have more than self-affirmation about my learning because I have more feedback to reflect and improve upon.

            I also learned about the working conditions in the Korean entertainment industry and the effect that these conditions have on young celebrities. This is an issue that I wanted to study for a while because the number of suicides in the industry has increased over time. In the past two months, two celebrities took their own lives in their own apartments. According to several articles, many suicide cases in the Korean entertainment industry were caused by intense pressures to maintain popularity and a perfect image. This burden is placed upon these young celebrities during their teenage years, when they train and prepare to become global stars. K-pop stars are always monitored and restricted from going outside of their training dorms without the consent of management. Their diet and bodyweight are monitored at all times as well as K-pop stars are expected to uphold a beauty standard that is already deeply rooted in Korean society. These restrictions prevent K-pop stars to socialize only among their groups and are unable to enjoy the freedom that ordinary citizens can enjoy. Many of them may also experience bodily insecurities as they are expected to meet unrealistic and unhealthy beauty standards. The worst part is that these stars do no get paid much until their debut. In other words, K-pop starts are treated more like assets of a company rather than workers.

Jae%20Wan%20Kim%20Podcast.m4a

Parasite, a Korean film directed by Joon-Ho Bong, depicts the life of an impoverished Korean family and its unethical efforts to climb the socio-economic ladder. The drama begins when Ki-Woo, the son of the Kim family, is hired to teach English to the Park family’s daughter. Ki-Woo is not qualified whatsoever to teach as he never attended college, but he is hired anyways due to an excellent recommendation by his friend, who was the previous English teacher. After Ki-Woo’s first lesson, he recommends his own sister to be an art teacher for the Park family’s son. This pattern of recommendation is repeated discreetly until the entirety of the Kim family is employed by the rich Park family. Throughout the film, the employed family discreetly works for the wealthy household during the day, while enjoying their unethically earned salary at night.

            This film exaggerates the struggles of an impoverished family in Korea, but its point is not to create an accurate depiction. Rather, it tries to highlight a deep and ongoing chasm between the working and wealthy class. The film not only depicts the marginalization of the working class, but the loss of their dignity and voice to change the community around them. For example, the Park family commands sets strong and excessive boundaries when the workers don’t perform their duties properly. The film further highlights the chasm by juxtaposing vocations that are of different social classes. For instance, Ki-Taek, the head of the Kim family, is constantly seen driving Mr. Park, the head of the Park family and CEO of his own successful company. While Mr. Park seems to respect and admire Ki-Taek on the outside, he secretly talks about Ki-Taek’s disgusting scent, describing it as a “special subway smell”.

            After watching this film, I found a new interest in the division of classes in South Korea. After further research, I learned that more than 100,000 taxi drivers and chauffeurs are considered laborers rather than contract workers, meaning that their employment status can be hired and terminated at the will of companies that manage these drivers. Drivers are also unable to unionize, preventing them from objecting to any unfair rules passed by their companies. To make matters worse, these drivers are paid less than $1,750 even after being on-call for 24 hours. It’s unfortunate that individuals with low-paying jobs are unable to change careers due to South Korea’s rigid and ineffective education and labor system.

            I’m very curious about the steps that the South Korean government is taking to relieve the pressure from the working-class. In 2018, 60 percent of the 100,000 drivers in Korea protested against the rise of ridesharing apps in South Korea. Many of the drivers expressed extreme discontent because of the ridesharing apps’ abilities to eliminate the taxi industry entirely. The government responded by banning ridesharing apps and forced app developers to connect their apps to pre-existing yellow cabs. More research is necessary, but I think South Korea is taking the right steps to ensure the survival of an industry that mostly employs the impoverished working class.

Bi-Weekly%20Journal%20%237.docx

I am very passionate about food and the ways that it connects people. Each dish has a different flavor, evoking all spectrums of emotions like excitement and disgust. When I am on Youtube, I frequently watch videos of people tasting food that is nonexistent in their culture. One Youtuber that I watch pretty often is DigitalsojuTV, who frequently invites Koreans to try foods such as American BBQ. One particular episode, in which the youtuber invites North Korean refugees to taste American dishes, caught my attention because North Koreans and Americans are polar opposites of one another culturally.

            This video was very informative for numerous reasons. First, I learned the preference of North Koreans when it comes to food. Second, I learned about North Korean table manners and other cultural norms that were influenced by propaganda. Third, I learned about the different sauces that I can incorporate when eating dishes such as pulled pork sandwiches.

            I wasn’t very surprised when I learned about North Korean preference for meat. When these refugees were still in North Korea, they had to eat pork, dog, and rabbit. Many people may shudder at the thought of eating dogs as Americans raise dogs as companions, but eating dogs was a means for survival. The North Korean refugees talk about how it wasn’t normal in North Korea to view dogs as companions as these animals were eaten after months of care. After eating the dogs, they would sell the fur back to the government. North Koreans were also not allowed to eat beef due to the limited supply of oxen. Oxen were precious to the country because it was the main means of farm work. If caught, North Koreans would be shamed and executed by the government.

            This video also touched upon lifestyle differences between North and South Koreans. According to some of the refugees, they thought they had “traveled 40 years into the future” upon landing in South Korea. Compared to their former country, South Korea had so much technology, sanitized facilities, and freedom to speak and act in ways that the refugees could not in the past. Unlike South Koreans, the refugees would never abandon leftovers from a restaurant. Rather, they would take the leftovers home because the amount of food is “something to die for” back in North Korea.

            This Youtube video reminded me that people with vastly different views, lifestyles, and culture exist even though we speak the same language. It reminds me that the two Korean governments have long ways to go to bridge the cultural and national chasm that was caused by the Korean War. Despite knowing all these differences, I am relived and glad to know that these two countries share a common language that can help pave the path to peace. It is hangul that allows us to press forwards towards unification and to compromise so that future generations in both nations can thrive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0TYCEXmi90

For these past two weeks, I focused on learning Korea’s government system through a drama series called Chief of Staff. Netflix is currently airing the drama’s second season as the first series received outstandingly positive reviews. I was one of the enthusiasts that loved the drama. I loved the drama because I can follow the plot very easily and I learn a lot. I learn difficult vocabulary words and the ways to apply them in day to day conversations.

The usage of hangul in the drama is more difficult than some of the words that I’ve studied in the past. This is because the story is told from a politically savvy Chief of Staff. The terms used in this drama relate to political policies and positions, different districts in Seoul, and socioeconomic class. I found myself reading the subtitles more when watching this drama compared to when I watched other Korean movies and drama. I had to pause the drama often to make sure that I understood the conversations. This is because I wanted to follow the plot as accurately as possible. I think that my ability to understand the vocabulary words will improve substantially with constant exposure to the material.

The week ending on November 16^th was full of highlights. The University of Richmond celebrated Asia Week, in which students displayed and took pride in their Asian dances, calligraphy, food, music, and etc. One of the highlights of Asia Week was the Festival of Lights, where different student organizations allowed students to participate in different activities. I was very proud that the university was taking its initial steps to recognizing and highlighting some of its more diverse facets.

When I was at the Festival of Lights, I visited Korean American Student Association’s booth. At this booth, they played trivia games with students and gave them prizes if they answered a certain number of questions correctly. I answered three answers correctly and was given my favorite instant ramen brand as a prize. Besides the prize, I was very proud that the Korean American Student Association was partaking in this event because I was once the Vice President of the club. When I was Vice President, the club did not have the resources to spread Asian culture to the extent that the student organizations did this week. This even made me think about how far we’ve come as a student body and how there’s still more work to be done.

This event was also an opportunity for me to meet like-minded Koreans that could speak hangul proficiently. Although I tried my best to speak hangul, I still felt awkward because I haven’t held a conversation in the language for over a week. This reminded me to constantly practice conversation. I will continue to practice with my peers during lunch and with my family through the phone or instant messaging. I hope to produce authentic artifacts that shows a substantial amount of conversation.

For these past two weeks, I focused on learning Korea’s history through series of documentaries, dramas, and non-fictional movies. The film Taxi Driver taught me about the Gwangju Uprising that took place in response to a military coup d’etat led by general Chun Doo-hwan. The movie depicted the massacre of Korean citizens, unethical oppression of the press, and the protests held by locals of Gwangju. After watching this movie, I was extremely proud to have been born in a country that stood against and overcame dictatorship.

The usage of Hangul in the movie was relatively simple. Since this story is told from the perspective of students, small business owners, and low-wage taxi drivers, the language is simple and more conversational. One minor issue while watching was the usage of slang back in 1980. However, I was able to decipher the meaning of the slang through context clues. Since this is a relatively recent historical event, Hangul’s structure, grammar, and vocabulary are not very different from the Hangul that many Koreans use today.

I am currently watching My Country: The New Age, a Netflix original that depicts life in an pre-unified Korea. The main character, Hwi, is a low-class fighter who is involved in a political battle between the King and one of the princes. His main foe, a nobleman who sent Hwi to a long and pointless war, manipulates political officials behind the scenes to obtain political power. The characters in this drama speak a mix of ancient and modern Hangul. The vocabulary in this drama is more difficult to understand that that in A Taxi Driver because it uses words to describe specific government bureaus, departments, and policies. However, I am accustomed to this particular Hangul style because I’ve been watching this drama consistently. I don’t have to write anything down or memorize sentences. I just constantly hear characters using certain words in a sentence. I think I’ve come to a point where I can utilize these words in writing and conversation.

I think watching television is a different method of learning in that it’s quicker and more efficient. However, I would not be able to watch this much and learn as quickly if I didn’t have the fundamental language skills that I’ve perfected in the last two years. I enjoy being flexible in the way that I learn because I can prevent burnouts from studying. After two years of studying Korean intensively, I’m starting to understand the importance of learning from my experiences and environment. While memorizing words and grammar rules from a textbook is effective, it is not as quick and impactful as growing from previous failures of applying language in real life.

These are some of the Korean vocabulary words that I’ve learned and practiced for the past couple of weeks.

• 공휴일 (Gong-hyu-il) noun: government holiday
• 훈민정음 (hoon-min-jung-eum) noun: a term used to describe the first form of hangul.
• 개칭되었다 (gae-ching-dwae-ut-da) verb: changed
• 구강구조 (gu-ghang-gu-jo) noun: shape of the mouth when speaking
• 애민정신 (eh-min-jung-shin) noun: love for a country’s citizens
• 문맹률 (moon-meng-ryu-eul) noun: illiteracy rate
• 개천절 (geh-chun-jull) noun: a holiday that celebrates the founding and birth of Korea
• 제헌절 (je-hun-jull) noun: a holiday that celebrates the creation of the Korean constitution
• 광복절 (gwang-bok-jull) noun: a holiday that celebrates Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonialism
• 한글날 (han-gul-nal) noun: a holiday that celebrates the creation of hangul.

These were some of the more interesting vocabulary words that I learned because they are directly linked to specific historical events. For example, the word 개천절 is directly linked to a Korean fable. In this fable, a tiger and bear searched for the deity of Korea because they wanted to be human beings. Once they completed a task given by the deity, they transformed into human beings and founded Korea.

The word광복절 is comprised of three parts. 광 (gwang), 복 (bok),  and 절 (jull) mean “light”, “return”, and “festival day” respectively. Literally, this means that Korea has restored its light from Japan. Korea was colonized from 1910 to 1945 after Korea was forced to sign the Japan-Korea Treaty in 1910. This treaty soon transformed into terms for colonization after Japan prevented Korea from developing its political, military, and cultural status. For many years, Koreans resisted the rule of the Japanese by forming demonstrations and creating resistance forces. After the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan signed the Potsdam Declaration, surrendering control over Korea.

한글날 (hangul-nal) celebrates the birth of hangul. I learned the rich historical facts behind this event. I learned that before Korea started calling this holiday 한글날, it used to celebrate the day as 훈민정음 (hoon-min-jung-eum). The language was created by King Sejong out of his love for his people. In Korean, a leader’s devotion to his country and people is called 애민정신 (eh-min-jung-shin). During King Sejong’s reign, his country’s 문맹률 (literacy rate) was close to 0%. In order to increase this rate exponentially, King Sejong designed the language so that it would closely follow the sounds and the shapes we make with our throats and mouth. In essence, hangul is a commoner’s language and can be learned by anyone in a short amount of time.