APRIL 27 110 Monthly Language Learning Journal Entry: Learning Korean Through Cooking Videos and Food Vocabulary
This month, I tried something different to make learning Korean more fun and meaningful: I used Korean cooking videos to learn new vocabulary and practice listening comprehension. I’ve always been interested in Korean food, and since food is such a central part of any culture, it felt like a natural way to explore the language in context. Watching native speakers cook and explain ingredients, measurements, and techniques gave me a new kind of immersion experience that felt both practical and cultural. The main task I set for myself was to build vocabulary related to food, cooking verbs, and kitchen tools. I chose a few beginner-friendly YouTube channels, including 한식요리 Korean Cuisine and Maangchi, who is especially well known for explaining Korean recipes in both Korean and English. I focused on a few specific dishes like 떡볶이 (tteokbokki) and 김치찌개 (kimchi stew) because they showed up often in the media I’ve been watching and felt culturally significant. As I watched, I paused frequently to write down new words and phrases, especially when the host would explain what they were doing step by step. My goal was not just to memorize vocabulary but to understand how the language works in real-life scenarios. I hoped to improve my listening comprehension, especially for imperative verb forms, which are commonly used in instructions (e.g., “boil,” “mix,” “cut,” etc.). I also wanted to recognize common food nouns and learn how they’re used naturally in conversation. While I didn’t have an actual community partner for this activity, I did share some of the vocabulary I learned with my language assistant, and he helped me practice pronunciation and use the words in my own sentences. I used a mix of strategies, including:
Listening and repeating phrases aloud for speaking practice.
Writing out new vocabulary with Hangul and English meanings.
Watching videos with Korean subtitles, then rewatching without them to test comprehension.
Creating short skits with the phrases I learned, such as pretending to cook while narrating the steps in Korean.
This method was surprisingly effective. Because the language was tied to a physical action and visual context, I remembered it more easily. Verbs like 끓이다 (to boil), 썰다 (to chop), and 섞다 (to mix) stuck with me much faster than vocabulary from apps or textbooks. It also helped that the videos were filled with emotion and real-life rhythm, giving me exposure to natural speech and the tone that accompanies casual instruction.
One challenge I faced was the speed of the dialogue, especially when slang or regional dialects appeared. I sometimes felt overwhelmed when there were no subtitles, but pausing and replaying helped me catch more with each listen. I also struggled a bit with verb conjugations—imperative forms like “끓이세요” versus “끓여요” took a while to grasp. My language assistant explained the differences, which helped me understand the balance between politeness and command in Korean.
Emotionally, I felt more engaged and relaxed learning this way. I wasn’t worried about grammar drills or performance—instead, I could enjoy the process while still building useful skills. It also gave me a deeper appreciation for how language is woven into daily life and routines, like cooking. Seeing the pride and care Korean speakers put into food preparation made me reflect on how language is used not just to communicate, but to share tradition and identity.
This month, I tried something different to make learning Korean more fun and meaningful: I used Korean cooking videos to learn new vocabulary and practice listening comprehension. I’ve always been interested in Korean food, and since food is such a central part of any culture, it felt like a natural way to explore the language in context. Watching native speakers cook and explain ingredients, measurements, and techniques gave me a new kind of immersion experience that felt both practical and cultural. The main task I set for myself was to build vocabulary related to food, cooking verbs, and kitchen tools. I chose a few beginner-friendly YouTube channels, including 한식요리 Korean Cuisine and Maangchi, who is especially well known for explaining Korean recipes in both Korean and English. I focused on a few specific dishes like 떡볶이 (tteokbokki) and 김치찌개 (kimchi stew) because they showed up often in the media I’ve been watching and felt culturally significant. As I watched, I paused frequently to write down new words and phrases, especially when the host would explain what they were doing step by step. My goal was not just to memorize vocabulary but to understand how the language works in real-life scenarios. I hoped to improve my listening comprehension, especially for imperative verb forms, which are commonly used in instructions (e.g., “boil,” “mix,” “cut,” etc.). I also wanted to recognize common food nouns and learn how they’re used naturally in conversation. While I didn’t have an actual community partner for this activity, I did share some of the vocabulary I learned with my language assistant, and he helped me practice pronunciation and use the words in my own sentences. I used a mix of strategies, including:
Listening and repeating phrases aloud for speaking practice.
Writing out new vocabulary with Hangul and English meanings.
Watching videos with Korean subtitles, then rewatching without them to test comprehension.
Creating short skits with the phrases I learned, such as pretending to cook while narrating the steps in Korean.
This method was surprisingly effective. Because the language was tied to a physical action and visual context, I remembered it more easily. Verbs like 끓이다 (to boil), 썰다 (to chop), and 섞다 (to mix) stuck with me much faster than vocabulary from apps or textbooks. It also helped that the videos were filled with emotion and real-life rhythm, giving me exposure to natural speech and the tone that accompanies casual instruction.
One challenge I faced was the speed of the dialogue, especially when slang or regional dialects appeared. I sometimes felt overwhelmed when there were no subtitles, but pausing and replaying helped me catch more with each listen. I also struggled a bit with verb conjugations—imperative forms like “끓이세요” versus “끓여요” took a while to grasp. My language assistant explained the differences, which helped me understand the balance between politeness and command in Korean.
Emotionally, I felt more engaged and relaxed learning this way. I wasn’t worried about grammar drills or performance—instead, I could enjoy the process while still building useful skills. It also gave me a deeper appreciation for how language is woven into daily life and routines, like cooking. Seeing the pride and care Korean speakers put into food preparation made me reflect on how language is used not just to communicate, but to share tradition and identity.
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