Reflection Paper #2
Throughout this semester, I’ve gained a much clearer sense of both my strengths and challenges as a Korean language learner. One insight I discovered is that I’m much more comfortable speaking and reading than writing. I tend to understand conversations quickly and can express myself in everyday situations, but when it comes to grammar and honorifics, I often hesitate.
At the same time, I’ve found that I enjoy cultural learning the most, especially when it involves food, music, or television. Listening to Korean music and dissecting the lyrics on my own challenged me in a fun and repeatable way. Watching Hospital Playlist and exploring how Korean dramas portray medical and political scenarios like how doctors talk to patients, and the complex vocabulary that is used.
One thing I’ve really appreciated is how learning Korean has helped me better understand the logic and rhythm of my own language, English. It’s made me slow down and think about the structure of how we speak. I plan to continue learning by watching Korean media without subtitles, journaling in Korean weekly, and maybe joining a conversation group online or on campus. I’d also like to practice writing more intentionally especially when it comes to the new vocabulary I learned through my assignments.
The most useful learning activities were the ones that integrated language and culture. For example, when we watched a news clip of a medical and political issue happening in Korea, I not only learned new vocabulary but also gained insight into how Korean conveys certain terms and issues compared to English. I also found the cultural artifact assignments especially helpful! They pushed me to engage deeply with Korean society, from issues of education to gender roles in society and how language interacts with them both.
I’d like to learn more about idiomatic expressions and natural speech patterns used in real conversation. While I’ve studied textbook Korean, I know that native speakers often say things differently, and I want to bridge that gap. I’m also interested in exploring dialects in Korean, like the Busan accent or even the Jeju dialect and how language shifts across generations and regions.
Overall, this semester showed me that language learning is more than memorizing grammar—it’s about connection, culture, and understanding people. I’m excited to keep going.
Throughout this semester, I’ve gained a much clearer sense of both my strengths and challenges as a Korean language learner. One insight I discovered is that I’m much more comfortable speaking and reading than writing. I tend to understand conversations quickly and can express myself in everyday situations, but when it comes to grammar and honorifics, I often hesitate.
At the same time, I’ve found that I enjoy cultural learning the most, especially when it involves food, music, or television. Listening to Korean music and dissecting the lyrics on my own challenged me in a fun and repeatable way. Watching Hospital Playlist and exploring how Korean dramas portray medical and political scenarios like how doctors talk to patients, and the complex vocabulary that is used.
One thing I’ve really appreciated is how learning Korean has helped me better understand the logic and rhythm of my own language, English. It’s made me slow down and think about the structure of how we speak. I plan to continue learning by watching Korean media without subtitles, journaling in Korean weekly, and maybe joining a conversation group online or on campus. I’d also like to practice writing more intentionally especially when it comes to the new vocabulary I learned through my assignments.
The most useful learning activities were the ones that integrated language and culture. For example, when we watched a news clip of a medical and political issue happening in Korea, I not only learned new vocabulary but also gained insight into how Korean conveys certain terms and issues compared to English. I also found the cultural artifact assignments especially helpful! They pushed me to engage deeply with Korean society, from issues of education to gender roles in society and how language interacts with them both.
I’d like to learn more about idiomatic expressions and natural speech patterns used in real conversation. While I’ve studied textbook Korean, I know that native speakers often say things differently, and I want to bridge that gap. I’m also interested in exploring dialects in Korean, like the Busan accent or even the Jeju dialect and how language shifts across generations and regions.
Overall, this semester showed me that language learning is more than memorizing grammar—it’s about connection, culture, and understanding people. I’m excited to keep going.
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