Blogs

During the first two weeks of our Korean class, we first planned out what everyone's interests were and prioritized what we wanted to learn in the semester. Then, we learned about Korean metaphors and idioms with vocabulary that is not used commonly in everyday language. For example, one of my favorite metaphors that I learned was "입이 가볍다", which literally translates to "the mouth is light". However, it has a deeper meaning, which is that someone is bad at keeping a secret, or is a blabber-mouth. For the vocabulary not commonly used, I was surprised because many of the vocabulary we learned is commonly used in the Korean news. 

Hanbok is one of Korea’s oldest and most visible traditions. It is the traditional clothing worn on a daily basis, as well s for special events. Hanbok is made up of a top, called jeogori, and a skirt, chima, for women or pants, paji, for men. There are many accessories to be worn with hanbok, for example jewelry and hair pins. Lower classes traditionally wore white or tan colors, while the upper class wore bright colors. Hanbok can be made from many different materials, which are determined by the temperature and the wealth of the person owning it. Traditionally, the sewing and embroidering of the hanbok carried a lot of meaning for the wife and the family.

https://coreesud.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/korean-traditional-clothing/

The past two weeks, we have studied a popular song in Korea and its influence in Korea. There is a really popular spring song in Korea called "Cherry Blossom Ending" by Busker Busker. This song is by far the most played song in Korea during the spring season. We looked at vocabulary and the meaning of the whole song. The thing about music is that the lyrics imply more than its literal meaning. By dissecting this one music, I have learned ways to approach the study of other songs. Korea is very big with its music and learning the music culture is very interesting. We have studied the vocabulary within the song in similar ways as any other vocabulary study, but the fact that it is a song makes it a lot more fun. Singing the lyrics while knowing its full meaning enhances dramatic presentation and that can be applied to many other things. Of course speaking and writing correctly is important, but I believe that having the intention and the expression like a native speaker is another level of proficiency. Singing and hearing songs can really improve pronunciation and speaking skills and I think music is an amazing language learning tool to expand your knowledge in different dialects. 

We looked at recent Korean news to become more familiar with the Korean culture today. The language in news is a lot more formal than what you would encounter in a normal social conversation. I have noticed in news articles that many words that are used in a social conversation are replaced with more complicated vocabularies with the same meaning. I think this is partly due to its large stress in formality. Also, by examining news articles, I was exposed to a lot more business languages which is something that I wanted to get familiar with. Not only does this improve my vocabulary, but my comfort level and ability to have an intellectual conversation with another person is greatly enhanced. To be able to read new articles allows me to stay on top of current events in Korea with a deeper understanding of the event, expanding my conversation choices with anyone that I speak to. Vocabulary cards and regular reading of the news will help me familiarize specific business languages in the future. In addition, I think reading news from different industries will allow me to have more options with different business terms. 

We looked at Korean idioms the past two weeks. It's always so fascinating to see how these complicated phrases were made with specific Chinese characters. After looking and studying so many idioms, I'm starting to recognize specific Chinese characters and its meaning. The thing about Korean phrases is that you can dissect the phrase by letters and you simply have to know the meaning of each Chinese characters to know the full meaning of the phrase it self. With my growing knowledge in Chinese characters, I can now look at a new phrase and come up with an educated guess of what it means. I keep a note to my self when I see a new letter and try to apply it when I see new phrases and I have about 50% chance to guess what it means which is a big improvement from knowing nothing about the use of Chinese characters in the Korean language. These phrases are hard to use in a real conversation and are only applicable in certain situations which is why it is so important to study many examples for each new phrase. There are many popular ones that are used often in Korean variety shows, and to know what they mean brings my journey in Korean learning to a new phase.  

These past two weeks, we have focussed on one of the popular Korean legend and the creation of the national holiday (삼일절). We read articles and comics to learn about the details of the folk tale and the national holiday. We also examined some documentaries to see some artifacts of the history behind the creation of the national holiday. This holiday means so much to Koreans as it is the first national march against the Japanese when Korea was under the control of Japan. Many people have sacrificed to bring freedom to Korea and they are still honored today in Korea. This holiday represents freedom and unity in Korea. We did a lot of reading and vocabulary exercises, but the most important aspect from the past two weeks is the cultural knowledge within this national holiday. I would have never thought of learning Korean history, but it is in fact very interesting and to see that it has such a big influence in Korea today brings me back to my roots. I'm starting to appreciate history and to see the reason behind how Korea came to have its culture today is beyond just a language lesson for me. 

For the past two weeks, we have learned some new grammar rules and watched an episode of a Korean drama together, discussing some difficult vocabulary from the drama. Although this grammar rule have been something that came natural to me before, I continuously made errors time to time because I didn't know its formal rule. I know these new rules will conflict with the habit that I already have but in order to master it, I have written several examples to remind my self of these rules. It won't come to me with just couple of practice sentences, so I created rule cards for my self to study periodically and remind my self of these rules. The Korean drama is very interesting and its amazing to see how much I can understand out of the normal social conversations in the drama. Watching it with subtitles really help with noticing how the words are written and in what situations it is used. With an actual drama, it sets a great example of the specific situations that these vocabularies can be used.

For our final meeting before the exam, we reviewed everything we learned this semester for the final exam. Jimin provided us a study guide with topics that could be on the exam, and this helped me realize that i learned quite a bit of Korean over the semester, especially Korean history. I feel appreciative and enlightened by what I learned this semester, and I am very thankful towards Jimin for being such a great teacher. 

1. Recording:
   Angella Lee's Artifact #4

1. Translation:
   Hello! This week, we learned about terms in the Bible, so I will talk about some of the words I learned. First, we learned about the names of people in the Bible. For example, we learned about “Jacob” and “Rachel” with their son, “Joseph,” who is one of twelve sons.
   
   We also learned about the books of the Bible in reference to the old and new testament.
   

As South Korean culture became more prevalent and global especially in the Western world, I experienced more and more friends coming up to me asking about Korean pop culture and media. This stimulated me to learn more about the Korean Wave itself, which in Korean is called Hallyu (한류). It signifies the increase in popularity of South Korean culture globally, mediated by the internet and social media, as well as K-pop music videos. Korean entertainment has been able to promote and expand to East, South, and Southeast Asia, as well as America. Korean dramas have have experienced global success, starting with “Winter Sonata,” “Dae Jang Geum,” and “Full House.” Especially in large cities such as Los Angeles and New York City, K-pop music has expanded awareness and popularity of Korean culture. Artists such as Psy, BTS, and BoA have become popular among US citizens. Hallyu 2.0 is deemed as the “New Korean wave” that began in 2007 and was successful largely because of the strength of youtube’s global platform. With the Korean government’s decision to allow more freedom for Koreans to produce with less censorship and more foreign travel, South Korean culture has been able to expand to other countries. As a result of the Korean waves, Korea’s GDP has also increased. It makes me very proud to think of the advancement of Korean culture and how it is common to hear about Americans listening to Korean music or watching Korean dramas, instead of negatively judging our culture because of how different it is. I also believe that this will help with more people across the globe to learn about the Korean language and traditional customs and thus make them more culturally aware and diverse. Personally, I find that listening to Korean music and watching Korean dramas helps with my language learning drastically because it is a casual, enjoyable way to improve my language skills.

Although I have never taken the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT or Suneung/수능), I have heard the horrors of it multiple times from my peers back in Korean. It is a standardized test required for entry into South Korean universities and is offered every November, mostly for senior high school students. The Suneung test is what majorly determines which university a student will enter, and thus high school students in Korea study countless hours to prepare for the big day. Oftentimes, the rest of the city revolves around the test day as to make sure that students make it to the test site in time and are not distracted during the test itself. For example, stock markets open later than usual, more buses and subways are set out, and planes cannot take off or land during testing time to minimize noise. Additionally, police officers escort students to the test site and families support their daughters or sons taking the test by cheering them on outside of the test site. The test material is largely based on nationally standardized textbooks and require intensive thinking skills. There are numerous tutoring academies (most of which are rather expensive) and preparation workbooks available for students. It is common for students to pull all-nighters studying for the test and also for them to study beginning sophomore year, if not earlier. I thought it was interesting because it is similar to the SAT’s in the US but on a more intense level. They both test students’ knowledge and critical thinking skills in order to place a number on their intelligence, and this number greatly affects their entry into specific colleges. However, the Korean Suneung is different from the SAT’s because it is common for students to retake the test a few times if they do not place into the college of their choice. However, students are required to wait a full year until retaking it, and thus their entry into college gets delayed more and more. Overall, I am glad that I did not have to take the Suneung and sympathize for those who do.

Korean-Chinese fusion food is a popular type of cuisine in Korea. It first developed in the city of Incheon due to the large population of ethnic Chinese people. Most Korean Chinese dishes are based on dishes from northern, eastern, and northeastern China or Beijing and Shandong. Personally, I enjoy the Korean-Chinese dish called tangjjamyeon (탕짜면) that basically consists of half black bean noodles and half tangsoyook, which is fried pork in a sweet sauce. I was able to have it at New Grand Mart, which is has an Asian grocery store and Korean food court in one building. I went with Jimin and her other students, and thus it was nice to be able to speak in Korean while eating Korean food. Other types of Korean-Chinese fusion food include jjamppong (짬뽕), gochu japchae (고추잡채), jungguk-naengmyeon (중국냉면), kkanpunggi (깐풍기), ulmyeon (울면), and many more. I did not realize the history behind Korean-Chinese food before I researched about it, for I merely thought of it as satisfying and common delivery food in Korea. Below are pictures of the most popular Korean-Chinese dishes.Screen%20Shot%202019-04-22%20at%203.48.25%20PM.png

Korean convenience stores are very much different from regular American convenience stores. They normally have a greater variety in instant foods, whether they are served cold or hot. The most common stores are GS25, Emart24, Ministop, CU, and 7-11. Some of the most popular foods are Korean instant noodles (라면), kimbap (김밥), triangle kimbap (삼각김밥), sausage on a stick (소세지), corn dogs (미스터고기), baked eggs (훈제란), and more. Some even have their own brand of ramen, and others expand on the normal types of ramen to include those that have innovative sauces. It is always astonishing to me whenever I visit convenience stores in Korea due to the wild variety of foods that Koreans innovate to expand their convenience store culture. It is common for students or workers late at night to visit these stores for a snack with friends or even just alone. I find that Korean convenience store culture is a large part of Korean culture, for young Koreans especially love instant food with different flavors. Below is a picture of some of the popular goods from Korean convenience stores.Screen%20Shot%202019-04-22%20at%203.47.37%20PM.png

One aspect of the Korean language that I always found rather difficult to memorize was that regarding Korean family and kinship terms. There were just too many different terms to remember, and thus I thought it would be useful to give a brief overview on them. First of all, family is called kajok (가족) in Korean. Below is a list of terms

Father: appa (아빠)

Mother: eomma (엄마)

older brother: Hyeong (형) if the speaker is a boy and oppa, (오빠) if the speaker is a girl

older sister: noona (누나) if one is a boy, eonni (언니) if one is a girl

younger brother: namdongsaeng (남동생)

younger sister: yeodongsaeng (여동생)

brothers: hyungje (형제) collectively

sisters: jamae (자매) collectively

            On the father’s side of the family, which is called chinga (친가), there are different terms for relatives compared to that for the mother’s side.

Father’s side

Grandfather: harabeoji (할아버지)

Grandmother: halmeoni (할머니)

father’s older brother: keun appa (큰아빠)

father’s older brother’s wife: keun eomma (큰엄마)

father’s younger brother: jageun appa (작은아빠)

father’s younger brother’s wife: jageun eomma (작은엄마)

father’s unmarried younger brother: samchon (삼촌)

father’s sister: gomo (고모)

father’s sister’s husband; gomobu (고모부)

Mother’s side

Grandfather: oe harabeoji (외할아버지)

Grandmother: oe halmeoni (외할머니)

Mother’s brother: oe sookbu (외숙부)

Mother’s brother’s wife: oe sookmo (외숙부)

Mother’s sister: eemo (이모)

Mother’s sister’s husband: eemobu (이모부)

            There are also different terms to call one’s husband, such as yeobo (여보), dangshin (당신), sarang (사랑), seobang (서방), nampyeon (남편), and more. Some terms to call one’s wife are yeobo (여보), dangshin (당신), anae (아내), and more. The husband normally calls the wife’s father jangin (장인) and the wife’s mother jangmo (장모). The wife calls the husband’s father siabeoji (시아버지) and the husband’s mother sieomoni (시어머니).

            These are merely the basics of the language of Korean family and kinship, for there are so many more as one goes into the family tree. Whenever I am confused on terminology of relatives, I find myself asking my parents and often even they are confused because some are not used often. However, it is good to keep reference of what terms correspond to what family relationship. I find that these vocabulary words are more difficult than others just because of the specific relationships that they mean. Below is a kinship chart that easily breaks down some of the simpler terms.Screen%20Shot%202019-04-22%20at%203.44.10%20PM.png

In Korea, there are several holidays that are similar to those of the US but also some that are very foreign to American culture. The two most important traditional Korean holidays are the Lunar New Year’s Day (설날) and Korean Thanksgiving Day (추석), both of which bring people to visit their hometown. The Independence Movement Day (3.1. 절) is another that commemorates South Korea’s freedom from the Japanese regime on March 1, 1919. Another is Children’s Day (어린이날), which is basically a day to for parents to treat their children out and hope for a bright future for them. Hangeul Day (한글의 날) is a holiday that commemorates the creation of the Korean language, Hangeul, by the publication of the Korean textbook called Hunminjeongeum (훈민정음) that contains the logistics and foundation of the language. Korean holidays are integral to Korean language and culture because there are many different customs or foods that correspond to each culture, such as rice cake soup (떡국) for Korean New Year’s Day and memorial rituals called 차례 on Thanksgiving Day to respect and serve one’s ancestors. I become nostalgic thinking about Korean holidays because I remember having so much fun gathering with my relatives at my grandparents’ house and enjoying traditional food, playing some traditional games, and bonding with family. Below is an example of a table prepared for the ancestors, along with a picture of children dressed in hanbok (한복) for the Korean Lunar New Year’s Day.

As a child, I always envied students who were skilled in Korean martial arts (무술). Korean martical arts are military practices that have been altered to become a common hobby that helps with personal growth, especially for younger children. Although it was once used to defend Korean people and their territory such as in 28^th century BC, there are now countless academies that anyone can learn martial arts from. The major types of Korean martial arts include Taekwondo (택권도), Taekgyeon (택견), Subak (수박), Tang Soo Do (탕수도), and Hapkido (합기도).

The most popular of all is easily Taekwondo, and there are a growing number of places in the US to learn the martial art as well. It involves hand techniques, kicking techniques, blocks, throws, takedowns, grappling, and dojangs that can be used for self-defense and recreational use. Taekgyeon mostly involves kicking and emphasizes the use of one’s hands and feet at the same time. It is also the first martial art recognized by UNESCO. Some of the terms for Taekwondo kicks include axe kick (내려 차기), back kick (뒷 차기), crescent kick (반달 차기), front kick (앞 차기), and more. Subak originates from China, and in Korea, there are two different styles for the martial art. As for Tang Soo Do, it differs from other arts because it is purely based on self-defense. The martial art mostly involves striking techniques that optimize self-defense. Hapkido is similar to judo and is a throwing art that is meant to thrust people onto their backs. Finally, Gungdo involves the use of a composite bow and was a technique used in the Joseon military for military defense. The composite bow is different from a long-range weapon because it is known as a “half bow.” Overall, it was interesting to research about different types of Korean martial arts because I had only heard of Taekwondo and Hapkido.

Below is a link to a Korean Taekwondo team performance video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SQ-ypv6Rgk

Korean mukbang culture has been rising in popularity since when it first peaked in 2010. Mukbang (먹방) basically means “eating broadcast,” and it is a live online broadcast in which a host eats large quantities of trending food while talking to his or her audience. It began on AfreecaTV in 2009 and has also been introduced into the Western World, especially the US. Mukbang is rather interesting because it has transformed Korea’s food culture that was originally based on traditional health standards and strict etiquette into one that is more liberal and catered to the younger populations. It is especially popular among single South Koreans because it fulfills the social aspect of eating, as they feel as if they are interacting and eating with another person online. Many online media platforms such as Twitch, Youtube, and Kakao TV broadcast mukbang’s and can help streamers become famous depending on the quantity of their views. Due to the adoption of this trend in America, I feel as if this is an integration of both cultures. Koreans normally film mukbang’s with Korean food but also American food, and on the other hand, Americans normally film with American food but also occasionally Korean food. The appeal of vicarious eating is what normally captivates the audience. Personally, I enjoy watching mukbang’s by a youtuber named Stephanie Soo because she also talks about famous case studies while eating and makes it more entertaining. Therefore, I wanted to learn more about Korean mukbang culture itself and how it has become so popular. Below is a picture of some popular mukbang hosts, as well as a link to a mukbang video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dRAyNkAbZgScreen%20Shot%202019-04-22%20at%203.45.21%20PM.png

I try to chat with my Korean friend, Jim Kim, in Korean. It spent me sometime to type korean but it is easier for me because it has auto correction. And speaking Korean and typing Korean in my daily life help me practice Korean and get familiar with Korean. 

   I really like Korean food so I go to Korean restaurant every week with my friends. There several famous Korean restaurants in Richmond. Two of my favorite restaurants are Korean Garden and New Grand Mart. Last weekend, I went to Korean Garden with my korean friends and ordered a lot of food there. We ordered 불고기 which means "fire meat" made of thin, marinated slices of beef or pork rilled on a barbecue or on a stove-top griddle. We also ordered 비빔밥. 비빔밥 is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with sautéed and seasoned vegetables and chili pepper paste, soy sauce, or a fermented soybean paste. A raw or fried egg and sliced meat(usually beef) are common additions. The hot dish is stirred together thoroughly just before eating. It is my favorite korean dishes and I order it every time. Actually, when I go back to China, I miss Korean Garden and New Grand Mart a lot because there is no such good korean restaurant in my hometown.

People are all talking about BlackPink's performance in Coachella these days. So I just searched their performance online. In Coachella, they performed a lot of their songs including Whistle(휘파람),Ddu-du Ddu-Du(뚜두뚜두) and Forever Young. And I really enjoyed their performance since they were so good and pretty. But the song made most impression was their new song which just released. It is called Kill This Love which is mainly about the girl cannot feel her boyfriend's love anymore and decided to break up with him. The lyrics are really good especially the beginning part:

 천사 같은 "hi" 끝엔 악마 같은 "bye"
매번 미칠듯한 high 뒤엔 뱉어야 하는 price
이건 답이 없는 test
매번 속더라도 yes
딱한 감정의 노예
얼어 죽을 사랑해 yeah

which means:

After a sweet "hi", there's always a bitter "bye"
After every crazy high, there’s a price you have to pay
There’s no answer to this test I’ll always fall for it yes
I’m a slave to my emotions
Screw this heartless love

And I am surprised that I can actually understand most part of this song. So, I think BlackPink's song might be a good way for beginning learner to study.