KoreanClass101.com Blog

Drinking Water.

No, not quality. quantity. There is a serious void in the stomachs of Koreans. That void is water.

I drink a boatload of water. Realistically I drink probably three liters of water a day on average. Oh and 3.8 liters to a gallon there people. Most doctors recommend that at least 2 liters be consumed daily to simply replace the lost fluids by normal functions such as excretion, respiration, and perspiration. But if you consume about 2 liters of water in a day, then you’re probably doing fine by most - and probably more than most.

Most being Koreans. Koreans straight up do not drink water at meals. It’s amazing. I go to fill people’s water cups and they haven’t even touched it. Mind you that we’re eating Korean food which is not exactly I.B.S. friendly - many traditional dishes are downright fiery while the rest of simply hot and a few are mild. No matter - my Korean buddies don’t crave fluids the same way that I do. Is it because I’m from Texas and it gets nasty hot here? Maybe, but so does Korea. Is it because I’m listening to doctor’s orders? Partially - but then again, I naturally want to drink lots of fluids at my meal. Is it because they are drinking different fluids instead if water? Well, sort of. 보리차  is a staple at Korean tables but they aren’t exactly downing it. Soda is served in skinny little cans and is quite rare at most restaurants as a main source of fluids.

So why aren’t Koreans shriveling up and dying from dehydration? Who knows? Maybe it’s the huge amounts of fruit consumed - we’re talking daily 수박 intake. 90% of the fruit’s content is water while the rest is downright a crime not to eat - Have you not tried Korean watermelon yet? Missing out.

Maybe it’s the fluid found in the soups, stews, and broths. Come to think of it, I do eat every last possible ounce of fluid in any 찌게 I eat and certainly in every bowl of 떡라맨 - don’t you know it’s sacrilegious to not eat the broth?

Perhaps Koreans know what’s the deal after all. Maybe they just got lucky…

Regardless, the serving cups for water are typically just that - a fluid cup. One cup. Like a measuring cup. What am I supposed to do with that? I feel like a fatty when I have to get two cups just to make it where I can sit down for the majority of the meal instead of always getting up for me. My secret? Sitting in the table right next to the water cooler. Arms distance away is an oasis untapped by the locals. Water~ I am here - wait for me!

Come to think of it, my Korean friends are always asking me if the food is too hot - assuming that since I am a foreigner, I’m eating Korean food, I’m drinking lots of water, I’m sweating like a duck (inside joke - sorry) that I must be tolerating the food to save face. Not true! This food is frakin great and I’m enjoying a nice refreshing shot-glass size cup of water in an attempt to cleanse my palate. I appreciate the concern, but I’m plenty rude enough to not eat the food served to me - okay so I’m not that rude - but I am eating Korean food out of choice - not out of obligation. Maybe you’re the one who needs to cool down? Here, have some water.

Thoughts?

Vegetarianism.

If you are 1 in 5 billion people that are vegan (these are verifiable facts here, people), you must be:

1) Angry at something, or
2) Conscientious of something that doesn’t quite sit with you.

Either way, you have chosen a meat-free life that has almost exclusively alienated all of your closest friends and family. Great job! You will continue to live this lifestyle until you are a tired, old, cynical shell of a human being that is known more for vulgarity than eco-friendliness. Wow! I can’t wait to subject my own children one day to this Hollywood-esque lifestyle!

Hey, I’m okay with it. But many vegetarians react to their diet defensively almost like being accused of racism. “But I have lots of meat-eating friends!” Sure, that’ll convince them that you don’t secretly hate them.

So, somewhere along 37°35′N and 127°’E, there lies a country where vegetarianism isn’t as strange as you might expect. Korean people are indeed eating more meat now, but there is a long-standing history of vegetarian cuisine. Granted, their reasons for a meat-free diet aren’t the same as most western vegetarians, but regardless, let’s go over some key phrases and more importantly, how exactly vegetarianism works for Koreans.

I’m here to tell you that it blows my mind how Koreans look at the abstinence of meat or other animal products. In America, I simply have to tell someone “Oh, I’m a vegan” or “Oh, I don’t eat meat. No thank you”. Some people ask what exactly is a vegan, but most just take a moment to wrap their head around that idea. “…there goes the Whopper, the Big Mac…” but generally, most Americans understand the idea in general. Every so often, someone remarks “Well you can still eat quesadillas or fried eggs at least” In which case you can simply point out that for many vegetarians and all vegans, those foods are like Paris Hilton - you just don’t want to touch that. Some people get defensive (because come on, who wants to feel like a murderer of sweet little chickens?), others attempt to find common ground (”That’s cool - last year for lent I gave up hamburgers” ) while others are simply baffled (”Well, then what CAN you eat?”). But really, when you look at the psychology behind the responses, all of them indeed recognize the philosophical aspect - it becomes like a koan - an unanswerable question or riddle.

But with Koreans, it really doesn’t matter. You can tell the cook “채식주의자임니다” all day long and it really doesn’t mean anything. He will still give me 오징어 or some other 반찬 that clearly contains meat. I find it more useful to order food using a three-step process.

1. say which food you want
2. say what you don’t want in it
3. then tell them you are a vegetarian.

This formula usually gives the person taking the order a logical process to absorb the reason. “He wants this, without this, because this”. I also like to add this little ditty in. “고기를 못먹어요” This means “I can’t eat meat” as opposed to the more commonly heard “고기를 안먹어요” “I don’t eat meat”. The latter phrase implies that you may or may not eat meat, but as for right now, you don’t want to eat meat.

Speaking of meat, the idea of vegetarianism encompasses a plethora of meat. This is generally understood to include bacon, pork, chicken, beef, fish, etc. In Korea, it’s not this way. You pretty much have to specifically say what you don’t want/can’t eat. All too many times I have told the 아저씨 that I am a vegetarian, I can’t eat meat, I can’t eat fish - and I STILL get a steaming hot bowl of 순두부찌개 with happy little 해산물 floating in it. From an American mindset it makes me think “What exactly did you think I was talking about it when I said no fish?” His response: “Shrimp isn’t fish. Clam isn’t fish”. He’s a sweet guy though so I don’t let it bother me. More than anything, I just feel embarrassed that he has to make another one. After all, I’m not there to get anyone mad or upset or preach my values - I just wanted some food.

Also, I would strongly recommend giving the 아주머니 or 아저씨 a little credit. Admit it, you have an accent. It might take them a while to understand you as it is. Also, you’re messing with their menu. Exceptions to dishes are not as common in Korea as it is in America. In America, we can order a cheeseburger with no lettuce, extra pickles, no sesame seed bun, and extra cooked and it not be a big deal. In Korea, it is slightly unusual to make changes to a menu item. They are likely used to people just saying “김밥 주세요” and that’s all. So try to order things that are already pretty close to being animal-free but need only a little tweaking.

Here’s a little formula to remember. (모모) 안먹어요. Replace (모모) with anything you don’t want in your stomach.

• 고기 - beef
• 해산물 - seafood
• 물고기 - fish (also 생선)
• 새우 - shrimp
• 계란 - egg
• 햄 - ham
• 조개 - clam (also 대함)
• 낙지 - octopus
• 오징어 - squid

Keep in mind that many dishes are naturally vegan while others can be modified. Most 순두부찌개 comes with 해산물 (seafood) but as long as you point out to the server that you can’t eat 해산물, you can enjoy the spicy goodness that is 순두부찌개. Also, if you are unsure if a menu item has meat in it, you can ask “고기 있어요?” There is another phrase I use and has been met with huge success. “고기빼고 해 주세요” means “Leave out the meat”. Insert anything you don’t want in your food instead of meat and you have a perfectly good formulaic phrase! But keep in mind, it kind of depends on the food. This is appropriate if the restaurant makes its 짜장면 sauce separate from the beef topping. However, many places cook the beef in the black bean sauce in which case you should order something else.

The word 야채 (vegetables) is sometimes placed in front of something to indicate that it is devoid of animal products. I would like to remind you that not everyone considers 계란 (egg) an animal product. In which case, the 야채비빔밥 while likely still have a bright and smiling egg right on top to greet you. However, I am usually pleasantly surprised that 버섯 순두부 찌개 (mushroom tofu jjigae) oftentimes comes completely meat-free without any special requests. Score!

I leave you with a few suggestions. I hesitate to list some non-standard dishes because I don’t want to get anyone’s hope up. The following dishes are pretty common and well known.

• 돌솥 야채 비빔밥 (or just simply 돌솥비빔밥 minus egg and beef)
• 비빔 국수 (minus egg on top)
• 비빔 냉면 (minus egg on top)
• 떡뽂이 (careful here - usually there’s 오댕 mixed in - it’s your call)
• 버섯 순두부 찌개 (or just 순두부찌개 minus seafood)
• 김밥 (carefully poke out ham, crab, egg - these are usually premade so no special ordering here)
• 김차 김밥 (minus the egg and you’re all set)
• 매운고추김밥 (if you can stand the heat - one of my favorites!)
• 쫄면 (minus egg on top - careful - quite spicey - but oh so delicious)
• 빔치파전 (batter contains egg - not vegan friendly)
• 된장 찌개 (minus seafood)
• 김치 찌개 (varies - may contain pork, tuna, or other meats - just ask)
• 야채 민두 (my veggie mandu will rock your socks)
• 의김치 (my personal favorite)

So maybe you don’t eat because of animal rights. Maybe you are trying to reduce your eco-footprint. Maybe you are trying to get closer to the source of energy in your foods - take on a more natural approach. Maybe you just want a lighter meal. Either way, it is 100% possible to live a vegan lifestyle in Korea. However, one must realize, though that you will be eating out less than your meat-eating friends. It’s just like in America. I don’t really eat out much; I go out to eat maybe twice a week. I most generally cook and eat at home. Although I must admit, I find it so much easier to eat vegan Korean food than I do vegan American food. Plus veggie Korean food is guaranteed hippie-free!  Bonus!

My advice? Grow tough skin, be confident, and dust your shoulders off if you get some uneatable food served to you. Always remain polite about your choice of foods and people will learn to respect your decisions instead of dread your patronage.

Thoughts?

Size.

I’m from Texas. It’s true - everything in Texas is bigger. I wonder if the reverse is true for Korea?

South Korea encompasses a skant 38,492 square miles - which makes it slightly bigger than the state of Indiana but slightly smaller than Kentucky. Woah~ that is small. What about population? Kentucky has roughly 4,500,000 residents while Korea has just under 50,000,000. That makes Texas roughly half the population of South Korea. So, Kentucky has 40,411 square miles of land with about 111 people per square mile. Texas fares a bit better with 268,601 square miles - that’s roughly 93 people per square mile. Korea? 1300 people per square mile. Shall we have a chart? Oh man I love charts:

• Korea - 38,492 square miles - 50 million people - 1300 people per square mile
• Kentucky - 40,411 square miles - 4.5 million people - 111 people per square mile
• Texas - 268,601 square miles - 24 million people - 93 people per square mile

That means that even if we kicked everyone out and put Korea’s population within the borders of the Lone Star state, there would still be 186 people per square mile. Nuts to that!

Notice that even though China is slightly larger in land mass and more than four times the population, they have a much smaller ecological footprint. I wonder where Korea ranks? I couldn’t find any pertinent data. I’d imagine it’s comparable to either Japan or China ( Sacrilegious! )

The most obvious reason for this discrepancy is how much America is consumer-driven. We buy a lot of stuff. Also, we like our space. We like a little bit more space than our East Asian friends. We also don’t build up as much - more of a side to side motion. I’m sure eventually we’ll start building up.

I’m certainly not an expert (they don’t teach much about nothing here in college) and I’m also not trying to get into a eco-battle over who is better, but I wanted to write about the sheer size difference between these countries. It’s also kind of mind boggling just how many of us are learning Korean - a language that is from a country that is easy to miss on a world map (“Isn’t that little Florida looking thing part of China?” ) .

Thoughts?

More from Stephanie: 

So on an early release day at the elementary school where I helped teach, my aunt picked me up and I went with her to help her with her job, which was a private English tutor for kids. Her job seemed to consist mostly of driving to each kid’s apartment, checking their homework, asking a few questions and assigning more homework for next time. (maybe it was homework-check-day or something) but after we visited a few kids and got in the elevator to ascend yet again, we were joined by some very young “초딩”s. Before we came to that apartment we had each bought an “ice cream” (more of popsicle type things really) and were trying to eat it before we got to the kids house and when my aunt saw the two second or third grade boys, she immediately offerred her half eaten ice cream to one of them saying “무글래?”(먹을래). I was a little suprised that she would do this, because I highly doubted that she knew this kid, let alone be close enough to offer her ice cream!

Later, as I was leaving a tutoring session, ( that I taught by myself) with “Michael” (6th grade) who came from a different apartment and therefore had to go home also, we were joined by another small kid from that floor whom neither of us knew. Michael was eating a box of 빼빼로 that the 아줌아 whose kid I was teaching supplied for refreshments. When he saw the kid, he offerred some to the little guy who took a couple. I asked Michael if he even knew the kid and he was like , “No. Just.” (그냥 makes more sense in Korean, which by itself means like, ‘just because’ or ‘no reason̵ and when I asked “why would you give a kid you don’t even know something to eat?!” to which he replied “Koreans are just friendly.” I thought this was a very interesting thing. I don’t know about other places, but here, random people are not apt to offer you stuff, unless they’re flyers advertising something but I know I would be a little freaked out if someone I didn’t even know offered me their 과자 they happened to be eating at the moment. Anyone else have a similar experience?

School Uniforms.

These stifling expressions of fashion in the West share a much bigger spot in the limelight in the East. School uniforms are commonplace in Korean music videos, dramas, and movies. They also differ in style from school to school. It would certainly exhausting to catalog all types offered, although I’m pretty sure at least one or two bloggers have tried in the past.

School uniforms become mandatory at the junior high school level. I wonder if this is because the cirriculum gets harder at that time - hence requiring more professional attire. Maybe it’s because they are too expensive. Maybe it’s because elementary age children play outside more and would get them dirty much quicker. I wonder…

It’s important to note that school uniforms are purchased locally at retail stores. Okay okay, so Wal-Mart does the same thing over here, but we’re talking blue polo shirts and khaki shorts mostly, right? I was under the impression that Catholic school-style uniforms are purchased through a supplier linked to that particular school and not readily available at most retailers.

교복 prices vary but they most certainly cost more than their American equivalents. Cheapies will run around 250 000₩ while others go up to 500 000₩. Granted, many junior high school students will end up taking care of their 교복 and were them for three years straight until they reach high school where yet another 500 bucks can be spent on a new set. Joy.

Don’t get me wrong, I think they can be bestow a sense of distinction for students. They are unique to the students of that school and no two uniforms look quite alike from school to school. They help to foster a sense of community. They also help identify themselves in the larger community. It’s easy to spot a student with a uniform. What better way to place someone socially? Almost like a businessperson’s suit.

I did not wear a uniform in school. In fact, I didn’t even know anyone who did wear a uniform. Also, if you were to ask me in high school about uniforms, I’m sure I would have barked back some rhetoric on freedom of expression, celebration of diversity, and Slipknot. In retrospect, uniforms were probably a good idea on the grounds that they are cheap in America and they help put less focus on showing off your clothes and more focus on your studies. But then again, many Americans genuinely feel that uniforms are stifling. I suppose it varies by area. I say this because many American schools both public and private use school uniforms and seem to do just fine by them.

For that matter, I wonder which other countries have uniforms and to what degree? Do east European school students have uniforms? Are the dress codes strictly enforced? I don’t know exactly how a certain community adopts a new dresscode. Is it a smooth transition? Does it go quietly? Is it a heated debate? I pose this question because for most, uniforms are just business-as-usual; the students don’t think about them because they have always been there as long as they can remember. But certainly they were once without a dress code, right?

Thoughts?

Mistranslation.

Okay, so a little linguistics never hurt anyone. A transference error is when something gets lost in the translation (think old Jackie Chan movies). This superbly hilarious phenomenon is not exclusive to Korean-English, English-Korean but it still is pretty funny nonetheless.

One of my favorites is the whole “our mom” situation. 우리 어머니 is a way of saying “that mother in this context”, “our mother” or “the mother that we both know”. But when you look at it, even a newbie can be thrown off by the context. “What? Our mother? Dude, that’s MY mother!” Good stuff. Why do you know my mom, man? How exactly is she your mom, too? Why don’t we have “our” everything?

This is one of those things that just doesn’t translate over well. It’s priceless when a speaker relatively new to the Korean language (like myself) starts to analyze the etymology of words. Sure it doesn’t mean what I think it means (think “brother from another mother” ) but still kind of fun when I think about it. I mean, why not “my mom”?

I also like the /p/ and /f/ relationship. Sejong thought it would be a good idea to put them together like PB&J. “Yeah, so let’s kill two birds with one stone - put them both into /ㅍ/ to entertain and confuse millions of foreigners in the process.” Thanks a lot revered King Sejong… So when I grab a “pork” what am I really grabbing? A “fork”? What about the “pool house”? Oh, the “full house”!

While we’re at it, how about that whole /l/ and /r/ ambiguity? I know the joke has been beaten into the ground but I still have a friend that says something along the lines of “light now we eat lice”. You should hear her read the book “Rain Rain Go Away” to the kids she teaches. Great stuff.

Not all mistranslations are character based. Many are misuses of certain vocabulary terms. The other day, I pulled out a small notepad out of my pocket to write down a phone number of a new friend. She giggled and said in English “Wow, that’s so analog!” I knew what she meant - a digital PDA is a bit more appropriate for the college crowd here in 2008. But I like my little notepad, it serves its purpose. But she wasn’t exactly wrong, but still it seemed a bit strange.

I also like how the word “약속” is translated into “appointment” instead of “plans”. I know that there is a word for plans but “약속” is much more commonly used. But it still kind of cracks me up inside to hear in English “I cannot meet you tomorrow; I have an appointment” Really? Doctor or dentist :)? Native speakers don’t really use the word “appointment” for anything other than business and medical visits. Why not just say “I can’t meet you tomorrow; I have plans”?

Here’s another word I love: “okay”. Seoulites like this word and we like it too. However, not everyone I know uses it the way it should be used. A common translation of “괜찮아요” is “is it okay?” or “are you okay?”. However, when it is used like “you can do this, okay?” it seems too direct. The other day I heard “He is a friend and you can call him, okay?” I couldn’t help but think “I don’t know, you tell me, is it okay to call him? Will I be okay?” I’m never sure what to say back to that.

I really like this phrase that my friend says a lot “Oh~ I am so stress” It makes me smile every time.

I must be fair, we have some strange things about English. We say “I am going to take a test” but really, we don’t steal the test and take it with us - we just write on the paper and turn it in. Koreans say “I look at a test” which actually makes a bit more sense. Also, in English we say “I want to spend time with you” but really, we don’t literally own time in the same way we own money. I can’t really “spend” time on anything.
Also, something in English that is literally untranslatable  deals with the bathroom. We say “I need to take a <fill in the action of choice>” but really, we don’t take it. We leave it there - Oh man…This blog just went from bad to worse.

I kid around because I like how we can strive for one thing and end up messing up terribly. I’m pretty sure one of my friends in Korea is writing in her blog on just how much I make her laugh - and not the kind that you want to take home and marry - the kind you want to put on stage with a tutu on while balancing on a ball - that type of laugh.

All I can say is that I could really go for some wapples light now, okay?

Thoughts?

Hotels.

Korea has got to be best place to immerse yourself in the culture. Where else can you knock on someone’s door and ask to stay the night? Oh, and not get shot trying to do so?

Well of course Korea has hotels. Big ones. Expensive ones, but we don’t want to talk about that. Those are no fun. And overpriced. They offer a high quality product with a high quality product price that is to be expected in any major city or country. But thankfully, Korea has other options that have more character and are definitely something unique that most visitors are hard pressed to find elsewhere.

Irregardless of where you stay, as long as you can hold your own without blushing from Western embarrassment, you can almost always talk down the stated price if you are staying for an extended period of time or traveling with a decent sized group. Also, these descriptions are for one person for one night. Not a whole lot changes if you’re traveling with others. In most cases, the prices don’t change unless there are three or more in your party.

Let’s start with the highest priced and we’ll work out way down.

Hotels 50 000₩ - 400 000₩ - Expect nothing unique and be prepared to pay Western prices. Might as well have stayed in Boston.

Temple Stay 30 000₩ - 50 000₩ - No accommodation guide would be complete without mentioning a stopover in a Buddhist temple. Relax, you don’t have to be a card-carrying member to stay :). Typically, arrangements are secured via phone. It is customary to give at least a week’s notice before staying so as to help gather resources to better make your stay enjoyable. Price includes three meals a day and various guided activities. Do not be frantic about disturbing the natural order of things - not all monasteries have temple stays and those who do offer these services are good about advertising it. Do yourself a favor and research these if you are interested.

여관 (Yeogwan) 20 000₩ - 40 000₩ - These are the meat and potatoes of Korean accommodation. They are plentiful and vary somewhat in quality so expect to get what you pay for. Practically every single city from Seoul to 퍼든그 (get it? no?) has at least one 여관 so prices can be quite competitive. Payment is generally required in advance but viewing and/or picking the room beforehand is normal. Feel free to shop around for a place that suits you (and your wallet). Expect the room to have three things: a cotton mattress, a cotton/synthetic quilt, and one pillow. Also, expect the room to not have three things: a Western style bed, a kitchen, and central heat or air conditioning. Fear not! Most have Western style toilets, hot tap water, and some newer facilities have private bathrooms. Most have heated floors, shared bathrooms, a TV, and one oscillating-style floor fan. As far as extra amenities, count on some of them having adjacent 목욕탕 (bath houses). Some even offer Western beds, “free” breakfast, and wireless internet access but are few and far between.여관 are cheap, safe, and reliable.

민박 (Minbak) price negotiable - These private homes are rented out in high numbers during tourist season and are generally located away in rural areas. Get out your eagle eyes and make it a point to stop in at least once. No other experience is quite like it. Prices fluctuate depending on the season and location but are comparable to 여관. Take advantage of whomever in the home cooks and agree to pay extra for diner and breakfast. Expect to have your own room but don’t be shy - this family has opened up their home for you for the night. The least you can do is play a game of 화투 before you turn in for the night.

여인숙 (Yeoinsuk) 15 000₩- 20 000₩ - The jealous younger sibling of 여관, 여인숙 are generally less maintained, less glamorous, scaled down versions of 여관. Some are even converted from traditional houses (think Flip This House). These are for the confident Korean speaker and adventurous backpacker alike who are looking for a cheap place to stay when all others are booked or otherwise unavailable. Perhaps for the greater good, they are steadily decreasing in number and often overshadowed by their more popular sibling.

Youth Hostels (유스호스텔) 10 000₩ - 20 000₩ (and up) - These Hostels recognize international Youth Hostel cards issued from any country. For non-members, prices are higher and availability is sometimes limited. About sixty of these operate in Korea and are generally located in less populated, scenic destinations such as lakeview properties, beachfronts, and ski resort locations. Accommodations include up to eight person bunk-bed rooms, family suites, and most have on-site currency exchanges.

Love Hotels - price varies - Okay, so I should probably mention these if only to help squeamish travelers avoid them. Here’s some hints: They have hourly rates, they’re obvious, and they’re exactly what they sound like. If you see a bunch of calling cards out front, keep walking and start giggling to yourself or loved one.

찜질방 (Jjimjillbang) less than 10 000₩ - These 24-hour saunas are the Cadillac of bath houses. In addition to having everything under the sun, they also have overnight sleeping facilities. Though sometimes loud and crowded, these are frequented by business people too tired to make the long commute home (well, that’s his side of the story). Don’t expect much more than a small bunk bed or communal room, but for cash-strapped travelers, nothing is better than falling asleep in your favorite bath house.

산장 (Mountain Huts) 3 000₩ - These hiker stops are dotted along mountain trails and contain the bare essentials. Bring your own sleeping bags and pillows and curl up on the wooden floors and call it an adventure. Make sure to check availability before setting out on your hike.

While this certainly isn’t an exhaustive list, it does cover the basics. Although the biggest culture shock probably comes from 민박 (well, actually Love Hotels are pretty shocking to some foreigners), I would encourage those traveling abroad to take advantage of Korea’s group mentality and treat yourself to the experience. Of course we don’t have anything similar to 민박 in America and perhaps that is part of the charm. For that matter, overnight stays in general such as in 찜질방 are pretty foreign too. We’re also used to paying quite a lot more for a room.
I’m curious as to my fellow KC101 students’ experiences with the accommodations listed. Good? Bad? Worth it? Recommendations?

Thoughts?

Alphabet.

Man, we didn’t exactly put our best foot forward in creating the English alphabet, did we? I know firsthand what it’s like to try to teach a child the English alphabet.

“Okay, this little guy is called an “E” and he says a lot of different things. Sometimes he says his name /ee/, sometimes he changes a preceding vowel from short to long so long as the word is relatively small, and his friends “C” and “I” don’t get along so he has to stand in between them so they don’t fight, but if “C” isn’t there, “I” likes to be in front of “E” because “I” is bossy. And please note that when “E” is next to “R”, he is controlled by “R” because “R” is even more pushy than “I”. Oh, and sometimes “E” says nothing at all. Come to think of it, most of the time “E” likes to sit down; when he does that he looks different but sounds the same. Don’t worry, it’s only the most frequently used letter in the alphabet so you’ll be seeing it quite often. Questions?”

The English alphabet has 26 letters divided into 5 vowels and 21 consonants….wait…not exactly. “Y” is sometimes a vowel. So then 6 vowels….well, actually, “W” sometimes acts like a vowel too……English has 26 letters, 알았지?

The Korean alphabet has 24 letters divided into 10 vowels and 14 consonants. Really, that’s it? There must be something wrong. No crazy exceptions? Well there are some, but there are relatively obscure and rare - the few high-frequency words that contain them are easy enough to remember simply because of their colloquial use.

The Korean alphabet (and language for that matter) is the only one in the world to have a (somewhat debated) date of origin - AD 1446. Although bitterly opposed at first and even almost eradicated, 한글 is alive and well today and enjoys even its own day - October 9th!

Well, ummm, English has a really catchy song! What? it has the same melody of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”? Copyright infringe much, Mr. Alphabet?

Speaking of which, there has been a strong push by many early childhood educators in America to lengthen a specific portion of the Alphabet song in order to make it more clear for young learners. The part in question is the ♪♪ …L,M,N,O… ♪♪ part which many times becomes ♪♪ Ellemino ♪♪ - its own new Franken-letter!

I wonder how long did it take my fellow KoreanClass101.com students to learn 한글? I mean the basics - not including super fast visual recognition but simple, time-constraint-free letter recognition? For me, it took a little longer than most - 3 days (하! try learning the English alphabet in the same amount of time). Most people I’ve met learned it well enough to sound out all vowels (simple and compound) and consonants with minimal errors in 2 days time.

I can say for me that the most confusing part of learning 한글 was the shear logical nature of it. What I mean is, the names of each 자모 correspond to how they are pronounced at either the beginning or end of the cluster. Has anyone ever seriously sat down and thought about how insanely smart that is? Even moreso, the letters were originally designed to mimic the physical shape that our mouth makes when producing the sound (although ㄹ is a bit questionable).

I don’t mean to turn the English Alphabet into the red-headed stepchild of the linguistic world - but it kind of is. It was scraped together from various Latin, Greek, Anglo-Saxon roots. Furthermore, it developed simultaneously in different regions and thus incorporated different ways of spelling and saying the same thing (think 제주도 사투리). And some letters got 86′ed altogether.

Although traditionally Korea boasts a slightly higher countrywide literacy rate when compared to America, currently the difference is negligible - wavering around the 99% range. Not bad Korea. Excellent work America!!! You really put in the hard work!

My father-in-law once answered my question of “Why do young children in Korea learn English?” with “Because after 3rd grade, there’s no more Korean to learn!”. While I partially agree with him, it does make you wonder just how much more there is to learn for college students who study contemporary English.

Thoughts?

Language.

I find it so charming that foreigners can seriously slaughter a common phrase in Korean and still get a nice “한국말 잘 하시네요!”. You just don’t have that in America. Or France for that matter.

In America, even though we recognize that there are more cultures and languages represented here than any other country, we still don’t do so well in being forgiving with our language. We tend to have a mindset that if you are in America, you must speak English. The use of any other language is often subtly considered sub-par, if even acceptable.

It’s a little uncomfortable to admit all that, sure. But Americans haven’t exactly been politically correct despite our long standing history of immigration.

Phonology seems to be be a big part of what is desirable of an English speaker. Oh sure, syntax and a knowledge of the lexicon is nice, but having a heavy accent? “Geez! Go back to <fill in the country of your choice>!” If the supposed critical period (or sensitive period depending on whom you subscribe to) has already come and gone in terms of phonology, then why should foreigners even attempt to learn a new language if they will only receive blank stares are unnecessarily loud Americans in return?

So how come I can smile like an idiot with my electronic phrasebook clasped tightly, sweating bullets, all the while unintentionally murdering this poor taxi driver’s native language and STILL get a compliment? Not sure. Perhaps it goes to show Korea’s understanding of its place in the world. Mandarin Chinese holds the coveted “Most Spoken Language in the World” title with English proudly clutching the silver medal… and the little-country-that-could Korea ranked 22nd. Well, at least they still get to go out for pizza after the game.

Perhaps Koreans really are aware of their small presence in the world. Of course, venturing outside of Seoul might change your mind. It’s not so much the ethnocentricity of it, but there is something almost charming about the 아저씨 who thinks only of life inside Korea.

However, when a foreigner does indeed start to grasp the fundamentals of the Korean language and begins to venture outside of the phrasebook, a whole new set of standards exists. “Well, if this guy can say THAT, then he better well say it using 존댓말.” Granted, this can be a bit stressful at times but knowing that I got through the whole newbie phase unscathed is still something to be proud of. All things considered, I feel that Koreans can be more sensitive to the linguistic needs of foreigners when compared to Americans. Perhaps because of the close proximity and influence (scandal!) of China and Japan?

Many Americans feel uncomfortable when a language other than English is spoken in their presence. There’s that pestering , paranoid thought of “I wonder what they’re saying about me” or “At least have the decency to say it in English!” or even “Can’t this wait until I’m not in the room?”. Koreans, by and large, on the other hand will try their best to communicate even though speaking in English for some can be quite possibly more stressful than meeting new in-laws. Non-Korean in-laws.

Too far?

Regardless of the reason, as a newcomer to the language - rejoice - and be at ease! Most Koreans will likely know more about your language than you know about theirs so sit back, relax, and read those .pdfs!

Thoughts?

Video Games.

Koreans seriously know how to play video games. Anyone young (or old) enough to play the online multiplayer FPS game Counter-Strike will remember just how horrific of a beating they received from anyone with a Korean screen name. Koreans take their video games quite serious. Almost too serious.

In late 2007, Korea received a somewhat unique distinction for opening one of the world’s first boot camps for youths with internet addiction. Many of the participants cited video games as one of the reasons for their addiction (spending upwards of 17 hours a day online). There is also a reported 240 separate Internet-treatment centers sprinkled across Korea to help battle the growing problem.

Goodness, and I thought checking my email twice daily was bad.

It should come as no surprise that Korea reports that over 90% of their residents have regular access to high-speed internet compared to America’s still impressive 75%. Yet, as wired and online as Koreans are, the only American mainstream game to have any real international success is Starcraft, a RTS originally published in 1998(!) that is considered archaic (opps, I meant classic) by today’s standards. Most games today in the American market are fortunate enough to still be played three years after launch; yet in Korea, Starcraft is still worrying Korean mothers as to whether their kid has gone to the PC 방 or not.

Since 2002, Starcraft has been professionally played and set up as a spectator sport. Big name companies like Samsung and SK Telecom have sponsored such cyberathlete teams whose members play on average of 10 hours of gameplay a day (during training) and live in corporate dorm houses with fellow cyberathletes. Such members are not recruited but chosen out of countless applicants. The lucky few who are hired receive a weekly allowance and are monitored by a live-in house attendant (a coach of sorts) and are furthermore discouraged from distractions such as text messaging and intimate relationships. I almost wish I were making this up.

For that matter, I almost wish I were making up this dialogue.

But I digress

Online Korean gaming netted an approximate 2.35 billion USD in 2007 in combined sales. Korean MMOGs have penetrated the international barrier and have effectively oversaturated the American MMOG market; forcing many companies to offer their games for free or with minimal Pay-To-Play features in order to stay financially competitive. A reported 1/3 of the population of South Korea has registered and played KartRider at least once. Even non-traditional gamers have found enjoyment from free, ad-sponsored online versions of 화투 and 윷놀이.

But America isn’t exactly unplugged.

The mind-bogglingly popular American MMORPG World of Warcraft comprises of over 60% of the American online gaming market and boasts a staggering 10 million current subscription base. Not so small potatoes anymore now when compared the 5.5 million current subscription base in Korea. Oh, and the American release of Grand Theft Auto IV secured two new places in the Guinness Book of World Records. One for initial day sales (310 million USD) and another for initial week sales (500 million USD) making it the most profitable entertainment release in history thus far, surpassing the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

It seems that Koreans and Americans differ on a few other things as well.

One distinct difference between Korean gamers and American gamers is demographic representation. While most American gamers fall into the 25-40 age range, the average Korean gamer is barely 17 years old. Another difference lays in the popularity of console video games in America. The Nintendo Wii was officially launched in Korea just last month; almost two years after the North American launch. American console sales outnumber Korea almost 3 to 1 and the trend shows no sign of stopping.

It seems that Korea’s video game focus seems to be on online, interactive, socially-driven games while America favors the pick-up-and-play mentality of the Wii and other games designed to be best enjoyed offline.

I don’t know - it’s not clear on which has the upper hand in the market and whether it really should equate to bragging rights or not. Maybe I should focus more on exactly how I was pwned like a n00b on Sudden Attack last night.

And on that note, I’ll leave you with this:

Thoughts?