pihaenggi

[pihaenggi]

Recently found this little gem. On this website you can watch some (recent) anime shows and movies with Japanese subtitles. For some this is limited to the first 10 minutes, but even then it’s a nice way to watch anime/dorama raw without having to download/torrent!

[pihaenggi]

네이버 오디오클립

I thought people knew about this listening resource but my good friend nocturnalinseoul didn’t know about this, and if she doesn’t, that means not a lot of people do, heh. I too only found out about this a couple months back through r/korean, and I think it’s a pretty good rec for those wanting another resource for Korean listening practice.

Naver Audio Clip (Android | iOS) is apparently still in beta form, but as it is, it’s already got some good content for Korean language learners. There’s 외국인을 위한 한국어 읽기, a channel that features Korean folk tales, excerpts from novels, as well as cultural and historical articles. Transcripts of the audio clip are also included, so you can read along as you listen.

Another useful channel is Darakwon Korean Made Easy. I haven’t looked through all the clips but this channel features audio clips that are for beginners (the older clips teach Korean sentences and expressions in English and Chinese) and also something for more intermediate learners (속담!).

For intermediate/advanced learners who are also learning another language, there are also a couple channels teaching foreign languages in Korean such as Japanese and Chinese. Another interesting way to learn Korean is through listening to channels that teach Koreans English--Naver’s own 오늘의 회화 - 영어 channel teaches English sentences and then gives the Korean translation.

There are other channels to choose from, depending on what you like to listen to. Obviously since this is a Korean-made app, most of the content will be catering to Korean listeners. However, it’s a really good and handy alternative source of Korean content for those needing more listening practice. Give it a shot!

[pihaenggi]

SAY: A new online learning platform

Don’t know if this is pretty known throughout the online Korean learning community but SAY (which stands for Seniors and Youth) is a new Korean learning platform made for Korean learners wanting to practice speaking Korean. It first started out as a volunteer project for seniors living in Seoul–they tutored students in Princeton and Yale. The project became a success, and SAY was born, now as a company providing students all over the world with opportunities to have 1:1 conversations and learn from a 선생님 willing to share their experiences and knowledge not just about the language and the culture but also about life.

I had the chance to check out the free 30-minute trial earlier today. Prior to that, I emailed say asking if they could place me in a particular level, since I honestly have no idea which level to pick. For the curious: SAY currently offers 5 levels. Levels 1 and 2 are beginner levels (Level 1 is currently unavailable), levels 3 and 4 and intermediate, and level 5 is advanced. As someone who’s never attended an actual class (except for that one time I participated in a Nooma class when it was just starting out) and has never taken the TOPIK, all I know about my level is that I’m somewhere in the intermediate range. I just don’t exactly know where I stand. This is where SAY is still trying to figure out the little kinks, since a placement test was still unavailable and the person who responded to my inquiry just suggested I pick level 3, which is the basic intermediate level.

In each level, there is a list of topics you can choose to talk about. The list for level 3 looks like this:

I don’t think it’s necessary to go from lesson 1 downwards since I had no problems picking lesson 3 (It’s only natural I pick it, being a drama fan). You can pick the time and date you want based on availability, and then wait for the SAY team to pair you up with a SAY tutor, based on your answers to the profile questions. I mentioned wanting to learn more about Korean history since I’m fascinated with it, and they paired me up with my teacher, 이계원 선생님 (tutor profiles can be found here).

This is something I forgot until the few hours before my scheduled lesson with my tutor: there’s a PDF of the lesson plan available for each lesson you sign up for. It consists of two parts: Conversation and Grammar. Below is first part of the sample curriculum for level 3, lesson 1, which is available on this page:

I skimmed through my own lesson’s PDF and tried to think of possible answers but I forgot them during the session lmao. OTL Anyway, you can make bullet points of answers prior to the lesson so as not to waste time, and I really wish I did. There were moments during the lesson when I was like 흐으으으으음 기억이 안 나네요 ㅠ Thank goodness 선생님 was patient and kind enough to wait and tried to jog my memory lmao

Although it was supposed to be a free 30-minute lesson, it ended up being an hour’s worth of conversations. Level 3 was definitely too low for my level based on the lesson plan (and 선생님 told me as well) and we talked about many various things aside from dramas. It was a very fruitful experience and I came out with a boost of confidence in my speaking level and also some new words learned to boot!

At the end of the lesson, you and your tutor will be giving each other feedback (we told each other verbal feedback and then we had to type in written ones as well on the website). Here’s the feedback I received from him:

캣 씨, 오늘 아주 반가웠습니다. 너무 한국말을 잘하셔서 대화하는 내내 여러번 놀랐습니다. 본인은 한국어 점수를 60점 주었지만 저는 89점을 드리고 싶습니다. 일본어도 공부하고 계시다고 들었는데, 언어에 소질이 많으십니다. 상위 등급으로 올려 들으셔도 충분한 한국어실력을 가지고 계시며? 더 큰 발전을 위해 직접 다른 사람을 가르쳐 보실 것을 권고 드립니다. 오늘 대화 정말 즐거웠어요.

:DDD

Will I recommend SAY? Yes. Although I do get writing/speaking practice via chatting with friends, conversations between friends can get very cyclical and usually there’s little new information (vocab, grammar) that gets introduced and processed. Having a specific topic to go from makes it easier to direct conversation and practice learning new words that have not yet been covered before. My tutor in particular took the time to write on a whiteboard and explain words I either have not encountered before or words that I sort of know through context but not really know know. It was a very enriching experience, and one that I can recommend to others.

The downside: SAY is a little bit on the pricey side. 1 lesson costs $29.99, but are discounted if you go for the packages. Right now there’s a discount for the 5-lesson and 10-lesson package, which are currently priced at $114.99 and $199.99, respectively. Still on the pricey side, but all things considering, I think it’s pretty worth it. For those wanting to try it out, they are offering 30 free trial slots for each month until July. Sign up using this link: http://bit.ly/sayfreelesson ~

[pihaenggi]

When Koreanized words break your brain

So I just started watching the basketball variety show 버저비터 and throughout the games I kept seeing the word 트래블링 on captions. I was puzzled at this because ??? TREBLING is not a basketball term why do they keep using that??? Is that a Korean basketball term??? This went on for two episodes–TWO episodes–until I couldn’t take it anymore and paused the video to sound out the words aloud just to see if it’ll click.

It took two episodes. TWO episodes, and me pausing the video and saying the word out loud for it to stick that no, the ridiculous word wasn’t TREBLING but rather TRAVELING. Mind you, the thought in my head the entire time before doing that was, that’s not trebling, though, it’s traveling. Why are they using a wrong word?

OTL

Reminds me of the time, a long time ago, when 커리어우먼 broke my brain too. 😫😫😫

On a side note: Buzzer Beater is pretty entertaining. There’s a couple of familiar faces like Lee Sang-yoon, Seo Ji-suk, Kim Hyuk (Hyuk!!!!), Jung Jin-woon, Jay Park, etc., along with some new ones (okay, where have I seen you before, Oh Seung-hwan??? Where???). I don’t know if there are subs available anywhere, but those in the US can watch the raws at OnDemandKorea 😆

[pihaenggi]

Awesome partnership between Talk to Me in Korean and the publisher of Tablo's Blonote--not only can you get the English+Korean Blonote set on their online store, but TTMIK provides a vocabulary e-book for Korean learners wishing to learn new words and phrases from the book. It's super generous and wonderful of them to make it available even to those who already have the books--you can just download the e-book FOR FREE. How cool is that?

[pihaenggi]

Language learning struggle

When your brain knows all the words but can’t seem to string together everything coherently enough to understand what a sentence means. ;A;

[pihaenggi]

You learn something new every day woot~

[pihaenggi]

What 80% comprehension feels like

I know I should be on my hiatus but this is something I really need to share with you all; those who are intermediate can relate. Some guy called Marco Benevides visually demonstrated what it’s like to only understand 80% of a text

Here is 98% comprehension

You live and work in Tokyo. Tokyo is a big city. More than 13 million people live around you. You are never borgle, but you are always lonely. Every morning, you get up and take the train to work. Every night, you take the train again to go home. The train is always crowded. When people ask about your work, you tell them, “I move papers around.” It’s a joke, but it’s also true. You don’t like your work. Tonight you are returning home. It’s late at night. No one is shnooling. Sometimes you don’t see a shnool all day. You are tired. You are so tired…

bold = uncomprehended 2%

Here is 95% comprehension

In the morning, you start again. You shower, get dressed, and walk pocklent. You move slowly, half- awake. Then, suddenly, you stop. Something is different. The streets are fossit. Really fossit. There are no people. No cars. Nothing. “Where is dowargle?” you ask yourself. Suddenly, there is a loud quapen—a police car. It speeds by and almost hits you. It crashes into a store across the street! Then, another police car farfoofles. The police officer sees you. “Off the street!” he shouts. “Go home, lock your door!” “What? Why?” you shout back. But it’s too late. He is gone.

bold = uncomprehended 5%

Here is 80% comprehension

“Bingle for help!” you shout. “This loopity is dying!” You put your fingers on her neck. Nothing. Her flid is not weafling. You take out your joople and bingle 119, the emergency number in Japan. There’s no answer! Then you muchy that you have a new befourn assengle. It’s from your gutring, Evie. She hunwres at Tokyo University. You play the assengle. “…if you get this…” Evie says. “…I can’t vickarn now… the important passit is…” Suddenly, she looks around, dingle. “Oh no, they’re here! Cripett… the frib! Wasple them ON THE FRIB!…” BEEP! the assengle parantles. Then you gratoon something behind you…

And this really sums up how ***** annoying it can be to be an intermediate speaker. To be able to get the basic of gist of what’s happening, but never be able to get any kind of finer detail. I don’t think I’ve seen such a good illustration of intermediacy in a long time.

Source: http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2016/08/25/what-80-comprehension-feels-like

[pihaenggi]

For when you’re finding it hard to remember kanji and you want something fun. :D

[pihaenggi]

The aid and the goal. Let’s finish this in about…three years? 😅😂

[pihaenggi]

Japanese at work

These past few days I’ve been studying not at home but at work, lmao. Strange as that sounds, I found some quality study time during the usually slow hours between 0200-0500, when patients are asleep (hopefully) and I’ve already finished the bulk of my work. A lot of the studying has to do with kanji practice though, and not straight up grammar/vocabulary learning. But still.

That said, I gotta give it to the creator of the app called Kanji Study (Android | iOS)--what a delightful app. I downloaded it a while ago but never got much use of it until now. It’s pretty amazing.

[pihaenggi]

Hello again, Japanese

Spurred by my upcoming vacation to Japan (early next year!!!), I decided to renew my efforts in learning the language. And boy, oh boy, have I forgotten a lot of things.

First things first: katakana. Fortunately hiragana stuck better than I expected, perhaps because I did use it on a more frequent basis when I was still studying Japanese. Katakana, on the other hand, is the wild child I never got around to befriending that well. And so after years of not associating myself with this wild child, I need to familiarize myself yet again--discern the difference between ツ and シ and ソ and ン. Strangely and also very fortunately, I might not have forgotten about them as bad as  I thought. The same ideas I had before when memorizing the kana came back to me, like how ケ really looks like the letter K (and pronouncing K sounds quite close to ke), how コ and ナ are easy to remember because of 名探偵コナン, hah.

This time around though I decided, instead of using Elementary Japanese (the older version of this textbook), I’m going to stick with the Genki series. I don’t know why I didn’t use Genki the first time around (I had the books but I guess it didn’t appeal to me? idk), but I will now!

Super excited and a little anxious, but I can’t wait to learn more Japanese than I did before. ファイト!

[pihaenggi]

진짜 드라마라면 대박일거야 이거

[pihaenggi]

ㅋ

[pihaenggi]

다 해 ㅋ

ㅁㅊ;; ㅋ

1. 무엇을 무서워해요?없는 것 같은데 당연히 있겠죠? ㅋ 음…저 원래 상상력이 강한 편이라서 그런지 모르는 사람 볼 때 막 무섭고 이상한 상상을 해요! 그래서…낯선 사람? ㅋㅋ 그리고 벌레 정말 싫어요! (그게 벌레 공포증인가?)

2. 무슨 음악을 즐겨 들어요? 클래식이랑 인스트루멘탈! 요즘 드라마 ost도 자주 들어요.

3. 무엇에 관심이 있어요? 우주, 아니메, 귀여운 것들. 그림 그리기, 건담 만들기, 드라마랑 영화 보기, 맛있는 음식 먹기, 아무것도 안 하고 가만 있기! ㅋㅋㅋ

4. 어떻게 한국어를 공부해요?요새 공부 안 합니다! ;; 그냥 드라마랑 예능프로 보면서 배워요. 팟캐스트도 듣고 웹툰도 많이 보는 거예요. 솔직히 다시 제대로 공부하고 싶은데 시간 없어요. (물론 이건 핑계입니다만~)

5. 좋아하는 책을 소개하세요.책? 무슨 책? 흠…음…흐으으음….패스!!!! 생각 안 나요! (진짜 궁금하시면 제 Goodreads 페이지 보세요~!)

6. 마법을 믿어요? 저 해리포터랑 허그와트 다녔습니다! ㅋ

7. 어떤 옷을 입으면 기분이 좋아요?편하고 깨끗한 옷?

8. 셀리는 일이 있어요?설레? 내년에 한국에 가기로 했어요!!!! 엄청 기대돼요!

9. 한국어를 배우면서 뿌듯했던 적이 있어요?한국미용실에 갔을 때! 전 자막 없이 드라마 볼 수 있는데 한국어 실력이 너무 부족해서 한국인들이랑 대화하는 게 너무 무서워서 안 했어요. 근데 그 때 그냥 했어요! 스타일리스트 언니랑 대화를 하고 웃기는 얘기도 했어요! 물론 완벽한 실력 아니지만 다른 사람 제 말을 듣고 이해하는 게 참 신기했고 정말 뿌듯했어요! ㅋㅋㅋ 와~ 내가 한국어 좀 하는구나, 그런 생각이 들었어요!

10. 진로에 대한 고민이 있어요?있죠! 있는데 지금 (이 순간~) 고민 안 하는 게 더 좋을 것 같아서 패스입니다~

11. 어떤 향기를 좋아해요? 깨긋한 향기? ㅋㅋ (어딨어 그거)

12. 남친/여친 있어요?남편 될 남자 있습니다~ (꿈속에서)

13. 한국어 배우면서 어떤 점이 가장 즐거워요?ㅋㅋㅋ 솔직히 말하면 드라마를 쉽게 볼 수 있는 거? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ(좋은 ��구들 만나는 것도요~ ㅋㅋㅋㅋ)

14. 어떻게 스트레스를 풀어요?물건들 던지는 게 가장 좋은 방법이죠~

15. 어떤 음식을 좋아해요?다 좋은데요~ 돼지 고기 빼고요.

16. 자신을 5 단어로 소개하세요.친절하다 (에이 설마)조용하다외유내강창의적인덕후

17. 어떤 직업을 갖고 싶어요?드라마작가

18. 무엇이 가장 후회되요?시간 낭비죠 ;;

[pihaenggi]

Korean language asks

These are asks for people who are learning/speak Korean. Feel free to ask me questions and reblog so that I can ask you too! You can write as much or as little as you like depending on your level :). 

무엇을 무서워해요? (What are you afraid of?)

무슨 음악을  즐겨 들어요? (What music do you listen to?)

무엇에 관심이 있어요? (What are your interests?)  

어떻게 한국어를 공부해요? (How do you study Korean?)

좋아하는 책을 소개하세요. (Tell me about a book you like.)

마법을 믿어요? (Do you believe in magic?)

어떤 옷을 입으면 기분이 좋아요? (What kind of clothes make you feel good?)

셀리는 일이 있어요? (What are you excited about?)

한국어를 배우면서 뿌듯했던 적이 있어요? (Is there a time you were proud/satisfied whilst learning Korean?)

진로에 대한 고민이 있어요? (Are you worried about your future school/career path?)

어떤 향기를 좋아해요? (What scents do you like?)

남친/여친 있어요? (Are you in a relationship?) 

한국어 배우면서 어떤 점이 가장 즐거워요? (What do you enjoy most about learning Korean?) 

어떻게 스트레스를 풀어요? (How do you release stress?) 

어떤 음식을 좋아해요? (What kind of food do you like?)

자신을 5 단어로 소개하세요. (Describe yourself in 5 words.)

어떤 직업을 갖고 싶어요? (What kind of job do you want to have?) 

무엇이 가장 후회되요? (What do you regret the most?) 

[pihaenggi]

아버지는 말하셨지 (a short review)

4 out of 5 stars

아버지는 말하셨지 is an essay book written by sisters who both happen to be writers--Song Jung-yeon was the long-time writer for the radio program 이숙영의 파워FM and has also written several books; her younger sister Song Jung-rim was the scriptwriter for several TV dramas and also penned several books. I didn’t know of these writers OR the book until I was searching for Korean books online around Father’s Day and this popped up--read a couple of snippets from the previews and knew I wanted to get it. (Thanks to Jeannie for helping me get this book last year~! Heuheu)

I read most of it without using a dictionary so my comprehension of some parts is fuzzy at best, but the good thing about it is that it’s an essay book and its re-read factor is high. Many of the essays are touching and I found myself a bit teary-eyed while reading--sometimes in public!--so beware!

Fellow intermediate Korean learners will have fun with this one--it's got enough vocabulary and even grammar to be a challenge, but is "easy" enough that it won’t be intimidating. Also, it's a highly interesting read! Recommended.