Ask a Korean! Wiki: Language Courses for Children?

Dear Korean,

I would love to go to Korea with my kids and spend about a month in the summer with them occasionally seeing relatives, but mostly I would like them to learn about the culture and language. They are half Korean and sadly speak no Korean but I'm hoping I could change that. Their ages range from 7-12 so a hefty program at Yonsei (which I did as a high schooler many years ago) would not be appropriate, but I'm sure there must be something they can do in Korea to learn the language in a more formal way. Do you have any suggestions?

Tina

The Korean is certain that this type of courses would be in demand, but unfortunately he is not aware of one. (Remember, the Korean never had to learn any Korean.) Readers, got any suggestion? Please share in the comment section.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: Time Expressions in Korean

Dear Korean,

Anyway I'm after some metaphors involving the concept of 'time' in the language. So far I've gathered:

시간에 쫓기다: 'to be chased by time'
때를 놓치다: 'to miss an opportunity'

The idea behind the sentences is that Korean views time as something to capture or be chased by, likened to an animal in a prey-predator relationship. Can you think of any other examples along the same vein?

Cana X

This is a rather interesting question. Rather than confining the answer to whatever he could think of on his own, the Korean decided to open this question up for a little bit of crowd-sourcing. Korean-speaking readers: what other time-related expressions in Korean refer to time as if it were an animal?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: Living Expenses in Seoul

Dear Korean,

I'm seriously thinking of moving to Seoul. Do you have an idea of what the budget listing would be for about a 15 week stay in Seoul, a detailed tally of expenses? Are there any other unexpected expenses expats/non-citizens are known to incur?

Ashley

Here is the problem: the Korean never visits Korea as a foreign tourist. He always has a free place to stay in various parts of Korea, because he has numerous relatives and friends who would be positively offended if he did not spend a few days at their places. Half the time, his meals are free also. Plus, he would not purchase any large items (such as furniture,) or order any consistent service (like the Internet or cable television.) So while the Korean is aware of how much things cost generally in Seoul, he cannot confidently say exactly how much living in Seoul for, say, more than a month will cost. 

So let's hear from mid- to long-term residents of Korea. Can you describe your budget, with as much detail as possible? One thing to keep in mind is that many expats in Korea are English teachers who usually receive free housing--which is usually the biggest part of the living expense equation. For this exercise, it would be great to hear about the list of items that generate a constant stream of expenses, such as rent, utilities, etc. Future visitors to Korea will thank you.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: What to do with Anti-Japan Sentiments in ESL Classes?

Dear Korean,

I am a Canadian living and teaching ESL at a Hagwon in Korea. With all the buzz about Dokdo lately, my Korean students have become increasingly outspoken about not liking the Japanese. I have learned about the history between the two countries, although I am obviously no expert, but these confrontations are really starting to bother me. The students seem angry when I choose not to answer them, or change the subject or when they hear that I don't hate the Japanese. They often do not say their thoughts completely outright (as in, "I hate the Japanese"), even though that has happened too, but are curious as to my stance on things. I do not tolerate racism, but I am trying to be understanding, and to teach tolerance. I'm not entirely sure how I should be handling the situation, and I don't feel comfortable asking my Korean co-workers.

Do you have any suggestions, advice, words of wisdom, or links that could send me somewhere with any of those?

Megan B.


Short answer? No. The Korean is, obviously, blends in with Korea's population rather well such that no Korean person comes to him for a validation of her views on Japan.

But surely, Megan is not the only ESL teacher in Korea who has been dealing with this issue. Readers, any pearls of wisdom?

Given that this is a topic that appears to sidetrack a lot of people, the Korean will issue this caveat: please keep your comments relevant. The issue is how to handle a situation like Megan is facing. Please stick with that.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: Natural Style Deodorants

What do you do when you don't have time to answer questions? Have other people answer them! Cue the question:

Dear Korean,
 
I was wondering if you knew much about "natural" style deodorants' availability in Korea (i.e Tom's of Maine and JASON brands, or comparable brands). I unwisely didn't pack a long-term supply of deodorant when I came here, and now I'm running out. I don't want to use antiperspirant and would like to avoid deodorants laced with a bunch of synthetic chemicals.

Scott in Chungju

Sorry, Scott in Chungju, you are speaking to a guy who has never bought a stick of deodorant in his life. And it is not because the Korean is gross. Asians generally have significantly less apocrine sweat glands in their armpits, making them less susceptible to armpit stench. Either that or the Korean has a bad sense of smell, and everyone around him in his whole life has been exceedingly polite.

At any rate, deodorant always has been a sticking point with the expat population in Korea. So weigh in, folks. Have you been able to find a fru-fru, "natural" style deodorant in Korea?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: What to Tell Your Family?

Dear Korean, 

Please comes to know this stranger from the East Coast, U.S. henceforth as the Blankard. The Blankard is a recently certified ESL teacher. The Blankard comes from a family that greatly disapproves of the Blankard's choice to pursue South Korea to teach, for they fear for their Blankard, even if the Blankard himself feels apprehension only about 'leaving the nest,' as they say. I have read The Korean's posts from 2010 (Q: Is Korea a dangerous place? A: "No, no more than it has been in the last 40 years"), as well as the more recent posting about the Japanese radiation. These topics are cited as causes for "that part of the world being very volatile." The Blankard himself seeks ways to reassure his concerned family.

The Blankard

Well, the Korean has never had any issue with the Korean Family about his desire to be in Korea. (In fact, the Korean Parents would likely favor it.) As the Korean is recovering from his vacation, let's turn this one over to the readers:  readers, if you came to Korea for a mid- to long-term stay, how did you deal with your over-anxious family?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: What to do with Asian Names?

Dear Korean,

We are adopting a sweet little boy from the Seoul area. My husband is Lebanese/American and I am European/American. We were planning on keeping the name his birthmother had given him which is HaJin. However a Chinese/American male friend didn't think this was a good idea. My friend stated that growing up Asian was difficult enough, and he and his Asian friends were grateful to have been given more English sounding names. What are your thoughts on this?

Paige K.

That issue is a tricky one not only for adoptive parents, but also for a lot of young Asian American parents. Paige's Chinese American friend is not wrong -- it is tough enough to look different, and adding the extra effort of telling people how to pronounce your name all the time, only to see them never remember your name, could be a rather alienating experience. But on the other hand -- especially for adoptees, who have a difficult time retaining their heritage culture -- using the given name could serve as a good reminder of one's heritage. One form of compromise among Korean American parents is to choose a name that can operate in both in English and in Korean (e.g. "Mina".)

As for the Korean himself, he hopes to give the Korean Baby a Korean first name and an English/Christian middle name, so that while the child could go by the English name, the priorities would be clear, especially when it comes to everything legal.

Having said that, let's hear from our readers. Asian Americans, how do you feel about your ethnic names? What did/will you do with your children's names?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: Beautiful Korean Words?

Dear Korean,

I recently learned of the word "마음". 마음 is a very interesting and beautiful word; it's often heard in K-pop songs. Are there other interesting words like it? My wife thinks 달콤 is a word with many meanings, too (though Google only offers one meaning: sweet).

Ralph

Very interesting question, but a difficult one for the Korean to answer with his dried-up sentimentality. So he will give this one to the readers. What are some Korean words you think are interesting and/or beautiful?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: Do You Know This Book?

Dear Korean,

I'm trying to locate a 72 page book/manuscript entitled "5-18, the Kwangju Incident" by Arnold A. Peterson, circa 1990. Do you know where I can find a copy, or can you suggest others that I could ask?

Bill D.

That's a toughie. Fortunately, enough well-learned Korea heads visit this blog, so someone might know. Enlightened readers, got anything?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: What is Weird About America?

Dear Korean,

A friend posted this link to his Facebook profile a couple weeks ago. I had no idea that supermarket checkout-baggers were such a weird thing, that nobody uses checks anymore, and "that so much American cheese is coloured orange." It was mentioned a couple of times in the posting that most of the contributors were from Europe, which is fairly similar to the States, shared culture, politics, history etc. 

I guess I'd like another perspective on "America's Quirks." I would love to hear the substantive, as well as the off-base insubstantive comments. What are the most striking differences you've noticed from living in the States for so long? What do Koreans living in/visiting the states bitch about when they're blowing off steam over a $13 (!!!) bottle of Chamisul?

Just Curious

Just off the top of his head, and keeping strictly on the frivolous side, here are a few things the Korean has found peculiar about America:

• Wearing shoes indoors. HATE HATE HATE it. So disgusting. The Korean will never get over this.
• Insane amount of soda drinking. The Korean is pretty certain that in his first year in America, he drank more soda than he ever drank in his life at age 16.
• Ridiculous portions of food. (Discussed in this post.)
• Ice in every drink. 
• Excessive use of napkins.
• General preference for cooler temperature in everything (ambient, food, drinks, etc.)
• Drinking alcohol only (i.e. without eating something at the same time.)
• Music too loud in bars.
• Cell phones have the same area code as any landline, instead of its own prefix. (In Korea, all cell phone numbers begin with 010 no matter where you live.)
• To address a mail, going from small to large (i.e. "Number-Street-City-State-Country-ZIP") instead of large to small ("Country-Province-City-Number-ZIP").

The Korean will add more to the list as he thinks of additional items, but let's hear from the readers. What do you find peculiar about America?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Most Popular AAK! Posts of 2011

Here is a quick look at the most popular AAK! posts of 2011, by page view.

Most Viewed Posts of 2011 (All-Time)

1.  Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Korean Men
2.  The Ultimate Korean Looks List

3.  AAK! Wiki: Oppa! Oppa! Oppa!

4.  Why is StarCraft Popular in Korea?

5.  Dog Meat in Korea

The never-ending quest of the Internet for Korean men will never end.

Most Viewed Posts of 2011 (Written in 2011)

1.  Training of North Korean Special Forces

2.  The Korean's Response to Wesley Yang's New York Magazine Story

3.  How to Make Yourself Attractive to Korean Men (Special Guest Post by I'm No Picasso)

4.  Tiger Moms are Superior

5.  Picture from 1992 Los Angeles Riot

Thank you everyone for reading this blog. See you next year!

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: Korean Schools Around Dallas?

Dear Korean,

We are hoping to enroll our daughter in Korean classes when she is old enough and take classes ourselves. We are planning to move to the Dallas area in 2012. I have been able to find plenty of Korean markets, restaurants and businesses, but I can't seem to find Saturday or Sunday Korean language classes for children and adults in the area. Do you know where I should look?

Barbara K.

The Korean has never stepped foot in the great state of Texas, unfortunately. Readers, any ideas?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: Books about Korean Art?

Dear Korean,

I am a 27 year old student of the arts; and a graphic designer by profession. Recently I started learning Korean, and also about Korean culture. I was wondering if you had some books to suggest or resources for me to look into about Korean art, and art history. I am also very interested in learning traditional calligraphy.

Cassandra H.

The Korean receives a lot of questions asking for book recommendations, and he always has the same problem: The Korean rarely reads any book about Korea in English. For him, it's just not necessary. Hopefully the readers can help here -- do you know any books in English about Korean art or art history?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: What is Your Fantasy I Am A Singer Lineup?

The Korean is a huge fan of a Korean reality show called Survival: I am a Singer [나는 가수다]. The premise of the show is simple yet irresistible. Seven well-known singers compete for two weeks, sometimes with a song of their choice, other times with a song designated to them. The singers (or their staff) arrange the songs, stage effects and generally put on a show. At the end of each show, 500 audience members -- who are selected with an even distribution in age groups, so that the audience is not dominated by screaming fangirls -- vote the top three singers. After adding up the two week tally, the last place is taken off the show and the new singer comes on.

Needless to say, the show has been a massive hit -- which made the Korean realize:  it will be just a matter of time before Hollywood catches on. Sooner or later, there will be an American copy of I am a Singer on network television, because that's what American television people do. (Of course, this is not to say only American television people shamelessly copy TV show ideas.)

If the trend is inevitable, why not join it? Surely there must be a Hollywood intern scouring the Internet right now, looking for new show ideas. Perhaps this post can push the American version of the show in a manner that we want. So here is a fun little exercise: what would be your dream lineup of I am a Singer USA? Be sure to remember that you are not simply indulging in your wildest dream, but actually trying to come up with a reasonable lineup for a sustainable show. To that end, consider these formulas that the actual show has been following:

• The singers should be one of three things: (1) a former superduperstar who has been out of the limelight for a few years; (2) a very talented artist who has a niche appeal but not known to broad mainstream audience; (3) up-and-coming young artist who is talented but not very well known. In other words, these type of people cannot be on the show: (a) artists who are currently at a very high level in terms of public appeal (e.g. Lady Gaga); (b) untalented pretty puppets (e.g. Justin Bieber).
• There should be diversity in musical genre. The very first lineup of I am a Singer featured: R&B/Reggae singer, two soft rock singers with very distinctive voices, a rock band, two "classical" R&B singers and a dance/pop singer. The current lineup features a hair rocker, alternative rock band, three soft rock singers, a rapper and an old time diva who sings everything.
• There should be diversity in age and career, to include old time legends as well as younger generation.
• There should be diversity in musical stature. You cannot fill the show with seven hyper-legends, because that lineup is not sustainable. The lineup must include top-tier, mid-tier and indie stars.
• Be mindful of the budget. I am a Singer might be the most expensive show program in Korean television history, because each of the singers commands high premium. The show was made possible only because Korea's version of iTunes bankrolled the show, out of the expectation that the songs from the show (which will be owned by the bankrolling company) will sell extremely well online. They were correct. But even still, the budget is not unlimited.

The Korean will add one more requirement: since we are trying to envision a sustainable show, create a two-deep lineup. In other words, come up with the "starting" lineup of seven artists, and have a backup lineup of seven artists.

With these caveats in mind, create your own lineup! The Korean's proposed lineup is after the jump.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: How is Korea different from Korean dramas?

Dear Korean,

I was born and raised in France, growing up we had a lot of TV shows from the United States, and although they were fictions they somewhat gave me a good idea of how people lived in the United States. The first time I came to the US, I was actually surprised of how "accurate" they were and since I have been living in the US for many years, I still think that these shows were a good introduction to the US way of life.

So the question is: Are Korean Dramas a good introduction to Korean culture?

Celine T.

Of course, it is always a tricky thing to glean a country by the way it is depicted in a TV show. For example, although the Korean has visited the beaches of America many times over, he has never seen this type of thing...

In slow motion, too.
(source)

... ever happening. Nope, the lifeguards usually wear shorts and sometimes a shirt. And in case of an emergency, they usually run as fast as they can, not in slow motion.

But all jokes aside, TV shows often do provide a clue about a given country is like, particularly for those who have hardly any idea about that country. If you knew absolutely nothing about Korea, you will know at least something about Korea after having watched a Korean drama, however distorted and out of perspective that knowledge may be. However, the trouble for the Korean is -- he learned about Korea by being born there, and he never watches Korean dramas.

So the Korean will tweak the question a bit, and ask for the readers' input here. Do you watch Korean drama? Have you visited Korea? If your answer is yes to both, how was Korea similar to, or different from, what you observed in Korean dramas? The Korean is really looking forward to the answers for this one.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: Korean Language Twitters and Blogs

Dear Korean,

Now that you have asked your readers about Korean-language radio stations, would you mind asking them about good Korean-language blogs and twitter accounts to follow? I'm not yet at the stage where I can listen to a radio show but I can manage a 140-character tweet, given enough time and a good dictionary.

Desperately Learning Korean

This question was received before the Korean began his own, all-Korean language twitter. Follow him at @askakorean. (Check out the recent tweets for a heated debate between the Korean and a law student from Korea regarding Korea's laws regarding sexual assaults.)

The Korean also follows a number of Korean-language blogs. Here are some Korean-language blogs from the Korean's feed list:

• 북한 RT [http://blog.donga.com/nambukstory/] - an absolute must-read blog on North Korea run by a North Korean defector who is now a journalist in South Korea. Frequently translated on AAK!
• 악식가의 미식일기 [http://foodi2.blog.me/] - hands down, the best blog that discusses Korean food and Korean food culture.
• Interpreting Compiler [http://interpiler.com/] - blog by a leading Korean tech journalist who is an unabashed fan of Apple products.
• 뉴욕의 쿠킹하는 사회주의자 [blog.naver.com/frankbyon] - personal blog by a Korean American who runs a restaurant in Brooklyn. Has good recipes with photos.

Readers, got anything?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: What is Your Favorite AAK! Post?

Dear readers,

The five year anniversary of Ask a Korean! is drawing close. The Korean is preparing a big five year anniversary special, and needs your help here.

Please nominate your favorite AAK! posts. You can nominate them in the comment section here. The Korean will take the nominations until the next Sunday, September 25. Then there will be a poll on the blog to pick the Top 10 Posts of AAK!, to be revealed at the five-year anniversary. (Single posts only -- if you liked a series, like Korea-Japan relations series or Confucianism series, please nominate your favorite post within that series.)

As always, thank you all for reading!

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: Pleasing to Korean Ear?

Dear Korean,

When I first saw Korean written, I thought it looked very cool; sleek and modern, I guess. And then when I heard it spoken, it sounded very harsh to me. In addition to English, I speak Hebrew, and whenever I ask other Americans what they think of the sound, they often reply that it sounds like a mixture of Arabic, French, and sometimes Russian. I think this is a pretty fair assessment. But, like my sentiments with spoken Korean, most of the people rated Hebrew low on the "pleasing to the ear" scale.

As an over-generalization, many Americans, myself included, like the general sound of languages like French and Italian, and dislike the sound of languages like Chinese and German. To me personally, when it comes to English and Hebrew, I have virtually no opinion one way or the other. They both sound normal to me. I don't see a pattern in terms of country of origin informing language preference, and so I was wondering what the Korean's perspective on this was. Surely, Koreans must find certain languages pleasing to the ear and others not, right? What does the "average Korean" think of some of the languages out there.

Sort of a weird question, but it was something I am always interested to find out.

Mr. Inaudible


As to the Korean himself, he has no particular feeling toward how Korean or American English sounds. Japanese, European Spanish, Italian and Cantonese sound quite pleasant, while Mandarin Chinese, Caribbean/South American Spanish, Hindi and German are little tough on the ear. The Korean's absolute favorite "language sound" is probably South African English, spoken with Xhosa accent.

The Korean is not certain if "pleasing to the ear" thing depends on the nationality, but why not ask around? Readers, have your say. What is your nationality, and what languages do you like/dislike to hear?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! News: "There is No Hines Ward in Korea"

Last month, this blog featured a Wiki post about how a biracial Korean fared in Korea. One of the most informative comments came via email from Mr. Sajin Kwok, who was the project leader for the National Human Rights Commission's 2003 study on biracial Koreans who were born between American soldiers stationed in Korea and Korean women through rape, prostitution or consensual dating.

While searching for the report (which is available online here,) the Korean came across a feature article that nicely summarized the background of how the report came to be, and gave a more vivid description of the discrimination that biracial Koreans have faced in Korea. Below is the translation.

*                   *                   *

THERE IS NO HINES WARD IN KOREA
["대한민국에 하인즈 워드는 없다", May 23, 2006 on Kyunghyang Weekly]

At 5:40 a.m., 47-year-old Park Myeong-Su, a biracial person who live in gijichon [TK: neighborhood near the U.S. base in Seoul] leave his small room of about 35 square feet to visit a construction company's office for day labor jobs. He waits all day, but there is no job for him. Even setting aside his Caucasian looks that he inherited from his American G.I. father, there is no place for him here, where jobs are doled out based on how close you are with the office manager. Park, who has always been discriminated as a biracial, says his personality does not let him make friends very easily. Because of the discrimination that followed his entire life, he developed a sharp edge.

Better Atmosphere, but Nothing Changed

(Above) Park Myeong-Su
(Below) Hines Ward and
then-Korean president Roh Moo-Hyun

If he whiffs at the office, he begins drinking -- even in the morning. He has nowhere to go, so he comes back to his small room. He would turn on the TV and drink silently, only to have the memories of discrimination that he has received his entire life bubbles up in his mind. He can only knock back the glass, not knowing how, where to pour out his swelling anger.

This is Park's life, as can be seen in the documentary "There Is", filmed for two years by director Park Gyeong-Tae. The audience who screened the documentary at a small theater near Hong-Ik University could feel the rage held in Park Myeong-Su's heart.

When the biracial hero Hines Ward visited Korea last month, Korean society roiled with attention toward biracial Koreans. The legislature proposed policies to assist biracial Koreans every day, and the government presented a comprehensive plan for biracial Koreans by the end of April. Although the fad had passed at this point, but it is a very positive phenomenon that the society recognized the issue.

However, the fundamental problem remains unsolved. Director Park says each time the biracial Korean issue emerged for the last 50 years, there was a policy to assist them -- and asks what changed. He notes that the issue of biracial Koreans at gijichon was always missing an important element. This is the point at which the director presents the issue -- the importance of tracing the origin of Park Myeong-Su's reality, his persecution complex and his anger. Director Park focuses on how the results of discrimination manifest themselves, and asks what went wrong.

Perhaps because the society changed, or perhaps because Mr. Park has gotten older, there is no one who actively discriminates against him now. But that does not erase away the discrimination that Korean society imposed upon him for decades. When he was younger, Park was frequently beaten for his looks, with ridicules of "twigi" [TK: "mixed breed"] and "yangnom" [TK: "yankee"]. He could not attend school, nor could he find a job. The pains of the past is connected to Park's present. He could not find work even if he wanted to; he barely survives in his 35-square feet hole.

If he happens to meet the eyes of a passerby, he torments himself with a persecution complex. The person might not think of anything, but Park thinks to himself, "That person is looking at me funny." Each time that happens, he reminds himself of his identity: "I am a Korean." When he drinks, the pent up anger in his heart explodes, usually in a violent form.

He was not this bad while living in America. Thanks to Amerasian Immigration Act of 1982, he moved to America in 1986 and lived for a decade. He briefly visited Korea, and found himself unable to return to America. In America, no one looked at him funny. Park says he could not communicate, but his heart was easy. He wants to return to America if he could.

(More after the jump)

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

Ask a Korean! Wiki: How Long Does it Take to Learn Korean?

Dear Korean,

How long does it generally take an English-speaking person to fluently learn Korean?

Elissa

Given that everyone has different aptitudes with language, the Korean is not sure if there can be such thing as a "general" timetable for an Anglophone to become fluent in Korean. But it might not be a bad idea to take a straw poll, just to see the range.

So readers, go right at it. Are you learning Korean? How fluent are you? (Be very specific here so that your comment can be useful. Can you read and write? Can you carry small conversations? Can you have a conversation about complex and abstract subjects? Can you read a newspaper? Can you write at a professional level? Etc.) How long did you take for you to get to your level? Did you take classes, live in Korea, live with a Korean spouse, etc?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.