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Learn Korean Aegyo from Koreans | 애교
This summer in Korea I stopped dozens of Koreans on the street and asked them several questions (7 to be specific). These became 7 separate videos. This is the final question I asked them - "Show me your Aegyo!"
How can Aegyo (애교) even be translated into English? This one's tricky. It means how charming a person is, like when someone acts cute toward someone else (such as when they want something). It also just means acting cute in general. "Charm?" I can't think of a great way to translate Aegyo, so I'll just keep saying Aegyo.
So I asked Koreans to show off their Aegyo to the camera, telling them to invite people around the world to visit Korea. Here's what they did.
The post Learn Korean Aegyo from Koreans | 애교 appeared first on Learn Korean with GO! Billy Korean.
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Repat Dating Diaries: Oh no – I’ve been on this date before!
It’s been seven months since my return from the land of morning calm (Korea, dweebs). In that time I’ve tried to date as much as possible, if only to provide you lovely Seouls with fresh content so you can feel better about your lives as we go into the cold, winter months. I thought Itaewon was bad for guys and girls alike furiously swiping left and right while at a bar full of decent-looking, age appropriate humans with at least the common expat connection. No, no – Toronto is far worse for tinder tendinitis.
Double-Dipping for DatingI got pretty lucky meeting the hot, young, Italian 3-minute Stallion. I met a guy who flew all the way to Jamaica for some fatherly advice after we got “too intimate too quickly” (read: we went on 3 dates that week and he met my roommate’s dog). There was a carpenter, but if you’ve been reading for a while then you know there’s only one carpenter in my heart (and no, it’s not JC). Beyond that, I’ve yet to really date the same dude twice – except I did.
Repetitive RepercussionsKeep in mind that I had been living on the other side of the planet for 3 years when I tell you this story. I thought the pictures were kind of familiar, but I just didn’t put two and two together. It was like a bad episode of “How I Met Your Mother”. There I was sitting in a booth at The Drake Hotel (a popular West Queen West spot) and my date walked in. He wasn’t anything to write home about, but I probably wouldn’t have kicked him out of bed either. Then, he opened his mouth and it all came flooding back. After 3 years, he still told me the same stories about his 1 trip to Poland (tldr: he got drunk the whole time and saw no historical attractions). My date was still bragging about buying his condo with 0% down.
I’ve Learned NothingWas this a trap? Did he know that I knew who he was? Was he pretending we had never met before, too? This was the first time I had doubled-down on a dreadful date. Are there really so few single men in this city? Have I completed the circle and come back to the start?
Who knows…
I’ll probably make this mistake again.
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The post Repat Dating Diaries: Oh no – I’ve been on this date before! appeared first on That Girl Cartier.
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How To Say ‘Bedroom’ In Korean
Today we will continue on the topic of learning the names of different rooms in your home in Korean. Did you already go through the lessons for ‘kitchen’ and ‘bathroom’? Can you guess what we will learn to say in Korean today? That’s right! We will learn how to say ‘bedroom’ in Korean! After all, just like a kitchen and a bathroom, every home has one! Of course, in a studio – called a one room in Korea – it may not be separate from the kitchen and the living area, but today you will learn how to describe that, too!
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‘Bedroom’ in Korean
The word for how to say bedroom in Korean is 침실 (chimshil). This word combines the word 침대 (chimdae), which means ‘bed’ in Korean, with -실 (shil), the suffix noting something as a room in Korean.
Occasionally, you may also hear people refer to their bedrooms as 침방 (chimbang), as 방 (bang) stands for ‘room’ in Korean. However, it is much more common to use the word 침실 for ‘bedroom’, while 방 may be used to simply refer to your room, ie. 내방 (naebang), which is ‘my room’ in Korean.
Associations for ‘Bedroom’ in KoreanTo create an association for ‘bedroom’ in Korean, let’s take the word 침실 and break it down. It has two parts, ‘chim‘ and ‘shil‘ so what words could we use to associate with that? How about ‘chimney’ and ‘window sill’?
For our story, let’s imagine that when Koreans go to sleep, they sleep on a chimney as a bed and call it ‘chimney day’ or ‘chim day‘ for short. Now imagine you’re looking at blueprints for a home. How do Koreans identify rooms on the blueprint? They draw window sills around them! So when they look at a blueprint and see a ‘sill‘ they immediately know it’s a room!
So naturally what is a ‘bedroom’? The place they sleep, chimney, identified on the blueprint by the window sill. It’s the ‘chim sill‘ for short! 침실
Remember that a room can be identified with a -실 or with a –방.
A word of caution about RomanizationWhile it is possible for you to study the words in this article simply by reading their romanized versions, it will come in handy for you to be able to read Hangeul if you ever wish to come to Korea. Hangeul is the Korean alphabet, and not difficult to learn. In fact, you can learn it in just 90 minutes.
After you’ve familiarized yourself with Hangeul, life in Korea will suddenly seem so much easier and the country won’t appear so foreign for you. So, if you’re serious about learning Korean, why not learn Hangeul today?
Sample Sentences Formal:
여기 이 주택의 주 침실입니다. (yeogi i juthaeke ju chimshirimnida.)
Here is this house’s master bedroom.
Standard:
저는 원룸에서 살고 있어서 침실이 따로 없어요. (jeoneun wonrumeseo salgo isseoseo chimshiri eobseoyo.)
I don’t have a separate bedroom because I live in a one room.
우리 집은 침실 2개인 주택이에요. (uri jibeun chimshil 2gaein juthaekieyo.)
Our home is a 2 bedroom house.
Informal:
내 꿈은 10개의 침실이 있는 주택에서 사는것이야. (nae kkumeun 10gaee chimshiri inneun juthaekeseo saneungeoshiya.)
My dream is to live in a house with 10 bedrooms.
내 방은 욕실이 딸린 침실이야! 정말 신기하지? (nae bangeun yokshiri ddallin chimshiriya! Jeongmal shinkihaji?)
My bedroom has a bathroom in it! Isn’t that cool?
Now, was the word for ‘bedroom’ in Korean what you expected it to be? Which room in your home do you want to learn next?
Want more Korean phrases? Click here for a complete list!
Photo Credit: BigStockPhoto
The post How To Say ‘Bedroom’ In Korean appeared first on 90 Day Korean®.
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Korean FAQ – Learning Korean Through Japanese
There are many people who became interested in Korean after first being interested in Japanese (myself included) and vice versa. The two countries are neighbors and share thousands of years of history together. But despite that, the two languages are unrelated. Still, they share lots of similarities, and that leads many people to want to study both of them at the same time.
So let's talk about that. Why do Korean and Japanese seem so similar, if they're actually unrelated? Is it beneficial to learn both at the same time? What sorts of pitfalls should you avoid if you want to try this?
If you have any experiences learning both, post them in the comments too.
The post Korean FAQ – Learning Korean Through Japanese appeared first on Learn Korean with GO! Billy Korean.
How do you deal with loneliness while teaching abroad?
If you teach English abroad in China, Korea, Japan or wherever chances are at some point you may feel lonely.
It's normal.
It's also normal at first to feel completely excited about a place. But give it a few months and that excitement will likely wear off. Teaching English abroad is not the same as traveling abroad.
When you travel you can pick up and go when you get bored. There's novelty and that keeps things exciting and fresh.
But again that wears off. Here's an example from someone's post on Reddit.
TJFRS says:
I've been teaching English on the outskirts of Beijing (70km away) for a bit over two months now. One thing that is really getting to me is how few people speak English; I'm the only TEFL teacher in my entire district that I know of.
My Chinese level is borderline nonexistent. While initially I was fine, it's beginning to get to me how isolated I am from everyone else. I'm at a primary school, so I have difficulty with talking to the other teachers in English, and they all have their own lives and families besides.
Has anyone here been in a similar situation? I feel hugely isolated and alone, and I haven't felt happy since I got here. How did you get around that issue?
You are going to a foreign country where English is not the native language. Many people won't speak it. It's not their main language so you are going to encounter some language problems.
That's culture shock.
Teaching abroad is easier said then done. Everything is going to be different. All of these things will be different.
- The language
- The people
- The culture
- The environment
- Manners
- Your job
- Etc.
In some ways I don't think this is actually that different than at home. Here are some ideas for starters.
- Eat healthy
- Exercise
That's it?
Well, they wiil make you feel better. So are you doing those things now?
Those are the two basics that you need for personal health although you also need some sort of social support too.
- Take a language class or find a language exchange partner so you can connect with the locals.
- Join a gym. Some may be more foreigner friendly than others. There may or may not be other foreigners there. Don't expect them to be like home.
- Start a martial art. While in Taiwan I learned some wong chun, but now I practice judo and jiujitsu and this has been a great way for me to connect socially with other people. And I can find this community pretty much anywhere in the world.
- Dance. Take a dance class.
- Find a yoga class.
- Start a new hobby or continue an old one: play guitar, drums, write poetry, paint or whatever.
- Hike or travel locally.
- Work on your future self. Do you want to teach abroad long term? What are you going to do after? Work on it.
How do you find these things?
The bottom line is that you have to get on a local website in the city that you are living in or search Facebook, Google, wherever and find people locally doing some activities and then join them.
For example...
- In Taichung and Tainan, Taiwan I would use the website Tealit.com and some other sites.
- In Busan, Korea I would use the site Koreabridge.net.
- In Shanghai, I would use the site Shanghaiexpat, echinacities, and other Shanghai sites.
I think it definitely does. If you are a really social and an outgoing person then a larger city might be for you.
Why?
Because in a larger city you will have more options for pretty much everything and there will be more foreigners.
A small city will have fewer options and fewer foreigners.
ESLinsiderThings You Probably Didn't Know About Teaching English In Asia, But Should Know
What Is Korean Fashion?
What do Milan, Paris, New York, London and Tokyo have in common? All of them are among the leading cities when it comes to fashion. But these days, more fashion hubs are forming all over the world to challenge those cities. Among them is South Korea’s capital, Seoul. It hosts a wildly popular fashion week twice a year. Its designers are gaining more and more worldwide exposure and as for the general public in Seoul and elsewhere in Korea? They are known for their impeccable fashion sense in everyday life, both men and women. Shall we take a closer look at what Korean fashion is like?
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Harmony and sense of community are important traditional values in Korea and you can see the crossing of that even in Korean fashion. That means that although there are hundreds of thousands of stores all over Korea, many of them sell the same style of clothing items. At the very least very similar ones anyway. That is also due in part to the fact that many of clothing stores, especially the smaller ones, use local manufacturers. This is something that may limit the variety of the shops to choose from.
However, don’t take that to mean that everyone on the streets of Korea wear the same outfit. While many do share the same sense of style, there are also distinct differences between these styles. Let’s explore the different types of Korean fashion styles out there.
The Hongdae Street Style
Though this particular style isn’t limited to those hanging out in the Hongdae area, it is the most common. In general, it’s more common among those in their early twenties. It is a sort of a relaxed street look, mixing together the aesthetics of rock and hip hop. Especially the top part is often oversized or baggy, though men also like relaxed fit pants and shorts to go with it. While it’s a very unisex look, girls do wear dresses and skirts that go well with the look, as well. Girls also typically like to mix more colors into their outfits instead of sticking to predominantly black each and every time. Otherwise, this look is popular among both men and women. You can easily shop for the look in many of the stores in Hongdae’s streets, or order online from one of the many small online malls operated by Koreans.
Cover Your Shoulders and Chest…
Although Koreans are not deeply religious, their values are rooted in conservatism. Thus, to a certain extent, it is expected of women to act and look pure, or at least classy. What this entails is that it is frowned upon for Korean women to dress too revealing, especially in the top part. In other words: cover your shoulders, chest, and stomach. Better yet, don’t wear backless clothes, either.
Of course, the rules on this are getting more lax as Korean fashion and the trends for Korean women evolve. Though you still won’t see many women wearing backless tops or tank tops, many are in love with off shoulder and cold shoulder tops these days. And while the chest area remains covered, crop tops have become a big trend. They’re especially popular to mix with high waisted pants, shorts, and skirts.
…But Reveal Your Legs!
On the other hand, going mini in the lower body has absolutely been a trend in Korea for many years. And there doesn’t seem to be a change happening any time soon! Mini skirts, short shorts, and mini dresses are definitely in. Unfortunately, it poses a problem for those girls with slightly wider hips or bigger butts, as the hem cuts might be even too short for them to wear. But while Korean women love to show their legs, they do usually wear undershorts (or the skirts come equipped with it), to protect themselves from showing a little too much.
The skirts are typically either tennis skirts or bodycon skirts, in both case they are usually high waisted. For shorts, jean shorts are especially popular.
Oversizing
From tops to coats, and pants to dresses, Korean women love wearing clothes oversized enough to hide their forms. They are especially popular for casual use, existing even in the form of sweater dresses, and focused on utmost comfort. It also offers a cute but effortless look. Many women love to combine an oversized item with a tighter one, usually a loose t-shirt, blouse, or sweater, with skinny jeans or a skirt. Others may wear an oversized top together with a loose bottom, which is another popular type of style gaining popularity amongst Koreans.
Layer It Up, Season To Season
Following the idea that one shouldn’t bear their shoulders or show too much chest, layers were born. And by layers we mean wearing a simple t-shirt or a long sleeved top under a spaghetti strap dress. The girls either mix and match it however they please, or they can also find readily made sets on sale at any boutique, usually for a low cost. And this is by no means the only way they do layers – you can do it in any creative way you could think of! Even lace dresses over pants is a thing!
Did We Ever Leave School?
As you may already know, in Korea you wear a school uniform throughout all of your school years. But that school uniform look has also become a part of general everyday Korean fashion, especially for the ladies. The integral part of this look is the a-lined skirt, which may be one color or patterned with plaid. Options for what to pair up with it are nearly limitless, from simple tees to vests over shirts.
Let Them Know We’re In Love
And of course it’s its own type of a fashion statement when a couple in Korea wears matching clothes. It is completely normal in Korea for couples to buy not only one matching item with each other, but full outfits, from backpacks to shoes! So if you ever happen to get yourself a Korean bae, perhaps it’s a trend you’ll become a part of as well?
So what’s your favorite Korean style and who is the most stylish Korean you know of? Let us know your picks in the comments below!
Photo Credit: BigStockPhoto
The post What Is Korean Fashion? appeared first on 90 Day Korean®.
My Thoughts on the US Midterm: Voting against Trump to Defend US Institutions and Keep the GOP from becoming the National Front
This essay is a re-post of a post I wrote for the Lowy Institute before the election explaining my vote against Donald Trump’s Republican party. This post went viral on Twitter; thank you.
One thing I wish I had emphasized more in retrospect is that Trump is turning the GOP into the National Front. I mention that in the essay, but the more I think about Trump’s impact on the Republicans, the more I think the National Front is the right model for where the GOP is going. The NF is a lot like Trump himself: semi-authoritarian, racist, gangsterish, flirting with anti-semitism. No wonder Bannon and Marine LePen get on so well.
I say all this as a deeply disaffected lifelong registered Republican. I voted a straight Democratic ticket this week just because of Trump’s threat to America’s institutions. I figure I will stay a registered Republican for the 2020 primary, to vote against Trump there. But if Trump wins re-election, I see no choice but to register as a Democrat. The GOP will be unrecognizable at that point – basically the American National Front by 2024. I imagine a lot of other center-right natsec types are probably thinking the same. This whole thing is so depressing, because the US actually needs a coherent center-right party as a part of checks-and-balances in a two-party system.
The full essay is after the jump…
One of the worst clichés of US politics is that the next election is the most important ever/in your lifetime/in recent history, and so on. When I worked in US politics in the 1990s, I heard this all time. Americans are bewitched by the notion that elections represent major turning points in national life. American news coverage flogs this notion relentlessly – likely to drive up viewership by inflating the stakes – and election gurus in the US like Karl Rove, Frank Luntz, and James Carville have built careers around this idea.
Midterm elections are generally spared this overwrought breathlessness. Without the presidency at stake, that impact is automatically lower. But most presidential elections in retrospect are not hugely consequential either. Something that happens regularly every four years cannot be special by definition. When I think of US elections since the Cold War, the only two that in retrospect leap out as the ‘most important in my lifetime’ are 2004 and 2016.
2004 was critical, because the American war in Iraq was on the ballot, as well as a president who had lost the popular vote in 2000. George W. Bush’s 2004 victory solidified both the legitimacy of his presidency after the deeply divisive Florida recount, and the continuance of America’s most misbegotten conflict since Vietnam.
But 2016 must be the most important post-Cold War American election. The US elected a deeply unserious reality TV star who has since trafficked authoritarianism and far-right social themes few thought Americans would respond to in the 21st century. Donald Trump has brought to the fore far more racism than most white American elites thought was out there in American life. Trump has also exposed an authoritarian temptation in the US population which almost no one thought possible in the world’s oldest democracy. Trump has governed as a fairly orthodox Republican, but he was elected with aggressively reactionary themes which startled everyone and revealed greater fragility in US democracy than anyone thought, especially after the rather banal, centrist Barack Obama presidency.
This is the closest the US has come to an authoritarian in the presidency in its history – no, Donald Trump is not an authoritarian or fascist, but he is closer to that position than any of his predecessors. When I speak before business audiences in East Asia, I am routinely asked if Trump is America’s Mussolini or wants to be a dictator. Trump’s language on Twitter, such as calling the media ‘the enemy of the people,’ is frequently semi-authoritarian. And the recent decision to end birthright citizenship, a constitutional right in the 14th Amendment, via executive order is an astonishing act of authoritarian overreach which will almost certainly land his administration in court.
Trump is also remaking the Republican party in his own image, which increasingly looks like the semi-fascist National Rally (formerly the National Front) in France. The US has never had a blood-and-soil nationalist party, but if one watches Trumpist media, most obvious Fox News, in the weeks running up to next week’s midterm election, the messaging is drenched in racialism, if not openly racist.
Hence, the 2018 midterm has emerged as the most important midterm election in a long time, certainly in my lifetime. This is the first time since 2016 for American voters to respond to Trumpism as a governing philosophy rather than just campaign sloganeering. If the Republican party’s majority survives in the Congress, Trump, Congressional Republicans, and GOP voters will take this as a validation of the Trumpist turn of 2016. Non-Trump Republicans like Jeff Flake and Paul Ryan will continue to quit. They will be replaced by Trumpish National Front-style politicians. Trump himself will double-down on the racial and ‘deep state’ themes that seem to be rewarding him so richly. And Trump voters will feel themselves liberated from ‘political correctness’ to be more openly racially provocative in public, as in Charlottesville last year.
At the moment, it is still possible to argue that Trump is an ‘accidental president.’ He lost the popular vote, apparently did not want to win, does not take the job seriously, and does not seem to have much of a policy agenda beyond his grievances – ‘owning the libs,’ attacking anything Obama did, feathering the nest of the Trump conglomerate. But victory this fall would end this option for dismissing Trump. If 2018 and 2020 do not deliver a sharp rebuke to the GOP – not just Trump, but the GOP in general – the Trumpist turn will continue. The GOP will become even more extreme than it is now, especially on race and constitutional norms of fair play.
As asymmetric polarization worsens, the country will become increasingly ungovernable. Trump’s constant race-baiting will worsen race-relations, and the GOP will drift toward a National Front-like white party dependent on an aging racist coalition. As these voters pass away, the minoritarian Trump coalition will prove itself unable to win races without constitutionally gimmickry. Under Mitch McConnell and Trump, the GOP has already experimented with questionable constitutional maneuvers, such as extremely strict voter identification laws, leaving a Supreme Court seat purposefully unfilled, militarizing the border, government shut-downs and debt default threats to blackmail Democrats, endless filibustering, and so on. All this will worsen, and the GOP in power will increasingly spark constitutional crises.
Entrenched minoritarian Republican rule, especially of a harsh, Trump-National Front variety, will also likely breed a backlash on the left. Indeed if Trump wins the 2020 presidential election without the popular vote, a constitutional rupture may loom. That would be the third time in just twenty years – 2000 and 2016 also – that the Electoral College has thrown the election to the GOP which otherwise would have lost. The American left may well feel that America’s governing institutions are structurally tilted against them and blocking their earned victory. That a Trumpized GOP will refuse to govern as a center-right party congnizant of the narrow margin of its victory will make this anger on the left even worse. How will it respond? On the streets if it does not believe it can win elections?
I say all this as a life-long registered Republican. I have voted in GOP primaries since I was 18. I have been a general election swing voter since the GOP began to radicalize under Bush II, but I never switched party registration, because I figured the GOP needed someone to vote for moderates in the primaries. While this was uncomfortable under Bush and then Sarah Palin, under Trump it is a disaster. I voted a straight Democratic ticket (via absentee) for the first time in my life in this election, including for one candidate I believe is inferior to his GOP opponent. But this is absolutely necessary, and I hope any American readers will do the same. Donald Trump is a threat to both American democracy and liberalism. He is turning the Republican party into the racist, semi-authoritarian National Front. He needs to be decisively defeated at the ballot box this week and in 2020. The best way to do that is to vote mechanically for Democrats under Trumpism is defeated.
Robert E KellyAssistant Professor
Department of Political Science & Diplomacy
Pusan National University
@Robert_E_Kelly
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Silk Worm CHALLENGE in Korea | 번데기 도전
Why would anyone ever want to eat silk worm pupae? Well, I'll tell you.
Silk worm pupae - known as 번데기 - were once an insanely popular Korean snack for both young and old. They're a cheap source of protein, and despite their appearance (worms? bugs?) taste pretty... well, edible.
During the Korean War and after, protein was scarce as it was being used for the military. Regular citizens didn't have many reliable and affordable sources of protein, so they turned to silk worm pupae. Well, not quite. Silk worm pupae were already a popular snack in Korea well before the Korean War (silk worms were originally brought over to Korea from China), but the Korean War helped popularize them and increase their demand in Korea. It was that necessity for cheap, edible, and reliable protein that drove the snack into becoming how famous it is even today.
These days young people avoid it due to the smell, appearance, texture, and even taste. Personally I think none of those are too off-putting, and it actually tastes quite nice, but I can understand why these days with so many other types of meat and snacks and fast food available that people no longer prefer eating silk worm pupae. But as a cultural experience, you won't find anything else quite like it.
Do you think you'd want to try them?
The post Silk Worm CHALLENGE in Korea | 번데기 도전 appeared first on Learn Korean with GO! Billy Korean.
How To Say ‘Kitchen’ In Korean
What kind of a house or an apartment do you live in? How many rooms does it have? How would you describe each room? Better yet, do you know how to name and describe each of the rooms in Korean yet?
Today we will learn how to say kitchen in Korean. Now, we are not psychics, we don’t know exactly what your kitchen looks like! However, what we can do is to help you getting started describing the kitchen in your home. Perhaps even kitchen’s in other people’s homes, or restaurants! Let’s get learning!
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‘Kitchen’ in Korean
The first word for how to say kitchen in Korean is 부엌 (bueok). The word may look a little bit tricky at first, but luckily it’s short enough to be easy to remember! Another word for how to say kitchen in Korean that is in popular use is 주방 (jubang).
They are both interchangeable with each other. However, there is also a specific difference in the meanings of the two words. Can you guess what it is?
부엌 is the older word of the two. It is still popular to use amongst the older generation of Koreans, no matter what type of a kitchen they are referring to. However, at its roots, the word 부엌 specifically means a traditional kind of Korean kitchen.
Meanwhile, 주방 is the more modern word for kitchen. This is more likely to be the word you’ll hear younger Koreans use, and thus may be the more important word for you to know. Specifically, the word 주방 refers to a modern style of kitchen, with gas stoves and all. Also, you would use the word 주방 to refer to a restaurant kitchen.
Associations for ‘Kitchen’ in KoreanTo remember 부엌 (bueok) think of being in an old traditional kitchen. There’s no running water, and you have to make a fire in an old stove to cook anything. It’s a lot of work! So much work is no fun so when you have to cook there you say “Boo! Work!” (imagine sticking out your tongue at the idea of the work too). This sounds like the word for kitchen, 부엌.
For the newer word, know that 방 is the general word for “room” in Korean. Knowing this, where is the room you keep the juice? Why in the ‘kitchen’ of course! Think of the kitchen as the “juice room” and remember that Koreans like to shorten words so they’re easier to say. So we get the “ju(ice) bang,” 주방.
Related Vocabulary부엌용품 (bueokhyongphum) – kitchen utensils
부엌세간 (bueoksegan) – kitchen utensils
주방기구 (jubangkigu) – kitchen utensils
주방용구 (jubangyonggu) – kitchen utensils
A word of caution about Romanization
While it is possible for you to study the words in this article simply by reading their romanized versions, it will come in handy for you to be able to read Hangeul if you ever wish to come to Korea. Hangeul is the Korean alphabet, and not difficult to learn. In fact, you can learn it in just 90 minutes.
After you’ve familiarized yourself with Hangeul, life in Korea will suddenly seem so much easier and the country won’t appear so foreign for you. So, if you’re serious about learning Korean, why not learn Hangeul today?
Sample Sentences
Standard:
남편이 부엌에 요리를 하고 있어요. (namphyeoni bueokhe yorireul hago isseoyo.)
The husband is cooking in the kitchen.
저는 주방 보조로 일해요. (jeoneun jubang bojoro irhaeyo.)
I work as an assistant to a chef.
Informal:
미안해, 난 부엌에 있어서 폰을 못 들었어. (mianhae, nan bueokhe isseoseo phoneul mot deureosseo.)
Sorry, I was in the kitchen so I couldn’t hear the phone.
여긴 우리 집의 주방이야. (yeogin uri jibe jubangiya.)
This is our home’s kitchen.
Now that you know how to say “kitchen” in Korean, what other rooms of the house would you like to know? Let us know in the comments below!
Want more Korean phrases? Click here for a complete list!
Photo Credit: BigStockPhoto
The post How To Say ‘Kitchen’ In Korean appeared first on 90 Day Korean®.
Korean FAQ – What Does 빠른 년생 Mean?
Before watching the video, try to guess what the term 빠른 년생 means (unless you already know). Got it? Okay, let's continue.
This is a concept not well explained in textbooks (even my own) because it's an older system no longer in use. However despite it being retired (and technically no longer even legal), it's still a term that's used in Korea by Koreans - especially older Koreans. You might encounter this term used if you spend time living in Korea, and if you're a Korean then you'll have to be able to use it yourself.
While this system caused a lot of problems in Korea and is now gone, hopefully you'll be able to better understand what it was and why they got rid of it.
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8 Interesting Ways to Stay Warm This Winter
Korea is a country of four seasons. It has a gorgeous spring with so many different kinds of flowers in full bloom, including everyone’s favorite: cherry blossoms. It has a hot and humid summer that is at its best at the beginning and end of the season. It also has a short fall, during which the leaves turn into beautiful rustic colors all around the country. And finally, it has a winter that is cold and dry, and sometimes snowy as well.
And because winter in Korea does get cold, it’s important to know just how to get through it without freezing. Maybe even take a little enjoyment by finding ways to stay warm. Even if you come from a colder region, the difference in climate, and the way the buildings here are built and heated, just may come as a surprise to you. But if you read this post, you’ll absolutely be prepared to take on your next winter in Korea!
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1. Ondol = Floor Heating
A majority of the apartments in Korea are heated with 온돌 (ondol), which means floor heating. It’s operated by gas. Especially if you live in a newer building, you likely won’t have to worry too much about the monthly fees climbing up when using the ondol. At least not if you are using it sensibly instead of just madly blasting it throughout the entire winter. There are settings on the panel to ensure that, though each building has a different type of panel, you may want to ask for help from a Korean friend or another friend who’s lived in Korea longer on how to operate it. Once you’ve figured it out though, you’re already one step closer to feeling comfortably toasty throughout the winter!
2. Electric Blanket
Those who are worried about their gas bills skyrocketing during winter can easily opt to using an electric blanket at their homes instead. There are different types you can use. Most popular are underblankets, which you put between your mattress and bed sheet. Alternatively, you can also use one as a duvet or together with your duvet. As the electric blanket can get really hot, you don’t need to keep it on all the time for it to keep you warm.
3. Bubblewrap On The Windows
This is a method that many Koreans use, especially in older buildings. The windows in Korea aren’t typically built to be the thickest and sturdiest so, especially on a windy day, it’s easy for the cold air to get in. To combat this Koreans will cover their windows with bubble wrap on all of the inner sides for cheap cold relief that lasts all winter. All you need is a spray bottle with water in it and some sheets of bubble wrap. Spray the sides of the window with water and press the bubble wrap to the edges. The water will hold the bubble wrap to the window while you enjoy a warmer home.
4. Heat Packs
Now, we may have covered how to stay warm and cozy indoors, but what about when you actually have to go outside? Just stop by Olive Young and get yourself some heat packs! You will have to put a little bit of effort into triggering the warming effect, but once you do just keep the heat pack in your pocket, or in your hand, and your fingers will absolutely thank you for it.
5. Heat Patches
If you feel like heat packs just aren’t quite enough, you can also find heat patches at Olive Young and similar stores. The way the heat patches work is that you simply stick it on a part of your body, most likely your back, and let it work its magic keeping you warm for a few hours. It’s not healthy to keep the heat patch on for too long, but it’s a good thing to try for a short time on a cold day!
6. Heat Tech and Thermal Clothing
The Japanese brand UNIQLO is famous for their basic sets of clothes that come with heat tech aka heating technology, but a lot of local Korean brands have jumped on board in the past few years as well in creating leggings and under layers that come with thermal effects. They alone won’t save you from the coldness of the winter, but they’re definitely the warmest choice of clothing you could go for besides your winter coat (and the thickest knit you could possibly come across at a clothing store).
7. Hot Drinks and Hot Food
Not only do you get something delicious to fill up your belly with, your fingers will also thank you for the heat coming from holding the cup or food! So drop by a convenience store, a coffee shop, or a street food stand, and get your fill of hot drinks and hot food the next time you begin to feel chilly during winter in Korea.
8. Jjimjilbang Or Hot Spring It Up
Who said that you can’t make winter in Korea your playground and get into some warmer activities? Because you most definitely can! Jjimjilbangs are absolutely everywhere and usually offer several saunas and hot pools to choose from. So not only do you get to wash up and have a moment to relax, you’ll also totally forget it’s -20°C outside! Alternatively, Korea has also made the best of their water parks and now even offer ones that operate just as normal in the winter time in certain regions by using the water of the hot springs! It’ll definitely be your hottest day outdoors this winter in Korea!
So now that you know how to stay warm this winter hopefully you’ll not only survive, but thrive! What do you think is the best way to stay warm in the Korean winters? Let us know in the comments below!
Photo Credit: BigStockPhoto
The post 8 Interesting Ways to Stay Warm This Winter appeared first on 90 Day Korean®.
