I'm Korean. Ask me Questions! 질문받습니다!

What brings you here?

Questions on Korean language.	19.6%	[ 10 ]
Questions on Korean culture.	23.5%	[ 12 ]
Other questions.	9.8%	[ 5 ]
No reason.	47.1%	[ 24 ]
Total Votes:			[ 51 ]

[kimchi for the seoul]

uxleah

kimchi for the seoul

안녕하세요! 저는 페이지입니다
한국어를 배우고있어요 그런데 I'm having trouble ; u ;
What are some ways you suggest I study?
감사합니다!

Hi Paige 안녕하세요~~ whee
Could you tell me what kind of trouble you are having?

The best way to learn a language is, of course, having conversations with a native speaker. There are many alternative ways, and here are suggestions in order:

1. Go through a book or an online tutorial for learning Korean.
You will be able to familiarize yourself with some basic sentence structure and vocabulary. At this phase, you can go all out and learn it all, but I recommend you approach this step casually. This is where most people get stressed out and drop out.

2. Listen to Korean
Whether it is Korean drama, music, conversation recordings, listen to Korean words and sentences. I don't recommend the recent KPOP music since it has too much gibberish and Engurish. Try to get a hold of some proper Korean speaking instead of slangs or Engurish.

When starting this step, don't try to understand everything. Just listen for familiar sentence forms or familiar words. You will be able to familiarizes yourself with Korean speaking.

3. Talk with a Korean
Practice your speaking once you will good about your knowledge of Korean. However, don't hesitate on going to this step, since this step is all about trial and error. Find a friendly Korean (preferably someone who can speak your first language) and talk away!

** Maybe you noticed, but I'm not a big fan of memorizing. I'm all about Learning, **
Hope this helped whee

I'm having some trouble with Korean sentence structure and those pesky particles. Also I don't have anyone to talk to really (plus I'm shy)
But I will try to listen to more Korean songs etc. Thanks for the suggestions!

[uxleah]

Tortov

well, i hate to generalize. but why is it the younger generation is superficial?

Good question!
I'm assuming you are referring to the ever prominent Lookism in Korea. The answer to this is the environment that the young Koreans grew up in. I will expand on this, since it's such a good question to understand the Korean culture now.

Until 2000, South Korea had a lot to deal with: the coup d'etat in 1979, rapid industrialization, IMF crisis, etc. Value of good looks was solid even then, but it had focus on hygiene and neat appearance. Starting 2000, Korean people had more money and time to spend on their entertainment and looks. The standard of good looks shifted form neat to unique and stylish, mainly from influence of Western culture (which was introduced by the 88 Olympics, tourists, and international students coming back from US).

Wide distribution of digital cameras, camera phones, and DSRL cameras and fast growth of online communities (BuddyBuddy and Cyworld, Facebook of Korea at that time) lead to the spark that 'started' lookism in Korea - Korean teenagers began to upload their photos (selfies) on their webpages. The photos of attractive girls and boys (some photoshopped wink ) were shared and idolized by the Korean generation. These girls and boys were called 'Ulzzang', which means best face (appearance), and the the infamous Ulzzang culture started.

Ulzzang culture started this phenomena in South Korea, but it was the media that really started the bonfire of lookism. The media began commercializing appearance and sex and gave adoration and praises to good looking celebrities and Ulzzangs. At this point, the standard of beauty was heavily Westernized, with white skin, big eyes, high nose, and glamorous body. The idolization of "best" spread to South Korea, and soon South Korea became a nation of competition to be the best and constant comparison to the best (not only in appearance).

Lookism, first defined in late 1970s in US, is the preferential treatment given to physically attractive people (appearance matching cultural preferences). Today, it has risen as one of the major social injustice in South Korea. it's extremely difficult for people with good appearance (especially women) to get a job. Many girls were bullied, unfairly treated (and some even threatened to murder "death to the ugly and fat" ) because of their looks, and began the rise of plastic surgeries. The plastic surgeries changed lives of many women and men (mostly for the better), and the other appearance enhancing practices are being done at a high cost.

Yes, the younger generation is superficial. However, you should understand it's not their fault - like racism and other social injustice are often not caused by the generation practicing it.


tl;dr - I bolded major factors.

[uxleah]

Jozh

uxleah

Jozh

uxleah

Jozh

doublecuppin

How do you say my name in Korean?
"Chris"

It's "Kurisuuu" oh wait that's Japanese >_<

Haha! it's 크리스 whee

You're online biggrin

Yush biggrin but going to sleep soon.

I'll throw a pokeball at you smile

Oh no!
The pokemon broke free!

whee whee whee whee whee

[Jozh]

uxleah

Jozh

uxleah

Jozh

uxleah

Haha! it's 크리스 whee

You're online biggrin

Yush biggrin but going to sleep soon.

I'll throw a pokeball at you smile

Oh no!
The pokemon broke free!

whee whee whee whee whee

Was it effective?

[uxleah]

Jozh

uxleah

Jozh

uxleah

Jozh

uxleah

Haha! it's 크리스 whee

You're online biggrin

Yush biggrin but going to sleep soon.

I'll throw a pokeball at you smile

Oh no!
The pokemon broke free!

whee whee whee whee whee

Was it effective?

nope! whee whee

[Jozh]

uxleah

Jozh

uxleah

Jozh

uxleah

Yush biggrin but going to sleep soon.

I'll throw a pokeball at you smile

Oh no!
The pokemon broke free!

whee whee whee whee whee

Was it effective?

nope! whee whee

But your username is now blue. A shiny!

[uxleah]

lol!! It feels good to be a shiny xp

[BASTARZ]

I love you...

Hello there! I was wondering if you would like to be a Korean friend of mine. I am a fan of kpop and kdramas. And I would love to learn more about Korean and such, and making a friend seems like the best way to do it! emotion_yatta

...사랑해요❤

[Katsuraki1]

How would you say my name "Eleina" in Korean? biggrin

[uxleah]

II TaoRis II

I love you...

Hello there! I was wondering if you would like to be a Korean friend of mine. I am a fan of kpop and kdramas. And I would love to learn more about Korean and such, and making a friend seems like the best way to do it! emotion_yatta

...사랑해요❤

Hi! sure~~ I'll friend you whee

[uxleah]

Coconut Bounty

How would you say my name "Eleina" in Korean? biggrin

Eleina (if it sounds like 'E-lain-ah') = 일레이나 whee Pretty name!

[BASTARZ]

uxleah

II TaoRis II

I love you...

Hello there! I was wondering if you would like to be a Korean friend of mine. I am a fan of kpop and kdramas. And I would love to learn more about Korean and such, and making a friend seems like the best way to do it! emotion_yatta

...사랑해요❤

Hi! sure~~ I'll friend you whee

I love you...

Thank you~ I hope this friendship will last a long time, 친구 emotion_yatta

...사랑해요❤

[The Comrade 5000]

You've probably been asked this a lot but how do you feel about North Korea? Are you afraid? Do you hate them? Do you hope that both sides will unite once again or at least set aside their differences?

[Katsuraki1]

uxleah

Coconut Bounty

How would you say my name "Eleina" in Korean? biggrin

Eleina (if it sounds like 'E-lain-ah') = 일레이나 whee Pretty name!

Yes it sounds like that xD. Most people who read my name don't know how it's pronounced ^~^ glad you do. Hehe thank you 4laugh ^~^.

[100ShotsNoDolph]

I'm Half Korean half Light skinned Latino, I used to live in the Andong area biggrin