Learning Korean with me

Explore how to compare Korean and your country’s culture in advanced Korean. A perfect topic to build your TOPIK 6-level skills! 🔵 Introduction 📌 Key Vocabulary for Cultural Analysis 📚 Advanced Grammar & Usage 🌐 Cultural Comparison: Korea vs [Your Country] 🧠 Did You Know? 💡 Final Thoughts 🔵 Introduction Cultural comparison is a common theme in advanced Korean writing and speaking tests such as TOPIK II. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to describe Korean culture and compare it to your own, using high-level vocabulary, complex grammar structures, and culturally nuanced expressions. 📌 Key Vocabulary for Cultural Analysis 집단주의 (jipdanjuui) – Collectivism 개인주의 (gaeinjuui) – Individualism 위계질서 (wigye jilsseo) – Hierarchical order 예의범절 (yeyibeomjeol) – Etiquette and manners 사회적 조화 (sahoejeok johwa) – Social harmony 상호존중 (sanghojonjung) – Mutual respect 다양성 존중 (dayangseong jonjung) – Respect for diversity 📚 Advanced Grammar & Usage Whe...

Proverbs are short, wise sayings that carry deep meanings, and Korean is full of them! Learning these expressions helps you understand Korean culture, values, and how people think. Plus, they make your speech sound more natural and thoughtful. 📘 Table of Contents 1. Why Learn Korean Proverbs? 2. 10 Useful Korean Proverbs 3. Did You Know? 4. Related Posts 🔍 1. Why Learn Korean Proverbs? Proverbs reflect Korean traditions, Confucian values, and the importance of relationships. They are commonly used in conversations, dramas, and even business settings. Understanding them gives you an edge when navigating Korean communication styles. 💬 2. 10 Useful Korean Proverbs 티끌 모아 태산 (tikkeul moa taesan) – "Dust gathered becomes a mountain." 🔸 Even small efforts add up over time. 가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다 (ganeun mari gowaya oneun mari gopda) – "If the outgoing words are kind, the incoming words will be kind too." 🔸 Speak nicely if you want ot...

Reading Korean webtoons is one of the most fun and effective ways to improve your Korean! You not only learn modern expressions, slang, and daily dialogue, but also get a deep dive into Korean pop culture and storytelling. 📘 Table of Contents 1. Why Read Webtoons? 2. Tips for Reading 3. Best Platforms to Read Webtoons 4. Useful Korean Expressions in Webtoons 5. Webtoons Turned Into K-Dramas and Movies 6. Did You Know? 7. Related Posts 📌 1. Why Read Webtoons? Korean webtoons (웹툰, weptun) are full of casual and natural language, making them perfect for learners. You’ll see sentence-ending particles, onomatopoeia, and culture-specific humor you won’t find in textbooks. 💡 2. Tips for Reading Start with webtoons that match your interest and level (romance, slice of life, action) Use Papago or Naver Dictionary to look up new expressions Try reading with the Korean and English versions side by side 📱 3. Best Platforms to Read Webtoons Naver...

Metaphors are more than just colorful language — they reveal how people think, feel, and interact in a culture. In Korean, figurative language is widely used in everyday conversations, K-dramas, and literature. Learning these expressions helps you sound more natural and understand native speakers better. 📘 Table of Contents 1. What Are Metaphors in Korean? 2. Why Learn Figurative Language? 3. 10 Common Korean Metaphors 4. How to Practice 5. Did You Know? 6. Related Posts You’ll Enjoy 📌 1. What Are Metaphors in Korean? A metaphor (은유 eunu, simile 비유 biyo) is a way to describe something by comparing it to something else. In Korean, this is often done through imagery and cultural references. These expressions can be poetic or humorous and are key to understanding how Koreans express emotions and observations. 💡 2. Why Learn Figurative Language? Learning metaphors helps you: Understand native-level Korean Sound more fluent and expressive Catch the...

Learning how to express reported speech in Korean is essential for sharing information you heard from someone else. In Korean, this is typically done using the expression -다고 하다 . In this post, we’ll walk through how to use this structure with different types of verbs and adjectives, and help you sound more natural and informed in Korean conversations. 📘 Table of Contents 1. Sentence Structure 2. With Action Verbs 3. With Descriptive Verbs 4. Past & Future Tense Forms 5. Example Sentences 6. Did You Know? 7. Want to Learn More Korean? 🧱 1. Sentence Structure -다고 하다 is used to quote declarative sentences. It can be translated as “(someone) said that…” or “I heard that…”. Verb/Adjective Stem + 다고 하다 Example: 간다고 하다 (said that he/she is going) 이다 (to be) → 이라고 하다 아니다 (to not be) → 아니라고 하다 🏃‍♂️ 2. With Action Verbs When quoting an action verb, remove 다 and add -다고 하다 . - 간다고 하다 → (They) said they are going - 먹는다고 하다 → (They) said they are...

  Ever heard a Korean say “쨍쨍” or “두근두근” and wondered what it meant? Welcome to the world of 의성어 (onomatopoeia) and 의태어 (mimetic words) — where sound and motion come alive in Korean! These colorful words are everywhere in K-dramas, webtoons, and daily conversations. Let's dive in! 🎨 📘 1. What Are 의성어 and 의태어? 의성어 (uiseongeo) : words that imitate sounds (onomatopoeia) 의태어 (uitaeeo) : words that imitate actions, emotions, or appearances (mimetic words) In Korean, these words are often repeated twice (e.g., 깡총깡총) and carry vivid emotional or sensory nuance. They're playful, expressive, and very Korean! 📊 2. Common Examples Type Korean Romanization Meaning 의성어 멍멍 meong-meong woof woof (dog) 의성어 쨍쨍 jjaeng-jjaeng blazing sun / very sunny 의태어 두근두근 dugeun-dugeun heart beating fast 의태어 살금살금 salgeum-salgeum sneaking quietly 의성어 쿵쾅쿵쾅 kung-kwang kung-kwang boom boom (lo...

  If you're a fan of anime, K-pop, or both — chances are you've already been captivated by K-pop Demon Hunters . But did you know that the series is not just entertaining — it’s a perfect gateway to learning Korean, too? From high-energy anthems like "Golden" to darker tracks like "Takedown" and "Your Idol" , this soundtrack is packed with phrases, grammar structures, and cultural references that give you a deeper connection to Korean language and society. Let’s break down some key lyrics, explore their meanings, and uncover the hidden Korean culture behind the storyline! 📘 Table of Contents 1. “Golden” – Rise and Shine Again 2. “Takedown” – Declaring a Fight 3. “Your Idol” – Where Tradition Meets Pop 4. Korean Culture Hidden in the Story 5. 💡 Did You Know? 6. 🎓 Want to Learn More Korean? 1. “Golden” – Rise and Shine Again The song “Golden” represents resilience and rebirth. In Korean, you’ll hear lin...

Counting in Korean can be tricky at first because there are two number systems . 😅 But don’t worry! In this post, I’ll show you when and how to use each system, teach you to count from 1 to 100, and help you practice like a pro. 💪 🧠 Why Are There Two Number Systems? Korean uses: Native Korean Numbers (고유어 숫자) – Used for counting things, age (in casual speech), hours. Sino-Korean Numbers (한자어 숫자) – Derived from Chinese, used for dates, money, phone numbers, minutes, floors, etc. Example: Age (casual): 스물다섯 살 (25 years old) → Native Price: 이천 원 (2,000 won) → Sino 🇰🇷 Native Korean Numbers (1–20) Number Korean Romanization 1 하나 hana 2 둘 dul 3 셋 set 4 넷 net 5 다섯 daseot 6 여섯 yeoseot 7 일곱 ilgop 8 여덟 yeodeol 9 아홉 ahop 10 열 yeol 11 열하나 yeol-hana 12 열둘 yeol-dul 13 열셋 yeol-set 14 열넷 yeol-net 15 열다섯 yeol-daseot 16 열여섯 yeol-yeoseot 17 열일곱 yeol-ilgop 18 열여덟 yeol-yeodeol 19 열아홉 yeol-ahop 20 스물 seumul ✨ Note: Native Korean numbers rarely go above 99 — most use Sino-Kore...

Have you ever wanted to read and write in Korean? 🤔 You're in the right place! Hangul (한글), the Korean alphabet, may look intimidating, but it's actually one of the most logical and easy-to-learn writing systems in the world. 🧠✍️ In this post, I’ll guide you through the basics of Hangul so you can start reading Korean in just one day! 🧩 What is Hangul? Hangul is the writing system of the Korean language. It was invented in the 15th century by King Sejong the Great 👑 to improve literacy among common people. It consists of 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels , and characters are combined into syllable blocks (not written linearly like English). Examples: 한 (Han) 국 (Guk) Hangul is praised for its simplicity and scientific design. Even UNESCO has recognized it as one of the most scientific writing systems in the world! 🌏✨ 🔤 The Basic Consonants Here are the 14 basic consonants and their approximate English sounds: Korean Romanization Sound Like ㄱ g/k ...

If you’ve just started learning Korean, chances are you’ve run into these small but powerful words: 은/는 , 이/가 , and 을/를 . They’re called particles (조사), and they attach to nouns to show what role each word plays in a sentence. Think of them as Korean sentence glue ! 🧷 Let’s break down each one so you can start using them naturally. 1️⃣ 은/는 – The Topic Particle Used to introduce or emphasize the topic of a sentence. 은 → after consonants 는 → after vowels Examples: 저는 학생이에요. (jeoneun haksaeng-ieyo) → As for me , I’m a student. 이 음식은 맛있어요. (i eumsig-eun masisseoyo) → This food , it's delicious. 📌 Tip: 은/는 often shows contrast or general statements. → 오늘은 비가 와요. ( Today , it’s raining — but not yesterday.) 2️⃣ 이/가 – The Subject Particle Used to mark the subject that is doing something or existing. 이 → after consonants 가 → after vowels Examples: 고양이가 귀여워요. (goyangi-ga gwiyeowoyo) → The cat is cute. 친구가 왔어요. (chingu-ga wasseoyo) → A friend ...