https://www.youtube.com/embed/mgqwLXpJ8yg Did you know that South Korea has twelve days each year that celebrate (or mourn over, in the case of Black Day) love? And three of them are in December!  While in Western cultures, people tend to associate Christmas with the birth of Jesus and time with family, most South Koreans perceive Christmas as a day for celebrating romance. In this article, you’ll learn about common South Korean traditions for Christmas, explore some of the most popular activities, and pick up some new vocabulary.  Ready? Let’s go.  1. A South Korean Christmas Like many countries, South Korea has its own version of 크리스마스 (keuriseumaseu), or "Christmas," celebrated each year on... Show more

Things could get awkward if you replaced "to wish" with "to lose color" in a sentence.  That’s why today we’re going to introduce fourteen confusing verbs for Korean learners. Often, confusing words are similar in pronunciation, but usually have completely different meanings (e.g. 반듯이 and 반드시 ). Words like this are also the root of many common Korean spelling mistakes! Even native Koreans make mistakes regarding these confusing words, and mistakes in foreign languages happen all the time. So even if you can't distinguish between these words, don’t be discouraged.  But we do hope our guide helps you out by showing you common Korean mistakes of English speakers and other language learners. Let’s get started with our list... Show more

Today, we will introduce the 12 Korean zodiac elements and their personality traits. By learning the adjectives that describe the characteristics of each Zodiac character, you will be able to learn new words and expand your vocabulary skills. 1. The Korean Zodiac: Who is Your Animal Guardian? The Lunar calendar was the basis of Korean life cycle way back when, and  many traditional Korean holidays , such as 추석 (Chuseok) and 설날 (Seollal), are still based on the moon’s cycle. There are 12 animal signs, thus, the order is repeated every 12 years.  In Korea, when someone asks about your zodiac sign, they usually do this to determine your age and to get a grasp of your personality--the way they do when they ask you for... Show more

Do you know there are different ways to count various objects in Korean?  Unlike in English, where you can simply say "I’d like two pizzas, please," in Korean, you have to say 피자 두 판 주세요 (pija deu pan juseyo) which means "Please give me two discs of pizza." This is because the Korean counter for pizza, which is flat and round like a disc, is 판 (pan) meaning "disc."  Here’s an overview of how these counters in Korean grammar work: Korean Number + Countere.g. 두 (meaning "two") + 판 (counter for a flat and round object) As you can see from this example, in Korean, you need to add a specific counter depending on the object that you’re discussing. In Korean grammar, counters are essential in being understood. However,... Show more

Does rainy and overcast weather make you as depressed as it makes me? The rainy weather doesn’t do any favors for my morale, and its effect grows stronger with each day it continues raining… In South Korea, the rainy season is a several-week period during which the country experiences heavy rains and overall gloomy weather. In this article, you’ll learn all about the Korean rainy season, how to prepare for a trip to South Korea during this time, and some useful vocabulary. Let’s get started! 1. What is the Rainy Season? In South Korea, the rainy season is called 장마철 (jangmacheol), and it’s a several-week period during which the country experiences bouts of 폭우 (pogu), or "heavy rain." This is caused by a 장마전선... Show more