Each year, Koreans observe their Memorial Day in commemoration of all their fallen soldiers. Memorial Day in Korea is similar to the U.S. Memorial Day, though of course with its own cultural nuances (such as the South Korean Flag meaning in ceremonies).

At KoreanClass101.com, we hope to make learning about Korean culture and holidays both fun and informative, because this may be the most vital step in being able to master the language. That in mind, keep reading for more information on Memorial Day (South Korea).

1. What is Memorial Day to Koreans?

Have you ever heard of Memorial Day in the United States of America? It’s a day to remember those who sacrificed their lives for the country.

In Korea, there is also a day like U.S. Memorial Day, known as Korean Memorial Day (Hyeon Chung Il). In Korea, in order to honor those who lost their lives for the country, the month of June has been known as the Month of Defense of Korea and Patriots and Veterans every year since 1954.

2. When is Memorial Day in Korea?

For this holiday in Korean, June 6 is when South Korea celebrates its Memorial Day.

3. Reading Practice: How is Korean Memorial Day Celebrated?

How do Koreans commemorate this June 6 holiday in Korea? Read the Korean text below to learn about the traditions that accompany Korean Memorial Day, and find the English translation directly below it.

—

이 때가 되면 많은 사람들이 서울에 있는 현충원을 방문합니다. 국립 서울 현충원은 나라를 위해서 목숨을 잃은 분들이 묻힌 곳인데요. 6월 6일이 되면 이곳 현충원에 독립유공자와 국군 유가족, 대통령 그리고 국가 주요 인사들이 모여서 현충일 추념식을 갖습니다.

특히 현충일 추념식 중간에 순국선열을 위해서 묵념을 하는 시간이 있는데요. 이 때에는 현충원 뿐만 아니라 전국 여기저기에서 사이렌이 울리고, 전국에 있는 모든 사람들이 함께 묵념을 합니다. 사람들은 1분간 묵념을 하면서 고인의 명복을 빌게 됩니다. 또한, 서울 광화문로와 같은 전국의 주요도로에 다니는 모든 차량도 이 1분간은 잠깐 정지하게 됩니다.

현충일이 되면 초등학교나 중학교에서도 현충일과 관련된 다양한 행사가 열립니다. 특히 현충일 글짓기 행사와 포스터 그리기 행사가 대표적인데요. 이 행사에 참가한 학생들은 한국전쟁 때 나라를 위해서 싸웠던 국군 장병의 모습을 그리고, 지금도 휴전선 근처에서 나라를 지키고 있는 군인들에게 감사의 마음을 담은 글을 적습니다.

여러분 그거 아세요? 지금도 한국은 휴전 중이기 때문에, 아직도 휴전선 근처에서는 크고 작은 전투들이 종종 일어나고 있습니다. 그래서 최근까지도 적지 않은 국군장병들이 나라를 위해서 싸우다 목숨을 잃는 경우가 종종 생기는데요. 이렇게 목숨을 잃거나 다친 사람들을 한국 사람들은 “국가유공자”라고 부릅니다.

—

On this day, a lot of people visit Seoul National Memorial Cemetery in Seoul. Seoul National Memorial Cemetery is the burial site of those who lost their lives for their country. On June 6th, a ceremony that honors the veterans of Korean Memorial Day is held with the bereaved families of the dead soldiers, the contributors to independence, the President, and the National Key Personnel.

In particular, there is a moment of silence in the middle of the ceremony on Korean Memorial Day, to honor the Patriotic Martyr. During the moment of silence, a siren sounds across the country as well as in the Cemetery, and everyone in the country observes a moment of silence. For one minute of silence, people pray for the repose of the deceased. Also, all vehicles on the main roads of the country, such as Gwanghwamun ro, stop for one minute for the moment of silence.

When Memorial Day is drawing near, a variety of associated events take place in elementary and junior high schools. In particular, there are representative events such as creative writing and poster drawing on Korean Memorial Day. Students who participate in these events draw the soldiers who fought for the country during the Korean War, or write to the soldiers who still defend the country near the Military Demarcation Line, to express their gratitude to them.

Did you know that large and small battles are still often happening around the Military Demarcation Line despite Korea being under a flag of truce? So, until recently, a considerable number of soldiers have lost their lives during the fight for their country. Korean people call those who lose their lives or were injured “men of National Merit” (gukgayugongja).

4. Why June 6th?

Do you know why Memorial Day (Korea) is on June 6th?

In Korea, a year is divided into twenty-four. In those twenty-four divisions, June 6th is the first day of the ninth period. And since old times, various sacrifices have been made on this day. That’s why the South Korean government set June 6th as Korean Memorial Day (Hyun Choong Il) when the government decided the Memorial Day in 1954.

5. Useful Vocabulary for Korean Memorial Day

Here’s some vocabulary you should know for Memorial Day in South Korea!

• 현충일 (hyeonchungil) — “Memorial Day”
• 태극기 (taegukgi) — “Flag of South Korea”
• 묵념 (mungnyeom) — “silent tribute”
• 애국 (aeguk) — “patriotism”
• 국군 (gukgun) — “national army”
• 애국가 (aegukga) — “national anthem”
• 순국 선열 (sunguk seonyeol) — “martyr”
• 목숨 (moksum) — “life”
• 6월 6일 (yuwol yugil) — “June 6th”
• 영웅 (yeongung) — “hero”
• 명복 (myeongbok) — “happiness in the next world”
• 호국 (hoguk) — “defense of one’s country”
• 국립 서울 현충원 (gungnip seoul hyeonchungwon) — “Seoul National Cemetery”
• 조의 (joui) — “mark of respect to the dead”

To hear each vocabulary word pronounced, check out our Korean Memorial Day vocabulary list. Here, each word is listed alongside an audio file of its pronunciation.

Conclusion

What do you think about Memorial Day in Korea? Does your country observe a Memorial Day? Let us know in the comments!

To learn more about the culture of Korea, its history, and of course the Korean language, visit us at KoreanClass101.com! We believe that language-learning should be both fun and informative, something to look forward to and a steady path toward your goals. There’s something here for every learner, from free Korean vocabulary lists, insightful blog posts like this one, and an online community forum to discuss lessons with fellow students. You can also begin using our MyTeacher program by upgrading to Premium Plus!

We hope that you took away something valuable from this article, and that you’ll continue to immerse yourself in everything Korean with us. Your hard work will pay off, and we’ll be here for every step of your Korean-learning journey!

The Korean entertainment industry is currently booming and the global audience for Korean films is exploding across Asia and even in Europe and North America. We looked at the most popular ratings for the newly released films from South Korea in 2018, and based on the data, we’re going to introduce you to the best Korean movies of 2018 that are certainly worth watching. If you like these movies, we also have these other recommendations:

Table of Contents

1. Why are Korean Movies Popular
2. Can You Really Learn Korean from Korean Films?
3. List of Must-See 2018 South Korean Films
4. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You

1. Why are Korean Movies Popular?

1- Cultural Appeal

Watching foreign films lets you absorb information about a different culture. You can learn about simple things like fashion or the way people use gestures, but you can also learn more about social norms and landscapes. By watching Korean films, you’ll be able to see some glimpses of Korean culture while learning certain Korean rules such as taking off your shoes before entering the house.

2- Vocabulary Stretch

When was the first time you heard “Oppa?” It was probably when watching Korean drama or films in the past. Because some Korean words are used in everyday life, you’ll already know several key Korean words and phrases that appear most often in these films. Also, Korean films have many famous quotes so you can memorize and use them next time you’re speaking with Korean friends.

3- Fresh Factor

By human nature, we’re attracted to those who are different from us. Korean films are popular because they’re different. For example, their programming in particular is very exciting to see due to the different film techniques, plots, storylines, and so on.

2. Can You Really Learn Korean from Korean Films?

Of course! Many language learners watch dramas and movies to learn a language. It may not be the best source to use for studying grammar, but learning Korean from movies is perhaps the most effective way to gain exposure to key words and phrases that are commonly spoken in that country. In order to study the language effectively by watching films, you need to have your own language Learning Strategies. Here are the most common Korean vocabulary that you may find in the movies.

3. List of Must-See 2018 South Korean Films

Here’s the list of 2018 Korean language films, but before we begin, we have a question for you. Do you know how you say “movie” in Korean? Before you move onto the list, let’s study some vocabulary.

※ Click on a word to practice your Korean pronunciation.
영화 (yeonghwa) — “movie”
촬영하다 (chwallyeonghada) — “to film”
극장 (geukjang) — “theater; movie theater”

These words are commonly used by Koreans when discussing films. Also remember that if you want to receive a discount for a movie ticket in South Korea, there are many ways to cut down on your spending.

1- 인랑 (illang) — “Illang: The Wolf Brigade”

Set in the distant future where both North and South Koreas agree to establish a joint government, which has been in preparation for a duration of seven years, the plot focuses on political uprisings on opposing sides which grow fierce when a special police unit is formed to stop the chaos. (imdb)

This Korean action movie was directed by 김지운 (Kim Jee-Woon) who is one of the best film directors in South Korea. His previous movies include 장화홍련 (A Tale of Two Sisters [2003]) , 좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈 (The Good, The Bad, The Weird [2008]), 악마를 보았다 (I Saw The Devil [2010]). If the film was directed by him, you can’t afford to miss its great cinematography. This Korean film is listed as one of the latest South Korean action movies of 2018.

The main characters are played by 강동원 (Gang Dong-won), 한효주 (Han Hyo-joo), and 정우성 (Jung Woo-sung) who are all well-known actors/actresses in South Korea.

Quote:

거긴 개미지옥 같은데에요
(geogin gaemijiok gateundeeyo)

한 번 들어가면 그냥 나오질 못해
(han beon deureogamyeon geunyang naojil mothae)

근데 혹시 들어보셨습니까, 인랑이라고
(geunde hoksi deureobosyeotseumnikka, illangirago)

첩보에 의하면 특기대 내 비밀리에 결성된
(cheopboe uihamyeon teukgidae nae bimillie gyeolseongdoen)

암살 부대로 알려져 있습니다.
(amsal budaero allyeojyeo itseumnida.)

Translation:

“That place is an ant-lion’s pit.
Once you go in, you can’t just come out.
By any chance have you heard of ‘Inrang?’ According to intel they’re known as an assassination team, secretly organized within the ‘special Unit’.”

Vocabulary:

※ Click on a word to practice your Korean pronunciation

1. ~들어보셨습니까 (~deureobosyeotseumnikka) — “Have you heard of ~”
2. 첩보 (cheopbo) — “intelligence”
3. ~에 의하면 (~e uihamyeon) — “according to ~”
4. 비밀리 (bimilli) — “secretly”
5. 결성되다 (gyeolseongdoeda) — “organized”
6. 암살 (amsal) — “assassination”
7. 부대 (budae) — “team”
8. 알려져 있다 (allyeojyeo itda) — “known as”

• Here is the trailer for this Korean movie
• Here are more pictures from this Korean movie

2- 버닝 (beoning) — “Burning”

버닝 (Beoning) is a mystery drama film directed by Lee Chang-dong. This film is based on the story Barn Burning by the famous Japanese writer, Haruki Murakami. In addition, this film was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

The film stars in this wonderful Korean mystery drama are the famous 유아인 (Yoo Ah-in) and Steven Yeun, along with the up-and-coming actress 전종서 (Jeon Jong-seo) who just started her career as an actress in 2018.

The story starts when Jong-Soo runs into Hae-mi, who used to live in his neighborhood. She asks him to take care of her cat while she’s out of town, and when she returns, she comes back with a friend named Ben whom she met during the trip. Jong-Soo senses that Ben is being extremely suspicious, and so the story continues.

Quote:

※ Let’s practice your pronunciation and reading skills with this video on YouTube.

해미: 이종수
(Haemi: Lee Jongsu)

나 모르겠어?
(na moreugesseo?)

우리 어릴 때 같은 동네 살았잖아
(uri eoril ttae gateun dongne saratjana)

나 요즘 팬터마임 배우고 있잖아
(na yojeum paenteomaim baeugo itjana)

난 내가 먹고 싶을 때 항상 귤을 먹을 수 있어
(nan naega meokgo sipeul ttae hangsang gyureul meogeul su isseo)

내가 키우는 고양이 한 마리가 있는데
(naega kiuneun goyangi han mariga inneunde)

내가 아프리카로 여행 가는 동안 네가 밥 좀 줄 수 있어?
(naega apeurikaro yeohaeng ganeun dongan nega bap jom jul su isseo?)

Translation:

“Haemi: Lee Jongsu
Don’t you remember me?
We used to live in the same village.
I am learning Pantomime these days,
I can eat tangerines whenever I want.
I have a cat right now.
Can you look after my cat while traveling in Africa?”

Vocabulary:

※ Click on a word to practice your Korean pronunciation

1. 동네 (dongne) — “village”
2. 팬터마임 (paenteomaim) — “Pantomime”
3. 귤 (gyul) — “tangerine”
4. 키우다 (kiuda) — “raise”
5. 고양이 (goyangi) — “cat”
6. 한마리 (hanmari) — “one” (usually used when counting animals)
7. 아프리카 (apeurika) — “Africa”
8. 여행 (yeohaeng) — “travel”
9. ~하는 동안 (~haneun dongan) — “while”
10. ~해 줄 수 있어? (~hae jul su isseo?) — “Can you please ~?”

• Here’s the Burning Korean movie trailer on YouTube
• Here are more pictures from this movie

3- 지금 만나러 갑니다 (jigeum mannareo gamnida) — “Be with You”

지금 만나러 갑니다 (jigeum mannareo gamnida) is a Korean romance film and is a remake of the 2004 Japanese film, which is based on a novel by Takuji Ichikawa, and stars 손예진 (Son Ye-jin) and 소지섭 (So Ji-sub). This film may be the must-watch Korean romantic movie of 2018, since 손예진 (Son Ye-jin) is in it. Considering her fame for being in many Korean romance films with heartwarming storylines, this one is guaranteed to make you cry.

Soo-ah, before passing away, makes an unbelievable promise to her husband, Woo-jin, to return one year later on a rainy day. Miraculously, she keeps her promise and reappears before her husband and son, but all her memories have disappeared. Tragically, the relief at their reunion is short-lived, because it turns out that Soo-ah has to leave her family once again. (Wikipedia)

Quote:

우진: 지호야 엄마가 왜 아무것도 기억 못하지?
(Ujin: jihoya eommaga wae amugeotdo gieok mothaji?)

우리 비밀로 할까?
(uri bimillo halkka?)

지호:왜?
(Jiho: wae?)

우진: 엄마가 충격받아서 다시 가 버리면 안되잖아
(Ujin: eommaga chunggyeokbadaseo dasi ga beorimyeon andoejana)

지호: 엄마 다시 간단 말 하지 마
(Jiho: eomma dasi gandan mal haji ma)

수아: 저기요 이렇게 해 놓고 살았어요 제가?
(Sua: jeogiyo ireoke hae noko sarasseoyo jega?)

지호: 아팠어
(Jiho: apasseo)

수아: 내가?
(Sua: naega?)

우진: 어 맞아 당신이 많이 아파서 계속 병원에 있었거든.
(Ujin: eo maja dangsini mani apaseo gyesok byeongwone isseotgeodeun.)

Translation:

Woojin: “Jiho, How doesn’t your mum remember anything?
Should we keep it as a secret?”

Jiho: “Why?”

Woojin: “It wouldn’t be nice if she gets shocked and just goes away.”

Jiho: “Please don’t ever say that she will go away.”

Sooah: “Excuse me, did I really live like this?”

Jiho: “You were sick.”

Sooah: “Me?”

Woojin: “Ah, yes, you had been really sick in the hospital.”

Vocabulary:

※ Click on a word to practice your Korean pronunciation.

1. 기억하다 (gieokada) — “remember”
2. 비밀 (bimil) — “secret”
3. 충격 (chunggyeok) — “shock”
4. 저기요 (jeogiyo) — “excuse me”
5. 계속 (gyesok) — “continuously”

• Here’s the Be with You Korean movie trailer on YouTube
• Here are more pictures from this movie
• Here’s the theatrical poster for this film

4- 공작 (gongjak) — “The Spy Gone North”

공작 (gongjak) is a 2018 South Korean spy film directed by Yoon Jong-bin, starring 황정민 (Hwang Jung-min), 이효리 (Lee Hyori), 주지훈 (Ju Ji-hoon), and 조진웅 (Cho Jin-woong).

The story follows a South Korean spy who infiltrates North Korea to obtain intelligence on the country’s nuclear weapons plans in the mid-1990s. It’s loosely based on the true story of Park Chae-seok who was a former South Korean agent.

Quote:

술이야 왔으면 가는 게 예의죠
(suriya wasseumyeon ganeun ge yeuijyo)
받지 않으면 같이 사업할 의지가 없는 것으로 받아들이겠습니다.
(batji aneumyeon gachi saeopal uijiga eomneun geoseuro badadeurigetseumnida.)

이런 얘기까지 해야 돼?
(ireon yaegikkaji haeya dwae?)
사실 제 아버지가 술 때문에 돌아가셨습니다.
(sasil je abeojiga sul ttaemune doragasyeotseumnida.)

Translation:

“It is courtesy to give the alcohol since I accepted your drink.
If you don’t accept it, I will accept it as you are not serious about our business plan.”

“I really didn’t want to say this but
My father passed away because of drinking.”

Vocabulary:

※ Click on a word to practice your Korean pronunciation.

1. 술 (sul) — “alcohol”
2. 예의 (yeui) — “manner”
3. 사업 (saeop) — “business”
4. 의지 (uiji) — “will”
5. ~해야 돼? (~haeya dwae?) — “Do I have to ~?”
6. 사실 (sasil) — “actually”
7. ~때문에 (~ttaemune) — “Because of ~”
8. 돌아가시다 (doragasida) — “pass away”

• Here’s the The Spy Gone North Korean movie trailer on YouTube
• Here are more pictures from this movie

5- 신과 함께 – 인과 연 (singwa hamkke – ingwa yeon) — “Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days”

신과 함께 (singwa hamkke) is a fantasy action South Korean movie, directed by Kim-Yong-hwa who has also directed the famous South Korean movie 부산행 (busanhaeng or Train to Busan). The story of this film is based on a webtoon by Joo Ho-min, which has the same title as the movie: Along with the Gods.

The main characters are played by 하정우 (Ha Jung-woo), 주지훈 (Ju Ji-hoon), 김향기 (Kim Hyang-gi), 마동석 (Ma Dong-seok), and 김동욱 (Kim Dong-wook). Some of the main actors are well-known in South Korea. For example, 마동석 (Ma Dong-seok) was in 부산행 (busanhaeng or Train to Busan). 김향기 (Kim Hyang-gi) was in a South Korean fantasy romance film called 늑대소년 (neukdaesonyeon or A Werewolf Boy).

The story of this Korean movie is about three grim reapers guiding their 49th soul to the underworld trials. Meanwhile, God of House will recover the grim reapers’ memories from one-thousand years ago. This film was extremely popular, so if you like a good fantasy action film, give it a try.

Quote:

이승에 모든 인간은 죄를 짓고 산다.
(iseunge modeun inganeun joereul jitgo sanda.)

그리고, 그들 중 아주 일부만이 진정한 용기를 내어 용서를 구하고,
(geurigo, geudeul jung aju ilbumani jinjeonghan yonggireul naeeo yongseoreul guhago,)

그들 중 아주 극소수만이 진심으로 용서를 받는다.
(geudeul jung aju geuksosumani jinsimeuro yongseoreul banneunda.)

이승에 인간이 이미 진심으로 용서받은 죄를
(iseunge ingani imi jinsimeuro yongseobadeun joereul)

저승은 더 이상 심판하지 않는다.
(jeoseungeun deo isang simpanhaji anneunda.)

Translation:

“In this world, all human beings sin and live.
And, among these people, only a small portion ask sincerely for their forgiveness.
Among them, only the minimum number of people receive the forgiveness.
A person who was already forgiven in this life
afterlife has no right to judge them.”

Vocabulary:

※ Click on a word to practice your Korean pronunciation.

1. 이승 (iseung) — “in this life”
2. 죄를 짓다. (joereul jitda.) — “commit a crime”
3. 일부 (ilbu) — “part; portion”
4. 진정한 (jinjeonghan) — “real; true”
5. 극소수 (geuksosu) — “the minimum number”
6. 진심으로 (jinsimeuro) — “sincerely”
7. 저승 (jeoseung) — “afterlife”
8. 심판하다 (simpanhada) — “judge”

• Here’s the Along with the Gods Korean movie trailer on YouTube
• Here are more pictures from this movie

6- 독전 (dokjeon) — “Believer”

독전 (dokjeon) is a Korean action crime film directed by 이해영 (Lee Hae-young). This film is a remake version of a film called Drug War, directed by Johnnie To. This film casts many well-known Korean actors and actresses including 김주혁 (Kim Joo-hyuk), 조진웅 (Cho Jin-woong), 차승원 (Cha Seung-won), 류준열 (Ryu Jun-yeol), and 김성령 (Kim Sung-ryung), along with many more.

The story follows a low-level drug dealer who joins forces with an ambitious cop to bring down a psychotic cartel kingpin.

Quote:

※ Let’s practice your pronunciation and reading skills with this video on YouTube.

내일 20시 에이커 호텔 스위트, 상무님 모시고 바이어한테 인사드리기로 했어요.
(naeil 20si eikeo hotel seuwiteu, sangmunim mosigo baieohante insadeurigiro haesseoyo.)

그 중국 바이어가 최상급 원료를 가지고 있거든요.
(geu jungguk baieoga choesanggeup wollyoreul gajigo itgeodeunyo.)

내일 만나서 그걸 내주겠다고 약속을 받아와야 해요.
(naeil mannaseo geugeol naejugetdago yaksogeul badawaya haeyo.)

그리고 그 원료로 약을 만들어서 다시 그 바이어를 찾아가야 최종 거래가 성사됩니다.
(geurigo geu wollyoro yageul mandeureoseo dasi geu baieoreul chajagaya choejong georaega seongsadoemnida.)

이 선생은 막판이 돼야 나오겠다는 소리네
(i seonsaengeun makpani dwaeya naogetdaneun sorine)

Translation:

“I am going to meet a buyer with senior vice president at 20 o’clock in the Acce hotel.
That Chinese buyer has the best materials.
I meet him tomorrow and have to get an appointment to give it.
And then we make a drug from that ingredients and go to the buyer again.
That means Mr. Lee comes out at the last minute.”

Vocabulary:

※ Click on a word to practice your Korean pronunciation.

1. 상무님 (sangmunim) — “a senior executive”
2. 최상급 (choesanggeup) — “the superlative degree”
3. 원료 (wollyo) — “material”
4. 약속 (yaksok) — “appointment”
5. 최종 (choejong) — “final”
6. 거래 (georae) — “deal”
7. 막판 (makpan) — “the last minute”

• Here’s the Believer Korean movie trailer on YouTube
• Here are more pictures from this movie

7- 곤지암 (gonjiam) — “Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum”

Are you into horror films? Then this film is for you. 곤지암 (gonjiam) takes place in the former Gonjiam Psychiatric hospital, which is known to be one of the most haunted locations in South Korea. In 2012, CNN travel selected it as one of the freakiest places on the planet.

This Korean horror movie was directed by Jung Bum-Shik. The story centers around six people who want to do a live broadcast of their exploration of the hospital with the goal of reaching one-million viewers. But what they initially thought would be just a simple horror experience, they start to sense that something else is following them around—haunting them. If you want to watch the scariest Korean horror movie of 2018, watch this Korean horror film.

Quote:

※ Let’s practice your pronunciation and reading skills with this trailer on YouTube.

우리 여기 어떻게 들어온 거야?
(uri yeogi eotteoke deureoon geoya?)

여기 아무래도 402호인 거 같아
(yeogi amuraedo 402hoin geo gata)

여기 사람이 들어가도 되는 거야? 차가?
(yeogi sarami deureogado doeneun geoya? Chaga?)

고프로는 두 사람당 한 대씩 지급될 거예요.
(gopeuroneun du saramdang han daessik jigeupdoel geoyeyo.)

여기가 2층으로 들어가는 곤지암 정문이야
(yeogiga 2cheungeuro deureoganeun gonjiam jeongmuniya)

들어가면 죽는다.
(deureogamyeon jungneunda.)

곤지암 공포체험,
(gonjiam gongpocheheom)

지금 시작합니다.
(jigeum sijakamnida.)

귀신 살고 있다잖아
(gwisin salgo itdajana)

체험에 앞서 방송 순서를 간략히 설명해…
(cheheome apseo bangsong sunseoreul gallyaki seolmyeonghae…)

대박이야
(daebagiya)

여기 다른 데랑 레벨이 좀 다른 거 같아
(yeogi dareun derang reberi jom dareun geo gata)

여기 지금 우리 말고 다른 애들 있는 거 아니야?
(yeogi jigeum uri malgo dareun aedeul inneun geo aniya?)

Translation:

“How did I enter this place?
By the look of it, we are inside the room 402.
Are people allowed to enter here? Even cars too?
Two Gopro will be provided per person.
Here is the main door of Gonjiam that goes to the second floor.
If you go inside, you will die.
Gonjiam experience fear, is starting now.
You heard me, there is a ghost.
Before the experience, I would like to explain briefly about the broadcasting sequences…
It’s awesome
I think that the level (eeriness) of this place is a bit different compared to other places.
Aren’t there other people apart from us here right now?”

Vocabulary:

※ Click on a word to practice your Korean pronunciation.

1. 어떻게 (eotteoke) — “how”
2. 아무래도 (amuraedo) — “by the look of it”
3. 지급되다 (jigeupdoeda) — “provide”
4. 정문 (jeongmun) — “main gate”
5. 체험 (cheheom) — “experience”
6. 귀신 (gwisin) — “ghost”
7. 간략히 (gallyaki) — “briefly”
8. 대박 (daebak) — “awesome” (Korean slang word)

• Here’s the Gonjiam Korean movie trailer on YouTube
• Here are more pictures from this movie

8- 탐정: 리턴즈 (tamjeong: riteonjeu) — “The Accidental Detective 2: In Action”

탐정: 리턴즈 (tamjeong: riteonjeu) is a Korean crime comedy film and sequel to the previous film 탐정: 더 비기닝 (The Accidental Detective). The film was directed by Lee Eon-hee and the main characters are played by 권상우 (Kwon Sang-woo), 성동일 (Sung Dong-il), and 이광수 (Lee Kwang-soo).

The story continues from the previous movie, so try to watch it before moving on to the second part of the story in this film. A Sherlock maniac 강대만 (gangdaeman) and Gwangyeok detective 노태수 (notaesu) finally open a detective agency and 여치 (yeochi), who used to work in a statistical analysis of a cyber crime agency, also joined the team. They expect to have many unsolved cases, but it doesn’t go as they expect. After a long wait, they receive a request which is worth fifty-million KRW as a reward. And so begins the story.

Quote:

※ Let’s practice your pronunciation and reading skills with this video on YouTube.

남자: 형사님은 여자랑 사귀다가 헤어지면,
(Namja: hyeongsanimeun yeojarang sagwidaga heeojimyeon)

그 여자 집에 막 불지르고 그럽니까.
(geu yeoja jibe mak buljireugo geureomnikka)

형사: 근데 왜 거기 있었어?
(Hyeongsa: geunde wae geogi isseosseo?)

남자: 사우나 갔다가 돌아오는 길이었다니까요.
(Namja: sauna gatdaga doraoneun girieotdanikkayo)

대만: 사우나? 몇시에?
(Dae-man: sauna? Myeotsie?)

남자: 열두시반쯤에 갔다가 한 한시간 정도 했을 거예요.
(Namja: yeoldusibanjjeume gatdaga han hansigan jeongdo haesseul geoyeyo.)

대만: 불은 언제 났늗네?
(Dae-man: bureun eonje nanneunne?)

형사: 근데 널 기억하는 사람이 한명도 없는게 말이돼?
(Hyeongsa: geunde neol gieokaneun sarami hanmyeongdo eomneunge maridwae?)

대만: 알았어 입다물고 있을게요.
(Dae-man: arasseo ipdamulgo isseulgeyo)

형사: 가라 좀.
(Hyeongsa: gara jom)

Translation:

Man: “So if you (detective) date and break up with someone,
do you just start a fire in her house?”

Detective: “Then why were you there?”

Man: “I was walking back from a sauna.”

Dae-man: “Sauna? At what time?”

Man: “I went there about 12:30 and stayed about an hour.”

Dae-man: “When did the fire start?”

Detective: “But there was no one who remembers you, does it make sense to you?”

Dae-man: “Okay, okay I will shut my mouth.”

Detective: “Please, just go.”

Vocabulary:

※ Click on a word to practice your Korean pronunciation.

1. 형사 (hyeongsa) — “detective”
2. 사귀다 (sagwida) — “be in a relationship”
3. 헤어지다 (heeojida) — “break up”
4. 사우나 (sauna) — “sauna”
5. 기억하다 (gieokada) — “remember”
6. ~게 말이돼? (~ge maridwae?) — “Does ~ make sense to you?” (or “It doesn’t make sense”)
7. ~을 거예요. (~eul geoyeyo.) — “I assume that~”

• Here’s the The Accidental Detective 2 Korean movie trailer on YouTube
• Here are more pictures from this movie

9- 리틀 포레스트 (riteul poreseuteu) — “Little Forest”

The story of 리틀 포레스트 (riteul poreseuteu) revolves around the main character, Hye Won, who gets tired of her difficult life in the city and moves back to her hometown in the countryside. She heals her emotional wounds with the help of her long-time friends, nature, and food. The story is based on the manga series Little Forest by Igarashi Daisuke.

The main characters are played by 김태리 (Kim Tae-ri), 류준열 (Ryu Jun-yeol), 문소리 (Moon So-ri), and 박원상 (Park Won-sang). To add more information, 김태리 (Kim Tae-ri) is currently acting as a main character in the Korean drama called Mr. Sunshine (as of 2018). 문소리 (Moon So-ri) was in a Korean drama called 푸른바다의 전설 (pureunbadaui jeonseol or Legend of the Blue Sea). Lastly, 류준열 (Ryu Jun-yeol) has appeared in a number of films and dramas in the past few years, and the most famous of his Korean dramas was 응답하라1988 (eungdapara1988 or Reply 1988).

Due to the dialogue between characters in this Korean movie, it may be one of the best Korean movies for beginners.

Quote:

※ Let’s practice your pronunciation and reading skills with this video on YouTube.

은숙: 야, 너 갑자기 왜 온거야?
(Eunsuk: ya, neo gapjagi wae ongeoya?)
남자친구는? 걔도 붙었냐?
(namjachinguneun? gyaedo buteonnya?)

혜원: 응…
(Hyewon: eung…)

은숙:아, 알겠다. 시험 떨어지시고 남자친구는 붙고 으이그
(Eunsug: a, algetda. siheom tteoreojisigo namjachinguneun butgo euigeu)

혜원: 그게 아니고…나 배고파서 내려왔어
(Hyewon: geuge anigo…na baegopaseo naeryeowasseo)

은숙: 배가 아파서가 아니라?
(Eunsuk: baega apaseoga anira?)

혜원: 진짜 배고파서…
(Hyewon: jinjja baegopaseo…)

Translation:

Eunsuk: “Hey, what made you come suddenly?
How about your boyfriend? He passed (the exam)?”

Hyewon: “Yeah…”

Eunsuk: “Ah, I know. You failed, but your boyfriend passed the exam. Oh my.”

Hyewon: “You got me wrong. I came here because I am hungry.”

Eunsuk: “Not because you feel jealous?”

Hyewon: “I felt really hungry..”

Vocabulary:

※ Click on a word to practice your Korean pronunciation.

1. 갑자기 (gapjagi) — “suddenly”
2. (시험에) 붙다 ([siheome] butda) — “pass (the exam)”
3. (시험에)떨어지다 ([siheome] tteoreojida) — “fail the exam”
4. 배가 아프다 (baega apeuda) — Direct translation: “Having a stomach” but in this dialogue, it means “you are feeling jealous.”
5. 배고프다 (baegopeuda) — “feeling hungry”
6. 으이그 (euigeu) — “oh my”

• Here’s the Little Forest Korean movie trailer on YouTube
• Here are more pictures from this movie
• Here is the theatrical poster for this film

10- 그것만이 내 세상 (geugeonmani nae sesang) — “Keys to the Heart”

그것만이 내 세상 (geugeonmani nae sesang) is a Korean comedy-drama film directed by Choi Sung-hyun, starring famous celebrities such as 이병헌 (Lee Byung-hun), 윤여정 (Youn Yuh-jung), and 박정민 (Park Jung-min).

As you may already know, 이병헌 (Lee Byung-hun) appeared in many Korean dramas and movies, one of his recent Korean drama appearances being in 미스터 선샤인 (miseuteo seonsyain) or “Mr. Sunshine.” 윤여정 (Youn Yuh-jung) is another famous Korean actress, in such famous Korean movies as 돈의 맛 (donui mat) or “The Taste of Money” and 하녀 (hanyeo) or “The Housemaid.”

The story of this highly recommended Korean film follows a washed-up boxer who reunites with his estranged brother, a pianist with savant syndrome. It shows their daily life and the struggles that they go through. But despite these struggles, it’s a very heartwarming film.

Quote:

진태: 드라이빙 잘해요
(Jintae: deuraibing jalhaeyo)

조하: 니가?
(Joha: niga?)

진태: 네
(Jintae: ne)

조하: 아 저거저거저거? 게임?
(Joha: a jeogeojeogeojeogeo? Geim?)

진태: 네
(Jintae: ne)

조하: 아이고 못하는게 어디있냐 니가
(Joha: aigo mothaneunge eodiinnya niga)

진태: 네
(Jintae: ne)

조하: 덥다야 에어컨 좀 틀어봐
(Joha: deopdaya eeokeon jom teureobwa)
야 뭐해 이리 줘봐
(ya mwohae iri jwobwa)

진태: 고장났어요
(Jintae: gojangnasseoyo)

조하: 아이 새끼야 아까 얘기하던가
(Joha: ai saekkiya akka yaegihadeonga)

Translation:

Jintae: “I’m good at driving.”

Joha: “You?”

Jintae: “Yes”

Joha: “Ah, that one? The game?”

Jintae: “Yes”

Joha: “Oh my, there’s nothing that you are not good at.”

Jintae: “Yes.”

Joah: “It’s really hot, can you turn on the aircon?
What the hell are you doing, give it to me.”

Jintae: “It’s broken.”

Joha: “Hey moron, you should have told me before.”

Vocabulary:

※ Click on a word to practice your Korean pronunciation.

1. ~잘해요 (~jalhaeyo) — “I am good at ~”
2. 덥다 (deopda) — “feeling hot”
3. 뭐해 (mwohae) — “what are you up to?”
4. 에어컨 (eeokeon) — “air conditioning”
5. 고장 (gojang) — “broken”
6. 새끼야 (saekkiya) — “jerk”
7. 아까 (akka) — “a little while ago”

• Here’s the Keys to the Heart Korean movie trailer on YouTube
• Here are more pictures from this movie

4. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You

In summary, KoreanClass101 introduced the top ten Korean films from 2018. There are many Korean movies on Netflix as well, so if you have an account, browse through the Korean list. What’s your favorite Korean film? Leave us a comment below and share with us what you think of that film.

We also have several more “best Korean films of all time” for you to check out. Also, we have a free article on Words and Phrases for Enjoying the Cannes Film Festival for you too. Hopefully these will give you helpful info as well as guide you through learning the Korean language.

Lastly, KoreanClass101 offers many free lessons for Korean learners. Here, you can learn 15 Ways to Study Korean for FREE with KoreanClass101 to maximize your Korean studies with KoreanClass101. So feel free to navigate our website and download our free Korean study materials.

Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)

How much do you express gratitude to your parents? Usually, people seldom express how thankful they are to their parents. That’s why there’s a day in South Korea for exactly this. It’s Parents’ Day, or 어버이 날 (Eobeoi Nal). Eobeoi means “parents,” both mother and father.

Parents’ Day largely reflects South Korea’s culture, particularly the concept of filial piety so prevalent here (though it is weakening). Thus, taking the time to learn about it will greatly increase your working knowledge of Korean culture. This, in turn, will improve your language skills and give you a greater respect for the country of your target language.

At KoreanClass101.com, we hope to make your learning experience both fun and insightful as you discover all about Korean Parents’ Day!

1. What is National Parents’ Day in Korea?

At its core, National Parents’ Day is meant to a time to both celebrate and show respect for one’s parents. It’s also a day of gratitude of thanksgiving for all that one’s parents have done for them—parents do make a lot of sacrifices that we sometimes take for granted, don’t they?

Do you remember which national holiday is held on May 5th? It’s Children’s Day, right? Children’s Day and Parents’ Day both take place in May, so this month is called “the Month of Family.”

2. When is it?

In Korea, Parents’ Day is celebrated each year on May 8.

3. Reading Practice: How is it Celebrated?

On Parents Day, Koreans seek to honor their parents. So how do they do this? How is Parents’ Day celebrated in South Korea? Read the Korean text below to find out, and find the English translation directly below it.

—

어버이날 하면 한국에서는 ‘카네이션’을 가장 먼저 떠올립니다.

한국에서는 5월 8일이 다가오면 학생들이 미술 시간에 색종이로 빨간 카네이션을 만드는데요. 아이들은 어버이날이 되기 전 직접 만든 카네이션 모형을 감사편지와 함께 준비합니다.

그리고 어버이날이 되면 이 카네이션을 부모님 가슴에 달아드리고 감사편지를 전달해드린다고 하네요.

어른이 되면 어렸을 때보다 부모님과 함께하는 시간이 적어지기 마련입니다. 그래서 어버이날이 되면 부모님을 찾아뵙고 함께 식사를 하는데요. 오랜만에 부모님과 식사를 하고 평소 부모님께서 갖고 싶었던 선물이나 상품권을 드리며 감사의 마음을 전하곤 합니다.

한국에서는 어버이날을 위한 특별한 노래가 있습니다. 초중고등학교에서는 어버이날이 되면 어머니와 아버지를 초청해서 어버이날 기념식을 여는데요. 이때에는 학생들이 다 함께 모여서 부모님께 ‘어버이날 노래’를 불러드립니다. 어버이날 노래 가사 중에는 ‘하늘 아래 그 무엇이 넓다 하리오. 어머님의 희생은 가이없어라’라는 내용이 있는데요. 하늘만큼 넓은 것이 바로 부모님의 사랑이라는 의미입니다.

—

In South Korea, usually the first thing that comes to mind about Parents’ Day is carnation flowers.

As May 8th approaches in South Korea, students make red carnations in art class. Before Parents’ Day, kids usually write a letter of thanks to go with the carnations they made.

And, on the day, they put the carnations on their parents’ chests and give them a letter of gratitude.

It’s natural to spend less time with your parents as you’re getting older. That’s why people visit their parents and have a meal with them on Parents’ Day. Usually, they have dinner with their parents, who they haven’t had a meal with for a long time, give them a gift or the gift certificates they wanted, and express their thanks.

There’s a special song for Parents’ Day in South Korea. In elementary, middle, and high schools, they invite their parents and hold a Parents’ Day Ceremony. During this event, the students gather together and sing the Parents’ Day song to their parents. One of the lyrics is “What else can be called as big under the sky. Mother’s sacrifices are endless.” It means that parents’ love is as big as the sky.

4. Additional Information: Origins

Do you know what country first started Parents’ Day?

The Korean Parents’ Day has roots in Mothers’ Day from the United States. In the U.S, it started out as a lady giving white carnations to people in remembrance of her mother. Later, when it came to South Korea, it changed to the day when people give red carnations to both parents as a Parents’ Day gift and show their gratitude to both mother and father.

5. Must-know Vocab

Here’s some vocabulary you should know for Parents’ Day in Korea!

• 편지 (pyeonji) — “letter”
• 가족 (gajok) — “family”
• 어버이 날 (Eobeoi nal) — “Parents’ Day”
• 아이 (ai) — “child”
• 카네이션 (kaneisyeon) — “carnation”
• 효도여행 (hyodoyeohaeng) — “tour for parents”
• 공경 (gonggyeong) — “respect”
• 어버이날 선물 (eobeoinal seonmul) — “Parents’ Day gift”
• 부모님 (bumonim) — “parent”
• 5월 8일 (owol paril) — “May 8th”
• 호의 (houi) — “favor”
• 어르신 (eoreusin) — “elderly”
• 효자 (hyoja) — “devoted son”
• 효녀 (hyonyeo) — “devoted daughter”

To hear each of these vocabulary words pronounced, check out our Korean Parents’ Day vocabulary list. Here, you’ll find each word accompanied by an audio file of its pronunciation.

Conclusion

What do you think of Korea’s celebration of Parents’ Day? Does your country have a similar holiday? Let us know in the comments!

To learn more about Korean culture and the language, visit us at KoreanClass101.com. Here, you’ll find all the study tools you need to master Korean, from free vocabulary lists to insightful blog posts on an array of topics. You can also use our online forum to discuss lessons with fellow students, or even upgrade to a Premium Plus account and take advantage of our MyTeacher program to learn Korean one-on-one with your own personal teacher!

You’ve put a lot of effort into learning Korean, and you’ll be so glad you did once you begin the reaping the seeds you sowed! You’ll be speaking Korean like a native before you know it, and KoreanClass101.com will be here with you for every step of your journey there.

Be sure to wish your parents a Happy Parents’ Day in Korean and start brainstorming Parents’ Day gift ideas! Best wishes.

When it comes to learning a language, everyone wants to know what the best way to learn that language quickly is. It’s the same for our Korean learners; they want to know how to study the Korean language effectively. Here, we’re going to give you some tips on how to do this—namely through watching the best Korean variety shows.

Watching Korean TV shows can be a very useful supplement for Korean learners because some of the TV shows are very entertaining, and will give you opportunity to learn phrases that are commonly used in Korea. Moreover, watching TV shows with subtitles in Korean will certainly help you improve your vocabulary and your ability to understand the language. Today, KoreanClass101 will introduce ten famous Korean TV shows to help you learn Korean effectively.

Table of Contents

1. Benefits of Watching Korean TV Shows
2. How to Practice Korean While Watching Korean TV Shows
3. 10 Korean Variety Show Recommendations
4. How to Study the Korean Language with KoreanClass101

1. Benefits of Watching Korean TV Shows

So, what are the benefits of watching Korean TV shows? If you’re a Korean language learner, it may be challenging for you to learn Korean by watching Korean variety shows, therefore it’s strongly recommended to learn from basic Hangul and learn how combinations of different consonants and vowels make the sounds. Start off by studying basic Hangul and slowly move onto learning other basic expressions such as self-introductions. If you’re an intermediate learner, you’ll find that Korean TV shows are a great source to use to practice speaking, reading, and listening. Also:

• It’s entertaining and is one of the best ways to learn Korean.

Each South Korean TV show has its unique style. Therefore, depending on your interests, you can improve your vocabularies and expressions from TV shows. For example, if you want to understand how Koreans tease each other and want to learn more about Korean humor, watching Radio Star may help you meet your goals.

Also, the expressions that you learn in school may not be used in daily life in Korea, so if you want to learn “Real Korean Language” including slang words (e.g.일욜 or “shorten words for Sunday”), then the Korean reality show called 나 혼자 산다 (na honja sanda) or “I Live Alone” may help you understand how Koreans express themselves in daily life.

• You’ll stay in touch with the trends in Korea.

South Korean TV shows always invite various celebrities, from singers, actors/actresses, comedians, and even Hollywood celebrities! For example, when a new film is released, you’ll most likely see celebrities from that film in these popular Korean variety shows. If you watch Korean TV shows, you’ll definitely be in touch with the most current trends.

2. How to Practice Korean While Watching Korean TV Shows

Everyone has their own techniques for studying Korean. Here are some of the most popular methods:

1. Write down words or expressions that you don’t understand.
2. Practice speaking and pronunciation repetitively.
3. Replay the show, but focus on mimicking the words and annotations.

And so on. There are more techniques that you can help you learn Korean effectively and efficiently. If you have your own Language Learning Strategies, they’ll certainly help you study smarter and faster than others.

Let’s take a look at our list of famous South Korean TV shows. We’ve prepared a brief explanation of each TV show; if you’re interested to know even more details, click on the title of the show, and it will direct you to the Wikipedia page.

3. 10 Korean Variety Show Recommendations

So what are the most famous variety shows in Korea? We looked at Korean variety show ratings and now we’re going to introduce ten famous Korean TV series to help you learn Korean!

1- 라디오 스타 (radio seuta) — “Radio Star”

Korean TV show information:
Period: 5/30/2007 ~ present (as of 2019)
Channel: MBC

Why should you watch this Korean series?
Radio Star is a South Korean talk show hosted by Kim Gook-Jin, Yoon Jong-Shin, Kim Gura, and Cha Tae-hyun. The first episode aired on the 30th of May, 2007. Radio Star invites four to six guests every week for the talk show, and most of the time the hosts ask difficult questions that cause panic in the guests. Guests are aware of this, so they usually answer the questions in a humorous way, which is the whole point of this talk show.

Due to the nature of the talk show, top celebrities aren’t fond of being featured here. However, some less-famous celebrities became extremely popular after showing up on this Korean TV show because of their sense of humor, as well as their interesting and personal stories.

Korean TV show website: https://www.imbc.com/broad/tv/ent/goldfish/
YouTube video: Do you want to watch just a little bit of the show? You can watch some videos here.

Korean phrases and quotes:

• 알아서 좋은 인연이 들어와요. (araseo joeun inyeoni deureowayo.)
• “A good relationship will naturally come to you.”
• 내가 번 돈 내가 안 쓰면 누가 꼭 쓴다. (naega beon don naega an sseumyeon nuga kkok sseunda.)
• “If I don’t spend my own money, someone else will spend it all.”
• 큰 일보다는 사소한 일에 신경을 많이 써라. (keunil bodaneun sasohan ire singyeongeul mani sseora.)
• “Pay attention to small things not only to big things.”

Must-know Korean vocabularies:

• 좋은 인연 (joeun inyeon) : “a good relationship”
• 들어오다 (deureooda): “to come in”
• 안 쓰다 (an sseuda) : opposite meaning of 쓰다 (sseuda) meaning “to use”
• 번 돈 (beon don): “money earned by hard working”
• …보다는 (…bodaneun): “…rather than”
• 사소한 일 (sasohan il): “a mere trifle”
• 신경 쓰다 (singyeong sseuda): “to show concern”
• 많이 (mani): “much; lots; plenty”

2- 나 혼자 산다 (na honja sanda) — “I Live Alone”

Korean TV show information:
Period: 3/22/2013 ~ present (as of 2019)
Channel: MBC

Why should you watch this Korean series?
It’s a South Korean television entertainment program aired every Friday from 11:10 pm to 12:50 am. I Live Alone broadcasts famous celebrities’ everyday lives, such as what they do and eat at home and their daily schedule including who they meet and so on. You’ll be surprised to see how transparent they are, and eventually you’ll come to realize that even the lives of famous celebrities are somewhat similar to our own. What makes this TV show popular in South Korea is that we can really relate to some of the personal troubles that these famous celebrities go through (e.g. dealing with debts, the death of a beloved pet, etc.).

Korean TV show website: https://www.imbc.com/broad/tv/ent/singlelife/index.html
YouTube video: Do you want to watch just a little bit of the show? You can watch some videos here.

Korean phrases and quotes:

• 클락션은 싸움만 만들 뿐. (keullaksyeoneun ssaumman mandeul ppun.)
• “You will most likely end up in a fight when you honk too much.”
• 욕심이 많아지면 행복하자는 소원을 빈다. (yoksimi manajimyeon haengbokajaneun sowoneul binda.)
• “When you become greedy, you end up making a wish to be happy.”
• 초심을 잃지 말자. (chosimeul ilchi malja.)
• “Let’s not forget our humble beginnings.”

Must-know Korean vocabularies:

• 클락션 (keullaksyeon): “Honk; Klaxon”
• 싸움 (ssaum): “fight”
• 만들다 (mandeulda): “to make”
• 욕심 (yoksim): “greed”
• 많아지면 (manajimyeon): “to pile up”
• 소원을 빌다 (sowoneul bilda): “make a wish”
• 초심 (chosim): “one’s first intention”
• 잃다 (ilta): “to lose”

3- 런닝맨 (reonningmaen) — “Running Man”

Korean TV show information:
Period: 7/11/2010 ~ present (as of 2019)
Channel: SBS

Why should you watch this Korean series?
Running Man is an SBS Korean variety show, and is one of the longest-running Korean game shows in South Korea. The rule of the game is that Running Man contestants wear a nametag on their back while playing the game. Their main goal is to take off all the contestants’ nametags until one person is left. It may sound easy, but it’s not, because contestants also need to perform various tasks in order to win the game and sometimes you have no choice but to betray your own team. This survival game is very addictive and entertaining! Also, it’s a Korean variety show that invites and features a lot of idols from all over the world.

Korean TV show website: https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/runningman/
YouTube video: Do you want to watch just a little bit of the show? You can watch some videos here.

Korean phrases and quotes:

• 포기하는 거야, 지금? 뭐가 그렇게 무섭다고 도전을 안해 (pogihaneun geoya, jigeum? mwoga geureoke museopdago dojeoneul anhae)
• “Are you giving up, now? Why are you not even challenging yourself.”
• 카메라 앞에서는 무엇을 해도 용서가 되지만 카메라가 꺼졌을 때에도 똑같이 행동하면 안된다 (kamera apeseoneun mueoseul haedo yongseoga doejiman kameraga kkeojyeosseul ttaeedo ttokgachi haengdonghamyeon andoenda)
• “Whatever you do in front of the camera, you will be forgiven, but you should not act the same when the camera is turned off.”

Must-know Korean vocabularies:

• 포기 (pogi): “give up”
• 무섭다 (museopda): “scared”
• 도전 (dojeon): “challenge”
• 용서 (yongseo): “forgiveness”
• 행동 (haengdong): “behavior”

4- 대국민 토크쇼 안녕하세요 (daegungmin tokeusyo annyeonghaseyo) — “Hello Counselor”

Korean TV show information:
Period: 11/20/2010 ~ present (as of 2019)
Channel: KBS2

Why should you watch this Korean series?
대국민 토크쇼 안녕하세요 (“Hello Counselor”) aims to help people take down communication barriers by sharing their personal life stories. The hosts try to evaluate the situation that a person’s going through and give advice. The hosts and guests try to do this is the most humorous way possible. At the end of the show, people on the stage vote on whether the problem which was addressed is severe and needs some “real” help or not. This Korean TV show invites many idols and famous celebrities, too.

Korean TV show website: https://program.kbs.co.kr/2tv/enter/hello/pc/
YouTube video: Do you want to watch just a little bit of the show? You can watch some videos here.

Korean phrases and quotes:

• 여러분의 말 못할 고민을 응원해 드립니다. (yeoreobunui mal mothal gomineul eungwonhae deurimnida.)
• “We will support your worries.”
• 육아는 도와주는 게 아니라 같이 하는 것. (yuganeun dowajuneun ge anira gachi haneun geot.)
• “Parenting is not helping, it is doing together.”

Must-know Korean vocabularies:

• 여러분 (yeoreobun): “everybody”
• 말 못할 (mal mothal): “something that you cannot say to people”
• 고민 (gomin): “worries”
• 응원 (eungwon): “cheering”
• 육아 (yuga): “infant care”
• 도와주다 (dowajuda): “to support”
• 같이 하는 것 (gachi haneun geot): “to do things together”

5- 언프리티 랩스타 (Eonpeuriti Raepseuta) — “Unpretty Rapstar”

Korean TV show information:
Period:1/29/2015 ~ present (as of 2019)
Channel: Mnet

What is it about?: 언프리티 랩스타 (Eonpeuriti Raepseuta) or “Unpretty Rapstar” is a rap competition reality show in South Korea, featuring only female rappers. One thing about this show that’s interesting is that in the first few episodes, show contestants introduce themselves through the same beat. Contestants need to win missions such as stage performance or “do diss” battle, in which contestants battle one-on-one with another rapper. This Korean competition TV show was famous already, but it became even more popular after the appearance of Jessi.

Korean TV show website: https://mnettv.interest.me/unprettyrapstar3/main
YouTube video: Do you want to watch just a little bit of the show? You can watch some videos here.

Korean phrases and quotes:

• 너희가 뭔데 날 판단해? (neohuiga mwonde nal pandanhae?)
• “Who are you to judge me?”
• 각오 단단히 하고 나와라 아님 나 못이길테니까. (gago dandanhi hago nawara anim na mosigiltenikka.)
• “Brace yourselves, everybody or you will not win me.”
• 우린 팀이 아니야 이건 경쟁이야 (urin timi aniya igeon gyeongjaengiya)
• “We are not a team. This is a competition.”

Must-know Korean vocabularies:

• 우린 (urin): “we are”
• 판단하다 (pandanhada): “judge”
• 각오 (gago): “determination”
• 아님 (anim): short for 아니다 (anida) or “not”
• 팀 (tim): “team”
• 이건 (igeon): “this is”
• 경쟁 (gyeongjaeng): “competition”

6- 냉장고를 부탁해 (Naengjanggo-reul Butakhae) — “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator”

Korean TV show information:
Period: 11/17/2014 ~ present (as of 2019)
Channel: JTBC

Why should you watch this Korean series?
Are you into cooking shows? Do you want to enjoy watching top chefs in Korea competing against each other by using limited resources from the fridge of a famous celebrity? 나의 냉장고를 부탁해 (Naengjanggo-reul Butakhae) or “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator” is a Korean cooking show starring various chefs and celebrity guests.

The really fun part of this show is that you’ll get to see a celebrity’s fridge—INSIDE. What better way to get a glimpse of the lifestyle of a celebrity? In this Korean reality show, two hosts open the fridge and investigate inside. The guests will come up with a theme for the cooking competition and the chefs have to cook the desired dishes within a limited amount of time with the ingredients available from the fridge. The host will taste the dishes and will decide who wins that cooking competition.

Korean TV show website: https://tv.jtbc.joins.com/replay/pr10010331/pm10026684
YouTube video: Do you want to watch just a little bit of the show? You can watch some videos here.

Korean phrases and quotes:

• 가끔 음식 먹다 보면 엄마가 생각나나 봐요? (gakkeum eumsik meokda bomyeon eommaga saenggangnana bwayo?)
• “Sometimes when you eat food, does this remind you of your mom?”

Must-know Korean vocabularies:

• 가끔 (gakkeum): “sometimes”
• 엄마 (eomma): “mother”
• 생각나다 (saenggangnada): “to think”

7- 비정상회담 (Bijeongsanghoedam) — “Abnormal Summit”

Korean TV show information:
Period: 7/07/2014 ~ 12/04/2017
Channel: JTBC

Why should you watch this Korean series?
비정상회담 (Bijeongsanghoedam) or “Abnormal Summit” is a South Korean TV show on JTBC which was aired on the 7th of July in 2014. It’s a debate show where people from different countries gather to discuss a topic in Korea. You’ll be surprised to see how fluent their Korean is; this TV show is a great source to learn many expressions in Korean.

Also, since it’s a debate show, it’s fascinating to see contestants with completely different views about a topic and debate passionately. A new guest is invited (usually a famous Korean celebrity or politician) every episode to introduce the debate topic. This TV show ended in 2017, and there is no set date for a new season. You can watch this Korean TV show on Netflix.

Korean TV show website: https://tv.jtbc.joins.com/nonsummit
YouTube video: Do you want to watch just a little bit of the show? You can watch some videos here.

Korean phrases and quotes:

• 자기가 좋아하는 일을 하세요. (jagiga joahaneun ireul haseyo.)
• “Do what you love.”
• 성공이 무엇인지 한 가지로 정의 된 것은 없습니다. (seonggongi mueosinji han gajiro jeongui doen geoseun eopseumnida.)
• “There is no universal definition of ‘success.’”

Must-know Korean vocabularies:

• 좋아하는 일 (joahaneun il): “self-imposed work”
• 성공 (seonggong): “success”
• 무엇 (mueot): “what”
• 정의 (jeongui): “definition”
• 없다 (eopda): “there is no…”

8- 미스터리 음악쇼 복면가왕 (Miseuteori Eumaksyo Bokmyeon-gawang) — “King of Mask Singer”

Korean TV show information:
Time: Sundays @ 4:50 pm
Period: 4/05/2015 ~ present (as of 2019)
Channel: MBC

What is this Korean reality show about?
미스터리 음악쇼 복면가왕 (Miseuteori Eumaksyo Bokmyeon-gawang) or “King of Mask Singer” is a
Korean singing show. Contestants wear a mask in order to hide their identity from the audience and the judges of the show. Since the singers cannot be identified, you’re better able to really enjoy the pure talent of the contestants.

Each round, two contestants compete against each other in three elimination rounds. Losing contestants will reveal their identity by taking off their masks while singing their last song, and this is one of the most exciting parts of the show! If you’re into K-pop singers and would like to listen to some extreme talent, this show is for you! Also, they use many adjectives to describe their feelings and to give feedback about the singing, so you’ll learn many vocabularies while you enjoy listening to some of the most beautiful voices in Korean culture.

Korean TV show website: https://www.imbc.com/broad/tv/ent/sundaynight/

YouTube video: Do you want to watch just a little bit of the show? Here’s the video of BTS Jungkook in the show.

Korean phrases and quotes:

• 엄청 떨려요. (eomcheong tteollyeoyo.)
• “I am tremble.” (Or “I’m really nervous.”)
• 반전을 거듭하는 무대 (banjeoneul geodeupaneun mudae)
• “repeated twists in the stage”

Vocabularies:

• 엄청 (eomcheong): “very”
• 떨리다 (tteollida): “tremble”
• 반전 (banjeon): “twist”
• 거듭하다 (geodeupada): “repeat”
• 무대 (mudae): “stage”

9- 프로듀스 48 (peurodyuseu 48) — “Produce 48”

Korean TV show information:
Period: 6/15/2018 ~ 8/31/2018
Channel: Mnet

What is this Korean competition TV show about?
If you’re interested in competition TV shows that introduce you to the journey of how a Korean idol is made, this TV show is for you. This show is a Korean music show and is an ongoing competition where contestants ultimately aim to be in a girl group in the end.

Contestants need to be able to dance and sing very well, and also need to receive many votes from the audience in order to continue in this competition. The newest season has 96 contestants from South Korea and Japan, and the contestants from Japan are from a famous J-Pop idol group called AKB48.

Korean TV show website: https://produce48.mnet.com/pc/main
YouTube video: Do you want to watch just a little bit of the show? You can watch the videos here:

Korean phrases and quotes:

• 그때의 나는 작은 왕관의 무게도 너무 버거워서 도망치고 싶었다.
• “At that time, I wanted to flee because the weight of the small crown was too heavy.”
• 하기 싫으면 안 할 거예요? 수업받기 싫으면 나가요.
• “Are you not going to do it if you don’t want to? If you do not want to take classes, get out.”

Vocabularies:

• 그때 (geuttae): “that time”
• 왕관 (wanggwan): “crown”
• 버겁다 (beogeopda): “be beyond one’s capacity”
• 도망가다 (domanggada): “run away”
• 수업 (sueop): “course”

10- 세상에 나쁜 개는 없다. (Sesange nappeun gaeneun eopda.) — “There are No Bad Dogs in this World.”

Korean TV show information:
Period: 4/09/2015 ~ present (as of 2019)
Channel: EBS

What is this Korean TV series about?
You’ve probably seen many dog training-related TV shows in your own country; there are many dog training TV shows such as It’s Me or the Dog by a trainer named Victoria Stilwell or Dog Whisperer with Ceasar Milliam. If you’re a big fan of these TV shows, this one’s for you.

This Korean TV show is the latest Korean shoㅈ. 세상에는 나쁜 개는 없다 (sesangeneun nappeun gaeneun eopda) is a dog training Korean reality TV series run by a Korean dog trainer, 강형욱 (ganghyeonguk). Every episode he introduces cases and how to solve the problems presented. You can learn training tips as well as Korean!

Korean TV show website: https://home.ebs.co.kr/baddog/main
YouTube video: Do you want to learn how to train your dog while learning Korean? You can watch a video of this Korean TV reality show from here.

Korean phrases and quotes:

• 최선을 다해 반려견을 사랑해주세요. (Choeseoneul dahae ballyeogyeoneul saranghaejuseyo.)
• “Please do your best to love the dog.”
• 강아지가 제일 좋아하는 사람은 백수다. (Gangajiga jeil joahaneun sarameun baeksuda.)
• “Dogs love unemployed owner the most (since they stay at home all the time).”

Vocabularies:

• 최선 (choeseon): “the best way”
• 반려견 (ballyeogyeon): “a pet”
• 사랑하다 (saranghada): “to love something or someone”
• 강아지 (gangaji): “a dog”
• 백수 (baeksu): “unemployed”

4. How to Study the Korean Language with KoreanClass101

Apart from watching TV shows in Korean, there are many other ways that you can improve your Korean. Here, you can learn the top ways to practice your Korean reading skills. We understand that learning a new language isn’t easy and it can be frustrating when you have a difficult time memorizing words. People have different techniques for memorizing vocabulary words and KoreanClass101 has prepared a number of techniques for remembering words. You can access all of these materials mentioned above for free.

KoreanClass101 offers the world’s largest study materials available online for you to study whenever you want, at your own pace. Learn Korean lessons with KoreanClass101 today.

What’s your favorite South Korean TV show? Leave a comment below and share why you like the TV show.

Do you know what political events happened in Korea after the Korean War ended? Although there was a lot of economic development, there was also a period of dictatorship. There were also various democratic groups that resisted the dictatorship.
In this lesson, you’ll learn about the civil Korea Revolution on April 19th that rose against the corrupt political power in the 1960s. As you’ll see, for Korea, 1960 was a year of great significance.

One of Korea’s most significant events, the Korean 1960 Revolution on April 19 is a vital piece of knowledge in your Korean learning journey. It will both open your eyes to Korea’s vast history and allow you to better understand its modern culture. So let’s get started!

1. Reading Practice: What is April 19th Revolution Day in Korea?

So, what is April 19 Revolution Day in Korea? Read the Korean text below to find out (and you can find the English translation directly below it).

—

한국전쟁이 일어난 다음 한국에서는 이승만 대통령 정권이 시작됩니다. 하지만 한국전쟁 이후 이승만 대통령은 12년간 장기집권을 하게 되고, 독재 정권 아래서 여러가지 부정부패 문제가 일어나게 되었는데요. 결국 1960년 3월에 있었던 재선을 위한 선거과정에서 선거개표를 조작하였고, 이 사실이 세상에 알려지게 됩니다.

그 전부터 독재정치에 불만을 가졌던 사람들이 이 부정선거를 계기로 여기저기서 시위를 하기 시작합니다.

1960년 4월 초, 부정선거 사실이 알려진 뒤 가장 먼저 마산에서 시위가 일어났습니다. 하지만 당시 정부는 경찰과 폭력배를 시켜서 시위대를 무자비하게 진압하게 됩니다. 이러한 폭력적인 대처에 화가 난 시민들은 결국 전국 각지에서 시위를 하게 되는데요. 서울에서는 고려대학교 학생들을 중심으로 4천여명의 학생들이 모여서 국회의사당까지 걸어가며 시위를 하게 됩니다. 하지만 평화적으로 이루어졌던 시위를 끝내고 학교로 돌아던 학생들이 폭력배들에게 맞아서 큰 부상을 당하게 되면서 국민들의 불만은 최고조에 달합니다.

시민들과 학생들은 결국 ‘이승만 하야와 독재정권 타도’라는 구호를 외치며 더욱 큰 시위를 열게 됩니다. 이 시위를 진압하는 과정에서 또 다시 수많은 사람들이 다쳤음에도 시민들은 끝까지 자신들의 뜻을 굽히지 않았습니다. 그리고 4월 19일에 대규모 시위가 일어나게 됩니다.

이날 이후 결국 이승만대통령은 한국을 떠나 하와이로 망명을 가게 되었습니다. 시민들의 힘으로 독재정치를 내보낸 419 혁명은 한국 현대역사의 첫 민주주의 혁명으로 기록되고 있습니다.

—

After the Korean War broke out, Ri Seungman began his rule as president. After the war, he was in power for twelve years, and there was a lot of corruption under his dictatorship.

Finally, in the reelection of March 1960, the fact that the votes were being controlled became known to the world.

People who had complaints about the dictatorship prior to that started holding demonstrations here and there.

After the election fraud became known at the beginning of April 1960, the first demonstration occurred in Masan city. But the government ordered police and organized crime groups to mercilessly suppress the demonstrations. Citizens, angered by this rather violent way of handling the demonstrations, started demonstrating all over the country. In Seoul, a group of about 4,000 students, mostly from Korea University, began protesting in front of the National Assembly Building. The students finished the protest peacefully and returned to school, where they were beaten by organized crime groups. This was the peak of the citizens’ dissatisfaction. Students and citizens began protesting more while yelling, “Resign Ri Seungman and Overthrow the Dictatorship!” College professor groups and scholars alike gathered and demanded Ri Seungman’s resignation. Despite the method of suppressing the protests and how many people were injured, their will didn’t falter. And so, on April 19th, they had a large-scale protest.

After that day, Ri Seungman left Korea and was exiled to Hawaii. 419 Revolution Day, when the dictatorship was overthrown by the people’s power, was the first democratic revolution recorded in recent Korean history.

2. When is the April Revolution of Korea Celebrated?

Each year, Koreans celebrate April 19th Revolution Day on—you guessed it—April 19 on the solar calendar, in commemoration of April 19, 1960.

3. How is the Korea 1960 Revolution Celebrated?

On April 19th, many people visit the 419 National Cemetery to honor the people who struggled for democracy.

There’s a 419 revolution memorial tower inside the cemetery. On 419 Revolution Day, people visit that tower and remember the people who were hurt and gave their lives for democracy leading up to the April 19, 1960 Korean Revolution.

4. Additional Information: More Special Days

419 Revolution Day is on April 19th of the solar calendar. In addition to 419 Revolution Day, there are a few other special days with their date in the name. Do you know which days those are?

Like 419 Revolution Day, there are a few other days with their date in the name. There’s the day marking the start of the Korean War on June 25th, which is called “625.” There’s also the pro-democratic resistance day on May 18th, called 518 Revolution Day.

5. Must-know Vocab

Here’s some vocabulary you should know for April 19th Revolution Day in Korea!

• 학생 (haksaeng) — “student”
• 교수 (gyosu) — “professor”
• 피해자 (pihaeja) — “victim”
• 민주주의 (minjujuui) — “democracy”
• 시위 (siwi) — “demonstration”
• 시민 (simin) — “citizen”
• 분노 (bunno) — “anger”
• 이승만 정권 (iseungman jeonggwon) — “Syngman Rhee government”
• 혁명 (hyeongmyeong) — “revolution”
• 하야 (haya) — “resignation”
• 대통령 (daetongnyeong) — “president”
• 국가 유공자 (gukga yugongja) — “men of national merit”
• 독재정권 (dokjaejeonggwon) — “dictatorial government“
• 4.19 혁명 (sailgu hyeongmyeong) — “19th April of Bastille Day”
• 불법 (bulbeop) — “illegality”

To hear each of these words pronounced, visit our 419 Revolution vocabulary list. Here, you’ll find each word accompanied by an audio of its pronunciation.

Conclusion

As you can see, April 19 Revolution Day in Korea is a significant holiday that commemorates a pivotal time frame in Korea’s history. We hope you enjoyed learning about the 1960 Korean student revolution and its commemoration with us!

Is there a Revolution Day in your own country? How is it celebrated? Let us know in the comments!

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