KoreanClass101.com Blog

Friendship. Man I'm getting deep. Friendship is no joke with Koreans. Actually, that brings up a good point. Take a moment and analyze what the term means to you. Seriously. What is a friend to you? Someone you can tell everything? Someone you can spend time with? Someone you can drink with? Someone you love? Even the term '친구' has different connotations in Korean. It involves so much more than just a smile and a commonality. Friendship takes a commitment. Friendship takes regular upkeep. Friendship is hardcore. But first let's take a look at friendship in an American context. In the English language, the term "friend" is used quite lightly. I'm meeting some friends for lunch can mean any number of things. You're a good friend... Show more

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외기러기. Lonely goose fathers. (part one can be located here) So we've already covered the topic of the students who go overseas but what about the families left behind? First and foremost, like the first discussion, this topic is quite broad and includes any number of scenarios. Also, the situation differs when the student studies abroad by themselves versus coming over with a family member or two. Having said that, here's a oft linked piece from the New York Times that introduces the topic nicely. It's warm and fuzzy. High temperature fuzziness aside, we typically think of the father left in Korea while the mother and children study abroad (if thinking about school-aged 유학생). These fathers continue to work in Korea while sending... Show more

Super Junior are gearing up to release the repackaged version of their third album SORRY, SORRY. It's being called 'Version C' since they know how to suck all your money out of you, and already released two different versions (different covers and booklets, same tracks) of the album back in March. This repackaged version though comes with a new photo concept, as well as four new songs. One of those songs is 너라고 (It's You), which will be promoted as their next single, now that SORRY, SORRY (the song, not the album) is ending it's run. It's written by E-Tribe, the composer behind the super catchy will-never-get-out-of-your-head Gee, by 소녀시대, as well as pop queen 이효리's U-Go-Girl. But fear not, because 너라고 (It's You) isn't cute... Show more

유학하다. Studying Abroad. (Part one of two) Where to begin? It's a detailed subject with more asterisks and mixed emotions than I care to write about. I leave it up to the professionals. What I am curious about is the sheer number of 유학생 and how the number is growing each year. And if you thought that this is a recent trend, think again. As you can imagine, the culture shock that ensues is pretty much on par with any weapon of mass destruction. I can think of few other cultures more polar opposite than America and Korea. When the students arrive in their new home, there's a developmental term that comes to mind: goodness of fit. Think of it. If a student always dreamed of a life of independence, self-reliance, individualism, and... Show more