How I Learned Korean

I have now added a new page to the site: Korean Word Of The Day. Bookmark the page and come back to it every day to learn something new. The widget has the Korean word, romanization, translation, sample phrases, grammar points and even audio from native Korean speakers.

What more could you ask for?

My friend taught me a new phrase: 파티를 가자?

Translated to: Party gaja? Let’s go party?

I think this one I will remember quite well.

I watch a bit of Korean TV and movies and after a while you notice small things. Such as how Koreans use chopsticks. There are some very different views compared to other Asian cultures and most definitely compared to Western chopstick use.

• Unlike most other East Asian cultures, it is considered ill-mannered to use chopsticks to eat rice, the spoon is used instead. The Korean spoon, which has a thin and shallow bowl, is likely evolved for this purpose.
• It is considered uncultured and rude to pick up a dish or a bowl to bring it closer to one’s mouth, and eat its content with chopsticks (except certain noodle dishes like naengmyeon). Dishes are to be left on the table at all times, and a spoon is used alongside chopsticks, if the food lifted “drips”.
• When laying chopsticks down on the table next to a spoon, one must never put the chopsticks to the left of the spoon. Chopsticks are only laid to the left during the food preparation for the funeral or the memorial service for the deceased family members, known as jesa.

A big issue when learning a language, in my experience, is where does one start?

This takes a lot of research and I believe I have found the best place to start when learning Korean.

KoreanClass101.com was where I started and I’m currently still using them.

You can signup for a free 7 day trial and after that you can upgrade your membership if you like it

I paid for 24 months of premium access, I think it came out to be a bit over $200 USD. A SMALL price to pay compared to anything else I’ve found.

I also paid an extra $34.98 for a two disc DVD set with learning materials on it.

I will be writing more about them as time goes on, but that is where you should start your journey into this language.

Edit: I went and looked at the price I paid, it was $206.40

This blog chronicles my journey learning the Korean language.

I don’t know why I chose to really really learn this language. It just fascinates me to no end.

I will be updating as much as possible with new stuff I learn and whatever, if you want to learn Korean as well, hang around and I’m sure you’ll pick up some.