Korean Language Blog

South Korea is rapidly becoming a technologically advanced country with modern cities. A city called Andong (안동) is an exception to the norm. Andong has a reputation for being a center of traditional Korean culture and history. There are many festivals that take place in Andong that celebrate ancient Korean traditions. For example, the Andong Mask Dance Festival celebrates traditional Korean maskmaking and the dances that accompany the wearing of these masks.

The closest you can get to traveling back in time is to visit the Yangdong Village of Gyeongju (경주양동민속마을). The Yangdong Village of Gyeongju is an outdoor museum where people dress in traditional Korean clothing and perform tasks that would have been performed in 14^th-19^th century Korea. You can also see the traditional Korean houses that the poor and the elite lived in, and see folk traditions like basket weaving done by real people.

The Dosan Seowon (도산서원) served as an academy where young boys would memorize Confucian texts and commemorate the deaths of famed scholars. The Dosan Seowon was built in the 16^th century and was constructed to hold a lecture hall, a dormitory for students and a kitchen. There is also a small pond with a garden, but the actual academy is what is most valued because it respresents one of the earlier institutions of education in Korea.

Bongjeongsa (봉정사) was established in the late 600s and is the largest temple in Andong. It houses four national treasures, which includes National treasure #15, which is the oldest wooden building in Korea. It has survived all the natural disasters and wars over a period of centuries. Treasure #55 is the main temple hall. The temple hall is famous for its beautiful murals. Treasure #448 is a study hall and Treasure #449 is a worship hall.

Andong Jjimdak (안동찜닭) is a chicken and vegetable dish that hails from the city of Andong. To make the dish some transparent noodles are boiled until soft. A whole chicken is then chopped into pieces and steamed with spices such as green chili peppers, onions, garlic and ginger. Then some soy sauce, sugar, black pepper and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, spinach, scallions and mushrooms are also placed in the pot. It’s a taste of Andong that you just can’t forget!

It’s still not too late to attend the various festivals that take place in South Korea. The Yangyang Songi Festival (양양송이축제) will begin the 29^th of September and will take place in Yangyang County in Gangwon Province (강원도). The Yangyang Songi Festival is a pine mushroom festival that features pine mushroom taste testing booths, pine mushroom scavenger hunts and much more.

Chungju World Martial Arts Festival (충주세게무술축제) is a festival that features all the different forms of martial arts from all over the world. The Festival will last until the eighth of September and will take place in Chungju City in Chungcheonbuk Province (충청북도). There will be martial arts demonstrations by noted experts and even a station where kids can copy some basic martial arts moves.

The Jeonju International Sori Festival (전주세계소리축제) will begin the 30^th of September in Jeonju City in Jeollabuk Province (전라북도) is a music festival with the main focus on traditional Korean music called Pansori (판소리). There’s a clip of a pansori performance at last year’s Jeonju International Sori Festival.

The Seoul Drum Festival (서울드럼페스티벌) will last until the 24^th of September in the capital city of Seoul. The Seoul Drum Festival will feature drum players from around the world (including Korean percussionists) in various performances. There will be an international amateur percussion competition, a percussion instrument exhibition and a workshop where kids can practice their drumming skills.

There is a popular Korean children’s song that describes some of the features and shapes of faces by using various fruits and vegetables. If you look at the song, the song uses the example of a 호박 (hobak) or squash to describe a characteristic of a face. Generally when someone’s face is said to look like squash, it’s an insult. That’s because Korean people view the flowers of the squash as ugly when compared to the flowers of other vegetables. Korean children’s songs are great tools to learn about Korean culture and attitudes. Take a listen to the song, it has a nice tune!

사과같은 내 얼굴 (sagwagatteun ne uhlgool)

An apple-like face like mine

예쁘기도 하구나 (yebbugido hagoona)

How pretty it is

눈도 반짝 코도 반짝 (noondo banjjak kkodo banjjak)

Eyes sparkle and nose sparkle

입도 반짝 반짝 (ipdo banjak banjjak)

Lips sparkle sparkle

(난 반짝~) (nan banjjak)

I sparkle~

오이같은 내 얼굴
(ohigatteun ne uhgool)

A cucumber-like face like mine

길기도 하구나 (gilgido hagoona)

How long it is

눈도 길쭉 귀도 길쭉
(noondo giljjook gwido giljjook)

Eyes long and nose long

코도 길쭉 길쭉 (kkodo giljjook giljjook)

Nose is long long as well

(난 길~~쭉) (nan gil~~gook)

I’m long~~

호박같은 내 얼굴
(hobakgatteun ne uhlgool)

A squash-like face like mine

우습기도 하구나 (ooseupgido hagoona)

How laughable it is

눈도 둥글 귀도 둥글 (noondo donggeul gwido donggeul)

Eyes round and ears round

입도 둥글 둥글 (ipdo donggeul donggeul)

Lips are round round as well

(난~ 둥글 둥글) (nan~donggeul donggeul)

I’m round, round