Archive for 'Grammar'
What Bibimbap Means to Koreans Posted by Flying Oyster on Mar 16, 2022
Many popular Korean foods are widely loved—you may think of Kimchi, Bulgogi, Tteokbokk, and so on. Add to that list 비빔밥 (Bibimbap), one of the most well-known and popular Korean foods both in and outside of Korea. Bibimbap lovers are all over the world. A Korean airline has been serving 비빔밥 as traditional Korean…
Fun Facts Quiz of Squid Game (Part 1) Posted by Flying Oyster on Oct 26, 2021
I don’t watch a lot of tv shows, but I can’t resist good shows, especially if it is a Korean show. One day, a group of my gym friends was talking about a TV show. I naturally joined the conversation and they asked me if I was watching the show: 오징어 게임 (oh-jing-uh-game: Squid Game)…
Korean Colloquial Expressions (Part 1) Posted by Flying Oyster on Sep 27, 2021
Learning a language is not an easy task, especially if you start later in life. Everything looks completely different and sounds strange. I know your agony in the journey of learning a foreign language because I, myself, have been there. In fact, I am still hanging in there. Mastering a language is hard work that…
Four-Character Idioms That Will Improve the Level of Korean Posted by Flying Oyster on Aug 27, 2021
Before 한글 (Hangul: Korean alphabets) was invented, Koreans used Chinese characters. In fact, only 양반 (yang-bahn: higher-class nobles) were allowed to write and read in Chinese. Therefore, the gap between the nobility and 백성 (baek-sung: the ordinary people) was too big to overcome. 세종대왕 (se-jong-dae-wang: King Sejong) in Chosun Dynasty had a desire to enlighten…
Neologism that Reflects the Changing Korean Culture Posted by Flying Oyster on Oct 27, 2020
Even if I live far away from Korea, I still keep in touch with friends that I grew up with. It is fun to talk to them, but I hear some words that I had never heard when I grew up in Korea. My friends are not in their 20’s, but they still use many…
A Review of Honorific Korean (Part 2) Posted by Flying Oyster on Aug 17, 2020
In general, I think the quality of customer service in Korea is excellent. Most of the sales clerks that I have ever encountered at shops were polite. Even government official clerks were well-mannered to their customers. I strongly believe using 존댓말 (jon-dat-mahl :the honorific) is one of the many reasons that most of my experiences…
Proper Titles for Your Family Members in Korean Posted by Flying Oyster on May 27, 2020
호칭 (ho-ching: appellation) is important in Korean. I believe knowing the proper 호칭 is important because of the very nature of Korean language and culture. Korean language has 존댓말 (jon-dat-mahl: the honorific, the form of Korean language). Knowing 호칭 can guide you on how you should use 존댓말. Respecting the elderly or anyone who should receive…