Korean Study Group / 한국어 스터딩

An area with study groups for various languages. Group members help each other, share resources and experience. Study groups are permanent but the members rotate and change.
User avatar
eido
Blue Belt
Posts: 840
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:31 pm
Languages: English (N), Spanish (C1)
x 3176

Korean Study Group / 한국어 스터딩

Postby eido » Mon Dec 31, 2018 1:25 am

Welcome to LLORG's study group for Korean!

I have nominated the below groups as our sister groups. Feel free to post here and request that I add any others to our family.

1. Chinese Study Group
2. Japanese Study Group
3. East Asian Languages Group

I won't be keeping a running list of who's joined our group. Feel free to come and go at your leisure as a student of Korean, or a person curious about this lone modern Koreanic language*. We welcome all who are curious about South and North Korea, with an eye to critically thinking about these countries and their role on the global stage. If you are part of the Korean diaspora, we gladly welcome you to join us as well. Contribute to the group bits of your experience as a Korean-American, or Korean-Canadian (or any of the other Korean immigrants to other countries) and give us all insight on your life. Or, perhaps you're a Korean national. Wonderful! You have a different view to share from people belonging to the diaspora, and you can all complement each other.

Of course, if you just want to listen to old SNSD songs and analyze their lyrical content, that's perfectly fine. Let's just try to make it a learning exercise as well as one of enjoyment.

This group is for discovering new things about your language of study, whether that be honing in on dialect, asking why idols address certain people with the formal polite form and not others, or getting into the nitty gritty of language to become a Korean master.

When you make your first post, would you mind answering some questions for me? Be as brief or as detailed as you like. You don't have to answer all of them, but please answer enough that we can get an idea about you.
  • Why are you interested in Korean?
  • What is your goal for this language? That is, would you like to speak at a college with academic level Korean, decode messages for the military with your superior listening ability, or just browse idols' tweets on Twitter?
    1. Answer the above even if you're a native or heritage speaker. We've all got something to learn, even as people with a certain degree of knowledge or head starts.
  • Do you have a favorite Korean language song? If so, what is it? Embed the video in your post if you like.
  • What is your favorite feature of the Korean language that you've encountered so far in your studies? Be as technical as you wish, or just fangirl in layspeak about the logic of the language - we don't care how you express it or what your knowledge base is.
  • Have anything else you'd like to share about yourself? Go ahead!

We're all here to help each other. If someone has a basic question that can be answered easily, answer politely and direct them to the appropriate article, lesson, or Reddit thread. Or answer here if you feel you're knowledgeable enough. But please don't try to create a "blind leading the blind" situation - if you don't know the answer with a fair degree of certainty, find a source to back you up so the person you're helping can make their own decision. (I say this because of my experience moderating a Korean course where I and many others were out of our depth.) This helps if you're wrong or unclear in your initial post and others who may know better than you see your mistake - you can at least defend yourself by saying you linked to a good site where your point was explained with more clarity than you could have mustered, at least at the time.

I also ask that this thread be a place that allows for multiple points of view to grow and flourish (without breaking the forum rules, of course). So if you don't like k-pop, are on the fence about bullying in South Korean schools, or just love Korean and have no reason to give you credence, then we're glad you're here. Just be rational. Write as coherently as you can and explain yourself so others can understand you - and if not accept your viewpoint - come to appreciate that you can have one that differs from theirs.

Let's get this party started.

*Some people consider the Jeju dialect to be a language in its own right, therefore giving birth to two Koreanic languages.
Last edited by eido on Tue Apr 16, 2019 5:36 pm, edited 4 times in total.
5 x

User avatar
eido
Blue Belt
Posts: 840
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:31 pm
Languages: English (N), Spanish (C1)
x 3176

FAQ / 자주하는 질문

Postby eido » Mon Dec 31, 2018 1:27 am

1. Why does this group exist when we already have an East Asian group on LLORG?
  • I wanted to create a group where Korean learners could gather and discuss things about our target language without derailing the general thread too severely. I also just wanted to be a cool kid and create a group myself, especially after the Chinese and Japanese solo groups were started.
2. Is Hangul a necessary part of learning Korean, or can I skip it?
  • This is a hard question to answer since it's the source of much debate. Every language with a non-Latin script is subject to this discussion now and then. There are people who say you should absolutely learn the alphabet, and others still who say it isn't required. If you want to experience Korean as a literate citizen, you should learn the alphabet. It's part of the culture, and many resources use only Hangul to teach you. Some Koreans are exceptionally good at reading romanized Hangul, but others aren't, and it definitely isn't used in daily communication among Koreans in the Koreas themselves. On the other hand, if you want to just get by orally, it isn't strictly necessary. However a lot of signs are written in Hangul on roads and on informational signs, like on doors or billboards. Important signs in heavily touristed areas have English translations. There are also different ways of transcribing/transliterating Korean text to English, some which vary among publishers as they try to make the language more foreigner friendly. The argument is that not learning the official alphabet will just delay or halt the process of your acquisition of Korean pronunciation. I would have to agree. But to each his own.
3. Would you recommend using k-pop to learn Korean? What about k-drama, or other media from popular culture?
  • Many people do. But if you want to at least have a B2 level of Korean, you can't just use k-pop. It has its own subset of vocabulary that repeats, with exceptions for odd songs about whales or something. There are many blogs and books available to help you on your quest for deciphering what your favorite songs say. Watching dramas repeatedly can be good practice for listening comprehension - watch them once for the gist, watch them again to mine vocabulary, watch them a third time to transcribe. (If you're not already watching with English or Korean subtitles.) In sum, use the songs or shows all you like, but know you can't begin to communicate complexly or fully without some hard study, whether you're experimenting with the MIA or going hard grammar book. Unless of course you're a hyper-smart six year-old reading this. You just might acquire the language through immersion - just might.
4. Is the TOPIK test a good gauge of my level?
  • It could be, depending on what you want to use it for. See this video for an honest take on assessing your level.
5. How do I improve my speaking?
  • I've heard that if you can text a phrase with reasonable speed and accuracy, you can speak the phrase in the same manner. I would say that's a pretty good assessment of the experience of people who chat as opposed to speak, especially if they're nervous. So start sending out those 칼답들 to a Korean-speaking friend and see where you get.

I welcome discussion on these answers so we can improve them for others.
Last edited by eido on Mon Dec 31, 2018 3:29 am, edited 2 times in total.
3 x

User avatar
eido
Blue Belt
Posts: 840
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:31 pm
Languages: English (N), Spanish (C1)
x 3176

Resources / 자원들

Postby eido » Mon Dec 31, 2018 1:30 am

RESOURCES:

1. Main Korean Resources Thread
    Please submit new online resource recommendations to the above thread, or directly to me through PM. Comments about the quality or the content of the source are appreciated. I'll add everything to the post.
1 x

Asarena
Green Belt
Posts: 280
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2018 11:11 pm
Location: USA
Languages: English (N), Korean (Intermediate), Russian (Beginner)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 95b1dac51f
x 313

Re: Korean Study Group / 한국어 스터딩

Postby Asarena » Tue Jan 01, 2019 4:53 am

Why are you interested in Korean?
Well, I originally became interested in Korean through Kpop, Korean shows, and such. Once I started learning Korean, I became more interested in the language itself as well.

What is your goal for this language? That is, would you like to speak at a college with academic level Korean, decode messages for the military with your superior listening ability, or just browse idols' tweets on Twitter?
My main goal is to be able to understand shows and such well enough to be able to watch them without needing subtitles.

Do you have a favorite Korean language song? If so, what is it? Embed the video in your post if you like.
There are a lot of Korean songs that I like, so choosing a favorite would be difficult. Instead, I'll just post one of my favorite NCT songs from 2018:


What is your favorite feature of the Korean language that you've encountered so far in your studies? Be as technical as you wish, or just fangirl in layspeak about the logic of the language - we don't care how you express it or what your knowledge base is.
First of all, I like 한글. I learned 한글 before I was even truly interested in learning Korean just so that I would able to know the proper pronunciation of names and such. I also like learning about the history of the language. For example, the pronunciation of ㅔ and ㅐ. Then there's things like vowel length, pitch accent, and such. Like, how certain dialects of Korean have a pitch accent. For example, on an episode of Knowing Bros they had Kang Hodong read this thing with Es and 2s, and you could tell how the pitch changed when he was reading it. Actually, it was this. I also just like how Korean grammar is in general.

Have anything else you'd like to share about yourself? Go ahead!
Well, I've been studying Korean seriously for a little over a year now, but before then I would dabble in it a bit here and there. I'm really glad I decided to start learning it though.
3 x

kraemder
Green Belt
Posts: 322
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 12:10 am
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Languages: English (N)
Japanese (JLPT N2)
German (read several books)
Spanish (read a couple books)
Korean (studying for about a year semi seriously)
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=1204
x 497

Re: Korean Study Group / 한국어 스터딩

Postby kraemder » Sat Jan 05, 2019 3:14 am

Hello. I'll make sure I'm subscribed to everyone's language learning journal here.

Why are you interested in Korean? It seems like a nice follow up to studying Japanese. The grammar is very similar and it borrows heavily from Chinese so there's a shared vocabulary there and yet there's NO kanji. I've always wondered what Japanese would be like if it had a decent writing system.
What is your goal for this language? I want to study it for 6 months (1 month down already). This includes taking Korean second semester at the local community college and finishing Rosetta Stone.

Do you have a favorite Korean language song? If so, what is it? Embed the video in your post if you like. Not really. I like watching Kpop videos in general but I don't have any favorite songs and haven't tried to learn any of them.
What is your favorite feature of the Korean language that you've encountered so far in your studies? I just like Hangul so far. It's so much easier than hiragana/katakna/kanji. As a complete beginner I already feel fairly confident reading it.
Have anything else you'd like to share about yourself? Go ahead! I'm 41. I've studied Japanese for 7 years. Before that I studied a bit of Spanish hoping to use it for work but didn't have the interest to maintain my studies in it. In college I studied a lot of German just reading novel after novel on my own. It was a lot of fun. I haven't looked at German since starting Japanese though.
3 x

The Real CZ
White Belt
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 4:23 pm
x 101

Re: Korean Study Group / 한국어 스터딩

Postby The Real CZ » Sat Jan 05, 2019 11:41 am

Thanks for making this thread! I was only familiar with about three Korean language learners on the old HTLAL forum, and only two of them migrated here, so I'm glad to meet some new Korean learners here.

Why are you interested in Korean?

Easy answer: because I am Korean. I got into Kpop and Khiphop back in 2008 and started watching dramas in 2009 when I started learning Korean, and have been hooked ever since.

What is your goal for this language? That is, would you like to speak at a college with academic level Korean, decode messages for the military with your superior listening ability, or just browse idols' tweets on Twitter?

To be at an advanced level and speak relatively fluently. It would make my life so much easier with speaking to my mom (who has bad English). I would like to also to be able to read adult novels without needing to look up words (getting closer and closer to that goal every day).


Do you have a favorite Korean language song? If so, what is it? Embed the video in your post if you like.

Dynamic Duo - Go Back

What is your favorite feature of the Korean language that you've encountered so far in your studies? Be as technical as you wish, or just fangirl in layspeak about the logic of the language - we don't care how you express it or what your knowledge base is.

I like the onomatopoeia sounds in Korean (similar to Japanese) that are added before the verbs. It's more common to see these in novels, but it just gives a little bit of extra flair to the language.

Have anything else you'd like to share about yourself? Go ahead!

BoA is the main reason why I got interested in Korean (and one of the main for Japanese as well!).
3 x

chamomile232
White Belt
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2016 4:33 am
x 27

Re: Korean Study Group / 한국어 스터딩

Postby chamomile232 » Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:10 pm

Why are you interested in Korean?
I wanted to be able to talk with my family members without any language barrier or have any worries about how I should try and communicate what I want to say.

What is your goal for this language? That is, would you like to speak at a college with academic level Korean, decode messages for the military with your superior listening ability, or just browse idols' tweets on Twitter?
For me, it's really to speak as close to my native English as possible, especially if I randomly take a quick glance at the news on TV and get the gist of what is happening right away. Just like The Real CZ mentioned, to be able to read adult novels without having to look up words all the time.

Do you have a favorite Korean language song? If so, what is it? Embed the video in your post if you like.
Hm... hard to say. Maybe this one?


What is your favorite feature of the Korean language that you've encountered so far in your studies? Be as technical as you wish, or just fangirl in layspeak about the logic of the language - we don't care how you express it or what your knowledge base is.
I like how Korean has an alphabet system similar to English in which you mash up vowels and consonants together to create a word or phrase.

Have anything else you'd like to share about yourself? Go ahead!
I give flute lessons to a Korean adult student in Korean, soo.. helps me out with speaking practice? ;)
3 x
Any corrections are welcome ;)

Christi
Orange Belt
Posts: 245
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2018 7:56 pm
Languages: Dutch (N), English (C1), German (B1), Korean (high A2-low B1?)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... php?t=7574
x 330

Re: Korean Study Group / 한국어 스터딩

Postby Christi » Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:38 pm

Just subscriped to this topic! Am always on the lookout for new resources (starting to feel like a hoarder :lol: )

Why are you interested in Korean?
I've always been interested in languages and have had an interest in Asian popculture and politics since my teens. So when I suddenly got some time on my hands I decided I should ''spend it well'' and learn another language. Then decided I wanted the language to be difficult but attainable (so no Chinese or Arabic) and also wanted to have an affinity with the culture.

What is your goal for this language? That is, would you like to speak at a college with academic level Korean, decode messages for the military with your superior listening ability, or just browse idols' tweets on Twitter?
I want to be able to read novels like 82년생 김지영, read news or articles on topics that interest me (politics, human rights etc, don't think I'll ever manage this though) and eventually be able to watch Korean dramas without subtitles. But considering how slow going my progress is I don't think these goals are very feasible.

Do you have a favorite Korean language song? If so, what is it? Embed the video in your post if you like.
Good question. Have never thought of this. I like Bigbang, Mamamoo and Hyukoh though. Am actually going to Hyukoh's concert in March <3. Also, if people are looking for interesting indie bands, check out Land of Peace. They are Korean but sing in English.

What is your favorite feature of the Korean language that you've encountered so far in your studies? Be as technical as you wish, or just fangirl in layspeak about the logic of the language - we don't care how you express it or what your knowledge base is.
I like that the language seems like a puzzle to me due to the difference in word order compared to my native language. This also makes things more difficult though, and sometimes I wonder if I am actually translating things correctly..

Have anything else you'd like to share about yourself? Go ahead!
Uuuh, I'm 27 and still studying so sometimes I don't study Korean for a bit because I simply get too busy. For example, tomorrow I will probably be at the library from 10 am - 10 pm. Pretty sure no Korean studying will get done then :lol:
This does make my progress rather slow since I can't manage to read/listen to a lot each week and deal with more than 20-30 words. I'm trying to read 9 pages each week of a comic I'm reading now. Hope I can keep up with this.
4 x
2020 resolution words learned: 472 / 1000
Pages read at end of 2020: 220 / 1500

Sayonaroo
Green Belt
Posts: 256
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:13 am
Languages: English(N), Japanese -fluent?, Korean - advanced?, Spanish (b1?)
Language Log: http://choronghi.wordpress.com
x 319
Contact:

Re: Korean Study Group / 한국어 스터딩

Postby Sayonaroo » Sat Jan 05, 2019 9:10 pm

I just wanted to share this site with anyone who happens to already know Japanese or Chinese (mandarin/cantonese)

http://hanjaro.juntong.or.kr/text_translater.aspx?hu=1

When you paste the text it inserts hanja next to the words. You also have the option of choosing Chinese characters used in Japan, China, and Taiwan. It's not perfect of course. For one thing, there are homonyms in Korean. However, it's usually obvious when the hanja is wrong based on the context but when the hanja is correct it saves me so much energy and time.

Here's an example with the hanja option.
7일(日) 한 매체(媒體)는 ‘프로듀스 101’의 네 번째(番째) 시즌이 내년(來年) 4월(月) 방송(放送)을 목표(目標)로 제작(製作)을 준비(準備) 중(中)이라고 보도(報道)했다. 이에 대(對)해 Mnet 측(側)은 “새로운 시즌을 논의(論議) 중(中)이다. 하지만 편성(編成) 등(等) 자세(仔細)한 사항(事項)은 아직 확정(確定)된 부분(部分)이 없다”며 말을 아꼈다.

‘프로듀스 101’ 시리즈는 그동안 아이오아이, 워너원 등(等)을 탄생시켜 대중(大衆)들의 뜨거운 반응(反應)을 이끌어 냈다. 또한, 가장 최근(最近) 시즌인 ‘프로듀스 48’에서는 아이즈원까지 출범(出帆)시켰다.

I like it because it makes reading easier and faster for me and I actually have a lot of links to articles I saved that I planned to read. I'm pretty sure I'll read more Korean in 2019 than I did in 2018. this site makes me so much more motivated to read Korean. I always hated reading hangeul-only texts and having to figure out stuff from context only when I know the word is based on hanja and it's hiding behind hangeul just because I'm so comfortable reading in Japanese. I use readlang.com to save words that I want to add words to anki.

here are my brief answers to the questions

Why are you interested in Korean?
to have fun like watching show me the money or high school rapper or talk shows.

What is your goal for this language? That is, would you like to speak at a college with academic level Korean, decode messages for the military with your superior listening ability, or just browse idols' tweets on Twitter?
I am interested in gaining passive ability to understand Korean tv and read interesting articles with minimal look-ups. I am in no rush to reach my goals so I tend to be sporadic in my contact with Korean media. However, because I use anki and know Japanese, I never feel like I'm stagnating or going backwards.

Do you have a favorite Korean language song?
I have so many songs I like. Here's one...


What is your favorite feature of the Korean language that you've encountered so far in your studies?
I love the way people express themselves in Korean because it's so different from Japanese and English.

Have anything else you'd like to share about yourself?
I started Japanese in 2007 and I started Korean in 2011 when I got bored and complacent with Japanese. Now it's 2019!
4 x

The Real CZ
White Belt
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 4:23 pm
x 101

Re: Korean Study Group / 한국어 스터딩

Postby The Real CZ » Sun Jan 06, 2019 2:09 pm

Thanks for that link Sayonaroo! I have found that hanja is extremely useful in helping me remember the Sino-Korean words much easier than the definition/context alone. I don't think I would have ever learned any hanja if it weren't for studying Japanese and Mandarin (and a little Cantonese), but I am glad I did. While it may seem useless to a Korean-only studier, especially in the beginning stages, starting to learn hanja is very invaluable to quickly decipher the meaning of a word, especially when context makes it seem that a couple of different definitions could make sense. That's why I'm glad when I read certain news articles when hanja is used in parenthesis for such situations. I've even seen it in some of the novels I've read back in the day.

And for Korean learners, I don't think someone needs to dedicate time like they would by using something like Remembering the Kanji for Japanese. I would say learn the characters as you go. Then again, I am in the camp of learning characters with words (and in context) as opposed to systematically studying them.
0 x


Return to “Study Groups”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests