KoreanClass101.com Blog

Korean post production. It's annoying as all get out. It's unnecessary. It's shiny. It's colorful. It's embarrassing. It's a staple. One cannot watch Korean TV without noticed the astronomical amount of post production. You've seen it - even if you never noticed it before. May 12 1956 marked a special day in Korean history. The event? The first Korean television broadcast. Small but soon to become a mind-numbing ritual for families all over the country. This ingenious invention might not have inspired the miracle on the han but it may have at least entertained the masses. Now, it doesn't take much to know that much of early imported media came from Japan. Yes, Korea's history with Japanese media is rather interesting given the... Show more

Nine member SM Entertainment girl group 소녀시대 (So Nyeo Shi Dae, or Girls' Generation) released a new MV recently. You might remember the 'Gee Virus' they spread at the beginning of the year, with their super catchy song Gee. Even if you didn't like the song much, you probably had "gee gee gee gee baby baby baby~" stuck in your head for a while. (Did you live under a rock and never hear the song? Now's your chance!) I definitely don't think that they've necessarily done it again with 소원을 말해봐 (Genie), but the song is still cute, catchy, and I really enjoy it (and I love the outfits! Rawr~): The original album cover caused a bit of a stir, because netizens have hawk-like eyes (and maybe not much of a life). This is the original... Show more

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Hyunwoo here. : ) Here is a very common mistake that a lot of Korean learners (and even some Korean people) make. When you want to say, "what should I do?" or "what are we supposed to do?" you can say 어떡해? But a lot of people write 어떻게? What's the difference? 어떡해? vs 어떻게? 어떡해 is a combination of 어떻게 +해. So if you just write 어떻게, it means "how" or "using what kind of method" so it does not convey the complete meaning of "What am I supposed to do?" Well, when you are SPEAKING, those two phrases sound the same, but when you write, it is important to be able to distinguish the two. So remember : ) 어떻게 = "how" 어떡해 = "What am I supposed to do?" Thanks for reading! - Hyunwoo

Korean eating habits. Rule number one: Shut your mouth. Rule number two: Eat. Rule number three: Enjoy your food. It's insanely good. Thoughts? Typical eating habits in America include a lively conversation, witty remarks, and Matthew breaking all the ladies' hearts an overall pleasant dining experience. Everything follows a prescribed rule and your actions are subtly noticed. Do you reach for the bill immediately? Do you order appetizers? Do you make a mess of yourself? Do you know the difference between a salad fork and a dinner fork? Are you polite to the server? Do you talk on your cellphone at the table? Do you tip at least 20%? Do you chew with your mouth open? Do you finish the whole meal? By and large, I find... Show more