A Sip of Korea

sSee previous episodes 👉  What is Hangeul? 1. Consonants: The Foundations of Korean Sound  In Korean, the alphabet begins with consonants —simple symbols that represent single sounds. There are 14 basic consonants in Hangeul, and they are used in nearly every syllable block you’ll read or write. This lesson will cover the first three ㄱ (giyeok) ㄴ (nieun) ㄷ (digeut) Even with just these three, you can begin reading basic words, forming sounds, and understanding how Korean syllables are built. Let’s begin with ㄱ. 2. ㄱ — Giyeok (like “g” or “k”)  📌 Shape & Meaning ㄱ looks like an angled corner or a bent arm. It was designed to represent the back of the tongue touching the soft palate , as in sounds like “g” and “k”. 🗣️ Pronunciation ㄱ is somewhere between G (as in “go”) and K (as in “kite”). It sounds more like a soft “g” when placed at the beginning of a word, and more like a “k” when at the end. Example (initial): 가다 (ga-da) – to go  Example (fin...

Hello and welcome to the blog! If you’ve ever listened to BTS’s “Spring Day” and felt something stir inside you—but couldn’t quite catch the full meaning—this post is for you. Below, you’ll find the full lyrics in:  Korean (original) Romanized Korean (to sing along)  Literal English translation  Natural English interpretation  Whether you’re learning Korean, a longtime ARMY, or just discovering BTS for the first time, I hope this guide helps you connect with this beautiful, emotional song on a deeper level. Let’s get into it. 🎧 보고 싶다 bo-go sip-da I miss you I miss you 이렇게 말하니까 더 보고 싶다 i-reo-ke mal-ha-ni-kka deo bo-go sip-da  Saying this makes me miss you more  Saying it out loud just makes me miss you more  너희 사진을 보고 있어도 neo-hui sa-jin-eul bo-go i-sseo-do   Even though I’m looking at your picture  Even when I look at your photo  보고 싶다 bo-go sip-da I miss you I still miss you 시간은 참 잔인하다 si-ga-neun cham ja-nin-ha-da  Time...

When I was 12, I asked a new friend at school, “How old are you?” I didn’t think much of it—it’s what everyone asked. But when I told a foreign friend later, she laughed. “That’s such a personal question!”  That’s when I realized how different Korean culture is when it comes to age. In many countries, age is something private, even sensitive. But in Korea, it’s often the first thing we ask —because age shapes everything. 🧭 A guide for how to speak and behave  Korean is a deeply hierarchical language. The moment you know someone’s age, you know how to speak to them . If someone is older, you use polite speech and honorifics. If they’re younger, you might speak more casually. If you’re the same age, you’re peers—instant 친구 (chingu), a word that literally means “same-age companion.”  Age isn’t just a number. It’s a social compass that guides how close you can be, how you talk, even how you pour drinks at dinner. 🍶 Everyday moments shaped by age  Let’s say you’...

   1. Why You Should Start With Hangeul If you want to learn Korean, there’s only one right place to begin: Hangeul , the Korean alphabet. Learning Hangeul is not optional—it’s essential. While some beginners attempt to rely on romanization, this approach leads to mispronunciations, confusion, and a lack of understanding of how the Korean language truly works. Romanized Korean can never capture the full range of Korean sounds, rhythm, and nuance. Hangeul is not only the key to Korean literacy—it’s the key to understanding Korean culture, logic, and identity. And here’s the best part: Hangeul was designed to be easy to learn . It’s not like Chinese characters, which take years to master. In fact, Hangeul can be learned in a matter of days. 2. The Birth of a Brilliant Script Most alphabets in the world evolved gradually over time. But Hangeul was created intentionally. In 1443, King Sejong the Great , one of the most revered rulers in Korean history, commissioned a new w...

  When my friend from Canada joined my family for dinner one evening, she looked puzzled halfway through the meal. “Why is no one talking?” she whispered. I smiled. “Because we’re eating.”  That small answer carries a deep cultural truth. In Korea, silence at the dinner table isn’t awkward—it’s respectful. And if you listen closely, you might just hear what that silence is trying to say. 🥢 Eating with respect, not noise  In many Western cultures, dinner is conversation time. Stories are shared, jokes passed around, laughter fills the room. But in Korea, especially in traditional families, eating is a focused, almost meditative act. The food in front of you is not just a meal. It’s the result of someone’s labor—often a mother or grandmother who has spent hours preparing it. Speaking too much while eating could be seen as disrespecting that effort. There’s even an old saying: “밥 먹을 땐 개도 안 건드린다.” Even a dog isn’t disturbed while eating.) 🍲 A deeper kind of c...

When I was a child, I never thought twice about removing my shoes before entering the house. It was second nature, like saying “hello” or bowing to elders. But everything changed the day my foreign friend visited my home in a small village in Jeollanam-do. She stood awkwardly at the doorway, staring down at her boots. “Should I take them off?” she asked. Her tone was curious, hesitant—like she’d stepped into a sacred place she wasn’t sure she belonged to. “Yes,” I smiled. “Always.” What seems like a small act holds deep meaning in Korea. To us, home is more than a space—it’s a boundary between the outside world and a place of peace. The moment you cross that threshold, you leave behind dust, noise, and the weight of the day. 🌿 A Tradition Rooted in Warm Floors and Respect The origins of this practice go back centuries. Traditional Korean homes, or hanok, were designed with a unique heating system called ondol. Hot air traveled through stone flues under the floor, keeping ...