Introducing the Korean Language
With the popularity of Korean pop music, dramas and food on the rise, have you ever considered diving into the realm of Korean culture through language? We want to show you how we teach Korean here, so that you can step into the richness the Korean culture has to offer.
The richness of Korean culture
Why Learn the Korean Language?
With the rise of Korean music, arts and entertainment reaching our doorstep, the desire to engage with Korean culture has never been more exciting.
The popularity of K-pop artists dominating Youtube and radio broadcasts has enriched the musical diversity available with an active and supportive fanbase community. BTS, Big Bang and Blackpink sell-out concerts in Australia reflect the buzzling atmosphere that K-pop music generates so naturally. Their catchiness has been prominent for years, with PSY’s ‘Gangnam Style’ being the first music video to reach a billion views on Youtube, and more recently, with American artists featuring chart-topping songs by BTS and Blackpink.
However, it is not only the music industry that has captivated the world stage; the recent Academy-award winning film, ‘Parasite’ managed to capture worldwide praise to induce a thought-provoking discussion of classism, dismantling the supposed barriers that language difference imposed.
The popularity and critical acclaim of Korean cinematic pieces, projects the emotionally intricacies of Korean culture, providing new avenues to connect with others on a deep level. Further, Korean food has weaved itself into our social sphere with KBBQ lunches and Patbingsu dates that our friends and family bond over. The unique spices and sweetness of Korean cuisine has shaped many outings and inspired many taste palates.
So, with the fascinating culture of Korea integrated in our multicultural society, isn’t it time to dive right in and connect with it further? Learning the Korean language will bridge any gap of differences and project yourself into a whole new world.
What Interests You Most About Korean Culture?
I learnt Korean initially by watching K-dramas with English subtitles and picking up casual phrases.
I completed Korean Beginners at NSW School of Languages for my HSC. I’m now studying Korean as my major at university, and completed Advanced A and B last year (2020).
A Walk Through Guide
Learning the Basics
Here at Stepping Stones Education, our Korean classes are led by Sandra, whose passion for the Korean language is translated into captivating lessons. Sandra completed the Korean Beginners HSC course at the NSW School of Languages, and is now studying Korean as a major for her university course. She completed Advanced A and B in 2020.
Sandra learnt Korean initially by watching K-dramas with English subtitles and picking up casual phrases.
“I would occasionally use resources from ‘Talk To Me In Korean’ to learn new structures and words. I’d write down new information and try to find sentences that used the sentence structures. I also used to listen to K-pop a lot as a kid and would look up the Korean lyrics to practice my reading.”
Knowing the unique alphabet system is the best place to start. The Korean language uses Hanguel, which has its own characters. What makes it so special is that Hangeul was not always the writing system in Korea. It was created by King Sejong so that everyone who spoke Korean would be able to read and write as well. It’s an inclusive writing system, which makes it fantastic for learners.
안녕하세요? 저는 ______ 이에요/예요
“Hello, how are you? my name is: ____”
An-nyeong-ha-se-yo? jeo-neun (insert name here) i-e-yo/ye-yo
[ye-yo is for vowel ending names. i-ye-yo is for consonant ending names]
안녕히 가세요 // 안녕히 계세요
“Goodbye”
An-yeong-hi-ga-se-yo (Said by person staying)
An-nyeong-hi-gye-se-yo (Said by the person leaving)
감사합니다
“Thank you”
There are a few ways to say “thank you”, but here is just one of them.
Kam-sa-ham-ni-da
안녕하세요? 저는 ______ 이에요/예요
“Hello, how are you? my name is: ____”
An-nyeong-ha-se-yo? jeo-neun (insert name here) i-e-yo/ye-yo
[ye-yo is for vowel ending names. i-ye-yo is for consonant ending names]
안녕히 가세요 // 안녕히 계세요
“Goodbye”
An-yeong-hi-ga-se-yo (Said by person staying)
An-nyeong-hi-gye-se-yo (Said by the person leaving)
감사합니다
“Thank you”
There are a few ways to say “thank you”, but here is just one of them.
Kam-sa-ham-ni-da
A Walk Through Guide
Scenarios & Phrases
There are many ways to learn Korean, and the ways that suit you will depend on the type of learner you are. Watching Korean dramas and variety shows can not only assist you with your pronunciation, but also exposes you to colloquial language that you can use with friends in Korean. It is highly recommended to read Webtoons to practice reading and making note of any unfamiliar words to look up and internalise.
Now, let’s have a look at some common phrases that you can learn and use. It will be fun to be able to converse in Korean to apply in some typical scenarios, or to show off to your friends. The phonetic transliteration has been provided to aid in pronunciation.
화장실은 어디에 있어요?
“Where is the bathroom?”
Hwa-jang-shil-eun eo-di-eh iss-eo-yo?
이거 매워요?
“Is it (the food) spicy?”
ee-geo mae-wo-yo?
이거 얼마예요?
“How much is this?”
ee-geo eol-ma-ye-yo?
화장실은 어디에 있어요?
“Where is the bathroom?”
Hwa-jang-shil-eun eo-di-eh iss-eo-yo?
이거 매워요?
“Is it (the food) spicy?”
ee-geo mae-wo-yo?
이거 얼마예요?
“How much is this?”
ee-geo eol-ma-ye-yo?
What are you waiting for?
Stepping Stones Education offers Korean language classes!
Sandra and team at Stepping Stones Education have been excited to announce the launch of the Korean program, as part of the new language school.
If you’ve been interested in Korean culture for a while, why not take the next step to learn the language? Our classes will be guided by Sandra, whose enthusiasm for teaching and passion for the language, will help you explore the world of Korea.
Whether this is your first go at learning a new language, or you have had some experience, the classes will be tailored to suit you. We will be there along each step to eventually achieving Korean fluency!
How Our Korean Classes Work
FAQs
How many years does this course go for?
The beginner’s course goes for 1 year, split into 6 learning modules
What usually happens during the lesson?
A typical lesson will consist of:
- Revising previous lesson’s content
- Introducing new vocabulary & lesson theme
- Reading exercises and videos with subtitles
- Applying learning with practice questions
What are the homework exercises like?
The homework exercises aim to extend on what was covered in class, allowing students to further internalise the content. The homework also encourages students to experiment with what they have learnt so that, even if they make mistakes (which is part of the learning process and completely aye-okay!), they can learn from these.
How will my learning be supported?
Students will be supported both in and out of class. Students can message their Korean teacher outside class hours. An interactive forum will be accessible for students to talk with one another, share resources and learn from one another!
Contact us to schedule a Free Korean Lesson Today!
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