#koreansociety

[robinha]

#AlmostAmericanGirl has been published in Korea by #Gilbutschool! This is the first time that my work has been translated in Korean. I’m both excited, and humbled that my #memoir can be read by people in my motherland now. In this book, I talk about some of the issues in #Koreansociety that I’ve experienced growing up there. I hope this book will give Korean people an opportunity to talk about these issues openly without fear or judgements. @withregram • @h_translator_sunhee 와, 작년 이맘때 송고한 #AlmostAmericanGirl 의 한국판 #내이름은로빈 이 드디어 나왔습니다. 우리 중 누구는 아무렇지도 않게 여겼을지 모를 우리의 모습을 새로운 시각으로 볼 수 있게 해주는 책이었어요. 이 작품이 한국사람들에게 어떻게 비칠까 살짝 걱정스럽기도 했답니다. 우리 엄마, 시엄마 모두에게 권하고 싶은 오랜만의 제 번역서인데, 두 분은 또 어떻게 보실까 잘 모르겠네요. 어쨌거나 모두에게 #강력추천도서 입니다. #김선희옮김 #로빈하 #길벗스쿨 https://www.instagram.com/p/CXSPM2jt6JE/?utm_medium=tumblr

[seoulsearchingathome]

Hello there! I decided to start a blog to track my Korean language learning process. I’m (very much) a beginner, but I do know how to read hangeul. Nice to meet you all :)

[foureyesonescreen]

Table Manners

The wildest thing to me in a lot of Korean drama shows is when rivals sit across a table from one another and have dinner/tea together. No matter how intense the convo is or how harsh the insults are, they always manage to follow polite society protocol - eg. turn away to drink alcohol in front of your elder/superior

That just does not happen on shows like love and hip hop. You sit across the table from your enemy, and anything on the table (or the table itself) is getting thrown their way.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that in Korean society, the table is where you throw shade. But in Black society, its where you catch hands.

[confuocodalnara]

昭格洞소격동

IU 아이유「SOGYEOKDONG 소격동」聴いた... MV、重いですね...(/_;) 軍事政権下の思想統制、反政府活動取締、 日本で言ったらアカ狩り アメリカのレッドパージと同等の 「緑化事業」（アカを緑に）が描かれている。 全斗煥政権下の時代。 タイトルの 소격동昭格洞は景福宮の東あたりだが その「緑化事業」を担当した 保安司＝國軍機務司令部국군기무사령부があった場所... 学生運動（民主化運動）に参加した学生たちは 緑化事業で昭格洞に引っ張られて行ったのだ。 三清教育隊の三清洞も近く。 曲のさらなる深い意味については 10日に発表される予定の ソテジ서태지versionも待つ... 「소격동」をつくった ソテジ先生の反骨精神、時代精神は変わらないなぁ... ソテジらしい^^ そしてK-Pop界も。 昨年2013年は 年初に 光州事件を描いた SPEED 스피드「悲しい約束 슬픈약속 That's my fault」のMVが公開され ていた。 年末にはSHINeeジョンヒョンが LGBTを支持する発言を公式に K-Popの 社会へのコミットは 時代を映す姿は アイドルとは思えないほど...(๑•ᴗ•๑)♡ IU「소격동」MVの少女は 『トガニ』主演のキム・ヒョンス。 ソテジワ・アイドゥル서태지와 아이들Seo Taiji and Boysにはじまった、 ラップと韓国の伝統音楽の融合... buzz KOREA Click... にほんブログ村　韓国映画 にほんブログ村 韓国情報 にほんブログ村　K-POP担当！ にほんブログ村　映画 ブログランキング にほんブログ村 Copyright 2003-2014 Dalnara， confuoco. All rights reserved. 本ブログ、サイトの全部或いは一部を引用する際は 著作権法に基づき出典（ブログ名とURL）を明記してください。 無断で本ブログ、サイトの全部あるいは一部、 表現や情報、 ロジックや発想・視点、写真等もコピー・利用・流用することは禁止します。

[kshelmer-blog]

Love, Always

I can’t help but wonder what is it that is the difference between kids and adults. I mean, we are all people, but we think differently.

Being a foreigner in Korea, you need to accept the fact that you will always be labeled a “foreigner” by Koreans. But not all Koreans. Only those of a certain age…I shall explain.

I go and help out the kindergarten class in my elementary school once or twice a week. I will sometimes play with the kids or teach the kids an English song, such as One Little Finger or Three Little Bears. The best thing about the kindergarteners is that they treat you as a playmate, as a buddy, and have no concept of judging others. You can be as crazy, wacky, weird, and loud as you want in front of them. I know enough Korean to speak to them, it’s all baby talk basically, and love the amazing feeling I get because I don’t have to try and impress them because they’re going to love me regardless.

I teach English from 1st to 6th graders and I noticed that there is a change of attitude to me, being a “foreigner”, with the students as they get older.

My 1st and 2nd graders still don’t judge others and I can still be all crazy around them. I can still speak Korean at their level, which adds to their comfort around me.

When the kids become 3rd graders, this is when the transition happens. I’m not sure exactly what it is that happens at this age, but the kids transform into little people that are more aware of the social hierarchy and they are taught to think for themselves. At this age, they become aware of distinguishing people, placing them in categories, separating them by age, monetary income, race, etc. and, therefore, judge people when first seeing them. It’s just their way of placing people into categories, but it is something that sticks with them for the rest of their lives. It’s at this age when I am finally labeled as the “foreigner”. Before then, the kids don’t have much of a concept of this.

When the kids are in 5th and 6th grade, I’m basically a foreign object. The kids kind of ignore me sometimes….which isn’t exactly the best feeling and I try to talk to them, but they’re too busy talking with their friends.

Funny thing is that this just seems to be exponentially greater because I am a foreigner in a different country. Honestly, it happens with kids, even if you’re in the same country. With the 2nd grader and under crew, they don’t judge. 3rd graders and up, began placing you in “categories” and are aware of judging people. At the same time, the kids are also taught that “everyone is equal”, and then when you become a young adult, you finally realize that no, everyone is not equal. People aren’t treated equally, and never will, no matter how much society tries to force this idea down your throat.

Bottom line is, I am just going to really enjoy the time I spend with my younger elementary school students. Because they don’t judge, it leaves me more comfortable and open to doing a wider range of activities with them compared to my older elementary school kids that start to judge. Even as a young adult, as a teacher, I admit I’m still scared of being judge by my kids, but I don’t think of it as a negative thing. Instead, I think of it as a challenge: For the next year, I’m the “foreigner” that my kids will be most exposed to so I just have to present myself as the best person I can be and not be afraid to be myself in front of them.

[kshelmer-blog]

Korean Culture in a Working Environment

Teaching English in a foreign country is continuing to become a popular job choice, especially attracting people who are in college or right out of college because of the experience abroad learning another country’s language, culture, and way of life.

Coming from America and growing up with a mix of American and Korean cultures, I would say I was never one or the other, although I identified more with my American half. Coming to Korea, I wasn’t hit with the culture shock that many people with little to no exposure to another Asian culture would receive when I walked off my plane.

Being in the working world in Korea opens your eyes to a whole different part of Korean culture compared to if you were just a tourist or a study abroad student.

Here are some things I noticed, even after working for just over a month.

1)      There is male dominance over everything. If you’re a woman, you need to work a lot harder than a man to get your opinion voiced, to express a feeling, to do anything that challenges what a man would say or do.

I can’t get started or I’m afraid I won’t stop so I’ll leave this be for now.

2)      As a teacher, you get to do things before your students.

It makes me slightly uncomfortable when my students tell me I can cut ahead of them in the lunch line. Yes, I’m the teacher, but still, kind of awkward when I cut ahead of them in line. The end result is the same right? We’re all going to get food, but it’s just the timing that’s a little different.

3)      Age has so many benefits.

The elderly usually get to do everything first. And no one blinks an eye when you bulldoze through a crowd to slink on your bus. I’m not sure where they get that inner strength to push people…

4)      Food.

If you have a question, food is probably the answer.

Whenever there is a hwaeshik, a get-together with another school, a special occasion at your school, or a special holiday, it centers around…food. Food is something that brings people together, which is why it is offered so much at school events. Not to mention, it’s free~

Also, at least once a week, I’ve been asked by my principal or fellow teachers what I do for myself for breakfast or dinner. And every time, I have answered the exact same: I make rice or ramyun or buy kimbap or chicken.

Finally, I did an experiment with my kids in class as well: I have a sticker chart system in school where if every student in class receives 5 stickers, they get a fun/free day. At the end of one of my classes, I tested my 3rd and 4th graders. I presented my students with an ultimatum: they could either choose a sticker to add to their chart OR they could choose a colorful, delicious, sweet marshmallow.

100% of my students chose the marshmallow.

Conclusion of experiment: Students love food and it is a good idea to use sparingly as a tool to encourage student participation.

[waygooking-blog]

The mindset of old people in Korea