Korean Language in Australia

The immigration of Koreans has increased since very early 90's and is expected to grow more. No one knows how Koreans came to Australia and when but number of Korean population is increasing steadily. Although Korean Hangeul School on Saturday is available and Korean language course is available in universities or colleges, the students are rarely taking Korean language. Compare to New Zealand, at least Australian government has been supporting Korean schools (Hangeul School on Sat.) for immigrants’ second generation and foreigners (locals) but the given budget from both (Australia and Korea) countries are insufficient as our immigrant society is economically weak and teaching manpower and materials are lacking.

I often compare with my experience in Singapore when I started setting up Korean courses for first time in Singapore and feel that I took a time-machine in Perth. However, I can see a potential for Korean languages for our next generation and foreign students to experience the great deal of benefits from learning Korean Language one day as my students have been experiencing in Singapore from the zero generation in Korean language learning if we consider below points and contribute.

1. Korean government needs to provide intensive supports for the revitalization of Korean Language Education providers especially for Hangeul Schools and universities. Korean books are must be in local libraries for young learners to improve their reading skills that also gives a connection to the culture in Korea from young.

2. Australian government should have more confident in introducing Korean language as Korea is in their top trade business countries and top universities should adopt Korean language in their SAT II test system as well as other Asian languages.

3. Korean Hangeul Schools must consider to have more trained teachers with teaching supports such as textbooks, materials, updated information in teaching, right honorarium etc.) and the schools must provide proficiency tests for the learners yearly so that the learners may aim for working or studying in Korea with the scholarship or own. Language is a tool and these students will contribute the economy for both Australia and Korea.

4. Second generation children should speak more than one language from this era as many South Asian countries education system has already implemented in their curriculums (e.g.: The Bilingual Education Policy in Singapore, Singapore) from two decades ago. All parents should be aware of importance of speaking Korean as it is their identity in them. Following up and checking their study and practicing it together at home should be carried out and there are useful information in the internet as well.

5. Foreign Students should have a confident to explore to study the language and the culture as many countries are doing business with Korea. Korea business market has been aggressively expanding internationally from late 90’s as everyone sees Samsung, LG, Hyundai, logos around us because Korea is now a business hub of Asia. Masters courses with the scholarship programs are given to many international students in Korea and getting the schoparship has been getting comptitive among international students and this shows the strong demands among international students and new generation Koreans.

To the immigrants, How about if our children do not have the Asian’s values in them anymore nor other speaking foreign languge from very young? I met foreign parents enrol their chileren to Hangeul schools for them to learn Korean. Both parents are not Korans.

To the countries, are we able to avoid the multinational society in Australian culture from now? Do we put enough budgets on our education system including second or foreign language programs? Not only the education can be the investment for ten decades but also it is intangible cultural assets for both countries.

Today, people used to be busy to be westernized but people want to be orientalized with many reasons. I might be unrealistic to point out above points with my one year living in Perth but there is a hope for everyone to make a difference from zero generation stage for our children and locals who value Korean culture in Perth.

24 April 2010

A Glance of Korea - Tradition Martial Arts Foods

Taegukgi

To understand Korean culture, this movie is highly recommanded. 100 Best Korean Movies
including Shiri, Shilmido and others
Plot: While digging up remains at a Korean War battlefield to set up a memorial site, the South Korean Army excavation team notifies an elderly man that they identified some remains as his own. He believes that they may be those of his brother and drives over to the site with his granddaughter. Continue with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taegukgi_(film

Friend : 친구 (Chin Ku)

At a time when students had to fasten their collars and crease their slacks till they're razor sharp, these four friends strutted around in their own custom-fashioned uniforms. They walked the streets with their heads held high, shoulders straight, and chests out, fearing nothing when they were together. Joon-suk, a son of a vigilant gang boss; Dong-su, the only son of an undertaker; Sang-taek, a diligent student; Joong-ho, who never keeps his mouth shut. Those are the gang of friends who share their fantasies about naked woman on the porn magazine and their awe at Bruce Lee's Kungfu.Each of their lives takes different turns as they grow up and their paths cross in conflict with each other's. Joon-suk becomes the leading henchman of his father's crime ring and Dong-su is serving for Joon-suk's rival gangs. Sang-taek and Joong-ho find themselves helplessly watching their two best friends wield knives at each other...

Source http://www.cineclickasia.com/

In this movie, the actors use heavy "Busan" accent and we call "Saturi" 사투리. Seoul accent is standard.

The empty cart makes more noise. (빈수레가 요란하다)

Binsurae ga yoranhada.


For centuries, Koreans have applauded tacifurnity and frowned on chaterboxes. In the culture, people prefer to a man with less words.

요란하다: noisy, loud, boisterous..
요란한, 요란스럽다, 요란하게

오토바이가 요란한 소리를 내면서 지나갔다.
콘서트가 아주 요란하게 시작했다.
배가 고파서 "꼬로록" 소리가 요란스럽다.
옆 집 아줌마가 옷을 요란스럽게 차려 입었다.

Ppalli, Ppalli!!! (빨리, 빨리!!!)

Be Hurry, hurry!!! Koreans say "Ppalli ppalli' when they want to other to speed up. The term now symbolizes Korean's penchant for rushing things. Although Koreans do not need to be hurried, they seem always in a hurry to do things.

예문: 빨리 빨리 가, 빨리 빨리 숙제 해! 빨리 빨리 샤워 하고! 빨리 빨리 자! 한국사람들은 그저 빨리 빨리...

Basic Conversational Korean Textbook

While I was teaching at NUS Extension, we had found that one of institutions copied my materials. Not only had they erased my names on the pages but also they use for their Korean courses with my book in mid 2005.
Before Korean Language Course became Korean Language Program (KLP), all lecturers have to prepare their own notes to teach under “course”. Following KICE guide line is vital to design the course because I had a vision to teach Korean language with university level with a university textbook for first time in Singapore so that the students can immerse into the classes in Sogang university without a great deal of problem. After Korean Wave had arrived in Singapore, teaching Korean was getting easier as many people have a minimum level of knowledge from media such as greetings 안녕하세요? So teaching Korean became easier than I started to teach Korean in late 1990's with the internet's help too.

My textbook was for local students and the textbook lead them to next basic level of university textbooks smoothly. Below reasons made me to print my own textbook with NUS publishing with Dr. Kim C.W.'s advice and help.

As NUS Extension did not give any budget to buy textbook in advance, I had to put my money, some thousand dollars to order the Sogang University textbooks in advance and the order tooks three months to arrive. When the textbooks arrived after few months later then I could able to claim the money to NUS Extension but the payment took another few months to come back to me so I had been putting around S$6,000 ~ S$7,000 or more to order the books till Korean Language course became Korean Language Program. My basic level of textbook could lower the course fee too.

When I look at my textbook, I never forget the memory of hardship that I went through to make the Korean Language Program from the uneasy start.

It was the first born tailor made textbook with feedback of my students in Singapore taken into account. I never forget the students who helped me.