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.

Starting Korean Language Course at NUS Extension

I approached NUS Extension(NEX) on the possibility of starting a Korean language course (KLC) with them in early Oct. 2003. After all consideration in the meetings and the big preparation, NEX was opened to a Korean Language Course (KLC) and was willing to give it a 6-month trail to gauge the response. The first course was launched in Feb 2004 and the first class response was good as some of my students spread the news that I moved to NEX. Whilst this was a positive first step, there were however many challenges that I had to deal with.

I had been planning to use the textbooks published by Sogang University as I was trained there, knew that the books were good teaching materials and had a confident in using the modified Sogang style at NEX. However, NEX could not allocate any budget for the importation of text books because the "KLC was not a programme". In fact, lecturers had to develop and able to use their own teaching materials for courses.

Should lecturers nonetheless required the use of imported text books, so I had to bear the cost of importing the textbooks first. Because NEX would only reimburse the lecturers for the number of books sold. The lecturers were left the bear the costs of any unsold books. So, I wrote new textbooks for level 1 and 2 but I imported Sogang textbooks from level 3 onwards. I used KICE (Korean Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation http://www.kice.re.kr/en/index.do)guide line for curriculum and tried my best to make the tailored made materials based on my teaching experience in Singapore. What ever situation was given, I starched my ability to make things happen while I was working.

The administration and logistics of arranging for importing text books were also left to me. For the first 18 month of my tenure with NEX, I had to personally arrange for the importation of the text books and had to make out-of-pocket payments amounting up to S$3,000 or more each time before being reimbursed by NEX at a much later date.

I believe that the very positive response to the first KLC at NEX in February 2004 was due the fact that I was the first to apply the CLT(Communicative Language Teaching) & Communicative teaching method in Singapore. I also had to tailored the KLC to fit local consumption as the original lesson plans did not completely meet the local audiences’ needs.
Mid 2004, I received a call from NEX management and was offered a new contract. And the KLC was upgraded to Korean Language program(KLP) in 2005 after I made the successful outcome for KLC. Budgets were discussed and professional advice sought. That was such a great relief because I could not continue to bear using my own money to import the textbooks when it touched more than $5,000 dollars. On top of that, doing exchange, immersion, having proficiency test center, arranging donation of books, recruiting teachers (new jobs to teachers) and other plans became easier to be planned.

My new plan (taking trainers) was submitted to the management and my ex student (Ms. Ong Wann) who learnt from chapter 1, was hired first in Sept. 2004. Ms. Ong Wann graduated from NTU and did a diploma in Korean language at the Sogang university in early 2001 and she wanted to teach Korean language although she was a Singaporean.  So, I took her heart to support her from Sept. 2004 at NEX. While she was under my training, she helped me some translation work as well and I helped her to get the scholarship at the Korean Foundation then she was doing Master degree in Korean language at Kyung Hee University in Seoul.  When she came back to Singapore after her study, I arranged a job for her to teach at Singapore Polytechnic.  Number of students or management people against the idea of taking her (non native Korean teacher) as a Korean teacher but I put my pure heart to someone who wants to be.
We always wished to find the teachers who have integrity, having professional team work mind, supportive and respecting others in any good or bad situations as a colleague,
I met great teachers while I was working together but not alway.  I and other senior teachers felt great deal of regret to train the teacher who merely use this teaching job for own benefits only without any moral or integrity.

However, I had to rush to achieve the plans before 2008. While I was working in NUS Extension, I felt very difficult to work to achieve the goals because I was also preparing for moving to Australia but as I could see the possibility of opening Korean even in the campus, I could not close my eyes to ignore so I decided to try to do it first. There are many significant meanings behind opening Korean language in Singapore.

Teaching Korean language in Singapore in the late 90's

When I first set foot in Singapore in the late 90’s, I noticed that the availability of Korean language courses was minimal. Educational institutes were reluctant to offer Korean language classes as it was not popular. No institutions wanted to use universities' textbooks and they used copied materials without proper curriculums or guide line from MOE(Ministry of Education). I was trying to understand as they find it troublesome to import the required books which were and are still costly or there were also questions raised over the teaching staff's ability to use such said books. However, regarding or respecting copyright was not an issue while I was working there and I was disappointed. I could just stay there to just teach, enjoy my popularity and earned money but I could not close my one eye to the wrong doing due to money or my carrier.

I quit my tenure with my previous insitution in mid-2003 without having my next teaching job due to some copyright issues. I still respect and thank the person who gave me the opportunity and promotes Korean language even though I was disappointed with the fact that the issue over copyrights was not talkable with same level of understanding in the developed country.

After my stint at the institution, I decided to give teaching a miss. But, a suggestion from former students that I teach the Korean language at university level instead, made me rethink my decision to give up teaching as a profession. I decided to explore the option of teaching the Korean language at university level. I believe that unlike a language institute, students would have access to better support, resources and exposure opportunities (such as via exchange programs) at the university level.