Study methods
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Advanced Korean writing patterns
I’m currently auditing a class at Sogang called 읽기와 쓰기 or, in plain English, Reading and Writing. More than trying to pass for an undercover student (even though I own and proudly wear a Sogang 과잠 university jacket) I’m exposing myself to this ordeal because I desperately want to improve my Korean writing. When I…
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Back to school (…again)
This semester I thought I’d take advantage of having access to unlimited learning since I’m working at a university, so I decided to contact one of the teachers responsible for the compulsory course 읽기와 쓰기 (Reading and Writing) for all the freshmen at Sogang. I wrote an email to her asking if I could be…
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Learning Korean with FRIENDS
I’ve been an avid fan of this epic tv show for as long as it’s been around, and I still remember how I used to learn English watching and rewatching DVDs (yes, I’m that old) of Friends in middle and high school. I progressed by first watching with Danish subtitles, then switching to English before…
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Still studying Korean? (feat. BTS)
I took a break from active Korean studies following my intense preparation for the TOPIK exam in mid-November. I thought I deserved to do so, and it felt great to just not focus on constantly learning new Korean. The thing is, though, that it’s been pretty difficult to get back on track with my studies.…
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Taking on a new Korean challenge
I had originally planned on enrolling in Sogang Korean level 7, but unfortunately, there was only one sign-up aside from myself, so they had to cancel level 7 this fall semester. Well, each cloud has a silver lining and in this case, it means almost unlimited time for self-studying Korean. And in all modesty, I…
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What language learning and martial arts have in common
This week I tried something I’ve never done before. Prompted by a friend I registered for a Krav Maga class in Itaewon. In case you haven’t heard about Krav Maga, it’s a self-defense technique originally developed by the Israeli army to be used in combat. It’s now gaining traction worldwide and is being praised for…
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Learn through Korean proverbs (and Naver)
All languages have proverbs that often originate from ancient times and provide an invaluable insight into the culture and mindset of the native speakers. The more proverbs you know in your native language as well as in others, the more you’ll be able to understand the nuances of the language and how the language is…
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The power of repetition
Do you ever feel guilty about watching reruns of an old show, knowing that you really ought to spend your time better doing something more productive? I certainly do, but I’ve recently found the perfect excuse for rewatching my favorite old Korean tv series. Learning! While in Denmark, I’ve been (re-)binging on “My love from…
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Why all Korean learners should learn (a few) Chinese characters
In my interactions with other Korean learners, I’ve frequently heard complaints that Chinese characters (which for the record do not appear often in written Korean) are hard. Using this as an excuse, many people avoid familiarizing themselves with these characters. In my opinion this is probably one of the biggest mistakes you can make as…
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Getting back on track with Japanese
As regular readers of my blog will know, I gave a pitiful attempt at learning Japanese in the fall. Then I got busy with my Korean studies at Sogang, and I didn’t really feel like studying languages in my free time since I felt that it was all I did during the day. I never forgot…
Sofie to Korea 