👀 ahn-nyung-ha-se-yo

#211 | I don't speak Korean well

Hey you,

My colleagues say I talk about my kid a lot. And Korean TV shows.

Well, I love my kid to pieces.

And I have a thing for Korean TV.

I watch a lot of it these days - a by-product of taking a step back from my usual hyper-intense work schedule, something I have in common with Koreans.

I've watched a range of Korean TV, from silly rom-com and historical yarns to some really stellar stuff like the utterly delicious My Mister and Misaeng Incomplete Life (both are on Netflix).

One of the things that struck me almost immediately was how many of these shows pass the sexy lamp test or the Bechdel test with flying colours. Korean society is patriarchal and very conservative, but from their TV shows, at least, it seems quite common for people of different genders to have platonic friendships that last lifetimes.

Another thing I like is how most Korean shows are limited series - a season or two at most, and it's done - no endless dragging on and on until no one is watching.

I watch them in original Korean with subtitles - the dubbed American accented versions are very plastic. But one of my biggest peeves with the subtitles is that they seem off. I've come to understand enough Korean to know I'm not getting the real deal, especially with an idiom with no English equivalent.

So in the interest of getting the most out of my K-drama binge fest, I've decided to learn Korean.

This brings me to my thing for today. One of my favourite sites for all things Korean recommended Pimsleur over all other language apps, and I think they're on to something. Pimsleur offers one free lesson so you can test the waters - and from what I've seen so far, it is one of the best apps if you're serious about immersing yourself in a new language. You know, for important things like acing an exam or moving to a new country or watching TV shows.

Try the free lesson. Let me know how you go.

Paiting! 👊🏼

K