지금 하고 싶은 말

지금 하고 싶은 말

글 / 정용철

당신은 나의 음악입니다.
어디에서라도 좋아하는 음악을 떠올리면 그 소리가 들리듯이
당신을 떠올리면 당신 마음속 이야기가 내 귀에 들립나다.

당신은 나의 샘물입니다.
당신을 색각할때마다 솟아나는 기쁨이
삶에 지칠 때 찾아오는
갈증들 한 잔 한 잔 적십니다.

당신은 나의 창입니다
당신을 통해 호흡을 하고, 당신을 통해 세상을 보며,
당신을 통해 눈물을 알고, 당신을 통해 기다림을 배웁니다.

당신은 나의 시(詩)입니다.
당신이 부를 때마다 나는
한 편의 시가 되어 산 넘고 강을 건너
당신에게 달려갑니다.


现在想说的话

词 / 鄭龍喆

你是我的音乐。
不管在哪里，如果我喜欢的音乐响起，我仿佛听到你的声音
如果想起你，我的耳际仿佛能听到你内心的话。

你是我的泉水。
每当想起你时，就如涌出来的幸福
当生活的疲惫查找而来时
所有的渴症可以一点一点地被滋润。

你是我的窗。
通过你我开始呼吸, 通过你我看到世上,
通过你我懂得眼泪, 通过你我学会等待。

你是我的诗。
你每次唱歌的时候，我就变成一篇诗，
越过山，穿过江，
向你奔跑而去。


The words that I want to say now

Poem / Jeong Yong Cheol

You are my music.
No matter where, if I hear the music I like, its like hearing your voice.
If you appear in my thought, my ear can hear your inner thought.

You are my spring water.
Every time I think of you, it is like happiness gushing out.
When the tiredness of life set in
All my syndrome of thirst can bit by bit be quenched.

You are my window.
Through you I breathe, through you I see the world,
Through you I understand tears, through you I learn to wait.

You are my poem.
Every time you sing,
I become a piece of poem, crossing the mountain and river,
To you I run towards.

서울의 황혼

Seoul at twilight. It's strange that Seoul can look so peaceful.

Finally it is Friday night again. I am all drained. If I can just wish, I hope that my mind is a penta-core processor that can handle up to five different threads of work simultaneously. Anyway only three months have passed since I came back but I am already itching to go back. But I guess I will have to wait a little while longer. Sometimes there is this fleeting thought that tell me to just go because life is too short to afford a second chance. But being a pragmatic person, I need to work out my sum carefully. After some calculation and analysing, the high opportunity cost simply kills any hope of me leaving my job for one full year to study Korean. It is better off financially if I just make multiple short study trips. Whatever it is, I will have to stave off thinking about subsequent plan as July is a critical month in which I need to meet multiple deadlines. Perhaps to ensure that I am motivated enough to "survive" the next month, I shall just aim to see the first snow this winter for the time being.

장미꽃 유리

Saw this rose-design glass decor at Prince Edward noraebang located somewhere in the vicinity of Hongdae. We are frequently reminded that life is not a bed of roses. But I think it is alright sometimes to see things through a beautifully-tinted glass. Afterall we need a balance in our approach towards life.

경희대 근처에

An alley in the vicinity of KHU.

"Loitering" in the vicinity of KHU was what I would usually do if I didn't feel like going too far way out in the evening. Taking an evening stroll is not my habit and I never feel like doing it in Singapore. But as a foreigner in Seoul, I was always eager to go out anywhere in the evening. Knowing that I only have limited time in Seoul, I felt the urge to make full use of all the available time to see and feel the heartbeat of the city. Evening is a good time to go out because I don't get to see the polluted air at least.

It didn't rain. In fact it snowed. The road was wet because it was too warm.

지난 토요일의 모임

Alfresco dining experience at Cafe Seven Four, Apgujeong

Well... the photo has no direct relation to what I am about to write. I post it anyway because it gives the mood for a get-together.

Last Saturday, we have an end-of-course gathering for the Post-Advanced class. After our last lesson ended at 4pm. The class together with our teacher, Ms Chi, went over to The Coffee Connoisseur (TCC) at the Atrium to have a drink. The place was crowded but we were lucky to get all twelve of us to sit together. We only sat at the cafe for about one hour before making our way to the Singapura Seafood Restaurant at Selegie House. We have our dinner reserved at 6pm.

For the dinner we have cold crab, black pepper crab, horny pork ribs, claypot beancurd, grilled clam, steamed sea bass, fried prawn roll, stir-fried "kailan" (vegetable) and "or-ni" (a dessert made from yam). We chit-chatted (수다를 떨다) throughout the evening until we called it a day at 9pm. There was nothing special about the gathering except that it was probably the first time the class actually got the chance to talk to one another. It is a pity that we don't do it for all the courses.

팔과 발

In one of the level one Korean lesson at NUS Extension, our teacher, Ms Lee, was introducing us the Korean words for different parts of body. When it came to 팔(arm) and 발(foot), all students faced the same difficulty of differentiating between the two pronunciations. Putting her best effort forward, our teacher told the class, "잘 들으세요." (Please listen well.)


"Pal (팔) . . . Pal (발)", she pronounced each word slowly and carefully.

"Can you hear the difference?", our teacher asked.

"No, it's the same.", the class responded.

"They are different. Listen carefully again. Pal(팔) . . . Pal (발)", our teacher attempted another time to help us differentiate the two words.

"It's the same.", the class was unanimous in our reply.


Our teacher eventually gave up but she did not stop short of telling us that there is indeed a difference between the two pronunciations. Over the years, I have been trying to find out the difference. Finally, one day it struck me that they are indeed different and I think I have discovered an idiot-proof method of differentiating the two pronunciations. However, this method is only useful if you understand Chinese language.

My way of differentiating the pronunciation of 팔 and 발 is to apply the four tones of Chinese pronunciation. "팔" with the aspirated consonant "ㅍ" should be pronounced as Pal(4). The bracket number 4 means "Pal" is pronounced with the 4th Chinese tone. "발" with the non-aspirated consonant "ㅂ" should be pronounced as Pal(2). Similarly, The bracket number 2 means "Pal" is pronounced with the 2nd Chinese tone.

If you don't believe, try holding a piece of A4-size paper in front of your mouth when pronouncing Pal(4) and Pal(2). Pronouncing Pal(4) will cause the paper to move. This is consistent with words that carry aspirated consonant. However, pronouncing Pal(2) will not move the paper and is consistent with words that carry non-aspirated consonant.

Although the romanisation of 팔 and 발 are "Pal" and "Bal" respectively, I am quite sure they are both pronounced as "Pal" but with different tones. Using the same logic, I can also differentiate between 타[Ta(4)]/다[(Ta(2)], 차[Cha(4)]/자[Cha(2)] and 카[Ka(4)]/가[Ka(2)]. To support what I say, Busan (부산) is previously written as Pusan and the reason I guess is that "Pu" instead of "Bu" is closer to the actual pronunciation. If I am to read 부산 using the Chinese tone it will be Pu(2) San(2).

Korean pronunciation, as I was told, should be monotone. But I beg to differ. I think there are varying tones except that the tones are not strongly emphasised. For example, when ㅍ(P4)/ㅂ(P2), ㅌ(T4)/ㄷ(T2), ㅊ(Ch4)/ㅈ(Ch2) and ㅋ(K4)/ㄱ(K2) are involved, the 4th and 2nd Chinese tone will have be used. I observed that ㅂ(P2), ㄷ(T2), ㅈ(Ch2) and ㄱ(K2) are pronounced in aspirated 2nd Chinese tone only if they appear as the first letter in a word. If they are not the first letter, ㅂ(B2), ㄷ(D2), ㅈ(J2) and ㄱ(G2) will be pronounced in non-aspirated 2nd Chinese tone.

In addition, for double consonants like ㄲ(G1), ㄸ(D1), ㅃ(B1), ㅉ(J1) and ㅆ(S1), they are pronounced with the 1st Chinese tone whilst ㅁ(M2), ㄴ(N2), ㅇ, ㄹ(L2) and ㅎ(H2) are pronounced with the 2nd Chinese tone.

In retrospective, perhaps neither our teacher nor the class is wrong. There is indeed a difference between 팔 and 발 pronunciation and both words do sound like "Pal" except for the tone. The difference is actually quite minimal. But as minimal as it might be, it is distinct enough to make a difference.

이유 원인 표현

The Korean Culture and Conversation Course or what we called as the Post Advanced Course ended last Saturday after 10 weeks. In the last lesson we were taught the grammar of giving reason. Our teacher, Ms Chi, has identified that people tend to explain a lot in daily life. For example, you need to give reason or cause for why you are late, why you never do homework or why you did not attend class, etc. She thought it was important for us to master the grammars behind it so that we could express our thought correctly. She compiled all the grammars that are related to giving reason or cause and explained the correct usage of each.



1. <동사> 아/어서

Rule:

* No 았, 었, 했 to be attached in front of "아/어서". The tense is expressed only at the sentence ending.

* Cannot be used for question and exclamation.


A. 시간순서-時間順序. Indicate the order of time. In other words, the second action done by a subject will start after the first action has completed.

나는 날씨가 좋으면 밖에 나가서 농구를 합니다
When the weather is good I go out and play basketball.

친구를 만나서 영화를 보았습니다
After I met my friend I watched movie.


B. 원인-理由/原因. Give reason for one's action.

옷이 작아서 입을 수가 없어요.
Because the cloth is small, I cannot wear it.

머리가 아파서 회사에 안 나갔어요.
Because I am sick, I cannot go to my company.


C. 인사말. Used when the sentence ends with "반갑다, 고맙다, 미안하다, 감사하다" etc.

늦어서 미안해요.
Because I am late so I am sorry.

만나서 반가워요.
Because I meet you so I am glad.



2. <동사> (으)니까

Note:

* Command (e.g. sentence ending with ~하십시요 or ~하라) and Request (e.g. sentence ending with ~합시다 or ~하자) sentence can only used (으)니까.


A. 이유-理由. Give reason

이 영화는 봤으니까 다른 영화를 봅시다.
Because I have watched this movie, let's watch other movie.

오늘은 피곤하니까 내일 이야기합니다.
I guess today is quite tiring, let's talk tomorrow.


B. 판단의 근거-判斷的根據. Provide basis for one's judgment. To be able to judge, one may have to guess the most likely reason or cause for what one sees, hears or feels.

네 전공이 성악이니까 노래를 잘 부르겠구나
I guess because your major is vocal music that is why you sing so well.



3. <동사> 기 때문에/기 때문이다, <명사> 때문에/때문이다

"때문에" is used to provide the cause (원인-原因) for something. The tone is very strong when "때문에" is used. In other words, you are quite convinced of the cause for something when you use "때문에". The cause, when "때문에" is used, is normally viewed negatively by the speaker.


A. <동사> 기 때문에/기 때문이다

나는 외국인이기 때문에 한국말을 잘 못합니다.
Because I am a foreigner my Korean language is not good.

그 사람이 아침에 일어나지 못하는 이유는 어제 술을 많이 마셨기 때문이에요.
The reason why that person cannot wake up in the morning is because he drank too much yesterday.


B. <명사> 때문에/때문이다

장마 때문에 홍수가 났다.
Because of the monsoon, flood was formed.

내가 지각을 한 이유는 너 때문이다.
One reason why I am late is because of you.



4. <동사> 아/어 가지고

"아/어 가지고" can also be written as "아/어 갖고 (contracted form). "아/어 가지고" is used to express the relationship between something that happens at an earlier time and something that happens at a later time.


A. Preceding action is the method or means for the following circumstance.

돈을 모아 가지고 예쁜 자동차를 살 거예요.
After I raise the money, I will buy beautiful car.

한국어를 공부해 가지고 한국 회사에 취직하고 싶어요.
After I study Korean, I want to find job in a Korean company


B. Maintaining the result of the preceding action while a later action is being carried out.

커피를 뽑아 가지고 교실에 들어갈 거예요.
After I take out the coffee, I will proceed to the classroom

야채를 씻어 가지고 냉장고에 넣어 두세요.
After you wash the vegetables, please put them in the refrigerator.


C. Give reason or cause. "아/어 가지고" can be used interchangeably with "아/어 서". However, our teacher added that "아/어 가지고" is normally used by Korean women during conversation while Korean men prefer to use "아/어 서".

주말에 바빠 가지고 연락을 못했어요.
Because I was busy during the weekend I could not contact you.

아침을 많이 먹어 가지고 아직도 배가 불러요.
Because I eat a lot for breakfast, my stomach is still full.



5. <동작동사> 느라(고)

Rules:

* When "느라(고)" is used, the subject for the preceding action and the following action or condition must be the same.

* "느라(고)" cannot be used for Command (e.g. sentence ending with ~하십시요 or ~하라) or Request (e.g. sentence ending with ~합시다 or ~하자) sentence.

* "았", "겠" cannot be attached in front of "느라(고)


A. Give an excuse or reason when something cannot be done or when there is a negative consequence. Indicate that when one thing is done another thing cannot happen. In other word, the two events indicate in a sentence must happen over the same period of time.

시험공부를 하느라고 두 시간밖에 못 잤어요.
Because I had to study for exam, I could not sleep for more than 2 hours.

친구와 노느라고 숙제를 못했다.
Because I played with my friend, I could not do my homework.


B. Indicate the objective for an action. The action carried out to achieve the objective usually conveys an impression of troublesome or sacrifice. Can use interchangeably with "기 위해서" in this instance.

점심시간에 돈을 찾느라고 은행에 다녀왔어요.
Because I had to withdraw money during lunchtime, I had to go to the bank.

영업을 하느라고 여기저기 뛰어다닌다.
Because of doing business, I have to rush from place to place.


C. Indicate that as a result of the preceding action, a following condition arises. It should be noted that the following condition happens while the preceding action is being performed and not after the action has completed.

그는 텔레비전을 보느라고 정신이 없었다.
He had no energy as a result of watching television,

학생들이 시험 문제를 푸느라고 고생했다
The student suffered as a result of solving the test problems.

"느라(고)" cannot be used when the following condition does not arise over the same period as the preceding action. For example,

The sentence 너무 많이 먹느라고 배가 아프다 is wrong because the following condition, which is "배가 아프다", cannot possibly happen over the same period when the preceding action, which is "너무 많이 먹다", is being carried out.

Since "배가 아프다" usually happens after eating is completed, the correct sentence should be "너무 많이 먹어 서 배가 아프다."



6. <동자동사> 는 바람에

Rules:

* "는 바람에" cannot be used when the consequences are positive unless the consequences are unexpected.

* Even when an action has happened, it will always be "action verb" + "는 바람에". For example, the sentence "버스를 잘 못 탄 바람에 학교에 늦었습니다." is grammatically wrong. The correct sentence is "버스를 잘 못 타는 바람에 학교에 늦었습니다."


"는 바람에" connotes something which happens within a short time and in an unexpected manner. The consequences are always negative.


A. Used when the preceding condition has a negative influence over the following action.

차가 갑자기 멈추는 바람에 이마를 다쳤어요.
Because the car suddenly stopped, I injured my forehead.

버스를 잘 못 타는 바람에 학교에 늦었습니다.
Because I missed taking the bus, I was late for school.


B. Used when the consequence is quite different from one's motive. Unexpected result.

그가 백화점에 가지고 조르는 바람에 같이 갔어요.
Because he insisted that we go shopping mall so we went there together.

앞서 달리던 선수가 넘어지는 바람에 제가 우승을 했습니다.
Because the runner whom was running in front of me fell down, I won (the race).



Explaining grammar is much harder than I thought. Nevertheless it was a good exercise to test my understanding. Before I wrote this posting, I thought I understand all the grammars. However, the truth is that my understanding is not complete or I would not have found it difficult to explain. I was once told by my university lecturer that you cannot say you understand something until you are able to make a layman in the street understand your explanation. So if you don't understand what I am trying to say above, it is because I have not understood the grammars well enough myself. It's my fault not yours.

청계천의 오후

Picture taken at Cheonggyecheon, Sep 2006.

Cheonggyecheon, a stream running through the heart of Seoul, harmonises the hustle and bustle of city life. As I walked by the stream, I found myself too in harmony with the running water. It would be great if I can take an afternoon off and walk down Cheonggyecheon again.

아름다운 세상

At a snack stall beside the Hangang River Park at Yeouido.

I always feel that people who enjoy what they are doing are beautiful. They may wear a smile or look serious but somehow these people always seem to exude an air of beauty. A beautiful life is then a life lives by these people, something which I always like to capture in my pictures. Scenery pictures, no matter how beautiful they may be, do not appeal to me as much as a picture of a person who is living a "beautiful life". Though such picture is difficult to capture, the opportunity to capture it is actually in abundance. I always try to be discreet when taking such picture fearing that I will alarm the subject and they will stop what they are doing and stare at me. I have come to realise that "life" is best captured when it is left undisturbed.

In the picture above, a smiling "ajumma" was giving the change back to my friend who bought a stick of sausage. The sausage was actually wrapped in a layer of dough skin, covered with bread crumbs and deep fried. I don't know what it is called but it seems to be Korean's answer to hot dog. You can see many sticks of this sausage fried to golden brown at bottom right of the picture. According to my friend, the snack didn't turn out very nice as thought. Perhaps it was left in the open for a long while after it was cooked. So how much more can I show you the life of people living in Seoul than to show a picture of them living their life. I appreciate that a picture speaks a thousand words. Here it is, my "thousand-word" description of the "beautiful life" of a Seoulite.

달과 서울 사이에

Picture taken outside 63 Building where Beans & Berries cafe is located

Upmarket "Beans & Berries" cafe chain outlet at 63 Building

한적한 주말

It was Saturday, March 17, 2007. The Chuncheon Puppet Park was deserted. Where have all the children gone? The Chuncheon Puppet Museum stood quietly in the background. It was a peaceful Saturday afternoon at the park.

배가 고픈가요?

Each time I exited from Hoegi Station at night, my attention would be automatically drawn to this brightly-lit stall. Perhaps it was the combination of the bright light, the smell of cooked food and the people crowding around the stall that caught my attention. Life after darkness is so much more interesting with this roadside stall around. My stomach never went hungry at night when I was in Seoul. A hungry stomach, after exiting from Hoegi Station, would always be fed full before I returned to my dormitory.

장마절 됐다

Raining in Seoul. Picture taken on March 2, 2007, inside an airport limousine bus, while on my way to Cheongnyangni.

It finally rains today in Singapore. The rain in June reminds me of the monsoon season or "chang ma jeol" (장마절) in Korea. June is a month in which rainfall in Korea far exceeds that of other months in a year. It will be nice if there is more raining in the next few days in Singapore. The scorched land badly needs something to cool it down.

Do do you know what Koreans think of eating when it rains? Our teacher told us that rain makes Koreans think of eating "Pajeon" (Spring Onion Pancake). So whenever it rains, the Pajeon business will do very well. Why is that so? It is because the sparking sound of the oil frying the Pajeon is very similar to the sound make by raindrops hitting the ground. Due to this association, Pajeon is also known as "weather food" or "날씨 음식".

재미있는 수업

One of the advantage of being in a class of few students is that we get to talk about many other things and yet finish our lesson on time. Our teacher at SKS recalled about her life in Korea frequently. As she has been living in Singapore for quite a long while, she can somewhat pick out the uniqueness of the Korean culture just like a foreigner. Of course, she also can see the uniqueness of the Singapore culture which I tend to overlook. Through her life stories I got to learn many things about the Korean culture without having to read them in the textbook. Textbook answer is not always a true reflection of the reality as I have come to know. Nothing beats learning from people who have lived through it. This Thursday class was not much different. Here are some of the interesting stories which our teacher told us.

Drinking Culture

Our teacher used to be an undergraduate at the Dongguk University (동국대학교-東國大學). The nearest subway station to her university was Chungmuro Station (충무로역-忠武路驛). One morning, as she was walking towards the university after getting out from the station, a friend shouted out to her from a small drinking house. Her friend was asking her to join her in drinking. It was about 10am then. So our teacher, together with her friend, skipped their lectures and drank from morning till night. They also "waylaid" and "pulled in" anyone whom they knew and whom was seen walking pass the drinking house. As the day passed, more and more people joined them in drinking. "It was so fun those days.", she said.

Wedding Culture

Our teacher said that Koreans conduct their wedding ceremony in dedicated building called the Ceremony Hall (예식장-禮式場) or the Wedding Hall (웨딩홀). It is quite different from Singapore as Singaporeans are more used to holding their wedding ceremony in hotel. In the wedding hall, each couple is given a time slot to conduct their ceremony. The ceremony normally comprises two parts. The first part, which is the formal ceremony, will be attended by family members, friends and guests. The groom will be in his western suit and the bride in her wedding gown. Like a church wedding, the groom will be waiting at the end of the aisle, at the start of the ceremony, while the bride's father will walk her down the aisle and hand her over to the groom. The ceremony will be witnessed by a person called the "Ju-rye" (주례-主禮) who is of high social status like university professor or high-ranking government official. If the couple do not know anyone of high social status, they can always seek the help of company which offers the service of "Ju-rye".

After the formal ceremony, the family members and the couple will retreat to another room for the traditional ceremony called "Pye Baek" (폐백-幣帛) while friends and guests are invited for reception. For this ceremony, the couple will change into the traditional Korean costume. The bride will then pay respect to the groom's parents and offer them gifts. In return, she will receive "ang bao" from the groom's parent. After this ceremony, the couple will go out to meet their friends and guests. Normally by this time many of them will have left. Those who stay are likely to be waiting to "bully" or in Singapore lingo to "sabo" the groom. Our teacher said that it is a tradition in Korea that groom be bullied. Because in ancient days, the villagers from the bride's village would beat the sole of the groom on his wedding day as a form of "punishment" for taking away one of their village girl from them.

When the ceremony finally ends, the couple will usually leave directly from the Wedding Hall to the airport for their honeymoon. Our teacher said that after helping out in three of her friends' wedding she has decided that it was too much of a trouble having a wedding ceremony. So she had none of it when got married later.

A Wedding Hall or Wedding Culture Center (웨딩 문화원) as it is shown in this picture. This picture of the building in Hoegi-dong was taken through the window from my dormitory.

Social Culture

In Seoul, our teacher used to live by a small road which was only wide enough for one car to move freely in one direction at any one time. So the road was a hotspot for car drivers to get into conflict and accuse each other of not giving way. Especially in the dead of the night, their quarrel became audible from inside her room. Conflict usually started as quarrel and scolding of each other in "banmal" (the lowest form of Korean language). But interestingly every of such conflict would always ended up in asking each other of their age. "몇 살이야?". "What is your age? Why are you speaking so rudely to me?". It sounds so funny that Koreans will ask each other about age in a midst of a quarrel but that essentially illustrates the importance of age and manner in the Korean society.

한국어능력시험

The Singapore Korean School

My Korean class at the Singapore Korean School for this semester is coming to an end next week. After that it will be a three weeks break before the next semester starts on 10 Jul. However, I am still not too sure if there will be 3 students to make up the next class. If there isn't, I guess I will have to wait for the following semester to try my luck again. Meanwhile, perhaps I will just concentrate on preparing for the TOPIK on 16 Sep.

TOPIK or Test of Proficiency in Korean is a test administered by the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation. TOPIK follows a six-level grading system. To obtain level 1 or 2 grade, candidate will need to sit for the Beginner level test paper. A score of over 50 and less than 70 will give a level 1 grade while a score of 70 and above will give a level 2 grade. To get either a level 3 or 4 grade, candidate will instead take the Intermediate level test paper. Finally, the Advanced level test paper will differentiate the level 5 and 6 grader.

TOPIK is divided into two sessions of 90 minutes each with a 30 minutes break in between. The first session comprises the section on vocabulary grammar and writing. The second session comprises the section on listening and reading. Each section is worth 100 marks. The full mark is 400. The TOPIK score is determined by taking the total mark from the four sections and divides it by four.

I am not too sure whether there is any TOPIK study guide like those used for KLPT available out there. If there isn't, I will still have the study guide which I bought in Shanghai to fall back on. I guess I really need take test to study hard. Just to make sure I study hard enough perhaps I should take the KLPT on 28 Oct as well.

싱가폴 "남버 완"

We were looking for our way to Bukhansan National Park after exiting from the Metro station. There wasn't any sign indicating the general direction of Bukhansan. Instead of wasting time finding our way by trial and error we decided to flag down a taxi to take us straight to the nearest park entrance.

Our poor command of Korean language led the curious taxi driver to ask where we came from. So we told him we are from Singapore. In return, he said, with his limited English, "Singapore beautiful". I just smiled at him, neither acknowledging nor denying. I asked if he had been to Singapore. He said that he transited Singapore once before.

When we alighted from the taxi, we went about looking for place to take our breakfast. Most of the shops were still closed as it was about 8am. After some walking we finally found a kimbap shop. Their main business was making and selling kimbap to mountain hikers. While we were eating our breakfast, the kimbap shop's ajumma asked where we came from and so we told her. She too said, "Singapore beautiful". She added that she was just back from a tour to Singapore. Again I just smiled.

After completing our mountain hike, we were back at the main road flagging down taxi in the rain. Upon getting into an empty taxi, I told the taxi driver to take us to the nearest Metro station. Along the way, the taxi driver got to know that we are from Singapore. His comment about Singapore was, "Singapore number one". For that, I told him to keep the change when I paid for the taxi fare.

As much as I am glad to hear that Koreans have good impression about Singapore, I was not too sure if there was a need by the taxi-drivers or the kimbap shop's ajumma to please their customers. The fact that I have stayed in Singapore since birth has kinda numbed my senses. I cannot appreciate the beauty of my country as much as a foreigner can. Perhaps I should just take what others are telling me and start to see Singapore with a "new pair of eyes".

A conserved building in Tanjong Pagar built in the early 20th century.

영화 - 황진이

The left poster, meant for the local market, describes Hwang Jin Yi as "16세기에 살았던 21세기의 여인" or "A 21st century woman who lived in the 16th century". The right poster, meant for the international market, describes her as "Queen at her heart, Humble in her spirit". I thought the left poster's tagline summarises the movie better.

The Korean movie "Hwang Jin Yi" (황진이-黃眞伊) was released in Korea on the 6th of this month. This movie, which cost US$10 million and 4 years to produce, is starred by Song Hye Kyo (송혜교-宋慧橋) and Yu Ji-tae (유지태-劉智泰) . Given the popularity of Song Hye Kyo in Singapore, the likelihood of this movie being shown in Singapore is quite high but it will probably take another 3 months or more for the movie to reach our shore.

Hwang Jin Yi is a famous courtesan of the 16th century Joseon Dynasty. The movie is about her transformation from a noble to a servant at a time when social class determines almost everything. In the movie, Hwang Jin Yi's love interest is Nom Yi, the only man whom she holds in her heart throughout her life. Nom Yi is a servant by birth while Hwang Jin Yi is born a noble. Their love does not seem to be blessed from the start. This is probably a forewarning of a sad ending.

The original sound track of Hwang Jin Yi, "If you were me" (그대가 나라면-如果你是我), is sung by "Due", a duo which is new to the Korean music scene. The mixture of contemporary and musical singing style in the song is well executed and refreshing. The infusion of Tenor vocal gives the song a majestic feel. I think it will do equally well as a theme song for the Olympic Games or the World Cup. There is an Italian version of the song which is called "Se Tu Fossi Io" I guess it also means "If you were me" since "Se", "Tu" and "Io" means "If", "You" and "I" respectively in Italian . Happy listening.

집으로

술을 마시는 거 싫어

I can't hold my drink well. I don't enjoy drinking either. So I guess I won't be able to socialise well with the Koreans. I won't even consider picking up drinking even if it means that I can develop better relationship with them. I may like many things about Korea but not necessary everything. Their drinking culture is one of those that I will not want to be immersed in. Perhaps I should never find myself a job in a Korean company.

Since drinking is considered a culture in Korea it has its set of etiquette or "Ju-do" (주도-酒道) to observe. For example, a younger person should always turn his face away from an older person when drinking. The wine glass must be emptied before it can be filled. Also, a younger person should always use two hands to pour or receive drink from an older person. I learnt about this culture not in one of those pubs in Seoul but in classroom. Learning language always go with learning the culture, our teacher frequently reminds us about that.

I was warned by my teacher that if you don't drink and you found yourself stuck in a "Suljip" (술집-Korean wine bar) don't just concentrate on eating the "Anju" (안주-按酒) or the tidbits that are meant to go with the drink. Koreans call this kind of people the "Anju Killer" (안주킬러) and they dislike them because Anju is more expensive than the drink.

한국어공부 계획

At the start of this year, I was lamenting that there was no more Korean class to attend and my language standard was deteriorating by the day. After a lapse of four months, I went Kyunghee University for 3 weeks and continued with my Korean language study. Then, I had about 16 hours of lesson time each week. After I was back in Singapore, I enrolled myself for the Singapore Korean School's Advanced level and the NUS Extension's Post Advanced Course. Now, every week I am receiving 6 hours of lesson. I must say it is tough to maintain such a hectic study routine. I almost have to rush to class after work every Tuesday and Thursday. However, never once did the thought of giving up cross my mind. Perhaps I can say that it is "tiringly" enjoyable to study Korean and that somehow keeps me going.

Looking at the SKS's course schedule, if everything goes fine I should be able to complete Kyunghee's Intermediate Level II syllabus by 18 Dec 07. However, that is greatly dependent on whether there are enough students to form a class. I will also be looking at taking either the Korean Language Proficiency Test (KLPT) or the Test of Proficiency In Korean (TOPIK) in this half of the year. In Singapore, KLPT is adminstered by the NUS Extension while TOPIK is administered by the Singapore Korean School. If time permits, I will like to take both. I may sound greedy but I really think that test is the most effective means to force myself to study. My target for KLPT is 300 marks and TOPIK is level 3 or 4. As it is, the second half of this year is going to be very busy for me.

It seems like I am rushing to learn too much within a short span of time. But I have been "rushing" through levels since I started my Korean language course in NEX. At times, I took two courses of different level at the same time. In my mind, I am just trying to make up for the lost time. If I have started formal lesson on the very first day of my learning journey I might have well mastered the language to a reasonably good extent many years back. I am simply doing a catching up now. 이귀녹 파이팅!

서울의 야경

Wonhyo Bridge spanning across Han River with Namsan Tower at far end.

A city though crowded and polluted by day can well look gorgeous at night. As much I do not like the busy city life, I am more than ready to take a night walk in it provided that the place is safe enough for me to do that. While many cities have glamorous night scenery to shout about, Seoul does not come off as a city that has any memorable night scene. Not until one evening while walking at the Hangang Park, I took the above picture. I kinda realise then that Seoul does have some beautiful night scenery.

사자 성어

昨天韩语班里，池老师教了我们二十句成语。既然说到成语，我就很难用英文来书写。毕竟成语是中国的文学精粹，以中文来解释比较容易理解。大致上，韩文中的成语与中文的成语有很多相通的地方。


以下七句韩文成语无论在字体或意思上都和中文成语大同小异所以我不必多加解释。

일석이조 - 一石二鳥, Killing two birds with one stone
설상가상 - 雪上加霜, Rub salt into wound or add to one's misery
유언비어 - 流言蜚語, Groundless rumour
유비무환 - 有備無患, Prepare well and there will not be problem
유명무실 - 有名無實, No real power or authority despite having the title
대기만성 - 大器晩成, It takes a long time to become an accomplished person
천진난만 - 天眞爛漫, Simple, naive and innocent


接下来这六句韩文成语虽然不是中文里惯用的，但也能从汉字中猜出它们所要传达的意思。

동문서답 - 東問西答：有答非所问的意思。指被问者有逃避问题的嫌疑。
Literal translation: I ask you something about East but you answer me West. This idiom is used to describe a person who gives an irrelevant or incoherent answer to a question with an intention to avoid answering it directly.

금시초문 - 今始初聞：指的是第一次听到莫消息的意思。
Literal translation: This is the first time I an hearing it. This idiom is used to describe a piece of information which you hear for the first time.

과소평가 - 過小評價：对人，事或物的价值判断有低于事实的意思。
Literal translation: Under valuation. This idiom is used to describe something (e.g. people, ability, price) that is undervalued.

과대평가 - 過大評價：有言过其实的意思。
Literal translation: Over valuation. This idiom is used to describe something that is way above its true value.

고집불통 - 固執不通：有屡劝不听的意思。形容人很坚持和顽固。
Literal translation: Cannot get through stubbornness. This idiom is used to describe a person who turns a deaf ear to others' advice or warning.

심사숙고 - 深思熟考：深思熟考也就是中文成语里的深思熟虑。意思也一样
Literal translation: Deep thought and matured consideration. This idiom is usually used to describe a decision that is reached after careful consideration.


虽说韩文成语与中文成语有很多相似的地方，但以下的几句成语还是让我最初有丈八金刚摸不着头脑的感觉。

이심전심 - 以心傳心：大概就是心有灵犀一点通的意思吧。
Literal translation: Heart to heart communication. It means telepathic communication between two persons.

팔방미인 - 八方美人：指各方面如样貌，才艺和知识等方面，很出众的人。
Literal translation: A beauty in all aspects. It means an all-round beauty who is not only good-looking but is also outstanding in study, arts and culture, sports, etc.

부전자전 - 父傳子傳：有其父必有其子的意思。
Literal translation: Like father like son. A similar idiom is "A chip off the old block".

횡설수설 - 橫說竪說：指的是说话的人所说的话不合逻辑或缺乏重点。
Literal translation: Talk horizontally and vertically. This idiom means speaking incoherently or talking nonsense.

작심삼일 - 作心三日：指的是决心不能持续的意思。做事只有三分钟热度。
Literal translation: The heart is determined for only 3 days. This idiom means lack of determination and perseverance.

막상막하 - 莫上莫下：有不分上下，势均力敌的意思。
Literal translation: Not up and not down. In other words, it means equally match. This idiom is usually used to describe a highly-competitive match wherein both teams are equally matched.

이열치열 - 以熱治熱：要懂得以热治热的意思就要知道韩国的民俗习惯。韩国人习惯在炎炎的夏日吃热腾腾的食物如人参鸡。他们认为“以热治热”对身体有益。所以就算吃到汗流浃背也甘之如饴。
Literal translation: Using heat to treat heat. In order to understand this idiom, you need to understand a bit of Korean culture. Koreans like to eat hot ginseng chicken soup during summer. They believe that eating something hot during the hot summer is good for health. This is described as 이열치열. Since 이열치열 is good for health, they will not mind perspiring while eating ginseng chicken soup during summer.

우왕좌왕 - 右往左往：有拿不定主意，不知去向的意思。“右往左往”的情况通常发生在一群人当中。各有各的意见但没有一个共识。
Literal translation: Turn right turn left. This idiom means running about in utter confusion or rushing about with no purpose. Such situation usually happens in a group wherein everyone has different and divergent ideas about how to go about doing something.

学习韩文成语不禁让我回想起小三那年开始学习中文成语的时候。万事起头难。现在只是开始学习二十句成语，未来的日子还有更多要学习的地方。我觉得韩文成语不比韩文俗谈难。下周韩语课好像是要教韩文俗谈。要掌握好韩语还真不能旷课呀。꼭 땡땡이 치지마. ㅋㅋ

파란 하늘

잎들이 없는 나무는 흰 구름하고 파란 하늘을 배경으로 우뚝 서 있었다.
2007년 봄, 공지천, 춘천, 강원도

생각보다 비싸요

As much as I had lamented about the high cost of living in Seoul, there is one thing in Singapore that is definitely much more expensive than in Seoul and that is car price. Hyundai flagship car, "Grandeur", is going for the price of 29.7 million won in Seoul. In Singapore, "Grandeur" or its Singapore's name "Azera" has a price tag of 59 million won (S$98,000). With that price, we can easily put two Grandeurs on the road in Seoul.

Hyundai flagship car, "Grandeur", with a price tag of 29,710,000 won.

기적 가득한 이 세상

This telephone booth in Deoksugung caught my attention while we were resting at the recreation corner after finishing our walk. Public phone booth is a rare sight these days. But what really caught my eyes was the sentence "Life is wonderfull" printed on it. It reminds me that life is full of wonder and because of that life can be wonderful.

We may have already taken phone for granted and that we don't see it as a wonder anymore. The fact that we can hear each other over the air is a wonder in itself. As a kid, I was taught to make a simple comms kit using just two paper cups, two toothpicks and one long thread. I was in awe when I discovered that I could actually talk to my friend through the paper cup.

As a kid, I would not have believed that telephone could one day be carried around in a pocket. But mobile phone has since become an inseparable part of daily life. Our life changes because there are people who believe that this world is full of wonder. It is good that I can be reminded sometimes that wonder does exist and that I should not drop my head low when my luck is down. Only if I can just lift my head high up I will be able to see and breathe the wonder of this world.

원숭이 커피

What has monkey to do with coffee? Anyway, Seven Monkeys Coffee should have already started its operation in Seoul since March. Doesn't the logo look suspiciously familiar? Whatever it is, this is definitely no "monkey" business.

63 친구들

I saw these cartoon characters inside 63 building which called themselves "63 Friends". I suppose they are created to promote 63 building as a tourist attraction. There are an IMAX theatre, a sea world, a skydeck, a shopping mall, convention centre and banquet hall inside the building. With those cartoon characters around, it seemed like I was in some amusement park.