hottest 칼국수

I and my wife ate 칼국수(KalGukSu) today.

Mine was 얼큰(spicy) 칼국수, and my wife's was 들깨(perillia seed) 칼국수.

들깨 was amazing. so delicious. 

but 얼큰 was too hot to eat them all. 

It was the hottest 칼국수 I've ever tried. 

so I just took noodles and I helped my wife clear 들깨's. I love that favour. that was quite different taste. Especially it's 국물(soup) was fantastic. I determined to order 들깨 next time. 

Try 들깨 칼국수 when you come to Korea!

Do I have to keep making errors?

I'm sure that talking with natives is the best way to improve speaking skills.
But it's hard to find native friends to talk with.
I think talking to myself could also be an alternative idea.
Even though I might make tons of mistakes.
The more I repeat, the more I get used to!
So, I'm trying to speak English alone if possible.
But as you know it has limits.
How about writing?
Would it be still helpful to write things with many potential mistakes?
I can use dictionary and googling to minimize my errors. but it's too slow.
I really need corrections at the right moment.

What's your thought on this?
Thank you.

원어민과 대화하는 게 말하기 능력을 향상시키는 최상의 방법이라 확신합니다.
하지만 외국인 친구를 찾는게 그리 쉽지는 않지요.
혼잣말로 떠드는 것도 대안이 될 수 있다고 생각합니다.
물론 엄청 실수를 하겠지만요.
더 많이 반복할수록, 더 익숙해질테니까요!
그래서 전 가능하면 영어 말하기를 혼자서라도 하려고 노력합니다.
근데 아시다시피 한계는 있죠.
글쓰기는 어떨까요?
수많은 잠재 실수 투성이 글쓰기가 과연 도움이 되는걸까요?
실수를 최소화하기 위해서 사전이나 구글링 할 수도 있겠죠. 근데 너무 느려요.
그때 그때 교정이 절실히 필요합니다.

제 질문에 대해 어떻게 생각하세요?
고맙습니다.

a light snowfall

Today we had snow in the morning.
It's hardly happen here Ulsan, the edge of the southeastern Korea.
Even when it snows on a national scale, we never had any snowfall.

But I was not happy.
Because I wasted more than 2 hours with my car on the road.
When I got to my office, there's just 1 guy attended.

Thankfully he bought some triangular gimbaps(삼각김밥) and milks for colleagues.
We enjoyed cup noodles as well. It was good and hot.
Have you ever eaten cup noodle?

For an American

source : Expression of the day #9 ~치고는

My old stomping ground(s)! 주 활동무대
엎드려 절받기 : Fishing for compliments
He was fishing for compliments about his T-shirt. LOL
Praise : 칭찬(문어체) / Compliment (구어체)

~ 치고는 (Qualified Compliments)

For an American (For someone from the US), he speaks Korean very well!
Yeah, I really thinks so. Michael's Korean is awesome~!

For an elementary schooler, his vocabulary is amazing!

For an American, his knowledge of traditional Korean music is astounding.

For an American,
For a Korean,
For a kid,
For an adult,

For a Korean programmer, my English is not bad. ㅋ~
Ironically, most of programmers around me hate studying English.

I'm a night person

source : EnglishInKorean #7 아침형 인간 저녁형 인간

Observation point, viewpoint, observation deck : 전망대
The view is incredible from the observation deck.

Michael said '아침형(저녁형) 인간' might come from America.
Because there's exactly same expression in English.
A morning person / a night person (wow I didn't know that)
I'm a morning(night) person.
I've always been a morning person.
I've never been much a night person.
I'm really not a morning person. (그다지 아니다라는 어감)

I have trouble getting to sleep at night. (Insomnia; disaster!)
I have trouble waking up in the morning. (I'd better get more sleep rather than eat breakfast)

What brought you to Korea in the first place?

source : 오늘의 표현 13: '어떤 계기로 한국에 왔어요?'를 영어로!

He was wearing the same clothes as yesterday. ㅋㅋ
and he said, "I hope you can look past that."

계기 (motivation)

What was your motivation to begin studying English?

Why are you in Korea? (could be rude!)
-> What brought you to Korea in the first place?
in the first place : 애초에, 처음에

What got(made) you interested in Korea in the first place?
어떤 계기로 처음 한국에 관심 갖게 되었나요?

How did you two meet in the first place?
We're college friends. / We're old college buddies.

We should've more aggressively opposed this in the first place.
We should've done more to stop this in the first place.

I have company

Expression of the day #8 : 일행 있어요

I learned these things today!
It was very useful. so I wanted to write down all the scripts.
If you find any error, please let me know the spot.
Thanks~ ^^

Alley way : 골목길
Michael wanted to brag about his T-shirt. ^^
It's a shame : 아쉽다 / It was a waste : 아깝다
Do you have a company? VS Do you have company? (The importance of an article;;)
I have 2 companies. (means he's running two companies, right?)
I like dogs (애완견) / I like dog (이거 개고기 뜻함 ;;;)
party 일행 / a party (흔히 말하는 파티) / 당(야당/여당) 뜻도 있음.
How many (people are) in your party?
Do you have company or you travelling alone?

Leave of absence

source : 오늘의 표현 15: '나 휴학했어요'를 영어로!

We're shooting indoors today.
* shooting film/picture/photo (shot)

Leave of absence : 휴학(휴직)

I took two semesters off (from college) : 가능은 하지만
I took a leave of absence and moved to Korea to pursue my studies of the Korean language.

I took a one-year leave of absence from school.

He took a leave of absence from work.
He's not showing(coming up) these days.

He's on a leave of absence.
= He's on a vacation.

He's out on leave.

On the spot

Single-family homes : 단독주택
neighbourhood, suburb, subdivision

즉석에서 ~하는 거 : 연주, 답하기...

On the spot !

• He was doing a lecture on the spot.
• He gave a lecture on the spot.
• He gave a speech on the spot.

Improvise : 예술계에서.. (Improvisation)

• He improvised an amazing piano solo.

Wing it

• I just winged it. 즉석에서 해냈어요.
• I left my script at home, so I had to come up with lines on the spot.
• I left my speech at home, so I had to wing it.

I'm an introvert.

source : #10 내성적인 성격이에요

Michael was crossing the Han (river) by subway.

외향적인 사람 / 내향적인 사람, 내성적인 사람

He's an extrovert.
I consider myself(to be) an extrovert.

He's very outgoing. (or sociable)

He's extroverted. (외향적) / He's introverted. (내향적)
He's an introvert.

Despite his profession, as a Youtube broadcaster, he considers himself an introvert.

The train was pulling into the station, so Michael had to go.

I also think I'm very introverted.

Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior

source : 오늘의 표현 11편: 1~4 학년을 영어로

For a smoking area(section), it's very scenic. (Michael thought it was a pretty place)

When I was first year, -> Instead of this
When I was a freshman, -> use this

Freshman -> Sophomore -> Junior -> Senior (not only college but also high school)
That's because there are 4 years in high school in America, unlike Korea.

Common Sense in American English:
college / university : doesn't make any differentiation
college : more frequently used than university
2 year college -> community college

e.g. I'm a college student (best)

Back in college, I was a good student.
Back in high school, I used to play basketball too much.
Back in middle school, I was an innocent kid.

I studied well : 공부 자체에 집중을 잘 했다.
I was a good student : 공부를 잘 했다.

To make time for someone

source : 오늘의 표현 12: '시간 내다'를 영어로

1. 시간을 내다 : To make (the) time for someone
• I think I can make time for you tomorrow afternoon.
• I always make the time for my girlfriend.
2. 시간 나다 : My evening/afternoon/morning opened up
• someone canceled on me (원래 약속 있었는데 취소됨)
• My morning opened up tomorrow, so I think I can make time for you.
3. 시간 비우다 : leave my morning open for someone
• I left my afternoon open for you
• I kept my evening open for you.
• I kept my morning free for you.

knew / found out / I've known

Lately I'm learning English expressions through several new methods.
Today, I watched Michael's 5분 과외 video about common mistakes.
This video taught me the difference between '알았다' and 'knew'.
I didn't know what 'find out about' means exactly.

If you find any mistake in my practice writing, PLEASE tell me about it.
Thank you!





knew (used to know) : 알았었다

e.g. Back then, I knew how to speak Chinese, so I had no trouble getting around.

• practice
• She and I knew each other back in elementary school.
• I knew her name back then, but now I can't remember anything about her.

found out : 알게 됐다

e.g. I found out about your site since last year.

• practice
• I found out about Google+ community a few months ago.
• I found out she doesn't love him any more.

I've known : 알아왔다

e.g. I've known about you since last year.

• practice
• I've known my best friend for almost 20 years.
• I've known the truth from the beginning. 

I'm under a lot of stress right now.

"I'm under a lot of stress now."

"지금 너무 스트레스 받고 있어요."

• My boss is really stressing me out. (사장님이 너무 스트레스를 줘요.)
• My ex-boss is stressing me out to get an unemployment benefits.
• His wife used to stress him when he hanged out alone.
• I'm under a lot of stress/pressure right now to improve my performance. (실적 때문에 압박을 너무 받고 있어요.)
• Women are under so much stress during pregnancy.
• Korean young guys should be under much stress in army. They can't help it except the sons of powerful politicians.

I am going to ~

Today I'm going to practice daily expressions about the future.
I found out these precious materials through TalkEnglish.com.
TalkEnglish provides tons of daily english lessons!
I love it and I highly recommend it to ESL students.
If you find some faults or want to give me an advice, please let me know!
Thanks ~



I am going to 

• future tense indicators
• going to go
• going to be
• I will
• I have to 

• Questions/Answers (practice)
• What are you going to do tonight?
• I plan on studying English and web programming for a couple of hours, and afterwards, watching TV shows after midnight.
• What are you doing next week?
• Next week I have to go to the job center for my unemployment benefits.
• When do you plan on updating your iOS app 'CallingU'?
• I think I'm going to update the app someday after a while, since I need to master some other techniques at the moment. Sorry, CallingU users.
• What time do you have to go to the job center on Tuesday?
• The orientation will be begun at 2 pm, so I plan on leaving at around 1 pm.
• What should we do tonight?
• Let's go eat some snowflake sherbet at the SULBING. Yummy... I can't wait to have it~.

Not everyone ~

We are having a heavy windstorm here, Korea.
I like this cool weather rather than sticky hot one.
How's weather there guys?
Today I learned two patterns via Englsih Master.
Thank you~

1. Not everyone : 모두가 ~한/인 것은 아니에요.
e.g. Not everyone can afford to go to university.
       (모두가 대학에 갈 형편이 되는 건 아니에요.)

• Not everyone can run fast. (모두가 빨리 달릴 수 있는 건 아니에요.)

• Not everyone loves Kim Tae-hee. I don't like that type of girl. (모두가 김태희를 좋아하는 건 아니에요. 전 그런 타입 안 좋아해요.)

2. He can be + Adj./Noun : 그 사람 가끔 ~할/~인 때가 있어요.

e.g. He can be really annoying sometimes.

      (그 사람 진짜 짜증나게 할 때가 있어요.)

• I can be a little stupid sometimes. no, often. (저는 가끔, 아니 자주 좀 멍청해질 때가 있어요.)
• She can pissed me off from time to time. Nevertheles, I love her so much. (그녀는 가끔 저를 열받게 해요. 그치만, 전 그녀를 무척 사랑한답니다.)

might as well

Today, I learned some patterns of common expressions through Englsih Master blog.
Please let me know how to use it, if you find any mistake or suggestion.
Thank you~!

1. might as well : ~하지 그래? / 안하는 것보다 낫잖아? / 하는 편이 낫다
e.g. You might as well take my advice. 내 말(조언) 좀 듣지 그래?

• I think he might as well break up with her as soon as possible. (그는 그녀와 가능한 빨리 헤어지는 게 나을 것 같아.)
• You might as well start jogging right now. You're always just making a new workout plans, man. (당장 조깅 시작하지 그래. 넌 맨날 운동 계획만 세우고 있잖아, 친구.)

2. Why ~ (usually omit SUBJECT)

e.g. Why sweat the small stuff? (왜 사소한 일에 힘빼고 그래?)

• Why eat foods constantly all day long? (왜 하루종일 끊임없이 먹냐?)
• Why so serious?! Just do it, if you don't want to regret it some day. (뭐 그리 심각해?! 그냥 해, 나중에 후회하기 싫다면)

3. you of all people : 다른 사람도 아닌 너(니/네)가

e.g. How can you of all people say that? (딴사람도 아닌 니가 어떻게 그런 말을 해?)

• How could you of all people get a job at Apple. No way ~! (다른 사람도 아닌 니가 어떻게 애플에 취직을 해. 말도 안돼 ~!)
• You of all people pissed me off yesterday. (어제 딴사람도 아닌 니가 날 (빡)돌게 했어)