Korean Lessons in Thunder Bay

“산토끼” (Mountain Bunny)

Songs for kids are great tools to use to practice Korean, especially if you are a beginner. For example, Mountain Bunny is a great option that can help you become familiar with Korean sounds and the basic vocabulary related to animals and food. Words like rabbits (tokki), squirrels (cheongseolmo), almonds (amondeu), or chestnuts (bam). Also, you will be introduced to onomatopoeias, as every animal that is named in the song makes their sound (and children are supposed to mimic them, though we fully understand if you don’t feel like it!). Check out the song here!

“갑돌이와 갑순이” (The Story of Kap Do-li and Kap Soo-ni)

Are you looking for a Korean folk song that tells a beautiful story while putting your Korean skills into practice? Then, The Story of Kap Do-li and Kap Soo-ni is the piece for you. This is a famous, romantic song that talks about a young lady and her beloved who found it very hard to express their feelings for each other. They struggled so much that they even got married to other people and suffered for years. This track is great for intermediate or advanced students of Korean, as it’s full of reported speech and passive voice structures. Check out the song here!

“너를 위한 빈자리” (The Empty Space for You)

Looking for a romantic song you can enjoy while learning some new vocabulary and grammar in Korean? You should definitely try The Empty Space for You, by Park Yoo-chun. This song is famous across Asia due to its catchy tune and poetic lyrics. The track follows a man who tells the story of an impossible love. It’s great for intermediate and advanced learners, as it includes a lot of informal phrases and casual vocabulary. Sing along to this track and improve your pronunciation in a meaningful way. Check out the song here!

You and I

Short stories are a great way to acquire a new language while getting to know more about the target culture. If you want to hear Korean short stories narrated by a native speaker (which is great, because you will also get familiar with pronunciation), you should subscribe to You and I’s YouTube channel. Most stories are really funny and accompanied by pictures and captions that make it easy to understand what the narrator is saying. So, the videos are suitable not only for advanced-level students, but also beginners can take advantage of these resources when learning Korean. Watch these videos here!

EBS Documentary

Did you know that Korea has a free educational YouTube channel that frequently publishes useful videos for intermediate and advanced students of the language? All their videos are in Korean with subtitles (which is customary in Korean TV), meaning it will be even easier for you to follow what is being said. Some of the topics you can find on the channel include entertainment, food, scientific developments, and lifestyle, so you will surely find something to your taste! Once a week, EBS also posts long documentaries, which are perfect if you are looking for in-depth, educational content. Watch these videos here!

Korean Unnie

Korean Unnie (older sister) is a great channel if you are just starting out learning Korean and would like to have a friendly companion on your language journey. The best part is that her content is not related to the formal aspects of Korean (so you won’t find videos of her explaining grammar rules, for example), but instead you will acquire the language by watching her interact with others in real life. For example, Unnie will take you to a traditional Korean restaurant and teach you vocabulary, colloquial expressions, and even give you insights into the fascinating Korean culture. Watch these videos here!