Where should I start from?

It’s been months since I last sat down and study Korean. (By that I mean going through the textbook lessons or learning new grammar constructions) Yesterday, I felt rather motivated and decided to spend some time on Korean. But I was just at a loss of what to do.

The question in my head was:

ok… so where should I begin?

I have no idea where I left off months ago, and where I should pick it up from. >< I hate to feel so lost and unmotivated (like right now).

이런 느낌이 싫다.

I can’t wait for this semester to end. Then, I’ll have time to sort through everything and find my footing again (:

Sorry for sounding so pessimistic in this post (haha I tried to tone down already!). But since this blog is a recording of my learning journey, I’ll have to be as truthful as possible and include all the ups and downs~~

Hopefully, my next post will be more positive and interesting ^^

16th TOPIK results

합격!! ^^

Actually, right after my last post, I managed to check my results! However, class was starting soon and I wanted to write a nice post to celebrate! ^^

I can’t believe my eyes when I saw the results!! XD SOOO HAPPY. (Should have written the post straightaway to capture my happiness at the moment more accurately!)

Vocabulary/Grammar	78
Writing	81
Listening	87
Reading	88
Total Marks:	334/400
Average Marks/section:	83.50
Level 4 PASS

yayyy!! ^^

Background:

TOPIK is divided into 3 different papers: elementary (level 1-2), intermediate(level 3-4), advanced(level 5-6). In order to obtain a higher level pass, you need at least 50 points per section and average score of 70.

Frankly, I didn’t expect to get a level 4 pass. This was my first attempt at TOPIK exam. I know full well that my Korean proficiency is really limited and even though I am starting to read korean books, there are alot of things that I still don’t know. There’s still a long way to go for my speaking skills and I definitely I don’t think I possess level 4 speaking skills.

Looking at the results, I realised that I’m still weak in my grammar and vocab. Shall work harder for it ^^ I’m really pleased with my reading section. (All that Kpop news reading and translations helped!!)

Much thanks to my korean friends who are always there to answer my questions!

And thanks  to everyone for all the encouragement~!! <3

^^

hello!! ^^ haha I’m currently in school and using the school com now. TOPIK results is going to be released today and I’ve been glued to the comp and tryng to access the online TOPIK service! >< But so far, no luck.

Having lessons in 40 mins time and I’ll only end during lunch time. AHH. I can’t endure the suspense!! There’s some strange guy making strange and random exclamations a few rows away and he’s really LOUD. haha

(must be the stress building up – less than a month to final exams!)

OKay.. he’s even noisier now. haha so distracting. Spewing vulgarities one second and laughing to himself the next second.

Anw I shall check the online service one last time before I go for classes. Shall update here again in the evening!

For those who took the 16th TOPIK too, GOOD LUCK~!!! ^^

Singapore Writers Festival 2009

ok. I think I haven’t been reading the papers for months. Either I’m really very uninformed or that the activities aren’t that well publicized. I was reading my fav author’s webpage (九把刀） and he said that he will be coming to Singapore for this!! ^^ YAY!!

정말 가고 싶다!! The meet-the-author session will be held on sunday morning ^^ I should be going for this.

하고 싶은 일

Studying for my Spanish test right now ㅠㅠ Seriously, I realised that the key to learning a language is interest. Not that I don’t like Spanish. It’s actually the first foreign language that I thought of learning a few years back. But somehow, the interest is limited to Chayanne’s songs and Barcelona.

I know nothing about the culture, about their way of life. I get no exposure to dramas, I dunno any Spanish actors/actresses or any famous people from Spanish-speaking countries.

Language cannot be separated from its culture. Not knowing anything about the culture makes me feel that I know nothing about the language even though technically, I know how to form simple sentences. Sometimes, I feel that I’m learning Spanish in a vacuum and all I’m doing is ‘solving’ the puzzle of Spanish grammar.

I feel like studying Korean now. Random, I know Sometimes, even I wonder why I love Korean so much. ㅋㅋ

can’t wait for the next ep of 미남이시네요!!

다음에 봐요~~!!

091025 G-Dragon’s A Boy performance

This got to be one of my most fav performances! GD is oozing talent here I don’t really know why this particular performance caught my attention, but I just find him really amazing here.

Anw I’ve been listening to the Heartbreaker album almost daily since its release and instead of getting sick of it, I’m loving it more. Gossip Man is the BEST song in the album ^^

A new Korean learner’s community

For those who are learning Korean, I’m sure you will be familiar with Hyunwoo Sun, who teaches at koreanclass101.com ^^ Hyunwoo Oppa recently created a community site especially for Korean learners and I think it’s a lovely idea.

Here’s some reasons for you to join it right now!

1. get to know Korean learners from all over the world
2. interact with Koreans in the community – it’s a great way to improve!
3. practice Korean by writing blog posts

Don’t forget to add me as a friend! ^^

CLICK HERE

My 2nd KLPT experience

(urgh I was writing halfway and my com crashed ><, I have to REWRITE everything)

It seems like not too long ago when I was writing the post on TOPIK and now I’m doing one for KLPT! This is the 2nd time I’m taking KLPT and you can see my previous post of KLPT 2008 HERE. ^^

Last year I got 295/500 (level 2). haha I still remember that I missed one question (5 marks) to a level 3! haha time flies~~

———-

Just like last year, we were asked to be at the venue by 9am even though the test starts at 10. (and just like last year, the lift was ‘locked’ and we had to stand at the lobby until nearly 9am). There were only 20+ of us for the KLPT exam and only 2 guys! haha

I was seated at the 1st row of the 2nd column (I like!) and the radio was right in front of me. oh! I was scrolling through my KLPT 2008 post and I realised that I was seated in the same position for last year too! ^^ It was rather boring during the waiting time as I came alone.

Listening section

Unlike TOPIK whereby the passages are read twice, it’s only read ONCE for KLPT. I guess that makes it more challenging and put it more on par with TOPIK which has a writing component. The passages progressively get longer and harder, by the time it reaches the ‘advanced’ level, I was totally lost. I had a hard time trying to grasp at random words and trying to make them to those in the answer booklet to find the answer XD

This shows that I’m nowhere near that standard yet. ): But I’m glad to say that I improved alot over the past year ^^

The time lag between questions was adequate for me to read through the 4 options and shade the answer, but once it’s the advanced level…… you know..

Reading section

There was no rest period between the 2 sections. For the reading passages, I’m soo happy that I’ve improved SO MUCH compared to last year. I still remember how I totally have no time for the longer passages and resort to PURE GUESSING towards the end XD This time, I was much better and I read everything~~ I don’t understand everything but at least I get the gist of it for most! (All that Kpop news reading helped!! ^^) The advanced passages were really challenging and I ended up guessing!

BUT. The grammar section was a goner. hahaha I’ve not touched any books since uni started and I’m simply relying on past knowledge to complete the section. Last year, I worked hard for the proverbs but I’ve not revise them for months!! omg. I’m so dead.

I feel underprepared. really. But it makes me a little sad. I could have progress much further if I have more time to study.

———

Results should be out in 2 weeks time! ^^ Hopefully there will be an improvement from last year

oh, looking back at the archive, I realised that I was a much better writer last time. haha my English seems to be deteriorating.

This is bad.

———

oh. you know that kind of feeling whereby you feel so relaxed after final exams because you know that hols is coming? haha that’s how I feel exactly now. and ermm.. I’m supposed to have my final exams next month. hahaha I feel so abnormally relaxed after KLPT. 안 돼!!

[Mi Nam TV] A.N.JELL party + ep 06 preview

omg I hope 미남 TV is going to be a regular feature! ^^ Hongki is hilarious in the video (as usual). At 1.27, he suddenly says that he hasn’t had dinner yet… and he bent down to the ground and started ‘eating mud/grass’. ‘Ah~~ I’m full now~’ 0.O

Can’t wait to watch the episode.

Foreigner Talk

Came across this term in my classes. I can’t really remember the exact definition, but it talks about how we naturally try to simplify our speech when talking to someone else who isn’t a native speaker of the language. For example, knowing that the other party’s native tongue is XX but is currently learning english, I’ll naturally avoid using difficult words, complex phrases and try to simplify my sentences. We do this to facilitate conversation, avoid embarrassing the other party etc – all in good will.

But from the perspective of the foreign language learner, it’s not very helpful. It makes it harder to reach native-like grasp of the language when you are exposed to over-simplified sentences, slower speech etc. More so if you are not immersed in the culture and are relying on a few native speaker friends to improve your speaking skills.

Actually, I’m guilty of it too. If I meet a learner of English or Chinese (unless I know that he/she happens to be really good), I’ll try to speak slower and make my sentences simpler. But come to think of it, is it helpful to the person or not? This question becomes harder to answer if the other party is at an intermediate proficiency level.

Personally, I prefer it if my friends treat me like a Korean XD (or at least until I ask them to slow down) In this way, I’ll be constantly reminded of how much harder I have to work in order to achieve that level of proficiency. ^^

나는 한국인 못지않게 잘 하고 싶어. ㅋㅋ (욕심 많은 것 같죠!)

Any thoughts on this issue?