Hi Hamkke clan! 🙌Welcome to another Hamkke chatroom, and today, let's journey the language way.

In this chat room, we have Bethy_Beam🥰, a lover and great enthusiast of not just Korea but particularly the Korean language😍

Of course, she will be answering some questions about her language journey.

Shall we get right into it? 😋

Author: what sparked your interest in Korean culture, and how long have you been a fan? 🤔

Bethy_Beam: The Korean culture was very strange and new to me when I first started watching Korean dramas🫣, and that sparked my interest to know and learn about the culture. I’ve been a fan for 12 years now🤭.

Author: So should we say 2012? 😱

Bethy_Beam: Yes🤣

Author: Since we already know you are more interested in the Korean language, can you speak this language and how fluent are you?

Bethy_Beam: I can speak, but I am not very fluent. I’m in the beginner-intermediate level. 🌚

Author: How about writing, both Hangul and Romanization? 🫣

Bethy_Beam: I’m good at writing Hangul. However, I don’t consider Romanization as the right way of learning, so I don’t use it.

Author: I understand, but if you can write Hangul, you’re already good enough?

Bethy_Beam: 🤣🤣Well, you can say that.

Author: What motivated you to learn the language, when and how did you get started? 🤔

Bethy_Beam: What motivated me to actually learn the language was BTS 🤣🤣. I wanted to know the language so badly so I could watch their live sessions without getting lost and confused as to what they were saying🌚. I started learning in 2020 during the lockdown.

Author: Wow! So it's been 4 years of learning? 😍

Bethy_Beam: Yes, it has👍

Author: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while learning and how did you overcome them?

Bethy_Beam: Well at first I didn’t have anyone to practice speaking with or books I could use to learn but then I downloaded the Hellotalk app 🗣️where I met a lot of Korean people 👥 I could practice speaking with and then I also joined the King Sejong Institute at the Korean cultural center in Abuja where we had a Korean teacher and learning was made easier🙌.

Author: Can you share any tips or resources that have helped you improve your Korean language skills? 🙄

Bethy_Beam: Well, like I mentioned earlier, practicing with natives helps a lot and then I listen to a lot of Korean songs and as usual there’s the Korean dramas😂😂. I haven’t attended any Korean classes since my last in 2022 but I try to use Duolingo to keep myself in check mostly with the vocabulary and grammar💆.

Author: Are there any interesting or surprising things you’ve learned about Korean culture through language study?

Bethy_Beam: They have a lot of words to refer to one thing. 😂😂 It was so confusing at first but after learning, I realized it depends on who is saying the things and when the person is saying it. ✍️

Author: Would you say that is similar to how the Yoruba language works? 🤣

Bethy_Beam; In a way, it is but not entirely similar because, for them, it can also be how and why the person is saying it. 👌

Author: Okay. So what language resources have you found most helpful in learning Korean?

Bethy_Beam: King Sejong Institute textbooks are really good and they come on various levels and the podcasts and YouTube lessons are good as well. 👌

Author: What advice would you give a Korean language beginner to help them get started and become better?

Bethy_Beam: Planning and dedication✍️

Author: How?

Bethy_Beam: Plan: "What days can I put out for Korean language studies?"🤔 "How many minutes a day can I make for myself to study?" 🤔"What platforms will I work on this week? YouTube? or Podcast? Or do I just study with the textbooks I have?" "I need to have a practice day, speaking, reading, and listening." Dedication is basically making sure you don't falter from your plans👏.

Author: Still on this language thing; is there anything you'd like to speak about that I didn't ask? 🤔

Bethy_Beam: You asked me if I could write in romanization earlier and I told you that I don't support using it as it can be confusing and distracting. Well, most newbies to the Korean language can't help but use romanization as they are yet to get used to Hangul so I wouldn't really say they should not use it, rather they should get acquainted with Hangul first before making any attempt to write. It is inevitable for them to not actually use Romanization, but they shouldn't depend on it to learn the language ❌❌.

If you are a Korean language enthusiast and you are just getting started, I hope Bethy_Beam’s journey and advice will be of great help to you. 🖋️🖊️

See you in the next chatroom. Ciao😘😘.