Dunno what I’m doing up at 2am but while I’m awake might as well do something (:
Anyway, these days, well recently I have been getting strange questions from people when they see this “weird language” I am constantly writing or reading whenever I am standing waiting for a class ^^ in the hallway (:
First time was in a Biology theory revision class I opened my Korean Grammar book just to have a look at some points while I wait and someone asked me ‘What’s that?’ and I answered ‘Korean.’ then came the question I didn’t think was possible to ask
‘Where are you from? Are you from Korea?’
When I was asked that I initially thought it was a big joke actually ㅋㅋㅋ I feel ashamed to say it but I laughed (: then I realised that this person was not joking they genuinely were asking if I was from Korea and what could I do after laughing a little (well! more of a giggle than a laugh) I just had to respond and say ‘No’ politely as I could!!! ^^
One time I put it down to ignorance that someone could think I was from Korea. Because I don’t look Asian at all, and by Asian I mean pale skin, super white I don’t look like that I am a little darker than that actually …so I put the reason that someone could ask is that
‘They just don’t know about Korea’
Second time, was in a Biology practical class and the girl I was partnered with was next to me to get some chemicals for her experiment and I made a mistake which let me exclaiming out “아… 자쯩나!” then she obviously giggled a little because I have a strange voice that squeaks a little when I do something silly ㅎㅎㅎㅎ she asked me ‘What did you say?’ I repeated it then she asked what language it was again I thought okay let me just tell her ‘It’s Korean’ I said and I thought that would be that….but…no I got the same question again
‘Are you from Korea?’ this time I thought to myself ‘No f—-ing way you think I am from freaking Korea? Do you see me?’ didn’t say that to her face though…obviously ㅎㅎㅎ…I just said
“No…I’m from here. Born here. Raised here. Never even left the continent before.” then the question I hadn’t been asked before and I seriously hope I never get it again is “Where is Korea?” to me this was ridiculous how can someone not know this?! it really must be impossible I think but none-the-less I told her “Asia” which seemed to end the conversation …it barely was one…but still that kicked it LOL :)
Most recently last week Friday when I was early for my class as I mentioned in my previous post ‘Unaided Feeling…‘ I had lent my textbook to my classroom partner and obviously its my Biology textbook at some stage I get a little bored with sciences I start to ‘doodle’ in my textbooks little messages like “정용화 섹시 보이 ♥” or longer ones that are lyrics my current would be “그리움이 많아서 차오를 때 비가 부를 테니까” and that will catch anyone eye even if that are not paying attention to the shit written all over someones textbooks :D so she asked me straight out
“What’s all that stuff written in your book” obviously at this time I was actually reading ‘세상에 너를 소리쳐’ and was far-far-away so I looked dumb and said “Huh…” she made her question clearer by saying what’s the stuff I’m reading then I said “Oh! it’s a Korea book” then the question came again :
“Korean? Are you from Korea?” i thought I was done with this xD seems not so I said “No?” this girl though asked more questions
“Why would you learn Korean?” my exact answer was “I like it…” then a few seconds later I said “I like this group too…and a rock band called CNBLUE” obviously this girl seemed more intelligent (mind manners…but its true) the others seemed to know nothing about anything!!!!! (:
Moments like this when I think “If the Hallyu wave hit here” then maybe
1) I could buy my Korean books in a bookstore like a normal human being not order “online”
2) People wouldn’t ask if I was from Korea
3) I could walk in a store and hear a song sung by my favorite band
4) I could write the bloody TOPIK
5) These people would know where Korea was….therefore know its impossible I’m from Korea (I mean really ^^ ME?)
But then I look at all that and I think “its fun to be unique” I don’t plan to be different from everyone else but a chance encounter with a K-drama in 2007 sealed my fate and now this precious language is a part of my life and I wouldn’t have it any different **
I should sleep my eyes are KILLA heavy :p goodnight everyone ♥♥♥ but what are some silly questions you have been asked because of Korean? Share your experiences with everyone :D be it quirky or just plain weird!!!! ^^ Look forward to hearing about them.
Sorry for the very non-coherent post ^^ really!!!! I’m not good at typing a 2am ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Korean Notebook 
After I learned hangul I switched my entire phone to Korean and there were a couple of times where my friends would ask to borrow my phone for something and when they saw all the “strange” characters the first thing they say is “WHY IS YOUR PHONE IN CHINESE!” that never fails to crack me up! Once after I told a girl it was Korean and that I was learning Korean she said “Aren’t they trying to bomb us(in america)”, I couldn’t help keeping the annoyed tone out of my voice when I answered her…*sigh* the ignorance of some people. By the way the next time someone asks you where Korea is just say Its next to Japan, that’ll shut them up, everyone knows where Japan is :P
ㅎㅎㅎ no your right that never fails I had that one once but the person just looked to dumb/ and overly confident that they were looking at CHINESE I just took it further and told ’em “Yeah. I like Chinese people” what else can you say to them looool??? Really someone seriously asked that? If they wanted to bomb the States? I would not have been able to stop the annoyed tone either but I actually might have laughed too ~~~ got that damn straight ignorance is also very frustrating
That’s a very good idea :p its very true that everyone knows where Japan is so now I will just say “It’s the country next to Japan” ~ 끝 end of story ^^
Okay, the ‘정용화 섹시 보이 ♥’ part is scary, loool. But yeah I can feel you. Not 100% though since I’m also from Asia, some 2600 km away from Korea. I get mistaken for being Korean almost all the time from strangers to drivers, so it’s not weird anymore. And besides K-Pop here is so big, so people don’t get weirded out so much, except when some random train-fellow looks at my phone while looking for lyrics in Korean or while I’m talking with my friends on LINE and I see them through my periph vision that they’re shocked or something. I’m glad that you are very persistent in learning the language even if the people around you doesn’t seem to know ‘what’s Korean, and what’s not’.
Hahahahaha!!!!!!! I’m hardcore fangirl ♥ I swear though its in my textbook ㅎㅎㅎ
You look Asian so its alright to get silly questions all the time and have cases of mistaken identity for me its like plain dumb because I don’t look Asian at all ~~~ your lucky K-pop is big there, here on the other hand was just everyone knowing Gangnam Style ; and mind you this is not a joke they all thought it was a Mexican song (dunno how it still shocks me) I personally barely know the song cos I didn’t like it (sorry….>.< I found it a moronic example of K-pop) but still I knew of it and when someone said it was "Ganga Style" from Mexico I felt a little obligated to inform them and then I corrected their pronunciation only to get a rude snap-back "everyone is saying Ganga" so I left it at that if you wanna be stupid be stupid like I care lool ^.^
Chatting gets people looking over your shoulder I guarantee you that :D I can be in a Que in the supermarket and be texting in Korean on Kakao/ or LINE and you gt someone in front of you looking at your screen and you think "I can see you staring at my freaking phone" works on my nerves that D:
Yes. People can be rude and a bit irritating but this is "my dream" and I am going to accomplish it with or without people understanding why. They can continue thinking I'm an idiot for being persistent in my Korea studies that's not my problem. They should just stop dissing Korea and Korean and making like its inferior or something.
To Korea and Korean study 아자아자
XD sorry for the long reply ~~~~~
I also bring Korean book in my school and often hear questions like” Isn’t Korean difficult to learn?”. I’m glad my school has opened its door to Korean tutorial for beginners. ( I didn’t join the tutorial though as I’m not a beginner). Looking forward to meeting a school mate that is enthusiastic to learn Korean
At least you are lucky to get an “interested” response from people cos when someone asks if something is “difficult to learn” they are at least saying you are doing something regardless of the challenge ; which means they have to recognize the challenge to begin with (: Wow. That’s so great actually there is actually NO Korean courses in the country I live in which is both sad and irritating because already its a non-starter so how can people know more about Korea and their language and culture. Your school is doing a great thing.
I wish us both luck in finding a school mate who can share our interests in Korea and learning Korean :)
ps : Korean is not difficult to learn :p
When I’m not around my close friends (who all know about Asia and really love Japan and Korea- THANK THE FORCES) I do get the “Why are you studying that” and “Are you trying to live there” questions. No one has asked me about if I’m Korean. I have dark skin and a Caribbean background so for them to ask me that would be completely ridiculous in my opinion.
The more I study Korean and Japanese, the more I notice how many people don’t understand that Korea and Japan are different from China or that China, Taiwan and Hong Kong are distinct places. I think it all has to do with the lack of information that’s given when we learn about world cultures. I don’t remember learning about Korea when I was younger and when I learned about it Yunho sold my soul to Korea, but that’s a different story.
I remember constantly being asked about “why I was acting Asian,” why I liked Japan and why I was running a club on Japan in high school. The worst thing I remember happening to me was in a history class when we were talking about dual citizenship and visas. I asked the teacher “Since I live here, if I went to Japan and stayed or worked there for a while and then came back to America and had to go back and forth between the countries, is it possible to get dual citizenship?” I was learning Japanese, helping run an Anime/Japan culture club, and genuinely wanted to work in Japan sometime. About 10 people (who were the rudest in the school and least educated mind you) snickered and laughed and whispered. I heard them saying “this crazy b*tch thinks Asians want her around,” “she’s so stupid,” and “does she think she’s Asian? She’s black!” Well now this crazyB is going for a double major in Japanese and Korean language, and has connections for internships with the Japan Consulate and more so shaddap. :3
Some people are ignorant. Some people are just not well informed about the world. Regardless of who may come up and ask aggravating questions or insult us, we gotta keep going, rise, and give them something to go :O about.
I gave you an essay. Sorry. XD
Hehe! that’s alright (:
I feel you. Not 100% but I understand where you are coming. Comments that base everything on the color of your skin are cruel to be honest (only stupid people are like that ….내 생각)
“Why I was acting Asian?” Oh they are so lucky they haven’t met me I would probably kicked them just to show them how Asian I can be looool I may only be a Yellow belt my damnnnn I would’ve showed them something. I hate it when people do that just because they have one tracked minds about how things should be does not mean we want to conform to their “norms” they should leave people with different interests alone. Simply put if you have nothing to say then you BLOODY WELL SHOULDN’T SAY IT at all is what i think!!!!!
When it comes to friends you are lucky I have actually lost a friend (10 yrs I knew her) because of it I put it down to the fact she was never my friend if after 10 years you can just all of a sudden start acting moronic.
I dunno what you look like but I am not passable as Korean I tell you that (I have one youtube video with my face you can its impossible to think I am Asian……)
Thanks for the essay lol ~ I enjoyed reading very much!!!!!!!!!! :)
Sorry to hear about that friend. Sometimes, just when you think you know somebody, people change. It amazes me every time. -.-
“I may only be a yellow belt but damn I would’ve showed them something.” XD I love that line, haha. I never liked people with closed minds either. If something is different from the norm you’re used to, it takes a lot less energy to just shaddap. Adventure and things that aren’t “normal” are so much more interesting. The ironic thing is it’s pretty normal for people to be interested in things that are different from what they grew up around.
Glad to know you enjoyed reading the essay lol
Its been a while I don’t even think about her anymore!! Haha ^^ I was serious lol!!! And I agree adventure is better than sticking to what is “normal”
Yes the essay was fun…….wanna write mine from no one??? Haha you are good at them lol :)
I think the saying also exists in English, but in Danish we say “empty barrels rattle the most”. Those people might not be shy about voicing their opinions, but most of the time the things they say has no value whatsoever. You got the better deal! (as you already know) :-)
Thanks. ^^ “Empty barrels rattle the most.” Now I have a new phrase and I know where it comes from, haha. I can’t remember the English version of the saying. o.o The more I study Korean and Japanese, the more I forget English. XD
I totally hear you! Ive gotten so much weirdness for learning Korean and being interested in Korean music, culture etc…to give you a bit more background, I live in Australia but heres the thing-I’m of Indian origin.
1. Korean is useless…learn Mandarin instead (useless, since I already learn Mandarin)
2. You only want to learn so you understand k-pop, right?
3. That’s weird.
4. You’re Indian, learn Hindi instead.
Etc, etc.
Lololol, story of my life…!
Thanks for your posts, they inspire me and show me that i am not alone (especially on this issue)
It’s a frustrating habit people have (>.<) every time I get those comments I feel like screaming!!
Hahaha. We live on totally different continents but that reads like a book for me xD~
Minus the Hindi part which I did try and learn some years ago cos my best friend was Hindi ^^
People comparing Korean and Chinese then further saying there are not much business opportunities to Korean is a a big NO for me because its implying that everything a person does is money related and for me that's untrue I like Korean the language itself is beautiful, unique and intricate!!
The K-pop thing luckily I am saved from although a certain section outside my family unit has an irritating obsession with saying I wanna learn Korean to listen to and I quote their words “Gay monkeys” which I don’t understand.If you have a difference of opinion then keep it to yourself don’t just be nasty about someones passion cos you know nothing about it.
I’ve gotten to a point now where if someone say’s its weird in that condescending tone I’ll just reply back “Your weird…”
Anyway, Christopher I enjoyed reading your comment :p it made me smile that someone has the same insane experiences I have (^^) thanks in the future I will write more posts like this, thanks for appreciating my blog and hope to keep in touch :)
I’m so sad that Korean is not popular in your country. In Vietnam, my country, the Hallyu is very strong, but I still cannot find any bookstore to buy original Korean books. The only source of books are in the university’s Korean library which is only open to students who are major in Korean. My major is English, so I cannot go to the Korean library.
In my department, almost everyone is interested in US-UK movies, songs, so I feel like an outsider when I like SNSD. I cannot find anyone in my department to share about Korean or KPOP, so I have to make friends with students whose major is Korean. I even sneaked into their Korean classes. My facebook is all about SNSD, Korean. Everytime I go to school, I always bring Korean notebooks. Therefore, everybody thinks that my major is Korean and I have to explain many times.
Anyway, what people think or say about you is not important as what you think about yourself. I admire your love for Korean and I hope you will have more opportunities to learn Korean. ^^
It’s alright maybe one day everyone here will be interested in Korean, but I don’t hold my breath for it ㅠ.ㅠ I know it exists and I love Korean, and its culture :) I can make lots of Korean learner friends (like you)
You should change your major :D and do 한국어 that would be cool (^_^)
Interesting story I too would sneak into classes if they had them they probably don’t notice that your not a student because of all the 소녀시대! 그죠?
That’s my motto >>> what you say abut me doesn’t affect what I think about myself <<< Thank you. I hope I will maybe one day I will be able to buy books in a store not online but until that day comes I am still learning and loving Korean. Thanks for the comment because of them I always feel I am not alone in learning Korean and loving K-culture (^_^) many of us go through this ~~~
Haha! Enjoy it when you still can. Sometimes I miss the good old days when Kpop is still unknown and you have your own unique world that most people have no idea about. It’s also fun though when Hallyu hit the Philippines. Easier access to Korean stuff (from food to books to grocery items to classes, movies, shows). And yeah, being a little less weird. :)
I highly doubt its ever gonna reach here >< I'm the weird kid everyday with her iPad listening to those guys ~ who don't speak English ^(^_^)^ although I do like feeling unique so I don't mind it ~ like it actually haha!! ^^ My world that none can comment about because they just don't know about it. Although like you said it would be nice to have the stuff I need in the local stores not have to purchase online…but I don't mind that much ㅎㅎㅎ