What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

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eddeux
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What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

Postby eddeux » 2013-11-21, 18:31

Bored in the sense of losing motivation to study, not as in completely tired of studying the language.

The last three months have been like that for me. I was on a roll during the first half of the year after having a similar burn out around this time last year, but by the end of the summer I slowed down tremendously.

I've tried studying through audio but most is for beginners, loaded with words I already know, and has very little conversation practice.

I've tried Korean tv. I'm not advanced so the live news is too much, but I have watched a few K-dramas this year, and for awhile it helped but now even they bore me.

There aren't many Koreans to speak with in my city, so that just makes me even lazier.

I'm bored of books. I have some that are for intermediate learners, and an in-depth introduction to Hanja with 500 characters that I've barely opened, but studying out of a book has gotten extremely boring as well. I've tried looking for children books at least that I can read daily, but I haven't found many.

I just don't know what to do anymore. I love Korean, I'm extremely interested in Korean culture/food, and it's one of the few languages I plan on continuing to study long-term. Despite all of this, I've just burned out.

Any suggestions?
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Re: What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

Postby linguoboy » 2013-11-21, 20:03

Maybe take a break and study something else for a while?

I find it difficult to maintain focused study of a language for more than a couple months at a time unless I have a concrete goal on the horizon (such as an upcoming trip or a meeting with native speakers). At some point my attention wanes, then wanders, and I end up getting interested in something else. After a while, however, it wanders again and I eventually come back to one of the languages I was studying before.

So maybe the solution is to buy a plane ticket?
"Richmond is a real scholar; Owen just learns languages because he can't bear not to know what other people are saying."--Margaret Lattimore on her two sons

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Re: What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

Postby Pangu » 2013-11-21, 20:04

Think about what is it that made you interested in learning Korean in the first place.

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Re: What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

Postby eddeux » 2013-11-22, 4:56

linguoboy wrote:Maybe take a break and study something else for a while?

I find it difficult to maintain focused study of a language for more than a couple months at a time unless I have a concrete goal on the horizon (such as an upcoming trip or a meeting with native speakers). At some point my attention wanes, then wanders, and I end up getting interested in something else. After a while, however, it wanders again and I eventually come back to one of the languages I was studying before.

So maybe the solution is to buy a plane ticket?

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm studying Spanish alongside Korean; I've been thinking about picking up an old language again, or a new one for a few months in place of it.

I may have the chance to move to Korea for a year in the next 1-3 years--or visit if I end up in Japan instead--depending on my job, and if there are any slots open for it. But that seems so far into the future, and isn't a for sure thing so it has definitely not helped keep my attention intact.

I've had this issue in the past. In 2011 and last year I had my drought periods. My motivation will return in time, especially if I get to move to Korea. Still, I've worn my old study methods out, and now need to think of a new strategy. :hmm:
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
Learning: (ja)(ko)Yorùbá (yo)
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Re: What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

Postby eddeux » 2013-11-22, 5:02

Pangu wrote:Think about what is it that made you interested in learning Korean in the first place.

Those reasons are why Korean is one of the few languages I ever want to reach an advanced level in. Still, for some months I pretty much made studying Korean my main activity during free time everyday. Doing that for quite some time has worn me out, and is most likely the reason behind my slacking off. It's like I started to treat studying Korean more like a task than something I just simply enjoy.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
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Re: What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

Postby linguoboy » 2013-11-22, 13:56

eddeux wrote:It's like I started to treat studying Korean more like a task than something I just simply enjoy.

What are some things you "simply enjoy" and is there any way to do them through the medium of Korean?
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Re: What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

Postby eddeux » 2013-11-30, 4:32

Sorry for the late reply guys. It's been a busy (and fun) week. :oops: :partyhat:

linguoboy wrote:
eddeux wrote:It's like I started to treat studying Korean more like a task than something I just simply enjoy.

What are some things you "simply enjoy" and is there any way to do them through the medium of Korean?

I love to read, and it'd be perfect if I could at least find a few short novels in Korean that aren't too advanced.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
Learning: (ja)(ko)Yorùbá (yo)
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Interested: Swahili (sw)(zh)

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Re: What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

Postby Karavinka » 2014-03-18, 11:41

Reading is good, but I'd recommend that you get in touch with some of the audiovisual media that South Korea has to offer. Watch them subbed or raw depending on your preferences, but try to have some fun.

* Dramas and films. They're easily found online and highly torrentable, and there are dedicated sub communities as well. I can't give you names, since I don't watch K-Drama myself at all. But look for some, there will be a few. Take it as Korean equivalent of anime for Japanese learners.

* Kpop. Need I say more? If you're sick of SNSD, Super Junior and Big Bang, maybe I can offer a list of 90s-early 2000s before Kpop became international. Not necessarily better or worse, but back then it was just different.

* Pro gaming. Highly accessible on YouTube, except it's hard to find them subbed and it could be confusing at first because of the sports jargon. (I don't understand half of what they comment in a LOL match either, though it's because I don't know the game myself.) But if you know the game, you can follow the visual and still have a fun time while catching words and phrases here and there.

* Regular MMO gaming. It's not a gross exaggeration that MMOs are probably the best place to meet Koreans on the Internet. The Korean-language web is big enough to be self-sufficient (or so they think) that you rarely find them in other language forums including English ones, and registering to large Korean websites like Naver and Daum without the residence registry number is a pain in the behind, and then what you get is a wall of texts where you have no idea what you're reading and where to find anything interesting. If you want to find people to directly interact with, MMOs are the easiest bet - it's the Korean equivalent of Playstation for Japanese learners. Well, unfortunately I can't make suggestions since I don't play anymore.

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Re: What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

Postby thasyanvts » 2014-10-03, 15:36

Take a break and study something else.
I'm not that interested in Korean, I'm more interested in Mandarin. I'm no Chinese, but I live in a society where 50% of its' citizens are Chinese.
warm regards, thasya.

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Re: What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

Postby Meera » 2015-01-04, 22:48

Take a break and only listen to it and watch movies in it. Start to study something else and eventually you will miss Korean. I did this with another language and it made me want to go back to it so bad. Think of why you live the language and want to learn it. Think about how cool it will be when you learn it and can speak and understand Korean!
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Re: What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

Postby eddeux » 2017-07-21, 16:49

Update:

So much has happened since I made this thread nearly 4 years ago. My Korean is nowhere near advanced yet, but I feel much more comfortable in the language compared to the past. Learning is more natural now as compared to the forced, textbook-style that I was used to. I've been living in Korea for the past 10 months, so that has definitely helped a lot! Daily motivation and study for sure, but even then I've found myself using the first 6 months of my time here getting reacquainted with the language. After I moved to Japan in 2014 for two years I kind of put Korean on the way-side. As a result I forgot a lot other than basics of getting around, transportation, and small little chit chat. :oops:

I think I've come to accept though that language learning is more of a lifelong endeavor. I've stopped trying to reach certain 'levels' and just enjoyed learning and trying to conquer new challenges. Since I've done that, and tried to incorporate more Korean-based resources into studying (using Korean dictionaries, watching Korean TV with no subs, etc), I've become much more comfortable with the fact that I won't be able to fully express myself in all situations. I've also found myself using Korean more naturally at times instead of having to translate from English first.

I'm thinking of posting my writing on here from my diary. :lol: :blush: A little embarrassing, but perhaps that would keep me dedicated to practicing and receiving corrections.

작녁 9월에 드디에 한국에 이사했어요. 그때는 한국어 실셕이 높은데 천천히 한국에 일상생활을 하면서 한국어를 머리에 쏙쏙 들을 것 같아요. 실수를 많이 하지만 말을 잘 하고 싶으면 창피하지 말고 계속 말을 해야 죠. 한국 사람들은 저한테 발음이 좋다고 하는데 가끔은 어려운다고 생각해요. 그리고 한국 사람들 빠르게 말을 해서 알아듣는 거 조금 어려워요. 그래도 10개 월 된 후에는 한국어 공부에는 만족한 기분이 생겼어요...

Probably filled with some mistakes but oh well! :)
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
Learning: (ja)(ko)Yorùbá (yo)
Dabbing: (fr)
Interested: Swahili (sw)(zh)

Karavinka

Re: What do you do when you're bored with Korean?

Postby Karavinka » 2017-09-20, 17:46

eddeux wrote:I'm thinking of posting my writing on here from my diary. :lol: :blush: A little embarrassing, but perhaps that would keep me dedicated to practicing and receiving corrections.


Maybe a little late, but please don't mind me if I do.

작녁 9월에 드디에 한국에 이사했어요. 그때는 한국어 실셕???이 높은데 천천히 한국에한국에서 일상생활을 하면서하면/하다 보면 한국어를한국어가 머리에 쏙쏙 들을들어 올 것 같아요. 실수를 많이 하지만 말을 잘 하고 싶으면 창피하지 말고 계속 말을 해야 죠. 한국 사람들은 저한테 발음이 좋다고 하는데 가끔은 어려운다고어렵다고 생각해요. 그리고 한국 사람들 빠르게 말을 해서 알아듣는 거 조금 어려워요. 그래도 10개 월 된 후에는 한국어 공부에는공부에 만족한 기분이 생겼어요...

This is one of the best Korean from the non-natives I've ever seen on Unilang. Great job!


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