Want to learn timely information about South Korea and learn Korean simultaneously? There’s nothing more that we can recommend than to hone your skills in Korean through immersing yourself with their latest news or –뉴스 nyuseu! But, how effective is this strategy? Let’s find out!
Have you heard the news that South Korea has opened its borders to tourists? How about when Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin got married? How will you know if your favorite K-pop group will release a new song or go on a tour? If you’re aware of all of this information, even though you’re not living in South Korea, you can access Korean news.
Aside from being updated about other news in Korean society, did you know you can also use news to learn the Korean language? News articles and shows are clear and well-written, making them suitable for your Korean studies.
Recently, we saw how Korean news runs through the K-drama “Twenty-Five Twenty-One.” So, imagine how amazing it is to learn the Korean language with reporters and anchors like Baek Yi-jin. So, let’s dive more into it and learn how news can aid in learning Korean.
Benefits Of Learning Korean With The News
What can you gain from learning Korean from the news? Unlike other language learning resources, news can give you lots of authentic and relevant information about Korean society. Here are the benefits of learning Korean with the news.
Be Updated!
If you’re interested in the Korean language and Korean culture, one of the things that will make you motivated is learning fresh and updated news about South Korea. Learning with the news will keep you updated on different things like the entertainment industry, tourism, products, and the economy.
Engage In Daily Conversations
In a foreign country, it’s hard to talk to anyone without having common knowledge about something. You can start a conversation easier when you know updated information about Korean society. You can also engage in meaningful discussions. This is beneficial, especially as ice breakers.
You can activate your learning in real-life circumstances with native Korean speakers. You can also observe the vocabulary, grammar structures, and idioms employed throughout the news cycle. Lastly, it would also amaze the locals how updated you are in their society which might make them feel touched.
Get To Know More About The Korean Society And Korean Culture
News encompasses every aspect of their society and culture. If you watch Korean news, you’ll learn more profound about their society and culture. Since it’s from Korean news, you’ll be comfortable that the information you’ll get is authentic.
With the news, you will also observe how people interact with society. You’ll have a grasp on how they face problems and how they overcome them, which is beneficial information. A deeper understanding of their culture and society is a way of respecting them.
How To Learn Korean With The News?
News ( –뉴스 nyuseu) has always been part of our daily lives. This is what makes it an ideal resource for learning languages. These resources include news articles, websites, and programs/channels. You can easily pick up words, phrases, expressions, grammar structures, and most importantly, levels of formality.
Sometimes, we take all these resources for granted, but let’s see how we can maximize all these news resources. Here’s a comprehensive list of ways to learn Korean with the news.
1. Follow Korean News Social Media
Who doesn’t have social media nowadays? Most non-Korean fans get updated about South Korea through social media. Since we primarily use social media 24/7, why not maximize it and use it in learning Korean?
Social media is one of the easiest and most convenient ways of accessing Korean news. It’s free, but it can be too tricky and dangerous. So, ensure that the social media account you’re following is verified because you might get unverified information or fake news. The blue check icon at the end of its name indicates that it is verified. One example of Korean news social media account is The Korea Times.
Social media will help language learners to learn Korean in a simple yet effective way. You can scroll, and you can already pick up different words and phrases. Aside from that, they also use pictures to give you a context about what the news is all about. The interaction of the locals in the comment section will also give you an idea of how they engage in discussions online.
It can be overwhelming but focus on what you want to learn first and the words you are familiar with. Soon, if you’re more immersed in the language, grammar and sentence structures will follow. Don’t forget to list all you have learned for more retention.
2. Visit Korean News Sites/Websites
If you want broader, more formal, and authentic news, go with Korean news websites via Naver. This will give you a wide variety of news that you can choose based on your interest like business, finance, entertainment, sports, and more.
By just visiting a website a day, you’ll immediately learn many things about all things Korean. These news websites may be in the English language, but there are news articles and videos that you can read and watch. Also, you can always use Google Translate to check the content quickly.
If you’re overwhelmed with lots of words, try focusing more on the words and phrases you are familiar with and use context clues. You can also use online translations or dictionaries if you don’t know the meaning of words. Finally, list all the words you have read in a day and review them often.
Here is the Korean website that you can visit to search for news:
3. Watch Korean News Video
When we talk about Korean news, one of the things that we can think about is our favorite K-drama news reporter Baek Yi Jin. From there, even if we are not watching to learn Korean, we see how reporters compose their news to share with the public. We also learned how reporters talk with their subjects, colleagues, and the public.
Videos are incredibly effective in learning languages. You can hear how they speak and understand how they compose sentences, including the grammar structure and levels of formality. The tips you will learn by watching Korean news videos will help you develop your language skills as a beginner language learner.
What if you don’t know any Korean news channels? Do not worry because Korean news channels are available when you subscribe to a TV cable. There is also a Youtube account where you can subscribe and watch the Korean news live, like the KBS WORLD TV. While watching, take time to read the comments to learn more about how locals interact and communicate.
4. Listen To Korean News Podcast
Aside from videos, podcasts are also popular nowadays. You can listen to them while doing something like studying, doing chores, waiting for transportation, or before going to sleep. Playing it in the background while exercising is also a good idea.
There are many ways that you can use effectively learn Korean using news podcasts. First, you can slow it down. One of the hardest things in learning Korean is their pronunciation and intonation, especially when the native speakers talk fast. Slowing it down will help properly hear the sounds of the words they make. Once you have been familiarized with the sound at a slow speed, increase it until you reach the normal speed.
Transcripts will also be a big help. Try to look for transcripts as they can strengthen your learning. You’ll be able to match what you have heard into words. If you’re having trouble understanding what someone is saying, you can refer to the transcript while listening. Both the written and audio versions make it more like reading than listening to a podcast, but it’s a great way to learn a new language.
Writing what you have heard is also a good practice. By doing this, you can review the words and phrases anytime until you master them all. Always keep a notebook or notepad beside you to help you retain what you have learned.
5. Imitate The News Reporters
Learning a language doesn’t only mean widening your vocabulary. You have to develop all the language skills such as speaking. Practicing will incredibly improve your pronunciation, including diction and facial expression. Although Korean news reporters mostly use formal words, it would still be helpful if you tried to imitate them while speaking. This will help you sound like a native speaker.
6. Select Material That Is Suitable For Your Skill Level
Learning Korean with the news can be overwhelming if you know nothing about the language. That’s why at the beginning of this blog, I started with the resources that can be easily found around us.
If you’re a beginner, do not jump too quickly to understand everything in one seating. Immerse yourself first and find resources that suit your skills. Without the help of teachers or tutors, you might not know what level you are but try first learning Korean with a news resource that you’re already familiar with and sources that interest you. This may include cartoons, advertisements, weather forecasts, fashion, entertainment, and more.
You can also mix your news resources. This ensures that your vocabulary grows and that you never stop learning. Diversifying your materials will keep your vocabulary fresh, and your mind stimulated. The reason for this is that different writers and magazines have varying styles of writing. Try again and again until you can understand the news without any difficulty.
7. Have A Routine
Conditioning yourself to learn a language using a well-organized routine will also help. I mentioned a while ago that having diverse materials is helpful, so try to spread these materials on your allotted days for learning Korean. Having a routine will also give fewer chances for interruptions to occur during learning.
8. Enjoy
Learning Korean and other languages is easier and more effective when you’re having fun. If you focus solely on learning a language and pressuring yourself, you might end up burned out and tired. Even if we’re still students in school, we know how important it is to enjoy while learning.
So, when you watch Korean news, do not just think you must learn Korean. Watch with the thought of understanding the news, not just understanding every word the news anchors say. Listen to their stories, like what you do when you watch your local news. In written news, always take advantage of the images, context clues, and familiar words.
When you’re learning Korean with the news, remember that you don’t have to prove anything to anyone. Learn at your own pace and let it flow naturally.
Korean Vocabulary Related To News
- 속보 (sokppo) – breaking news/news flash
- 좋은 소식 (joeun sosik) – good news
- 표제 pyoje – headlines
- 생방송 뉴스 (saengbangsong nyuseu) – live news
- 뉴스 채널 nyuseu chaeneol – news channel
- 뉴스 앵커 nyuseu aengko – news anchor
- 뉴스 기사 (nyuseu gisa) – news article
- 뉴스 웹사이트 (nyuseu waepssaiteu) – news websites
- 신문 (sinmun) – newspaper
- 리포터 (ripoto) – reporter
- 뉴스 사이트 (nyuseu saiteu) – site
- 트렌딩 뉴스 (teurending nyuseu) – trending news
- 보도하다 (bodohada) – to report (on-air/in the newspaper)
- 오늘 뉴스를 들었어요? (Oneul nyuseureul deureosseoyo?) – Did you catch the news today?
Learn The Korean Language Now!
News is just one of many ways to learn Korean. If you want to move on with the news and try something new, Ling App is the one to consider!
With Ling App, you can choose from various topics available on the platform. Once you have selected a topic, you can now learn it in a fun and meaningful way. You can also jump from one language to another, like the Japanese language and more.
Interestingly, you can quickly sign up using your e-mail address. So, widen your vocabulary lists, not just with the news. Start your quality lessons in Korean with Ling App now!
