SpongeMind Podcast

When Koreans say you have big hands, it sometimes has nothing to do with the body parts attached to your arms. It is an expression and it’s used when… well, you are going to find out from this episode. Oh and also how the name “Korea” came about.

Summary of the Episode: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 손이 크다; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 코리아 라는 나라 이름의 유래; Section 3 (깊은 얘기) = 소비문화

Let us tell you about the fascinating food delivery culture in the old days in Korea. Oh and about this thing that you’d have to do for your friends if you won a lottery in Korea.

Summary of the Episode: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 한턱 내다; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 한국의 배달문화; Section 3 (깊은 얘기) = 건강

In this episode, Eunice and Jonson discuss the English education in Korea and how it changed over time… and what it means in Korean social life when your ears start getting “itchy”.

Summary of the Episode: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 귀가 가렵다; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 한국의 영어교육; Section 3 (깊은 얘기) = 소비 문화

Does it mean love? Or attachment? Or heart? The Korean word 정 is not only hard to translate but also hard to explain. So in this episode, we are going to take a deep-dive and discover its core meaning. We are also going to wrap up the discussion on gratefulness (or the absence of it).

.

Episode Summary: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 정; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 한복; Section 3 (깊은 얘기) = 감사하는 마음

There is an interesting phrase that Koreans use to express their displeasure. And it consists of surprisingly basic vocabulary! We are also going to talk about how Koreans treat dogs changed over time.

.

Episode Summary: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 좀 그렇다; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 반려견 문화; Section 3 (깊은 얘기) = 감사하는 마음

사투리 means “dialects” in Korean. There are many 사투리 in Korea, and some of them have social and cultural significances. We will explore the world of 사투리 from these perspectives. We also cover three most important factors in human relationships by sharing the difficulties we had with our marriage and how we overcame them.

.

Summary of the Episode: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 손이 가다; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 사투리; Section 3 (깊은 얘기) = 인간관계

In this episode, Eunice and Jonson talk about how Koreans say “OK, Boomer”. They also talk about the culture and trends around plastic surgery in Korea, and what pushes Korean girls into going under the knife.

---

Summary of the Episode:

Segment 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 꼰대

Segment 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 성형수술

Segment 3 (깊은 얘기) = 직업

You may know how to say “I like it” in Korean. You may even know how to say “I love it”. But do you know how to say “I’m crazy about it”? Well, you will find out in this episode. We are also going to talk about how Japanese anime acquired a following among Korean kids to a religious fervor and how it still influences our culture.

.

Summary of the Episode: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 뿅 간다; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 일본만화; Section 3 (깊은 얘기) = 인간관계

Does it mean love? Or attachment? Or heart? The Korean word 정 is not only hard to translate but also hard to explain. So in this episode, we are going to take a deep-dive and discover its core meaning. We are also going to wrap up the discussion on gratefulness (or the absence of it).

.

Episode Summary: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 정; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 한복; Section 3 (깊은 얘기) = 감사하는 마음

This is a previously released Sponge Loop episode but repeated 20 times. This is meant for repetitive listening, my absolute favorite language learning technique. You can request the transcript and the translations at SpongeMind.org. This episode was originally called Sponge Loop #28김치에 대한 재미있는 사실 여섯개.