Learn to speak Korean  

Korean Language

Korean CD-ROM
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Where does Korean come from?
The exact linguistic affiliation of the Korean language is uncertain, although it is thought by some to be a member of the Altaic subfamily of the Ural-Altaic family of languages.

In its grammatical structure, Korean is most similar to Japanese. Like Japanese, Korean is an agglutinative language in which different linguistic elements, each of which exists separately, have fixed meanings and are often joined to form one word.

The Korean alphabet, invented in the years 1443-46, is the only true alphabet native to the Far East.

How many people speak Korean?
Korean is spoken by around 65 million people in Korea itself, as well as by 700,000 Koreans in Japan, 2 million speakers in China, and 600,000 in the United States.

In how many countries?
Korean is spoken in North and South Korea, China, Japan, Guam (U.S.) and the United States.

Korean Culture

Korean Music and Dance
The ancient music of Korea was highly developed by the 15th century. Korean music is distinctive, in spite of influence from China or Japan. The two main forms are the stately 'chongak' and the folksier 'minsogak', and is characterised by abundant rhythms and melodic inventiveness.

Korean folk songs are sung both on their own and as part of a "p'ansori", a dramatic form usually for a single singer. P'ansori singers cultivate a rough, gravelly tone by shouting for long periods in remote areas!

Among the folk dances are drum dances ('mugo' - a hectic, lively court dance where the participants wear drums around their necks), mask dances, monk dances and spirit-cleansing dances.

Korean Food and Drink
Korean cuisine encompasses an array of dishes, ranging from mild to spicy. Rice tends to form the basis for all main meals. Other side dishes or 'banchan' are used to add flavour. Meat dishes are not as common as vegetable based ones, but meat, fish and poultry are standard ingredients. 'Kimchi' is a vegetable dish made from cabbages seasoned with red pepper powder, salt, garlic and ginger. 'Taenjang kuk' is very popular soup made of soybean paste, tofu, and a wide assortment of vegetables.

Insam-ju is Korean vodka infused with ginseng root, which is probably the best of the country's hard liquors. Korean beer is also popular and good.

Korean Attractions
The North: P'yongyang: This is a vivid example of the North Korean regime's determination to project an image of progress, order and prosperity. It is far from being a normal, living city, for only those with the 'right' background and proven records of loyalty to the regime are allowed to live there.

Kuwolsan: Just across from the Taedong River are the Nine Moon Mountains. These spectacular peaks can be accessed by several roads and unpaved hiking trails, and there are valleys, waterfalls, hot springs, old fortress walls and former shrines to explore. The Samsong Pleasure Ground, a favoured summer resort of North Koreans, is just south of the mountains.

The South: Seoul: Seoul is simultaneously very modern and appealingly ancient. Amidst the modern high rise buildings and freeways, are hidden temples, palaces, pagodas and gardens. Although it was destroyed in the Korean War, most of the city has been rebuilt since the 1950s. The Han-gang River divides the city. Chung-gu, the central district, and Chongno-gu, where most of the sights are, lie to the north, while It'aewon-dong, the shopping and nightlife district, lies to the south of the city centre.

About Talk Now! Language CD-ROMs
This is an excitingly different language learning series. Talk Now! uses games and quizzes as a basis for making the learning process fun, easy and relaxing. There is no better way to teach an old dog new tricks and this fun element of the program means that your fears are forgotten as you absorb words and phrases without even realising you are learning them.

Talk Now! is the world's best selling language learning CD-ROM series for beginners, used by more than three million people to date. It's ideal for travellers, holidaymakers, business people, schoolchildren, students and families.

Anyone over 10 years of age will find the disc indispensable for improving listening, understanding and spoken language skills. There are nine topics: first words, food, colours, phrases, parts of the body, numbers, time, shopping and countries.

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