Transcription
[Music]
Today is a topic I've been really looking forward to. It's a topic I've been looking forward to. I know, I heard it. What is it? College life. Wow, great. Yes, I had a really fun college life, so just hearing about college life makes me excited. That's right. So today, I dressed up a bit like a college student. How is it? Do I look like a college student? It's a fashion I often saw in the library during exam periods. Yeji-ssi, you look a bit like a professor. You say I look like a professor? No, say I'm the top of the class. Say I'm the top of the class. Ah, so it feels like I'm here for an interview right now. I don't mean you look really old, but it's not that. The outfit itself is a bit... calm and has a dignified feeling. A dignified feeling? A graduate student. Let's say a graduate student. Graduate student, that's good. Hmm, then Seung-hwan-ssi, how long has it been since you graduated from college? It's been about 2 or 3 years, I think. Ah, 2 or 3 years? Yes. Why? It doesn't seem like that long. No, I still feel like a college student. No, it's been a long time. Yes, it's been about a year and a half for me. It's not much of a difference, is it? 2 years or 1.5 years. Ah, but I was surprised when you said 2 or 3 years. Ah, I don't know if it's been 2 years. But it's interesting about our department and graduation. Usually, everyone starts in March, right? That's right. In Korea, it starts in March, and the second semester starts in September. Right. But for graduation, it's not like everyone graduates in February. You can graduate in February or August. Hmm, that's right. Seung-won-ssi, in which month did you graduate? I graduated in winter, in February. Hmm, I graduated in August. Hmm, you had a Cosmos graduation. Ah, that's right. Graduation in August is called Cosmos graduation, right? Right. It feels special, doesn't it? Right. It feels romantic, doesn't it? Right. So it's been about 2 or 3 years since I graduated, and it's been about a year and a half for me. Then, Seung-hwan-ssi, what was your major? I majored in English Language. English Language? It's a bit unusual. Unusual, right? Usually, departments related to English are English Literature. Ah, right. So you're required to study literature, but in English Language, you don't learn that. So I actually liked it. I wasn't particularly interested in English literature, and I just found the use of language interesting. So, phonetics, morphology, and so on. Subjects that might sound boring or difficult to some people, I studied them really enjoyably. Ah, so that's why you're so good at English? What are you talking about? I majored in Law. Law. Hmm. A department for nurturing judges, prosecutors, and lawyers. Right. So, even though I became a Korean language teacher, I actually studied my major really enjoyably. That's why it was more fun. But, right. It was fun. That's why the memories of my college days remain so good. Hmm. Besides studying, you don't just study, do you? You usually play too. What's the most memorable activity or memory? Usually, when we talk about activities in college life, there are activities within the school's fence and activities outside that fence. So we call them extracurricular activities or external activities. But the first external activity club I joined, the volunteer club, is the most memorable. What kind of external activity was it? It was an external activity to introduce Korea to people from other countries. Then it's related to what Yeji-ssi is doing now. Right. Since then, I've been interested in promoting Korea through language, and I've continued to do related activities, which led me to choose this career. It's a very memorable external activity because it helped me realize what I like and what I'm good at. I see. When I think about the reasons why I ended up here, going back, it wasn't an external activity, but a part-time job. A part-time job. I worked part-time at a study room. Yes. There, Korean students who came to study English and foreigners living in Korea who came to teach English gathered for study sessions. Yes. And those foreigners were living in Korea, and they were also trying to study Korean, so as I communicated and interacted with them, I realized that they felt happy and rewarded while teaching English, and I also felt that by sharing some Korean language knowledge with them, I also felt that. I think that's how it started. Ah, so both of us were helped by the activities or part-time jobs we did in college to make decisions about our careers. Yes. Hmm, I see. And another thing that can't be missed in college life is grades, right? Grades. Right. Managing grades is important. Right. Usually, the maximum is 4.5 or 4.3, and if you have over 4.0 when you graduate, people think, "Ah, this person studied hard. They didn't waste their college life just playing." Right. Yeji-ssi, it must be difficult to reveal your grades, right? No, I can reveal them. My GPA was 4.2 out of 4.5. Oh, really? Oh, yes. You studied hard. That's impressive. It feels like bragging. Seung-hwan-ssi, what was your GPA? I will keep it a secret. Why? As you mentioned earlier, if it's over 4.0, it means you had a good college life, and if it's below 3.5, it means you had a really fun college life. Is it below 3.5? No, I had fun and studied hard, so it's somewhere in between. You did well. Don't be embarrassed. But whether it's over 4.0 or below 3.5, it's up to your own standards of how you manage your grades, and it's not really a way to evaluate whether you had a good or bad college life. It's just a result of how much you cared about your grades. Right. Yeji-ssi, have you ever participated in other clubs? Ah, I participated in a lot of clubs. I'm very extroverted, so I've done a lot of club activities, volunteer work, external activities, and part-time jobs. But earlier, I introduced a club that was an external activity, and I also joined many clubs within the school. Not many, but two. One was a club within the department, and it was nominally called an academic society. Right. But it gave me many opportunities to become close with people in the department. The nominal purpose is to research and expand our knowledge more deeply about the major we are studying together. I also had an academic society. Oh, what was it? Since my major was English Language, it was about English and American culture and regions. Research, a grand word. Yes. Anyway, that was the purpose. But I used it as an excuse to go out and have fun a lot. I see. But there are clubs within the department and clubs that involve students from other departments. We call those clubs on the same campus central clubs. We called them that too. Oh, then Seung-won-ssi, have you ever been in a central club? I was in the swimming club. Swimming club? That's very unexpected. Why is it unexpected? No, why is it unexpected? Why? You were in the swimming club? Yes. Oh, I learned to swim there. Did you have fun? Yes, it was fun. I had always wanted to learn it, so I thought I definitely wanted to join and learn before I graduated. I was able to achieve that. Then, did you join the club not long before you graduated? Yes, there's no particular reason for that. Usually, freshmen and sophomores join clubs, but juniors, seniors, and even older students participate. There were no restrictions on joining. So I joined a club one or two semesters before I graduated. Oh, really? Yes. But it's true that there are no restrictions, but there was a tacit understanding that older students shouldn't join. Oh, really? Yes. So we have a slang term, "fossils," for older students, and there was a definite atmosphere that fossils shouldn't join. So, even if we wanted to join a club in our second year, the atmosphere was quite unwelcoming. Wow, that's shocking. It seems like you went to a very closed-off school. You went to an open-minded school. Yes. I don't know. I don't know if the swimming club I joined was more open. We're all students at the same school, so why would they prevent people from joining based on their age or grade? It's a bit disappointing. It's very disappointing. Because even if there's a difference, it's at most five to ten years, so it's sad that they say "fossils" and tell you not to come. I have a very sad memory. When I think of clubs, the first thing that comes to mind is that at the beginning of the semester, they recruit new club members. I don't know about your school, Yeji-ssi, but at my school, tents are set up on campus, and people from each club take turns staying there. They promote to students passing by. They put up large posters. Wow, that word. I heard it after a long time. Large posters. It's a large piece of paper with information posted on the school bulletin board. Right. They put information about what our club does on it to promote it, or they prepare small mini-games to attract participation. In that way, the atmosphere of the school itself becomes very lively. It's like a festival. Yes. Right. It feels like a festival. But since the topic of festivals suddenly came up, we can't skip talking about festivals. We can't skip it. Yes. How were your school festivals? My school was a university of foreign languages, so the festival felt a bit different from other comprehensive universities. Why? Because there are many departments, like English, Spanish, German, Mongolian, and so on. It's a fitting department composition for a university of foreign languages. Right. Turkish, Japanese, Chinese, there are many. So, during the festival, each department prepares traditional food from that country. Wow, it's like a mini-world. Right. Almost a mini-world. They prepare kebabs, and the Japanese department prepares sushi. So, during those few days, you can try a wide variety of foods. Did you call me? Ah, we didn't know each other then. I'm sorry I couldn't call you. Ah, if I had known then, I would have come. So I also went around and ate a lot of delicious food. Indian department, curry. There are so many. I can't remember them all. But I still want to go. Exactly. They probably still have them. So, if we have a chance next time, let's go. Okay. Yes. In my school, I graduated from Hongik University. Hongik University is famous for the streets and clubs in front of Hongdae. So, our school festival was quite famous. It was very famous for being fun. In fact, when our school festival opens, a mini-club is created on campus. So, a club is set up indoors, and students DJ and dance. That was the atmosphere. Very Hongdae. Definitely a sanctuary for young people. And since the school is famous for its fine arts, the fine arts students set up a separate stage from the main stage. And they keep dancing there. So it was very popular with outsiders. Especially male students came to watch a lot. Oh, really? Yes. Didn't you dance? I did. I was in the law department, so we weren't very popular. Why? It seems like that's the impression. So, when you go to the festival grounds, each department sets up a tent and sells alcohol and food. We called that a "joo-jeom" (pub). But people would say, "If you go to the law department's joo-jeom, do they tear up jeon with a judge's gavel?" That kind of joke. They probably thought it was a boring department. But since you said you had a fun college life, yes, I guess that was a prejudice. Thinking back on college stories and college life, I feel like I want to go back. Right. I want to start college life from the beginning again. Right. We can't go back, but let's have fun in our company like college life. Okay. Great. Let's have a fun company life like college life, with festivals and clubs. Yes, great. So, today, Seung-hwan-ssi and I talked about college and college life. Let's have more fun conversations next time. Yes, great. Cross, cross. Goodbye. Goodbye. [Music]
We've all probably learned a foreign language at some point, right? Right. Today, shall we talk about the mistakes we made while learning foreign languages and the embarrassing experiences we had because of those mistakes? Embarrassing experiences? Yes. Why do we have to talk about embarrassing experiences? Everyone has them at some point, don't they? You don't have any? It's not that I don't have any, but I really can't remember them. You can't remember them? Yes. You can't remember them? I can't remember them well either. I just thought of one. But it's not a very fun mistake. To that extent, you must have learned by making many mistakes, right? But maybe you forget them once you learn the correct way to say things. Is there such a tendency? Right. But the moment you made the mistake, it was so embarrassing that the memory keeps lingering. I have one. It's not a big mistake, but in a way, it's a big mistake. When I was learning English, I don't remember the exact sentence, but it was something like this: I had to say this, but because "did" is in front, it should be the simple present tense here. So it should be "see," but I said "saw." Like "I saw that." But my friends around me all laughed when they heard it. So that memory is still vivid. So, it wasn't a situation where we were studying English together, but we were just walking and had a drink together at night, feeling good. Do you speak English when you drink? Really? Why aren't you showing it? Yes. I controlled it a bit. Right. But my school had many foreign language-related departments, and my major was English, so when we drank, everyone spoke English. Wow. But anyway, it was on the way home after a drinking party in that atmosphere, and it's still vivid. It was a dark alley with streetlights, and we were walking in a group of three or four, feeling good. I don't know why I suddenly spoke English there. But I said "saw that" in incorrect English in the quiet, silent dawn. So some friends laughed, and some friends who were just walking without much thought. The memory is so vivid and embarrassing. But I think you would only feel embarrassed among friends. If you were talking to people from other countries, no one would have cared. Because you can make mistakes. It was embarrassing because it was among Koreans. Right. You have that thing about grammar, right? You absolutely can't be wrong. So they laughed, and you must have been embarrassed. Right. Actually, children also make similar mistakes. Minseong does too, and Jun-i at my house. They have even more vivid memories. For example, when I say "come here," they say "I'll go." Right. It's cute. They always hear "go" first instead of "come." So if I say "go there," they say "I'll go." If I say "do this," they say "I'll do it." They say "I'll do it." I think I've heard that before. It just popped into my mind. They say it cutely. Minseong is eight years old now, so he speaks very well, but he feels unfairly treated about honorifics. Because he distinguishes between honorifics and informal speech well, and he uses honorifics with strangers. But when he's really excited, like "Wow, this is mine!" or "This is so good!" it ends with "good." But when he wants to say that to a stranger, he says, "This is so good." Right. This is really not it. It's so cute. When he says that, I think, "Ah, he's a bit off with honorifics and informal speech." But some people think it's a new slang. They think it's new slang used by elementary school students. But before Minseong said it, I thought it was just how elementary school students talk. But no, when he's really excited and has to use honorifics, he says it. Right. He says, "Mom bought this." My Jun-i still says that, and I just let him. I don't correct him. It's cute, so I just let him be. So he still says, "Let's go quickly," or "Let's play." He says it like that. Then I don't correct him by saying, "Okay, let's go quickly." My mistake is that I've only thought of one so far, but you have funny mistakes. Causative verbs. When you make someone do something, like feeding, cooling, dressing, undressing. He doesn't do that well yet. So after choosing clothes, he says, "Dad, please put this on me." There was such an instance. So I wanted to tease him, so I said, "Dad, you can't wear this. It's too small." Then he says, "Dad, please take off my t-shirt for a bath." He asks me to take it off. I correct him for that. He's been saying "please take off" and "please put on" for about two months now. That seems fun. Right. Right. The mistake I remember is that I took a lot of English classes in college. There was a foreign professor, and there were only one or two students, so we had conversations. But it was a writing class, and the professor was talking about the structure of an essay, saying that the introductory part that grabs people's attention is called the "hook." He asked, "What is that word?" when you grab people's attention. The first sentence plays that role. What is it? I knew what it was. I answered loudly, "Hook!" But it has a different meaning. So the professor was very flustered. The correct answer was "hook." But I said "hook up." So the professor didn't laugh much and said, "Hook is something different," and moved on. Ah, but you know, in Korea, we don't present much. I summoned up a lot of courage to do it. But I got it wrong right away, so I never did it again. You never did it again? I was too timid. It's embarrassing to make a mistake even one-on-one, but it's even more embarrassing if many people are watching. Extremely embarrassing. The degree of embarrassment is different for everyone. The mistake I thought of earlier was about a heavy load. I was helping a friend, and I was speaking Japanese. In Japanese, the verb for "to think" is "omou," and its negative form is "omowanai." Right. But instead of "omou," I used "omokunai," which is the negative form of the adjective "omoi" (heavy). I felt like "omoi" and "omokunai" were similar and got confused. So my friend said, "It's not heavy," but I said "omowanai." Ah, so you don't think so. So he asked, "What don't you think about?" I was embarrassed, but I tried to turn it around and said, "Think it's heavy. Omoi, omowanai." I thought I had a quick wit. But looking back, as I went home that day, I realized it was a very English-like sentence. "I don't think so." So I felt embarrassed by myself. My friend didn't say anything, but making mistakes while learning a language is a natural process. And it's really important, but I think many people still fear making mistakes. Right. But even with native languages, you know how some children speak late? They say it's because they're afraid of making mistakes. They're children who are inherently afraid of making mistakes. There are such stories. It might be a personality trait. So it applies not only to foreign languages but also to native languages. Right. That's why a child who talks a lot at home might not speak at all outside. They just close their mouths. When they're shy, they might not speak not just because they're shy, but also because they're afraid of making mistakes. Right. It would be good if such an atmosphere were formed. When you make a mistake, Koreans tend to say, "Did I get it wrong?" which makes it harder to speak. We should embrace each other and say, "It's okay to make mistakes, let me help you." You remember it slightly. It's okay, it's okay. So, when asked "Did you see it?", what should you say? You should say "I saw it." I also remember being embarrassed when I was talking to someone in English for the first time, and the past tense of "fly" is "flew," and I knew that, but in the conversation, I said "fly-ed." It's embarrassing. I've done it more than a hundred times. Yes. But I'm still a little afraid of making mistakes. But they say, "Don't be afraid of making mistakes." But for me, based on my language learning process so far, "Don't be afraid of making mistakes" doesn't apply. I'm afraid of making mistakes, but I can't help it, so I keep making mistakes. And in that fear, I adapt to the embarrassment of mistakes. At first, it was this much embarrassment, but it gradually gets smaller. It gets smaller. Right. That seems right. Because even if they tell you not to be afraid, you can't help but be afraid. It's like telling someone, "Don't be scared of horror movies." But the person who says "Don't be scared" can say that because they are not scared, right? Everyone has different personalities. Right. But when you absolutely have to speak because you need to, you end up speaking. So, for those who are afraid of making mistakes or are perfectionists, it would be good to create situations where you have no choice but to speak. Keep exposing yourself to those situations. Right. That was very difficult for me because of the tones in Chinese. If the tones change, the meaning changes. Right. For example, in Chinese, the city name "Shanghai" should be "Shร nghวi," but if you say "Shร nghวi," it means "to wear Shanghai," which is a completely different word. But I get confused. I don't want to say it wrong, but then you have no choice but to speak. You just have to speak. You'll understand from the context, right? Whether it was right or wrong. So, there are many such instances. Then, when I hear someone else say it, I realize I was wrong. I quickly follow. Right. Right. When someone else says the correct word, and you immediately recognize it and use it correctly, then it seems to work. Right. Right. Mistakes are not bad. Yes. You will also make many mistakes while learning Korean. And no matter how many mistakes you make, you might still be afraid. But that fear will gradually lessen, and the embarrassment will also lessen. And your Korean skills will improve in return. Right. Right. So, everyone, feel free to make mistakes. Yes. You might be afraid, and your fear might grow, but don't think about that and keep making mistakes and adapting. That's what you should think. Yes. Yes. Then we will end our conversation here and return with an interesting topic next time. Thank you. Thank you. There's a word in English, "peppy," right? Right. You know it. Oh, yes. Actually, everyone understands what "peppy" means, but if you ask them to translate it into Korean, there aren't many such words. There aren't really any. You just have to explain it. Explain it. You have to explain it fully. But if you explain it in Korean, it probably means things that annoy me for no reason, things I dislike for no reason. It's a matter of personal difference, and today is a time to talk about things that I dislike, things that bother me. It's not about people, right? I suddenly became curious. It's not about people, right? You seemed to be looking at me. Ah, yes. But I don't think I fit the theme of "peppy." I thought about it. Ah, I'm too generous. I want to say, "There's nothing that annoys me," but actually, there are many. Oh, really? There are so many that I thought of them. A few. Actually, I thought you wouldn't have any, so we were going to create one for you. How? If you say you don't have any, we can just clap our hands next to your ear. But usually, "peppy" means... No, I like that very much. Actually, it's not about bothering someone today. It's about small actions that people often do in their daily lives, and when they just bother me, when they're bothersome. "Bothersome" is the right word. What do you have? First of all, for me, it's flickering lights. I take the subway, and in the subway, one light is out and flickers very subtly. I notice it like a ghost and can't stand it. I have to go to another car. I've even gotten off and re-boarded because it was too annoying. Yes. Completely peppy. I see. If I go to the next car and it's still flickering, then no. I might even take a different train because I dislike it so much. I dislike it so much. Is it just me? You can just close your eyes and listen to where you need to get off, so why not close your eyes? But even with my eyes closed, I can feel the flickering. So I dislike it, but other passengers don't seem to care at all. How about you? I would dislike it too, but I don't think it would be to the level of calling it "peppy." It would just be like, "Oh, it's flickering." I don't think it's to that extent either. When it comes to public transportation, I think of something else. I commute by bus, so I take it every day. Yes. The driving styles of bus drivers vary. So, some bus drivers have a habit of braking in stages. Then, instead of slowing down gradually, my body keeps swaying like this. Then I get motion sickness, and I really dislike it. So, when I take the bus, I sigh once and just ride it. The driver doesn't know, or even if they know, they don't feel it. So it's okay for them, but everyone else suffers. I just thought of something else. I said I didn't have many earlier, but that was a lie. I have a lot. I didn't know I was so picky, but there are many things I dislike. They increase as I get older. First, I don't dislike loud noises. Like loud music or construction sites, I can be at ease. But I dislike loud human voices. No, I have the loudest voice among us. It's not that I dislike loud voices, but when I hear loud noises themselves, I just don't like them. So you don't like people who speak loudly. I mean, if we go to a cafe and are talking, and suddenly someone's voice gets loud, I really dislike it. Right. I hate cafes for that reason. I hate hearing other people's voices. That's why I rarely go to cafes these days. I just get takeout and come in. I hate hearing other people's voices. The thing I dislike the most, which connects suddenly, is that I really hate it when other people can hear my conversations in public places. So I speak very quietly, trying not to let others hear. If someone in my group speaks loudly so that others can hear, I tell them to lower their voice. I have this feeling of dislike, so what do you think? It's okay if other people hear. I don't care. I don't care because I think my voice gets drowned out. People don't come to cafes to hear my voice, but because they have something to do, like talking or something. So they won't pay attention to me. So, I don't care if people laugh and talk loudly in cafes, as long as it's not too noisy. But actually, after working for a long time, you're very certain about things. I've been working with you for a long time, and we've been to cafes many times. But it really shows that you dislike it. I only realized it recently. That I am like that. You are very precise about what you like and dislike, and if you dislike something, you clearly state your opinion. Yes. But you don't tell me directly, do you? If it's too noisy, do you say, "Excuse me, can you be a little quieter?" I've even spoken to other people. Ah, really? I've done it, especially in cafes. I don't stay in restaurants for long, so I finish eating and leave. But in cafes, there was an older man who was too noisy, so I said, "Excuse me, there are many people here, can you please be a little quieter?" But people who get angry are rare. They don't know how loud their voices are. That's what I found strange. They don't know how high their decibels are. I can really relate to that. I used to be like that. My voice is naturally louder than others. So, to match others, I have to make an effort to lower it. So I don't realize it. So when I talk with my friends, if I speak loudly, my friends say, "Turn down the volume." So if you had met me before, you might have disliked me. If we meet, it's okay, but if we sit at the next table, I'll probably glare at you. Because it's too noisy. Yes. You probably would have been polite. That's a relief. What about you, Seung-hwan-ssi? I think I don't have many. But recently, I've realized that I really dislike sharp things in front of me. And at home, there are knives. After cutting with a knife, I always put it in the sink. I feel a sense of threat from knives or sharp objects. Maybe it's because I didn't have to handle knives before. So, if there's a knife or something sharp nearby, I really dislike it. So I have to put them away or make them safe. If this gets much worse, it could become a phobia. Right. It seems like it could. But thankfully, it's not a complete phobia yet, but I thought I had to be careful with knives at home because of the child. But even at work, if I see something sharp, I feel dislike. And then I thought, "This could go that way." But it's still just "peppy," which is a relief. Right. Yes. Seung-hwan-ssi, what about you? I dislike getting my socks wet. Oh, you don't like that. You don't like getting wet. That's not "peppy." That's something most people dislike. We should exclude things that most people dislike. When you say, "I dislike this," and people around you say, "Really?" I don't have many. I think I don't have many. What I thought of, come to think of it, isn't "peppy" either. I get angry and dislike it when I forget something I have to do, like when I leave something at home and have to go back. Oh, me too. Is that also something everyone dislikes? Then it's not. Like when someone is shaking their leg, you can just think, "They're shaking their leg," but I find it unusually bothersome. So if my child shakes their leg, I tell them, "Don't shake your leg, don't shake your leg." And if someone is shaking their leg at a cafe, I try not to look. I think there's something like that. I thought of something. It's not me, but when I was having a meeting with Yeji, I was shaking my leg, and she told me not to shake my leg. And when I was clicking my pen, she told me not to click it. I've been told off a few times and am trying to be careful. It must be uncomfortable during meetings. It must be hard. You get more tense, so you might click it more. No, but this is my second "peppy." I really dislike repetitive sounds. So, like this. If I hear this sound, even from far away, I really dislike it. So the reason I dislike leg shaking is not the leg shaking itself, but the sound it makes. And the sound of clicking a pen. Ah, I can relate to that. I'm sensitive to sounds, not just decibels, but repetitive sounds. If I hear them, I have to find the cause or eliminate it. Me too. Yes. Then, if you click the light switch on and off, it makes a clicking sound. And it flickers. If you shake your leg while doing that, it's the worst. The worst. The worst. I have something. I hope it's only me who dislikes it. But when I walk down the street and people are walking in a line, blocking the way, I dislike it. Right. I dislike that too. It seems like everyone dislikes that. So it's not that. You have very few things you dislike. You seem like a good person. Exactly. I'm so generous and tolerant. But you might not know yourself. Right. We can find them for you. Right. I thought of something. I don't like the sound of slippers dragging too much. Do you drag them? I really don't. I'm trying to think of something. When I'm trying to think of something, I keep thinking of Yeji. I think I'm thinking of her actions. And regarding sounds, I keep talking about sounds. Strangely. My car, and when I ride in other people's cars, there are sounds. Not the normal sounds, but something is hitting, or the seatbelt is clicking, or something is in the cup holder. Something is hitting, but the driver or other people don't feel it. I have to eliminate that sound. So, when I was in my friend's car or my sibling's car, there was a constant clicking sound. Every time they drive. When they accelerate or go over something. So I asked, "What's that sound?" But they don't know. They don't know what sound I'm talking about.
I didn't know, so I looked, and that person, well, what do you call a hermit? There's something in the door where you can put things, a hermit in the door, right? There was a ballpoint pen in it. The ballpoint pen kept hitting, but the person didn't know, and I was like, "What is this sound? I need to get rid of it." They're so similar. The sensitivity to the five senses really varies from person to person. I think a lot of things happen because of that. That's right. I have almost no sense of smell. So, if something smells unpleasant, or if the fragrance is too strong, like, "I got on the elevator, and that person's perfume is too strong," I've never thought that in my life. Oh, this is similar to me too. I was going to talk about my sense of smell. My friend Pepi said that if someone who smells a little sweaty sits next to her on the subway, she hates it. But when I thought about it, I've never remembered someone smelling sweaty sitting next to me. I couldn't smell it. I guess I'm dull. My daughter has a very sensitive sense of smell. So, while I'm cooking, you know, the smell of cooking food, she really hates it. At first, I didn't know she had a sensitive sense of smell, so I just wondered why she was like that. But even when we went somewhere else, she could smell things that I couldn't. So, I realized she's a child with a very sensitive sense of smell, and she really hates environments with smells. Oh, really, as you said, when a particular sense is very sensitive, it can become a phobia. I just remembered. Finally, the last phobia. When Yeji uses the subway or a restroom, even if there are plenty of seats, she really hates it when someone comes and sits or uses the stall right next to her. Phobia, I acknowledge it. I think I can acknowledge that too. Of course, it might not be a complete phobia, but I think some people might hate it. But still, right? Some people don't care. So, there are many seats, but there's no reason to sit next to me, and when someone comes and sits, it feels like they're invading my space. So, if it's crowded, it's natural to sit, but when using the urinals, there are several, right? But no one is using them, and I'm the only one using it, and yet someone comes and urinates next to me. I'm like, "Why are you urinating here?" I get angry. I get angry. It's a bit annoying. I can't say anything to that person at that time, it's their freedom, right? Finally, before we finish our conversation, I found one of Seung-hwan's phobias. I feel good. Thank you. Yes, today we talked about phobias. We'll have another interesting conversation next time. Thank you. Thank you. Here, [music]. Are you there? Gyeong-eun, Gyeong-eun, do you like your name? No. I don't like it. What's your name? Yes, my name is Choi Gyeong-eun. Now it's okay, but when I was young, I used to think, "Why is my name Choi Gyeong-eun?" Why? Because when I was young, there were many prejudices about the surname Choi. There were. When I was young, there were very many, like, "Choi people are stubborn," and other bad things. "Choi people are a bit greedy." There were many such stories. So, first, I didn't like my surname. And the name Gyeong-eun itself, it's not common, but I thought it wasn't pretty either. But yes, there's an image associated with the surname Choi. Where did that image come from? There was a very famous rich person in the past who lived in Gyeongju, a Choi family. Ah, the Choi family was rich. But they weren't good people, were they? They weren't people who shared and lived kindly, but rather bad rich people. So, it seems to have become very famous from there. So, Choi people are stubborn, greedy, and not kind. There were many such prejudices. I've never heard of this prejudice before. Did you know? Ah, there's a feeling. When you say Choi, there's a feeling. I thought it was baseless, but it has a basis. Oh, you must feel even more wronged. Yes, but I don't know if that basis is accurate. Since I'm a Choi, I wondered why it was like that, and I heard stories like, "It's said to be like that." It's like saying people with curly hair are stubborn. It's similar to that. I think I heard it when I was young. Personally, I think Choi is very pretty. Really? This is the first time. The pronunciation is strong, right? But it has a feeling, like this. I was surprised. It's like you were about to start rapping. When I was young, Choi also has 'ch' and 'o', and there are many strokes, right? I thought it looked like a flower because it spread out in all directions. From now on, I'll be grateful for everything. So, I thought Choi was very pretty. Wow. But after hearing this and thinking about it, it really looks like a flower. Doesn't it look like a flower? Really, like a flower and stems. Wow. Thank you so much. That's amazing. Yeji, what about you? Your name? I don't like it. Oh, really? Why? Because Yeji is a name that's used a lot in life. But Kim is also the most common surname in Korea. So, common plus common became a really common name, so I don't like it. I've even thought about changing it. But Kim Yeji, I've looked into it a bit more, but anyway, it's not a common name. That's right. I also thought it wasn't a common name, but recently there's a celebrity named Seung-hwan. That's right. That Red Velvet girl. Ah, the member of that group named Wendy. That member's name is Seung-hwan. What's her surname? Her surname is Son. Ah, Son Seung-hwan. Yes. It's a very masculine name. Right. Seung-hwan is definitely not androgynous; it's a distinctly masculine name. Hmm. But when I was young, I didn't like my name. Why? Why? I don't know. I just didn't like it. It wasn't cool. As I felt when I was young, something stronger, like Cheol-min. Cheol-min, really strong, something like that. Or Jun-su. Jun-su isn't strong. Jun, really, it seemed cool. So, I felt names like that were cool. But now, I'm just somewhat satisfied. But when I first heard your name, Seung-hwan, I thought of peas. Ah, because there are two 'ee's in the name, and the character is 'won', it looks like three peas together. I also thought of peas when I heard my name when I was young. Oh, really? Even though it's my name, when I write it, I think of peas. And things like that. Did your friends tease you? They teased me like that, of course. Like, "Pea," and they'd make nicknames out of just one syllable. Like, Seung-hwan pea. Oh, like that. But besides peas, are there any other special nicknames that come to mind? Hmm. But depending on the friend, some friends called me "Wan-wan." Hmm. But what does Seung-hwan mean? Ah, Seung means "to win" or "to succeed," and Wan means "complete." So, I don't really know. What is the correct answer? It's like, "to win completely," or "to be completely something." You're dismissing it. Ah, yes. Me too. I don't know the answer either. So, in Korean, it means "to connect Korea and the world completely," or "to completely connect." Dreaming, dream interpretation. How is it? Do you like it? Yes, I'll become that kind of person. Yes. I even asked my parents, but they didn't seem to know either. Ah. But isn't there always a time at school to explain that? When I was in elementary school, there was a time to ask your parents what your name meant and present it. That time was really difficult. What does it mean? My name wasn't given with that much consideration. And since I have three children, it feels like all three were given names carelessly. They're all different. So, Hyeon-ju, Gyeong-eun, Su-yeong. My name is Gyeong-sa Gyeong and Eun-hye Eun. So, the meanings don't connect, right? There's no clear meaning. So, my mom and I were talking, and since Choi is a noble surname, maybe it means to become a high-ranking person, then have a celebration, and then repay your parents with kindness. Ah, dream interpretation, as expected. Yes, we made it up like that and presented it then. Some names have meanings, and I think it's okay to create your own meaning. Can you make one up for me too? Kim Yeji, what does it mean? Mine has no meaning. I think I mentioned it before, but my mom saw a drama and thought the female protagonist's name was so pretty, so she just used it. Oh, I've never heard that before. Really? But there's a character, right? No. It's just a Korean name, a pure Korean name. So, it seems like there should be a character. It really seems like there should be. Like Yeji, meaning "to know," or "courtesy," or "wisdom." But there's no character. So, on my resident registration card, only Kim is written in Hanja, and Yeji is written in Hangul. I'm envious. But it was good because when I took Hanja tests in the past, there was a part where I had to write my name, and I only had to write Kim. But I had to explain, right? To the teachers, that I don't have Hanja. I think I had to do that. It feels like I had to. Because Yeji is a common name, but a name without Hanja was rare. So, I think I had to explain. I think I did that in Ji-yeon. I don't have it. So, shall we make one up? Make one up for me. When I hear Ye, the first thing that comes to mind is "courtesy," related to that character. Or "pretty." Both are good. We can't do both. We have to choose one. Ah, "pretty and wise person." Ji has a feeling of having a lot of knowledge, wisdom. Find something else. I did it. "Pretty and wise person." Land Ji. Pretty land. Pretty land, like in real estate, the prettiest person on land. Oh, really. Pretty. We should have done something else. "The most courteous person on land." I will be a pretty and wise person. That's good. Then, if you were to change your name, is there a name you'd like to have? I'd like something androgynous. Androgynous. Su-min, something like that. Su-min. Ah, you said you wanted Jun in it earlier. Yu-jun. Yu-jun is good. It suits you. Yu-jun. Yu-jun suits you. It's strange. But Yu-yu. Just Yu-jun. I haven't thought about that. Do you have a name you wanted to change to? Yes, Ga-young. Ga-young. How about Ga-young? It suits your current outfit. Right? It doesn't suit your usual style, but it suits your current outfit. It feels like Ga-young would wear that. That's funny. Ga-young is a style that a person could wear. Does she look like Ga-young? She doesn't look like Yeji, whom I'm so familiar with. But her style today. I'll call you Kim Ga-young for today. Okay. You like it? Yes. I really think the name Ga-young is so pretty. Ga-hyeong. Or Ga-eun. Ga-hyeong. Isn't that a name from a manga? Nu-ya-sha, right? Oh, the hermit, A-sha. I enjoyed watching it. I really enjoyed the Japanese manga "Inuyasha." The female protagonist's name was Ga-young. Oh, really? My mom named me the same way. That's a coincidence. That's right. Yeji, I'll just stick with it. Yes. I'm too used to it, so I don't really want to change my name. But in the past, I used to think, "Wouldn't it have been nice to have a prettier name?" But the pretty names back then are too common now. But actually, Gyeong-eun isn't a very common name among women, so it's quite good. My friend, whom I've been close with since elementary school, her name is Son Ju-seok, and she's a girl. So, every time her name was called, like, "Son Ju-seok," and a girl answered, the teachers would say, "Oh, you're a girl." They said that a lot. So, she really hated it. And her older sister is Son Heung-seok. So, Heung-seok and Ju-seok. The sisters have such names. They both really hated them. But now they say it's okay. It's interesting that they don't want to change their names. They have no intention of changing them. I, on the other hand, wished I could change my name because it was so unique and strange. Oh, really? You really didn't like it. Ah, it's okay now. Yeji sounds more charming now. Right. And when written in English, it's four letters, so it's relatively easy, isn't it? And it's easy to pronounce. The name Ji. People find Choi Gyeong-eun too difficult to pronounce. That must be the case. Yes. Seung-hwan, are there any foreigners around you who want to have Korean names or have created Korean names? Maybe people watching this will think, "I want a Korean name too." I have foreign friends. What about you, Gyeong-eun? Have you seen any? Yes, among the people I study with, there are many who have Korean names. But at first, when we first started, there were many very unique names. Many funny names. I can't remember them now, but when I hear them, they don't sound like names. You know, names with funny meanings. There were many like that, but now people know that Koreans choose names by taking Hanja. And they choose beautiful names where the meanings connect, or they choose names that seem to suit them from Korean names. I see. I remember a friend whose original name was Jasmine. She named herself Cha Su-min, which sounds the most similar. Oh, but it's so good, isn't it? Cha is actually a surname. So, I think if you want to have a Korean name, there are ways like that. It seems good. Maybe the pronunciation is similar, or maybe the meaning is something. There are people who want to be like that, right? For example, if you want to be a wise person, you might include "Ji." Doing that would be good. I think so. Yeji might become more common. Foreigners, Yeji. It's good. Suddenly, like a pretty and wise person. Yeji is good, right? Recommended. Yes. Yes. Today, we talked about names. Then, we'll be back with another interesting topic next time. Thank you. Thank you.