There is a Korean expression that Koreans use to express their disappointment… or sadness. But it’s used differently from the way the words “disappointed” or “sad” are used in English. You will have a clear idea how it works once you listen to this episode. And we are also going to find out why you rarely see kids at playgrounds in Korea. .Summary …

An episode of 'Jonson's TMI' where he talks about his daily life in too much detail. But at least it’s a good Korean listening practice :-)저자 Jonson Lee 존슨 리

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 이야…

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…

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…

SpongeMind Podcast is back, with a new regular guest! Jonson and Eunice, his lovely wife, are going to give you many fun conversations about Korean language and culture. Summary of the Episode: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 밥; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 단군 이야기; Section 3 (깊은 얘기) = 건강저자 Jonson Lee 존슨 리

Did you know there’s one Korean word that can be used for both cold water and hot soup? Or Korean professional baseball was first created for a political reason? Or orange juice is actually bad for you?Summary of the Episode: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 시원하다; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 프로야구; Section 3 (깊은 얘기) = 건강…

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) = 건강저자 Jonson Lee 존슨 리

Almost every Korean male has to serve in the military, and as a consequence, military culture permeates the entire Korean society. In this episode, Eunice and Jonson discuss the military culture in Korea as well as important military lingo commonly used by Koreans.Summary of the Episode: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 거품 물다; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 한국의 군대…

Koreans love sharing their food…but not always. And maybe not anymore, at least for certain kinds of food. In this episode, Eunice and Jonson discuss the food sharing culture in Korea and how it changed over time.Summary of the Episode: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 꼬리를 내리다; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 음식 나눠먹기; Section 3 (깊은 얘기) = 성격…

Eunice and Jonson talk about the expression Koreans use to describe someone who gets swayed by others too easily. They also talk about how our feeling and mood can change from moment to moment and how it impacts us.Summary of the Episode: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 귀가 얇다; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 부대찌개; Section 3 (깊은 얘기) = 성격…

Today’s episode is all about butt-wiping, or toilet paper. There are a few ways it’s used in Korea that Westerners might find bizarre. Some might find them gross, but YOU might find them fascinating. We are also going to tell you how a roll of toilet paper can wish someone good fortune in Korea. And for the Deep Talk segment, we are going to start …

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 문화저자 Jonson Lee 존슨 리

What’s the Korean idiom for “bad influence”? And what’s up with that gold colored tea that almost every Korean restaurant serves for free? We are going to cover it all in this episode!---Summary of the Episode: Segment 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 물들다Segment 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 보리차Segment 3 (깊은 얘기) = 직업저자 Jonson Lee 존슨 리

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) = 꼰대Segment 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기) = 성형수술Segment 3 (깊은 얘기) = 직업…

There is this music genre popular in Korea that’s more Korean than K-Pop, K-Ballads, K-R&B and things like that. Eunice and Jonson talk about what it is and its place in the Korean society. They also discuss probably the most important aspect of our lives, human relationships..Summary of the Episode: Section 1 (오늘의 한국말) = 마음; Section 2 (재미있는 한국 이야기…

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: Secti…

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 Ep…