Contents

FOREWORD

A Note Regarding the Korean Romanization Method

1. Essential Expressions

First Meetings & Introductions

Everyday Greetings

Gratitude & Apologies

Accepting & Rejecting

Comprehension & Asking Again

Feelings

Talking on the Phone

2. SMALL TALK & MAKING FRIENDS

Overview: Tenses

Describe Yourself

Getting to Know Each Other

Small Talk

Making Plans

*Illustrated Dictionary: Countries, Nationalities, Family

*Fun and Practical Korean Culture Tips: Slang & Colloquialisms

3. ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS & USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Overview: Public Transportation System

Asking for Directions

Buses & Taxis

Subways & Trains

Airports & Air Travel

*Illustrated Dictionary: Directions, Subways, Trains, Air Travel

*Fun and Practical Korean Culture Tips: T-money Card & Proxy Driver

4. FOOD & RESTAURANTS

Overview: Places to Eat & Eating Etiquette

Arriving at the Restaurant & Ordering Food

Making Complaints & Paying the Bill

Coffee Shops & Teahouses

Making Reservations & Ordering Takeout

*Dictionary with Photos: Korean Food

*Illustrated Dictionary: Coffee & Korean Tea

*Fun and Practical Korean Culture Tips: Street Food

5. PREPARING FOR LIFE IN KOREA

Overview: Your Alien Registration Card

Renting a House

Banking & Foreign Exchange

Credit Cards

Signing Up for a Cellphone

*Illustrated Dictionary:

Kinds of Houses, Renting a House, Banking, Foreign Exchange, Credit Cards, Cellphones, Utility Payments

*Fun and Practical Korean Culture Tips: Gosiwon

6. ENTERTAINMENT & LEISURE

Overview: Five Things to Do Before Leaving Korea

Movies & Performances

Singing Rooms

Going for a Drink & Drinking Etiquette

Gyms

Taking a Vacation

Tours

*Illustrated Dictionary: Movie Theaters, Singing Rooms, Gyms,

Vacation, Hiking, Winter Sports, Liquor

*Fun and Practical Korean Culture Tips: Public Bath & Jjimjilbangs

7. SHOPPING

Overview: Types of Shops & Basic Expressions

Shopping

At the Cash Register

Exchanges & Refunds

*Illustrated Dictionary: General Shopping, Clothing, Accessories,

Shoes, Groceries, Receipts

*Fun and Practical Korean Culture Tips: Delivery Service

8. AT THE WORKPLACE

Overview: Work Visas

Daily Conversations in the Office

Office Work

Excuses & Apologies

Occupations

*Illustrated Dictionary: Occupations, Seniority, Departments

*Fun and Practical Korean Culture Tips: Weddings & Funerals

9. PLACES

Overview: Types of Places & Basic Expressions

Hospitals & Pharmacies

Police Stations

Hair Salons & Barbershops

Laundry & Alterations

Hotels

*Illustrated Dictionary: Parts of the Body, Symptoms,

Taking Medicine, Hair Salons, Barbershops, Hairstyles

*Fun and Practical Korean Culture Tips: Fortunetellers

10. DRIVING

Overview: Driver’s License

Gas Station & Car Repairs

Parking

Car Accidents & Car Insurance

*Illustrated Dictionary:

Road, Car Parts, Gas Station, Auto Repair Shop, Parking

*Fun and Practical Korean Culture Tips: Passenger Seating & Street Parking

Chad Meyer is an American with BS degrees in computer science, electrical engineering, and math, as well as several years’ experience teaching in the New York area. Kim Moon-jung is a Korean who majored in art before going to study graphic design in the US, where she also worked for a newspaper. Chad and Moon-jung fell in love and got married, and following a number of visits to Korea, they ended up relocating to Seoul in 2007.

Chad’s deep interest in Korean culture led him to contribute articles about Korean food to the English-language daily the Korea Times. Since 2008, Chad and Moon-jung have been writing the Easy to Learn Korean series for the Korea Times. The series features easy and useful Korean expressions that can be put to use in one’s everyday life, charming illustrations that aid comprehension, and interesting tips about Korean culture, making it one of the paper’s most popular sections. Now, the series is being published in book form under the title An Illustrated Guide to Korean: Essential Words and Phrases, ideal for foreigners looking for an easier, more entertaining way to learn Korean. This book organizes material from the series into themes and adds even more fascinating tips about Korean culture.