The Benefits of a Staycation

With Covid-19 spreading throughout the world, it’s important for people to stay safe. International travel is much more problematic with many countries either closing their borders or placing restrictions on the number of visitors. Even traveling within other parts of Korea may be inadvisable: even if the number of reported cases in one area of the country is stable, it may be on the rise elsewhere. Some have decided to forgo taking a trip and are opting for a staycation.

Taking a staycation in lieu of going somewhere may seem dull but there are positives. First, while traveling can be fun and rewarding, it is also often stressful and tiring. In particular, package tours usually have rigid schedules that involve getting up early and packing in as many activities as possible with little time for relaxation. (This is especially problematic for Koreans who often take very short trips and wish to see and do as much as possible) But staying at home is all about kicking back.

It can also be nice to enjoy some activities at home. These may involve watching movies and TV, playing games, catching up with some reading, sleeping in, getting back into a hobby you haven’t had the time for or spending time with loved ones.

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused many to think about personal space in order to avoid getting sick. There’s no better place to practice social distancing than in the comfort of your own home!

Vocabulary:

✓ staycation: to spend one’s holidays or vacation at home

✓ inadvisable: something one shouldn’t do because it is unsafe

✓ forgo: to choose not to do something

✓ in lieu of: instead of

✓ rigid: strict, unchanging

✓ kick back: relax

Questions:

1.  What do you think about taking a staycation? Would you be interested in trying it sometime? Why or why not?
2. Can you think of any other benefits of a staycation? What would be the disadvantages of it?
3.  If you were to try a staycation, what would you do during that time?
4. When and if it becomes safe to travel where would you like to go?

The Dynamite Kids

BTS have made it. While many other K-pop groups have been just a flash in the pan, the Korean septet have not only managed to sustain their success for longer than most but it has even been growing. There's no telling how far they'll go.

The cherry on top of their dominance was when they reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. This is no small feat: they are the first act from East Asia to have a chart topping single in almost sixty years!

Not only was "Dynamite" a massive success it was also a departure for the members of BTS. Having previously performed mainly in their native tongue, this single was done entirely in English. It remains to be seen if this will prove to be a one off or the beginning of a new internationalist phase for them but this is a major accomplishment that is nothing to sneeze at. Koreans and the passionate BTS Army alike ought to be very proud.

Vocabulary:

✓ flash in the pan: an individual or group whose success if very brief

✓ septet: a group of seven musicians and/or singers

✓ sustain: continue

✓ the cherry on top: the best part of a great period

✓ departure: an artist tries something very different from what they're noted for

✓ native tongue: one's native language

✓ one off: a one time occurrence not to be repeated

✓ nothing to sneeze at: something that isn't unimportant or trivial

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you like BTS? How do you think "Dynamite" compares to their earlier work?
2. What do you think about them doing a song entirely in English?
3. Do you think they could enjoy another US number one with a song sung in Korean? Why or why not?
4. Are there any groups you like more than BTS? Why or why not?
5. What do you think of the K-pop phenomenon in general?
6. What kinds of music do you enjoy? How do you normal consume music?

The Future of Kimchi

Kimchi is one of Korea's most renowned products. Delicious, healthy and unique, it has grown in popularity in other countries recently. It has even begun to be used in fusion dishes such as the Korean taco (or Kimchi taco). It is also an important part of Korean culture.

The tradition of making Kimchi at home, however, seems to be in decline. Older generations of women would carefully prepare the ingredients, allowing for it to ferment for just the right amount of time. Many Koreans will tell you that their grandmother's kimchi was the most delicious they've ever had and perhaps that's partly to do with fewer young people following suit.

One factor may be time. Women are part of the workforce and fixing elaborate dishes is a lot more difficult than it used to be. Being a traditional country, the majority of men aren't picking up the slack by helping their spouses out. Then there's the fact that Chinese kimchi is cheaper and it's readily available from grocery stores and on restaurant tables. It's possible that Korea's national dish may not be homemade for much longer.

Vocabulary:

✓ renowned: well-known; famous

✓ ingredients: foods and other substances used for cooking

✓ follow suit: to follow others

✓ elaborate: something that may be difficult and detailed

✓ pick up the slack: to help out if another individual is struggling

Discussion Questions:

1. How often do you have kimchi? Are there any other foods you eat as often?
2. What is the best kimchi you've ever had? Why do (or did) you like it so much?
3. Have you ever made or helped make a batch of kimchi? If not, would like to try someday?
4. Is there some way to help reverse this trend so that homemade kimchi will become more common again?
5. Do you like to cook? What kinds of dishes are you able to make? Are there any meals that you would like to be able to prepare yourself?