안녕하세요, it’s Ari, your friendly Korean source and weekend reminder 🎉 Today’s newsletter is about why Tinder is not popular in Korea, a rap lyric from GANJI by PSY, and an easy soju 안주(the food you have with alcohol) recipe. Let’s start!
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💔 Why Tinder is not popular in Korea
TV JOSIS is a YouTube channel run by Korean sisters living in Australia. They talk about their dating experience or daily life on their channel. A few months ago, one of their videos went viral. In the video 👆, they read mean comments celebrating 50K subs. One mean comment said, “Why did you use that sh**** app in the first place? You deserved it.” (which was in Korean since most of their followers are Koreans) It was left on the video in which they talked about chatting with a racist on Tinder. There were many other mean comments accusing them of using the sh**** dating app 🙃 After reading the comment, the older sister replied, “Is is illegal to use Tinder? I used Tinder. Now I deleted it but there’s nothing wrong with it.” She continued, “Using dating apps is not illegal so use it if you want! I’m crazy about men! So I used it. Why not?” And then the giggling younger sister said, “If you’re into food, you use Uber Eats. If you’re into men, you use Tinder. It’s the same!” (She really said “Baemin” which is no.1 food delivery app in Korea, not “Uber Eats,” but I changed it for your easy understanding.) This part of the video went viral in Korea and the YouTubers ended up getting Tinder Korea’s sponsorship.
Tinder is not popular in Korea. Actually, dating apps in general have a really bad reputation here. Koreans tend to think that the apps are only for people who look for a one-night stand. If a person, especially a woman, says “I use dating apps,” it could almost destroy that person’s social reputation. I think this is why there were so many mean (and stupid 😩) comments accusing the YouTubers of using Tinder. After all, South Korea is a conservative Asian country.
Also this is why Tinder Korea’s ad slogan had to be “A new way to make friends.” I think the company knows that many Koreans don’t like to use ‘dating’ apps so they’re promoting the app as the ‘friendship’ app instead. Also there’s a big trend among young Koreans right now called, 비혼 meaning “being determined not to get married for life.” They’re more interested in making best friends rather than making a boyfriend or girlfriend. I think Tinder’s friendship campaign targets 비혼 Koreans as well as people who are looking for lovers. I saw one Korean Tinder user wrote her profile saying, “I want to make fellow local 비혼 friend.” I thought it’s a very Korean way of using Tinder 😅
🎤 Mic Drop- GANJI by PSY
Today’s rap lyric is from GANJI sung by PSY, a legendary K-Pop singer who’s known for Gangnam Style. He recently released a new album filled with songs featuring stars including SUGA of BTS. The song’s title, GANJI or 간지 is a Korean slang meaning ‘being cool or fashionable.’ The song featured Jessi, a Korean-American rapper who’s very popular in Korea right now. She’s loved by Koreans for her confident attitude. I picked a rap lyric which shows her confidence as a Korean-American who’s not fluent in Korean 👇
싸이 오빠 말했지, "한국말 좀 제대로 해" 난 걍 대답만 하고 내 맘대로 해
The lyric means, “Psy said, ‘Speak proper Korean’ I just answer but I do as I please.” The key word in this sentence is 좀. It’s an adverb but it has no meaning. It’s a kind of filler word that Koreans often use when asking a favor. If you use it when asking, it makes you sound more polite or less imperative.
Words in the lyric,
말하다 V. To speak, say
한국말 N. Korean language
제대로 Adv. Properly
걍 Acronym of 그냥 meaning ‘Just’
대답하다 V. To answer
내 맘대로 하다 V. To do as I please
👄 You can practice speaking the lyric on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or other your favorite podcast platforms. Don’t forget to send me your speaking 👇 If you send it by (UPDATE) 4 pm Wednesday, May 25th ET, your voice will be on the next week’s podcast!
🍲 Steamed cabbage with pork belly
Today’s food is 배추찜 which recently went viral in Korea. 배추찜 is steamed cabbage with vegetables and/or meat. If you’re a vegetarian, fill a pot with cabbage, mushrooms, or any leftover veggies you have. If you like meat, you can add beef or pork (sliced meat are recommended). It’s popular between people who are on a diet since it’s healthy and low-calorie. It goes well with alcohol too! I saw many people enjoy this food with soju :D Watch the cooking video above and try for yourself! 😋
Thanks for reading! If you liked my newsletter, ❤, share, or leave a comment. Don’t forget to send me your voice message and visit my virtual McDonald’s where you can practice how to order in Korean 🍔🍟🥤 This week’s challenge is to ask for extra ketchup. Opening hours are 5:00 to 6:00 pm Sunday ET on Twitter (audio chat). See you next week :D 안녕!