Korean to Stay Connected
For intermediate and advanced Korean learners who want to stay connected to Korean through quiet, personal stories.
Korean to Stay Connected is a slow podcast about language, memory, and everyday thoughts.
I am a Korean language teacher. I have taught Korean in several countries.
During my time teaching abroad, students often said:
“I want to keep studying Korean, but there’s nothing I can just listen to.”
This podcast is for learners who already know some Korean and want to maintain it — not through intense studying, but through calm, natural listening.
You don’t need to understand everything.
Just listening is enough.
If you’d like to speak Korean slowly like this,
you can find my 1:1 lessons here: https://www.italki.com/ko/teacher/7545999?lv=1
Episodes
31 episodes
EP31. When Something Is Already Gone (아/어 버렸어요)
In this episode, I talk about one of my favorite Korean grammar patterns: 아/어 버렸어요.One of the beautiful things about Korean is that small endings added to a verb can carry feeling, emotion, and the speaker’s point of view.
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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7:23
EP30. Spring in My Hometown (고향의 봄)
In this episode, I talk about my hometown — and what it feels like to return there in spring.Last weekend, I took a 4.5-hour bus ride from Seoul back to my hometown.In just a few hours, the crowded city s...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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4:27
EP29. Mountain After Mountain (산 넘어 산)
In this episode, I talk about the Korean expression “산 넘어 산” — which means mountain after mountain.It’s a phrase we use when one challenge ends, only to find another waiting ahead.Lately, thi...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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4:36
EP28. The Biggest Moon of the Year (1년 중 가장 큰 달이 뜨는 날)
In this episode, I talk about 정월 대보름 — the biggest full moon of the lunar year in Korea.In Korea, we traditionally use two calendars: the solar calendar (양력), which follows the sun, and the lunar calendar (음력), which follows the...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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4:18
EP27. March, and the Feeling of Spring (3월, 봄의 기분)
In this first episode of March, I talk about the quiet signs of spring in Seoul.The weather has suddenly become warmer. Heavy winter coats are folded away, and lighter coats take their place. Even the small layers we wo...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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3:11
EP26. Twenty, Once Again (두번째 스무살)
In this episode, I reflect on what it means to feel twenty again —not in age, but in direction.In Korea, turning twenty is often the beginning of adulthood.It is the time when many people start asking:Who am I? What do I want...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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4:10
EP25. When I Feel Small (내가 한없이 초라하게 느껴질 때)
In this episode,I talk about the feeling of “초라하다” —a Korean word that describes feeling small, inadequate,or not good enough.There are days when I feel especially small —when I fail to do something well,when I compar...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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4:39
EP24. Every Semester, Hello and Goodbye (매 학기 만남과 이별)
Every semester, I meet new students. And at the end of the semester, I say goodbye.During the term, I often see my students more than my own family or friends. We share hours together in the classroom ...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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4:57
EP23. Many Versions of Me (여러 모습의 나)
In this episode, I reflect on the different roles I live each day — as a teacher, a daughter, and a friend.When we are young, our role feels simple. But as we grow older, more versions of ours...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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3:51
EP22. February (2월)
In this episode, I talk about February — a short month that feels quietly special.January often begins with excitement and big energy, but February feels different. It is calmer, more settled, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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4:06
EP21. Our First Birthday (돌잔치)
In this episode, I share a quiet reflection after attending my friend’s child’s 돌잔치 — a Korean celebration for a baby’s first birthday.In Korean, 돌잔치 is a special day when family and friends gather...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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4:34
EP20. A Gift for Myself (나에게 주는 선물)
In this episode, I talk about giving myself a small gift after finishing a long week — especially after my last class and the end of my work.In Korean, “나에게 주는 선물” means a gift you give to yourself...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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4:38
EP19. Getting Tired of Potatoes (감자는 이제 그만)
In this episode, I talk about potatoes — a food that many people like, but not one of my favorites.I share my experience of living in Germany and Finland,where potatoes were a common part of everyday meals.Eating the same food to...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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6:12
EP18. The Aurora That Stayed With Me (기억에 남은 오로라)
In this episode, I look back on a journey I took years ago — a journey where I saw the aurora for the first time in my life.I talk about a night sky that felt unreal, filled with countless stars, and g...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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3:50
EP17. Not Everyone, Just One Person (아무에게도 말하고 싶지 않지만)
In this episode, I talk about a contradictory feeling I’ve experienced — a feeling I don’t want to tell anyone, and yet still want to share with just one person.Sometimes it’s not something I’m proud of.Som...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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4:39
EP16. A Heart That Arrives Before the Words (말보다 먼저 도착한 마음)
In this episode, I share a small moment from a recent class — a moment that reminded me why language is never just about words.After a lesson that left me feeling tired and full of regret, a student said someth...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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4:45
EP15. A Small Heart, A Big Feeling (Korean Hand Gesture: 손하트)
In this episode, I talk about a small but meaningful Korean hand gesture — the finger heart, often called a 손하트.At first, the heart looks almost too small to matter. But over time, I realized how simpl...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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4:04
EP14. The Whole Universe Is Cheering for Me (온 우주가 나를 응원해)
In this episode, I talk about a comforting Korean expression people sometimes use: “온 우주가 나를 응원해.” (The whole universe is cheering for me.)We say this when we’ve made a decision but still feel unsure,<...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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4:17
EP13. Seasonal Connections (시절인연)
In this episode, I reflect on the Korean word “시절인연” — connections that come into our lives for a certain season, and quietly fade as time changes.In the past, I felt sad and unsettled wheneve...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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5:05
EP12. Where the Wind Comes From (바람 어디에서 부는지)
In this episode, I share a quiet reflection inspired by a song I return to every winter — “바람 어디에서 부는지” by 루시드폴.The song feels like someone standing alone in the cold winter wind. It sounds chilly...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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3:16
EP11. My Comfort Food, Gimbap (소울푸드, 김밥)
In this episode, I talk about comfort food (소울푸드) — the kind of food that doesn’t just fill your stomach, but quietly comforts your heart.For me, that food is 김밥.When I was a student, 김밥 was simply an easy, affordable meal&nbs...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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4:33
EP10. Nevertheless (그럼에도 불구하고)
Korean to Stay ConnectedIn this episode, I talk about one of my favorite Korean expressions: “그럼에도 불구하고.”Korean is often described as a language you have to listen to until the very end. ...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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4:15
EP09. When the Sun Goes Down (노을)
In this episode, I talk about sunsets — 노을 — and why that moment feels heavier and more comforting than the beginning of the day.When the sun goes down, I feel a quiet sense of relief: I made ...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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4:17
