Seoul, South Korea

During this long year of quarantine for the COVID-19 pandemic, my husband, Byron, and I discovered the pleasurable “escape” of watching South Korean dramas. Our 14-year-old Grandson is a great BTS fan, and is interested in learning the language, so we were on alert for all things Korean. I don’t remember exactly how we found it, but we watched our first K-drama, enjoyed it immensely, and then continued on from there. For us, it has been a refreshing change of pace from the things we had been watching, a fun connection with our Grandson’s interests, and the discovery of a new interest in Korean culture and history.

That interest lead us both to expand our “escape” by starting to read and learn more about the history and culture of Korea, about which we knew next to nothing. It’s been a lot of fun for us, so I wanted to set up this page on my blog so I can keep track of our Korean learning journey.

Please check back here occasionally to see what we’ve been reading, watching, and listening to. The list keeps expanding!

감사합니다. 

BOOKS/AUDIOBOOKS read:

1. South Korea 101, by Mancho Soto
2. Korea, by Simon Winchester
3. Korea: A Very Short Introduction, by Michael J. Seth
4. The Birth of Korean Cool, by Euny Hong
5. Hanok, The Korean House, by Nani Park and Robert J. Fouser
6. Stone House on Jeju Island, by Brenda Paik Sunoo
7. A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park
8. The Kite Fighters, by Linda Sue Park
9. The Seesaw Girl, by Linda Sue Park
10. The Firekeeper’s Son, by Linda Sue Park
11. The Island of Sea Women, by Lisa See
12. Crying in H Mart, by Michelle Zauner
13. The Living Reed, by Pearl S. Buck

K-DRAMAS we have watched:

1. Crash Landing On You
2. Misaeng
3. Stranger
4. Stranger 2
5. My Mister
6. Run On
7. Hospital Playlist
8. Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung
9. The Good Detective
10. Signal
11. Mr. Sunshine
12. Prison Playbook
13. Designated Survivor: 60 Days
14. Sisyphus: The Myth
15. Live Up to Your Name
16. The Legend of the Blue Sea
17. My Country: The New Age
18. Man to Man
19. Let’s Eat
20. Guardian: The Great and Lonely God (Goblin) (Hubby’s favorite so far, although we both loved this one!)
21. Hotel Del Luna
22. Move To Heaven
23. Laipeu (Life)
24. The King: Eternal Monarch
25. Touch Your Heart
26. Descendants of the Sun
27. Bossam: Steal the Fate
28. Tale of the Nine-Tailed
29. Tunnel
30. Hospital Playlist, Season 2
31. Racket Boys
32. 100 Days My Prince
33. My Holo Love
34. Personal Taste
35. Vagabond
36. Yumi’s Cells
37. My Unfamiliar Family
38. The Silent Sea
39. The Red Sleeve
40. Jirisan
41. Hello, Me!
42. Mystic Pop-Up Bar
43. Itaewon Class
44. The King’s Affection
45. Twelve Nights
46. Lovers of the Red Sky
47. Vincenzo
48. Tomorrow
49. Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth
50. Our Blues (currently watching)

Movies:

1. Space Sweepers
2. Minari
3. The PIrates
4. Sori: Voice From the Heart
5. Welcome to Dongmakgol (A very moving film about being human, during war.)
6. Tiger Spirit, (a documentary about reunification of North and South Korea, by Min Sook Lee)
7. North Korea, Michael Palin’s Journey (documentary tv series)
8. Train to Busan
9. The Suspect
10. Midnight Run

Music and Musicians I am enjoying listening to:

1. Park Hyo shin  “Goodbye” (link to YouTube)
2. Taeyeon  “Rain”  (link to YouTube)
3. Jung Seung Hwan  “We, From the First” (link to YouTube)
4. Crush  “Beautiful”  (link to YouTube)
5. Sam Kim  “The Juice”  (link to YouTube)
6. SWJA  “Serenade: Run With You”  (link to YouTube)
7. Onew  “Blue”
8. BTS  “Permission to Dance” (link to YouTube)
9. Jung Seung Hwan  “Love Letter” (link to YouTube)

Virtual Walks in South Korea:

• 4kSeoul (a YouTube channel we enjoy)
• SeoulWalker (another YouTube channel we enjoy)