Week 2: Daily Life and K-Pop Essentials
Day 12: Time and Dates
Understanding Concert Dates, Comebacks, etc.
안녕하세요! Welcome to Day 12. Today, we're turning our attention to something that's crucial for every K-pop fan: keeping track of time and dates. Whether it's your favorite group's comeback date, a fan meeting, or a concert, you'll want to be in the know. Key Vocabulary:
콘서트 (Konseoteu)
- Concert
- Example: 콘서트는 다음 주에 있어 (Konseoteu-neun da-eum ju-e isseo)
- Translation: The concert is next week.
컴백 (Keombaek)
- Comeback
- Example: 컴백이 언제야? (Keombaeg-i eonje-ya?)
- Translation: When is the comeback?
팬 미팅 (Paen Miting)
- Fan Meeting
- Example: 팬 미팅 티켓을 샀어 (Paen miting tikes-eul sasseo)
- Translation: I bought a fan meeting ticket.
날짜 (Naljja)
- Date
- Example: 날짜를 확인해 (Naljja-reul hwaginhae)
- Translation: Check the date.
시간 (Sigahn)
- Time
- Example: 시간이 얼마나 남았어? (Sigani eolmana namasseo?)
- Translation: How much time is left?
K-pop Tip: Always double-check your time zones! When a K-pop event is scheduled, it's often in Korean Standard Time (KST).
Understanding Korean Time and Date Format
It's crucial to grasp how Koreans express dates and times to stay updated with K-pop schedules. Here's a simple breakdown:
Years (년 - nyeon)
- In Korea, years are often said using the Sino-Korean number system, followed by "년" for "year." For instance, 2023 would be 이천이십삼년 (icheon-isipsam nyeon) .
Months (월 - wol)
- Months are numbered rather than named. For example, July is 칠월 (chilwol, or "seventh month").
Days (일 - il)
- Days are also expressed with numbers, followed by "일" (il). For example, the 15th is 십오일 (siboil).
Time of Day in Korea
Koreans typically use the 24-hour clock, especially for schedules and appointments.
오전 (ojeon) means AM, and 오후 (ohu) means PM. So, 3:00 PM is 오후 3시 (ohu sesi) . 분 (bun) is used for minutes, and 초 (cho) for seconds.
Understanding the Korean Age System
Historically, the Korean age system has been a unique and interesting aspect of the culture. Traditionally, in Korea, when you were born, you were considered one year old, and everyone got a year older on New Year's Day, not on their birthday. This system made most people one or two years older in Korean age compared to the international age system used in many other countries, including the United States.
However, starting in 2023, South Korea began the process of phasing out this traditional age reckoning system. The country has been transitioning to the international age system, which is the same system used by countries like the United States. This change means that age is calculated the same way as in the American system, where a person is considered to be one year old on their first birthday, rather than at birth.
Despite this shift in official and legal contexts, some elements of the traditional Korean age system may still linger in everyday conversation, especially among the older generation or during cultural celebrations. As a K-pop fan, if you come across idols or songs referring to Korean age, it's helpful to understand the historical context of this cultural quirk, even though the official system has aligned with the international standard.
So, if a K-pop idol announces it's their 생일 (saengil - birthday) , they are now referring to their age calculated the same way as you would in the United States or most other countries around the world!
Quick Practice
Translate These Sentences:
- 콘서트는 언제 시작해? (Konseoteu-neun eonje sijakhae?)
- Translation: When does the concert start?
- 컴백 날짜를 알아? (Keombaek naljja-reul ara?)
- Translation: Do you know the comeback date?
- 팬 미팅은 오전 10시에요 (Paen miting-eun ojeon 10si-eyo)
- Translation: The fan meeting is at 10 a.m.
- 내일 뭐해? (Naeil mwohae?)
- Translation: What are you doing tomorrow?
- 그룹이 다음 달에 컴백한다 (Geurup-i da-eum dar-e keombaekhanda)
- Translation: The group is having a comeback next month.
- 시간을 잘 확인해, 한국 시간으로 되어 있어 (Siganeul jal hwaginhae, Hangook sigan-euro doeeo isseo)
- Translation: Check the time carefully; it's in Korean time.
Quiz
What is the Korean word for "concert"?
How do you say "What are you doing tomorrow?" in Korean?
Which phrase means "The fan meeting is at 10 a.m." in Korean?
What does "컴백" mean in English?
If someone says "시간을 잘 확인해, 한국 시간으로 되어 있어", what are they advising you to do?
That's your dose of Korean for today! Understanding time and dates can greatly enhance your K-pop experience. Tomorrow, we'll be looking at K-pop’s influence on fashion and beauty, so get excited for that! Until then, 화이팅!