Korean Language & Culture in KL

祝大家新春快樂
龍躍千里，前程錦繡
龍年發財，喜事連連
龍舞雲川，喜氣洋洋
龍舞九天，好運連連

WISH YOU A HAPPY DRAGON YEAR
SELAMAT MENYAMBUT TAHUN BARU CINA NAGA

【KOREAN CULTURE - Talchum, mask dance drama in the Republic of Korea】
Talchum was inscribed in 2022 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Talchum is a performing art that encompasses dance, music and theatre. An ensemble of six to ten musicians accompanies masked performers who humorously explore social issues through dramatic combinations of songs, dances, movements and dialogue. The practice uses caricatures of everyday characters to convey its underlying appeal to universal equality and criticism of social hierarchy. Talchum performances do not require a formal stage: any empty space can become a venue.

2024년 새해 복 많이 받으세요

冬至快樂 Happy Winter Solstice!
天時人事日相催，冬至陽生春又來。
冬至日該日，北半球黑夜最長而白晝最短，故又稱「長至」或「短至」（夜長至，或稱日短至），因此亦有「長至節」、「短至節」等節日。冬至日的前夜則稱為「冬至夜」。
而古時冬至節氣是計算二十四節氣的起點，亦是歲之計算起訖點。因冬至節以往是僅次於新年的重要節日，應節習俗繁多，且民眾會大肆飲食慶祝，所以又俗稱「亞歲」、「肥冬」，在民間也廣泛流傳著「冬至大如年」、「冬至大似年」、「大冬如大年」、「冬肥年瘦」／「肥冬瘦年」的俗諺，意指冬至的禮俗隆重如同新年／年節，甚至有過之而無不及。
The traditional Chinese calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms. Dōngzhì, Tōji, Dongji, Tunji (in Okinawan), or Đông chí (in Vietnamese) is the 22nd solar term, and marks the winter solstice. On the winter solstice, the northern hemisphere has the longest night and the shortest day.
In ancient times, the winter solstice was the starting point for calculating the twenty-four solar terms, and it was also the starting and ending point for calculating the years. Because the Winter Solstice Festival used to be the most important festival after the New Year, there were many festival customs and people would eat and drink extravagantly to celebrate.
韓國
在韓國，冬至也被稱為“小節”，有慶祝這一天的習俗。 人們用紅豆（팥죽）煮粥，用糯米製作圓米糕（새알심 saealsim）。 過去，紅豆粥湯被撒在牆壁或門上，因為據說可以辟邪。。
Korea
In Korea, the winter solstice is also called the "Small Seol," and there is a custom of celebrating the day. People make porridge with red beans known as patjuk (팥죽) and round rice cakes (새알심 saealsim) with sticky rice. In the past, red bean porridge soup was sprayed on walls or doors because it was said to ward off bad ghosts.

PART-TIME KOREAN LANGUAGE TEACHERS NEEDED
We are looking for PART-TIME language teachers who can teach Japanese!

(A) Junior teachers to teach basic conversational courses:

- no experience required
- if you are not a native speaker, you need to pass TOPIK II Level 4 as a minimum requirement
- if you are a native speaker, you need to show that you possess a minimum B for your Korean high school public exam or equivalent
- willing to learn and accept advice
- punctual, responsible, passionate in teaching
- able to teach online, familiar with Google Meet & Zoom is an advantage
=======
(B) To teach academic/professional courses such as IGCSE or TOPIK exam

Requirement:
- possess a professional certificate/diploma/degree/master in language teaching/education/linguistics/language
- punctual, responsible, passionate in teaching
- teaching experience is an advantage
- able to teach online, familiar with Google Meet & Zoom is an advantage
- we need teachers who can either teach adults, school programmes (such as IGSCE) and/or professional language programmes (TOPIK)
- students who are studying college/university programmes in related fields (language, linguistics, education) are encouraged to apply.
======
(C) Immediate Vacancy
- junior teacher
- start on 12 June 2023, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday; 10am – 12pm

====
Candidates may be required to do mock teaching during the interview.

Please send your CV (including your profile photos and relevant certificates) to [email protected].

Requirements are already stated above, please do not call us and ask things that are already listed.
Do not send email or messages just to ask about wages. We need to see your qualification, experience, and teaching skills to determine whether to work with you.

VENUE: HIBISCUS ACADEMY, 182-1A, Jalan Tun HS Lee, 50000 Kuala Lumpur.

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/culture/2021/11/145_317901.html

Korea's oldest combat techniques text to become national treasure Korea's oldest combat techniques text to become national treasure

Shin Saimdang (Korean artist, writer, calligraphist, and poet) 1504 - 1551
Korean: 申師任堂
Eggplants and a Grasshopper, s.d.
paper on foldingscreen
National Museum of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
© photo National Museum of Korea, Seoul

Catalogue Note National Museum of Korea
This is the second panel of the paintings of grass and insects painted on an eight-panel folding screen by Shin Saimdang (1504-1551), a renowned female artist of the mid-Joseon Period. A delicate touch, stable composition, and clear colors are evidenced in her depiction of watermelons, mice, and butterflies in this masterpiece. Many such animal and insect paintings are said to have been produced by this woman, and this painting has often been employed as an embroidery design by successive generations.

* * *

She was the mother of the Korean Confucian scholar Yi I. Often held up as a model of Confucian ideals, her respectful nickname was Eojin Eomeoni (어진 어머니; "Wise Mother"). Her real name was Shin In Seon(신인선). Her pennames were Saim, Saimdang, Inimdang, and Imsajae.

She became the first woman to appear on a Korean banknote and she has been the face everyone sees on the 50,000 won note since 2009.

Despite her splendid talents, the Joseon era was male-dominated under the influence of Confucianism and even Shin's real name is unknown. She is only known as the second daughter of Shin Myeong-hwa, wife of Yi Won-su and mother of Confucian scholar Yi I.

"She is often called Shin In-seon, but there is no evidence," Ahn Jin-woo of Seoul Museum said. "Her name did not make history because she was a woman. While researching for this exhibition, we could speculate that the name In-seon came from a modern biography of Shin for children and became known as her real name. However, no record of her name exists in history."

She started painting at an early age and was supported by her father and grandfather who discovered her artistic talent. She is said to have been proficient at calligraphy and read the Confucian scriptures while being a great painter and embroiderer.

She is mostly known by her penname, Saimdang, which Shin gave herself in honor of Tairen (pronounced Taeim in Korean), the mother of King Wen of the Zhou Dynasty in China. Tairen was known as a good wife and wise mother, following the Confucian regime.

Though many documents portray Shin also as a good wife and wise mother, it is her artwork that speaks the loudest.

Shin's grass and insect paintings are known for their lifelike energy and there is an anecdote of a chicken pecking at Shin's painting, mistaking it for real insects.

"It is difficult to trace Shin's paintings because she was a woman and did not have the seal or signature," the museum official said. "Under the Confucian society, her best value was producing Yi I, one of the greatest scholars of the time."

Source: Wikipedia

What are some differences between the Korean "Gisaeng" and the Japanese "Geisha"?

by Michael L. Best, Knowledgeable on East Asian/Korean History and Affairs.

https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-differences-between-the-Korean-Gisaeng-and-the-Japanese-Geisha/answer/Michael-L-Best?ch=10&share=a4c96db9&srid=ujeBg&fbclid=IwAR0Sc5IHwdjxPkVd8wN_TdDDJRpcLBgdfrhP6KDhbs2b9AaEmVU1PSia8-Q

What are some differences between the Korean "Gisaeng" and the Japanese "Geisha"? Michael L. Best's answer: The two are remarkable similar in many ways as they were both professional entertainers whose functions were very similar to that of courtesans. While both are often associated with prostitution, and there were indeed cases of both providing sexual services for their cli...

Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese & Japanese new year

WHAT'S DIFFERENT? Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese New Year Compared (春節, 설날, Tết, 正月) Chinese, Koreans and Vietnamese celebrates the Lunar New Year, but how are they different? Also, how are their new years connected to the Japanese? This vide...