Young Hee

Young Hee Tutor Interview

Q. Welcome Choi Young Hee! Please introduce yourself first.

A. My name is Choi Young Hee. I live in Korea, Seoul. I have two sons. Both are married and live in Kangnam. I have taught many students but learned just as much and more from my two sons. They showed me many new things, like how small I am and also how big the world is.

Q. Please tell us more about the place where you are currently living.

A. I live in Seoul. Right at the foot of Mount Namsan. It practically feels like the mountain is part of my backyard. I live on the 6th floor so I am very close to the trees in front of my window.

Q. What was Azerbaijan like? What did you do there?

A. Azerbaijan is a former Soviet country that has since gained its independence. Oil and gas production are very prominent industries in Azerbaijan. During my time there I was working for the Korea Foundation who sent me to Baku State University as a language instructor to teach at the Department for Korean Language and Culture for two years. I spent those two years teaching the students there about Korean language, literature and culture.

Q. What do you usually do on your day off?

A. I meet with my friends for tea.My hobby is hangul calligraphy. I usually practice on my days off. I also teach hangul twice per week as a volunteer at a retirement home in Yongsan. I really enjoy studying together with the elderly men and women.

Q. What motivated you to start teaching Korean? Are there certain things that you pay attention to when teaching Korean?

A. I have been interested in hangul calligraphy for a long time but I would mostly stick to a set calligraphy style. This means that I would copy classic novels. But I got more and more interested in learning about the content of the writing. When my children were grown up I decided to enroll in graduate school and study Korean literature. It was during that time that I decided to also take a teacher training course for Korean as a foreign language. That’s were I first learned how many people from different countries were interested in learning Korean. Back then the focus of Korean studies was only on the language, but I wanted to expand it and also teach about Korean culture and literature. I think that this helps foreigners get a depper understanding of Korea and become actual friends. You asked what I pay attention to when teaching… First off all I create an environment where students can relax when speaking. This way I can actually understand their true abilities. Of course that doesn’t work the same for everyone, but I think it’s important to make them feel like they can ask any question without being nervous. Even if that means I get asked the same question more than 100 times. It is my responsibility to teach each and everyone individually to help them best.

Q. What kind of teaching advise can you give to students who are interested in studying Korean?

A. It might not be possible for total beginners, but once you know at least a bit, listen to Korean songs and study through them. When I was studying English I would listen to a lot of songs in English. You can start out with easy songs that Korean children would learn at kindergarden or elementary school.Another option are K-pop songs and tv series. I really like K-pop. The songs often tell stories and can be of great help for when you’re talking in Korean. If you are interested in Korean literature, that can be even more helpful. You can meet up with Korean friends and talk to them about actual Korean literature and find friends even faster.

Q. Please leave a message to Cafetalk students!

A. I’m really happy to see that a site like Cafetalk exists. I really enjoy meeting my students on Cafetalk. It’s a small space, but it opens up to a huge space where you can communitcate with other people worldwide. I love all of you!

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Young Hee

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