[Korean Culture & Langauge] What do teachers say in Korea


Hello, this is Uptempo Marketers!

You would have probably heard of teachers saying: ‘It’s your time you’re wasting, not mine,’ ‘If I could have a whole class of you then I absolutely would,’ ‘Not quite, but that’s a very good attempt at an answer,’ or ‘Your child has been exhibiting some challenging behaviors.’

These are some common things that teachers say in Western cultures. What do Korean teachers say? 

Below are nine things every Korean would remember hearing from their teachers when they were in school:

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  1. Turn off the ‘local broadcasting’ – It means to “be quiet”.

  2. This class is falling behind. – They say that to every class they teach.

  3. Open the window. – Not sure why they say this a lot, but it’s probably because the classroom stinks from sweaty kids who have been running around.

  4. Everything I say will be on the exam. – I guess this is a universal thing!

  5. You can do anything once you get into college. – Many teachers and parents say this in Korea because they are against their kids dating in middle and high school. They believe that dating will distract them from studying hard. Also, getting good grades in high school to get into a good college is often considered more important than getting good grades in college. Some parents or teachers tell them that they will automatically have girlfriends and boyfriends once they get accepted into a college. Some kids joke about feeling betrayed since being admitted into a college does not mean they can do everything they want, especially dating.

  6. What’s the date today?

  7. If you sit still, it would not be hot at all. – This statement can be frustrating to some kids because sometimes the reason they can’t sit still is because it’s too hot in the classroom. 

  8. I can hear you guys from the hallway. – “You’re being too noisy”

  9. Are you “the children of darkness”? – This one needs a little more explanation. A famous movie titled “The Children of the Darkness” came out in 1981. Teachers and parents today use this title as a phrase. It means: “why are you in a dark room?” or “Why don’t you turn on the lights?” It is unlikely that a kid today would recognize the movie, but they do understand what their teachers and parents mean. They just regard it as an “아재개그 (dad joke)”.

What are some common expressions your teachers used when you were in school?

 

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