Recently there has been crazy rush of people learning Korean language everywhere. Sometimes I even joke that Korean language is becoming the new English because everywhere you go somebody is talking about K-Drama, K-Pop, BTS, Blackpink, or something from Seoul. Even official institute like King Sejong and many online class platforms are reporting plenty foreign people registering to learn. Me too I can’t lie, I joined the craze because I want to enjoy Korean movies without subtitles and also sing along to my favorite K-Pop songs without twisting my tongue anyhow.
If I could only use one Korean word, the one I will pick is “감사합니다 (gamsahamnida)” which means thank you. Some people may choose love words or funny slang like “Aigoo” or “Yah,” but my own favorite is gamsahamnida because my parents always taught me that gratitude open doors in life. Even in my own language in Nigeria, we believe “when you appreciate someone, more blessing will come.” So when I discovered that “thank you” is also powerful in Korea, it made me connect deeper to the culture.
But learning Korean is not easy at all. The biggest challenge for me is pronunciation. Sometimes I try to pronounce words and I end up sounding like a broken speaker. I will say gamsa… gamsa… then the rest will just disappear. Also Hangul (the writing) looks simple when you see it, but when you want to memorize everything, your brain will protest. There were times I felt like giving up because I thought language is not for me.
But the greatest reward is when one day, you finally understand a full sentence without reading subtitles. I remember watching a K-drama and someone said “Annyeonghaseyo” and “Jal jinae?” and I actually got what they meant. I felt like I won Olympic gold medal. Even when a Korean person replies your greeting back, the happiness is something else. It shows growth, effort and patience.
Korean language also taught me something about life: if you practice small everyday, progress will show. Just like my parents always tell me growing up, “Nothing is too hard when you don’t stop trying.” And honestly, I see that lesson again every time I pick up a new Korean word.
Learning Korean is stressful, rewarding, embarrassing, exciting everything mixed together. But every time I say “감사합니다,” I feel one step closer to a new world.
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