01.12. Dear diary: Koreans’ undying love of putting pen to paper 입트영: 소개팅 (extra topic- favorite food)

[Topic] 소개팅 한국에서 소개팅이 보편적인 이유가 무엇이라고 생각하나요? 소개팅은 한국에서 매우 흔히 있는 일이다. 누군가가 친구 두 명을 연결시켜 주는 모습을 매우 쉽게 볼 수 있다. 소개팅이 흔한 이유 중 하나는 사람들이 즉흥적으로 누군가를 만날 기회가 적기 때문이다. 어떤 사람들은 이러한 만남이 어색하다고 생각한다. 그래서 그런 사람들은 소개팅 자체에 거리를 두는 경향이 있다. 그러나 어떤 사람들은 이러한 소개팅을 정말 좋아하고, 친구들에게 소개팅을 시켜 달라고 조르기도 한다. 물론, 많은 소개팅이 그리 잘 풀리지는 않고, 두 사람이 다시는 서로 얼굴을 보지 않게 되기도 한다. 그러나 두 사람이 사귀게 되는 성공사레도 물론 있다. 한국의 많은 부부들이 실제로 누군가의 소개를 통해서 처음으로 만났다고 이야기 해줄 것이다. Why do you think blind dates are very common in Korea? Blind dates are very common in Korea. It is very easy to see a person setting up two friends for a date. One of the reasons blind dates are common is that people don't have enough opportunities to met people spontaneously. Some people think that these dates are very awkward. They distance themselves from the idea. However, some people just love the concept and even push their friends to set them up on a date. Of course, many blind dates do not go that well and two people never see each other again. However, there are success stories where the two end up going out. Many married couples in Korea will tell you that they first met through a blind date. [EXTRA TOPIC] 1. When was the last time you had a blind date? How did it go? 2. Do you know of people who ended up going out after meeting though a bling date? 3. What are the pros and cons of blind dates? [KEY VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS] blind date 소개팅 common 흔한 set up two friends for a date 친구 두 명을 연결시켜 주다 set someone up on a date ~에게 데이트를 주선하다 spontaneously 즉흥적으로 awkward 어색한 do not go that well 그다지 결과가 좋지 않다 success story 성공사례 end up going out 결국 사귀게 되다 married couple 부부 meet through a blind date 소개팅을 통해 만나다 [PATTERN PRACTICE] 1. set someone up on a date ~에게 데이트를 주선하다 People even push their friends to set them up on a date. 어떤 사람들은 친구들에게 소개팅을 시켜 달라고 조르기도 한다. Are you going th set them up on a date? 그 두 사람의 데이트를 주선할 거니? I don't think you should set them up on a date. 두 사람의 데이트를 주선하지 않는게 좋을 거 같아. 2. awkward 어색한 Some people think that these dates are very awkward. 어떤 사람들은 이러한 데이트가 매우 어색하다고 생각한다. The mood was very awkward at first. 처음에는 분위기가 정말 어색했다. When we first me, it was very awkward. 우리가 처음 만났을 때 정말 어색했다. 3. do not go that well 그다지 결과가 좋지 않다 Many blind dates do not go that well. 많은 소개팅들은 결과가 그다지 좋지 않다. The driving test did not go that well. 도로 주행 시험이 그리 잘 되지 않았다. The presentation did not go that well. 발표가 그리 잘 되지 않았어. 4. end up going out 결국 사귀게 되다 There are success stories where the two end up going out. 두 사람이 결국 사귀게 되는 성공 사례들도 있다. Did they end up going out? 그들은 결국 사귀게 되었니? I can't believe that they ended up going out. 그들이 결국 사귀게 된 것을 믿을 수가 없어, 5. meet through a blind date 소개팅을 통해 만나다 They first met through a blind date. 그들은 소개팅을 통해서 처음 만났다. I didn't know that they met through a blind date. 그들이 소개팅을 통해서 만났다는 것을 몰랐어. Are you sure that they met through a blind date? 그들이 소개팅을 통해서 만난 것이 확실하니? [EXPRESSION‎ OF THE DAY] I want to hook you up with my friend. 너를내 친구한테 소개시켜 주고 싶어. A: Are you seeing anyone right now? B: No, not really. A: I want to hook you up with my friend. B: You mean a blind date? A: 너지금 누구 만나는 사람 있니? B: 아니, 그렇지는 않아. A: 너를 내 친구한테 소개시켜 주고 싶어. B: 소개팅 말하는 거니? [HOMEWORK] 1. 침묵이 매우 어색했다. (awkward) 2. 미팅결과가 그리 좋지 않았다. (do not go that well) 3. 그들은 결국 사귀게 되었다. (end up going out) 4. 남편과 나는 소개팅을 통해 만났다. (meet through a blind date) [ANSWERS] 1. The silence was very awkward. 2. The meeting did not go that well. 3. They ended up going out. 4. My husband and I met through a blind date. Dear diary: Koreans’ undying love of putting pen to paper From the diary decoration trend to the emergence of 'bullet journals,' analog diaries still matter What comes to your mind when you think of the term “diary?” For some, the word means a journal to write down reflections on the day. For others, the term covers a broader range of books: planners, schedulers, calendars -- even blank notes could be called a diary if people can log their days on them. Despite the surge of interest in digital scheduling applications and journals, the popularity of paper diaries seems undiminished in Korea.  The craze for the diaries is strongest toward the end of the year. More than 40 stationery companies churn out hundreds of different types and designs. Coffee chains dole out diaries as year-end promotional gifts and bookstores install special corners to showcase planners. Over the past few years, diary sales have increased in some distribution segments. According to stationery store “10x10,” diaries recorded 25 percent sales growth in 2017, and the momentum is likely to continue. Why do Koreans still stick to old-fashioned diaries? “Of course, it would be easier to keep a daily log if I used a digital application,” Instagram user “December” told The Korea Herald. “But I still use my analog diary, as I can fill the blank sheet whatever way I want. I love that feeling, writing the memories and records of the day with my hand.” Every night, she sits on a chair and opens her diary. With her favored pen (Uni-ball Style Fit 0.28 mm), she writes down her daily log. Then, she goes to her desk drawer, packed with color pens, patterned tapes and fancy stickers, and fills the blanks with colors that reflect her mood that day. The 40-minute ritual ends when she completes the final task -- taking a picture of the diary and posting it on her Instagram account. She has uploaded 259 posts so far, and over 7,000 people have hit the follow button to subscribe to her daily updates. December is not the only one who enthusiastically spends time and effort on beautifully crafting the pages.  At last count, there are over 400,000 posts with #diary hashtags in Korean on Instagram. If searching with the hashtag #decoratingdiary, hundreds of pictures pop up, showing off the Instagram users’ decorating skills. Decorating styles could differ from person to person, but most diary keepers focus on calligraphies or drawing cute characters. Craft tools do matter to prolific journalers. This fad even led to a boom in related products such as stickers, masking tape, scrap paper and specialty pens. Besides the trend, the emergence of “bullet journals” has also contributed to the popularity of analog diaries. Bullet journals, or “BuJo” for short, are a simple method of organizing to-do lists and visualizing personal goals.  The journaling system might look complicated for the beginners, but over 3,000 videos on YouTube offer step-by-step guides in Korean on setting up and using a bullet journal. Nam Woo-min, a 24-year-old graduate school student, counted bullet journal as a perfect way to plan schedules and track down her tasks.  “I used to write the first page of a monthly planner every January and gave up on using it after a few months,” Nam said. “Unlike the printed diary books, I can customize the space designs, spare more pages according to need and make the tasks look organized with the symbols I invented.” Plus, Nam stressed the great feeling that she gets from the act of handwriting. “The thrilling moment when I cross out the completed task with a marker pen,” Nam said, “it could never be compared with the feelings of using the digital to-do list applications.” Targeting those analog-lovers in a digital age, retail companies have rolled out various types of “smart diaries,” featuring a mix of old and new formats.  Moleskine’s latest Smart Planner, for instance, instantly sends user’s handwritten notes to a mobile application. Then, the software automatically reads the notes and sync them to user’s digital scheduling accounts, such as iCal or Google calendar.  The Lockbook from FPlife is another good example. This high-tech paper notebook secures the user’s privacy with a biometric fingerprint sensor on its side. Users can add two fingerprints to the sensor mechanism.  “Buying a new diary is one of the most important annual events for me,” the Instagram user December said. She tends to look for new diary products as early as October and take her time to settle for her final choice before the end of the year, as it will become her close companion for a year-long journey. For 2018, she got the A4-sized diary book and a binder. 1. Do you keep a diary? ( Let's share any experience of keeping a diary so far) 2. For what purpose do you keep a diary? (planner, scheduler, calendar) 3. If you don't keep a diary, how do you manage your schedule? 4. Let's talk about good and bad things about keeping an analog journal. Extra topic -favorite food 1. What is your favorite food? 2. Is there some food you cannot eat? 3. What kind of restaurants do you usually go with your friends/family/coworkers?