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K-pop and Life in South Korea

Many teenagers around the world love K-pop. K-pop means Korean pop music. It comes from South Korea, a country in East Asia. Today, K-pop is popular in Europe, America, and many other countries.

K-pop is not only music. It is also about dance, fashion, videos, and teamwork. Many singers train for years before they become famous. They learn singing, dancing, acting, and even foreign languages like English or Japanese. The training is often difficult, but many young people dream about becoming K-pop stars.

Some famous K-pop groups are BTS, BLACKPINK, TWICE, Stray Kids, SEVENTEEN, TXT (Tomorrow X Together), IVE, aespa, and NewJeans. Many fans also like solo singers such as IU, Jungkook, and Jennie.

South Korea has many interesting traditions and modern ideas. For example, people usually take off their shoes before they enter a home. Many restaurants also ask customers to remove their shoes.

Another interesting thing is the food. Korean people often eat kimchi, a spicy vegetable dish. It is very popular, and many families make their own kimchi. Rice is also an important part of many meals.

Age is important in Korean culture. People often ask, “How old are you?” because they want to know which words they should use. Younger people usually speak more politely to older people.

South Korea is also famous for technology. Many people use fast internet, and there are many modern shops, cafés, and beautiful cities. Seoul, the capital city, is one of the biggest and busiest cities in Asia.

Fans of K-pop often buy albums, watch music videos, and go to concerts. They also learn Korean words and make friends from different countries. Some fans even visit South Korea because they want to see places from music videos or visit stores that sell K-pop products.

Life in South Korea is different from life in Europe in some ways, but people everywhere enjoy music, good food, and spending time with friends. That is one reason why K-pop is popular all over the world.

Vocabulary

WordMeaning
teenagertizenéves
trainedzeni, képezni
famoushíres
dreamálmodni
teamworkcsapatmunka
traditionhagyomány
removelevenni
spicycsípős
politelyudvariasan
capital cityfőváros
busynyüzsgő
concertkoncert
albumalbum
fanrajongó
productstermékek

True / False

  1. K-pop comes from Japan. ______
  2. Many K-pop singers train for several years. ______
  3. BTS and BLACKPINK are famous K-pop groups. ______
  4. Korean people usually wear shoes inside their homes. ______
  5. Kimchi is a popular Korean food. ______
  6. Seoul is the capital of South Korea. ______
  7. Fans sometimes learn Korean. ______
  8. K-pop is only about music. ______
  9. Many K-pop fans visit South Korea. ______
  10. Music helps people from different countries become friends. ______

Comprehension Questions

  1. What does K-pop mean?
  2. Where is South Korea?
  3. What do trainees learn?
  4. Name three K-pop groups from the text.
  5. Who are two solo singers in the text?
  6. What do people usually do before entering a Korean home?
  7. What is kimchi?
  8. Why do Korean people sometimes ask about age?
  9. Which city is the capital of South Korea?
  10. Why do some fans travel to South Korea?

Discussion

  1. Which K-pop group do you know?
  2. Would you like to visit South Korea? Why?
  3. Which Korean food would you like to try?
  4. Do you like dancing or singing more?
  5. Would you like to learn Korean? Why or why not?

Fill in the gaps — ex.1.

Complete the sentences with one word. The first letter is given.

  1. K-pop comes from South K______.
  2. Many K-pop singers t______ for several years before they become famous.
  3. They learn singing, dancing, acting, and foreign l________.
  4. People usually take off their s______ before they enter a Korean home.
  5. K______ is a spicy vegetable dish that many Korean people eat.
  6. S______ is the capital city of South Korea.
  7. Many fans buy a______ and watch music videos.
  8. Some fans learn K______ because they love K-pop.
  9. K-pop is famous for music, dance, f______, and teamwork.
  10. Many fans visit South Korea to see places from music v______.

Guess the Word — ex.2.

Read the definitions. Write the correct word from the text.

  1. A country in East Asia where K-pop comes from.
    ________________________
  2. A style of music that is popular around the world and comes from Korea.
    ________________________
  3. A person who likes a singer or a music group very much.
    ________________________
  4. A city that is the capital of South Korea.
    ________________________
  5. A hot and spicy vegetable dish that many Korean people eat.
    ________________________
  6. The special clothes, hairstyles, and style that people wear.
    ________________________
  7. To learn and practise for a job or a sport.
    ________________________
  8. A performance where singers play music for people.
    ________________________
  9. A collection of songs released together.
    ________________________
  10. The language people speak in South Korea.
    ________________________
  11. A moving picture that usually goes with a song.
    ________________________
  12. A group of people working well together.
    ________________________
  13. A person who sings songs.
    ________________________
  14. A custom or way of doing something that people follow for many years.
    ________________________
  15. To become known by many people.
    ________________________
  16. A person who is younger than another person.
    ________________________
  17. To take something off your body, for example your shoes.
    ________________________
  18. A language that is not your own language.
    ________________________
  19. The place where many people live and work together.
    ________________________
  20. A person between about 13 and 19 years old.
    ________________________

Answer Key — ex.1.

  1. Korea
  2. train
  3. languages
  4. shoes
  5. Kimchi
  6. Seoul
  7. albums
  8. Korean
  9. fashion
  10. videos

Answer Key — ex.2.

  1. South Korea
  2. K-pop
  3. fan
  4. Seoul
  5. kimchi
  6. fashion
  7. train
  8. concert
  9. album
  10. Korean
  11. video
  12. teamwork
  13. singer
  14. tradition
  15. famous
  16. younger
  17. remove
  18. foreign language
  19. city
  20. teenager

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