What is 설날 (Seollal) really like in Korea?

In this special Lunar New Year episode of TOPIK & Beyond, Eliza shares the cultural, emotional, and linguistic layers behind one of Korea’s most important traditional holidays.

Beyond the textbook definitions of 설날, 차례, and 세배, this episode explores what Lunar New Year in Korea actually feels like — including family expectations, generational differences, emotional nuance, and real-life Korean expressions you’ll hear during the holiday.

If you’re learning Korean for real connection — not just vocabulary — this episode will deepen your understanding of Korean culture and communication.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The meaning of 설날 (Seollal) and how it differs from January 1st
• What happens during traditional family gatherings
• The role of 차례 (ancestral ritual) and 세배 (New Year bow)
• Why 설날 can feel warm, stressful, or emotionally complex
• Real Korean phrases commonly used during Lunar New Year
• How understanding 설날 helps with TOPIK reading and writing sections

This cultural awareness strengthens both your real-life communication skills and your performance on exams like TOPIK.

If you are a visual learner, read this episode on Substack.

If You Enjoyed the Episode…

Please consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a quick review. It helps more Korean learners discover the podcast and feel supported on their TOPIK journey.

Connect with Me

• 🌐 Website: https://www.joaacademy.com/
• 📸 Instagram: @korean.joaacademy
• 💌 Join the Korean FLOW Club for weekly practice in real Korean (reading, listening, speaking & writing).

Have you ever had a Korean conversation that felt polite, correct, and smooth — but somehow still distant?

In this episode of TOPIK & Beyond, Eliza explores a common but rarely explained experience among Korean learners: why conversations can feel polite on the surface, yet emotionally disconnected underneath.

This episode goes beyond grammar and pronunciation to look at how connection is actually built in Korean conversations — through acknowledgment, emotional alignment, and subtle language choices that textbooks often overlook.

If you’ve ever felt that your Korean is “correct but not connecting,” this episode will help you understand why — and what to listen for instead.

In this episode, we explore:

• the difference between politeness and connection in Korean
• why Korean conversations often prioritize emotional alignment before information
• why learners can sound correct but still feel distant
• how acknowledgment and reaction shape conversational flow
• why conversations sometimes end quickly even when nothing is “wrong”

This episode is designed for learners who already have a foundation in Korean but want their conversations to feel more natural, warm, and alive.

A Key Takeaway

In Korean, connection is not built by saying more.

It’s built by showing where you are emotionally in the conversation.

Often, small acknowledgment phrases and softeners do more to create warmth than long, well-prepared sentences.

조금만 달라도 느낌이 달라요.
Even a small difference changes the feeling.

👉 If you are a visual learner, read it on Substack

If You Enjoyed the Episode…

Please consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a quick review. It helps more Korean learners discover the podcast and feel supported on their TOPIK journey.

Connect with Me

• 🌐 Website: https://www.joaacademy.com/
• 📸 Instagram: @korean.joaacademy
• 💌 Join the Korean FLOW Club for weekly practice in real Korean (reading, listening, speaking & writing).

Many Korean learners don’t struggle because they lack vocabulary or grammar.

They struggle because everything still has to pass through another language first.

In this episode of TOPIK & Beyond, Eliza revisits a key turning point in the Korean learning journey — the shift from translating to relating to Korean more directly.

This episode explores what happens when Korean begins to feel less like a mental exercise and more like a lived language.
Not fluent.
Not perfect.
But more natural.

If you’ve ever felt that you “know” Korean but still hesitate, freeze, or feel mentally tired when using it, this episode speaks to that in-between phase.

In this episode, we reflect on:

• why constant word-by-word translation creates friction in speaking and writing
• the moment when studying more stops helping in the same way
• the shift from building sentences to recognizing language chunks
• how “thinking in Korean” starts long before fluency
• why intuition comes from exposure and familiarity, not effort or perfection

This episode is not about forcing yourself to stop translating.
It’s about understanding why translation fades naturally — and what replaces it.

This episode will resonate especially if:

• you understand Korean but feel slow or blocked when speaking
• your writing is correct but still feels awkward
• conversations don’t flow the way you expect
• Korean feels mentally tiring even after years of study
• you’re somewhere between “learning” and “using” the language

If you’ve ever thought: “I know the words, but it still doesn’t feel natural,”
this episode is worth listening to.

If This Episode Helped

• Save it for days when speaking feels heavy
• Share it with a friend who’s learning Korean
• Subscribe to TOPIK & Beyond so you don’t miss future episodes

Your support helps more learners find calm, human-centered Korean learning.

Prefer reading while you listen?

If you are a visual learner,
→ Read this episode on Substack

Connect with Me

• 🌐 Website: https://www.joaacademy.com/
• 📸 Instagram: @korean.joaacademy
• 💌 Join the Korean FLOW Club for weekly practice in real Korean (reading, listening, speaking & writing).

If speaking Korean feels heavy, overwhelming, or emotionally draining right now, this episode is for you.

In this quiet, grounding episode of TOPIK & Beyond, Eliza invites you to pause before trying to “fix” your Korean or push yourself to speak better.

Instead of techniques or study tips, this episode focuses on the moment before speaking — where pressure, tension, and self-judgment often appear.

This is not an episode about performance or improvement.
It’s an episode about permission, safety, and approaching Korean more gently.

Perfect for learners who:

• feel stuck or blocked when speaking
• avoid speaking because of pressure
• feel nervous or tense before conversations
• need reassurance more than advice

This episode is:

• calm and slow
• reflective and reassuring
• focused on emotional experience
• supportive of nervous or tired learners

This episode is not:

• a speaking technique lesson
• a grammar explanation
• a motivation push
• a “try harder” message

You don’t need to take notes.
You don’t need to practice afterward.
Just listening is enough.

🎓 Free Webinar Mentioned in This Episode

Eliza also gently mentions her upcoming free live webinar: Speaking Korean Without Losing Your Mind

In the session, she will explore:

• why speaking often feels overwhelming
• how pressure builds before we speak
• how to approach Korean speaking more calmly and naturally

For registration link: https://joaacademy.easywebinar.live/speak-korean-without-losing-your-mind

There is no pressure to join — it’s simply an open invitation.

Prefer reading while you listen?

I’m experimenting with a new way to support visual learners!
→ Read this episode on Substack

Connect with Me

• 🌐 Website: https://www.joaacademy.com/
• 📸 Instagram: @korean.joaacademy
• 💌 Join the Korean FLOW Club for weekly practice in real Korean (reading, listening, speaking & writing).

Do you feel mentally exhausted when you try to speak Korean?
Does your mind go blank, feel crowded, or shut down even though you’ve studied?

In this episode of TOPIK & Beyond, Eliza explains why speaking Korean feels so mentally draining — and why this has nothing to do with your intelligence, effort, or motivation.

Instead of focusing on grammar or vocabulary, this episode looks at what’s happening inside your brain when you speak Korean, and how pressure, perfectionism, and overthinking create mental overload.

You’ll also learn simple, practical shifts that help you speak Korean more calmly and naturally — without “losing your mind.”

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why speaking Korean feels harder than studying Korean
• What learners mean when they say:
  • 생각이 많아요 (I have too many thoughts)
  • 머리가 복잡해요 (My head feels complicated)
  • 말이 안 나와요 (Words don’t come out)
• Why mental overload blocks speech
• How perfectionism makes speaking more difficult
• Why slowing down actually improves fluency
• How to reduce pressure and speak more naturally

This episode is especially helpful for learners who feel anxious, tense, or mentally tired when speaking Korean.

🎓 Free Webinar Mentioned in This Episode

Eliza also mentions her upcoming free webinar:
Speaking Korean Without Losing Your Mind

In the webinar, she’ll explain:

• why your mind freezes when you speak
• how to reduce mental pressure
• how to speak Korean more naturally and calmly

You can register here: https://joaacademy.easywebinar.live/speak-korean-without-losing-your-mind

If This Episode Helped You

• Share it with a friend who feels nervous speaking Korean
• Save it for days when speaking feels overwhelming
• Subscribe to TOPIK & Beyond so you don’t miss future episodes

Your support helps more Korean learners find calm, realistic guidance.

Prefer reading while you listen?
I’m experimenting with a new way to support visual learners!
→ Read this episode on Substack

Many Korean learners stop studying not because they don’t care — but because life gets busy.

In this episode of TOPIK & Beyond, Eliza shares practical, realistic ways to use Korean even on busy days, without adding extra study time or pressure. Instead of long study sessions, this episode focuses on small, real-life moments that help you stay connected to Korean — and that also build a strong foundation for TOPIK.

If you often feel like you’re “too busy” to study Korean, this episode will show you how busy-day Korean still counts.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why busy days often break Korean study routines
• How to use Korean in 1–5 minute moments
• Why listening still helps even when you’re tired
• How to practice speaking with just one sentence
• High-frequency Korean vocabulary and grammar that appear often in TOPIK
• Why everyday Korean is foundational for real fluency

This episode is ideal for learners balancing work, family, or studies — and for anyone who wants Korean to fit into real life.

Busy-Day Korean That Helps TOPIK
This episode naturally introduces high-frequency TOPIK vocabulary and grammar, including:

• 바쁘다 — to be busy
• 시간이 없다 — to not have time
• 잠깐 / 조금만 — just a moment / just a little
• 듣다 / 들리다 / 보다 — to listen / to be heard / to watch
• 익숙해지다 — to become familiar
• –아/어 보다 — to try
• –(으)려고 하다 — to plan or intend
• –지만 — but / although
• 미루다 — to postpone
• 그래서 / 하지만 / 자주 / 조금 — common TOPIK connectors and adverbs

These expressions appear frequently in TOPIK reading and writing because they reflect real-life Korean.

Looking for Support?
Eliza also briefly mentions the Korean FLOW Club, a monthly practice space designed for learners with busy lives.

It’s built to support:

• real-life Korean usage
• consistency without pressure
• flexible listening, speaking, and writing practice

If You Enjoyed This Episode

• Share it with a friend who’s busy but learning Korean
• Save it for days when motivation is low
• Subscribe to TOPIK & Beyond so you don’t miss future episodes

Your support helps more Korean learners find practical, sustainable guidance.

Prefer reading while you listen?
I’m experimenting with a new way to support visual learners!
→ Read this episode on Substack

Connect with Eliza

• 🌐 Website: https://www.joaacademy.com/
• 📸 Instagram: @korean.joaacademy
• 💌 Join the Korean FLOW Club for weekly practice in real Korean (reading, listening, speaking & writing).

The start of a new year often comes with pressure — new goals, new plans, and the fear of repeating the same cycle with Korean learning.

In this first episode of 2026, Eliza offers a different approach.

Instead of resolutions or strict study schedules, she shares a simple, realistic Korean routine designed to fit real life — even when you’re busy, tired, or inconsistent.

This episode introduces the FLOW routine — a gentle learning rhythm based on:

• Foundation
• Listening
• Output
• World immersion

Rather than doing everything every day, listeners are encouraged to stay connected to Korean in small, sustainable ways they can actually keep throughout the year.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why many Korean study routines fail (and why it’s not your fault)
• How pressure and guilt (부담) stop long-term progress
• What a “keepable” Korean routine really looks like
• A simple explanation of the FLOW method
• How to keep going even after missing days or weeks
• Why consistency matters more than motivation in 2026

This episode is perfect for learners who want to start the year calmly — without burnout or unrealistic expectations.

A Supportive Learning Space: Korean FLOW Club

In the episode, Eliza briefly mentions the Korean FLOW Club — a monthly practice space built around the FLOW routine.
It’s designed for learners who want:

• a place to return to
• balanced listening, speaking, and writing
• guidance without pressure
• a routine that respects real life

If This Episode Helped You

• Share it with a friend learning Korean
• Save it for a gentle reset anytime
• Leave a short review to support the podcast

Your support helps more learners discover calm, sustainable Korean learning.

Prefer reading while you listen?

I’m experimenting with a new way to support visual learners!
→ Read this episode on Substack

Connect with Me

• 🌐 Website: https://www.joaacademy.com/
• 📸 Instagram: @korean.joaacademy
• 💌 Join the Korean FLOW Club for weekly practice in real Korean (reading, listening, speaking & writing).

As 2025 comes to a close, this episode offers a calm, honest reflection on how to approach Korean learning in the new year — without pressure, burnout, or unrealistic resolutions.

In this final episode of 2025, Eliza shares how she would learn Korean in 2026 if she were starting (or restarting) today: with less perfectionism, more consistency, and a gentler, more sustainable routine.

This episode is not a study plan or a New Year’s resolution.
It’s a mindset shift — designed to help Korean learners feel confident, supported, and motivated going into 2026.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why trying to study Korean perfectly (완벽하게) often slows progress
• Why consistency matters more than motivation
• How 조금씩, 꾸준히 (little by little, consistently) leads to real fluency
• How to set gentle intentions using –(으)려고 하다
• Why good learners don’t “quit” — they 다시 돌아와요 (come back)
• How to approach Korean in 2026 without restarting or burning out

This episode is ideal for learners who feel tired, stuck, or unsure how to move forward — and want Korean to feel more human and doable again.

A Gentle Invitation: Korean FLOW Club

In the episode, Eliza also shares why she created the Korean FLOW Club — a monthly practice space focused on:

• real Korean usage
• listening, speaking, and writing
• showing up imperfectly
• building a routine you can return to anytime

🎁 Soft Launch Offer

• $57/month until the end of December
• Regular price $67/month starting January 2026

Join the Korean FLOW Club for weekly practice in real Korean (reading, listening, speaking & writing).

Key Korean Words & Expressions from the Episode

• 완벽하게 — perfectly
• 조금씩, 꾸준히 — little by little, consistently
• –(으)려고 하다 — to intend / plan to
• 다시 돌아오다 — to come back
• 괜찮아요 — it’s okay

No memorization required — just gentle exposure.

If This Episode Helped You

• Share it with a friend learning Korean
• Save it as a reminder for 2026
• Leave a short review to support the podcast

Your support helps more Korean learners find calm, sustainable guidance.

Prefer reading while you listen?
I’m experimenting with a new way to support visual learners!
→ Read this episode on Substack

Connect with Me

• 🌐 Website: https://www.joaacademy.com/
• 📸 Instagram: @korean.joaacademy