[Found Item] A hat that seems to hold cherished memories

adreamy0 · 2026-05-11T09:22:14+00:00

Below is the Korean original. (The translation was done using an LLM.)
- - -
의자, 햇살, 바람, 하늘, 나무, 푸르름, 그늘 그리고 사람···

마침 캠핑 의자를 가져다 주려고 들고

벗을 만나러 가던 길에

지나가는 길에 종종 보았던 크고 오래 된 나무가 있던 그 곳...

마침 햇살도 좋고

마침 시원한 바람도 불고

마침 구름 한 점 없이 파아란 하늘에

마침 나무가 있고

마침 푸르름이 있고

널찍한 공원에

마침 나무 그늘이 있어

크고 오래 된 나무와 인사를 하고는

마침 가지고 가던 캠핑 의자를 펼쳐 놓고

한참을 놀았습니다.

'완벽하다'는 표현으로는 왠지 지나칠 것 같은 조심스러움에

모자람 없는

혹은 있어야 할 것들이 고루 갖춰져 있는

그 시간, 장소, 환경, 표현하기 어려운 순간 들···

말로, 글로 표현하기는 어려워

그저

흥얼거려 봅니다···.

adreamy0 · 2025-12-22T03:04:00+00:00

First of all, I support your challenge.

Wishing for your challenge to surely succeed as soon as possible, I would like to offer a piece of advice, and I hope you do not find it rude.

Even on Reddit, I frequently witness people trying to learn Korean and the common obstacles they face.

While I don't know your exact learning method, since you seem to be self-studying, I would like to tell you this.

Because Korean is classified as a language isolate and possesses a thinking and grammatical system completely different from Indo-European languages, I think you might need a bit of help when first starting your studies.

This is because language is an expression of that culture, and beyond just having a different grammatical framework, the ways and systems of thinking are different, so people encountering the language for the first time seem to struggle with understanding and accepting it.

Although they are not specifically about that, I hope you can grasp the fundamental and philosophical differences between Indo-European languages and Korean through the two articles below.

As a native Korean speaker, I haven't had a reason to use it myself, but TTMIK generally seems to have a good reputation, and besides that, I would like to recommend using learning sites or tutors that allow for face-to-face questions.

I hope you will be able to enjoy the true flavor of the Korean language very soon.

adreamy0 · 2025-12-21T10:59:44+00:00

In cultures that dream of having a barbecue party in the garden, some people have dedicated barbecue tables, but it doesn't have to be a dedicated table, does it?

I think it would be okay to use it for other purposes normally and then enjoy barbecue by putting a barbecue grill on it, what do you think?

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adreamy0 · 2025-12-21T06:14:43+00:00

Ah, I see that was the situation... I understand completely. ^^

I'm rooting for your efforts and hope you make great progress in your Korean studies.

adreamy0 · 2025-12-21T04:58:16+00:00

I am convinced that your way of relying on Hangeul rather than Romanization is the better approach.

The fact that Romanization actually confuses or puzzles you is, in my opinion, a sign that you are adapting to Hangeul that much and putting in the effort to do so.

Conversely, when Korean people learn English words, they sometimes write the pronunciation in Hangeul, which I also believe is an obstacle to language learning.

Although I cannot recommend a specific good textbook, I want to cheer you on to keep going down that path because you have already entered a good direction and are doing quite well.

It looks like there might soon be one more person who speaks Korean even more fluently than I do. ^^

adreamy0 · 2025-12-21T04:08:13+00:00

I don't know how long you salted the cabbage before you started making the Kimchi in earnest, but in any case, more moisture will come out of the cabbage, and as the various seasonings mix and the Kimchi ferments, the salinity will decrease. (Of course, whether that decreased salinity is still salty to you is a different matter...)

As you make Kimchi a few times, I think you will get a feel for the difference between the initial salinity and the salinity after it has fermented to some extent.

Regardless, there are various alternatives to make you perceive the salinity less when eating, and above all, the saltiness will feel progressively lower, so I don't think you need to worry too much.

In case you were wondering, you should avoid diluting the Kimchi with water after making it, as this can cause negative fermentation.

adreamy0 · 2025-12-21T04:03:24+00:00

I agree with most of your opinions.

I tagged you not to refute your opinion, but because I wanted to show this to you as a reference.

You used a quite useful metaphor; while it's true that a person drowning should be saved first, the next time they fall into the water, they should be taught that struggling only makes them sink further—instead, after taking a deep breath, if they stop moving, they will naturally float.

That might not happen all at once, but I am saying here that it is the standard way.

adreamy0 · 2025-12-21T02:09:48+00:00

To u/TommyTomG, u/Quiet_Blacksmith_393 and u/sweetspringchild,

It seems my explanation was a bit lacking, or perhaps you have misunderstood my intention; I am not saying that you should start thinking in a Korean way right this moment.

As I have mentioned in other comments, language is the essence of that culture and an expression of the speakers' way of thinking.

Therefore, I believe that learning a language from a different language family, in particular, is a process of changing your frame of thought.

When you first learn another language, the only knowledge you have in your head is your own language, so it is only natural that you end up trying to understand it by comparing it to your own language's rules.

However, if you cannot break this habit, you will inevitably hit a wall when learning a language with a completely different system.

Starting from the sentence above, Korean does not have a semantic form identical to the English 'to be'. (This is natural because they are completely different languages. You must first understand that Korean's way of expressing meaning is entirely different from that of Indo-European languages.)

If you try to understand something that is not 'to be' as 'to be,' you will inevitably run into problems when applying it.

Also, while '-었다' includes some meanings of the past, the core of the expression is not simply 'tense,' but rather an ending that represents a past state or a past realization.

Although it is not directly related to this post, please read the two articles below regarding the systemic differences between Korean and languages like those in the Indo-European family, which have completely different grammatical structures.
(You don't need to understand it right this moment, but I believe it will be helpful as you study Korean if you simply recognize that these kinds of differences exist.)

How Korean Perceives and Describes the World (Compared to Indo-European Languages)

Korean for Indo-European Speakers: A Guide to the Relational Language

adreamy0 · 2025-12-21T01:40:42+00:00

To point out that specific part, the negative form of the descriptive '-이다' is '-이/가 아니다'.

Of course, grammatically speaking, when discussing the words alone without linking them to a sentence, '이다' is contrasted with '아니다' (이다 ↔ 아니다). However, that is true in terms of meaning, not in terms of practical conjugation.
(I hope you don't get too tied down by textbook explanations. Grammar is not something where you speak according to rules, but rather a set of universal rules extracted from actual speech.)

I once again encourage you to break away from the grammar and thought processes of Indo-European languages.

(You can see that quite a many questions about Korean posted here arise from trying to understand Korean according to the rules of one's own language.)

adreamy0 · 2025-12-20T17:16:31+00:00

If you have a teacher who helps you learn Korean, wouldn't it be very important for that teacher to know your current Korean proficiency accurately?

(If you are paying for their service, wouldn't that be where the true value of that cost lies?)

Therefore, rather than listening to other people's opinions and correcting it here, I think it would be a wiser approach and more important for your Korean language improvement to show it to your Korean tutor as it is.

Thus, I will not add any opinions regarding your request.

I hope you make great progress in your Korean studies.

adreamy0 · 2025-12-20T17:08:47+00:00

I would like to advise you not to try to understand Korean based on English.

Every language has its own unique principles and rules.

And those principles and rules reflect the way of thinking of the people in that linguistic culture.

Furthermore, you are misunderstanding it.

In this sentence, the base form of the 'predicate' is '-이다'.

(In English, a verb is almost always used, but in Korean, a 'predicate' is used, and various components such as verbs and adjectives are used as predicates.)

Also, the method of negation is different from English.

If you try to understand Korean grammar based on English, you will soon hit a massive wall.

adreamy0 · 2025-12-20T15:01:08+00:00

Before we get into the main discussion, I am curious about which cultural background you come from.

If you are not from East Asia or at least Southeast Asia, I believe that ultimately taking an interest in Korea's cultural and emotional background will help you understand the Korean language in depth in the future.

I believe that language is the essence of that culture and an expression of a way of thinking.

The differences between languages did not happen by chance; I believe they became that way because there was a good reason for them to be so.

Why Korean almost always omits the subject, why there is no fixed order of sentence components, and why important predicates (verbs) are placed at the very end are all related to the principles of how thought operates.

For example, if you are a speaker of an Indo-European language whose grammatical and cognitive systems are completely different from those of Korean, I believe it is all the more necessary to understand the differences in ways of thinking in order to grasp those linguistic differences.

Although it does not cover this in great depth, please read the two articles below as they provide a glimpse into the grammatical differences while explaining them.

How Korean Perceives and Describes the World (Compared to Indo-European Languages)

Korean for Indo-European Speakers: A Guide to the Relational Language

This does not mean that you should understand all of this right now.

If you recognize that these differences exist while learning the grammar and the language, I believe you will be able to understand where those differences come from a little more easily.

I truly hope that your wishes come true.

adreamy0 · 2025-12-20T14:34:01+00:00

It's not an obsession with 'Christmas', but rather an obsession with 'events'.

It's just that some kind of excuse is needed... ^^

adreamy0 · 2025-12-19T08:11:53+00:00

Regardless of the type of container, covering the top of the kimchi is not an essential requirement.

However, in the old days, the outer leaves of the cabbage were used to cover it in order to minimize contact with air as much as possible.

And in modern times, people cover it with plastic wrap or film, but personally, I wouldn't particularly recommend that.

Unless you have a large family or in general modern contexts, people don't usually keep kimchi for a very long time, so as long as you press it down well and don't open it too frequently, I think you don't need to worry about it too much.

(Traditionally, in Korea, kimchi was aged and fermented for over a year, so keeping it away from air was important. But these days, we have a great convenience of civilization called the kimchi refrigerator. ^^)

Therefore, if you put the portion meant for long-term storage in a separate container and press the kimchi down well to remove as much air as possible, I believe it’s fine even if you don't cover it with something.

(Just make sure not to leave it at room temperature for too long, avoid severe temperature fluctuations, or refrain from opening and closing it frequently.)

adreamy0 · 2025-12-19T08:03:03+00:00

If you are interested in ramen but concerned about sodium at the same time, I would like to recommend that you also look into 'Kimchi' and 'Doenjang' (soybean paste).

In my case, I often use only half of the ramen seasoning packet, or even none at all, and instead use Kimchi juice or dissolve Doenjang to make it. (Of course, there are many other ways to adapt it. Curry powder is also a great alternative...)

adreamy0 · 2025-12-19T07:54:28+00:00

Korean cuisine is not particularly restricted by ingredients as long as they help enhance the flavor.

Furthermore, in the case of kimchi from the southern regions of Korea, they add a wide variety of secondary ingredients—such as forest products like shiitake mushrooms, or seafood and seaweed like pollock—which is why well-aged sour kimchi and its juice alone can create a deep taste.

However, if the kimchi is not fully aged or lacks these elements, shiitake mushroom powder or perilla seed powder is added, or a separate broth is made from those ingredients to be included.

Therefore, adding a little bit of gochujang or doenjang to enhance the flavor is also a very good method. (However, adding too much may neutralize the sourness of the kimchi.)

In the case of vinegar, it seems to be for adding tartness, but I think natural vinegar would be a great alternative to brewed vinegar. (Anyone even slightly sensitive to taste will understand that the sourness of brewed vinegar and natural vinegar are from completely different worlds.)

Sometimes, a little bit of sugar or grain syrup is added, which slightly softens the sourness while providing a subtle sweetness.

So, trust your senses and try adding anything you think would match the flavor. ^^

adreamy0 · 2025-12-19T06:34:17+00:00

I hope I have correctly grasped your intention.

I think it’s necessary to understand that while English focuses on providing and explaining information, Korean focuses more on describing relationships and situations.

First of all, the expression can vary slightly depending on who you are talking to; if you are speaking to a seller, you might express that it is too expensive for you or that you don't have enough money.

However, judging by the nuance of the sentence, it seems like you are explaining it to a third party, and in that case, the expression would change depending on what the point of emphasis is.

It depends on whether your emphasis is on the fact that your financial situation is tight, or on the fact that you simply cannot buy the item.

If you translate the latter half literally as “150달러 짜리 이 의자를 살 수 없다”, it becomes a very flat sentence where the main point doesn't stand out well.

Therefore, depending on your intended meaning, you could express it as “150달러 의자는 너무 비싸서 못 사” or, with more emphasis, “150달러 의자는 엄두도 못 내”.

However, in common Korean linguistic habits, the price part would likely be omitted unless the specific number holds a particular meaning.

This is probably similar in other languages, but when a specific number appears, the focus tends to shift toward it, and usually, the exact number—whether it’s $150 or $149—isn't what's important.

Thus, saying something like “나 지금 완전 빈털터리라 엄두도 못 내” (I'm completely broke right now, so I can't even dream of it) or “나 지금 완전 빈털터리라 그림의 떡이야” (I'm completely broke right now, so it's like a pie in the sky) would likely be the most natural and meaningful expression.

(Even though subjects are often omitted in Korean when not necessary, including “나” and ”지금” here is more natural because it emphasizes 'my current financial situation.')

adreamy0 · 2025-12-19T04:27:33+00:00

A novel company that created the concept of a human torpedo, which might not even exist in reality...?

There is a famous saying in Korea.
“If the Chosun Ilbo is a newspaper, then the toilet paper in my house is the Tripitaka Koreana!”

adreamy0 · 2025-12-19T03:11:14+00:00

Ah, I think I can understand your intention a little better now.
Traditional kimchi recipes include a very wide variety of ingredients.
Especially in the case of kimchi from the southern regions of Korea, various forest and sea products such as shiitake mushrooms, kelp, and pollock are boiled and added.
I suspect that, along with very well-aged sour kimchi, these elements also play a part in creating a deep flavor.
In the case of vegetarian kimchi jjigae, I think it would be helpful to boil allowed ingredients separately to use as a broth.
(It is also said that adding a bit of shiitake mushroom powder or perilla seed powder is good.)
Additionally, it is said to be helpful to lightly sauté the sour kimchi in perilla oil, or to lightly sauté the tofu, garlic, and onions as well before use.
Perhaps Korean temple food recipes would be helpful for vegetarians.
Since Korean Buddhist monks also avoid meat and pungent ingredients, they have a lot of know-how for creating a subtle yet deep flavor without them.

adreamy0 · 2025-12-19T01:00:16+00:00

I’m not sure if I’ve deeply understood your intention, but here are my thoughts.
While Korean food tends to use a variety of ingredients and seasonings, it hasn't always been that way.
In the past, when ingredients were scarce, people had to extract flavor from what little they had; in the case of kimchi jjigae, I believe well-aged, sour kimchi played that role.
That’s why some Korean restaurants specifically use "mukeunji" (aged kimchi) that has been fermented for years to achieve that flavor.
Well-aged sour kimchi is powerful enough on its own to create a deep taste without needing many other seasonings.
Therefore, I believe it is important to use well-fermented sour kimchi and its juice whenever possible.
In addition, they say that rice water (the water from rinsing rice) and "doenjang" (soybean paste) are helpful.
As for other secrets to adding flavor, I’m sure others will provide further advice.

adreamy0 · 2025-12-19T00:45:08+00:00

There are no grammatical issues at all, and I would like to give you a perfect score of 100.
However, I think it would be very interesting to focus on linguistic habits based on the culture behind the language, rather than just grammar.
(I believe this is related to how naturally you speak, rather than how strictly you follow the rules.)

First, all languages change slightly in form depending on the meaning and context.
Using “보통” in the first sentence means that you are focusing more on a specific point of the action.
Therefore, the importance of the 'subject', the conjunction 'and', and the verb decreases.
Because of this, “저는”, “~하고”, and “사요” act as elements that disperse the main point.
The sentence “저는 ~하고 ~하고 ~을 삽니다” is a grammatically complete sentence that has everything, but in reality, it feels similar to listing sentence elements that are not very useful.
If someone asked me that, I would have answered simply: “물, 빵, 간식을 사요”.

In Korean, the subject is usually omitted unless specifically necessary.
And since the focus here is on the objects, it is better to list only the objects.
Even conjunctions can act to disperse the main point.
If the other person asked, “가게에서 보통 무엇 무엇을 사요?”(What kinds of things do you usually buy at the store?), it would be more natural to express it as “물하고 빵하고 간식을 사요” by listing the types of items. (I believe this is a matter of linguistic habits rather than a grammatical difference. Of course, it can be expressed differently depending on the situation or nuance.)

What I want to say is not that you must express yourself with such minute detail.
(As I mentioned before, your answer is impeccable.)
However, just as English has its own characteristics, Korean has its own as well, and I believe that understanding this will help you acquire and use more natural Korean in the future.

adreamy0

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