Experienced Children's Korean Tutor–Fun Lessons with your favourite K-pop & K-drama. London In-person lessons!

Find out more about Moon

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  Korean is my mother tongue. I was born and raised in South Korea, where I lived for 24 years before moving to the UK.
  
  I also trained as a professional actor in Korea, so clear pronunciation and effective communication have always been a big part of my education. This means I can help students not only speak accurately but also sound more natural and confident.
  
  As a native speaker, I can also explain the cultural background behind the language, helping you understand how Korean is really used in everyday life.

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  I can't help but choose King Sejong. He created Hangul so that ordinary people could learn to read and write, instead of relying on Classical Chinese. I find it incredibly inspiring that an entire writing system was designed to make knowledge accessible to everyone.
  
  One of the things I love most about Hangul is how logical and scientific it is. Many of the consonants were designed to reflect the shape of your mouth and tongue when making the sounds, so the alphabet is surprisingly intuitive and fun to learn. It's one of the reasons many beginners find reading Korean much easier than they expected.
  
  Every Korean learner today benefits from King Sejong's vision, which is why I think he is the perfect representative of the Korean language and its culture.

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behavior in the language that you particularly like?

  One thing I particularly love about Korean is how creative and constantly evolving the language is. Korean has many 신조어 (new words) and 줄임말 (shortened expressions) that are created and used in everyday conversations. Language trends can spread very quickly and become part of daily life, and I find it fascinating how people create new words to describe specific feelings and situations.
  
  I also love how Korean culture is reflected in everyday expressions. Food has a very important place in Korean life, and this can be seen in the way we communicate. For example, instead of simply asking "How are you?", Koreans often say "밥 먹었어?" ("Have you eaten?"). It is not only a question about food, but also a way of showing care and checking on someone's wellbeing.

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  Speaking Korean matters to me because it's something I've always taken for granted until I started teaching it. Seeing students read Hangul for the first time or hold their first conversation reminds me how rewarding it is to share my language with others. It's a privilege to help people discover a language that has been such a natural part of my life.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  One of the biggest challenges when learning Korean is knowing how to say something, not just what to say. For example, there are lots of different ways to ask a simple question like "Have you eaten?" - 밥 먹었어?, 밥 먹었어요?, 밥 드셨어요?, 밥 드셨습니까? Each one sounds different depending on who you're talking to and the situation.
  
  This is something I really enjoy teaching. Rather than just asking you to memorise sentence endings, I explain when people actually use them, what feeling or level of politeness they give, and how they compare with situations in British culture. Understanding the context makes it much easier to remember, and you'll sound much more natural when speaking Korean.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  Like many people in Korea, I spent years studying English through the school system and preparing exams for uni entry(수능). The focus was mainly on grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension, and I became good at taking exams. But despite studying English for so many years, I could hardly hold a conversation. It wasn't until I moved to the UK that I realised language is about communication, not theoretical perfection.
  
  That experience has shaped the way I teach Korean. I want my students to understand how the language is actually used in everyday conversations. Making mistakes is part of learning, and building confidence is just as important as learning new words.

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  Moving to the UK gave me a new appreciation for my own language. Before, I simply spoke Korean naturally without thinking too much about why we say things in certain ways. Living in a different language and culture has made me reflect on Korean more deeply.
  
  It has also helped me understand the challenges language learners face. I know what it's like to communicate in a second language, to make mistakes, and to wonder why native speakers choose one expression over another. Because of that, I explain Korean in a way that's practical and easy to understand, rather than expecting students to simply memorise grammar rules.

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  My journey as a teacher started when I began teaching my friend's younger sister Korean. She is neurodivergent and found traditional learning methods challenging, so I adapted my lessons to the way she thought and learned. Sometimes I followed her stream of thought and used her interests as a bridge to introduce Korean expressions naturally.
  
  As someone who also has ADD, I understand that everyone learns differently. This experience taught me that teaching is not just about sharing knowledge, but about helping students gain confidence and creating a positive impact that can continue beyond the classroom.
  
  Along with my background as a native Korean speaker and trained actor, I bring patience, creativity, and a focus on making Korean enjoyable and practical for every student.