Looking for all the hard-to-find ingredients vocabulary you need to understand traditional markets in South Korea? Look no further, we have PDF lists you can print for shopping and studying! Also, we have a variety of traditional market ingredients vocabulary lists to help you shop like an expert. About Traditional Markets Korean traditional markets exist as vibrant hubs of cultural, culinary, and commercial activity that offer a unique window into the country’s rich heritage. Unlike the sterile aisles of modern supermarkets, these bustling labyrinths are alive with the chatter of vendors hawking fresh produce, seafood, and an array of locally-made goods. The sights, sounds, and smells create a sensory tapestry: from mountains of chili peppers and garlic destined for kimchi, to sizzling street food stalls serving delicacies like tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and odeng (fish cake skewers). These markets are more than just places to buy groceries; they are community gathering spots, a testament to Korea’s deep-rooted traditions, and a bridge between the country’s past and its rapidly modernizing present. Traditional Markets and International Residents At South of Seoul, we want to support international residents in learning how to use traditional markets in their daily lives. Traditional markets offer affordable prices, unique ingredients, delicious homemade food goods, and a connection with the community. However, such traditional markets can feel overwhelming at first, and new arrivals need support. Linguistic Challenges in Traditional Markets in Korea In traditional markets in Korea, one of the primary challenges faced by non-native shoppers and even some younger Koreans is navigating the myriad of ingredient names. Such names often differ significantly from their English or modern supermarket counterparts. These markets often use old, regional, or colloquial terms for produce, seafood, and other goods, making it difficult for those unfamiliar with such terminology to identify or differentiate items accurately. Moreover, the absence of standardized packaging or labeling, as is typical in larger grocery stores, means shoppers must rely on verbal communication with vendors, which can be daunting if one’s proficiency in the Korean language is limited. The rich tapestry of regional dialects and nuances can further complicate the shopping experience, making it a complex task for those unaccustomed to the local linguistic landscape. Additionally, most Korean dictionaries and vocabulary lists do not extensively cover ingredients unique to Korea. This means that international residents can’t even find resources to help them overcome the complicated landscape of Korean linguistic terms used in traditional markets. Therefore, South of Seoul volunteers work with the Songtan Traditional Market in Pyeongtaek to compile lengthy vocabulary lists to help international residents overcome such hurdles. English to Korean v. Korean to English Lists Studying language and using language in real life often requires two different viewpoints. When studying in a classroom or trying to compose our thoughts, it’s often helpful to have vocabulary organized via English. However, if we are at the market we are often looking up words on signs and it’s more helpful to have vocab organized by the Korean spelling. Therefore, we provide two lists for each category of vocabulary: English to Korean and Korean to English. Uses for Traditional Market Ingredients Vocabulary Lists The following vocabulary lists are perfect for activities such as: Print and Use Traditional Market Ingredients Vocabulary Lists As Needed Everyone can download these traditional market ingredients vocabulary lists and use them. We want this information to be freely used by whoever finds it. We have included the information as PDFs to make it easier to share, print, and compile into new lists as needed. Disclaimers Every language list exists as a work in progress. We will be updating lists as we compile more information. It will be impossible to document every local term for Korean ingredients but we do our best. If you have vocabulary words you would like us to add to our lists, please let us know. Meat Vocabulary The following downloadable PDF of meat cut vocabulary focuses on beef, pork, lamb, and fowl vocabulary. Beans, Grain, and Rice Vocabulary The following downloadable pdf of beans, grain, and rice vocabulary. We realize that there are many more traditional grains that we have not included and we will add them to the list over time. Vegetable Vocabulary This vegetable vocabulary list also includes fruits used as vegetables. Additional Information for Traditional Markets If you find these ingredients lists helpful and you love traditional markets, you may also want to read the following articles: South of SeoulFounded in 2015, the South of Seoul team consists of volunteers on three continents working together to support English-speaking people traveling or living in South Korea. South of Seoul volunteers work with organizations and individuals across South Korea to improve equitable access to information across South Korea. Much of South of Seoul’s information focuses on Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Blogs published under the authorship of “South of Seoul” include blogs compiled by multiple volunteers to improve access to standardized information unrelated to individualized personal experiences. www.southofseoul.net

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Why would I need to have my COVID vaccination certificate printed in English? The vaccination process in South Korea has been picking up speed over the last couple of months, particularly among our expat teacher community. If you completed both doses of the COVID vaccine in South Korea, then you should have received a vaccination certificate similar to the one pictured below. Your vaccination certificate is also available on the COOV app which you have access to if you have a contracted Korean phone number under your name. While you can use this certificate and the COOV app as proof of vaccination within Korea, you CANNOT use it when traveling abroad. Some countries that accept vaccinations completed in Korea require an English version of the certificate. So, how can you get access to your English translated certificate? Read the extremely long and detailed instruction manual below to find out! Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content accessible. If you would like to join our Accessibility Team apply to volunteer with South of Seoul. Please note that the pronunciation of some Korean words may be inaccurate due to AI technology’s limitations. Prerequisites for printing your vaccination certificate via the KDCA website The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) allows residents to access their vaccination certificates directly from their website. Through the KDCA website you can view and print the Korean version as well as the English version of your certificate. HOWEVER, in order to access your certificate, there are a two requirements. NOTE: Accessing anything on Korean websites can be a long, confusing, and frustrating process. Getting to your English COVID vaccination certificate on the KDCA website will require some time and patience. Bare with me. I have done my best to lay out each instruction step by step with screenshots for the entire process. If you don’t want to bother with the roller coaster of Korea’s online platform, skip to the bottom of this blog to see another option for obtaining your English COVID vaccination certificate. 1. You must have a Korean phone number associated with your ARC number These days, in Korea, your alien registration card (ARC) number is attached to EVERYTHING, including your Korean phone plan. If your ARC number is not associated with a contracted Korean phone number, accessing anything online can be difficult. Korea’s online security requires a ton of verifications before allowing access to sensitive personal information. So, if you have a phone that is under someone else’s ARC number, then you will not be able to access your certificate through the KDCA’s website. 2. You must have an accredited certificate of authentication aka a digital certificate of authentication aka official ID certificate (공인닝증서 [gong in injeung seo]) This certificate is referred to by many names in English. I will refer to it as a digital certificate. Most folks, like myself, acquire a digital certificate of authentication through their mobile banking app or bank website. Digital certificates via a banking app/site are free, take only a couple of minutes to set up, and must be renewed every year. Some people purchase digital certificates for a small fee. You can learn how to set up a digital certificate here. This digital certificate can be used across different websites that deal with sensitive personal information, like the KDCA website. You will need to make sure to copy and save your digital certificate on the device you wish to use to access the KDCA website. You can copy and save the digital certificate to multiple devices (i.e. cell phone, desktop, USB). If don’t have a digital certificate saved to the device you want to use for the KDCA website, you won’t have access to your vaccination certificate. How to access the English version of your vaccination certificate Once you have a Korean phone number associated with your ARC number and a digital certificate set up, you can start the process for printing your vaccination certificate in English. Just a little warning, this process may get confusing. Take your time, read the instructions below carefully, and you will have your English vaccination certificate in no time. Step 1: Register for an account on the KDCA Website When you click into the website link, you will see a popup screen. Close this screen. In the top right-hand corner of the screen, you will see a black button that reads 회원가입. Click this button (see image below). Scroll down a bit. Check the boxes labeled 위 이용약관에 동의합니다 and 동의합니다 to accept the website’s terms and conditions for registration. Then click, the grey box at the bottom labeled 동의 as shown in the image below. Verifying your phone number On this page you have a choice between verifying via your cell phone or an i-PIN. I am not sure how the i-PIN works. I have never been able to acquire an i-PIN. However, if you have an i-PIN continue on by clicking the blue button labeled i-PIN. Otherwise, click on 휴대폰 인증 to complete a cell phone verification process. After clicking the cell phone verification button, you will get a pop up screen that looks like the image below. Select your cell phone service provider. Click the “Full Consent” check box. Then, you can either choose to verify via PASS or SMS. Choose whichever works best for you. With PASS, you will need to download the PASS app if you haven’t already done so and verify according to your PASS app instructions. For SMS verification, you will receive a text message with a numeric code to input. I find this to be the easiest option. See below for SMS verification steps. Below is what the SMS verification screen looks like. You will need to enter your name as shown on your Alien Registration Card (ARC) as well as the first 7 digits of your ARC number. Then, enter your phone number, type in the captcha code and click “Confirm.” You will receive a text message to your phone with a six digit code. Enter the code on your verification screen and click “Confirm.” Creating your user name and password After verifying your phone number, you should be redirected to the page shown below. This is where you will create your user name and password. Your user name should be between 6-10 characters. If your user name isn’t accepted, try typing it in all lower case letters. Korean sites often don’t distinguish between capital and lower case letters. Your password should be 9 or more characters long and include alphanumeric (letters and numbers) text as well as a special character. The ACCEPTABLE special characters include !@$%^&* (any other special characters will be rejected. Once you’ve created your user name and password. Re-enter your phone number and click 확인 to confirm. You successfully created an account if you see the below prompt pop up. Click “OK” and you will be redirected back to the main page of the KDCA website to log in. Now you can log into the KDCA website to access your COVID vaccination record. Step 2: Update your personal profile with your digital certificate Now that you have registered an account on the KDCA website and you are logged in, you can access your English COVID vaccination record. Just follow the instructions listed below. First, after logging in, find the button on the top right hand corner of the webpage labeled 회원정보 수정. Click it. Then, on the left hand side of the page, find and click on 회원부가정보 입력. NOTE: Remember the digital certificate (공인증서) we talked about all the way at the top of this blog? You will need that certificate for this next part. So, if you didn’t have a chance to get one set up already, here is another opportunity. Just follow the instructions on this blog post and you will be ready for the next step. Scroll down to the bottom of the KDCA page. Enter your information as shown below. You will upload your digital certificate on the last row of this table where it says 인증서 등록 . Uploading your digital certificate When you click on 인증서 등록, you will get a pop up screen that looks like the image below. You may need to click on a few buttons before you find it, but search for your digital certificate and enter the password associated with your digital certificate. I found my digital certificate listed under the button labeled 하드디스크 (hard disk). Click 확인 when you have finished entering your credentials. If the digital certificate row reads 등록되었습니다, then you can click 회원정보 수정 at the bottom of the page to save your information. You will know it saved correctly if you see the pop up message below. Click OK. Step 3: Access your English COVID vaccination certificate Phew! Are you still with me? If you are, I am proud of you for making it this far. Korea’s online systems require a lot of verifications to ensure that your information remains secure from hackers. It can get super frustrating to navigate this system, but once you get set up, it gets easier. Okay, so you should now be back to the main KDCA page. On the right hand side of the page, you will see a button panel (see image below). Click the top button on the panel labeled 예방접종증명서 신청. Click on 영문 for the English version of your COVID vaccination certificate. Then, click the button next to your name labeled 증명서 신청. Fill out the form with your information as shown below. The digital certificate pop up window will appear. Find your digital certificate. Enter your digital certificate password. Then, click 확인 to confirm. The below message means you are good to go. Click OK. Step 4 (Hallelujah!): Printing your English COVID vaccination certificate Select the dates from when you received your first shot to when you received your second shot. Then, click 검색. Your vaccination certificate will appear in the table below. Click 문서출력. A pop up window will appear with instructions on how to print your COVID vaccination certificate. After skimming through the instructions, close out of the instructions window to view your English COVID vaccination record. Click on the printer button on the top right corner of the page and there you have it! Congratulations if you made it through this crazy long blog on how to print your English COVID vaccination certificate. You are a trooper! If you went through all of these instructions and still weren’t able to get access to your vaccination certificate, there is another way. What if I can’t (or don’t want to) access my COVID vaccination record online? If you couldn’t access your COVID vaccination online after going through the entire process above, you have two other options for getting a COVID vaccination certificate appropriate for travel outside the country. Visit your local health (보건소) or community center (주민센터) Not all health centers and community centers offer this service, so it would be wise to call ahead to double check if yours does. However, some local health centers (보건소) or community centers (주민센터 aka 동사무소) will print an English COVID vaccination certificate for you if you visit in person. Just copy and paste these names (보건소 or 주민센 터 or 동사무소) into Naver or Kakao maps to find a location near you. Make sure you bring your Alien Registration Card (ARC) with you when you visit. Get your Korean certificate apostilled On a call with a 1339 COVID call center representative, I was informed that you can get your Korean COVID vaccination certificate apostilled to verify it for when you travel outside the country. Before starting this process, always check the rules and policies for the country you are traveling to. Make sure that an apostilled copy...

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Finding Breakfast in South Korea The South of Seoul Pyeongtaek Food & Fun group on Facebook is often getting questions about where to find breakfast. Until recently we had always answered this question by talking about the numerous wonderful places to eat a western-style breakfast. Finding Korean Breakfast in Korea However, we recently realized that we were keeping a secret we didn’t mean to keep. There are many Korean restaurants that also serve breakfast and it’s delicious!!!!! Yes, that’s right! There are more options for breakfast than bacon and eggs. In order to identify who serves breakfast, the Korean phrases you are looking for are 아침밥됩니다 or 아침식사됩니다. These phrases will often be written on the window or doors of the restaurant. The phrases often mean the restaurant opens around 8:00am in order to serve hungry individuals getting ready for the day. Sometimes it can mean they open as early as 6:00am. Generally, the exact time will be on the door and look like this: 6시 (6:00), 7시 (7:00), or 8시 (8:00). What Koreans Eat for Breakfast A Korean breakfast menu looks much different than a western breakfast menu. Don’t expect eggs, bacon, or pancakes. Instead, you may find delicious Korean soups with rice and a few side dishes. The selection is also often limited. We recommend trying a few places until you find the right soup for you. Reasons We Love Korean Breakfast We started sliding over to Korean breakfast a few years ago because we found that it made us more productive on the weekends. It was back before western breakfast was an option for us in Pyeongtaek. Once we made the switch it has been hard to go back. We still love to go for brunch, but day-to-day we prefer a Korean breakfast. Although we love spicy food, we do tend to prefer lighter soups like Galbitang when we are eating in the morning. We love galbitang‘s smooth taste and the fact the bone broth is filled with nutrition. Lately, though, we have started graving Gamjatang in the morning. The soup is both hearty and warm which means it is perfect for winter. Our Top Picks for Korean Breakfasts: Click any of the options to learn more about the recommended dish. Budaejjigae = 부대찌개 A spicy stew filled with meat and veggies. Kimchijjigae = 김치찌개 A classic Korean stew filled with lots of kimchi and sometimes pork. Galbitang = 갈비탕 Non-spicy and light beef rib soup. Gamjatang = 감자탕 Spicy and hearty meat stew filled with greens and meat on the bone. BaekBan = 백반 A meal of side dishes and a soup eaten with rice. Good Luck! We hope this helps your search for breakfast. One of the things we find joyful about life in Pyeongtaek is that we have so many wonderful breakfast choices that are both traditionally western or traditionally Korean. It gives our mornings variety that we have never had anywhere else we have lived. Happy eating!!!! Lanae Rivers-Woods, MAITLanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master’s of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert. Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities. Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea. When she isn’t in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains. www.southofseoul.net

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Welcome to a New Type of All-You-Can-Eat (AYCE) This is one of the blogs where we change your life. We are going to tell you something everyone here knows, but they never tell the new guy. Keep your eyes out for the magic words “무한리필”. Memorize what this looks like. Directly translated, this means Free Refill. Of course, by now you know that, in Korea, you already get free refills on sides. You might be questioning what this really means. Put that worry away, these places and specials are pure magic. When a Korean restaurant says 무한리필 it means something special in great quantity. We have tried unlimited crab, lamb, beef, pork, chicken, pasta, sashimi, cocktails, beer, and sushi. Each place has its own unique rules and setup. There is no standard. You can’t expect one restaurant or bar to be just like the next. Usually, the first time we try a place we are also skeptical, but we haven’t been let down yet. If you are from the United States and have eaten at Olive Garden, then you have experienced endless breadsticks or pasta, “MuHanRePil” (무한리필) can often be similar to this. What are the Rules for Muhan Refill (AYCE)? Here is a list of different rules or experiences we have discovered while enjoying the majesty that is “MuHanRePil” (무한리필): It could be a special they are running for a short time, or it could be the theme of their restaurant. (These days there are more places doing specials.) You can’t expect it to be exactly the same every time you show up. 무한리필 doesn’t usually mean a buffet, but it could mean that there are self-service elements. You should be prepared to serve yourself some parts of the meal. There might be a “meat bar” where your refill your plate, or it could mean that you request a refill each time. If you don’t finish all the meat or food you order, there could be an additional “penalty” fee. There might be a time limit. Maybe it’s all you can eat for 2 hours. (This is quite common.) Usually, it is all you can eat, but sometimes it could mean you get one or two rounds. (95% of the time it has been unlimited refills in our experience, but we haven’t eaten everywhere.) It is possible that it is only during a certain time or on certain days. (This isn’t common, but it is possible.) At one restaurant we go to, only the salmon and tuna are unlimited and the sides actually cost 1,000 won each to refill. We have only seen this once. Some restaurants have both 무한리필 (MuHanRePil) options and regular menu items. Other places have only 무한리필. Point to the 무한리필 listing and price to clarify what you want. There are so many 무한리필 specials and restaurants across Pyeongtaek it is actually impossible to keep track. We have used the word as many times as possible in this blog to burn the image into your mind. We want you to be able to spot it through the window of any bus as you fly down the street. It is a word that will fill your tummy and protect your pocketbook. Let Us Know of Things We Forgot About Muhan Refill! If you have experienced any other types of rules for 무한리필, please let us know in the comments. One more time for the road, “무한리필!” Also, you’re welcome. Life changed in one word. South of SeoulFounded in 2015, the South of Seoul team consists of volunteers on three continents working together to support English-speaking people traveling or living in South Korea. South of Seoul volunteers work with organizations and individuals across South Korea to improve equitable access to information across South Korea. Much of South of Seoul’s information focuses on Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Blogs published under the authorship of “South of Seoul” include blogs compiled by multiple volunteers to improve access to standardized information unrelated to individualized personal experiences. www.southofseoul.net

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Sometimes a product you purchased doesn’t work out the way you want it to. Instead of getting frustrated, try some of these phrases to help you get an exchange or refund. Christi ClineChristi Cline holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Korean American. She proudly served in the US Marines and worked as a police officer before moving into social media and online content. As a Cultural Liason and Content Creator with South of Seoul, Ms. Cline reported on Pyeongtaek news and helped to coordinate youth camps with the Pyeongtaek Youth Center. After leaving her volunteer position with South of Seoul, Christi moved to the United States and joined a global communications technology company.

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In Korea one of the coolest things is how easy it is to charter a bus and do a group tour. It’s crazy affordable. Usually between 300-550,000 won depending on the size of your bus (24 or 44 people) and where you are going. The one hurdle that foreigners will have when booking a bus is communicating easily with the driver.  Since we are all about empowering everyone to get out and enjoy all that Korea has to offer, here is a set of phrases to help you feel confident in booking a tour for your friends and co-workers and seeing the country on your own terms. (Some of these are specific for Pyeongtaek). BOARDING THE BUS DURING TRAVEL UPON ARRIVAL (You can save these images and send in an SMS message.) OTHER

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Always remember, if you don’t feel comfortable speaking, you can simply show the server your phone and point the to the useful phrases for pet owners that you need. You can also save these images to your phone for emergencies. Although ideally we recommend visiting a vet with strong English skills, we also understand that this is often impossible. We also understand that even when a vet speaks English or an expat speaks Korean, misunderstandings still occur. We have compiled this list to empower pet owners to do their best for their fur babies in a stressful situation. Korean Translation provided by Pyeongtaek Korean Tutors. One-on-one Korean language tutoring with a Certified Korean as a Foreign Language teacher.               Looking for English-Speaking Vets in Pyeongtaek Regardless if you choose an English-speaking vet or not, we recommend holding onto this list of useful phrases for pet owners. Also, if you are new to the area and have not chosen a veterinarian yet, make sure to check out our blog with English-speaking animal clinics and hospitals in Pyeongtaek. In case of emergencies, it is always vital to keep a list of locations you can have on hand. Be sure to check out our blog about 24-hour emergency animal hospitals with tips to help you prepare for emergencies with your pet. Our content partners, KimchiRednecks, also wrote a blog about Best Friends Vet near Osan Air Base. As parents to three older shih tzus, the KimchiRednecks often provide content and videos on their channel with their pups. Fun Options for A Day Out With Your Dog Ready to take your dog out for the day? Check out this blog for fun options near Osan Air Base. Also, if you are near Camp Humphreys, check out these options. Join the Everything Paws Korea Facebook Group Looking for a place where pet owners living in Korea can ask questions and share ideas? Everything Paws Korea has information on training, recipes, health tips and DIY. In addition, there are post links to articles and such relating to our pets. However, please keep in mind, information in this group should never replace the advice of a qualified veterinarian. Volunteer with South of Seoul Interested in working with a fun team of talented volunteers? The South of Seoul volunteer team is always looking for other like-minded folks to research information, compile blogs, and edit content.

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Important Western Ingredients and their Hangul doppelgangers. 

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Korean daycare staff expects IMMEDIATE responses to any text information. It’s a Korean cultural standard to respond within 10 minutes to messages involving children. At least take the time to explain your situation. South of Seoul created a list of common responses parents can use when communicating with schools: English Korean (name) will be late to school(00:00). (name) will be late to school(00:00). (name) will be late to school(00:00). (name)은 학교에 늦을 거예요(00:00). (name) will not go to school today. (name)은 오늘 학교에 가지 않을 거예요. I will come at (time) to pick-up (name). 저는 (name)를 일찍(00:00) 데리고 갈 것입니다. What time does school begin today? 오늘 학교는 몇 시에 시작합니까? What time does school get out today? 오늘 학교는 몇 시에 끝나나요? (name) is sick. (name)은 아파요. (name) will go to the hospital today. (name)은 오늘 병원에 갈 거예요. (name) is allergic to (Food name). (name)은 (food name)에 알레르기가 있습니다. What school supplies does (need) tomorrow? (name)이 내일 학교에서 필요한 준비물은 무엇입니까? Does (name) have homework today (name)은 오늘 숙제가 있나요? Yes, I understand. 네, 이해했습니다. Yes, that’s ok. / Yes, that’s fine. 예, 괜찮아요.

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Always remember, if you don’t feel comfortable speaking, you can simply show the server your phone and point the the phrase you need. 

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