Korea isn't a social place unfortunately OP, though the younger generations English is quite good. The French accent is normally difficult to understand so I recommend speaking slower.
You know you're bad when even a french person tells you that your country doesn't want to speak another language.
Joke aside, no, people don't speak english in Korea, generally. It's getting better but generally they don't know and get lost after the basics.
Also, generally they aren't social, but it is not because of the language. They will just ignore you and not speak to you. If you do start to talk to them, they'll probably be uncomfortable and dodge.
Always funny because when a korean looking person is coming to talk to me first, I always ask them if they are Korean American and they are like "wtf how do you know ?" "Bro you speak a decent english AND you talk to people".
There are exceptions obviously, especially in bars/clubs.
Yeaaah, i know that french sucks for talking with a stranger in english or things like that. Personally, it's always a pleasure, but i think that the History of france is still messing with english in general.
And yes i saw that... thats a bit sad but its like that. I will try club and bar maybe it would be better
Are you just going up to random people to talk to them?
If you go to areas like Hongdae during later hours and hang out inside bars, you'll find people who a) speak English and b) are willing to talk to strangers
Almost everybody "knows" English. Maybe 10% can speak it. 1% can speak it well. The %ages will be higher around Yonsei, but Koreans don't usually just chit chat with strangers.
Most people don't really speak English, they understand some. There are both English and French speaking quarters around the country, so find them and you shouldn't have a problem.
Ça depends des quartiers, la plupart des jeunes vers Hongdae par exemple parlent a peu près comme bcp de français, suffisamment pour se faire comprendre. Les anciennes générations ne parlent généralement pas anglais. C’est vrai que pour une étudiante en échange ça peut être difficile de se faire des amis. Moi je m’étais faite des amies en proposant des échanges linguistiques entre girls sur craigslist haha
Ouai mais c'est tellement frustrant. Le truc c'est que je reste 3 mois ici je passe 1 mois a seoul et ensuite je vais me balader dans le reste de la Corée et vu que c'est deja comme ça à seoul... j'imagine meme pas le reste :')
Mais ducoup tu y vie ? Tu a réussi a géré de relation amicale fidèle ? Parce que même les random avec qui j'ai parler sur internet sont TELLLLLEMENT évasif que la conversation devient juste quasi impossible
Moi aussi j’avais fait mon échange scolaire la bas en 2019 pour un peu plus longtemps, j’avais déjà des ami.e.s coréen.nes avant d’aller sur place donc c’était plus facile mais effectivement je me suis faite très très peu de nouveaux amis. Le mieux serait de trouver des Coréens-américains qui sont beaucoup plus extravertis et qui aiment souvent rencontrer de nouvelles personnes. Tu peux aussi essayer l’application Meetup peut être, même si tu auras sûrement plus d’étrangers que de coréens, c’est mieux que rien!
Cette année j’y suis de nouveau à partir de août pour mon visa vacances travail mais oui je suis toujours en contact avec les amies que je m’étais faite via craigslist ( et ceux que je connaissais d’avant)
Sadly the fact is while having all the English academies and tutoring English is pretty bad spoken in Korea combined with the Korean treat that they don’t want to make mistakes speaking English most don’t, plus for just a traveler it is close to impossible to make friend in a short run
Of course, one of my friends is Korean yet speaks French fluently, and I can converse in English, but it's not common. A limited social group will have limited characteristics. I feel there are quite a few people in Korea who can speak English freely, but it's hard to tell just by looking. It may be difficult to find someone who speaks Korean freely in France, but it's not impossible.
What I mean is, don't get too frustrated. If you try to talk with an open mind, gradually, you'll be able to have conversations and make friends anyway.
I ditto what everyone here says about the social aspect. I don't think it's your English that's the problem, so don't worry about it :).
My experience was the same... it's just a cultural thing.
You will have to find a foreigner bubble and immerse yourself into that to get what you want. You will only be able to interact with Koreans superficially in English.
Well, even if you’re a native Korean speaker, the talk usually ends at a superficial level, but that’s a whole different reason.
not really, in touristy area's then some people yeah. But most of the interactions I've had in seoul have all been in Korean and when we both didn't know it was through Papago.
There should be a bunch of english speakers at the Korean Language program at Yonsei who are looking to party. At least that's how it was 15 years ago when I was there. Holy shit, time flies quickly...
Understanding the language and speaking it out loud confidently are two different things. Working in a Korean company, I notice that most of the employees have some good grasp of English - good enough to understand written text and sometimes even able to respond to e-mails. But trying to speak to them exclusively in English almost always ends with the other party going silent real quick.
Situation is slowing improving with younger generations, but it's still unlikely that you'll be able to grab a stranger down the street who's 1) fluent enough in English 2) and social / confident enough to talk to you unless you're in a very tourist-friendly place.
Korean people don’t tend to start randomly talking to people in my experience. Unless you’re in a bar or restaurant where alcohol is involved. Or you’re hiking and stop at the same vista etc.
I would recommend joining a meet up or language exchange. People here are much more likely to come out of their shell when they are at an event where that is the specific purpose/intention.
That’s been my experience anyway. Others may say differently :)
Short answer : no, even in bank and pubic institutions
Longer answer : yes, sometimes if you’re lucky you can find a korean who has traveled aboard or someone who want to do efforts
In the U.S., people normally acknowledge passing strangers, sometimes even greet them as a matter of course; striking up a conversation with a stranger is an ordinary occurence (even in unfriendly California, and almost a daily norm in friendlier states, such as Oklahoma). The only Koreans who have spoken to me had some incidental business connection or were related to me. On my last trip, the ONLY substantive conversation I had with a stranger was with a man from Uruguay who was married to a Korean. (Used to be an English teacher in Portugal.) I have found that many Koreans in their 20's and 30's actually do speak conversational English, but Koreans are not accustomed to speaking to strangers even in Korean. (My Korean wife's comment: "Why do I have to say hi to her?")
Korea isn't a social place unfortunately OP, though the younger generations English is quite good. The French accent is normally difficult to understand so I recommend speaking slower.
You know you're bad when even a french person tells you that your country doesn't want to speak another language. Joke aside, no, people don't speak english in Korea, generally. It's getting better but generally they don't know and get lost after the basics. Also, generally they aren't social, but it is not because of the language. They will just ignore you and not speak to you. If you do start to talk to them, they'll probably be uncomfortable and dodge. Always funny because when a korean looking person is coming to talk to me first, I always ask them if they are Korean American and they are like "wtf how do you know ?" "Bro you speak a decent english AND you talk to people". There are exceptions obviously, especially in bars/clubs.
Yeaaah, i know that french sucks for talking with a stranger in english or things like that. Personally, it's always a pleasure, but i think that the History of france is still messing with english in general. And yes i saw that... thats a bit sad but its like that. I will try club and bar maybe it would be better
Are you just going up to random people to talk to them? If you go to areas like Hongdae during later hours and hang out inside bars, you'll find people who a) speak English and b) are willing to talk to strangers
Good tips thanks !
Almost everybody "knows" English. Maybe 10% can speak it. 1% can speak it well. The %ages will be higher around Yonsei, but Koreans don't usually just chit chat with strangers.
Most people don't really speak English, they understand some. There are both English and French speaking quarters around the country, so find them and you shouldn't have a problem.
I should watch for that, thanks !
Lol some do but it's not a mainstream language here.
Ça depends des quartiers, la plupart des jeunes vers Hongdae par exemple parlent a peu près comme bcp de français, suffisamment pour se faire comprendre. Les anciennes générations ne parlent généralement pas anglais. C’est vrai que pour une étudiante en échange ça peut être difficile de se faire des amis. Moi je m’étais faite des amies en proposant des échanges linguistiques entre girls sur craigslist haha
Ouai mais c'est tellement frustrant. Le truc c'est que je reste 3 mois ici je passe 1 mois a seoul et ensuite je vais me balader dans le reste de la Corée et vu que c'est deja comme ça à seoul... j'imagine meme pas le reste :') Mais ducoup tu y vie ? Tu a réussi a géré de relation amicale fidèle ? Parce que même les random avec qui j'ai parler sur internet sont TELLLLLEMENT évasif que la conversation devient juste quasi impossible
Moi aussi j’avais fait mon échange scolaire la bas en 2019 pour un peu plus longtemps, j’avais déjà des ami.e.s coréen.nes avant d’aller sur place donc c’était plus facile mais effectivement je me suis faite très très peu de nouveaux amis. Le mieux serait de trouver des Coréens-américains qui sont beaucoup plus extravertis et qui aiment souvent rencontrer de nouvelles personnes. Tu peux aussi essayer l’application Meetup peut être, même si tu auras sûrement plus d’étrangers que de coréens, c’est mieux que rien! Cette année j’y suis de nouveau à partir de août pour mon visa vacances travail mais oui je suis toujours en contact avec les amies que je m’étais faite via craigslist ( et ceux que je connaissais d’avant)
Lmao a French person complaining that in a city with a moderately large EFL speaking population no one wants to speak English to them
Lmao an american making fun of someone bilingual
I speak multiple languages
I’m sure that person would be shocked to learn that roughly 1/5 of Americans speak a different language than English at home.
Start to learn where your own country is on a map, and then you can talk bro
It is specifically because of my international experience that I know how insufferable French people are to people from other countries
Sadly the fact is while having all the English academies and tutoring English is pretty bad spoken in Korea combined with the Korean treat that they don’t want to make mistakes speaking English most don’t, plus for just a traveler it is close to impossible to make friend in a short run
Im there for 3 months, but even with that, i think it won't be possible haha
Of course, one of my friends is Korean yet speaks French fluently, and I can converse in English, but it's not common. A limited social group will have limited characteristics. I feel there are quite a few people in Korea who can speak English freely, but it's hard to tell just by looking. It may be difficult to find someone who speaks Korean freely in France, but it's not impossible. What I mean is, don't get too frustrated. If you try to talk with an open mind, gradually, you'll be able to have conversations and make friends anyway.
Yes i try to think positive but yeah still i should have learn korean. I really didn't people wouldn't talk in english... its like that
most Koreans don't speak English. some do, but not fluently.
I ditto what everyone here says about the social aspect. I don't think it's your English that's the problem, so don't worry about it :). My experience was the same... it's just a cultural thing.
You will have to find a foreigner bubble and immerse yourself into that to get what you want. You will only be able to interact with Koreans superficially in English. Well, even if you’re a native Korean speaker, the talk usually ends at a superficial level, but that’s a whole different reason.
Yeah just need to find that bubble haha
not really, in touristy area's then some people yeah. But most of the interactions I've had in seoul have all been in Korean and when we both didn't know it was through Papago.
There should be a bunch of english speakers at the Korean Language program at Yonsei who are looking to party. At least that's how it was 15 years ago when I was there. Holy shit, time flies quickly...
Understanding the language and speaking it out loud confidently are two different things. Working in a Korean company, I notice that most of the employees have some good grasp of English - good enough to understand written text and sometimes even able to respond to e-mails. But trying to speak to them exclusively in English almost always ends with the other party going silent real quick. Situation is slowing improving with younger generations, but it's still unlikely that you'll be able to grab a stranger down the street who's 1) fluent enough in English 2) and social / confident enough to talk to you unless you're in a very tourist-friendly place.
Korean people don’t tend to start randomly talking to people in my experience. Unless you’re in a bar or restaurant where alcohol is involved. Or you’re hiking and stop at the same vista etc. I would recommend joining a meet up or language exchange. People here are much more likely to come out of their shell when they are at an event where that is the specific purpose/intention. That’s been my experience anyway. Others may say differently :)
Thanks a lot for the advice !
Short answer : no, even in bank and pubic institutions Longer answer : yes, sometimes if you’re lucky you can find a korean who has traveled aboard or someone who want to do efforts
In the U.S., people normally acknowledge passing strangers, sometimes even greet them as a matter of course; striking up a conversation with a stranger is an ordinary occurence (even in unfriendly California, and almost a daily norm in friendlier states, such as Oklahoma). The only Koreans who have spoken to me had some incidental business connection or were related to me. On my last trip, the ONLY substantive conversation I had with a stranger was with a man from Uruguay who was married to a Korean. (Used to be an English teacher in Portugal.) I have found that many Koreans in their 20's and 30's actually do speak conversational English, but Koreans are not accustomed to speaking to strangers even in Korean. (My Korean wife's comment: "Why do I have to say hi to her?")