How Good Are Koreans At English? | Street Interview

With English being the international language and Korea’s pop culture being popular worldwide, one might think that Koreans may be fairly fluent in English. In fact, there are many tourists visiting Korea and if you look around Seoul most street signs are actually written in English. But how fluent are Koreans really at speaking English? We hit the streets of Seoul to challenge some random Koreans on their English skills.
The answers and opinions expressed in this video are those of individual interviewees alone and do not reflect the views of ASIAN BOSS or the general Korean population.
0:00 - Intro
0:31 - Rate your English skills from 1 - 10
0:53 - English test: Only answer our questions in English!
4:00 - How hard was it to hold a conversation in English?
5:38 - What do you think of foreigners speaking Korean?
6:35 - How do you feel about many signs in Korea being in English?
7:44 - Why do many Koreans struggle to speak fluent English?
10:16 - How important is speaking English in Korea?
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[@Solar-em2ld]

The woman who said that her English is a 2 out of 10 actually spoke pretty well in my opinion

[@asianprince8718]

She spoke English quite fluently tbh. Do you think she probably spent some years in America or Australia?

[@aghoridevta4338]

But still need some effort, my nephew (9) speak better then them

[@DarkDragonSlayer]

@@aghoridevta4338 and maybe your nephew speaks better english than you do lol

[@aghoridevta4338]

Lol dragons comment got delete

[@Aldraz]

Yeah very humble people are often the smartest

[@hoyansango]

I studied abroad in Korea 11 years ago at Yonsei University, but I actually got lost in Sinchon (university town near Yonsei) on my first day of arriving there because I was unable to reach a friend who lives in Korea. I went around and started to panic since I won't have a place to stay for the night and next day was orientation. I was on the streets of Sinchon panicking and asking random strangers if anyone spoke English. Everyone ignored me for a good while and I was on the verge of crying, until finally one girl came up to me and said she can speak English and can be available to help. She let me used her Korean ID to access the wifi at Starbucks to reach my friend and even helped me call a taxi and wrote down my friend's address in Korea for me to show to the taxi driver. She told me she actually studied in the US around where I'm from, which is why her English was so good. I will never forget the Korean girl who helped me out that night. If not for her, I probably would have lingered or slept on the streets for a night. To the girl who saved me that night - Hope you are doing well!

[@mikulitsi1819]

That is lovely

[@AureliusR]

@memes sigh. you're misunderstanding.

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

​@memes haha

[@MoejiiOsmanTV]

Point being, they don’t speak English even tho they study harder then any country in the world have the hardest test exams for universities bcuz there education system is not based on learning example like a language but to memorize

[@user-bodyfulness]

​@BarebackBarbarians FC hehe true because we are more study reading writing in my age actually I don't need speak English so I forgot 😅

[@GuranPurin]

The Genshin cosplayers out of nowhere, LMAO! Compared to the Japanese interviewed in the last video, Koreans seem more open to speaking even if they don't quite understand well. I think Japanese people should not stress so much about perfection. At the same time, I think the Korean questions were a bit easier.

[@asianprince8718]

You mean the questions that they asked Koreans in English are easier than they asked Japanese?

[@dutch8296]

I was expecting the hillichurl would say mossi mita

[@hollygreen8663]

@@dutch8296 so you know khaenriah dialect

[@Grappa171]

The woman giving herself 2 was too hard on her, she definitely did good considering the situation and how small is the exposure to English language Koreans get in everyday life. Everyone can study, if there’s no real use or practice of the language those “problems” will always exist. Luckily, today there are plenty of methods to practice everyday: movies, apps, KZbin and so on. I would also like to point-out that stating the number of Korean people speaking English better than many Americans can do with Korean language might be a bit of a nonsense: English, Chinese and Spanish are the most spoken languages in the world (billions of people speak those languages), while korean is spoken by a relatively small number of people. This puts the languages on different levels. I’m not speaking of some kind of superiority , just about numbers and the opportunities that come with them.

[@asianprince8718]

I don't know, are you from America ? Do most restaurants in America offer menu in Chinese too now?

[@Grappa171]

@@asianprince8718 not from USA or any other native English speaking Country. However, what I wanted to say is that in everyday life statistically it would make more sense to add English or Chinese translation to the menus for restaurants all over the World, compared to adding Korean translation. It is just a number’s game. Apart from that I am a huge fan of things and creations coming from Korea, therefore I am more than happy to hear their language around. I am happy to hear my language around too, but I know that it doesn’t make sense to think that more people will speak my native language if there is no evidence-based upside to do it.

[@danbruh33]

Was just about to comment the same thing. It’s stupid to point out that people in the west can’t speak Korean. They don’t have to cuz English is a global language and I’m not saying this because I’m from one of the English speaking countries, I’m from India and in the same way I don’t need to learn all the languages in my country when I can communicate with most of the people with 2 languages Hindi and English. And again I’m not saying this because I’m from north india, I’m actually from the south.

[@danbruh33]

Also in the same way a Chinese person living in china doesn’t have to learn English unless he plans on going abroad.

[@ories]

In Korea professional, paid resources and private lessons to learn English are very common, since English is one of the most important subjects at school. It's natural that most Koreans should have at least basic knowledge of it. The other way round, such as an American learning Korean, would be a lot more difficult for that reason.

[@TheWeirdlyenough]

After spending a bunch of time in korea, I can say as an American that the locals are quite good at english. Also it helps that translation apps can fill the gaps

[@asianprince8718]

Have you tried food stalls in Korea? Many of them understand English if they cannot speak fluently.

[@TheWeirdlyenough]

@@asianprince8718 lol I no little korean so j get through by pointing at the picture of the item I want. The papago app is a great tool

[@icecp4279]

Google is absolutely atrocious at translating Korean though. Papago is better but still pretty bad.

[@merrittpalmer4349]

@@TheWeirdlyenough what is dating like there?

[@TheWeirdlyenough]

@@merrittpalmer4349 if you are an english speaker and you would like to date a korean, tinder works, I think there are a couple korean versions of tinder as well, or you can find a couple english exchange programs available to mix and mingle with locals who want to practice english.

[@donelleyoung6678]

I love the comment from the guy in the grey jacket about his confidence to have a conversation in English because he sees the same challenges with someone who tries to converse in Korean. And yes, most are shy, which makes them appear unapproachable, but the ability to try speaking their language will also go a long way in changing the shy/ unapproachable approach with much more open convo dynamics

[@cynthieful]

I think another point to consider is that not all foreigners who go to Korea speak English as their native language. Yes here in Europe we tend to be really good at English either way, but there's also many who are equally awkward in English when they go to Korea so you can just all be awkward together!

[@heynhamnham]

I have a Korean friend who speaks English 95% perfectly, but his problem is shyness. He's shy to speak in English afraid of messing up the words. I'm not native to the language myself, and I also make mistakes, i try to help him whenever I can but he knows more than me!!! I just speak intuitively but he even know grammar and stuff like transitive verbs

[@CaptainKremmen]

The Japanese are very similar. In professional situations especially, a Japanese presenter might use a translator and you find out later that their English is very good. Sometimes, they just need a few drinks.

[@NamuWilliams]

Tammy is a great host! Good job! Also, the woman who said her English was a 2 is wrong, it's a solid 6! Her English is far better than my Korean and I'd rate my Korean at a 2, lol.

[@NamuWilliams]

Also, I am so grateful that many people from other countries are willing to learn English. I realize there is some imperialism, corporate requirements and other factors at play in why they might learn it, but it makes me excited to know that there are some people out there, outside of America, Canada, Britain, etc, who care enough about the world outside their country to learn other languages, and I'm always excited to see people trying to speak English, even if they're still struggling with it. It's a huge sign of respect and I wish more Americans would make the effort to learn at least one other language besides English, for the same reason.

[@asianprince8718]

@寿司 デーモン Some people learn English because of the Hollywood movie or American influence since they were born. Do you speak Japanese? I heard if one knows Japanese, one could learn Koreans very easily.

[@NamuWilliams]

@@asianprince8718 I studied Japanese in college and it's probably the language that I know the most vocabulary for, but I'm not even close to elementary level, conversationally. I speak a handful of sentences in seven languages, but never studied any of them long enough to become fluent.

[@sroberts605]

She was great, very articulate in both languages.

[@aghoridevta4338]

Na na that's wrong rating if you're 6 out of 10 to her

[@B.ELLAMusic]

I’m glad that that guy mentioned 9:47 really gave me the confidence I needed. I’m planning on moving to Korea in the next year or so, and I’m learning Korean but I’m terrified of speaking because of pronunciation, and I’m still new to learning Hangul. He is absolutely right though, because when anyone speaks to me in English even though they struggle with sentences, I still understand them and know what they mean. I respect and appreciate them for speaking English. I want to pay my respect to Koreans when I go to their country by speaking Korean. ♥️

[@szvqorwnpstahskypfwmp9821]

Where are you from? If you don't mind asking you!!

[@cynthieful]

Oh don't worry! Koreans love it even if you only know to say Hello :D They are super understanding even if you mess up because they don't expect you to know anything and just appreciate you trying (I've lived in Korea before so I know this from my own experience)

[@axnyslie]

I was just in Seoul and I was immediately surprised by the language barrier being much wider than I expected. The only people I could communicate with were my hotel concierge and the DMZ tour guide. Getting around the city was fairly straightforward, but interacting in restaurants and stores was often not possible, even in tourist areas like Myeongdong.

[@user-fi8gh8bu1q]

Surely koreans speak korean.

[@hc9922]

It is natural that language barriers arise in other countries

[@spongie7403]

Yes, and the people who speak good English work elsewhere. Jobs like waiting tables, cleaning or worsking as cashiers are perhaps the easiest jobs you can get in Korea where your boss doesn’t require English certificates.

[@zeruma.1264]

I have a friend who’s a Korean exchange student, and his English is very proficient. I was also surprised by how I could still get around Seoul when I visited despite the language barrier! I think from the way that I saw from the Korean Englishman video in how some schools teach English is how they get so proficient, not to mention how some students will do exchanges to English speaking countries like the Philippines as well. They’re all so intelligent and I can’t help but admire them!! If I ever get the chance to go back, I’m definitely going to try to learn Korean so that I could communicate easier.

[@asianprince8718]

A. Where are you from? I had the similar experience in that I had almost no languages barrier when trying to ask them in English. A lot of them had studying abroad in English speaking countries....the young people especially. Did you enjoy your trip?

[@zeruma.1264]

@@asianprince8718 I did enjoy my trip!! I’m from Canada, and found that people in Korea were so polite! I’d love to go back again when given the chance, and I love that I get to walk around everywhere as well since being in North America makes you so reliant on cars.

[@asianprince8718]

@Zerum A. You mean In Korea, you could reach to any place for eating and fun very quickly without the need of driving ? I guess, so many 24 hours shops near hotels.

[@zeruma.1264]

@@asianprince8718 yup!! One of them was even just right outside the hotel I stayed at, which was really nice too!! And since there was so much to do, I had plenty of options on where to go!! I loved the experience very much!!

[@Nightriser271828]

I think the fact that your experience was in Seoul makes a huge difference. Foreigners flock mostly to Seoul, so the people of Seoul would likely have a lot more experience and practice with speaking English than someone who lives in a city that doesn't get so many tourists.

[@whereyoubean]

Good job guys! I’m from the Philippines and we react the same way when we're conversing in English. i’m more comfortable writing in English than speaking in English. Still hoping to travel in Korea someday.

[@la381]

But, Filipinos were expected to learn English decades before Koreans were.

[@cynhwon]

Totally agree with the gentleman with grey jacket. I think as native speakers (of any language), your attitude when conversing with others learning to speak your language is so important; at least it is for me. If they sound even remotely encouraging (at least not showing annoyance), it gives me so much confidence to try harder to speak even if I am still making grammatical mistakes here and there.

[@olumidetemitayojemiseye6163]

I felt exactly like most of them when I first came to Korea. Speaking in korean language was so difficult but I think because of the great opportunity the Korean government gave me, the diligent teachers I had, I am a bit better in korean language now and I still hope to learn more and be fluent, so as to improve my proficiency in the language.

[@asianprince8718]

Are you also learning Japanese? I was told its grammar works like Korean!

[@caleb8908]

lol the hilichurl and abyss mages were definitely unexpected

[@The_SeoulJourner]

I lived in Korea and with Koreans in the US. I also taught and coached Koreans to help them improve vocabulary, pronunciation and communication flow in both countries. I find there are 4 main groups of people: 1. Those that are comfortable with speaking English. They can hold a deeper level of conversation easily, even if they have occasional errors it doesn't stop them from wanting to improve. 2, Those that struggle with speaking freely, but manage to communicate the essentials. They can talk about the simple day to day topics. 3. Those that have the ability to speak English with a native speaker, but they say they can't or lower their actual level when asked to speak out of a fear they are not going to be perfect. I am positive that many in this group would be able to speak the same as group 1 or 2 if they were not so shy or hard on themselves. 4. Those that forgot all they ever learned in school other than the common greetings. The Korean school system doesn't place an emphasis on speaking as much as it does test taking. This does cause a gap in verbal communication. Still, Koreans are very smart and extremely hard working, I have seen anyone who enjoys learning and makes an effort improve greatly regardless of their present skill level. I had one self-motivated student who worked his way from group 4 to group 1 in about a year.

[@asianprince8718]

Do you think English will become the official language in Korea some day?

[@asianprince8718]

@Joe Halliday Sorry I am not able to understand. Do you mean French grammar has to change? Or its grammar is not working? Isn't French popular language too in the world?

[@The_SeoulJourner]

No, Hangul Day is a national holiday for a reason. Korea's greatest pride is their Hangul writing system. King Sejong is a hero for developing it. The only reason the majority of the countries use English as their national language, is that they were once occupied by the British. Korea would have to fall under the power of another country before it replaces its national language for another. STILL....The Japanese did try to enforce a language change when it annexed Korea under its authority, but the Japanese were met fierce resistance.

[@lasithajayawardana9559]

I would be interested to know the level of English learning during and straight after the Korean War. A lot of formally British colonised countries had a high degree of English proficiency and then straight after Independence, under the yolk of fierce Nationalism, English teaching is schools was not given any importance and in some cases outright discouraged. Only the "Ivy league" public schools, Catholic/Christain schools and "International schools" had any kind of proper syllabus.

[@The_SeoulJourner]

@@asianprince8718 One thing I could see making English a second national language would be the compound impact caused by years of a the low national birthrate and the influx of internationals making Korea their home. If this were to happen, it would be many - MANY decades from now.

[@itsgreysbee]

The first step to learning english for non-english speakers should be confidence. Learning how to carry out basic english conversations helps a lot regardless of the grammar. I heard from a Korean student before that one of the struggles of Koreans is that most of them are grammar conscious even before they learn to speak english.

[@patrickslattery5897]

It's really interesting to see the difference in Korean's perception of English as compared to the people in the Japanese video. Hopefully Japan's english education system can improve and the people can have a more proactive mindset like Korea's.

[@asianprince8718]

What about Taiwan and China? What do you think of their English education systems?

[@AngryKittens]

@@asianprince8718 I don't think China will ever promote it. Learning English opens up your worldview. Makes you see the world as a whole. Which makes you less nationalistic. And Beijing doesn't want that. Taiwan on the other hand, has pretty good English skills.

[@arbs3ry]

@@AngryKittens How brainwashed you are. We start English in kindergarten and learn it for 6 yrs in primary school and another 6 years in middle and high schools, if you go to university you need to learn it for another 3~4yrs. English is 1 of the 3 must-have in University entrance exam. All the students struggle to learn English. English doesn't make people less nationlistic. If "Beijing" doesn't want that, they can simply just cut all the lessons that we receive, simple as that, why they don't cut it . Hmm.

[@AngryKittens]

@@arbs3ry You can't blame me for that perception. Even your internet is technically isolated from the rest of the world's. Without VPNs, we wouldn't even be talking (unless you're in Hong Kong).

[@qwkl2450]

@@AngryKittens doesnt seem like u had any prior knowledge before making that comment so yes u are to be blame no matter if ur perception of china is negative or positive.

[@Hydraas]

9:36 this is the best point. It doesn't matter if it's not perfect, it's the trying that matters

[@ryumitsurugi2088]

It's just so important to at least give it your best, and even if you don't sound good, at least you showed the respect that you are doing your best.

[@user-cx1ln1by2g]

It's an amazing effort 😉 all the people who have an interviewee keep fighting👍🔥... You all are good at your pronunciation... Still need a little more effort to be amazing 🤩...

[@tuella4032]

Props to the people who answered those questions in English. I. was surprised how "difficult" the questions were! Great content as always!

[@asianprince8718]

The questions the host asked aren't difficult, isn't that how English conversation was carried out daily life? Yeah, their English are good, confidence is the key to master language.

[@piotr4248]

Great video, Koreans are open people, a predictor of success! It was nice to watch.

[@divya6911]

Success yes. Open no

[@squeegie]

I am from S. Korea but was raised in North America, I guess you could say my English is stronger than my Korean, but other Korean people tell me my Korean is 99% perfect. When that guy said some restaurants in Korea have their menu entirely in English, I have personally been to these restaurants and felt kind of awkward, because people who work there knew next to no English and the description of the food had so many spelling and grammatic errors.

[@user-qn7dy4sp4k]

한국말해봐요

[@squeegie]

@@user-qn7dy4sp4k 왜요?

[@szvqorwnpstahskypfwmp9821]

I think Korea has this thing with English thinking when something is in English, it is more fancy and popular which I disagree with 100%!!

[@RealTaIk]

Ever since I was a kid I always wanted to go to japan because I liked anime and games but korea got very appealing to me in the last 5-10 years. I started to listen to k-pop songs (the first one was probably girls generation - gee), I started to play korean games (first tera online, now lost ark) and now I also got heavily into k-dramas. The only thing holding me back to visit both countries is actually because I'm worried about communication issues and even though I'm casually learning both languages it will probably never feel sufficient enough to make me comfortable visiting those countries...

[@asianprince8718]

May I ask what are your favorite anime and games? Happy new year

[@RealTaIk]

@@asianprince8718 As a kid I watched alot of dragon ball, one piece, pokemon, yu gi oh, digimon, beyblade, detective conan, naruto and I played games like pokemon, super mario, the legend of zelda and final fantasy. Now as a grown up my most liked games are probably final fantasy 14, god of war, elden ring, ghost of tsushima, lost ark and valorant while my most liked anime are death note, akame ga kill, hunter x hunter, haikyu and one piece. Happy new year :)

[@dorkanderson4963]

Need to spend at least a month in Seoul. People who visit for a week leave only wanting more.

[@asianprince8718]

@@dorkanderson4963 Do you mean visitors who just stayed in Seoul for a week might not enjoy all, that they wanted to go again and enjoy?

[@dorkanderson4963]

@@asianprince8718 Only 1 week in Korea is not enough time. More restaurants in South Korea than in the US.

[@YouTubeTeacherRemote]

Oh wow. This puts things into prospective as a college educator. Most of my classes are remote and often wondered why the chat is the preferred way of communication for many students. The fear of not speaking the language well and fear of being judged for this makes sense. Being able to understand and speak more than one language is wonderful even if not "perfect" Informative and educational.

[@asianprince8718]

Hi are you a college teacher? Yes I heard that being afraid of making mistakes or being judged is why some people are not comfortable with speaking English in the public. Grammar mistakes, you know. I asked some people if native speakers of English countries also made some small mistakes while talking to others, they said not really. How about your experience ? Have you seen some native speakers made grammar mistakes ?

[@YouTubeTeacherRemote]

@@asianprince8718 yes I am! Honestly I see about the same amount of grammer errors in native speakers maybe even a little more. In many cases alot of my native students won't really care how they sound when they say something mainly because all of their friends speak grammatically incorrectly most of the time lol. When learning something like medical terminology and pronunciation both struggle equally and get embarrassed with pronunciation

[@DarkHarlequin]

I think it's part of the answer that when one of the girls was asked how important english is she said "Very important" and then imediately mentioned TOIC score requirements. Not 'I need it for my job' or 'I need it online' or 'a lot of traveling requires english' but my score gets evaluated/judged a lot. That for me already implies that the utility of english might for many in Korea be more like a good grade or good VS item than something with imediate utility in daily life. Just an observation 🤔

[@user-on8qo6rs5c]

Toeic is required for many jobs and to srudy abroad.

[@kawaiidoll4]

Compared to other East Asian countries I think Korea speaks pretty good English especially their accent is pretty good , they also seem to have better English education and the dedication to learn maybe compared to Japanese for example

[@pikachuthunderbolt3919]

No China and Taiwan are far better

[@kawaiidoll4]

@@pikachuthunderbolt3919 yeah Hong Kong is too ! But I meant compared to Japan Korea is better

[@mimorisenpai8540]

China, Taiwan and Hongkong is better at English

[@kaanjel]

I respect the man for saying; "I want to speak with foreigners about religion and philosophy". A curious man of culture❤️🙏

[@HoneyButterBiscuits]

I like that one of the guys shared the quote "when in Rome, do as the Romans do", because it is spot on. Learning to read or speak some of the primary language in a country you are visiting is just good travel etiquette or planning. Like learning some Italian, before visiting Italy or learning some French before going to France. You don't have to be at all fluent, but learning basic greetings/salutations, shopping phrases, or how to ask for directions can make for a more enjoyable, immersive, and less awkward trip experience 🙂.

[@asianprince8718]

Some said, if you understand the language of the country you visit, you can better understand their history, culture and society?

[@ajoseph3241]

Try India, when you move from one state to other everything changes.

[@nehalilisays]

And then there are the service workers in those countries who are so used to tourist customers that they will speak English with you anyway 😄

[@lao_mengrai]

But the way he said was quite like "if you don't know any Korean at all, don't come here"... that was the vibe I got 😞

[@lasithajayawardana9559]

I was recently at an upper market shopping mall where the Korean Embassy was running a tourist promotion on Jeju Island with local country staff. I had already started researching Jeju about 2 months prior. I asked them a bunch of questions which I already knew the answers to. The local staff knew very little about Jeju island, universities, hospitals, visa requirements and most important, English proficiency levels and whether I should have some rudimentary speaking skills in Korean and be able to read basic Hangul. I think it would be interesting for street interviews in major cities like Seoul, Busan and touristy places like Jeju island. Mostly K-Dram's and K-movies are going to interest people, with K-pop being a by product of watching those. I got into K-Pop through K-drama OSTs. One of the most prolific Asian foreign shows with subtitles and then later dubbed was the Japanese drama Oshin (Japanese), and more recently, original Money Heist. Even if you don't understand the words, good music, tv and movies finds an audience. I once jokingly told a bunch of American exchange students the only things I know about America was from watching John Wayne movies and The Simposns. "That's a Hell of a combination to learn about America/Americans" was their bemused response.

[@asianprince8718]

Sorry I am not able to understand the whole comment... In your last paragraph, do you mean watching some American shows is a good way to learn English ?

[@sari9645]

@@asianprince8718 I’m not the original commenter but I think I can answer your question! Watching American shows/movies is a good way to learn English because you get to learn conversational English as well as learn proper pronunciation!

[@asianprince8718]

@sari When watching an American movie to learn English, sometimes it would be better to have a person or English teacher accompany you. I could understand the words in some conversation spoken by actors and actresses. However a confusion may happen. For example, we often hear "you bet" in the end of the conversation. You is the subject, and bet is the verb. At first, some would think, it means to ask someone to take a guess or do betting! However the real meaning is of course. That is something that might be challenging when learning English.

[@lasithajayawardana9559]

@@asianprince8718 One of my best friends married an Indian woman who has a Masters Degree in English Literature and speaks Hindi, English and Spanish. when he watches the tv show "Community" he has to constantly stop and explain the pop culture reference he's laughing his ass off at. there's also language/cultural "nomenclature" . ie, in SK, yelling out "Fighting" is exactly the same as yelling out "Good Luck"/haenguneul bhil/행운을 빌어. But only someone who learned via text book or a very formal face to face class would say this?

[@Chilling_Chilling]

*Koreans in Seoul are MUCH MUCH better* English speakers than any Japanese person I've ever come across in Tokyo. Just my experience 🤷

[@jeff__w]

That was my impression as well.

[@mashitta5969]

agree, Koreans in general can speak and listen english much better than japanese.

[@asianprince8718]

It depends on where in Japan you visited.

[@user-mr8gb3jo4f]

Hangul i think will be difference. Like all Banners here academy아카데미 is written in hangul and everyone can read close to English word. And Korean only been using hangul for 50 yrs after Japan surrender. So in future Korea will far exceed in English. Hope u come back again have good time in Korea^^

[@sadboy1997]

I really hope asian boss can carry on this series in other countries like Singapore and the Philippines.

[@asianprince8718]

Or topics like "how good are Taiwanese at Japanese" or " how good are Japanese at Chinese language" could be good idea. Learning new language could be fun.

[@ItsMeRhaine]

I live here currently in Korea and oftentimes in areas where a lot of foreigners are like near universities or Hongdae you will find a good chunk of Koreans able to speak a level of English. Also since I live here I do try my best to speak Korean and have even been studying. But listening, reading, and writing are a lot easier than actually speaking and responding off the top of your head.

[@journeyneverends_1]

Korea and Japan are so so much similar to me. I have visited both and I felt that their culture and personality of people are very similar. Also, when it comes to English level of people, it is almost same and how they speak/pronounce is also similar. I'm assuming, their education system is also same. Am I right?

[@user-gz6rf1py8n]

한국이 일본의 식민지배를 받을 때 일본인이 한국인의 영어 교육을 담당했기 때문에 그게 지금까지 어느 정도 영향을 받고 있는 것 같아요. 식민지배를 받기 이전 조선은 대화와 발음 위주의 학습이고 식민지배 이후부터는 문법과 독해 위주로 바뀌었어요.

[@giada.yyy78]

The three guys who cosplayed two abyss mages and the hilichurl won everything

[@asianprince8718]

Are you sure the cosplay is from Abyss Mage and Hilichurl? It looks like other thing from cartoon.

[@annaairahala9462]

@@asianprince8718 Abyss mages and hilichurls are what they're called, not the name of a show. And yes, they absolutely are two abyss mages and a hilichurl, there's no doubt about that What show were you thinking of?

[@asianprince8718]

@Anna Aira Hála I thought it was from Ori, video game Do you play video game ?

[@annaairahala9462]

@@asianprince8718 I do play video games. Yeah, it's not from Ori. If you look up Abyss Mage, assuming you have similar results to me, the costumes they're wearing actually show up near the top in pictures. They're enemy characters from Genshin

[@del3011]

@@asianprince8718 I played both Ori titles and am still playing Genshin. The characters are from Genshin.

[@LukeYoYoRoberts]

The one lady is like "My English 2/10" and ends up being basically fluent 😅

[@lifewithshaneil7048]

Watching from Jamaica 🇯🇲🇯🇲

[@twistntwirl]

Nice to see the fire Abyss Mage speak english quite well. 👌

[@davinajarvis314]

They did really well 🥰👏✔️

[@asianprince8718]

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE. Back to the topic ‘HOW GOOD KOREANS ARE AT ENGLISH’, I think most Koreans speak English fluently. When I was traveling there, I had to use English to talk to them. Most of them responded me in fluent English. They were very nice too! I think as long as you know a little bit English if you cannot speak Korean while visitng or living there, no problem. I also had some conversation with Koreans in English when visiting there, I had some conversation with them in English, I told them my life in Taiwan, they taught me the culture of Korean. And, some Koreans knew how to speak Chinese, making my trip there easier. Also, almost all shopping centers there had information centers that could help in English, very convenient. Asian Boss, please interview Taiwan on " how good Taiwanese are at English." Thanks.

[@pokepork7747]

agree, I found out that people in Seoul are really good at english when I visited there. Especially the younger generations and the students speak better english compared to the older people.

[@asianprince8718]

@pokepork Their older or middle aged people speak English fluently as well. If they cannot they can still use some English vocabulary to help one out. Almost their guide books have English.

[@patrickgomez91]

i think u talk to collage kids cuz they speak english in school. so its a good way how to learn it.

[@asianprince8718]

@patgaming Not only colleges, when you work internationally, don't you also speak English?

[@1412Bunny]

most koreans do not speak english fluently 😅 but many speak english better than they think, especially young people.

[@cocoromerolee]

the ajusshi in this interview is so adorable - "I'm fine thank you and you" is the first phrase and the only we learn (and remember) when learning English in Korea in school 😂😂

[@EmDy7]

I work in Poland and I often make appointments with the doctor for Koreans - my English is a mess and theirs too but we are still able to communicate and get things done 😛

[@sari9645]

When I first got into K-pop I was very surprised to see that many (if not most) idols don’t know any English! With the popularity of K-pop in English speaking countries I’d think learning English would be an important part of training to be an idol! But I completely understand the average Korean not knowing English!

[@asianprince8718]

Learning English has been a hot topic in Asia for decades. In my place, they emphasize on grammar. Knowing grammar would be the key to decipher many English phrases. K Pop and J Pop is trending I guess. Do you follow J Pop? I have been to Korea and come across some people. I spoke English to them to ask road directions and other things, like where to go to buy cool stuff. Their English was very good.

[@oliverescobar]

2:05 spoken like a true Hilichurl! love it

[@jambro9735]

I am Korean-native speaker and have the experience living overseas(not western countries). I have been under pressure to practice English and to have more fluent English speaking skill. However, I realised that I am on above average with English skill at least after watching this video.

[@Pokephosgene]

The part of the video where the abundance of English loanwords in Korean was talked about definitely made me think: is "blending" languages a good idea? If Koreans see many English words written and pronounced as if they were Korean words, that will make learning the actual English pronunciation harder. And English has basically no pronunciation rules, so, that makes things even worse for Koreans trying to master it. Despite Croatia being a tourist destination, and pretty much everyone up to age 45 being at least decent at speaking English, loanwords from English are rarer in Croatian than they are in Korean. This creates less confusion, I think. I always knew a foreign language was foreign, and that it had its own phonology. What I would do, if I were the Korean Minister of Education: prioritize teaching methods that take into account the unique features of Korean phonology and grammar. If a teacher understands Korean to the point that he/she can understand and predict where students might struggle with English, then students will be able to do better, later. Being a native speaker doesn't mean the teacher is good enough. In the end, I do agree with the opinions stating that foreigners should learn a bit of Korean. Afterall, it's not fair that only Koreans get to struggle with a language that's hard for them.😜 I'm entering my fifth year of learning Korean through classes, and I've only recently gathered courage to start writing in Korean, on videos concerning very specific topics. It'll take me more time to become confident enough to speak without fear. I totally get Koreans being shy.

[@anguineus_vir]

When I was in Korea I noticed that many ads use English words but written with Korean characters which affects the way those words are pronounced because you end up pronouncing them with the limitations of the Korean alphabet

[@yeongsunohuno]

Yeah

[@juliettaechevestegarcia1428]

Hi! I really like your content! Congrats! As a suggestion: I'm learning Korean lenguage, and I use youtube content with Korean subtitles to improve. If you could translate the content to both, english and korean, that would be amaizing for the ones who are looking for practical ways of learning! Many Greetings!

[@9y2bgy]

As I was watching the video, I was trying to imagine how I would answer these questions in Spanish or French, and while I knew most of the words separately in those languages, not sure that I could string them together really fast in real time. Dang, that would be hard.

[@sroberts605]

So intelligent, fair-minded and tolerant! I would agree with them if I was Korean (I'm English), to keep a balance with incursions of another language is important, as your own mother tongue is the very definition of your own culture. I wonder if AI will fulfill the role of universal translator, Star Trek fashion, soon?!

[@szvqorwnpstahskypfwmp9821]

I really do not think AI will fulfill any role when it comes to translating between people.

[@savage_0217]

The only thing i wish when i visited S.Korea last time is that people who works in airport areas at least attained basic english level of conversion, to make at least their lives easier. I remember one time i felt awkward buying food in one of their food kiosk there i asked the store employee if its a self service system but all i got is stare and sigh from her. It suddenly click to me she doesn't understand anything i've said even me using broken or basic english. I was only able to order when i used papago app as our middleman. And also if your a foreigner visiting S.Korea specially in tourist spots or foreigner populated areas, they do have those red shirt people who's assisting in english (i just don't know if its a voluntary or not and part of their tourism culture system) on those particular areas, even suggesting and promoting korean popular areas to check out or if their not in the area you visit information system pretty sure there would be at least a helpful person spoke english to guide you.

[@asianprince8718]

In the air port, if she couldn't speak English, there should be other employees who speak.

[@ChromeColossus]

When I lived in Seoul, I got the impression most people don't know much English, with the exception being wealthier people who could afford to study it in depth (e.g., the kids I taught). I never tried to speak English with strangers though, as I thought it was kind of rude and inappropriate (even though my Korean is definitely a 2/10 level). I felt the impetus was on me as the foreigner to make the effort to speak Korean in all cases, even if it was broken and basic, since there's no reason to expect that they should be fluent in English. Although, in the rare case where it turned out a Korean did know English, they were usually eager to speak it with me, since people don't have a reason to demonstrate they know another language very often.

[@fc201d]

As someone living in a suburb, I was always wondering how fluent Seoul people are in English. Are you from an English speaking country?

[@ChromeColossus]

@@fc201d Yeah I'm from the US. As I said, I really don't think the average person in Seoul knows much English; they're probably just grasping at the scraps of what they learned back in high school. But there are always exceptions of course. I lived one minute away from a pizza joint where an older man spoke great English, and there was a random young guy working at a 7 Eleven who spoke great English. (And of course, lots of people speak English at important places like airports.) It's kind of luck of the draw. I have to imagine English fluency is much, much lower even still outside of major cities though!

[@yeongsunohuno]

​@@ChromeColossustrue most people don't know English

[@aquaabouttogetfunky]

Not gonna lie, I wasn’t expecting the Genshin enemy cosplay, but it’s pretty good.

[@qwerty-vp1sb]

i tried learning korean and ITS SO DIFFERENT to english, no wonder its hard for them to learn it.. like the word order is like this English : that man reads a book in the dormitory but the word per word translation of that in korean would be like korean : that man dormitory-in-the book-a reads

[@asianprince8718]

Do you mean Korean grammar is quite difficult for American to learn ?

[@JohnDoe-lc9yj]

Koreans speak much better English than Americans can speak Korean.

[@dotslashdotslahsdotslash]

Replace Korean(s) with another nationality/ language and we still get the same result. LOL

[@ShakenPig]

Obviously, Americans don't learn Korean in school

[@kikibigbangfan3540]

We hadn't had a need to. Nor do we get exposer to other language in mass as they do English programming.

[@dotslashdotslahsdotslash]

@@kikibigbangfan3540 That's the mentality! I mean we knew we didn't need to learn English either 'cause we almost never have to use it in our daily lives, but then we think it's good to expand our knowledge by learning foreign languages. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@ShakenPig]

@@dotslashdotslahsdotslash Difference is English is the international language

[@pimmie6595]

Who are those three men in costumes? 🥺 I love them, they're so cool! 🥺❤️

[@Tawanhua]

Yep exactly, they are not obligated nor should they be required to speak a different language in their country just for a foreigner/tourist comfort or convenience. I mean every country has their own native language and it was particularly hard to find a English speaker in France, Brazil, Germany, or even Mexico for me considering Mexico is next to the US and France/Germany has a lot of European tourist especially UK. THANK YOU WORLD HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[@AngryKittens]

Most tourists to Korea don't speak English as their native language either. It's not about bowing to foreign culture. It's about learning a _lingua franca._ A method of communication that most people understand. Rather than learning to be fluent in the language of every country they visit (which is impractical and very hard), especially if they only visit short-term, they instead use English. You're not obligated to learn English as a host country. But if you DO know English, why wouldn't you reply to them in English? Nationalism? In most cases, the person asking you an English question is NOT a native English-speaker. They too are making an effort.

[@blgnstation]

It's not a question about being "required" to speak english, it's just to know how good are the citizens from a determinated country at english. As a brazillian i really see few people here who actually know english or are interested in learning. Learn english is not a must, it's a should, cause it actually make things really easier, as reading something that is not avaiable in your own language or makig conversations with foreign people.

[@MrGadu95]

I'm Germany and I don't agree with you entirely. You are right that nobody is forced to learn english. But I believe It's the only way to connect with the people all around the world. Language opens up so many doors and international friendships which would never happen otherwise...

[@user-hx2yb1bw9h]

​@MrGadu95 what if they don't want to talk to any foreigners? having a casual conversation with any foreigners in English is not a mandatory stuff either?

[@user-hx2yb1bw9h]

​@AngryKittens if you don't know that country langusfe that person who would feeel uncomfortable ultimately is "YOU" not that country people.

[@tancantbeatthe80s.91]

Drama is more dramatic than real life…. Soo true!! About life in general., regardless of which country or context ..

[@armysour9981]

Dear Asian boss can you feature about Mina sue choi the only Korean to win one of the major Beauty pageants in the world I wonder what Koreans feel about it

[@jerichogonzaga587]

Exactly I'm a fan of her 😍

[@rosie3408]

I've been trying to learn Korean for a while now and I've realized that I'm not going to be fluent unless I go there. The fact that they can speak English so well makes me happy.

[@jamosss]

Their English went hard👌🏾😂🔥💯🙏🏾

[@medea5508]

The Abyss Mages are here. It got me so bad 😭😭🤣🤣🤣

[@asianprince8718]

Sorry but I keep hearing about it. Is it a game or comic?

[@medea5508]

@@asianprince8718 they are from genshin impact. It is a game

[@asianprince8718]

@Medea Is it a J-RPG? Looks fun, have you played it yet ?

[@medea5508]

@@asianprince8718 it is a gacha game (action role playing). You can search the game trailer or character demos here on youtube! I am playing it and it was good

[@asianprince8718]

@乄 我會玩遊戲，但不是每款都玩啊。 你呢？你常常玩嗎？

[@addictivethoughts7613]

‘I’m fine thank you and you’ is the one that is taught globally I guess hahaha

[@cheerlin]

I think this topic goes deeper into bilingualism, is it realistic and doable, how do we preserve our culture yet speak another Lang fluently ? we see Taiwan, Japan and many south east Asian countries having this “issue” as well, not just Korea. We here from Singapore have changed to use English as our learning and working Lang from 1970, for good reasons, yet unavoidably, the matter of fact is that now, in general and majority, we speak English (putting Singlish aside) much more fluently than our mother tongue (Chinese, Malay, Indian, etc),

[@divya6911]

There is no such thing as Indian language. Just saying

[@cheerlin]

@@divya6911 yes yes correct thanks, I was typing without proof reading sorry

[@octoberpest]

Here in the Philippines we have the same debate on whether to double down on English as a language of instruction. Though SG might have a different situation with different cultures needing a common lingua franca. In a monoculture country, the adoption of English (or any foreign influence) can be more contentious.

[@exo-l4742]

i just want to tell all of the koreans who spoke english “잘했어요“ because they are better than they think. korean is hard for me but i am motivated to learn more so i can communicate better with koreans when i move to korea. that way, they know that foreigners love korean culture and want to make an effort to learn korean just like they learn english!

[@nomvuyomashile3373]

Top tier responses by the girl in the stripped shirt with glasses 🫡 👌🏾

[@robert-antoinedenault5901]

Coming from north america, in a french province that has been surrounded by English speakers for more than 400 yrs. Speaking English is only necessary if your work is international. Otherwise your national language is the most important, as it is the root of your identity and the predominant language. We are quite proud full of our culture, as Koreans are to theirs, we both have undergone various tumultuous moments in our history. I'm quite older than the "new" generation which have discovered Korea through the lens of k-drama and k-pop but my initial acknowledgement of this different nation was in 1988 during the Olympics. And as I was (and still am) a history and geography buff the elections of 1993 is a moment that I hold dear to my heart as it brought forth (a long lost emotion for myself) a new future for them; as we had nearly 20 yrs previously revolutionized against the Ultramontanes stance within our province. As I grew up during this newly secular society and had resided in Korea also during this newly "free" elected and appointed nation. My connection to it's people and what they're outlook for the future could be relatable to one of pride. Language is just a barrier but not a wall.

[@seddasa]

good luck ... i have worked in korea for 6 years 12 years ago ... i cant find an english speaking person when i am trying to ask for directions ...i dont know now if they are better...

[@slee2695]

In Seoul or the country side?

[@Sakurasora01]

NOT THE ABYSS MAGES AND THE HILICHURL xD

[@youngmasterzhi]

In Canada, most products and signs are written in both English and French. Though I had taken high school French in the past, that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m fluent in French.

[@te1763]

they did well actually!!

[@asianprince8718]

You mean Tammy who is the host or the Koreans being interviewed ?

[@te1763]

@@asianprince8718 The people being interviewed did well.

[@asianprince8718]

@T E I see. Of course, most of them could speak English. Some struggled a bit but somehow they could answer and make it understandable for us. English is international language, but it could be difficult for grammar. I heard if one is good at music or piano, he might be learning English faster?

[@mashitta5969]

I think Koreans are generally good at english aside from other asian countries like the Philippines, India and Singapore that english is one of their official languages.

[@asianprince8718]

Koreans are very good at many things. Usually, they were taught to study hard and work hard in order to become successful when they were little, similar to other Asian countries, also mine is like that. That is why Korea is progressive. Do you plan to visit there?

[@latte1845]

Hmm, as a Korean who had no experience of studying English abroad, I feel like Asian boss chose interviewees who are under average with purpose..probably to make it look similar to interviews done in Japan and China? They are under the level of average. I'm average Korean and their proficiency is lower than any Korean around me including my mom.

[@nhuphuong060688]

Everyone is too modest!

[@Roaming1001]

We asians should learn each other language to bridge understanding. Asian Boss will post that for the next vlog 😁😁😁

[@flowerroseanna3204]

This is not a problem in Korea but a lot of countries in Asia because they were never colinsed by England so English is only become popular in the 1990s so anyone who want to school 🏫 before then were not even told English in School and also is not used in daily life so people forget it

[@blarfroer8066]

I've recently been to Korea and in my experience, Koreans in the big cities like Seoul and Busan are more comfortable with English than those living in smaller towns.

[@asianprince8718]

Do you enjoy shopping and food in Seoul? When I was there, I bought some clothes and some LINE stuff. Do you know the app called LINE? Very popular in Asia.

[@TheGamalore]

I visited Korea before covid hit, and it was really funny. I went to a PC bang and the two guys behind the counter looked no older than 25 could barely speak english, yet when I went to get my hair cut, a woman who was, gonna guess in her 40's could hold IMMENSE conversations and talk about anything with virtually no difficulties.

[@mino4965]

I’m Korean and I can confirm that this is average English skill here. but you should know that though their speaking skill might not be good, their reading skill or grammar skill might be much better than speaking skill. Korean students learn English for 12 years in schools (6y in elementary school, another 6y in middle and high school), if they go to college or univ then another 3 or 4y. Total 15or 16years of English learning but still cannot make a full sentence… I think the reason is that the English education in schools is only focus on studying for the Korean SAT. It’s a language , we should learn it for actually using it in daily life. But I never spoke English until Univ. this is what Korean English education system is now. Because of Globalization I can see some foreigners even outside of Seoul and more and more foreigners will come to visit or live here. So it’s becoming more important to learn English or other foreign language. I hope the English curriculum in schools to be changed into one actually helps people use Enlglish on daily basis

[@asianprince8718]

Are there a lot of Americans buying houses in Korea as of late?

[@golbinnom]

I think what surprises me the most is their pronunciation. Even if the grammar is not perfect, they have an awesome accent compared to the japanese video

[@9y2bgy]

Using new technology isn't cheating. It's the most natural part of innovation. Just as can't go back to horse and buggy, now that we have steadily improving AI-assisted translation tech, learning a new language isn't a pure necessity for travelers. It's a great way to improve one's brain power, or even delay the onset of dementia though.

[@PuffySofty]

One time I was strolling down LA Ktown, a girl came up to me and ask for directions in Korean, I don't know why she asked in Korean, maybe cuz my East Asian face passes as Korean... so I randomly pointed at a direction and she smiled and went off, this haunted me for years so now I've decided to properly learn Korean.

[@deimosj1286]

Can you do a similar interview in Taiwan or mainland China ? just for comparism

[@christinepaley6149]

If most people in Korea learn English in school for test taking purposes, it's not surprising that they don't feel comfortable speaking. To be proficient in a language you have to use it on a regular basis or you lose it easily. I am Canadian, and Canada is a bilingual country, although the vast majority of people speak English. All school children are taught the French language, but unless you live in a French speaking area, or require it for your job, most people lose it quite quickly unless they make a conscious effort to retain it.

[@asianprince8718]

I was told that Canada was a very peaceful country with a huge Asian population.... I would love to go there. Speaking of learning another language, I think if one is super interested in the language he learns, he would learn it quick and speak it fluently. It's like if you were fascinated to something, you learn it more effectively because you would do whatever to understand every detail of it...

[@szvqorwnpstahskypfwmp9821]

What do you think about Canada becoming our 51st State?????

[@baeyonce]

the elderly guy who’s wearing a white jumper he cracked me up🤣🤣he’s so bluffing I mean cute way. very confident! that’s good thing.

[@sherryf.5534]

'im fine thank u and u' 😹

[@Honeyin2013]

When the one person mention how they’ve been to a restaurant who’s menu was all in English I was so surprised. What use would that be in Korea?

[@asianprince8718]

Korea is one of popular Asian countries for tourists, many of them are from English speaking countries. The restaurants would prepare English menus when they come. They might also provide Chinese menus.

[@vasilias7987]

Didnt expect random abyss mage and hilichurl to be interviewed 😂

[@asianprince8718]

Have you been to cosplay events?

[@toujours405]

They really said I'm fine thank you and you. That's good though

[@VinVin21969]

I wonder how they got to interview genshin cosplayer 😂

[@j.ericsandoval566]

I’ve met so many Koreans who spoke such excellent English, in my cases the only way I could tell it wasn’t their first language was when they said certain words like “imporTanT.” Then again maybe I just knew a bunch who went to an international school taught in all English, maybe? But 90% of Koreans I’ve known sounded great.

[@asianprince8718]

Hi Eric, I came across some Koreans in western countries, and I was like "wow, your English is as good as native speakers." Their English ability is very good. I think because they studied everything very hard, that is why. May I ask where you are from?

[@DonS90]

At least in Seoul many can understand English

[@twan85]

Did Asian Boss take down the recent video related to the change of the Korean age system, and how the country is suppose to adopt the international age system later this year?

[@asianprince8718]

I kind of remember watching the age system video. It was uploaded an year ago, am I correct ? Is it available now?

[@twan85]

@@asianprince8718 Well, the vid in question discussed about the change in implementation of how the Korean age system is set-up, and instead, there's discussion about a new law that's suppose to be enacted sometime this year, which everyone's age in the country wouldn't go by the Korean age necessarily, but instead, follow and adopt the international age system that's recognized around the globe. I wanted to show the vid to a Korean friend of mine, but I can't find it since it should've been one of the few new vids that got uploaded recently.

[@asianprince8718]

@Twan T Sometimes I am confused about international age as my country's age system works the same as Korea. When using international age, is this how we calculate ? For example, if someone was born in March 1st in 1980, he would be considered age 0 if we calculate his age on March 1st, 1980. Correct ? He needed to wait until March 1st 1981 then his age would be 1 year old. Correct also? Thanks.

[@twan85]

@@asianprince8718 Yes, what you just calculated as it related to someone who was born (from your example) on March 1st, 1980, that person would be age 0, and after a year has passed from the date of their birth, then the person would turn 1 yrs old. You're welcome by the way.

[@dslight113]

6:30 , that would mean for any vacation you need 2 learn another language , instead of taking the easy route and learn one universal language u can use at all country's ,, lets say,, english..

[@yungjoshx]

Asian Boss needs to get Miyachi to do interviews for Japanese stuff

[@9y2bgy]

That old guy with sunglasses was funny. His self evaluation was a bit off compared to his actual skill level, but I respect his willingness to try to speak English at every opportunity possible. That's how you get better!

[@tinalyngrace]

I don’t speak Korean. I’m not embarrassed. Friend from Panama didn’t speak English. I didn’t speak Spanish. But time together, we both learned. It’s interesting that cultures are elevating U.S. were dominating all aspects of the world. Is that a good thing?

[@asianprince8718]

What is your first language ?

[@Ama-hi5kn]

Memories of a Korean movie I saw once surface. "Please teach me English". Now that one is kind of hilarious.

[@kei5302]

Did not expect to get jumpscared by abyss order here of all places 💀