HSC Korean in Context (NSW) key terms

The sense of who a person is, shaped by family, language, nationality, values and personal experience. In this course it often refers to how bilingual or migrant young people describe themselves.

The experience of living between two cultural worlds, for example Korean heritage at home and Australian culture at school. It can bring flexibility and belonging but also confusion about which norms to follow.

Differences in values, expectations and habits between older and younger family members. Typical examples include attitudes to respect, dating, career choice and obedience to parents.

The Confucian duty of children to respect, obey and care for their parents and elders. It appears in texts about family duty, aged care and conflict between tradition and personal freedom.

The polite or honorific speech level used toward elders, strangers and people of higher status. Choosing between polite and casual forms marks social relationships and is a common listening and writing focus.

The terms used to address people, such as 형, 오빠, 언니, 누나, 선배 or 사장님. Correct choice depends on age, gender, closeness and setting, and mistakes can sound rude.

Casual speech used with close friends, younger people or children. Using it with someone who expects polite speech can cause offence, so context and relationship must be judged carefully.

Customs, beliefs and practices passed down across generations, such as ancestral rites, holiday foods and folk games. Texts often discuss whether traditions should be kept, changed or dropped.

Tangible and intangible heritage valued by a society, including buildings, artworks, crafts, music and rituals. Discussion often covers preservation, funding, tourism and return of artefacts.

Heritage such as music, dance, crafts or rituals rather than physical objects. Because it lives in people, texts discuss how to train younger practitioners and keep it relevant.

Seasonal customs tied to the lunar calendar, such as New Year and harvest festivals. They involve special foods, games, family visits and rituals, and are often compared with Australian holidays.

Traditional Korean clothing worn for festivals, weddings and formal occasions. Modern debates cover comfort, cost, rental shops and whether young people wear it outside special events.

A traditional narrative performance where a singer tells a long story to drum accompaniment. It is recognised as intangible heritage and often appears in texts about keeping old art forms alive.

The spread of Korean popular culture such as music, drama, film and fashion beyond Korea. Texts discuss its economic value, its effect on language learning and criticisms of cultural stereotyping.

Entertainment produced for wide audiences, including pop music, television, film and online content. It is often contrasted with traditional culture in debates about identity and youth.

The work of studying, including classes, assignments, exams and homework. Texts often compare study pressure, tutoring and expectations across Korean and Australian school systems.

The university entrance process, including the national exam, school records and interviews. It is central to discussions of stress, fairness, family sacrifice and alternative pathways.

Private, paid education outside school, such as tutoring academies and online lessons. Debates cover cost, inequality, study hours and attempts to limit late-night classes.

A person's path in study and work, including career choice and planning. Texts often involve advice, gap years, changing majors and balancing interest against family expectations.

A natural talent or suitability for a particular kind of work or study. Career advice texts often urge students to consider aptitude and interest rather than prestige alone.

Getting a job or being employed. Related texts discuss job hunting, interviews, qualifications, part-time work and difficulties faced by graduates or new migrants.

Part-time or casual paid work, common among students. Texts discuss wages, working conditions, rights, time management and how work affects study.

The terms under which someone works, including pay, hours, leave, safety and treatment by employers. Understanding these terms helps students discuss fairness and workplace problems.

Work, especially physical or paid effort seen in relation to rights and conditions. Texts may discuss labour movements, migrant workers, unions or the balance between work and rest.

Government and community support for people's wellbeing, such as pensions, health care, childcare and housing help. Texts debate who should receive support and how it should be funded.

The rising average age of a population as birth rates fall and people live longer. It raises questions about pensions, aged care, workforce shortages and family responsibility.

A society made up of many cultural backgrounds, including migrants, refugees and mixed families. Texts discuss integration, discrimination, language support and the meaning of national belonging.

Moving to another country to live, either permanently or for a long period. Related texts cover settlement, language barriers, employment, family separation and identity.

Treating people unfairly because of attributes such as age, gender, nationality or appearance. Texts often describe personal experiences and propose legal or educational responses.

The basic rights every person should have, such as safety, freedom of expression and fair treatment. It is used in discussions of discrimination, privacy and workplace abuse.

Problems such as pollution, waste and climate change caused by human activity. Texts discuss individual habits, government policy, recycling and responsibility between generations.

The ability to keep something going without using up resources or harming the environment. It appears in texts about consumption, transport, energy and sustainable lifestyles.

Channels that spread information and entertainment, including news, social media and streaming. Texts examine fake news, privacy, screen time and how media shapes opinion.

The main point or central message of a spoken or written text. Identifying it means ignoring examples and details and choosing the statement that best summarises the whole passage.

The topic a text is about, broader than the main point but narrower than the whole text. Questions may ask you to choose the best topic from several similar options.

The writer of a text, whose attitude, purpose and assumptions shape what is said. Questions often ask about the writer's intention, tone or opinion rather than surface facts.

The attitude conveyed through word choice and phrasing, such as critical, humorous, worried or hopeful. Recognising tone helps in answering questions about the speaker's feelings.

Meaning suggested indirectly rather than stated openly, often through idiom, understatement or implication. Listening and reading questions may ask what a speaker really intends.

A fixed expression whose meaning is not obvious from its individual words, such as 발이 넓다 for having many contacts. Recognising these is essential for accurate comprehension.

A short traditional saying that expresses common wisdom or a warning, such as 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다. Texts use them to make a point briefly and indirectly.