Creating Texts in Korean: Structure, Register and Accuracy
Plan genre, audience, register
Writing in Korean is judged on task achievement, structure, accuracy and register. Before drafting, decide the genre (email, diary, blog post, letter, report, persuasive essay) and the reader. That fixes the register: -습니다/ㅂ니다 for formal reports and business email, 해요체 for friendly but polite messages, and 해라체/반말 for diaries and close friends. Keep the register stable; one 반말 verb in a formal email is a serious error.
Structure and cohesion
Formal texts use 서론–본론–결론. State the topic sentence, support it with two or three developed points, and close with a conclusion that does not introduce new information. Connect paragraphs with -는데, -므로, -뿐만 아니라, -반면에 rather than repeating 그래서. Korean prefers explicit connective endings over short, choppy sentences.
Accuracy traps
Watch particles (에 versus 에서, 이/가 versus 을/를, 와/과 versus 하고), spacing (띄어쓰기), tense and aspect (-고 있다, -아/어 버리다, -게 되다), honorific consistency, and quoted speech (-다고 하다, -냐고 하다, -자고 하다). Avoid translating English collocations word for word; use Korean collocations instead.
Worked example
Email to a teacher requesting a meeting. Opening: “안녕하세요, 선생님. 2학년 김민수입니다.” Body: “다음 주 화요일에 상담을 받고 싶어서 연락드렸습니다. 오후 3시는 괜찮으실까요?” Closing: “바쁘신데 시간 내 주셔서 감사합니다.” Note the humble 드리다, honorific -시-, and consistent -습니다체.
Rule of thumb
Draft the register and topic sentence first, then write; proofread particle and spacing errors separately from content.