Shadowing Practice: 8 Things You CAN'T DO in South Korea - Learn English Speaking with Video
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44 sentences
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South Korea has one of the most interesting and erratic cultures in the world.
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You can't go anywhere without something making you scratch your head and wonder.
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After spending two years of my life living and traveling through this country, I've gotten to know Korean culture pretty well.
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And while it's a very open and capitalistic society where most things are accepted, Koreans are very superstitious people, and you must be respectful of this before coming.
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The following are eight things you just cannot do in South Korea.
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1. Stick chopsticks in your rice bowl.
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This action signifies death because at funerals, Koreans burn incense upright in a bowl of sand.
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If you stick your chopsticks vertically in a rice bowl, you will get horrible looks, so consider yourself warned.
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2. Throw toilet paper in the toilet.
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The plumbing systems in Korea are not made to flush toilet paper, so you must put it in the bin.
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Yes, even after doing your business.
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Trust me, you don't want to be that guy who overflows the toilet.
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3. Write someone's name with a red pen.
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To avoid getting scolded at, make sure to always write in black or blue pen.
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Writing in red ink, which is like blood, somehow means that a person will die soon or that you want them to die.
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4. Wear shoes indoors.
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This strictly applies to houses and may also apply to schools, cafes, and restaurants.
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Koreans are very clean people and they always remove their outdoor shoes when going indoors.
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Most homes will have a little area to keep your shoes, so just do it.
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5. Talk loudly on the metro.
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Koreans hardly speak on the subway and when they do, it's only a small whisper.
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It's almost eerie to witness thousands of people crammed into a small space completely without sound, but they respect one another, and you must do the same.
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6. Assume people speak English.
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Excuse me, do you know where the airport is?
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No?
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Okay.
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Hello?
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Hi.
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Do you know how to get to the airport?
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The vast majority of Koreans can speak or understand English at a basic level.
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While it's getting more common for the younger generation to know the language, it still cannot be assumed.
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So learn a few Korean words, like, 안녕하세여, and 감사합니다.
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7. Use one hand to give or receive.
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As you've probably realized by now, Korean culture revolves around respect.
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And one of the best ways to show high regard is by using two hands whenever you give or receive something.
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This goes for pouring soju shots, passing a phone, or even opening a door.
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8. Refuse to bow to the elderly Instead of shaking hands, hugging, or kissing, Koreans greet each other by bowing.
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It's a common way to say hello, thank you, and goodbye.
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And the older the person is, the deeper bow you have to give.
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Alright, we are in a taxi now, we are heading out of Seoul.
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It's always a fun and unique experience here in Korea, but respecting the culture is a must.
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While none of the things mentioned above are illegal, and you can probably get away with doing them as a tourist, I highly recommend keeping them in your back pocket,
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so you don't offend anyone in this lovely country called South Korea.
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I'm Drew Binsky, and if you like my travel videos, please click subscribe and join me as I plan to visit every country in the world.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “8 Things You CAN'T DO in South Korea”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Korean, Korea, toilet, culture, bowl. This video has 44 sentences and 573 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:23. The speaker talks at a natural 169 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| toilet verb | /ˈtɔɪ.lət/ | To assist another (a child, etc.) in using a toilet. |
| shoe noun | /ˈʃu/ | A protective covering for the foot, with a bottom part composed of thick leather or plastic sole and often a thicker heel, and a softer upper part made of… |
| indoors adverb | /ɪnˈdɔɹz/ | Inside, into, or within a building. |
| capitalistic adjective | Of or pertaining to capitalism or to capitalists. | |
| erratic adjective | /ɪˈɹætɪk/ | Unsteady, random; prone to unexpected changes; not consistent. |
| incense noun | /ˈɪnsɛns/ | Biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt, often used in religious rites or for aesthetic reasons. |
| overflow verb | /ˌəʊvəˈfləʊ/ | To flow over the brim of (a container). |
| revolve verb | /ɹɪˈvɑlv/ | To cause (something) to turn around a central point. |
| signify verb | /ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/ | To create a sign out of something. |
| superstitious adjective | /ˌs(j)u.pɚˈstɪ.ʃəs/ | Susceptible to superstitions. |
| vertically adverb | /ˈvɝ.tɪ.kəli/ | In a vertical direction or position. |
| offend verb | /əˈfɛnd/ | To hurt the feelings of; to displease; to make angry; to insult. |
| plumbing noun | /ˈplʌmɪŋ/ | The pipes, together with the joints, tanks, stopcocks, taps, and other fixtures of a water, gas, or sewage system in a house or other building. |
| respectful adjective | /ɹɪˈspɛkt.fl̩/ | Marked or characterized by respect |
| greet verb | /ɡɹiːt/ | To welcome in a friendly manner, either in person or through another means such as writing. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| get away with verb | To get away, or escape, taking (something) with one. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are accepted · are not made · cannot be assumed |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've gotten · you've probably realized |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | guy who overflows · ink, which is |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the most interesting · the best |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 6 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, can't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shoe /ˈʃu/, superstitious /ˌs(j)u.pɚˈstɪ.ʃəs/, flush /ˈflʌʃ/, shake /ˈʃeɪk/
- Long words — get the stress right: superstitious /ˌs(j)u.pɚˈstɪ.ʃəs/, vertically /ˈvɝ.tɪ.kəli/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like toilet, shoe, indoors.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.