Your Korean textbook lied.... #korean #koreanlanguage

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You learned to count with "한 개, 두 개, 세 개" but Koreans don't always follow that rule, and that's exactly what makes numbers feel so hard.

Here's what actually happens: small numbers get read in native Korean (한, 두, 세), but once the number gets bigger, Koreans switch to Sino-Korean (오십, 육십, 칠십). You can even catch the same person flipping between the two in a single sentence, I show two real examples from 대탈출 (The Great Escape) and 스트릿 레스토랑 파이터.

According to the National Institute of Korean Language, both readings are actually correct, it just comes down to habit and how big the number is.

The takeaway: small numbers → native Korean, big numbers → Sino-Korean. Even Koreans mix them, so you can too.

Want to go deeper? In my speaking club we learn real Korean straight from variety shows, with weekly materials and feedback on how you actually speak. Check the link to join 💜

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