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Sitting in Starbucks with a backpack and his notes out, comedian Kim Young-chul could pass for a student.
Well, he is one. Fresh out of an English language class, Kim is ready to talk in English.
"My English level is high-intermediate or advanced," said the 33-year-old comedian who attends English language classes three times a week.
He says all this in English, boldly and rapidly, before pulling out a pile of books that he is currently reading.
They're all in English. One book stands out: 2,002 Romantic Ideas, decorated with a hot pink cover. Clearly, this man is not ashamed of anything. And that has proven to be his formula for success.
The fearless comedian - who has never studied English abroad - has published his own book on learning English, Ppeon-ppeon-han Youngchul Yeong-eo (Yeongchul's Brave English, Random House; 11,000 won or US$11; 248 pp.) and currently has his own corner, 'Young-chul's English', on the popular MBC radio programme Jeong-oeui Himanggok.
So, when Arirang approached him with an offer to co-host the series Let's Speak Korean, Kim went for it, but not without hesitating.
"At first, I declined the offer very politely," he explained. But when he saw famed singer Patti Kim as a guest on the Arirang TV show Heart to Heart, he changed his mind. She was very easy and natural, focusing on communicating rather than on speaking perfectly. And he realised that mistakes were not an issue.
Emboldened, Kim signed on as the new emcee of the TV show, Let's Speak Korean. Now in its fourth season, this show teaches viewers how to speak Korean, in English.
"Arirang TV is a challenge," he said. "It's really hard. We have to use English and Korean at the same time." 'Hard' is an understatement. The 15-minute long show begins with a short sitcom in which prominent Korean celebrities enact a common household situation.
After watching the two-minute-long mini-sitcom, co-hosts Kim and Lisa Kelley pluck three key Korean phrases from it, explaining what they mean and how to use them.
Switching back and forth between English and Korean, the hosts navigate the subtle nuances of both languages. Kim, initially more concerned about his English, was blown away by how complex his own native language could be.
"Korean is very hard," said Kim, admitting that he has made mistakes while speaking his own language during the show. "Sometimes I get stuck," he added, after recounting an episode in which he couldn't pronounce a common Korean phrase correctly.
But tongue-tied or not, Kim is entertaining. And his easy-going sense of humour brings a much-needed levity to this educational program. Kim and Kelley - who has been on the show for the past three seasons - act out little humorous skits to help explain the phrases of the day, making them fun and easy to learn.
"We watch the sitcom in advance and think up little episodes," says Kim, who thinks he and Kelley are a perfect match. Watching them play off each other, singing and joking, one can't deny that the two have a bit of Laurel and Hardy going on there.
"Once we start filming, we do even better," Kim says, adding that sometimes they improvise a little. But, with Kim as a partner, it would be hard not to be funny. Sitting across from him now as he drops cute English phrases like "talk to the hand" with the ease of a native, one can't help but think that some people are just born with it.
Let's Speak Korean begins airing on Monday, June 9 on Arirang TV. The show is scheduled to play Mondays through Fridays at 12:15pm.
This article appeared on www.koreaherald.co.kr
July 16, 2008
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