'-곤 하다'
This grammar is used when you want to mention something you've done repeatedly in the past.
엣날에는 스키를 즐겨 타곤 했는데 요즘은 집에서 푹 쉬고만 있습니다.
Long time ago I used to ski a lot, but these days I just rest at home.
텔레비전을 많이 보곤 해서 어머니한테 많이 혼나곤 했습니다.
My mother nagged me for watching too much television.
Edited by Ahn Sun Hee (Korean Language Teacher)
선생님이 술고래예요.
The teacher is a heavy drinker.
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한때- Once
한때 결혼ㅤ했었습니다.
I was married once.
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저리다- to feel numb
수영을 하는데 발이 저려 와서 당황했습니다.
I was embarrassed when my foot got numb while swimming.
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바닥-floor
한국사람들은 옛날에 방바닥에서 잠을 잤습니다.
Long time ago, Koreans slept on the floor.
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화랑-gallery
내일 이태원에 있는 화랑을 갈 겁니다.
I’m going to a gallery in Itaewon tomorrow.
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By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Sixty-seven year-old Kim Seong-hun stood in front of metro ticket counter at Seolleung station in Seoul for about five minutes Tuesday afternoon. Since he is over 65 years old, he is qualified for a free pass, but there were no staff at the counter. Instead, there was a message reading, "Please use the ticket machine."
With no staff to be found, Kim tried the machine but couldn't understand a word. "Why are all the processes so complicated?" he said.
Metro stations nationwide adopted new ticket machines in May, which they claim "replace the ticket selling staff." Gone are the 450 million paper tickets that were thrown into the rubbish bins annually, replaced with the new magnetic plastic tickets.
Seoul Metro had said the machines and new tickets could save 3.1 billion won ($2.5 million) a year and help the company lease the ticket counters as cultural venues.
However, many citizens are up in arms over the inconvenience it has caused.
At large stations such as Seoul Station, Samsung, Gangnam and several others, there are often long queues in front of the machines. Since people aren't yet accustomed to using the facility, it takes a long time.
Waste of Time
University student Lee So-young said it took her five minutes when she first used it. "It must take longer for elderly people or those who aren't used to using vending machines," she said.
At Dogok station on line 3 and several others, staff have installed a special desk near the vending machine during morning and evening commuting hours to help commuters with the machines. But during the afternoon and other times, passengers still struggle with the devices.
Some citizens are unhappy about the 500-won deposit they have to pay for the plastic card ticket. The deposit is refundable after use. It is making things more complicated for senior citizens or the disabled who had used it for free.
Kim said, "Before, all I had to do was go to the counter, show my identification card and get the ticket. But now, I have to manipulate the machine, pay 500 won and then collect it again," he said.
The process means a person has to queue up twice for one ride. "It's such a waste of time. Sometimes I just put it in my pocket because I've got to run," Lee said. Some Internet users say they have several plastic cards in their pockets because they couldn't find enough time for a refund.
Blogger Ttangarae said foreigners, who need help the most in Korea, also have problems with the system. "They would prefer the station staff's help the most. Moreover, the machine manuals are displayed in English and Korean only, leaving many non-English speakers stressed out. This system is bad in boosting tourism here," he said.
Another blogger, gilmour, said, "Machines replacing humans does not always bring efficiency. They cause great stress to people and the Seoul Metro should think whether they are really making their customers happy."
bjs@koreatimes.co.kr
I always thought it was a bad move for the Seoul Metro to replace the ticketing staff with the machines here. At least Seoul Metro company was considerate enough to make English-language manuals, but they've left out a large number of non-english speaking foreigners out. Especially, Japanese tourists, who from what I hear, take up the majority of the foreign tourists in Korea.
I knew even before the change was taking place, that the minds behind the design forgot to factor in foreigner's convenience. Usually, Koreans are so single-minded and collective on one goal that they often times unintentionally discriminate non-Koreans.
My company is giving orientations for Japanese students in how to use the Korean subway ticket machines, because there wasn't any Japanese translated manuals.
