Mastering Korean News Comments: Share Your Voice!

Introduction

Hello! This is [Daily Hangeul], here to upgrade your Korean skills! 👋

Today, we are diving into a very practical and exciting topic: Media Literacy. Specifically, we will learn how to write comments expressing your opinion on online news articles.

Nowadays in Korea, the comment sections (called 댓글창, daet-geul-chang) on news portals like Naver or Daum are buzzing with heated debates! 🔥 A major recent trend is the discussion surrounding “Generative AI” (like ChatGPT) creating art and music. Many Koreans are leaving comments debating whether this is “technological innovation” or a “threat to human creativity.”

Being able to read a news article and leave a thoughtful comment is a huge milestone for B1 learners. It allows you to participate in real social conversations. Let’s learn how to express your thoughts clearly and politely!

Key Expressions

Here are 4 essential expressions to help you sound like a thoughtful local in the comment section.

1. 제 생각에는… (In my opinion…)

• Pronunciation: [Je saeng-ga-ge-neun]
• English Meaning: In my opinion… / I think…
• Detail: This is the standard, polite way to start a sentence when you want to share your personal view. It signals to the reader that what follows is your subjective thought, not a fact.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • Linking (Liaison): Notice how ‘생각(saeng-gak)’ ends with a ‘ㄱ(k)’ and ‘에는(e-neun)’ starts with a vowel? The ‘ㄱ’ moves over to the next block!
  • So, instead of ‘saeng-gak-e-neun’, it flows smoothly as [saeng-ga-ge-neun]. This linking makes your speech sound much more natural.

2. 전적으로 동의합니다 (I totally agree)

• Pronunciation: [Jeon-jeo-gu-ro dong-ui-ham-ni-da]
• English Meaning: I totally/fully agree.
• Detail: Use this when you read a comment or an article that perfectly matches your thoughts. ‘전적으로’ adds emphasis (totally), and ‘동의합니다’ is a formal way to say “I agree.”
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • Nasalization: Look at ‘합니다’. It is written as ‘hap-ni-da’, but we pronounce it [ham-ni-da].
  • Why? When the ending consonant ‘ㅂ(p)’ meets the beginning consonant ‘ㄴ(n)’, the ‘ㅂ’ changes to a ‘ㅁ(m)’ sound to make it easier to say. This is a very common rule in Korean!

3. 우려가 됩니다 (I am concerned)

• Pronunciation: [U-ryeo-ga doem-ni-da]
• English Meaning: I am concerned / I am worried.
• Detail: In news about social issues (like AI replacing jobs or environmental changes), you might want to express worry rather than just anger. This phrase sounds very intellectual and mature compared to just saying “무서워요 (I’m scared).”
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • ‘되(doe)’ vs ‘돼(dwae)’: Pronunciation is similar, but here the base form is ‘되다’. The pronunciation is a clean [doem-ni-da]. Remember the Nasalization rule here too (p -> m)!

4. ~는 게 좋을 것 같아요 (I think it would be better to…)

• Pronunciation: [~neun ge jo-eul geot ga-ta-yo]
• English Meaning: I think it would be better to… / It seems better to…
• Detail: Instead of just criticizing, this expression allows you to offer a constructive suggestion or solution. It is a soft and polite way to give advice.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • ‘좋을’ [jo-eul]: The ‘ㅎ(h)’ in the batchim is often silent when followed by a vowel. So it sounds like [jo-eul].
  • ‘같아요’ [ga-ta-yo]: The ‘ㅌ(t)’ moves to the empty ‘ㅇ’ spot. It is not [ga-cha-yo] (that’s only for ‘같이’). Here, it sounds like [ga-ta-yo].

Example Dialogue

Let’s see how Min-su and Sarah discuss a news article about AI writing K-pop songs.

(Min-su shows Sarah a news article on his phone)

• Min-su: 사라 씨, 이 기사 봤어요? 요즘 AI가 만든 노래가 차트에 오르고 있대요.
  (Sarah, did you see this article? They say AI-made songs are climbing the charts these days.)
• Sarah: 네, 봤어요! 신기하긴 한데, 제 생각에는 조금 걱정돼요.
  (Yes, I saw it! It is fascinating, but in my opinion, I’m a little worried.)
• Min-su: 왜요? 작곡가들이 일자리를 잃을까 봐요?
  (Why? Are you afraid composers will lose their jobs?)
• Sarah: 맞아요. 인간의 감성이 사라지는 것에 대해 우려가 됩니다.
  (That’s right. I am concerned about human emotion disappearing.)
• Min-su: 저도 그 의견에 전적으로 동의합니다. 기술보다는 예술성을 지키는 게 중요하죠.
  (I totally agree with that opinion. It’s important to protect artistry rather than technology.)

Culture Tip & Trend Analysis 🧐

“Seon-pl” (선플) vs. “Ak-pl” (악플)

When you look at Korean news comments, you are participating in a unique internet culture.
* Ak-pl (악플): This comes from “Ak (Evil)” + “Reply.” It refers to malicious or hateful comments.
* Seon-pl (선플): This comes from “Seon (Good/Virtuous)” + “Reply.” It refers to positive, encouraging, or constructive comments.

Trend Alert: Recently, with the rise of cyberbullying issues, there is a huge movement in Korea called the “Seon-pl Movement.” Many platforms are now using AI bots (ironically!) to filter out bad words.

As a learner, trying to write a “Seon-pl” is a great way to practice! Even if you disagree with an article, using expressions like “제 생각에는 (In my opinion)” instead of aggressive words makes you look like a sophisticated, well-mannered Korean speaker.

Wrap-up & Quiz 📝

Today, we learned how to express opinions on news articles using polite and logical Korean phrases. Whether you are discussing AI, climate change, or the latest K-drama, these expressions will help you share your voice!

Let’s Practice!
Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence.

Situation: You read an article about reducing plastic waste. You want to say:
“In my opinion, we need to change our habits.”

Korean: