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Author Topic: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?  (Read 870 times)

Offline chupacaubrey

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What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« on: March 03, 2017, 12:58:02 PM »
So I am a huge lame aka an old and I don't know what's cool to anyone, much less middle school students in Korea (both boys and girls).

Anyway, I'm working on my reward system this year and am hoping to, you know, relate with relevant images (I'm considering a lotto ticket system and would like to have a different ticket "theme" each month) and prizes and such.

I know that school supplies and chocopies always go over well but I'm curious if anyone has some input for specifics of what kids might really go apeshit for. Like, is G-Dragon still cool? Should I just avoid Korean culture altogether and use my own references (US)? Mix of both?

Thoughts/input greatly appreciated!
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Offline Jamie Hawks

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2017, 01:01:30 PM »
if you find out let me know. my new batch of high schoolers just came from middle school
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Offline fas6pa

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2017, 01:31:25 PM »
응아니야
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Offline jimwall5

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2017, 01:34:53 PM »
The boys are always talking about Overwatch the video game
Also, everyone seems to like  "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (도깨비 Dokkaebi) which is a popular korean drama at the moment.
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Offline chrislis90

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2017, 01:35:57 PM »
My middle school students love playing games (Overwatch and LOL) and Twice (girl group).
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Offline DeaneJames

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2017, 01:39:18 PM »
Second year teaching at an all boys middle school. Overwatch, league of legends (pc games) and K pop seemed to work.

My grade 3's responded the most to K Pop, the grade 1's weren't that interested and my grade 2's liked nothing at all.



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Offline Charmedhpx77

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2017, 01:43:37 PM »
BTS is the "it" group right now. EXO is always a fall back, Twice for girl groups, Red Velvet as well. Big Bang has one in the military already so they "old" (still popular but not so much with the kids).

Overwatch is the game the boys love, along with League of Legends. I had Transformer stickers that went over okay with 6th graders, but stickers might be a little bleh. Cheap erasers and notebooks? I know that candy is always a winner as well.

Half the time it isn't the prize, it's the winning that's important anyway. ^^
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Offline yirj17

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2017, 02:01:51 PM »
It may vary slightly (for example, most of my middle schoolers like Pokemon but I had one class of grade 1s last year that weren't interested at all... but that class overall doesn't seem interested in much), but in general the lads seem to like video games (like Overwatch & LoL) and the lasses are usually into kpop (the boys enjoy kpop too, but maybe aren't as into it as the girls seem to be).

A fair number still like Minecraft as well. Not as rabidly as some of my elem. schoolers but enough that they appreciate when pictures pop up in PPT slides or if I make it the theme for a game.

Oh and most are into horror flicks. I've shown a few "scary" short films during Halloween season at the majority's request and the few that don't like it just cover their eyes.

I don't really know kpop so I stick to video games and short films.
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Offline steviegerro

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2017, 02:13:14 PM »
Bit of Maroon 5 goes a long way. Also keep up to speed with the latest K-dramas and who the heart-throb of the season is. Keeps the girls interested at least. Little bit of English football (soccer) too.

I tend to stay clear of the cartoon J-pegs I see in power points, if you do use a power pont, try to include GIFs.

Best advice is to just experiment, you won't nail it every time but when you do you'll be awesome. Nothing wrong with asking one or two of the higher level students what they would like. No better source than the students themselves.
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Offline jaysoon17

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2017, 02:16:55 PM »
Survey the kids if you can, and tell them why you're asking these questions. I survey my students at the beginning of each school year to see if there is anything new. Another thing you can do, if you have the tolerance for it, is to let the kids choose the music in between classes to give you an idea of what they like. 
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Offline damocha

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2017, 02:58:14 PM »
My middle school students had a Christmas gift exchange where they could steal an opened gift in lieu of opening a new one. The most stolen items were a TWICE CD and Carmex chapstick. These were both coveted by the boys and the girls.

My main school is an all-girls school so I have a better idea of what girls like.

Small, round hand mirrors
Face packs (I get them when it's 1+1 for the 10 packs).
BTS - I once had a piece of paper with one of the member's names on it. It was literally a computer-printed paper with RAPMONSTER on it, and one of my girls begged me for it.
Fun stickers
Socks
Haikyu - a Japanese webtoon
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Offline Imhullu

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2017, 03:46:10 PM »
Quote from: Charmedhpx77 on March 03, 2017, 01:43:37 PM
I had Transformer stickers that went over okay with 6th graders, but stickers might be a little bleh.

I teach High School, and let me tell you that my 3rd grade students lost their minds when I let them get a sticker one day for doing good on a presentation project. 

They were just some kakao friends stickers I bought at a bookstore at Yongsan mall. 
If kids are acting too cool for stickers, I think they're just trying to seem more mature or something like that. 

Stickers and candy, and all the online games everyone has been mentioning work well.
Honestly just ask them, talk to them and find out what they like.

I'm just lucky because I connected to almost all my students because I have similar interests.  Find out what they like, and these kids will want to talk to you in english about it.
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Offline scpru

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2017, 09:17:08 AM »
My advice: just ask them! They'll be excited to talk about something they like. I regularly ask my students what movies are coming out, what are they listening to lately, are they reading any books or comics... stuff like that. Another good way to find some stuff out, is log into your YouTube account, and take requests for a music video to be played during the time before class actually starts. Just give the condition that it CAN'T have rated content--steamy scenes, partial nudity, curse words, etc. It'll be saved in your YouTube history so you can remember it later.

But in case you don't have time to make small talk for some reason... Here's what my students have expressed interest in lately.
My girls: BTS (new songs: Not Today, Spring Day), EXO, TWICE, YouTube content creators (퀸토리, 설세임, 에디션), Moana, Pokemon Go
My boys: TWICE, Doctor Strange, Pokemon Go, Overwatch, Horizon: Zero Dawn (admittedly, after I geeked out about it and showed them a trailer with Korean subs)
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Offline kyndo

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2017, 01:20:44 PM »
My middle school boys always loved the "People are Awesome" clips that I would show as a reward. They're pretty cool: usually 4 or 5 minute you-tube videos of people doing amazing things. Just make sure you pre-watch as very occasionally they include scantily clad ladies surfing or whatever (which can lead to utter classroom pandemonium :laugh: ).

For themes, go with popular animes (One Piece, Naruto, Bleach), video games (Overwatch, LoL, Starcraft, Maple Story, Minecraft, Sudden Attack, FIFA Online), k-pop, or recent movies.

If you're looking for prize ideas, you can buy tiny pokemon plushies for like 1,500 in some places, and they're definitely appreciated. YuGiOh cards can be a hit too: buy a pack or two and give out the cards individually. And of course, candy and stickers always go over well.
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Offline nbb

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #14 on: March 13, 2017, 11:08:17 AM »
I have all girl MS students and they are really into a manga series called Haikyuu at the moment. From the looks of it its about a boys volleyball team so is probably suitable for boys too.

« Last Edit: March 13, 2017, 11:15:09 AM by nbb »
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Offline DScully

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #15 on: March 13, 2017, 03:11:56 PM »
My boys are all obsessed with Overwatch and League Of Legends
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Offline turningsteel

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #16 on: March 13, 2017, 03:38:47 PM »
Quote from: nbb on March 13, 2017, 11:08:17 AM
I have all girl MS students and they are really into a manga series called Haikyuu at the moment. From the looks of it its about a boys volleyball team so is probably suitable for boys too.

Oh yeah they love 하이규 ! Also, I've seen the trading cards in the CNA stores or whatever they're called with all the knick knacks.  So, maybe doing what Kyndo suggested and handing the cards out as prizes would be a hit.
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Offline travelingCeee

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Re: What's cool to Korean middle schoolers?
« Reply #17 on: March 13, 2017, 04:36:44 PM »
Quote from: Imhullu on March 03, 2017, 03:46:10 PM
Quote from: Charmedhpx77 on March 03, 2017, 01:43:37 PM
I had Transformer stickers that went over okay with 6th graders, but stickers might be a little bleh.

I teach High School, and let me tell you that my 3rd grade students lost their minds when I let them get a sticker one day for doing good on a presentation project. 

They were just some kakao friends stickers I bought at a bookstore at Yongsan mall. 
If kids are acting too cool for stickers, I think they're just trying to seem more mature or something like that. 

Stickers and candy, and all the online games everyone has been mentioning work well.
Honestly just ask them, talk to them and find out what they like.

I'm just lucky because I connected to almost all my students because I have similar interests.  Find out what they like, and these kids will want to talk to you in english about it.

That's because they are Kakao stickers! If you had given them any other sticker, they wouldn't have cared. Kakao friends (characters from Kakaotalk) are THE thing that everyone likes. The merchandise used to be rarer and harder to come by but its still very coveted by students.
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