G9 Samanta C-Majors
“How has the Korean value I discovered helped me grow?“
G9 Cuartero-Majors, Samantha – K-POP
Samanta explores the influence of K-pop in the United States, highlighting how it has given many Americans a sense of recognition, pride, and self-confidence. She emphasizes how influential figures like BTS have helped spread Korean culture globally while delivering messages of hope and resilience. Inspired by these values, Samanta shares her personal commitment to never lose hope, even in difficult times. Although this is her first year studying Korean, her ability to express these thoughtful reflections in Korean shows remarkable growth and progress, demonstrating not only her language development but also her deep emotional connection to the culture.
"Learning about Korean culture has opened my eyes to how deeply culture can influence people not just in Korea, but all around the world, especially among Asians. Through the media, Korean culture has become a worldwide sensation. It’s inspiring to see how it brings pride, connection, and even healing to many Asian communities. For me personally, it helped me understand more about my own identity and how culture can shape how we see ourselves and the world.
Preparing for my Korean presentation was both exciting and challenging. Speaking entirely in Korean pushed me out of my comfort zone. I spent hours practicing pronunciation and working on sounding natural. There were times I felt frustrated, but I reminded myself that growth happens through struggle. In the end, it wasn’t just about getting the words right, it was about showing respect for the language and culture I’ve come to admire.
I wouldn’t have made it this far without the love and support of God and my family. In every difficult moment when I felt overwhelmed, they were there. God gave me the strength to keep going, and my family reminded me that I’m never alone. Their encouragement gave me the courage to speak and to learn."
“How does kimchi represent Korean culture while highlighting global connections and the power of shared traditions?“
As globally enlightened citizens, how can we contribute to the well-being of our global community?
UNITY 연대
우리가 함께라면 행복할 수 있습니다.
I chose “Unity” because you cannot be a happy community without unity amongst others. Unity can only happen if there is respect and kindness for one another. Unity is so important to understand one another. Without unity, we can not function as an acceptable society. You not only have to look out for yourself but for others. Having friends and people beside you can really help how much you grow and how you express yourself. Someone being there for you can bring closure and happiness. Being together is what makes us stronger. Unity can help us understand and contribute to the community’s well-being. Unity helps us appreciate people from Korea, Japan, Germany, and just anywhere in the world. Listening to everything they’re interested in, where they came from, or what they do after school. Just understanding them and respecting everything they say helps us bring unity to our community. We can learn from others and grow as a person. I want to be in a community that has empathy for one another. We can only be human together. There is beauty and power in unity. Unity can bring out the best of us.
“All About Me” Video Project
My School Life
Hello, I’m Samantha. 안녕하세요. 저는 사만타예요.
I attend APIS. 저는 APIS 학생이에요.
I wake up at 4:50 am. 저는 네시 오십분에 일어나요.
I make my bed. Then I get ready for school. 침대를 정리해요. 그리고, 학교 갈 준비를 해요.
Now, I have to leave my house. It’s time for school! 지금, 출발해야 해요. 학교 갈 시간이에요.
I go to many classes during the day. 저는 수업이 많아요.
I have a break time in Hib Hall. 저는 힙홀에서 쉬어요.
Now I go to Korean class. 지금은 한국어 교실로 가요.
After Korean class, I go to Studio Art. 방과 후에, 저는 아트 교실로 가요.
And, after school, I do my homework. 그리고, 저는 숙제해요.
Then I do my night routine. 그리고, 저는 저녁 시간을 규칙적으로 보내요.
I do my skincare. Then, I work out for a little while and at 8:30 I go to bed. 피부관리를 해요. 그리고 잠시 운동하고, 여덟시 삼십 분에 자요.
Thank you. 감사합니다.
This past semester, I have learned all about Korean culture and language. During these months, I had learned so much. Not only did I learn how read and write in Korean. I learned so mooch about Korean culture. These past experiences have shown me why Korean culture is important and they’ve shown me how beautiful the culture is. I was able to learn about this through our weeks of learning about kimchi. I learned that not all parts of Korea have the same type of kimchi and that there are over 200 types of kimchi. When gathering all the kimchi ingredients and making the kimchi itself, it really has shown me the importance of kimchi culture.
사만타! It’s amazing to see how much you’ve learned about Korean culture and language this semester! Your insights into the diversity and importance of kimchi, along with the hands-on experience of making it, show a deep appreciation for its cultural significance. Keep up the great work as you continue exploring this beautiful culture!
Respect master Samantha.