Solar Choi, proper, teaches throughout a Korean language lesson at Yummy’s Korean BBQ restaurant in West Valley Metropolis on March 25. Ryan Solar, Deseret Information
Jodee Steffensen, left, and Susan Clark, write of their notebooks throughout a Korean language lesson at Yummy’s Korean BBQ restaurant in West Valley Metropolis on March 25. Ryan Solar, Deseret Information
Katie Lens listens throughout a Korean language lesson at Yummy’s Korean BBQ restaurant in West Valley Metropolis on March 25. Ryan Solar, Deseret Information
Jodee Steffensen, left, and Susan Clark take part in a Korean language lesson at Yummy’s Korean BBQ restaurant in West Valley Metropolis on March 25. Ryan Solar, Deseret Information
Utah had little or no Korean presence when Solar Choi moved to Utah in 2004 to attend BYU. However little by little, Solar hopes to vary that.
The 1st step was opening up Utah's first all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ, Yummy's Korean BBQ, in Orem. Then got here a second location in West Valley. Three years in the past, Solar additionally started providing Korean courses out of the eating places and he is presently organizing his first group journey to South Korea later this 12 months.
"Once I first got here in 2004, there was nothing like that right here. In order that's sort of my purpose is to carry that right here," Solar stated. "Particularly with the craze with like Korean tradition, Ok-pop and flicks and all that stuff — it is simply been enjoyable sharing our tradition."
Solar, whose dad and mom are from Korea, grew up talking Korean at house. He went on to minor in Korean at BYU and serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in South Korea. He received the concept to begin providing Korean courses in Utah after realizing that there weren't locations within the state for inexperienced persons to be taught the language.
"Extra than simply instructing, it is also serving to our college students expertise that tradition," Solar stated.
His ardour for sharing the tradition is clear in the course of the courses, the place he throws in tips on slang, foreign money trade, meals and extra. In between studying about grammar, one scholar says the recipe Solar shared together with her for seawood soup, often called miyeok guk, turned out nice.
"It is simply enjoyable having the ability to share with them my background, regardless that I am Korean American and I used to be born and raised right here," Solar stated. "It is simply me having the ability to know the language, the tradition and having the ability to share that with all people else. I feel it is the most effective factor."
Jodee Steffensen, left, and Susan Clark, write of their notebooks throughout a Korean language lesson at Yummy’s Korean BBQ restaurant in West Valley Metropolis on March 25.
Ryan Solar, Deseret Information
Solar has labored with dozens of scholars, together with a handful of Korean adoptees. Solar stated this system is an opportunity for them to regain the tradition and language with the final word purpose of returning to Korea and discovering their organic dad and mom. He presently has about 50 college students between Orem and West Valley. The Korean courses are $150 per thirty days, and tuition consists of weekly classes and a Korean lunch with Solar, a month-to-month one-on-one tutoring session with a trainer in Korea and entry to recordings of all of the courses.
For Katie Lens, a Draper center schooler who's half Korean, this system has been a possibility to expertise her tradition in a brand new method.
"My mother is Korean and I simply needed to be taught it so I might speak to her and the remainder of my household as effectively," Lens stated. "Plus I really like the tradition."
Katie Lens listens throughout a Korean language lesson at Yummy’s Korean BBQ restaurant in West Valley Metropolis on March 25.
Ryan Solar, Deseret Information
Lens's mom, Carol Lens, stated it has been thrilling to look at her daughter be taught the language.
"To see her decide up curiosity within the language and a have such an unbelievable useful resource right here with Solar and simply his ardour to share the Korean tradition and language — it is superb," she stated. "In the event you actually simply need to throw your self in and be dedicated to studying the Korean language, that is unbelievable. I simply really feel so fortunate that we discovered Solar and to know that he does this makes me so pleased."
Kim Spencer-Thomas, one other considered one of Solar's college students, stated her curiosity in Korean language and tradition snowballed after she fell in love with Ok-pop. She started courses in July in preparation for a visit to South Korea later this 12 months.
"I've put loads of work into it. It is not the best language. I've taken French, Spanish and signal language and Korean is by far a really tough language," she stated. "However I do really feel prefer it's fairly enjoyable. Taking Korean is without doubt one of the funnest issues I've ever achieved."
Jodee Steffensen, left, and Susan Clark take part in a Korean language lesson at Yummy’s Korean BBQ restaurant in West Valley Metropolis on March 25.
Ryan Solar, Deseret Information
Jodee Steffensen, 70, has been taking courses since August after attempting to be taught Korean on her personal with on-line programs for a couple of months. She's planning her second journey to South Korea later this 12 months and hopes to make use of the nation as a base to go to different international locations within the area as effectively.
"Asia on the whole is one thing that, as I used to be rising up, actually wasn't within the highlight. So it is like this entire new world that is new, completely different, lovely and thrilling," she stated. "I might say do not consider age as a barrier if you wish to exit and check out one thing new. It is superb how a lot enriched my life is as a result of I discovered one thing new to expertise."
Extra details about the Korean courses is on the market at connect2korea.subkit.com.