Global Culture

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Accidental Thanksgiving Tradition Marks 10 Years

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VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS

complete stranger: 전혀 모르는 사람
And that complete stranger actually accepted.

hilarious: 아주 우스운
What began was began as a hilarious mix-up quickly turned into a real friendship.

trajectory: 궤적
How has your relationship with Wanda been an important part of the trajectory of your life?

highs and lows: 고저, 모든 곳에
beloved: 총애 받는
The two have been by each other’s side through all the highs and lows, including the loss of Wanda’s beloved husband, Lonnie, in 2020.

realize: 깨닫다, 알아차리다
It feels like you’ve needed him more than you would have even realized years ago.

thrive: 번창하다
Wanda is now cancer free and thriving.

advice: 조언
What is your advice for people that want that type of friendship?

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K-Pop Nominations Signal Grammy’s Recognition of K-Pop?

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VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS

nominate: 지명하다
K-pop’s leading acts Blackpink’s Rosé with a Netflix’s hit animated film K-pop Demon Hunters and Hybe’s global girl group, KATSEYE, have all been nominated for multiple Grammy awards.

string: 일련의
coveted: 탐내는
The string of nominations marks the first for the K-pop genre with attention now turning to whether or not the artist and groups will be able to finally take home the much coveted trophy.

contend: 겨루다
This marks the first time in three years that K-pop has returned to contend for a Grammy.

simultaneously: 동시에
It is also the first time three K-pop acts have been nominated simultaneously.

dispel: 떨쳐 버리다
perception: 인식
The Grammys have long faced criticism over bias, although this year’s K-pop presence may help dispel some of the perception.

 
 

 

 

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How Soon is Too Soon for Christmas Décor?

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VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS

jammies: 잠옷
You see, I got my Christmas jammies on.

Thanksgiving feast: 추수감사절 연회
thrive: 번창하다
This morning, with weeks until Thanksgiving feast hit tables nationwide, the Christmas spirit is thriving.

coast to coast: 전국적인
Radio stations coast to coast already cranking Christmas tunes.

retailer: 소매업자
Well, retailers have always rolled out decor right around this time.

frankly: 솔직히
But guys, clearly if you live in or frankly even report in this neighborhood, the power of suggestion is alive and well.

controversial: 논란이 많은
I know it’s controversial.

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France Reels After Louvre Jewellery Heist

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VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS

investigator: 수사관, 조사관
The Louvre in Paris has been closed to visitors today as 60 investigators try to find members of a gang who stole crown jewels from the museum.

raid: 습격
The raid was over in just seven minutes.

reignite: 재점화되다
It has reignited a debate about security levels at French museums.

mill around: 서성거리다
spectacle: 구경거리
The crowds still milling around as if drawn by the spectacle of a crime scene.

turbulent: 격동의
lavish: 풍성한
Priceless jewels, each linked to the country’s turbulent history from an era when royals were sent to the guillotine and emperors stepped into their lavish shoes and commissioned new crowns.

breakthrough: 돌파구
For now, a huge police investigation continues with no hint yet of any breakthrough into the break-in at the Louvre.

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Why Finland Keeps Topping the World Happiness Index

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VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS

vast: 어마어마한
There isn’t much to do in the vast forests of Finland, north of the Arctic Circle.

entertain: 즐겁게 해 주다
Aside from karaoke, well, there’s not much here to keep us entertained.

trickle in: 하나 둘 들어오다
As the guests trickle in one by one, so do the song requests.

melancholic: 구슬픈
A mix of melancholic Finnish love songs and international hits.

muster the courage: 용기를 내다
stage: 무대
Only now do the first men muster the courage to take to the stage.

hometown: 고향
This time, a special karaoke tent has been set up in his hometown.

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Seoul, ‘Favorite Worldwide City’ by Millennials, Gen Zs

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VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS

cultural asset: 문화재
Following the announcement, the foundation said the ever growing global reach of K-pop and Seoul’s diverse cultural assets appealed strongly to so-called millennials and Gen Z who make up the MZ generation.

notably: 뚜렷이
It said the appeal was notably strong in North America.

charm: 매력
And that Seoul will keep developing tourism content and expand marketing to showcase the city’s countless charms.

runner-up: 2위
Besides Seoul, Dublin was runner-up, followed by Hong Kong in third with London coming in fourth.

conduct: (진행)하다
preference: 선호
The vote was conducted from September 2024 to May this year with, 800,482 people taking part to express their preference.

recognition: 인정, 표창
In fact, the latest recognition marks the fourth year in a row that Seoul has finished at the top of the MZ poll.

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Matcha Mania Leads to Concerns Over Supply With Tariffs

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VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS

global sensation: 세계적인 화제
Today it’s a global sensation.

appealing: 매력적인
If you look on Instagram and Tik Tok, like the bright green color of matcha, it’s very visually appealing.

harvest: 수확
Plus, record-breaking heat hurting this spring’s harvest with tight supply and sky-high demand.

raw material: 원자재
But it makes it more complicated when you’re factoring both the tariffs and the increase in in raw material cost in Japan.

appetizing: 구미를 동하게 하는
Affordable is still appetizing for many.

business is booming: 사업이 번창하다
For now, business is booming at the matcha cafes.

put their money where their mouth is: 말이 아닌 행동으로 보이다
And as prices rise, time will tell whether matcha lovers will keep putting their money where their mouth is.

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Korean Fast Casual  Chain Seoul Spice  Eyes Expansion

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VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS

flair: 재주, 재능
Eric definitely always had a flair for cooking.

restaurateur: 식당 경영자
That flair fueled a dream to become a restaurateur.

gig: 일, 직장
It’s those similarities that Shin said made jumping back and forth between his two gigs somewhat seamless.

reaffirm: 재확인하다
It’s reaffirming in a lot of ways.

pay off: 성공적인 결과를 가져오다
His risk paid off.

all walks of life: 사회 각계 각층
pronounce: 발음하다
It gives me so much joy, like when I see, you know, people from all walks of life come into Seoul Spice and just enjoy something they can, you know, maybe not even pronounce, you know?

 
 

 

 

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Super Bowl 2025’s Biggest Moments

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VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS

outnumber: 수적으로 우세하다
I would say they almost outnumbered Chiefs fans in a way.

get out of hand: 과도해지다
But we haven’t seen any celebrations get out of hand, so that is the very good news.

storyteller: 이야기꾼
We saw Kendrick be a storyteller.

lyrics: 가사
Even Flavor Flav took to Twitter, or took to X, and said that the entire crowd was screaming these lyrics.

milestone: 중요한 단계
Yesterday was his birthday, and he’s also celebrating a huge milestone.

prediction: 예측
manifestation: 징후
I know it’s early days, but any predictions or maybe manifestations of who does next year’s Super Bowl halftime show?

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“The Phantom of the Opera” Takes Its Final Bow

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Vocabulary & Expressions

signature: 대표적인 (작품)
Tomorrow night, Lloyd Weber’s signature production comes to a close after a record run of 35 years.

disfigured: 흉악한, 흉측한
…the story centers on a disfigured mask-wearing musical genius living in the Paris Opera House…

lavish: 풍성한
sumptuous: 호화로운
It was a very lavish, very sumptuous production…

mesmerize: 완전 넋을 빼놓다
theatergoer: 극장 관람객
That intensity mesmerized theatergoers.

home away from home: 제2의 고향, 내 집처럼 편안한 곳
This has kind of been my home away from home. 

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