Korean Family Titles - Oppa/Unni/Hyung/Nuna

I would like to tell you a story that I experienced a few days ago.

I have a Malaysian friend who has got interest in Korean dramas these days and one day, he called me 'Hyung'. The moment he called me in that way, I was really embarrassed but I knew that he had no intention of teasing me and just misunderstood Korean culture so I just laughed at the awkward situation.

Then what is wrong with 'Hyung'?

There are several kinds of family titles in Korea, which play a very important role in building up as close relations as family relationships.

I am going to introduce four Korean family titles, Oppa/Unni/Hyung/Nuna. These titles will be useful if you want to get close to a Korean friend.

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This part which deals with Oppa and Unni(or Onni) is especially for girls.

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1. 오빠 [oppa]

OK, let us start with 'Oppa'. 'Oppa' is what girls call their older brother and what girls call their older male friend who is close to them or who they want to get close to. Korean guys like a cute girl who acts like a little sister so 'Oppa' is always ranked as the first word which guys want to hear from girls.

Here is Rain. He was born in 1982 and he is definitely older than me - I was born in 1987 - so there is no doubt that I have to call him 'Rain Oppa' if I meet him in person.

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2. 언니 [unni or onni]

There is another word, 'Unni(or Onni)', which is what girls call their older sister and an older female friend who is close to them or who they want to get close to.

She is one of my favorite Korean actresses, Han Yeseul, who was born in 1981. She is older than me, so what do you think I will call her? Yes, the answer is 'Yeseul Unni(or Onni)'.

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Now, it is time for boys. If you are male and use 'Oppa' or 'Unni', your Korean friend would be so confused whether you are female or male. The words you must use are 'Hyung' and 'Nuna'.

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3. 형 [hyung]

It is also simple. 'Hyung' literally means older brother which boys call and it is also used for boys to call their older male friend.

How about these guys? You may recognize that it is a picture of a popular Korean idol group, Super Junior. Let us suppose that you are male and younger than them, then what should you call them? Yes, you should call them 'Hyung'.

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4. 누나 [nuna]

This is the last one, 'Nuna', which is what boys call their older sister and older female friend.

For example, I prepare a picture of Girl's Generation, also a popular Korean idol group. Supposing you are male and younger than them, you would call them 'Nuna'.

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5. Name or 동생 [dongseng]

Then what if you are older than them or the same age? Then you can call them their name. Dongseng is also used to call younger friends.

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You would remember the story that I was called 'Hyung' by my Malaysian friend and now I think you can correct this. How did he have to call me? Yes, I am his 'Nuna', not 'Hyung'.

In short, just do not forget 'Oppa' and 'Unni' to call your older siblings or older friends if you are female. And if you are male, call your older siblings or older friends 'Hyung' and 'Nuna'.

It is not so difficult that I want you guys to remember these and use them to your Korean friends. Thanks :)

Example of a Birthday Speech

I got an assignment about a birthday speech in Public Speaking class a few weeks ago but it was quite hard to find any example on the Internet. So I'd like to share my speech example with those who are looking for any sample or example of a birthday speech :)

Oh, I referred to several samples but I lost the list of the web sites that I got them from. I'll upload the list soon!

Birthday Speech

Firstly, I would like to say thank you all for coming tonight to celebrate my boyfriend Tom's 30th birthday, hope you are all having a good time.

It is hard to believe that time has flown so fast like an arrow since I celebrated his 29th birthday together. Since then, a year has already passed and today is his birthday again so I would like to raise my glass and propose a toast for who he truly is:

Tom he is a man who looks at life positively in spite of the struggles and obstacles he faces, who strongly believes in true love and practices what he believes, and who always follows his dream.

Tom loves his friends, he loves contemporary art and music, he loves strong espresso coffee, he loves having an apple with a cup of tea at night, he loves cooking and feeding me, he loves bothering me affectionately.

So on this day, on his birthday, Tom, I, as your girlfriend, just want you to know how happy I am to have you. You are a wonderful, beautiful person, and you make a real shining difference in every life you touch.

Thank you for being you Tom and I wish your health and happiness. I love you, Tom, and happy birthday. Cheers.

Information Disclosure in Islamic banks

1) Information disclosure in general

A bank discloses their financial and other information, aimed at providing a broad and reasonably up-to-date view of the bank through annual reports. Major groups of the reports users are ⒜ Shareholders; ⒝ Account holders and depositors (clients of the bank); ⒞ Borrowers and others who transact with the bank; and ⒟ Regulatory bodies.

Information disclosure leads to transparency and supervision and regulation of the banking sector. Moreover, it gives banks stability in consequence, despite the fact that almost all banks’ activities face a variety of risks. For that reason, major global financial institutions such as the World Bank and IMF’s Financial Sound Indicators system have emphasized the importance of transparency and disclosure as one of the core components of bank stability because transparency which arises from greater disclosure by banks will further benefit the financial system as a whole, by reducing the doubts and it provides an essential foundation to a more stable and efficient financial system.


2) Information disclosure in Islamic banks

Not only in conventional banks but also in Islamic banks, truthful and relevant disclosure of information is necessary and Islamic banks, which avoid Gharar and follow Mudarabah principle, are encouraged to make more extensive disclosure since it shows banks’ strategies and relevant risks and also assists depositors and other investors to make well-informed decisions on where to put their money.

Islamic banks apply a Shariah and legal framework which ensures effective risk management practices, adequate financial disclosure and governance to their information disclosure. This leads them to have a strong financial system by including these components as follow: ⒜ Performance Overview; ⒝ Statement of Corporate Governance; ⒞ Directors’ Report; ⒟ Statement by Directors; ⒠ Statutory Declaration by Director or person responsible for reparation of financial statements of the reporting institution; ⒡ Auditors’ Report; ⒢ Shariah Committee’s Report; ⒣ Balance Sheet; ⒤ Income Statement; ⒥ Statement of Changes in Equity showing either all changes in equity or changes in equity other than those arising from capital transactions with owners and distributions to owners; ⒦ Cash Flow Statement; and ⒧ Accounting Policies and Explanatory Notes.

This form of information disclosure based on a Shariah and legal framework has increased the reliability of the Islamic financial system and strengthened the incentives for banks to maintain sound banking practices. Besides, it provides both the supervisory authorities and the public with better information of a bank's strategies and risks including Islamic banks’ special risks.



Sources
1) Reserve Bank of New Zealand, “Your bank's disclosure statement: what's in it for you?”
2) Nafis Alam & Prof. Bala Shanmugam, “Promoting Transparency in Islamic Banks”, THJ Jan/Feb 2007 edition
3) Luca Errico & Mitra Farahbaksh, “Islamic Banking: Issues in Prudential Regulation and Supervision”, IMF Working Paper, March 1998
4) Islamic Banking and Takaful Department of Bank Negara Malaysia, “Guidelines of Financial Reporting for Licensed Islamic Banks”
5) Mohamed Abdelhamid, “Islamic Banking”, Department of Economics in Carleton University, September 2005

What is Riba?

Although Islamic finance is playing a more and more important role in the world, I even didn't know what is different between conventional and Islamic banks. I thought it was not my business as I'd never seen any Islamic bank in Korea.

Things are always changing though. I happened to come to Malaysia and this country is closely connected with Islamic banks. It's time I needed to know at least what it is!

I asked my Thai friend if she knew anything about it and she said there's something different in their interest system. I found out later that it was about riba, which is one of the most crucial concepts in Islamic finance.

Then what is Riba?

Literally, riba means ‘excess’ or ‘increase’ in the Arabic language, which is also thought to be ‘effortless profit’ in the Islamic terminology and translated into ‘interest’ in English. However, riba is so much more than what I mentioned above in fact. There are a number of opinions about the definition of riba, depending on scholars, and the meaning seems to be too general and indefinable, so we are going to have a look at it from the different angle in order to get a better understanding of what riba is by explaining 1) why riba is prohibited in Quran and 2) why a profit in the Islamic banking is not riba.


1) why riba is prohibited in Quran

In the conventional economics, a loan is considered a means to make greater economic benefits. That is why the lender returns to the borrower more and better than the quantity borrowed in compensation for the time value of their money.

However, it is assumed that those who are in difficulties borrow a loan to get out of the situation in the Islamic economics. In other words, what Quran prohibits is not ‘riba’ itself but the worse result which can be happened to the borrower not being able to pay back. This is the reason why riba is not accepted in Quran.


2) why a profit in the Islamic banking is not riba

Nevertheless, a profit called interest in the western banking still exists in the Islamic banking and it is one of the vital sources which allow the Islamic bank to run the business smoothly. Then why is the profit in the Islamic banking not riba?

While the borrower has to take the risk of the lender by paying them the interest in the conventional economics, the borrower and lender share not only the profit but also the risk as a partner in the Islamic economics. Moreover, either a product or a service must be delivered in Islamic banking transactions so that the profit is not riba anymore, but just a profit from their investment in the partnership.


It is true that the definition of riba has similarities to interest in some ways but we can find the certain differences between them and when the reasons, why riba is prohibited in Quran and why a profit in the Islamic banking is not riba, are taken into account, we can get a better understanding of the definition of riba.

Example of an Award Acceptance Speech

I got an assignment about an award acceptance speech in Public Speaking class a few weeks ago but it was quite hard to find any example on the Internet. So I'd like to share my speech example with those who are looking for any sample or example of an award acceptance speech :)

Award Acceptance Speech

Let me begin by saying I am simply speechless now and this is just amazing! I am overwhelmed with this honor. Thank you, thank you and thank you.

Ever since I started the business school here, to win the ABC Business Plan Competition has been always my biggest dream as it is a well-known prize among business students. That is why I cannot believe that I am awarded. I think the idea-market website, the topic that I dealt with, was original and interesting and that made me stand up here in the first place. Otherwise, I do not think I can get this prize since I know I am no better than others and all competitors did absolutely fantastic job.

I remember that all the professors I visited to ask for a piece of advice said my idea about the idea-market website was impossible to realize in the real business world. That night, I cried a lot and almost gave up carrying out the project. Then I got an answer from Prof. Kim the following day and he said it would be perfect if I modified some parts of my project. He was the only person who saw the possibility of my project for this competition and led me to develop my idea more logically and realistically. Without his support, I would not have been able to do this.

Thank Prof. Kim for giving me such useful and helpful advice all the time and helped me to apply possible real business models to this project. Also, thank my family who always encouraged me to think of a better idea in a creative way and all of my friends who stood by me especially during tough time and thank you for recognizing my project with this reward. And I would like to say thank you to all people here. Thank you again.