FADE IN
Act 1
We hear PETER and his WIFE practicing: "a", "eo", "o", "u", "eu", "i"...
PETER: Of these five Korean vowels, I find it hard to pronounce "o", "u" and "eu".
WIFE: We are taught some of the basic consonants too.
Reading a textbook, they recite: "k/g", "n", "t/d", "r/l", "m", "p/b", "s", "ng", "j/ch" and "h".
PETER: How to pronounce your name in Korean?
Peter's wife hesitates.
PETER (Cont'd): Mine is "Pi-teo-ssi", the teacher said.
WIFE: No, "ssi" is a Korean honorific like how "san" is used in Japanese! You won't address yourself with it!
PETER: Just "Pi-teo"?
Act 2
FLASHBACK
INT. SPACE, HKU - 18:45 (Earlier)
Classroom. Over a dozen STUDENTS. Peter and his wife sit next to each other in the front row, facing the screen. They exchange excited glances. A female TEACHER is speaking by a stand.
PETER (V.O): She's speaks Cantonese, referring to "seon-saeng-nim" from time to time.
Wondering.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Is "seon-saeng-nim" her name?...No.
Peter raises his hand.
PETER: Question - Does "seon-saeng-nim" mean teacher?
The teacher nods.
PETER (V.O): I've just learned my third Korean word, apart from "annyeonghaseuyo" and "gamsahamnida".
TEACHER: The main objective of this first lecture is to ensure all can pronounce the Korean vowels "a", "eo", "o", "u", "eu", "i"
CLASS: "a", "eo", "o", "u", "eu", "i" .
Later, the teacher interacts with the class on the K-culture.
CLASSMATE#1: IU will be in Hong Kong!
PETER (V.O): Our elder daughter and our son-in-law to be in Seoul got tickets and will watch her performance in May in Hong Kong.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): My special reason in learning Korean is to communicate with our son-in-law to be and his mother.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): It was language that brought our elder daughter and our son-in-law to be together. They're classmates, learning Japanese in Fukuoka a few years ago.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): They talk to each other in Japanese. And our elder daughter has been learning Korean in SNU since 2022.
As some Korean syllable blocks are being shown on screen, a look of concern furrowed Peter's brow.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Quite overwhelmed by the symbols, but I'll strive to make sense of them.
As the class uttering the Korean vowels randomly, the teacher corrects the pronunciations of "o", "u", and "eu".
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I think I've to do lots of practice after school.
TEACHER: During the break, I'll tell you how to pronounce your name in Korean...
PETER (V.O): Interesting. It'll the fourth Korean word that I know.
Break. Following other students Peter and his wife get to know their Korean names from the teacher.
TEACHER: Meanwhile, I'd like the class to get familiar with some basic consonants.
Referring to the textbook, the class learn "k/g", "n", "t/d", "r/l", "m", "p/b", "s", "ng", "j/ch" and "h".
PETER (V.O): Sounds complex, but I've to believe the system is simple, scientific and systematic.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): If Korean commoners can do it, why can't I?
Then, we hear the teacher remarking.
TEACHER: Before we call it a day, all of you have to come up and pronounce the vowels to me individually.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Ha! I must say I feel very young now.
RETURN TO PRESENT
Act 3
INT. LIVING ROOM - 14:00
Peter inserts an AI drawing entitled "Language Bonds" to a draft.
PETER (V.O): My wife and I have embarked on a quest to learn the Korean language together.
Smiling.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): That my wife and Pi-teo-ssi are classmates add an additional layer of support and companionship.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): More importantly, navigating the challenges of language acquisition and discovering the beauty of culture, we're deepening our bond!
FADE OUT
THE END
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