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Episodes
#59: Why TOPIK Writing Feels Hard — And How to Finally Make It Click
If you feel like TOPIK Writing is confusing, overwhelming, or just “too hard”… you’re not alone.In this episode, Eliza explains the real reasons TOPIK Writing feels difficult — and why it has nothing to do with your...
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#58: Your Korean Year-in-Review: What You Actually Learned in 2025
December is the perfect moment to pause, breathe, and look back at your Korean learning journey.
In today’s gentle episode, Eliza helps you realize something important: You improved more in Korean this year than you...
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#57: What November Looked Like for Me – in Korean (TOPIK II Listening Practice)
This week’s episode is for all my intermediate learners preparing for TOPIK II or wanting to improve their listening comprehension through real-life Korean stories.
It’s a slow-natural monologue based on my real...
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#56: Speaking vs. Writing in Korean: Why You Struggle with One (But Not the Other)
Do you ever feel confident speaking Korean… but totally freeze when writing an essay or TOPIK answer? Or maybe your written Korean is polished, but your mind goes blank during a conversation?
This episode breaks down...
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#55: How to Use Examples in TOPIK II Writing (Without Sounding Basic)
Are your writing examples helping or hurting your TOPIK score?
In this episode of TOPIK & Beyond, we’re diving into one of the most overlooked ways to boost your TOPIK II writing: giving better, stronger, more...
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#54: TOPIK II Writing Mistake - Tone Problems That Lower Your Score
If you’ve been practicing TOPIK II writing, you probably already know how hard it is to find the perfect sentence structure, grammar, and vocabulary…
But what if your biggest score drop isn’t from grammar — but from...
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#53: Write With Me: Answering a Real TOPIK II Question Step-by-Step
Struggle with organizing your ideas for TOPIK II Writing?In this “write-with-me” episode, Eliza walks you step-by-step through a real TOPIK II question using her signature WRITE to BUILD framework — a clear, logical...
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#52: Korean Writing Expressions Koreans Actually Use in Reports (That TOPIK Loves)
Do you freeze when you see a chart or graph in the TOPIK II Writing section? 😰You’re not alone! Many learners repeat basic words like 많다 and 적다 — but those won’t get you a high score.
In this episode, Eliza teaches...
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#51: The #1 Mistake in TOPIK II Writing (and How to Fix It)
Are you losing valuable points in your TOPIK II Writing section without even realizing it? You’re not alone. In this episode, Eliza breaks down the #1 mistake most students make - focusing on complex grammar instead...
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#50: Speak More Korean - Even If You’re Busy (Chuseok Edition)
Chuseok (추석) is here and whether you're in Korea or not, this season is a reminder that life gets busy. But does that mean your Korean practice has to stop?
Absolutely not.
In this episode, I’ll show you how...
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Bonus: Korean Roleplay Chaos - My First Day at Work Went Terribly Wrong (Korean Roleplay)
In this fun bonus episode, Eliza and Jim Figueroa dive into a totally unscripted roleplay that’s full of surprises, real emotions, and natural Korean expressions.
You’ll hear:
An awkward street encounter
An...
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#49: Paranoia, Conflict, and K-Drama Phrases: Language Lessons from They Come in Peace
Want to watch this conversation? We recorded the full interview on video - catch it here: https://www.joaacademy.com/jim-figueroa-korean-culture-interview
In this special episode of TOPIK & Beyond, Eliza...
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