This paper presents an ethnographic record of one teacher's ongoing experience trying to understand the kinds of language ideologies constructed in the classroom about the Korean language and culture. The paper describes a class of Korean-American college students in a Korean language class who had never successfully achieved native fluency in their heritage language, although several attended Korean Saturday schools as children. The expression, "FOB," (fresh off the boat), proved to be crucial to understanding the students' ideology about the Korean language and culture. The students in the class were highly motivated to learn Korean, but they were opposed to Korean-English two-way immersion programs. The teacher, however, strongly favored such programs. After a process of reflection, debate, journaling, and interviewing, a new understanding was reached that reconciled the apparent ideological conflict that separated teacher from students. Findings suggest that attitudes toward the Korean language and culture are inextricably bound to attitudes toward English proficiency and Korean immigrants. (Contains 19 references.) (SM)