Wet Balloons and Bubbles

Korean has two kinds of stops: the aspirated and the un-aspirated. The later are further categorized as either fortis or lenis. These we studied on the third day of Korean class, which is composed of perhaps sixteen individuals: four Americans, three Japanese, and a smattering of other nationalities.
My fellow American is able to cognize that there is some difference in sound between the aspirated stop its un-aspirated counterpart, but here the cogitation ceases. He aspirates that which is to be left un-aspirated, and in desperate attempt to pronounce distinctly that which is to be aspirated, huffs and puffs and generally blows himself into a state of breathless confusion.
The Japanese, on the other hand, can't aspirate. The only similarity, in fact, between these two antipodal linguistic groups is that of countenance: flushed and strained. Those sounds which the westerner has pronounced like a deflating wet balloon, the easterner pronounces like a bubble popping on a spring day. More pleasant to the offended ear, but no more accurate for it. He, too, hears some distinction. Exactly what that distinction is, he cannot tell. And so his un-aspirated stops are uttered as follows: lenis, fortis, and barricaded casement. His throat contracts. His lips tighten. His fists clench. His entire being is concentrated on the reproduction of that harshness which he hears, while, with an effort diverting to behold, he distinctly pronounces an unadulterated consonant. On more than one occasion I've been forced to lower my gaze in order to hold back the laughter with which my shoulders shake and my eyes water.
Of course, being witness to this little comedy, I'm profoundly grateful for the linguistics training I've had. I have by no means mastered all of the sounds yet, but at least I know what I'm trying for, and look forward to the day when my jaw will cease to ache, and the sounds come fluently.