Mine was 감사합니다 at Incheon Airport while talking to a Korean woman about medical charity work in Kenya.  That airport is one of the cultural experiences amongst the world's airport -- if such a thing can be said.

There are a number of helpful youtube and Korean TV videos that you might find helpful.

How to read Korean, 7videos] http://goo.gl/fCsgE6
[Korean beginner course, 20 videos] http://goo.gl/nkGo6E
[Korean conversation I, 10 videos] http://goo.gl/LbUJLm
[Korean conversation II,10 videos]http://goo.gl/hWN9y0
[Dialogue & vocabulary For TOPIK, 63 videos] http://goo.gl/VJjVnG
[Idiomatic Korean Expressions, 10 videos] http://goo.gl/ge7NUH
[TOPIK Exam explanation, 14 videos] http://goo.gl/NHzak8
[Sirae's Korean pleasant class, 30 videos] http://goo.gl/69Lrbx

http://sweetandtastytv.com/learnkoreanwithprofessoroh/ -- known as Professor Oh.

and this is a good source of Korean soap opera with English subtitles

http://www.gooddrama.co/korean-drama

Probably not reflecting real life but the minor background material and scenes are informative.

사랑해 and 화이팅 is the most common word that I heard. So these should be the first word that I knew.

The first Korean word that I learned was 보고싶어요(I miss you). Good luck trying to find a Korean native to pratice because it is like finding a needle in a haystack. But if you don't find a partner you can use Talk to me in Korean and Pit a Pat Korean. And also shadowing helps as well if you can't find a partner. 

행운을 빕에요!

Good Luck!