With Korean dramas, music, fashion and beauty trends sweeping the charts and our social media just about every day now, it’s safe to say that learning the Korean language has never been more in demand.
Korean is one of the easiest languages to learn in terms of reading and writing. Hangul, the alphabetic system used for the Korean language, was invented by King Sejong the Great in 1443 with just 24 basic letters, designed specifically to be easy to learn and use. It is also mostly phonetic, meaning that you’ll be able to pronounce most of the words exactly as they are being written. The difficult part, as with any new language, is learning the meaning of these words, as well as the rules and exceptions of its grammar and vocabulary.
Whatever your reason is to learn — be it to impress a new partner you’re seeing, to watch all those highly addictive dramas without subtitles, or just to feed your brain with a new skill — it’s now easier than ever to learn Korean without having to dedicate a set number of hours a week in a stuffy classroom.
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This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Singapore
Here are the best online Korean language courses:
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Talk To Me in Korean, more fondly abbreviated as TTMIK, is one of the best ways to start learning Korean for foreign language speakers, especially for those who don’t like structured classroom formats. Besides engaging video lessons, the site also makes use of online courses and textbooks to help new learners better their foundation in hangul. Bes sure to check out their youtube channel here for additional tips and phrases.
Perhaps you prefer one-on-one coaching with a teacher that’ll guide you every step of the way. If that sounds like you, then Italki would be the best place for you to learn. Registered Italki users can browse through a list of licenced teachers or community tutors (who are either native or near-native speakers) in that particular language. Every student will receive three, 30-minute trial lessons, after which there will be an option to pay for single lessons or bundle classes.
Korean Class 101 would be a good place to learn and practice your listening skills. It has thousands of podcast-style audio and lessons that range from beginner to advanced learners online and on its app, making it a great supplement for those who are learning how to read and write hangul on their own.
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If you heard someone recommending Quick Korean as a place to learn, it’ll most probably sound like a scam to you. Unlike its name, you’ll quickly realise that this completely free, four-level course has been officially sponsored by the Cyber University of Korea, specially designed by instructors at leading Korean universities. Each 30-minute lecture covers a different language topic, and students are invited to take a comprehensive exam after each level, which comes with a certificate of completion after they pass.
