Is there an app or website that helps learning with songs? I saw a tiktok live with this guy teaching Korean with songs but it was like a song along with Korean and English at the same time, light purple-ish colors, but I can’t find it

Hi! After some self study and a tutoring session, I realized that I'm still embarrassingly bad at the 51번 and 52번 problems on the TOPIK II. Does anyone have any tips on how to improve, like specific methods for extrapolating what should go into the blanks from context? If there are any self-study techniques you used, I'd be grateful for the help. Thank you!

There is a youtube series I watch and turn into flashcards. Can you answer the following questions so I can put accurate info on the flashcards? Each question has a relevant time stamp

6) At 1:51 the subtitles says 신났꾸욤. Is this a cute version of 구나?

52) Is the 라 in 몰라 short for the 라고 하다 quotation form? Is 몰라 the only time its shortened as 라 rather than 래? @10:00

64) Around 12:30 the girl on the bottom left says 또 우리네 when her and the other girl are the last players in a round again. Does the 네 here express surprise or is to refer to the two of them as a group?

93) is 살려주다 considered a compound verb?

108) In the sentence 내가 게임 잘하는 사람이었으면 PC방에서 종일 살 것 같아, is 살 from 살다 meaning to live? 22:16

I’m 27F and permanently living in Seoul. I’m currently taking a career break and am thinking about doing one term at Sogang KLEC this winter, mainly to improve my speaking.

I’ll most likely place around Level 4 or 5, and I’m currently trying to decide between the morning KGP200 and afternoon KAP200 classes.

For anyone who has attended either (or ideally both), are there any noticeable differences in the vibe or student demographics between the morning and afternoon classes?

Would love to hear recent experiences, especially from anyone who attended in the last year or two!

four months ago i was worried about my post grad life, and realized a feasible plan b for me is the d-10 구직비자. i qualify based on points, as long as i get a 5급 on the exam, so i signed up for it thinking it would be a good use of my unemployment time, and give me something to work for. i ended up getting a job in my field, so i ended up not studying. for reference ive completed up to 6급 at my 어학당 while i lived in korea, and graduated with a minor in korean earlier this year. however, i havent had a korean class in almost a year, and now i did really poorly on a practice test i just took and i realistically dont have much motivation to even cram.

should i take the topik exam this saturday? if i do well, it would be nice to see how the format of the exam works. but if i do poorly, especially since i didnt study, i feel like it would hurt my self confidence after studying the language for 5+ years, and all my professors saying i would do well on the exam

I’ve heard really good things about anki but it’s like $25 so I made my own flash cards on paper. the problem tho is I don’t know how to study them effectively. I’m not even 2mo in to studying Korean so I’m still not familiar with a bunch of vocab.

hey everyone! i’m korean, 17, and honestly it makes me really happy to see so many people learning my language.

i’ve talked to a bunch of korean learners, and what they struggle with surprised me, because as a native i never had to think about any of it:

• romanization you can’t turn off
• words nobody breaks down into syllables or 한자 (like 도서관 → 도 + 서 + 관)
• pronunciation and 받침 sound changes that nobody explains
• verbs taught in dictionary form instead of how they’re actually used in dramas
• not knowing what to learn next after the beginner stage

it’s made me want to build something that takes people from textbook korean to understanding real conversations. but i don’t want to guess what people need, so i’d love to hear from you:

1. why are you learning korean, and roughly what level are you?
2. what does your studying actually look like in a normal week? (apps, books, shows, classes, tutors, anything)
3. where do you get stuck the most, and what have you tried to fix it?
4. have you paid for anything to learn korean (books, apps, classes, tutors)? was it worth it?

not selling anything, no links. and if you have any korean questions, ask in the comments and i’ll answer as many as i can :) it would genuinely mean a lot to me.

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

Hi! I’m currently taking L1 (Elementary) Korean in college in the United States, and we’re following the Sogang 1A Student Book. We’re required to take an L1 language until L3 but becoming fluent would be a dream.

I just wanted to ask what are some ways to best supplement my learning? How do I best immerse myself in the language and drill the reading/vocab into my head? Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I've recently started studying Korean, and I'm hoping to spend a few months in Seoul next spring. I'll be going on my own, and I'll have the opportunity to take some time off work, so I'd like to make the most of it by studying Korean and experiencing life in Seoul.
I'm 30, and I initially considered spending just a month there and taking classes at a private language school such as Easy Korean Academy or Winter Korean. However, someone recently made me aware of the university language programs, and I'm now considering applying to one of those instead.
I like the idea of studying at a university for a full term, partly because I imagine the teaching might be more structured and intensive. I'd love to hear from people who've actually attended these programs, particularly if you've also experienced private Korean schools.
At the moment, I'm leaning towards Sogang or Seoul National University (SNU), as their spring programs run over a similar period. Ideally, I'd go from early March until late May.
There are a few things I'm unsure about, especially because I've never organised a trip like this before.

1. How competitive are Sogang and SNU?
Is it difficult to get accepted into their regular Korean language programs? Should I treat admission as reasonably likely, or is it better to have a proper backup plan?
2. Would you book flights before receiving an admissions decision?
Applications seem to open in December/January, with results and arrangements happening relatively close to the start of classes in March. I'd like to book my flights and start looking for accommodation in advance, but I'm worried about committing to dates before knowing whether I'll be accepted.
My current thought is to book flights with reasonable change conditions and, if neither university works out, attend a private school instead. Schools such as Easy and Winter seem to offer more flexible enrolment.
Does this sound sensible, or am I underestimating the practical difficulties?
3. What level of Korean should I aim for before arriving?
I'm currently a beginner. I know Hangul and have been studying basic grammar, verbs and vocabulary, and I'm taking lessons with a tutor. I'm hoping to make as much progress as possible before spring.
I'd like to reach level 2 rather than start from the absolute beginning, if that's realistic. However, most of my learning so far has been through individual lessons, and I haven't had much speaking practice. I am however practicing everyday and am very committed to it.
Would it be realistic to aim for level 2? How much speaking and listening ability would I need to keep up with the classes? I'm also curious about how placement tests work in practice.
4. How different are Sogang and SNU in terms of teaching?
I'm particularly interested in the practical experience: teaching quality, class intensity, how much speaking practice you get, class sizes, and how much Korean you're expected to use from day one.
Is Sogang's reputation for communication-focused teaching reflected in students' actual experiences? How does SNU compare?
5. Would you recommend a university program over a private school for a stay of around 10 weeks?
I'm interested in learning Korean seriously, but I also want time to explore Seoul and experience living there, rather than spending every waking hour studying. I'd be curious to hear whether people found the university programs worthwhile for a relatively short stay, or whether a private school offered a better balance.
I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences, especially from people who attended Sogang or SNU as complete beginners or near-beginners, or who applied from abroad and had to organise everything before receiving their admissions results.
6. Where would you recommend staying: university dorms, a private studio, or something else?
I'm also trying to work out accommodation. I value my independence and would ideally like a private studio, or at least a private room with my own bathroom. I'm not particularly drawn to dorm life, although I realise it could be a good way to meet people, especially when arriving alone.
I've been looking at short-term studios and goshiwons in areas such as Mangwon, Hongdae and Seongsu. Some of the options seem reasonably affordable for a stay of around 10–12 weeks, but I'm unsure whether booking private accommodation before my university admission is confirmed would be a bad idea.
For those who've done a university language program, would you recommend university housing, or did you prefer finding your own place? Is it easy to meet people and make friends if you live independently rather than in a dorm?
I'd also be interested in whether university housing is significantly more convenient for attending classes, and whether there are any practical difficulties with short-term private rentals that a first-time visitor might not anticipate.

Thanks!

안녕하세요, 저는 사회언어학 공부하는 학생입니다. Hi! I am a sociolinguistics student and fellow Korean learner, and I am currently doing preliminary research on the way that intermediate Korean learners use and understand politeness styles/honorific forms.

If you identify as an intermediate Korean learner I'd love to recieve your response on my survey! It is anonymous and should only take around 5-10 minutes. Thank you so much!

https://forms.gle/9miBexZq2BWnmjQH8

I’m an older, life-long language enthusiast. I want to study Korean as an absolute beginner, but I am only wanting to learn written and spoken comprehension and also how to communicate in writing. I am not interested in learning to speak the language. I asked AI how I could do this, and I got an answer that my first step should be to learn Hangul and should never use English transliterations from day one. Do you agree? If not, how would you structure study for this purpose? What are some of the best resources for learning Hangul?

I own a used bookshop and recently got in a load of Korean picture books. Since I don't live in a place with a large Korean population and I have extremely limited physical space in my shop, these books will live in a box for now (still accessible to customers - they are always welcome to look through any boxes).

Here's my question: I would like to put a sign on the box that says "Korean Children's Books" (or something to that effect) in Korean in addition to the English, but I refuse to use/don't trust AI or Google Translate. Could someone who is fluent in Korean please translate for me?

Edit to add link to pictures of books on my profile -
https://www.reddit.com/u/bookslinger373/s/ihYg4OkMxQ

So I'm using the Kyung Hee for beginners textbooks, and apparently I'm using Gemini Notebook to help me listing out all the vocabularies in it, turn it into some kinda script and use a TTS tool to read it. I would love it to have native pronunciation just so I could get used to.

I am a korean beginner and learning korean. I have learnt hanguel characters, some vocab and some pronunciation too (batchim) but there is a confusion. When we know that (ㄹ) is pronounced as R or L like I'm really confused. in water, its Mul with a bit sound of r. but in many words it sometimes r sometimes l and its not understandable to me. Kindly help

Hello Korean learners!
Tomorrow is 한글날 100th Hangeul Day, 9th Oct 🎊🎊🎊
It's special for a country to make a holiday out of honoring its own writing system.

I also want to let you know that the official name is 한글 HanGEUL. not 한굴Hangul(gul is oysters🦪)

Some people get confused and think Hangeul itself was created 100 years ago. It wasn't. King Sejong proclaimed it in 1446(580 years ago!).

What turned 100 is the celebration of Hangeul Day itself: in 1926, Korean scholars held the first commemoration named 가갸날. In a colonial era like that, it was a form of resistance. My grandmother is over 90, and she remembers having to use a Japanese name as a child.

Koreans grow up hearing a LOT about King Sejong, so many of us feel a pride in Hangeul. (That's part of why Koreans tend to be happy when a foreigner can read and write it.)

Given this historical context, the Korean government tends to be involved in Korean language education and 맞춤법 spelling.

So I recommend checking out 누리세종학당 https://nuri.iksi.or.kr/ often. Their free textbooks are especially helpful if you need TOPIK. (Please filter out the Hangul contents that gets wrong..😂)

Some of you probably think textbook Korean and the Korean actually use are different. You're right. Even so, I recommend building the habit of making complete sentences at first.

If your pronunciation isn't settled yet and your grammar is still shaky, omitting components makes it quite hard for Korean to follow you, and that can make communication harder.

Don't worry. You'll get better at Korean, and eventually you'll naturally start dropping subjects and particles too. 😊

I hope you build on your Korean studies to have more experiences and make good Korean friends. (Speaking slowly to match your pace, using polite 존댓말, and asking your MBTI are good signs. Haha)

Anyway, it's wonderful that a Korean-learning community like this subreddit exists and keeps growing. I'm cheering for all of you. Happy Hangeul day!🫶

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한국어를 공부하는 여러분, 안녕하세요! 내일은 한글날, 10월 9일입니다 🎊🎊🎊

나라의 문자를 기려 공휴일로 삼는다는 건 특별하죠. 공식 명칭은 한글(HanGEUL)이고, 한굴(Hangul)이 아니라는 점 알려 드립니다.(굴은 oyster🦪입니다)

한글 자체가 100년 전에 만들어졌다고 오해하시는 분들이 있는데, 올해 100주년을 맞은 건 한글날입니다.1926년에 국어학자들이 처음으로 가갸날이라는 이름으로 기념식을 한 거죠. 독립운동의 일환으로요. 제 할머니는 구순이 넘으셨는데, 어렸을 때 쓰던 일본 이름을 기억하세요.

한국인들은 세종대왕 이야기를 정말 많이 듣고 자라서, 한글에 대한 자부심이 큽니다. (그래서 외국인이 한글을 읽고 쓸 줄 알면 기뻐해요.) 이런 역사적 배경 때문에 한국 정부도 한국어 교육과 맞춤법에 관여합니다.

누리세종학당 https://nuri.iksi.or.kr/ 을 자주 찾아보시길 추천해요. 무료 교재는 특히 토픽을 준비할 떄 도움이 됩니다(틀린 한굴 콘텐츠는 걸러 주세요..🤣)

교과서와 실제로 쓰는 한국어가 다르다고 생각하시는 분들도 있을 거예요. 그래도 처음에는 문장을 빠짐없이 만드는 습관을 들이시길 추천드립니다. 발음도 어색하고 문법도 불안한데 문장 성분을 자꾸 빼고 말하면 한국인이 이해하기 어렵고, 소통이 더 어려워집니다.

걱정하지 마세요. 한국어 실력이 늘면 자연스럽게 주어나 조사도 생략하게 될 테니까요. 😊

한국어 공부를 바탕으로 더 많은 경험을 하고, 좋은 한국인 친구도 사귀길 바랍니다. (여러분의 속도에 맞춰 천천히 말해 주고, 존댓말을 쓰고, MBTI를 물어보는 건 좋은 신호입니다ㅎㅎ)

아무튼 이런 한국어 학습자 커뮤니티가 있고 계속 성장하고 있다는 건 감사한 일입니다. 모두 응원합니다. 즐거운 한글날 되세요!

I got a fan as a gift when touring a school in SK. It has the characters 花中獄 and either 가향춧 or 가향춘. I think the characters essentially mean "flowers inside of prison." Is this some sort of saying?

한국에 오기 전에 한국어를 잘 몰라요. 특히 쓰는 걸 요즘 많이 연습해서 조금 쓸 수 있게 되었어요. 그런데 아직도 힘들어요. 그래서 제 답답한 마음을 설명해 보고 싶어요. 언제까지 같은 한국어만 반복하게 될까 자주 생각해요. 매일 밖에서 한국어를 사용했지만, 십 개월이 지난 지금도 제 한국어는 아직 아이처럼 이야기하는 것 같아요. 여러분은 어떻게 생각하시나요? 이건 저만 느끼는 감정이 아니겠죠? 앞으로 어떻게 연습하면 좋을까요?

When I was learning Japanese, the best way for me to memorize the alphabet and Kanji was using an app called Kakugo. I was wondering if anyone knows of an app like that for Korean—something that constantly tests you so you can memorize the characters. Thanks! Other methods are also appreciated just from my experience simple repetition works best for me at the start.

안녕하세요 여러분! 👋🏿

I'm a Canadian woman learning Korean. I finished my first class 2–3 weeks ago. Unfortunately, there weren't enough registrations for Level 2, so I have to wait until January to start the next level.

For those familiar with the Explore program or Francisation programs in Canada, I'm looking for something similar, but i̲n̲ S̲o̲u̲t̲h̲ K̲o̲r̲e̲a̲. Basically, I'm looking for an immersive language program that combines traditional classroom learning with activities that allow students to practice the language they're learning outside of the classroom.

Keep in mind that I'm 33, but would probably be 34–35 when participating, so I'm not necessarily interested in programs where the students are mostly in their early 20s.

Are there programs like this in South Korea? My goal would be to reach an intermediate level (B1 or B2). I'm mainly learning Korean for fun because I love languages, but it would also be a nice addition to my résumé, since I'm also a French Second Language instructor.

Any recommendations or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated! 😊

Hello! I am currently learning korean through an online tutor and it’s going great! I’m learning concepts and vocabulary very well but I am struggling with pronunciation and getting comfortable speaking korean. Does anyone have resources I could use to practice speaking and pronunciation?

All the explanations were hard to understand so I looked online and it says smart? But I’ve never heard this in the states, so I was wondering what Korean people saw that made them say this. Any examples of Korean celebrities that look 똘똘해

안녕하세요!👋 I'm 승완 from the Talk To Me In Korean team. Hope you're all having a great week and enjoying your Korean studies!

I just stopped by to share a free Hangeul typing practice site we made to celebrate 한글날(Hangeul Day) this year! Since it's about practicing Korean, this felt like the perfect place to share it.

https://hangeultyping.talktomeinkorean.com

Here's what you can practice:
0. Race: type 10 words to reach the finish line and get a rank based on your time

1. Basics: consonants, vowels, and syllables
2. Vocabulary
3. Sentences
4. Long Text
5. (*All the words and sentences come from our own Korean learning materials, not generated by AI. Each one comes with an English translation, so you can actually pick up some Korean while you type!)

It's free, and you don't need an account. You don't even need to install a Korean keyboard. You can use it right in your browser, on desktop or mobile. Also, there's an on-screen keyboard, and the Key Guide highlights the next key to press, so you can start even if you're an absolute beginner and still getting used to Hangeul.

We're planning to keep adding to it, so if you have feedback or ideas for new features (we've been thinking about things like a picture quiz, or pasting your own text to practice with), feel free to let us know in the feedback section at the bottom of the page!

Happy early 한글날(It's October 9th)! 🎉 Thank you all for learning Korean and loving Hangeul as much as we do. 좋은 하루 보내시고 한국어 공부 항상 힘 내서 열심히 하세요! 파이팅!💪

Fun fact) We actually held a little typing tournament at the TTMIK office using the race mode lol. On desktop, some of us got down to around 7 seconds, but on mobile, even getting under 20 seconds was surprisingly tough because of the smaller layout, the on-screen keyboard and stuff. So I'd recommend desktop if you're going for a fast record!

But please don't compare yourself to those numbers of Koreans who've been typing in Korean their whole lives😅 As a learner, if you can finish in under 20 seconds on desktop, you're doing really well. I'm sure the more you practice, the faster you'll get, and the more fun it becomes. So I hope you give it a try and keep coming back!!

I’ve been wondering how 편이다 grammar works when used with 이다. For example expressions like 친구인 편이다 / 학생인 편이다 don’t sound quite natural to me.

I’m thinking that perhaps the only case where this grammar is used with 이다 are words ending with ~적 such as:

- 역사적인 편이다

- 경제적인 편이다

- 과학적인 편이다 ....

Also, when it comes to words formed with ~적, How can we express the meaning "to become"? For example 과학적이어진다 etc sounds weird to me. What are the natural ways to express something like this?

주러드러씀니다?
or
주러드럳씀니다?
You can comment in Korean, I can use a translator.
감사합니다.