9 Korean language courses to take before moving to South Korea

As more exchange students prepare for their journey to South Korea, a common question arises: Is it necessary to learn the Korean language, even if their university programmes are taught in English?

Picture yourself trying to engage with locals who may not speak English or navigating the streets of South Korea without understanding the language. It could be quite challenging, right? These scenarios highlight the importance of having a basic grasp of the local language. 

This is where Korean language courses become invaluable.

Enrolling in these courses before moving to South Korea can equip you with the essential skills to navigate daily life with greater ease and confidence. 

But before deciding whether to learn Korean, it’s important to understand the language’s history and why its role in Korean society is crucial.

History of the Korean Language

The Korean language, known as “한글” (Hangul) in its written form, has a complex history that reflects the cultural and political evolution of the Korean Peninsula. 

Before Hangul was invented, Koreans primarily relied on classical Chinese characters for written communication. This system was not only challenging to learn but also poorly suited to the phonetic nuances of the Korean language, resulting in widespread illiteracy among the general population.

Recognising the need for a more accessible writing system, the 15th-century King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty embarked on a project. In 1443, he, along with his scholars, developed the Hangul alphabetical system, initially called “훈민정음” (hunminjeongeum), “The Proper Sounds for the Instruction of the People.”

The creation of Hangul was revolutionary — it was easy to learn and accurately reflected the spoken Korean language, increasing literacy in Korea.

Today, the language is celebrated for its design and is considered one of the most efficient and logical writing systems in the world. With the global rise of KPOP and Korean culture, Hangul has gained international recognition, and organisations now offer Korean language courses to cater to the growing interest.

Is it necessary to know Korean before moving to South Korea?

When we travel abroad, we often seek to experience the local culture and get a taste of what it might be like to live there, even if only for a few days as tourists. During short visits to non-English speaking countries, we might not prioritise learning the local language.

But what about when we plan to live in a non-English-speaking country for an extended period? Should we learn the language, even if only the basics?

One Reddit user strongly believes learning Korean is essential before moving to South Korea. They said, “If you want to live in Korea, you have to speak the Korean language. There are plenty of people who speak English, but they prefer to pretend they don’t. You will need somebody to help you make a bank account, rent an apartment, etc. Basically, you cannot do any paperwork by yourself [if you don’t speak Korean].”

Similarly, a Quora user comments, “You don’t need Korean to survive, but it will make your life WAY better. If you start with hello (안녕하세요) and you say it with such poor pronunciation that every single Korean person knows you’ve only just arrived, they will praise you with a huge gasp of air and a ‘you speak so well!’”

So, the answer is clear: if you plan to study in South Korea, learning even basic Korean will be highly beneficial.

It goes beyond being able to interact more effectively with peers, professors, and the school community; it’ll help you understand the country’s traditions, culture, values, and social norms, creating a more meaningful study abroad experience.

Nisha Rose, a former exchange student at Korea University, emphasised, “I think it is good to learn a country’s national language when you’re studying there to better engage with the locals and have a more immersive experience abroad.” 

After all, the purpose of being an exchange student is to immerse yourself in the culture; knowing the language will make your time in the country far more rewarding.

If you know Chinese or Japanese, you might not need to learn Korean

It may be easy for others to say you need to learn the language; however, learning a new language as an adult may be difficult. English speakers will struggle to learn Korean due to the complexity of the writing system and grammar structures.

However, Chinese and Japanese speakers may have an advantage. Korean, Chinese, and Japanese sentences share a similar subject-object-verb structure, making them familiar. Additionally, Korean words derive from Classical Chinese vocabulary, which means Chinese speakers will recognise a significant portion of the vocabulary. 

Furthermore, Chinese and Japanese use characters that have influenced the Korean language, giving learners from these backgrounds a head start in understanding certain words and concepts.

If you don’t know Chinese or Japanese, don’t worry — we have found some online Korean language courses for you to tackle before moving to South Korea for your studies.

9 online Korean language courses you should know about

1. First Step Korea, Yonsei University

Price: Free or US$49

Yonsei University has partnered with Coursera to offer an elementary-level Korean language course, First Step Korea. The course consists of five lessons and four units that cover these necessary skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

The course topics cover pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and dialogues by teaching students basic expressions used in everyday life, such as greetings, introducing yourself, and so on.

First Step Korea is free and gives you full access to the course materials. However, if you want to earn a certificate, you can purchase the course for US$49.

Successfully completing this course will mean that you can read and write the Korean alphabet, communicate with basic Korean expressions, and have basic knowledge of Korean culture.

2. Talk to Me in Korean

Price: US$16.99/monthly or US$122/yearly (online courses)

Talk to Me in Korean is an online platform that teaches all levels of Korean, from beginners to advanced, through its easy-to-follow and systematic curriculum. You can choose between two learning styles: books or online courses.

You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to their books. For beginners, the platform offers bundles such as the Beginner Package, Survival Korean Bundle, and Beginner Extended Package, perfect for learning the basics before moving to South Korea. Talk to Me in Korean also offers books for advanced levels.

The online courses offer bite-sized lessons, dialogue videos, vocabulary reviews, detailed lesson notes, and review quizzes. You’ll learn about the language’s core grammar, how to read and write, and ways to use the language in daily life.

3. A Bridge to the World: Korean Language for Beginners, Sungkunkwan University

Price: Free or US$49

Sungkunkwan University, in collaboration with Coursera, is offering a course called A Bridge to the World: Korean Language for Beginners. 

This Korean language course has six modules as an introductory course, along with an understanding of Korean culture. You’ll learn grammar through basic dialogues to cultivate basic communication skills for the language. Identical to Yonsei’s course, this is a “learn at your own pace” course that requires you to set five hours aside per week for three weeks, a total of 17 hours to complete.

At the end of the course, you’ll be able to express yourself in Korean about everyday life topics and particular situations, understand simple conversations, and understand the structure and characteristics of the language.

4. The Complete Korean Course for Beginners by Keehwan Kim, Udemy

Price: US$58

The Complete Korean Course for Beginners by Keehwan Kim on Udemy is ideally suited for those who have never learned the language before.

Throughout its 56-hour classes, you’ll learn how to read and write Hangul, basic grammar, Korean sentence structure, and how to form simple sentences using Korean be-verbs.

The course will help you develop Korean speaking skills, basic Korean vocabulary knowledge, and reading skills to move abroad to South Korea for university. Additionally, you will receive a certificate of completion once you have finished the course. 

5. Online 3-Week Programme, Seoul National University

Price: US$342

Seoul National University (SNU) has created the perfect Korean language course for adult learners looking to develop Korean communication skills for daily life.

The online three-week programme teaches those with minimal knowledge of the Korean language how to survive basic everyday situations in Korea through topics such as greetings, self-introduction, ordering food, purchasing goods, phone calls, and more. Students of this course will use a textbook specifically developed for this course by SNU’s Language Education Centre, called “사랑해요 한국어(I LOVE KOREAN).”

By the end of the course, you will have mastered basic pronunciation and structure of the language, along with basic communicative skills. 

6. Korean Online Courses, Go! Go! Hanguk

Price: US$300 – US$1,300 

Go! Go! Hanguk has a great range of online courses for those wanting to dip their toes into the language.

For beginners, the Hanyang Korean Beginner Course (Level 1) is the perfect course. Made in collaboration with Hanyang University’s International Education Institute, this 10-week-long course covers vocabulary, grammar, dialogue, speaking, listening, and more.

If you’re looking to learn how to converse in Korean, Talk Talk Talk Korean is the one for you. Go! Go! Hanguk collaborated with Dongguk University to present a 32-unit course and lessons about Korean culture, expressions, and grammar.

After passing the final exam, you will receive an official school certificate at the end. With your basic language knowledge, you will also be able to read and write the Korean alphabet and travel around South Korea comfortably.

7. Online short-term Korean language course, Korea University

Price: US$290.80, additional US$43.62 for admission fees

The online short-term Korean language course hosted by Korea University is a four-week course in which you can learn Korean vocabulary and grammar through related everyday life topics. The textbook used for the course is a book designed by Korea University called “고려대 한국어 (Korea University Korean Language),” which can be bought online.

At the start of the course, one-on-one placement tests will be conducted through Zoom for approximately 10 minutes to allocate you to a class suited to your Korean language skills.

Completing the course will mean that you can express your thoughts verbally or in writing, even if it’s basic. You’ll be able to understand and use basic Korean vocabulary and sentences in situations such as greetings, shopping, ordering food, planning holidays, and more.

8. Self-learning Korean Courses, King Sejong Institute Foundation

Price: Free

King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF), an online Korean learning service provider, designed self-learning Korean courses for those who want to learn the language independently.

Before enrolling in the courses, you should take a test to determine which level you’ll start in. Once enrolled in the right level, you can read through KSIF’s specially curated textbooks. You won’t be completely alone in your journey to learning the language as KSIF has online teachers to provide one-on-one feedback throughout your course.

In addition to the self-learning Korean courses, KSIF offers a Cyber Korean Culture course at its Online Sejong Culture Academy. The course includes topics like traditional Korean clothes, calligraphy, K-POP lyrics, and K-beauty.

After this course, you will be able to read and write the Korean alphabet, communicate with basic Korean expressions, and understand how the culture of the language.

9. Learn Korean through Korean tutors, Preply

Price: US$15 to US$40

The fastest way to learn a language is to put yourself in a situation where you’re only allowed to speak a specific language — in this case, only Korean. But don’t worry — there’s no pressure because the person is none other than a Korean language tutor. 

On Preply, you’ll find or be connected to a tutor who will motivate, challenge, and inspire you to learn the language. Once you start learning, you will work with your tutor through your first lesson and plan your next step for your course. Then, it will speak, read, write, and repeat with your tutor. 

Speaking to someone native to the language in a professional yet casual environment can help you understand how to use Korean in both settings and allow you to practice it without any pressure from others.