Studying Korean
How can you keep your Korean skills up to speed when you’re out of class? The following books, websites, and blogs will provide you with the resources you need to pick up the learning pace even without a teacher. The entries are roughly organized from beginner to advanced for ease of reference.
Korean Language Books
1. Lonely Planet Korean Phrasebook
Not as useful for studying Korean, perhaps, as for using it, this book will get you in, around, and out of more situations than you can imagine.
2. Survival Korean by Stephen Revere
Before he started 10 Magazine, Stephen Revere produced nifty books like this one, chock full of wry cultural observations and clever explanations that make Korean a lot easier to tackle. There’s also Survival Korean: Basic Grammar Skills to help your production ability.
3. 2000 Essential Korean Words for Beginners published by Darakwon
Once you’ve got this book, you can stop making those darn vocabulary lists.
4. Pimsleur Korean
The Pimsleur approach to language learning is speaking confidently through recorded dialogues. Warning: no text, just tapes.
5. Speaking Korean by Francis Park
Park’s textbook is a standard in Korean language departments across the US, reading this is a must when studying Korean.
6. Sogang Korean by the Korean Language Education Center at Sogang University
This task-based textbook series is a popular and pragmatic guide to communicating in Korean.
7. Ganada Korean for Foreigners published by Ganada Korean Language Institute
This series will take you from the basics to a very advanced level of Korean, and the audio files are great for sticking on your mp3 player.
8. Korean Grammar for International Learners published by Yonsei University
Enough terms, theory, and example sentences for the grammar mavens, but written in a readable tone with clear explanations for the rest of us.
9. Using Korean: A Guide to Contemporary Usage by Miho Choo
This book has been touted as the definitive work for intermediate students looking to take their Korean to the next level.
10. Learn Hanja the Fun Way by Lee Yeong-hee
This entertaining, accessible book is the perfect way for intermediate students who are studying Korean to get a taste of Hanja, the Korean characters that help so much with vocabulary building.
Korean Language Websites
1. Let’s Learn Korean
This site includes beginner lessons as well as “Korean Language Adventure,” a series of great intermediate lessons about various tourist sites in Korea. This will certainly make studying Korean a lot more fun.
2. Online Sogang Korean Program
These fun interactive lessons make up an all-in-one program that starts with the Korean alphabet and advances to an intermediate level.
3. Naver Dictionary
English to Korean, Korean to English, and Korean to Korean, Naver has the best free dictionaries on the net.
4. My Language Exchange
Find a language exchange partner to help you practice your Korean via emails, voice and text chatting.
5. TOPIC: Test of Proficiency in Korean
Information on how to prepare for and take this test, for advanced students who are studying Korean and want objective proof of their language skills.
6. Popjisyo
Use this site to get pop up translations of the words on Korean websites.
7. Hanghoul
Kill zombies, while studying Korean!
Korean Language Blogs
1. Korean Class 101 Blog
In addition to the podcasts, Korean Class 101 has a blog with language and culture related posts running the gamut from silly to serious.
2. Transparent Language Korean Blog
Frequent updates with information on places worth visiting in Korean as well as Korean language tips.
3. Let’s Learn Korean
Stop by this group blog to see what the contributors have been doing and to read up on great resources to help your own study of the language.
4. Amanda Takes Off: Korean Notebook
Follow along with Amanda as she studies and writes in Korean.
5. Korean Language Notes
Reflections on the Korean language by Gerry Bevers, otherwise known for being fired from his job for having a dissenting view on Dokdo.
If you enjoyed this article about Helpful Resources For Studying Korean make sure to check out, Where To Find Korean Language Classes and Programs in Korea.