Nowadays, the content for learning Korean has exploded.
I like to mention that there is a “Korean language wave”, similar to the K-wave we’re experiencing in terms of cultural content like K-pop and K-drama.
That said, how do you navigate the sea of overwhelming Korean content?
Well, you’re doing it right now – looking for recommendations to start!
Allow me to share with you some places I visit to learn Korean online. Note they may not be the best or the most popular, but I use them because I’m familiar with them and they work.
If you’re looking where to start, just take one of these places and explore them to see how they can help.
1. How to Study Korean
Website: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/
As a beginner or advanced learner, you won’t go wrong with using How to Study Korean. It’s a free website that’s jampacked with lessons from beginner to advanced level.
The lessons are all comprehensive and in-depth, and I personally like how each grammar point is explained in detail. With Korean being such a complex language, the teacher (also the founder of the website) is capable of differentiating between grammar points thanks to his vast experience with the language.
If this may help, the teacher himself is a Korean learner, not a native speaker. So he probably understands the struggles of the typical Korean learner more than a native Korean teacher. His wife is a native Korean, and she’s the one recording the audio files that are attached with every lesson.
A typical lesson in How to Study Korean comes with a vocabulary list, example sentences, audio attachments, exercises, and of course the detailed explanation of each topic. What I like is how the lessons are interlinked with each other, so if you forgot some concept, you can just click the link to go to that lesson.
Is it totally free? Absolutely. Their promotions are subtle and they mostly place it in the sidebar, which are mostly supplemental tools that you won’t really need.
Strong Points
- Very detailed grammar points
- Rich with new vocabulary
- Lessons are structured and build on each other
- Website is full of long lessons
- Quizzes and tests along the way
- Teacher is also a Korean learner (not a native)
- Audio spoken by a native Korean speaker
- Lots of free content
Weak Points
- Can get boring because the lesson is mostly text
- Teacher can sometimes go off-topic and prolong the lesson
- Lessons can get difficult
- Not much going on in their social media platforms
2. Talk to Me In Korean (TTMIK)
Website: https://talktomeinkorean.com/
When it comes to learning Korean online, most learners are familiar with Talk to Me In Korean (or TTMIK). With over a decade in the industry, the founders have honed their craft in creating high-quality learning materials.
That’s why you won’t go wrong starting out with TTMIK as they have beginner-friendly lessons. They make it a fun learning experience as they have plenty of content to choose from, including videos, podcasts, quizzes, books, and more.
The topics they cover span a wide range, including some introductory phrases, vocabulary, grammar, and even knowledge about Korean culture.
Regarding the cost, while TTMIK sells a ton of products in their store as well as a membership subscription, you can get a lot of value out of their YouTube content, as well as through their SoundCloud podcasts.
Strong Points
- Very established website trusted by many
- Suitable for beginners to advanced learners
- Provides a wide range of learning content, such as PDFs, audios, videos, books, quizzes
- Has a lot of high-quality and well-explained lessons
- Fun and engaging to watch
- Free content in their YouTube channel
Weak Points
- Pay to unlock the entire membership site’s contents
- Content that used to be free is now paywalled
- Books are not free as they cost money
- Needs self-motivation to be able to track progress
3. YouTube
Website: https://www.youtube.com/
Don’t underestimate YouTube, as it’s a vast resource with countless channels dedicated to teaching Korean. YouTube is great for visual and auditory learners, and it provides a flexible learning experience.
Beginners can find a variety of content ranging from basic phrases and vocabulary to more complex grammar lessons. Channels like “Korean Unnie,” “Go! Billy Korean,” and “Talk To Me In Korean” offer engaging and interactive ways to learn Korean.
YouTube is also the place for discovering limitless amounts of native Korean content to immerse for free. Once you know a bit of Korean, you can search for TV shows, dramas, vlogs, and other native content on YouTube based on the type of content you want and the level of difficulty.
You literally won’t need to pay a cent on YouTube, unless you plan to invest on Premium to remove the ads or get a membership on your favorite YouTube channels.
Strong Points
- Massive library of Korean content
- Access to more Korean teachers and language influencers
- Learn Korean through free lessons
- Explore native Korean shows on a wide variety of topics
- Perfect for visual and auditory learners
Weak Points
- Constant ads if you keep using it for free
- Choosing what to watch can get overwhelming
- Distractions can derail you from learning (such as clickbaits)
- Self-directed learning
- Takes time to settle and choose your favorite channels
4. Refold
Website: https://refold.la/
Refold is a general language learning method that focuses on immersing oneself in the language through comprehensible input.
While not a website exclusively for Korean, the principles of Refold can be applied to Korean language learning. It emphasizes listening and reading in the target language to naturally acquire grammar and vocabulary.
This method suits learners who prefer a more natural, less structured approach to language learning.
Ever since discovering Refold, I never looked at language learning the same. The best part is I got to learn their entire philosophy for free (no paywall or something).
The concept is simple – consume your favorite content in the target language, have fun, and acquire the language in the natural setting.
Refold has a detailed roadmap for you to follow step-by-step, so begin with that first.
Strong Points
- Detailed course is entirely free
- Perfect for shy introverts who prefer more input than output
- Very thorough explanation of content
- Has a strong Discord community
- Concept can be applied to other languages
- Focuses heavily on immersion while having fun
Weak Points
- Immersion is tough for beginners
- Course content can get overwhelming
- Some jargon you need to learn
- Instruction is specific and you have to precisely follow it
- Self-directed learning as you will design your learning environment
5. FunEasyLearn Korean
Website: https://www.funeasylearn.com/learn-korean
Let’s stir things up with an app, shall we?
A free app you can start using today is FunEasyLearn Korean, which is a game for increasing vocabulary.
I have a lot of fun with discovering new words from this app especially when I was still starting out, as everything is organized according to category.
Seriously, you can make a lot of progress just bingeing on this game for free!
It’s free for as long as you want it, since you can unlock the Premium version by earning their in-game currency called Flowers.
Knowing this, all you need to do is spend more time playing the app to accumulate Flowers, making sure to always have 20,000 Flowers every month to renew for free.
Strong Points
- Very useful for learning vocabulary
- Various formats for testing what you’ve learned
- Tracks your progress in the app
- Make a lot of progress with the free version
- Can afford the Premium version for free
Weak Points
- Might not work well for advanced learners
- Some translations aren’t good
- Issues regarding customer support
- Self-directed learning
Drop Your Wallet & Begin Your Korean Journey
Who says you need money to begin learning Korean?
I personally handpicked these five because I know you will learn a lot from them – without bringing out your wallet.
As I’ve said, they’re not the most popular or most effective on the Web. But they will move you towards Korean fluency.
What matters is you have a starting point, not worrying too much about the ‘perfect’ resource and simply adjusting your approach along the way.
Personally, I did not spend money when I first began with Korean. I picked a couple of free tools which I played with for a while. Then later when I was ready, that’s when I started paying for resources.
With free content, you can play with Korean for a while – you don’t need a reason yet to commit to the language.
So go ahead, dip your toes in, and start learning some Korean!
Let me know – are you using any of these free tools? Do you know of any place that’s also free but has worked for you?