Here are my top 10 language learning resources to learn Korean.
Some of these have apps that you could use, but they can all be used fully and only online!
Be sure to check out my resources page for all of my language learning resources as well!
(P.S – Plurilingualism is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more here!)
TTMIK
What kind of Korean resource list would this be if TTMIK was not included??
Talk To Me In Korean (TTMIK) is quite possibly the most popular resource to learn Korean, and for good reason!
They have 10 levels, each with many lessons. Each lesson has a an accompanying audio and PDF. You can access all of this for free, however to listen to sample dialogues, take review quizzes, and access the premium content (like idioms, slang, etc), you will need to pay a recurring membership fee.
Even if you choose to use this resource for free, though, you will still have plenty of access to some amazing and incredibly well explained lessons! They also have a YouTube channel where you can get access to even more great content for free!
If you are keen on getting the most out of TTMIK though, paying for a premium membership or buying the books they sell (Amazon link) is certainly worth the price. Their lessons are engaging, clear, and extremely usable!
How to study Korean
How to Study Korean (HTSK) is another great resource.
They have 7 different units, each with many lessons, quizzes, and even a unit test. On top of this, as seen in the image above, they also have many other miscellaneous resources too!
Their lessons are much more in-depth than TTMIK, overall. They are packed to the brim with information and audio clips of native speakers pronouncing words and sentences throughout the lesson. They do not have any accompanying PDF or audio lesson like TTMIK, however I think that the text they have with each lesson is more than enough.
HTSK has a great YouTube channel as well, that is packed with just as much information.
One playlist I personally find fascinating is “analyzing Korean signs“. This can also be seen on the right side of the image above. They take Korean signs and walk you through a detailed explanation of what they mean (in English) word by word. I find this an interesting change to how I typically learn Korean!
Lingo Deer
LingoDeer is best known as an app, but they do have a website as well! They are similar to Duolingo, however LingoDeer is generally much better for Asian languages – like Korean.
The paid membership gives you access to all lessons, usage on multiple devices, and the ability to download lessons for offline use.
I personally have never paid for the membership and I will admit that I find the free version to be quite minimal. You can complete only a few levels before you have to pay to continue. I personally find other free resources, like HTSK or TTMIK, to be more useful and all-encompassing.
However, I still find the free version to be a great resource for someone just starting out! Those initial free levels can help quite a bit and they are much more thorough than some other apps (i.e Duolingo).
I also believe that if you dont mind dropping a bit of coin, LingoDeer can be an amazing resource as well.
They have a wide amount of utilities like quizzes, cross device usability, alternate voices (if you don’t like one person’s voice!), detailed grammar notes, flashcard functions, and more.
90 Day Korean
90 Day Korean is a large site dedicated to teaching others Korean. They have tons of small lessons, links, resources, blog posts about the language and culture, and more.
From blurbs about the history of the Korean language, to different dialects, to the top phrases each year, 90 Day Korean has really written about it all.
I find this to be an amazing site for someone just starting out, or perhaps just thinking about studying Korean. You can find so much information about the language.
If you are more advanced, I think you could still find some great pieces of information here. Their posts about the top phrases, slang, and idioms are of particular interest to someone who wants to learn Korean at an advanced level!
Korean Class 101
Korean Class 101 has five levels, each with many, many lessons and resources, as well as one bonus level!
You can sort lessons (as shown on the image) by many different features to help you find a lesson type that is perfect for your learning plan.
The website seems a bit spammy and scammy, to be honest, but once you get past that, many of the lessons are free and have some great content. Unfortunately though, to listen to any of the extra audio lessons, you must pay. You can still read the transcript for those lessons, and the main lessons are free, but many of the features outside of the main lessons will require a paid membership.
On top of the lessons, they also have separate vocab lists on a wide array of things – several of which are free!
Italki
italki is one of the most useful websites for learning any language, Korean included. I talk about it a bit on my top five language learning sites and I spotlight it here, as well!
I am a huge fan of this site.
On their platform, you can book private classes (at any price-point!) directly from a community or professional (certified) tutor! They also have other, useful extras, like their notebooks section where you can ask questions, get feedback on writing, and communicate with the language community – even setting up language exchanges and finding language partners, if desired!
I have used
You just need to browse the teachers a bit to find your own, perfect teacher! And if you try out a teacher and don’t vibe with them – no worries! You can easily find a new teacher and schedule a lesson with them.
YouTube
YouTube is an awesome language learning tool for any language!
You can find educational videos to practice certain topics, find tips and tricks, or just watch fun videos in your Korean for practice.
As shown in the image above, you can find other resources on this list (like TTMIK and Korean Class 101) on YouTube, as well.
There are tons of great YouTubers to help you on your Korean language journey.
Check out this master list of YouTube channels here!
Memrise
Memrise is my favorite tool to learn vocab.
Read all about what makes it so good and find usage tips here!
On Memrise, you can find courses that interest you and suit your language learning plan (as shown in the image above) and you can then add those to your dashboard.
As you learn a word, you grow a flower petal by petal. When it is time to try to recall that word at a later point, you must water your flower. The website works via spaced repetition. The goal is to keep your flowers all well watered and therefore keep all of your words fresh in your memory.
And not only can you learn vocab lists, but you can also learn sentences and audio (for pronunciation, for example), or you can make your own list!
Whenever I read a novel or learn via a textbook, I always find a list or create my own for what I am learning. I try to learn in advance, so whatever I am memorizing is what I will read the next week. This helps me learn words or phrases in preparation and then cement them in my memory by using them in context during said reading session or textbook lesson the week after.
Naver
Naver has it all.
A great dictionary which can be used in multiple languages.
Webtoons/comics where you can read all different types of webtoons in Korean to rapidly increase your level.
Jr. Naver, where you can watch videos and listen to podcasts geared towards children. Great for beginners and intermediate learners!
A translation tool that works much better than Google Translate (please. I beg of you. Never use Google Translate!! A language specific translation tool – if one is even needed – is always best!)
As well as Naver Books, Naver Movies, and Naver Music (AKA Vibe).
Wow!
Naver is a great all-around resource. Due to the fact that it is typically only in Korean, I would suggest this for more advanced learners, but even beginners can explore the site a bit for fun!
Viki
The last resource I want to mention today is Viki. This site is incredible and I love it with my whole heart.
Here, you can watch TV shows and movies all around the world (primarily Asian countries, though) with subtitles in many languages, all for free. Yes, free.
They do offer a Viki Pass for a fee, though, where you can get access to certain shows and movies, get first access to certain media, and watch it all in HD and without advertisements.
However, I find that using this site without the pass is just fine. There is a large selection of Korean TV shows and movies for free and the older a show gets, the more likely it is that it will eventually move to being “free” as well, and no longer require a Viki Pass to watch.
Either way, whether you purchase the pass or not, there are hundreds of options of media for you to consume via Viki that will most certainly help improve your Korean level – all while having a bit of fun!
How do you learn Korean? What are your favorite resources? Leave them in the comments below! 🙂
Latest posts:
- The 25 Greatest Foreign Language Products on Amazon!
- Spanish Reflexive Verbs: a Simple How to Guide!
- How to Learn a Different Alphabet or Writing System!
- How to use Social Media for Language Learning! [+ Accounts to follow]
- How To Use Spaced Repetition for Language learning!
Follow me on social media:
Leave a Reply