The 8 Best Korean Lessons
Where Can You Get the Best Korean Lessons Online?
The language is surging in popularity: just look at the number of K-Pop songs on Spotify and the K-dramas on your favorite TV streaming services and you'll see what we mean. Spoken by 72 million people in North and South Korea plus another 3 million throughout China, Japan and the US, Korean is anything but a dead language!
However, it's not easy to find somewhere to learn it. Sure, you could try and watch a familiar movie with the audio set to Korean, use Korean subtitles, or look for a dusty textbook somewhere, but that's probably not going to help you master the language in a meaningful way. And, unless you happen to have a Korean-speaking community or a university near you, in-person lessons aren't going to be an option either.
Sunday, March 26th
2023 Korean Lesson Reviews
Memrise
Learning Korean doesn't have to be scary. Memrise makes it simple and fun, using native speaker video clips to help you master the language. For beginners and advanced students alike, there's plenty to study here - from understanding the Korean alphabet to picking up idioms that will help you sound more authentic. You can create an account for free and use it forever, or subscribe to an affordable paid membership and get access to Memrise's advanced features and tools. This is our top pick for Korean lessons.
italki
If you want to be able to speak Korean fluently, italki is your best bet. With nearly 400 tutors to choose from, you'll get one-on-one video lessons ranging from fun, informal conversations to pronunciation practice and grammar instruction. Rates start at just $4/hour, though most Korean tutors are in the $10-$20 range, and you can get a trial lesson for under $5! For anyone whose priority is developing conversational skills in Korean, italki should be the first service to consider.
Rocket Languages
Rocket Languages' Korean lessons offer a fun and comfortable approach to starting your learning adventure. The program is very well-rounded, with lessons that target listening, reading, speaking and writing skills - and plenty of cultural insights to contextualize what you're studying. This isn't a subscription-based service, so your one-off cost (or six monthly installments) are all you'll pay to access Rocket for life. Advanced language learners won't find anything here that meets their needs, but new students should use Rocket Korean's free guest account to give it a try.
Korean Class 101
Whether you're brand-new to studying Korean or you've got a few years under your belt and need to take your fluency to the next level, Korean Class 101 has plenty of lessons for you. You can access some lessons for free with no time limit, or choose a 7-day free trial of Premium features. At the highest membership level, you can get input from a professional teacher to know what to study, get feedback on assignments and your accent, and have your progress measured accurately. There's so much content here it can be overwhelming, but students at any level will never run out of Korean lessons to study when using Korean Class 101.
Mondly
Mondly gives you a lot of practice in basic Korean vocabulary through a game-like app complete with points and leaderboards. You can easily toggle between the English transliteration and the Korean alphabet as you learn, plus use fun features like Chatbot and Augmented Reality to practice real-world conversations. Mondly is light on grammar explanations and on any content beyond basic vocabulary and phrases, but it's a fun way for you to start taking Korean lessons or to brush up on what you haven't used in a while.
Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone can be a great way to learn a new language immersively - if it uses the same alphabet we know in English. But, for languages like Korean that use a completely different writing system, this program is frustrating at best. You'll want to make the most of Rosetta Stone's free three-day trial before you set your heart on learning Korean their way, especially if you're a beginner. There are many other Korean lessons that make it much easier to understand the language, keeping Rosetta Stone towards the bottom of our rankings.
90 Day Korean
90 Day Korean breaks down your learning into four 90-day lesson modules - but you can study them as quickly or as slowly as you like. They're more expensive than most, but the VIP plan comes with personalized coaching and homework grading. We're disappointed that 90 Day Korean makes students pay $1 to get a week of access to their learning portal: why do they charge for what their competitors offer for free? This could be a great service, but we're put off by the sales-y tactics that might have people looking elsewhere for their Korean lessons.
FluentU
One of the best ways to learn Korean is through authentic content, and FluentU brings you lessons based on current TV shows, video clips, news and more. That's why this program is probably best-suited for students who've already gained a basic familiarity with Korean and want to boost their comprehension and speaking skills. Although there's a 14-day free trial here, you'll have to provide your credit card info to access it (to a company in Hong Kong, no less). FluentU has potential, but it's not our favorite choice for Korean lessons.
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Lucky for you, there are lots of ways to get effective, affordable Korean lessons online. It doesn't matter if you're learning the language for travel, business, or just for fun: you'll have no shortage of options to get the type of instruction that's right for you. Do you want an app that can be used for bite-sized lessons on the go? Video clips with native speakers? Live lessons with your own private tutor? All of the above? You guessed it: there are Korean lessons that deliver in all of those ways.
How can you tell which Korean language program is your best fit? While some of that depends on you - how much time you have to study, your learning goals, your budget, and so on - there are several factors that you should look for as you decide which service to choose for Korean lessons:
- Sample Lessons. The best way to know is to "try before you buy" . Many Korean lesson platforms give you a sample lesson, either on their main page or through some kind of (limited) access to their program. You may want to steer clear of companies that require you to pay for trial access.
- Type of Instruction. The days of learning from a used textbook and dry lectures are over. Today's Korean lessons are delivered in many ways, from animations and slideshows to live video calls with instructors who can help you with conversational skills. Think about your preferred way(s) of learning and choose Korean lessons that match.
- Value. While you can use many services for free, you'll often get the most out of their platforms with a paid subscription or one-time cost. If you're considering a membership, what features will you be able to access? How much content is offered? Will you be able to continue to use the Korean lessons as you progress through different levels of fluency?
- Refund Policy. Once you've paid for your Korean lessons, are you able to get your money back? Some companies give you 30-60 days to really put their program to the test, while others offer no satisfaction guarantee whatsoever. If you really like a provider that doesn't have a refund policy, you may want to choose a month-to-month plan first instead of paying for an annual subscription.
To help you in your language studies, TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the top options for Korean lessons today. We're confident that you'll have all of the information you need to find the right program for you!
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