South Korea, like its language, is impossible to compare to anything or anywhere else on Earth. If you’re looking for a bit of everything — the nonstop, fast-paced action of Seoul juxtaposing the dreamy tranquility of the green forests and misty peaks of the Taebaek mountain range, or the marine archipelago Dadohaehaesang National Park, South Korea has it all.
If you can wrap your head around the endless sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Korea, it’s no wonder that the language also interests you—one of the few languages that has no identifiable relatives, learning Korean is sure to be a challenge, but what better way to pick it up than through experiencing Korean culture first-hand with an intensive Korean language program?
Although Korean is classified as a “super hard” language, it can certainly be mastered just as any other language can. In fact, the Korean alphabet, or Hangul, is said to be the most rational and efficient in the world! Plus, if assimilating to and understanding the remarkable history and culture of South Korea isn’t enough of a reason to study the language, just think how impressive it is!
To make the most of your time in Korea and to make sure you get the best out of your language study, take a look at these tips to learn Korean abroad.
What actually works?
The undisputed king of language learning techniques—immersion! As with any other language, learning Korean can be facilitated considerably by spending some time amongst native speakers—living the language, if you will. Not only will you be forced to practise speaking and listening skills to the max, the authentic environment will help you to understand the true meanings and contexts behind what you are saying. You will learn to think in Korean, rather than stumbling about trying to find an equivalent in English.
Being immersed in an intensive Korean language program, plus the local culture, is undoubtedly one of the best ways to learn Korean. It forces you to learn! You know how babies pick up their language just by being constantly surrounded by it? Adult brains do that, too! Immersion learning is effective with languages as it leaves little time for confusion—getting wrapped up with grammar, memorizing vocabulary lists, attempting to translate unique concepts into your mother tongue...the point of immersion is to listen, learn and imitate, gaining a deeper understanding of how the language works. Why not take the plunge and see for yourself during a Korean language course? Living in South Korea may be enough, but trying out a homestay option is a sure-fire way to amp up your language (and, no doubt, become a kimchi connoisseur).
Studying a Korean language course—while ACTUALLY in Korea—is a fantastic way to optimize your language learning. By focusing time specifically on learning the accuracies of Korean, and having the chance to clear up any doubts, you can be all the more confident when practising in the real world.
10 best ways to learn Korean abroad
Think you’ve got what it takes to succeed in an intensive Korean language program? Want to make the most of Korean culture (and blow everyone away with your K-pop karaoke skills?) Read on to make sure you make the most of every minute during Korean study abroad.
1. Watch Korean TV.
So you’ve decided to travel to Korea—great! One way to kick-start your practice is to watch Korean TV or Korean movies. This is a simple way to get familiar with how the Korean language sounds, and you might even pick up a couple of useful words and phrases before you go. If you don’t have somebody to practise with yet, watching TV and movies is a simple, accessible way to practice your listening skills. Netflix has a good selection of movies to get you started! Once you arrive in Korea, all you have to do is turn on the TV and get engrossed in a deurama, or “K-Drama.”
2. Enroll in an intensive Korean language program.
If you’re looking to master the basics of Korean or improve your level in a short space of time, you can get a leg-up on a Korean language summer camp or other intensive program. It is understandably intimidating moving to a new country without being confident in the language, so taking a Korean language course is a failsafe method of getting that confidence boost. It’s also a great way to meet new people in your new city and to help you settle into a routine, as well as getting a bit more acquainted with the local culture.
South Korea has plenty of options for intensive study or even regular classes over a longer time period. You are likely to be fairly close to a South Korean language school, where you can explore different class and course options. If you are only available over your break from school, why not sign up for a Korean language summer camp or a short term Korean language course abroad?
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3. Move to a smaller city with fewer foreigners.
It might be tempting to move to some of the country’s more famous spots for Korean study abroad, but it might not be the best way to learn Korean. Smaller cities, such as Boseong and Yeongam Gurim Village, attract fewer tourists and expat communities, which removes the temptation to find fellow English speakers. These small cities and towns are easily as beautiful as bigger cities like Seoul and have their own individual charm—as well as being more motivated to speak the language and integrate with the local community, visitors can experience a more traditional way of living in Korea.
Wherever you choose to live in South Korea for your Korean language course, you may get lots of requests for help with English practice. This could be a great way to be sociable and make friends, but don’t be tempted to omit all Korean from your conversation! You could try to arrange a tandem language partner or join a local language-learning group. The possibilities are endless during Korean study abroad!
4. Live with locals.
You can really optimize your language practice by getting a Korean housemate, or several! Alternatively, you could arrange a homestay with a local family for the duration of your time in Korea. Not only will they be able to show you around your new town or city, but you will need to keep up your Korean at home, where you might otherwise be tempted to revert back to English. Keeping your brain constantly engaged with Korean is the key to quickly absorbing the language—before you know it, you will be thinking in Korean!
5. Date a Korean. ;-)
Speaking of integrating with the local community… dating a native speaker is a huge motivation to learn Korean abroad! It’s also a great way to learn—you’re sure to have fun whilst picking up the language, and your date (hopefully!) won’t mind teaching you colloquialisms and explaining elements of Korean that you might struggle with. You don’t get that from book learning!
If not a local Korean, maybe that cutie also studying the language in your intensive Korean language program? Practice makes perfect!
6. Work or volunteer in South Korea.
In addition to your intensive Korean language program, you could take up a work or volunteer placement, upping your integration and doing great things for yourself and/or the community around you. #Boss.
The options are endless for working, volunteering, or interning abroad in Korea as well as continuing your education, learning a new skill, building up your resume, or just getting a break from the mundane. Traveling to South Korea with a purpose will have you put your language-learning skills to good use. Working, interning, and volunteering are possible in both the short and long term, and can be combined or prefaced with a Korean language course or intensive program. The best way to learn Korean is to surround yourself with it, and giving yourself new projects, like internships and volunteer opportunities, is a great way to do that!
7. Join a club.
A book club, a sports club, an art club—whatever you’re interested in, you can find like-minded people and practice talking about the things you enjoy during Korean study abroad. You might find it easier to speak and understand Korean if you can relate to the topic and can use your conversation skills practically, attaching meanings to words and concepts through what you are doing at the time. Plus, you are sure to make new friends who can help you expand your knowledge of Korean, enabling you to chat away about a number of subjects! (Let’s be real, this will also probably be way more fun than your actual Korean language course...).
8. Read the newspaper.
One of the main reasons why participating in an intensive Korean language program is difficult for English speaking learners is because of it’s completely different alphabet. A simple way to brush up on that complicated writing style and to improve fluency when reading is to take a few minutes each day to read a newspaper! As well as catching up on important events in Korea and the rest of the world, reading a paper (or getting the headlines online) will help you to get to grips with new vocabulary and grammar concepts in a natural setting—no translated keywords or verb conjugation tables here, just the words and structures, exactly how they are meant to be used. That’s how to really #nailit when it comes to Korean study abroad.
9. Carry a notebook.
You might find that jotting things down in a notebook helps you to remember them, be it a grammatical concept or a useful word or phrase. Even if you don’t necessarily go back and study it, taking a moment to make a physical note can sometimes make that idea stick—and when you’re tackling something as big and difficult as learning Korean, any little bit can help! It’s also handy to be able to look back at words you find yourself struggling to remember, or simply to keep track of new things you have learnt each day during your Korean language course.
10. Utilize technology.
We live in an age in which we have a wealth of information in a host of different formats, all at the touch of a button. Whilst language-learning software might not be the most organic way to learn, some websites and apps offer a light-hearted, fun way to learn a couple of new vocabulary words. However, living in South Korea, even if participating in an intensive Korean language program, you’re sure to come across a ton of interesting websites to practise reading (think Buzzfeed, but Korean?), as well as YouTube videos, podcasts, and playlists to have fun with.
To get you started, check out TenguHangul, which is great for beginners (download for Apple / Android), or HelloTalk Language Exchange, an app which matches up learners of different languages to practise together! Download here for Apple or Android.
Make the most of Korean study abroad with these tips — you’ll be fluent in no time!
Learning any language takes determination and patience, but there’s no better way to pick it up than to just dive in at the deep end. Moving to South Korea, to study, work, volunteer or simply to learn the language is sure to have you speaking like one of the locals in no time. You’ll also be reaping the benefits of multilingualism for your career prospects, your personal fulfilment and your mental wellbeing!
Korean study abroad is an amazing life experience, and one from which so much can be learnt. From gaining a deep understanding of another culture and empathy towards a different way of life, to becoming more independent and adventurous, to having the chance to taste food, hear music, and meet people you would have otherwise never known. Learning the Korean language could be the gateway to enriching your whole life.
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