The 7 Best Online Korean Classes of 2021
Korean is an East Asian language spoken by approximately 77 million people, of which 5.6 million regard it as their heritage language. It is both North Korea’s and South Korea’s official and national language, with different formal official forms used in each region. Korean is the 13th most widely spoken language of the 3000 languages currently in use. Modern Korean is thought to have derived from Middle Korean, which in turn descended from Old Korean, which in turn descended from the Proto-Koreanic language, which is thought to have originated in Manchuria. Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture and Changbai Korean Autonomous County in Jilin Province, China, recognise it as a minority language. In addition to Sakhalin, Russia, and Central Asia, it is spoken in other regions of the world. Goryeo is considered to be the first Korean dynasty known to Western nations, and the English word “Korean” is derived from it. In the former Soviet Union, Koreans are known as Koryo-saram and/or Koryo-in, and the language is known as Koryo-mal. Korean is classified as a language isolate by both historical and contemporary linguists.
We looked at more than a dozen different online Korean classes before settling on the top seven. Based on TOPIK planning, flexibility, and pricing, we selected these as our best online Korean classes. Reviews, the use of native speakers as teachers, and the programme offerings were also taken into consideration.
BEST OVERALL
90 Day Korean
90 Day Korean is the best online Korean class because of its well-structured, standardised modules, private Korean trainers and affordable pricing. The platform employs proactive goal-setting to assist students in gaining momentum and moving forward in their journey. After exactly days, the first target is to be able to have a three-minute conversation in Korean, which is where the business comes in. The full 90 Day Korean program is a 12-month programme divided into four modules, each of which should take three months to complete according to normal scheduling. Students may take as much or as little time as they need because these modules are completely self-paced. The Inner Circle is the heart of 90 Day Korean, where each lesson is delivered through text, audio, exercises, and interactive games. Members who pay for Full Access have access to private language tutors who provide students with guidance and encouragement. The basic membership, called regular, costs about $35 per month without private coaching, while the premium VIP membership costs about $47 per month. Monthly memberships can be upgraded or downgraded as desired, and annual memberships can be purchased for even more savings.
BEST BUDGET
Quick Korean
Quick Korean is a four-level course sponsored by the Cyber University of Korea that was created by instructors from leading Korean universities with the aim of providing high-quality Korean language and culture education online. The software, which is totally free, is the most cost-effective alternative for anyone interested in learning Korean. Classes are divided into four categories, each of which increases in difficulty. Students should be able to pass the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) with a 3.5, indicating a basic level of proficiency, after completing the fourth level. Each 30-minute lecture, delivered in a typical classroom setting, covers a different language subject in a structured, easy-to-follow lesson. Students are invited to take a detailed exam about the course material after completing each standard. Students who graduate will receive a completion certificate. Fast Korean also provides three-minute Korean lectures to expose students to the country’s culture in addition to video language lectures. Grammar and vocabulary breakdowns for the lessons, as well as supplemental textbooks, are available as additional tools. Students just need to build a free account to view lecture videos and monitor their progress.
BEST FOR BEGINNERS
First Step Korean
First Phase Korean is an excellent online course for complete beginners offered by Coursera, an online learning platform created by Stanford professors in 2012. Yonsei University, South Korea’s oldest private university, is sponsoring the class, which will be taught by Seung Hae Kang, an associate professor of Korean Language Education as a Foreign Language. The Initial Phase Korean is divided into five lessons, each with pre-recorded video lectures, reading assignments, and quizzes to introduce students to the fundamentals of Korean, such as the writing structure and vocabulary for everyday situations. Speaking, reading, writing, and listening are all covered in each class. Although the course is not interactive, it does provide a strong basis for future learning. Participants learn for free by simply registering for a Coursera account and watching the lecture recordings. For around $49, students can buy a certificate that gives them access to quizzes and assignments as well as a downloadable completion certificate that can be attached to a resume or LinkedIn profile page.
BEST ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION
Italki
Italki, which has been featured by the BBC, The Guardian, Business Insider, and HuffPost, provides the best online Korean lessons. The platform, which has over 10,000 teachers in approximately 12 languages, focuses on human interaction primarily through private video lessons. Italki breaks the cycle of students merely learning grammar, vocabulary, and syntax while improving real-world language skills by pairing them one-on-one with experienced teachers.
Italki users can search a list of private teachers after registering for an account. Group tutors (native or near-native speakers) or certified teachers (licenced to teach a foreign language) may be used as instructors. Price, availability, and additional spoken languages are among the other options. Per student receives three 30-minute trial lessons after signing up. As soon as the student selects an instructor, they have the choice of purchasing individual lessons or purchasing several lessons in order to save money. You can filter out non-native speakers, group tutors, and non-English speakers when looking for the best online Korean classes. There are around 63 professionals whose rates ranged from around $8 per hour for new teachers to around $30 per hour for experienced instructors. To ensure student satisfaction, all Italki teachers set trial rates at a fraction of the price of hourly rates.
BEST FOR AUDITORY LEARNERS
KoreanClass101
KoreanClass101 is the best alternative on the market for students looking to develop their listening skills, with thousands of podcast-style audio and lessons. The content is designed for students of all skill levels, from absolute beginners to advanced students. Nonetheless, mastery of the language would almost certainly necessitate the use of additional materials from other sources. Because of its unparalleled listening experience, KoreanClass101 stands out. Not only are lessons available online and on the free app, but the company also creates short, digestible podcast episodes that are also available for free. The programme is organised into pathways, or broad topics, that include a wide range of language and vocabulary lessons in video and audio formats. Every week, new lessons are added to the web, ensuring that all of the information is current. The pricing is divided into four levels, each of which can be paid for as a subscription. The Basic tier provides access to all lessons, while the first tier is free and gives learners access to the first three lessons of each route. Line-by-line audio translation and one-on-one chat are included in the Premium and Premium Plus subscriptions. For a Basic subscription, prices start at about $8 per month, an approximate $25 per month for a Premium package, and about $47 per month for the Premium Plus bundle.The prices of Premium or Premium Plus courses drop by 40% or more if you sign up for an annual or two-year kit.
BEST FOR TOPIK PREPARATION
My Language Connect
The TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) is a written exam given by the Korean government to assess Korean language skill for university admission and career advancement. Test difficulty ranges vary from one to six, and achieving desired results often necessitates specific practice and tutoring. My Language Connect is a language school based in Vancouver, Canada, that specialises in Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, and other languages. Instructors are native English speakers who are also certified to teach foreign languages and have worked with students of all ages. My Language Connect provides customised, one-on-one lessons online for students studying to take the TOPIK, in addition to in-person and group classes. Students will work closely with private tutors from My Language Connect in one-on-one Skype sessions to learn the listening, writing, reading, and speaking skills needed to complete the TOPIK. Instructors train students for the exam by using advanced textbooks and practise questions. However, since the courses are private, teachers have less flexibility to adapt. Private lessons cost an hourly rate that varies depending on the teacher. Most classes come in a package of ten, with a minimum of two hours of instruction a week. For a more intense learning experience, you can attend up to seven sessions per week.
BEST FOR LEARNING HANGUL
Talk To Me In Korean
King Sejong the Great purposefully made Hangul, Korean’s featural writing system, simple to learn in order to promote literacy throughout the Korean peninsula. The speaker’s mouth or tongue is represented by the majority of the 24 characters. As a result, language learners should begin by learning the Korean writing system. Talk to Me In Korean (TTMIK) is one of the most common Korean-learning platforms available, providing language students with extensive online courses, video lessons, and textbooks. The classes have a reputation for lacking structure and personal interaction, but TTMIK makes up for it with engaging lesson videos. Learn to Read and Write in Korean (Hanguel), a premium course stands out as the best online class for learning Hangul.
In just under two hours, the program’s eight online video lessons cover everything from vowels and consonants to the fundamentals of writing. Although basic access is free, premium access, which is required for this course, costs about $13 a month, but this fee can be paid annually for a discount ($93).
Finally,
Korean is commonly included by proponents of the Altaic family and it does have a few extinct relatives, which together with Korean itself and the Jeju language form the Koreanic language family. Korean presence or influence is strongly found in the Khitan language. Lesser-known Dravido-Korean languages theory, suggests Korean relationship with Dravidian languages in India. Some of the common features in the Korean and Dravidian languages are similar vocabulary. Korean has also been disputed to be related to Japanese due to some overlap in vocabulary and similar grammatical features that have been elaborated upon by few researchers. Korean definitely has similarity to Chinese restricted to the script only. Korean vocabulary comprises 35% of native words, 60% of Sino-Korean words and 5% loanwords mostly from the English language.
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