Why are people studying Korean

Korean is the official language of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). Significant populations of Koreans in Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, Russia and the former USSR, as well as the United States, also count Korean as their heritage language, and some 75 million people worldwide speak Korean. Korean is an increasingly important language on the world stage because of South Korea’s powerful economy, geopolitical importance and growing presence in Asian pop culture.

Learning Korean connects you to 75 million people worldwide. Here, you can have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to dive into Korean culture and explore a new world. But the question is why are people learning Korean? The most important reason is Hallyu! Hallyu, written in Hangeul as 한류, translates as “The Korean Wave” that swept the world – with the increased export of Korean TV, movies, music, cosmetics, and fashion, which began flowing over all of Asia during the 1990’s and took to large parts of the Western world in the beginning of this century.

The Younger generation that forms a large fan following base of K-Drama K-Music and K-Pop, is studying Korean to keep up with them. The newer generation hates the idea of subtitles and wishes to understand to enjoy them just as if they were known to them in a native language! What accelerates this more is the Hangul (The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul (Hangeul) in South Korea and Chosŏn’gŭl in North Korea). The Korean writing system is easy to learn and certainly less intimidating so people are overcoming their fears coupled with an interest to learn the language. Despite the fact that Korean sentences follow a different structure than that of the English language, it’s pretty easy to learn and remember.

Another compelling reason we saw a rise in Korean Language Learners that never stalled once it started,  was the ‘Gangnam Style’. When it went viral on YouTube, people began to wonder about the Korean culture and as a result Korean Language started to become more popular. 

Korean dramas have gained a lot of popularity in East Asian and South Asian countries and have managed to spike interest in European countries and the United States in recent years. Due to Hallyu and subsequent popularity of Korean dramas, the Korean culture and Language popularity is increasing at an exceptional pace. This forms another important reason to learn Korean!

Did you know LG and Samsung are Korean companies? After the Korean wave, these companies started to employ marketing tactics known as Hallyu marketing to increase their sales. And it increased their sales by an average of 30%! These companies also played a major role in linking their global operations to mainstream Korean culture prompting employees and aspiring applicants to learn Korean.

Korean movies and stars have been lauded and commended by the film community on a global level. K-Movies have a very subtle yet mesmerizing unique element in them, that has made them extremely popular in East Asian countries besides intriguing their viewer base in Western countries thoroughly. As a result people started finding more about Korea, Korean culture and jumped at learning a not so difficult language.

Music can be seen as one of the most important factors behind Hallyu – . K-pop is a popular genre of music, heard all over the world that gave us Gangnam Style. The popularity of K-pop idols breaks all records as they constantly top charts and are a constant source of material and popularity for the Hallyu Wave.

There was once a time when Korean restaurants outside of Korea only saw Korean or at most East Asian visitors. Thanks to Hallyu, the Korean cuisine has become extremely popular worldwide. Kimchi, bibimbap, and bulgogi are favored by many around the world. Cuisine is an important part of any culture and its popularity automatically translates into more and more interest in Korean culture that propels people who enjoy the Korean cuisine, to learn Korean to talk to people working in these restaurants for a more personalised approach.

There may be many other reasons for people to take to Korean, including but not limited to flaunting a Korean association on an Insta account, learning Korean for study purposes, business demands or job needs. Or as simple as people getting directed from – an Ancestry search! It could also be that people who have lived abroad wish to learn their mother tongue – Korean. or learn to impress a Korean partner! People make friends by way of exchange programs nowadays, so another reason could be to connect with a friend in Korea!

Travellers to Korea also find it immensely useful and helpful to learn Korean before a vacation or a business trip to manoeuvre your way around and to be able to communicate with tour guides, business owners, and locals! Authentic Korean activities mixed with camping favourites such as canoeing, swimming and marshmallow roasting guarantee that every minute of your Sup sogŭi Hosu experience will be a treasured memory in the making.

Knowing another language and appreciating other cultures—these are skills that last a lifetime. Whether people’s interest is world affairs, technology, business, or just broadening your mind, learning Korean at the Language Villages enthralls them imparting them with knowledge and understanding that you’ll use again and again.