Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nourozi]

How many of you are making an effort to learn korean?

What are you using? CDs, Books, Websites?

Could you please share some tips, advice and resources which have helped you?

Thanks!

[samd]

I recommend the Sogang online program http://korean.sogang.ac.kr but I don't know how good it is for absolute beginners, as I started it after I had done most of Survival Korean by Stephen Revere which I also recommend (although some here don't).

You can learn how to read and write from any resource, I don't think it really matters. Then find a beginner book that keeps you interested and motivated to study. For me that was Survival Korean. The major bookstores over here have plenty of books.

There are some good links at www.galbijim.com and hundreds and hundreds of websites out there if you explore.

I've heard good things about Koreanclass101 too, but have no experience with it.

Rosetta Stone is a waste of time.

[coralreefer_1]

I started out with books from Kyobo. I particularly like the "Korean for Foreigners" series mainly because even at the intermediate level, there are English explanations of the grammar. Most of the other books explain new points in Korean once you get to intermediate which can make full comprehension of the point, particularly grammar somewhat difficult.

However I gave in and enrolled for a full year of Korean study in local university. Its hard to imagine many having the discipline to sit down several hours a day to study Korean from a book alone.. Enrollment in a university program gives the structure and time needed to actually dwell in Korean. It's not for everyone, but aside from a university program (20 hours a week in class plus homework) most will struggle to get anywhere close to a level that you can do more than tell a taxi driver where to go, or order in a restaurant. If you think Koreans are happy when you can say hello and thank you, imagine their joy when you can string together 5-6 run-on sentences with conjunctions...haha

[warren pease]

There's a company called Declans that has some really cool programs: Flash cards (actually allows you to make your own with their software or you can buy pre-made sets, a grammar program, writing program, and a dictionary. I don't remember the exact price but i've heard they can all be gotten via torrent. I highly recommend the grammar program.