Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jagyr]

So my contract is just about up and I want to spend a few months working on my Korean. So far all my Korean friends have suggested Yonsei, and all my foreign friends have suggested Sogang.

I've read through some of the other threads on the language training but I wanted to see if anyone has specific comparisons.

[fermentation]

I knew quite a few foreigners who took Korean classes at Sogang, which is only a few blocks from my home. So if it that's any indication, Sogang sounds like a good place to take Korean. Koreans may suggest Yonsei because it's known more as a prestigious school.

[morrisonhotel]

I know a few people who have studied at both. The consensus seems to be that if you want to improve your conversational skills go to Sogang. If grammar is more important then head to Yonsei.

[PigeonFart]

If Koreans all recommend Yonsei, and Foreigners recommend Sogang, then go to Sogang !!!

[the_curious]

I tried Sogang and hated it. Am I the only one?

[lizzylo]

I finished a session at Sogang, everyone I asked in class that has taken other programs said while the Sogang program had its issues, it was still the best one by far. I was in the 5 days a week one, 9-1pm... it moved FAST. Too fast for me personally, I was unable to memorize everything I needed every night to keep up... seems to be lots of intense studying for everyone though, so be prepared to hit the books.

Don't know if it was just my class, but I found the levels of my classmates to be REALLY varied. For example, I knew how to read (slowly), write, some basic phrases, and vocab so they placed me in level 1B or something which I guess is advanced level one. I was in a class with people who knew EVERYTHING we went over, all the vocab, grammar, phrases, etc and it was boring for them and they ended up being the 2nd teacher sometimes... yet they failed the test for Level 2 multiple times. People who had lived here 3-4 years mixed in with people like myself, it made no sense really. I am taking a session off right now just to study everything level one went over so I can really get it in my head and have it come out naturally when speaking VS thinking about it.

The teachers kinda just go over everything a bit quickly it seems, hand out sheets, explain something in Korean (if you are lucky you will be able to follow what they are saying) and move on to the next thing... If I did not have my boyfriend here to sit down with me every night and explain some things to me in English so I actually got why that or this was the way it was, yikes.. it would have been so much harder.

Oh, we hardly ever used the workbooks they make you too and the other "main" one was totally useless~ just 50 million handouts lol why dont they just make THOSE a book? Ah who knows. They use lots of flash cards and pictures on the board every lesson, if you are a visual person it helps a lot. All that being said, it is still apparently the best program and I did come out learning a ton in a short time span, but most of it is you just getting those sheets and going home to study it like crazy VS getting it nicely spoon-fed to you in class.

[Jack_Sarang]

I did the program at Ewha. From what I know from other Korean learners, Ewha is a mix of Yonsei and Sogang styles.

I had a friend who did the Yonsei program and it was just a mass of rote memorization. He showed me huge verb lists he had to memorize before the next class.

I don't know anyone who has done Sogang, but from the a multitude of posts on this board it seems to focus a lot on verbal communication.

Anyhow, I was extremely happy with my time at the 이화어학당. You learn a decent amount of grammar but there is also a lot of time spent in class speaking and listening.

Plus, if you're a single male and you attend Ewha, you get access to all the female-only facilities.

[ThingsComeAround]

If you are serious about learning Korean, skip the unis and head to the Korean hagwons.

They have intensive classes for a month or more, and its more likely you will be speaking from day 1, all the while spending way less.

[shostahoosier]

[furtakk]

I'm at Sogang right now and I love it. The teachers are great, classes are really interesting, and I genuinely feel like I'm improving at a good rate. It moves a bit slow as far as new grammar goes, but there is a lot of vocabulary to remember. And you need to know the grammar well. I.e. you should be able to use that grammar comfortably in your speech, not just writing and reading.

I've run into 3 or 4 people who did Yonsei and changed to Sogang. They all say pretty much the same thing. Yonsei is a ton of grammar (sometimes obscure stuff that really isn't used in common speech) and very little speaking. Tons of memorization and repetition in the class. One guy in particular said that the classes were about 80% lecturing, 20% language practice.

At Sogang, I'd say at least half the class is spent doing some sort of speaking activity, probably more. And it's not just repetition, it's really involved and actually gets you using the language.

I decided to do a level lower than I was placed because I haven't studied formally in so long so the homework hasn't been to bad, but I'm sure when I start running into stuff I don't recognize it'll be a lot more difficulty. It helps that I'm not working now and have the entire afternoon to study though.

[ThingsComeAround]

Depends where you want to live.

There are Korean hagwons all over the place- I've been to two in Seoul (Apgujeong and Gwanghwamun) and they were both decent.

Pop in and ask questions

[createasaurus21]

Sogang hands down. IMO it was 10x better than Yonsei.

Yonsei = dry, listen and repeat, logical, chalkboard

Sogang = practical, intuitive, fun, speaking games

[createasaurus21]

The evening classes are really slow. I'd highly suggest doing the full-time morning sessions.

The speaking level of an evening class level 2b/3a student is about equivalent with a level 1b/2a morning student.