Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Lilylangtry]

I'm looking for ideas of how best to learn Korean while we are still stateside. As we live in a rural area with no access to native speakers that leaves us with computer based learning. Pimsleur? Berlitz? Rosetta Stone? Any advice would be appreciated.

[myenglishisno]

What level are you at right now?

I'm watching dramas with Korean subtitles. I hate dramas but they're a good way to learn conversational Korean. I'm using a drama called "Old Ms. Diary" because apparently it has a lot of useful Korean and not a lot of slang. I've only watched the first episode so far.

Anyway, I just listen and repeat and if I don't know a word I write it down.

I highly recommend this but you have to supplement it with other books and you should be at the high beginner/low intermediate level to really take advantage of it.

[TellyRules986]

Also, talk to people! Don't be afraid to start up conversations with folks. That's how you learn. Don't pass up opportunities to use what you know with native speakers.

[myenglishisno]

[furtakk]

If you're just trying to brush up a bit before coming for the first time, I'd focus on learning to read hangul and basic vocab/grammar. Talktomeinkorean.com has some good beginner lessons or you can try a book. Korean Made Easy is a great beginner book for self-study.

[overdrive2023x]

[modernseoul]

[wishfullthinkng]

[nathanrutledge]

Why do you want to learn it now?

IF you're just looking for some phrases and basics to pick up for coming here, I'd say Pimsleur and a phrase book are your best bet. Pimsleur can be boring, but it will drill the basics in really quickly.

If you're looking for something more, Rosetta stone might be what you're after, but again, I personally found it to be a bit dry.

Watching TV/movies/etc is fun, but not really useful at the beginner level. I'm above beginner, but even still, when I watch TV, I catch the gist of it, but a LOT goes over my head.

If you're planning to come over here, I'd focus on learning to read, then picking up the basics (hello, where is, thank you, excuse me, i need, etc). Once you get here, if you want to learn more, then meet people, exchange etc. But now, personally, I find the computer programs to be fairly boring and they don't do much for me.

One book and CD I did like was the "Teach yourself Korean" book - i found it easy to understand, not terribly boring, and fairly useful. Some of the scripts are ridiculous, but it's easy enough to change a few words to make it useful.

[alongway]

[jammo]

myenglishisno: where do you get your dramas with Korean subs? Im interested in trying this method.

re: language - i think of all the things I have tried, SRS(Anki) and the TTMIK Iyagi series have helped me the most outside of talking to Koreans. I'm Low Intermediate.

[jammo]

also - I recommend the Yonsei for International learners grammar book. but I cannot recommend the Yonsei textbooks. All subjective though of course!

[furtakk]

http://www.d-addicts.com is good for currently airing dramas.

http://www.asiatorrents.com is fantastic for older dramas and film (invite only)
http://asiator.net/ is also good and is a public tracker.

for subs, try http://www.darksmurfsub.com/forum/ or http://withs2.com/

[detonate]

Yea download anything that interests you to watch. Iris is not bad... relatively.

[jammo]

Furtakk - i had a look at those sites but they seem to be English subs! Where did you find the Korean ones? am I not looking hard enough?

Thanks


+1 on Iris. I enjoyed it