Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Guest]

morning calm gave me great help on the yonsei 1 language book

1) you can get it and all of the tapes that go with it at the Yonsei Language Building located in the back of Ehwa University behind the Shinchoen "train station". On line 2 (green) go to either the Shincheon or Ewha subway line and ask from a pretty girl the directions to the Yonsei language department.

2) Gyobo Book Store. Located in the Gyobo building next to the US embassy in Gwanghamun station.


i'm really keen to get started on learning korean...i'm in inchon, does anyone know any other places, a little closer, i could possible get yonsei 1...and are there any other recommendations for textbooks/multimedia cd's....i'd prefer to not learn at a computer though..

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

A book called "Speaking Korean", can't tell you the publisher though. It's the one used by the Mormons, and you know how they are with languages.

[Ilsanman]

I like this book I bought at 'City Book Store' in Gangnam. It's called Korean Conversation. The cover is half beige and half red. It is, true to its form, a conversation book, not bogged down with useless vocabulary.

[Mashimaro]

I liked 'First steps in Korean' by Kyunghee university'.. I found it more useful than the Yonsei books. Yonsei is renowned as a supposedly great university, but I found their text books hopeless (not practical) I found it at Kyobo bookstore in Seoul

[Son Deureo!]

Elementary Korean by Ross King and Jaehoon Yeon, and its sequel Continuing Korean are very good. They have very good, easy to understand grammatical explanations. I don't know if you can buy it in Korea, but you can get it through Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0804820791/qid=1065343166/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_3/102-9718929-5372113?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

A good supplement is Handbook of Korean Vocabulary by Miho Choo and William O'Grady, which explains common root syllables (from Chinese as well as native Korean roots) that recur frequently in different words. Studying this book helps you learn new vocabulary much more quickly. I've seen this at Kyobo Books, and you can also get it through Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0824818156/qid=1065343637/sr=1-29/ref=sr_1_29/102-9718929-5372113?v=glance&s=books

Also try Korean Grammar for International Learners by Ihm Ho Bin, Hong Kyung Pyo and Chang Suk In, which has a pretty comprehensive collection of grammar patterns. A good reference as you reach the intermediate level. I bought this at Kyobo Books, it is not available at Amazon.

As has been mentioned before, Sogang University has an excellent website with resources for beginner to upper intermediate levels. You have to register, but it's free, check it out here: http://korean.sogang.ac.kr/.

I also found the Yonsei textbooks impractical for self-study, as it had no answer keys for the exercises. Yonsei university has an excellent program, but I don't think the books can be used effectively on their own.

[just because]

I use the elementary Korean book. Excellent for speaking practice and listening as well. i have found it is best to use a variety of sources, different books have different strengths. Some are good for grammar, others for words, others for writing, listening,etc.
I'm using about 4 different books at the moment. Also, if you use just one book it gets a little tedious and boring so once you get bored of one book just change to another and leave it bookmarked. Works for me.
Remember, variety is the spice of life(not kimchi ).

Also, I hate the SISA books. So difficult for beginners and just too dry. I like books with lots of pictures or a listening CD,

[Ilsanman]

I agree. Sisa books suck.It is bogged down with 'ni da' and 'ni gga' language, which is sometimes useful, but not with your friends.

[just because]

I went home and found the book which is my favourite.
It is the GaNaDa book which apparnetly is a hagwon and it is the book they use there. Anyway, so many opportunities to write out different types of sentances and sound them out. i was a bit surprised they run a hagwon. I wonder what that is like??? Does anybody go there???

[Tobacco Fiend]

Why do you want to learn Korean?

Many Koreans will simply laugh at you if you try.

Then again, many will congratulate you on your efforts.

Survival skill?

This country will allow your suvival as long it's useful to them, ie, as long as you help them make a profit.

Speaking Korean, though:

What a sorry topic.

If you're not in the family register, you are not Korean. You are thus subhuman and your finest attempts at speaking the master-race language will only meet with ridicule.

Sorry, compadres, but that's how it looks from here.

In Seodaemun-gu,


Tobacco Fiend

[Son Deureo!]

Oh my god! You're right, what was I thinking? I'll stop learning Korean immediately and just go back to yelling at convenient store clerks in English and using pantomime.

That'll show 'em.

[kimcheeking]

[just because]

Tobacco Fiend:
I nwould say 90% is positive and 10% of people may laugh but I'm having a great time learning. Its the first time in my life I have actually enjoyed learning something and I can use it in daily life. The majority of people seem pleased I make an effort and so many different things come my way just because of a brighter outlook.
With such a negative outlook I'm sure you are loving it here.

[some waygug-in]

I am using the Seoul National University text book. It is the best book I've found, although the Ganada book looks good too.
It is concise, clear and has a reasonable amount of grammar practice for each unit. I'm only in book 1 though, I've heard books 2 and 3 are not so great.

I also have a variety of books, most of them are "shitty". Korean through English has to be the most confusing mess I've ever laid eyes upon. But the listening tapes are OK. Korean through active listening is good for building up vocabulary, especially level 2. It is not the best on it's own, but with another course it's alright to practice listening.

Colloquial Korean is not so great either, it might be OK if I had the tapes that go with it though.

Sisa books are crap, so loaded with mistakes that you don't know which end is up.

Happy hanguelin'

[sid]

We are using the Ganada 'Korean for foreigners' (intermediate level ) in a class I just started going to; it's pretty good but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for self-study. In the past I found using textbooks to be quite good for reinforcing/crystallising stuff which I had already semi-acquired, but sometimes confusing if it was something completely new. There doesn't seem to be much consensus about the 'path' to Korean language ability, I think it might be best to make your own way there using the odd textbook as you go.

[just because]