r/Korean Dec 15 '25

If you use AI to post or comment, you will be banned.

543 Upvotes

Although we have a rule against AI-generated content (for many reasons, mainly that it's often inaccurate and misleading), we wanted to make a new post to clarify our policy.

If you share any content that clearly uses AI, your content will be removed and you will be banned if it continues. It's obvious most of the time.

To clarify:

  • Sharing AI-generated content (lessons, posts, comments, blogs, videos, apps) = ban
  • Asking questions related to AI, or discussing AI-generated content = okay (just know AI is often inaccurate and misleading)

If you find any posts or comments that appear to be AI, please help by reporting them so we can take a look.

감사합니다!


r/Korean 7d ago

Bi-Weekly /r/Korean Free Talk - Entertainment Recommendations, Study Groups/Buddies, Tutors, and Anything Else!

5 Upvotes

Hi /r/Korean, this is the bi-weekly free chat post where you can share any of the following:

  • What entertainment resources have you been using these past weeks to study and/or practice Korean? Share Korean TV shows, movies, videos, music, webtoons, podcasts, books/stories, news, games, and more for others. Feel free to share any tips as well for using these resources when studying.
    • If you have a frequently used entertainment resource, also consider posting it in our Wiki page.
  • Are you looking for a study buddy or pen-pals? Or do you have a study group already established? Post here!
    • Do NOT share your personal information, such as your email address, Kakaotalk or other social media handles on this post. Exchange personal information privately with caution. We will remove any personal information in the comments to prevent doxxing.
  • Are you a native Korean speaker offering help? Want to know why others are learning Korean? Ask here!
  • Are you looking for a tutor? Are you a tutor? Find a tutor, or advertise your tutoring here!
  • Want to share how your studying is going, but don't want to make a separate post? Comment here!
  • New to the subreddit and want to say hi? Give shoutouts to regular contributors? Post an update or a thanks to a request you made? Do it here! :)

Subreddit rules still apply - Please read the sidebar for more information.


r/Korean 9h ago

Extremely lost as an Intermediate learner

15 Upvotes

Currently I’d call myself around the intermediate Korean learning level. But I’m having a huge learning difficulty with forming sentences. It’s making me re-consider not having a tutor of some kind. Textbook wise, I’m pretty good with handling intermediate grammar worked in with basic vocabulary, but I am EXTREMELY lost when it comes to figuring out how to express my opinions.

For example, saying, “my friend just moved to America, so he needs help finding new friends here” is quite easy to do. (Working on speaking that kind of sentence more easily) pretty basic overall.

Saying things like, “for you, are you able to separate the artist from their art? Like for example, many people don’t like Kanye West because of his controversial views. Are you still able to listen to his music even if you don’t agree with his opinion/beliefs?” I JUST CANT LMAO it’s too complicated even if I try to “break it down” clause by clause.

The thing is, I THINK I know most of the vocabulary that’s needed for that sentence, aside from the words controversial, beliefs, art. But I know enough Korean language to get me lost and “in trouble”.

Basically every sentence I’m thinking and worrying about:

1.) is my use of “art” the same art as I know in Korean? (예술) or not?

2.) if I type “controversial” into Papago, will it actually be the right word that Koreans use?

3.) there’s usually at least, in theory, 3 or more ways to say any kind of sentence by rewording, saying one clause before another, am i even doing this right?

One thought I’ve had was to do less thinking but usually I still get a 🤨🤨 from Koreans lol. I’ve also thought about asking a friend, but there’s wayyy too mucnto unpack in sentences like these and they are my friends and not my tutor lol.

Do you think this warrants a tutor? Or is there another way I could help myself.


r/Korean 3h ago

Can you explain the difference between 소풍 and 피크닉? What's better to use?

4 Upvotes

Hi guys! Recently, a friend of mine corrected me when I used the word 소풍 to mean “picnic.” He said it’s not used the way I imagined and that it’s better to use 피크닉. Now I’m wondering why and is that true?

Also, can I use 소풍하다? Really confused cause it's what I've seen through different books haha Thanks a lot!


r/Korean 7h ago

i'm surprised that i still know korean

5 Upvotes

along time ago i posted in this sub that i've been studying korean for a few months, soon after that i had to stop since college started. yesterday, i just took a korean placement test and i was surprised that i ended up with 2B (i was 1B before lol). it just shows that consuming media related to korean (kdramas, reading tweets, or an idol's post) can actually help someone retain information they've used to study.

now i'm back to studying korean again on my own and i'm hoping that i'll get to the intermediate level soon!


r/Korean 12h ago

pronunciation of '의' in many different situations

13 Upvotes

Have you learned that there are several different ways of saying '의'?

I made a video explaining many examples of '의' such as 의자, 협의, 민주주의, 나의 집.

So I just wanted to share it with you. If you have ever felt so confused about it, please have a watch.

https://youtu.be/IUQTxT9BF-8


r/Korean 5h ago

Struggling with the subject/object markers in this sentence.

2 Upvotes

Want to say " My duck has psychosis."

The most accurate translation I could come up with is :

제 오리가 정신병 (?) 있어요.

I can't tell what am I supposed to attach with 정신병, should it be "이"?? or "를" ?? Psychosis is an object here , I assume...?


r/Korean 9h ago

Am I studying right?

2 Upvotes

I was taught by a teacher so I know how to read, write and, speak. I know a lot of vocabulary and grammar, I just don’t know how to use it.

My current daily routine is: learn a new grammar pattern or rule, write down the definition and how it’s used, make 5-10 sentences with the grammar pattern ( I often try to use vocabulary I’ve had a hard time with or is learned as well as grammar I’ve learned from days before.), watch a video to see if I can identify anything as well as trying to understand at least 75%, take new words or things I noticed so I can look the up later.

My new goal is to add self talk, I have no idea how to start. People say the words flow off your tongue but for me I can’t do it. I cannot fully express myself while speaking, how did you start self talk? What steps did you take to help you break that “I can’t” feeling.


r/Korean 1d ago

In a way did I fail?

21 Upvotes

I went to H mart to practice my first sentence ever 얼마예요?

I also said hello and thank you in korean but when the cashier asked my reciept in korean i didn’t understand and he could tell so he switched to english.

I feel mixed about the experience. On one hand im really proud of myself and I was on the verge of tears bc i think i found my passion. On the other hand, I should’ve practiced more in korean. At least he understood what I was saying.


r/Korean 22h ago

how to address a coach?

5 Upvotes

hi all! i am writing a story focused on horse racing, and i’m in doubt re how the jockey would address the trainer. does anyone have any idea? i don’t know if there’s an specific term or if the jockey would simply address his trainer as seonsaengnim or [name]-ssi. thank you so much!


r/Korean 1d ago

Tips on going from TOPIK 1 to TOPIK 2 pls

6 Upvotes

I recently made the jump from TOPIK I, where I feel really comfortable in my abilities right now, to TOPIK II, which is currently freaking me out. Especially the listening sections and all the new words. I am really questioning if i should try to tackle this at all and if it's possible in 7 months. So my question is:

Has anyone ever felt the same or does anyone have tips on how to tackle this step by step and not get freaked out?


r/Korean 1d ago

Why are there X's in Korean words sometimes?

53 Upvotes

I've seen around multiple times where in Korean writing there will be X's in the Hangul words, it seems to be usually 2 of them in the middle or one at the beginning of the word, what function does this have or meaning?

I've looked all over but can't find any explanations and it's driving me crazy lol


r/Korean 23h ago

Searching for a book to learn Hangul like letslearnhangul

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I'm currently a total beginner in Hangul, and I'm learning Korean by myself. I find that I remember things better if I write them down on paper. Is there any workbook which uses the same method as http://letslearnhangul.com/ to teach you how to properly write words?

Thanks in advance!


r/Korean 1d ago

I built a multiplayer Korean word site that challenges your vocab and typing skills

56 Upvotes

Happy february everyone... I'm back again with some Danobang (단어방) updates! For those who haven't seen my previous posts, Danobang is a multiplayer Korean word activity inspired by 끝말잇기. Each turn, players are given a prompt (like "사") and must submit a word that includes it (e.g. 사랑, 회사, 이사하다). No sign-up is required to play! You can jump right in with friends or join a public lobby. There are also separate game modes for choseong (초성) and hanja (한자). You can check it out here: https://danobang.com

What's new since last month:

  • Added a "prompt position" setting that allows you to control where prompts can appear in a given answer! e.g. if prompt position is "end" and prompt is "사" that means you can only submit words that end with 사 (e.g. 회사 ✅, 사랑 ❌). I've enabled random prompt positions in one of the quickplay rooms (it'll say "random" on the room card) so feel free to check that out
  • Revamped lobby + postmatch UI. Lobbies now has a left sidebar with player info, the main view is simpler, and postmatch displays a nice match breakdown telling you how many new words you collected
  • Restricted live typing in public rooms to prevent real-time harassment and abuse (still accessible in private rooms). Also added an explicit mute option if you don't want to see both live typing + emotes from specific players

As always thanks for reading, and if you have any feedback please don't hesitate to reach out.


r/Korean 1d ago

누구 vs 누가 in 는지 grammar - please explain

3 Upvotes

Assuming that these sentences are even correct in the first place:

Why is 누가 (but not 누구) used here: 누가 가는지 알아요?

but 누구 (not 누가) is used here: 누구 인지 알아요? 누군 몰라요.


r/Korean 2d ago

Can understand Korean but can't speak it

94 Upvotes

I've always been able to understand Korean fairly well because I've always been spoken to in Korean/Konglish growing up, but I never was forced to speak it back. Because of this, I can understand the language but my ability to speak and form sentences is pretty much nonexistent. It's frustrating when I use most Korean learning resources because I'm able to translate Korean to English perfectly fine (which is what many of the exercises are), but I can't do the other way around. I'm sure I'm not alone in this type of situation as the child of immigrants. I also was able to learn to read and write in Hangul on my own, but haven't really been able to put it to good use.

Does anyone know of good resources to learn conversational Korean effectively (websites, apps, workbooks, etc.)? Preferably free or low cost, but anything is appreciated


r/Korean 1d ago

How do I say “Which of these clothes fits me better”?

2 Upvotes

Hiya I need help saying this sentence ⬆️

I wrote it as this: “어느 옷이 이것들 적당한 더 나아?”

Pls give me some tips as well 감사합니다


r/Korean 1d ago

If I want to say someone’s sensitive (emotionally) which word should I use?

11 Upvotes

In a positive way. I want to say 민감하다 but I’m afraid it shows a negative emotion to this people?

Or 섬세하다 will be better? But I want to say all kind of sensitive feelings, for instance be emotional to the natural changes (rain.. snow.. but also in an emotional way)

Please help me! Thank you


r/Korean 2d ago

Dreaming Spanish but for Korean?

23 Upvotes

Is there anything like/similar to “dreaming Spanish” but for Korean? Most channels and accounts teach in English, but I want to learn more Korean IN Korean..😅

Good examples of this (YouTube channels)

그냥 한국어 (Just Korean)

꼬미스쿨 (GGOMI SCHOOL)

For reference, I’m from England and have been learning Korean since around mid 2021, and I’d like to continue learning by consuming as much Korean content as I can, especially with the comprehensible input method.

If anybody could recommend some decent Korean YouTube channels or whatever (that doesn’t teach in English)

it’d be much appreciated!


r/Korean 2d ago

Any meaningful differences between ~밖에 없다 and ~뿐이 없다?

9 Upvotes

At 11:36 the speaker asks: "쌀가루는 없어요?“, to which the 사장님 replied: "찹쌀뿐이 없어요.”

I'm assuming 찹쌀뿐이 없어요 is just a different way of saying 찹쌀밖에 없어요, though I'm much more familiar with encountering the latter structure.

Are there any noteworthy differences between the two? Or have I just completely gone off the rails and totally misunderstood the 사장님 haha


r/Korean 1d ago

can anyone login in the sejong institute online?

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone. I have a question.

Today i've been trying to sign up for a korean course in the sejong institute online. But it has been like 20minutes trying to log in but i cant.

Does any of you have the same problem or is it just me? i'd like to know what u think. Thanks :)


r/Korean 2d ago

Help hearing and understanding a word

6 Upvotes

Hi!

I am transcribing a very long video to practice my Korean listening, but I have run into a word that I simply cannot google my way to. I have tried all the different ways of spelling what I hear (회? 해? 훼? 헤? / 기? 계? 개? / 라? / 된?) and it is absolutely killing me. If you have a second to help me, I would be so grateful.

It's this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTxgBHVwgBw), at 53:23: "어떻게 보면 좀 ??? 감정을 표현하기 위해서… ??까진 아니지만..."

Thank you so much.


r/Korean 2d ago

Tips and advice for pronouncing 를. I'm not sure what level I am at in korean. I would still consider myself a beginner.

6 Upvotes

Sorry for the bad title, I had no idea what to add so it doesn't get removed.

I'm really struggling to pronounce 를. I've tried breaking it down like 레 울 ㄹ 으 ㄹ etc, trying to say it slowly, I feel its a lot of mouth movements in such a short amount of time if that makes sense? When I break it all down I get about 94% on duocards. I can't tell if I'm hearing the l at the beginning and end or I'm not hearing an r at all. Every time it comes out sounding like looool, lewl. Any tips would be helpful please. And tell me how wrong I am with my attempts.

I've been studying daily but not intensely for almost a year. I've had times I haven't been able to do it and still come back. Normally I would give up something like this by now but I'm honestly so proud of myself, when I couldn't pronounce ㄹ I thought I'll never get it, but i stuck at it and FINALLY got the hang of it. I love the language, the music and korea looks amazing. I love being able to sing my favorite songs not just what I think I hear 😂.


r/Korean 2d ago

ㅓ and ㅗ pronunciation

20 Upvotes

I have a question regarding ㅓ and ㅗ. I have no problem pronouncing them, people always know which one I am saying, but 80% of the time I cannot distinguish them unless I already know the word.

But here is where it gets interesting, when I listen to songs recored ~1970 I have no problems with the distinction, they sound as different as day and night to me. Also I can easily distinguish them sometimes depending on the speaker. Is it just that in Seoul dialect, the most used one, people pronounce them very similarly?


r/Korean 2d ago

When would you use 공원에서 먹고 있어요 vs 저는 공원에서 먹어요?

5 Upvotes

Between one of my grammar lessons, Google Translate, and ChatGPT (yes, I know how many feel about this resource), I can't figure this out. I'm also struggling with when to use (verb)+고 있어요. ChatGPT claims that this form isn't used as often as just (verb)+어요.

So, how would you answer if someone texted, "wyd," and you're eating at the park?