What Is a Korean Course Path on This Site?
A Korean course path is a fixed sequence of lessons drawn from the site's hubs (Hangul, pronunciation, grammar, phrases, vocabulary) and arranged for one audience. You follow the order and tick lessons off; you never have to decide what comes next. A study plan is different: it is a calendar that tells you how much to do each week. If you prefer a calendar to a fixed lesson list, see the study plans.
Most learners should begin with Learn Hangul in a Week, a 7-day path through all 40 letters. Most of the courses start with it, so you only do it once. The four groups below cover the eight paths.
Foundation Courses
Foundation courses teach the core of Korean that every other goal depends on: reading, pronunciation and polite sentences.
- Learn Hangul in a Week covers all 40 letters in seven sessions of 30-60 minutes, from the six basic vowels to batchim, and ends with reading 20 unseen loanwords such as 커피 (coffee). It is the entry point for most learners.
- Korean for Beginners course: after Hangul, the Korean for Beginners course takes you to an A1 benchmark. Its eight modules cover pronunciation, greetings, both number systems, polite present and past sentences, questions and core words, typically in 60-90 study hours.
Start here if your goal is general Korean, TOPIK or anything long term. Learners with a trip coming up have a shorter option.
Short-Goal Courses for Trips
Short-goal courses teach the Korean you need for a visit, in polite forms that are safe with strangers.
- Survival Korean course: short on time? The Survival Korean course teaches about 60 phrases for a short stay, in 7 modules: signs and menus, polite essentials, numbers and prices, ordering food, getting around, shopping and asking for help. It typically takes 10-15 study hours.
- Korean for travel: the learner can handle airport, transport, hotel, restaurant and market exchanges in polite Korean and read station names, menus and common signs. It builds on Survival Korean and typically takes 20-30 study hours.
If your motivation is dramas or music rather than a trip, the fan courses use that interest directly.
Fan Courses
Fan courses use K-dramas and K-pop as the material, while still teaching Hangul first and grammar alongside.
- Korean for K-drama fans: if dramas are your motivation, Korean for K-drama fans trains your ear for common lines and speech levels. Its seven modules cover subtitles, casual 반말 versus polite 존댓말, family words such as 오빠 and 형, and a repeatable episode-study routine.
- Learn Korean with K-pop: the learner can read and sing a chorus from Hangul lyrics with correct linking, understand 40 fandom and lyric words and explain two grammar endings found in lyrics. Examples are original, not copied lyrics.
Two audiences need a different approach altogether, which the next group covers.
Courses for Specific Learners
Some learners need a course built around who they are, not what they want to watch or where they are going.
- Korean for Kids: seven short units for ages 6-12 on Hangul shapes, greetings, family words, numbers, colours and animals, with audio, printables and parent tips.
- Korean for Heritage Learners: for learners who speak Korean but rarely read or write it, with spelling, spacing, honorifics, Sino-Korean words and real texts.
With the published paths described, the next step is choosing one.
Which Korean Course Should You Take?
Choose a Korean course by two questions: whether you read Hangul yet, and when your deadline is. Your interest (dramas, music, family) then picks between courses at the same level.
Do You Read Hangul Yet?
- No: start with Learn Hangul in a Week, unless you are a parent teaching a young child (use Korean for Kids) or a heritage learner (take the heritage self-check first).
- Slowly, or with romanization: repeat Days 6-7 of the Hangul course, then continue.
- Yes, smoothly: skip to Korean for Beginners, Survival Korean or a fan course.
When Is Your Deadline?
- A trip within a month: Hangul course Days 1-3, then Survival Korean.
- A trip in two to three months: the full Hangul course, Survival Korean, then Korean for Travel.
- No deadline: Korean for Beginners, with a fan course on the side if dramas or music keep you motivated.
Compare the Korean Course Paths
This table compares every path by audience, length, prerequisite and end ability. Hours are typical estimates from each course page.
| Course | For | Modules | Typical hours | Prerequisite | You can at the end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Learn Hangul in a Week | Everyone new to Korean | 7 days | About 6 | None | Read any syllable; decode loanwords |
| Korean for Beginners | General learners | 8 | 60-90 | Hangul course | Polite present and past sentences, about A1 |
| Survival Korean | Short trips | 7 | 10-15 | Hangul course (recommended) | Greet, order, ask prices and directions |
| Korean for Travel | Longer trips | 8 | 20-30 | Survival Korean | Handle transport, hotel and markets; read signs |
| K-Drama Fans | Drama viewers | 7 | Listed on course page | Hangul course | Recognise speech levels; study an episode |
| K-Pop Fans | Music fans | 6 | Listed on course page | Hangul course | Read and sing a chorus with correct linking |
| Korean for Kids | Parents, teachers | 7 units | 10-15 min per session | None | Child reads basic letters, counts to 10 |
| Heritage Learners | Grew up hearing Korean | 7 | Listed on course page | Self-check | Spell, space and write formally |
How We Built These Courses
Every course reuses the site's own lessons, so the content is the same one you would find by browsing the hubs, arranged in a deliberate order: letters before words, polite forms before casual ones. Korean examples follow the National Institute of Korean Language's orthography and Standard Pronunciation Rules, and romanization follows the official Revised Romanization system, shown only as an optional aid.
What "free" covers: all lessons, audio and flashcard decks, with no sign-up and no paywall. What is not offered: certificates, live teachers, graded homework or pronunciation scoring. Progress is saved only in your browser; our Privacy Policy explains exactly what is stored. Each lesson shows its current Korean review status, and our editorial policy explains how lessons are checked and corrected. Lessons not yet published appear as plain text until they go live.
Not sure a Korean course is right for you? Go back to the beginner starting guide to compare courses with plans and self-study.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do these Korean courses give a certificate?
No. The courses are free self-study paths, and there is no exam or certificate at the end. Each course has checkpoints so you can test yourself. If you need proof of your level for study or work, take TOPIK, the official Test of Proficiency in Korean, which is held several times a year.
Can I take two courses at once?
Yes, as long as they do not repeat each other. Most learners take Learn Hangul in a Week once, then one main course plus one interest course, such as Korean for Beginners with K-drama fans. Skip any module you have already finished elsewhere; the shared Hangul module only needs to be done once.
Which course should a parent use with a child?
Use Korean for Kids. It has seven short units of 10 to 15 minutes, each with a printable and a game, and a parent or teacher runs the session. Older children who read well in their first language, from about age ten, can also follow Learn Hangul in a Week with an adult nearby.
How do I save my progress?
Tick lessons as done with the checklist on each page. Progress is stored only in your browser on your device, with no account and no server copy. Clearing browser data or switching devices removes it. You can export your progress as a file from the progress settings and import it elsewhere.
Are the courses suitable for TOPIK preparation?
They prepare you for the level, not the exam format. Korean for Beginners aims at roughly CEFR A1, the starting point for TOPIK I. For exam practice, past-paper strategy and timing, use the separate TOPIK preparation pages after finishing a foundation course, and treat CEFR-to-TOPIK comparisons as approximate.