Korean has been on your list of things to learn for ages, but you just haven’t had the time to dedicate yourself to it, right? Well this is the end of that excuse, because you can learn Korean by simply dedicating one hour each day to your studies, and that hour can be far from boring.
Think of learning Korean as being like a workout for your mind. Instead of spending one day on abs, one day on legs, etc. try spending one hour each day working on a different aspect of Korean. Need help figuring out how to do that? Take a look at this weekly Learn Korean "workout" schedule. It only takes up one hour each day.
Work with a Language Exchange Partner
Start off your week right with an hour-long session with your language exchange partner. Let them guide you through your topics of study and help them pick out tools for you to use later in the week. Your language exchange partner can help you outline which parts of the language you should focus on and make sure that you are keeping a good pace with your learning. This is also the time to work on your growing conversation skills, so chat with your partner in Korean about what you learned throughout your last week. You can connect with your partner in person or online via video chat, making it easy for you to meet up from anywhere.
Interested in finding a language exchange partner but don’t yet have one? Check out LRNGO, a site that offers a free platform to search for a language exchange partner. Simply input what you can teach and what you’re interested in learning and barter knowledge instead of spending money on a tutor!
Use Online Exercises
Since your partner outlined the basics for you, now is your time to practice them on your own. Practice grammar, listening, and vocabulary by working through online exercises so you can test how much you really know.
Listen to Podcasts
Enhance your listening skills by spending your study time listening to Korean podcasts! Be sure to listen to podcasts that match your skill level, be they beginner or more advanced (in which case you could even listen to real Korean radio shows). Podcasts are great to listen to while cleaning, working out, or driving, being the perfect way to multi-task. Check out Weekly Korean for great podcasts along with other resources such as grammar, news, and music lyrics.
Start Reading
Enhance your reading skills by surfing the web for Korean books, comics, and news sites. You can take a look at Naver’s webtoons and you can even read newspapers such as Chosun Ilbo or some of these others for free online.
Watch YouTube Videos
Practice your skills by watching YouTube video Korean lessons such as Korean Class 101 or SEEMILE Korean Class or simply watch Korean clips (be they music videos, film trailers, etc.) on YouTube with Korean subtitles to practice your listening skills.
Get Writing
Download a free Korean keyboard (for Mac or Windows) and start writing! Work on journal entries, opinion articles, or ask your language exchange partner to pick a topic for you. Use tools like Google Drive or Dropbox to interact with your exchange partner and have them check over your work.
Take a TV Break
Since you’ve worked so hard this week, take a break and watch some television shows or movies you’re already familiar with supplemented with Korean subtitles, or watch popular Korean shows. You can find some at Viki.
By spending simply focusing each day on one of these topics, you’ll gain a well-rounded Korean education by working for only one hour each day!
Photo Credit: Luke Ma
