Today’s technology-rich life can also make you very busy and tired, so to relieve yourself from fatigue and keep yourself calm, you should do something new and enjoyable. One way that can relieve stress and engage your mind fully is by using books to learn Korean on the side.
Not only do you learn the language itself, but you’ll also get a glimpse of the Korean people’s culture, traditions, and values through their language. With that said, this post will walk you through the best set of books to get from the shelf today! Let’s get started!
Books To Learn Korean
Selecting Korean as your new language will be a wise decision because this language is becoming a high-demand one with every passing day. In fact, the Korean film industry, like K-Drama and K-Pop, is getting so famous worldwide! And if you learn this language thoroughly, you can land a job in that industry too!
As this is a world of technology, you can learn anything from backward and forward using the internet under your belt. You have resources from websites and online apps that have cutting-edge language teaching technology.
But sometimes you can’t make heads or tails on the internet, and you need to read books and look at them, for it is much better. It can give you a more calming experience without any distractions. So in this blog post, we will guide and provide reviews about the top trending books to learn Korean. Let’s dive into those titles in the sections below.
Korean From Zero! -1
Korean From Zero is a three-book series set, one of the perfect books for learning Korean and getting the hang of it. An interesting fact about this book is that multiple professional writers wrote it. One is the native Korean speaker Sunhee Bong, and the other ones are Korean linguists Reed Bullen and George Trombley.
This book is compiled interestingly, covering all the basics and complex levels of the Korean language. As the title of the book shows, this book will guide you even if you do not have a clue about Korean.
Features
Firstly you will learn the basics like vocals, short words, and sentences, and then the level is upgraded. You will get a lot of new vocabulary in the Korean language, and it will teach you more than 600 new words and sentences in Korean by reading it daily.
This book uses highly qualified grammar, which will help you in grasping more experience and get up to speed. Daily life grammar, like the verb, adjective nouns, etc., is taught expertly.
Well, every language has its specific pronunciation, and similarly, the Korean language is a bit difficult in this regard. Although learning is easier said than done, many people lack commitment.
But you don’t have to worry about that because this book has audio files that will help you in learning and understand this book quickly. In this way, you will learn Korean interestingly and classically.
Korean Made Easy For Beginners
The book Korean Made Easy For Beginners by Seung-Eun Oh contains twenty lessons and some basic and compelling phrases based on Korean culture. If you are a beginner and want to get acquainted with the basics of this language in a short period, like a cat on a hot tin roof, then this book is the best choice for you ever.
Features
This book has some essential explanations that will help you a lot in everyday communication in the Korean language. If you are visiting Korea to spend holidays or do short business work, reading this book before and during your flight will be a great idea, and then you can speak with the natives there as right as rain.
This book has many plus points too. It has fascinating images and tables for better understanding. Also, the basic grammar of this language is taught in a unique and fun way. The vocals are drawn for more clearance, so you will not face any problems in pronouncing the basics, like the vowels, syllables, and much more.
In addition, it also has a CD drive containing Korean vocals content, so you practice them while reading the book, which is an excellent factor of this book. To read this book, you don’t have to burn the midnight oil or have a Korean background, and you can simply vouch for the self-study option with this book in quite entertaining and exciting ways.
The K-Pop Dictionary
The Kpop Dictionary is written by a Korean author Woosung Kang who admires every culture through his writings and creative ideas. He has penned approximately 500 essential slang of the Korean language and common words and phrases of everyday use.
The purpose for most of the people learning this language is because of their keen interest in K-Pop. As it is already shimmering in the gloaming every day with their fandom also increasing, the public can’t really understand their language and hence need some help. So if you are a fan of K-Pop, K-Drama, or any Korean actor, then this book is the perfect match for you.
Features
This book is not that tough and has no intricate grammatical touches. You can quickly learn Korean in daily life when you have time on your hands. What’s more, is that you can also get aware of their culture and tradition, which will be a beneficial point for you as a K-Pop fan.
Korean pop contains specific slang and other jargon, which can be understood only by the natives there. But this book is the right choice if you are looking forward to a source to learn such stuff. The book also features a lively combination of modern Korean dialect and vocabulary and has been translated into six other languages. After learning the slang from this book, you will no longer need subtitles for your favorite dramas and musical content.
Korean For Beginners: Mastering Conversational Korean
Korean For Beginners: Mastering Conversational Korean is written by Henry J. Amen and Kyubyong Park. It is one of the masterpieces for learning the grammar of the Korean dialect.
If you are a person of rules and regulations and want to know everything about the Korean language by covering all edges of grammar, then you just have to take hold of this book.
This book helps in learning advanced Korean with deep knowledge. It is modified in an absorbing way and helps remove your fears regarding pronunciation, phrases, and all other logical things in this language. You must go the extra mile to be fluent in Korean and get the accent of your desires. This book will suit your sense of humor through its lighthearted and creative explanations.
Features
Firstly, this book explains the Korean alphabet with examples and explanations, and you can quickly learn and say them with better pronunciation.
This book also keeps you posted on modern Korean slang and phrases, which will help you speak more casually with the locals. With all these benefits, this book has a CD that contains all the recordings, and you can quickly figure them out by practicing. Basically, this will help you to speak and write like a pro, thus providing you with the best of both worlds.
Talk To Me In Korean
“Talk To Me In Korean” is a series of ten workbooks on Korean grammar. As far as learning Korean is concerned, it is a perfect companion for those who want to learn Korean independently. This is highly recommended to those who get less time out of their work zone and those who can’t learn Korean through different couches and teachers.
Features
The book covers the basics, from common words and sentences to phrases and grammar. It also comes in 10 series, and the learner gets a grip on the Korean language easily. So if you want to learn Korean numbers, alphabets, and basic words used in daily conversations, then this is the best book to try out.
The graphics and design of this book are on another level of creativity and are truly adorable. The design brings an interest in the learner, which further eases the way of learning Korean. Additionally, it has grammatical patterns to help you master intonations and improve your pronunciation.
Yonsei Korean 1-1
If you are back against the wall and want a good book for learning Korean basics, then “Yonsei Korean 1” is the right option. It is a comprehensive book with both English and Korean editions. It was created by the Korean Language Institute at Yonsei University, one of Korea’s best-known and most famous universities. If you want to learn Korean, pull together and read this book.
Features
It contains levels for learning with colorful illustrations and text. Once you complete this first level, then there are other levels of this series (approximately more than five) that you can go over. The level workbooks are pretty short and exciting, which you can learn in a short period without getting bored. There are almost ten short lessons in each book.
This book is basically about Hangul, including the Korean vowels. Its primary aim and goal are to make you an expert in Korean vowels and their basic pronunciation because it is the first and foremost step in learning any kind of new language.
This book starts teaching from the beginning level, such as learning the basic vocabulary, vocals, and initial consonants to higher-level syllables and phrases. The other levels of this book teach Korean in quite different ways, like teaching about self-introduction, talking on special occasions, communication in public places, and dialogues. So, this is a well-organized textbook with proper exercises with formal tones and talks of the day.
Sogang Korean 1A: Student’s Book
“Sogang Korean- 1A” is a series which is written by Kim Song-Hee and is known for being the best book regarding learning the Korean language. It contains volumes from 1A up to 6B and is rated 4.7 out of 5, which seems pretty good. The unique thing about this book is that it can teach you Korean from zero to expert level.
If you follow this book and learn all volumes, you can speak Korean like a native. But these series are a kind of worksheets for which you will need a tutor to pick his brain and solve them or other resources from the internet.
Features
This series is based on daily work, and you have to do a part of this book every day just like your daily school work, as the word “Sogang” means taking a class in the Korean language. It is even used by Korean schools and universities to guide all Korean students there.
The twelve levels of this book cover almost everything about the Korean language. This book emphasizes speaking skills to make your communication as flat as a pancake. The writer keeps an ear to the ground and edits the book annually according to your desires. You are provided with day-to-day tasks, and in this way, you will have more experience regularly.
But as you know, practice makes a man perfect, so you have to complete the daily task consistently. It may take a while for you to catch on to the book in the beginning, but you will learn it gradually and more easily.
Korean Stories For Language Learners: Traditional Folktales In Korean And English
If you are a fan of classical folktales and stories and are obsessed with Korean culture, Korean Stories For Language Learners: Traditional Folktales In Korean and English by Julie Damron and Eunsun Yoo is one of the best choices for you.
Features
This book contains many Korean stories with English translations, which will make it easy for you to understand them in a short time with fun and adventure. Many other such books provide short Korean stories to the learner to make it easier for them in an absorbing way.
This book contains colorful text and many surprising images, as a picture is worth 1000 words, which will surely help you get the story’s theme and notion. In addition to this, after each level or folktale, there are short exercises that are a bonus in getting a worthy experience. You will be happy after reading this fairytale book.
Korean Grammar For International Learners
Korean Grammar For International Learners is an entirely different and productive grammatical book, rated about 4.8 on Amazon. If we say this is the book you need and the whole language is there, it will not be a bad idea. In fact, you will also understand the advanced parts of the language after completing this masterpiece. How? This book focuses on a significant part of the language – the grammar portion and the working system of this language.
Features
This is the best choice for intermediate learners and fans who are crazy about this language and want to learn it accurately and get their act together. It doesn’t make you bored by giving wholesome and entertaining explanations. In fact, it explains with examples and short sentences.
It also covers grammar in an inspiring and professional way. It provides the essential points and upgrades them to an expert level. Additionally, it has a pretty good set of useful vocabulary that you can learn. You can get fluent in Korean by learning this vocabulary with daily life examples and phrases.
One of the essential points to note is that this book is not for beginners, so if you are a beginner and have no experience with this language, then you should not try this book. This is because this book is created with higher-level grammar, which will be difficult to get understood by beginners. This book is even used in many universities in Korea for students and is also sold like hotcakes on many online websites.
Elementary Korean
“Elementary Korean” is written by Julian Ross Paul King with complete introductory and detailed knowledge regarding Korean grammar and language.
The plus point of this book is that everybody can read this book. This is one of the best textbooks providing bilingual glossaries. Whether or not you have any experience in this language, you can still read and follow this book. It is one of the most outstanding books to start learning Korean as a beginner.
Features
This book lays the foundation of basic Korean grammar and comprehensively explains the daily use of the Korean language and its systematic working. This book has editions and various workbooks for deeper understanding and fluency in Korean.
This set includes audio and CD drive with the recording of native speakers so that you can learn with an eloquent accent. In addition, it has daily life examples and idioms or Korean proverbs with different illustrations.
You can learn Korean with fun and adventure without any lack of enthusiasm. Furthermore, this book has many exercises with quizzes and blanks; by solving them, you will get a better idea about this dialect. This book has plenty of writing practices with dialogue writing and communication content.
The text of this book is written in Hangul for quick and accurate learning of students. It thoroughly introduces this language with ten different activities from each lesson. This book provides proficiency in Korean if you work a little bit hard and give it a daily read.
Once you start practicing, you will step up your game and will be able to talk like a native speaker. It is more authentic because it is also taught in many universities in America, as this language is becoming a vital need everywhere.
Start Speaking Korean Like A Pro
I hope this blog has helped you gain knowledge about the best books for the Korean language. If you have once decided to learn the Korean language and are interested in it, you should read your favorite Korean books. Suppose you have to live in Korea, have a business thing, or have any other educational purpose; you can choose any of the books mentioned above according to your desires and learning level.
If you are looking forward to learning languages with authentic materials to form a decent foundation, then the Ling app is the perfect place. You can study Korean and visit Korea without actually ever traveling to Korea.
Our learners are mostly self-studying beginners who aim to pass the Korean language proficiency tests or plan to improve their spoken Korean. You can also learn essential Korean words by listening to the audio lessons of native Korean speakers.
Not only can you improve your conversational Korean language learning, but you’ll get to master information about the cultural context of the Korean language. So download the Ling app on the Play Store or App Store or check out the website right now.