by Olly RichardsAre you wondering why learn Korean? You've probably come here because you're deciding whether or not to learn Korean. Well let me tell you, you've come to the right place.
In this blog post, I'll give you 13 practical reasons to answer the question: why learn Korean? Hopefully, by the end of this blog post, you'll be certain that Korean is worth the effort.
So let's get into it: why learn Korean?
Pro Tip
By the way, if you want to learn Korean fast and have fun while doing it, my top recommendation is Korean Uncovered which teaches you through my fun, unique and effective StoryLearning® method.
If you’re ready to get started, click here for a 7-day FREE trial.
If you prefer watching videos to reading, hit play on the video version of this post below. Otherwise, keep scrolling to read the post and find out: why learn Korean?
Why Learn Korean? 13 Reasons To Learn Korean
Learning a second language is a big commitment. It requires devotion, time, and lots of brain power. You need some solid reasons for why Korean is the language for you.
Below are 13 reasons to answer the question: why learn Korean? Try reading through all of them and think about whether or not you want these benefits for yourself.
1. Learning Korean Improves Cognitive Abilities
Learning a second language is like vitamins for your brain.
People who know two languages have better problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. They also have better concentration and are able to multitask better than those who only speak one language.
That’s right, learning a second language is like levelling up or upgrading your brain.
On top of these benefits, second language acquisition is also proven to decrease mental ageing and cognitive decline when ageing.
Yes, you are reading correctly, you could become smarter, multitask better and be younger longer if you learn Korean. These facts are all backed by science!
2. Korean Makes You A More Competitive Job Candidate
People who know two languages are more competitive job candidates.
If you know Korean, you will be a competitive candidate in the government and business arenas.
If you live in an area with a large Korean population, your skills will be even more useful to employers.
Even if employers aren’t specifically looking for Korean speaking abilities, your skills in Korean will show employers that you are well-cultured and able to stick to a long-term goal.
3. Korean Makes Learning A Third Language Easier
After learning one language, every language afterward becomes easier to learn. This is because your brain is now more accustomed to learning new languages and you now know the process of learning.
If your end goal is to learn multiple languages, start with Korean. Korean is a hard language to learn and once you have it down, you will be able to learn any language much easier.
4. Widens Perspective On The World
When you learn a new language, you aren't just learning the language, you are learning the culture behind the language.
Becoming familiar with a new culture can widen your perspective on the world, giving you a new way of thinking.
It also helps you become more understanding of other people’s cultural backgrounds and how it influences them. You could say that learning a new language makes you a more well-rounded, better person overall.
5. Watch K-Dramas Without Subtitles
Are you a fan of k-dramas, k-pop, or k-movies? Have you ever had to wait a week to watch a show because subtitles weren't available yet? Or watched a video of your favourite idol but had no idea what they were saying?
If you want to be able to understand Korean media to enjoy it more or understand what your favourite idol is saying, you should learn Korean.
After learning Korean, the shows you already enjoy will be 10x more enjoyable. You'll be able to understand the nuances behind the lines in TV shows and movies.
The words said will carry more meaning and jokes will be funnier. Your favourite idols will become more relatable and you won't have to wait for a video to be subbed for you to fully enjoy it.
6. Korean Is Growing In Popularity
With the release of global phenomena like Parasite, Squid Game, and BTS, Korean is becoming a very popular language to learn.
Duolingo, the top language-learning app in the world, has reported that Korean is now the second most-studied Asian language on the app.
This means you are likely to find people just like you who have similar interests and are also learning Korean. And if you join Korean Uncovered, you'll also be part of a community of motivated Korean learners.
7. Korea Is A Global Leader
Over the past 20 years, Korea has shot into the global spotlight for its media and technology.
Nowadays, K-dramas, K-pop, and K-movies are popular globally. Korean brands like Samsung, Hyundai, and LG are used in households everywhere. Korea has the 10th largest economy in the world and the 6th biggest movie industry in the world.
Korea is projected to keep growing in these industries and if so, you will see Korean being used even more all around the world. Korean is only going to become a more useful language to know. What better time to start learning it than now?
8. Learning Korean Will Make Travel In Korea Easier
If you are travelling to Korea anytime in the future, then Korean will be a necessity in your travels.
If you know Korean you'll enjoy your time in Korea a lot more as you won’t have to depend on translation apps and the English level of locals.
Making friends with locals will also become a lot easier. Prepare for your trip now, by starting to learn Korean.
9. Korean Doesn't Have Tones
Korean is a difficult language to learn, especially if your native language is English.
But, there are a few characteristics of the Korean language that make it easier to learn than other Asian languages.
One of them is that Korean doesn’t have tones. You don’t have to worry about matching the tone of a word like you might have to with other Asian languages.
10. The Korean Alphabet Is Really Easy To Learn
Chinese and Japanese use characters to write. This can make learning these Asian languages very difficult.
Luckily, the Korean writing system was made with simplicity in mind. Hangul is phonetic, so you don't have to memorize hundreds of characters to be able to read.
In fact, you can learn how to read and write in Korean in less than an hour. Learn more about the Korean alphabet.
11. Koreans Are Very Encouraging
Languages are hard to learn. You will need lots of motivation and encouragement to stick to learning Korean.
It's hard to find a country that is more encouraging and open to people learning their language than Korea.
Not many people take the time to learn Korean and so a non-Korean speaking Korean is quite rare in Korea. That’s why Koreans are so happy to see someone learning their language.
Any Korean you talk to in Korean will compliment you endlessly for your efforts, giving you the encouragement you need to keep learning.
The compliments are so plentiful that it's easy to get an inflated ego. So feedback is also important. If you ask, Koreans will be more than willing to provide you with feedback on where you could improve.
12. Lots Of Korean Language Learning Resources
Since Korean has become a popular language for people to learn, hundreds of resources have popped up on the internet.
A simple Google search brings up hundreds of Korean language learning resources in the format of websites, classes, Korean books, Korean tutoring, etc. You'll have no trouble finding a learning format that works for you.
13. Learning Korean Is Fun
And the last reason you should learn Korean is because it's incredibly fun.
There are lots of fun Korean idioms and expressions in the language that will make you chuckle, like the expression 식은 죽 먹기 shik-eun jook muk-gi, which translates to “like eating cold porridge” and means the same thing as the English expression “piece of cake”.
Just like this expression, you will learn new ways to express yourself that you never thought of before.
You can learn Korean in fun ways like watching a drama or learning the words to your favorite k-pop song. Learning Korean is like putting together a puzzle piece by piece.
Every piece you put into the puzzle brings you closer to understanding Korean culture and the Korean language. The journey of putting the puzzle together piece by piece as the full image of the Korean language becomes more clear is exciting and fun.
Why Learn Korean?
So why learn Korean?
Learning Korean will be frustrating and hard at times, but also rewarding and super fun. You will be proud of yourself for the efforts you put into learning Korean and proud of your connection to Korean culture.
I promise you will not regret the decision to learn Korean! Great, I can feel you have made up your mind now.
To help you in your Korean learning journey, make sure you follow the rules of StoryLearning and read short stories in Korean. You'll have even more fun discovering this language through the power of story.
Olly Richards
Creator of the StoryLearning® Method
Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.
Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.
When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.
