I want to learn Korean while working — what methods and academies are good?
I work during the day, so I can only study Korean on weekday evenings or weekends. I'd like to know if there are affordable Korean classes for foreigners or programs at multicultural centers. I'd also appreciate recommendations for academies or online apps that help with preparing for the TOPIK exam.
1 Answer
Since you work, evening and weekend classes are your friends. The cheapest options are the free or low-cost Korean classes run by local multicultural family support centers, foreign resident centers, and global centers like the Seoul Global Center. University language institutes such as Yonsei, Sogang, and Korea University are structured but pricier, so look for their evening or weekend tracks rather than the intensive day program. For self-study, free resources like Talk To Me In Korean are great, Anki or Memrise help with vocabulary, and there are good YouTube channels for pronunciation and conversation. For the TOPIK, working through past papers alongside a study book is the most effective approach, and you can download past exams for free from the official site (topik.go.kr). It's also worth enrolling in the Korea Immigration and Integration Program (KIIP), which teaches Korean and culture in levels and helps with visa and naturalization steps too.