1) Rocket Korean

Duolingo is often times the first program we recommend to language learners.

Their courses are known for being an effective and free way to master the fundamentals of a foreign language. Unfortunately though Duolingo Korean runs into some serious problems...

Duolingo Korean is still in beta, meaning it's available to use but the company is still working out the kinks. 

So far the app makes no distinction between levels of formality and doesn't really teach hangul (even though hangul does make an appearance on the app). 

Even with it's faults Duolingo Korean is definitely worth checking out (it is free to use after all). Hopefully with time the course will improve and we can put it higher on the list!

Rocket Korean

Pimsleur will give you the best training in conversation you can find anywhere. This app uses two key methods to help you learn Korean. 

First, it focuses on audio lessons and active listening. Every lesson features a thirty-minute audio lesson presented by a narrator and two native speakers. The narrator coaches you to listen to a dialogue and to pause and repeat certain words or phrases out loud. Active listening keeps you engaged and also helps you learn correct pronunciation.

After the audio portion, you go through multiple hands-on activities in the app, like matching challenges or speaking practice. You work through 90 or these lessons, each taking about an hour to complete, before you finish the quite comprehensive program. 

Second, all Pimsleur courses use a method called Spaced Repetition Theory to help you consistently cycle through core material. The timed repetition helps you permanently remember a set of core vocabulary rather than trying to cram in thousands of new words a month.

The Pimsleur app does offer some grammar instruction during the audio lessons, but it is not as heavy of a focus. Mostly, you will focus on conversational Korean and core vocabulary. The app also features speech recognition software so you can try out your pronunciation, too!

If you like games, mini-challenges, and an easy way to track your progress, you will enjoy Ling’s gamified Korean app. 

Ling offers over 60 great language courses focused on “less popular” languages, especially Asian ones. This means that the course offers a lot of material tailored specifically to Korean, rather than using the cookie-cutter model Rosetta Stone employs for pretty much all languages.

Ling has a great interface and a good variety of activities so you don't get bored. It will help you master the basics of Korean vocabulary in short daily games and lessons.

That said, it does not focus heavily on grammar explanations. You get some in your lessons and it is explained in English, unlike in Rosetta Stone! But this is not a heavy focus of the program.

Every lesson works you through three or more activities to help you approach new material in a different way and then wraps up with a dialogue recorded by native speakers and presented in little speech bubbles on your screen. This is great because it helps you build listening comprehension, literacy, and pronunciation. 

Plus, the app includes speech recognition software to give you a chance to test out your spoken Korean.

Once you get past beginner basics, you will likely want to pair ling with a more in-depth learning resource. But it is definitely a fun way to keep yourself motivated for daily Korean study!

The huge advantage of using Duolingo to learn Korean is that the app is free (though it does include ads). The app also uses a gamified structure to help you learn in short, challenging bursts of activity. You can set daily or weekly goals and get a lot of satisfaction out of tracking your progress, too.

The basic pattern Duolingo uses is to immerse you in a new concept, and then ask questions about it You guess until you get the right answer. The idea is that this will help you remember the concept better than getting an actual lesson explaining the concept.

For example, you begin by learning Hangul, the Korean alphabet. You might see a letter on the screen and get a multiple-choice asking you what sound that letter represents. By process of elimination, you will eventually get the right answer!

Does this work? Well, you can quickly and easily work through Duolingo’s Korean program, and you will come away with a good grasp of some core vocabulary at the very least. The app does feature speech recognition software, so you get the added bonus of forcing yourself to practice speaking Korean out loud which is always beneficial.

Beyond that, you will likely want a more intensive program to learn about Korean syntax and essential Korean concepts like honorifics.

Once you get past beginner basics, you will likely want to pair ling with a more in-depth learning resource. But it is definitely a fun way to keep yourself motivated for daily Korean study!

Rocket Korean

Rocket Korean is a comprehensive app-based course that takes you through the essential elements of learning Korean, including speaking, listening, reading, writing, and grammar. 

How it Works

The Rocket Korean course features five basic components. The biggest part of the course is the Interactive Audio element, which contains short audio lessons featuring native speakers. 

The Language and Culture element is really important too, as this offers bite-size grammar explanations to help you understand Korean sentence structure. You will also find essential explanations about Korean honorifics in these lessons.

The Tools element gives you lots of study options like spaced repetition flashcards and review activities. You may want to use this after completing a Language and Culture or Audio lesson to help you remember what you learned.

In the Writing Lessons, you learn how to read and write using Hangul, or the Korean alphabet.

The Survival Kit is one of Rocket’s best and newer features. In this section, you get a crash course in everyday Korean you need to communicate in a hurry.

Cost

The Level 1 Rocket Korean course has a one-time cost of $149, though you can often find it as much as 50% off when the company runs a deal. This is a pretty high price point and you don’t have the option of a low monthly subscription rate instead of the one-time fee.

Pros and Cons

The biggest advantage of using Rocket Korean is that it has structured lessons and covers all the bases you need to learn the language. 

One of the cons is that right now, Rocket Korean only features one level. Other languages offered by Rocket have higher levels, so this may eventually change.

Another downside to Rocket is that the company used an unfortunate marketing campaign by offering commissions to people who successfully sold the course. This ended up creating a lot of bad PR for the company and you may see incorrect information floating around online even now.

Overall Rocket Korean is a comprehensive course that does a good job of incorporating speaking and listening, as well as reading and writing. 

Koreanclass101 is an online course that offers three elements: audio lessons, study tools like flashcards, and personal tutoring sessions. Like Rocket Korean, it takes a pretty comprehensive approach by covering all the core elements of a language like speaking and listening, grammar, and reading and writing.

How it Works

The bulk of what you get when you subscribe to the KoreanClass101 program is access to many, many podcast-style audio and video lessons. At first, this can seem overwhelming, but the program also provides Pathways, which guide you through the lessons in an orderly progression based on your learning level and interests.

If you prefer a more self-directed approach, you can still go through the lessons in any order you like, too!

One of the things KoreanClass101 focuses on is using everyday day, normal-sounding Korean rather than stilted textbook-sounding dialogue. The podcast lessons feature two English hosts and then a segment of dialogue presented by native Korean speakers. You can slow down the audio or get a line-by-line translation to help you learn vocabulary, too.

The Study Tools element gives you handy review options like flashcards and quizzes.

The Personal Teacher feature does cost more, as it is only available in the Premium Plus version. But this can give your learning a massive boost, as the tutor offers lessons tailored just to you, rather than presenting canned materials. Plus, you will get a chance to test out your spoken Korean in a safe, instructive environment, which is super valuable!

Cost

One of the confusing things about KoreanClass101 is that it has lots of different pricing options. You can try it out for free with the minted free access. You can also select from Basic, Premium, or Premium Plus levels of monthly subscription rates.

Basic: $4/month. Includes access to all lessons.

Premium: $10/month.  Includes access to all lessons plus line-by-line audio breakdown, word bank, and more.

Premium Plus: $23/month.  Includes everything AND 1-on-1 sessions with a teacher, plus personal assessment and personally graded activities.

On top of this, the company often runs sales where you could get a much lower subscription rate for a certain amount of time.

Pros and Cons

One of the biggest advantages to KoreanClass101 is the personal tutor option if you can afford to pay for the premium version of the course. 

One of the downsides is that while the audio lessons often have great quality, many of the video lessons look pretty bad. This may make you feel like you paid for a cheap product, despite the overall good quality of the material presented in the course.

Italki is  a unique language-learning tool because it is not a course in and of itself. Instead, it is a platform for connecting language learners with hundreds of certified tutors offering a personalized learning experience.

How it Works

Italki lets you search for a tutor in several ways. First, of course, you can search for tutors certified to teach the language you want to learn (in this case, Korean!). Once you get hundreds or thousands of results, you can sort them based on lots of different factors.

First, you can organize the results based on tutor availability. This is essential if you have a tight schedule and you need someone who can meet up with you during your limited free time.

Second, you can arrange the results based on factors like tutor experience or tutor rankings. It is a great idea to read reviews left by other students, as this is often the best way to find the most engaging and effective tutors.

Third, you can even sort the results based on hourly fees. This is important if you have a limited budget for your personal tutoring sessions.

Italki tutors do go through a vetting process, but this does not mean that every tutor will gel with your personal learning style. You may need to test out a few tutors before you match up with the right one.

Cost

Cost varies a lot in italki, because every tutor sets their one rates. You may find one Korean tutor charging $6 per hour and another charging $60. 

Higher cost does not necessarily mean a better or more experienced tutor, though. The best way to seek out high-quality tutors is to look at their ratings and student reviews.

Pros and Cons

Italki does have some downsides. For one, you may not like every tutor you try. For another, it costs can add up quickly when you pay for hourly or half-hour sessions.

The biggest advantage to using italki is that you get to connect with a tutor in a safe virtual environment. And of course, the big upside to working with a tutor is that you get instruction tailored to your individual needs, as well as a chance to practice Korean conversation for real!

*Use this link to purchase a minimum of $20 (US) of Italki credits and receive an extra $10 free! (Bonus added after completion of 1st lesson)

90-Day Korean is a structured online course that takes a traditional, almost textbook approach to teach you all the essential elements of Korean.

Despite its name, “90-day Korean” actually features four different levels, each intended to be completed in 90 days. In total, it would take you about a year to go through the entire course and gain basic fluency in Korean.

How it Works

The course offers you one week of lessons at a time, which is an innovative way to keep you on track and avoid overwhelming you. Each weekly lesson starts with a 90-minute challenge, such as learning the Korean alphabet in just 90 minutes. The lessons use simple wording and great explanations.

Weekly lessons also include other segments like Fundamentals, Challenges, and a vocabulary segment. The lessons incorporate interactive activities too, such as drag-and-drop word association activities.

If you pay a higher subscription rate, you also get access to a personal coach to help you through the in-depth weekly lessons and activities.

Cost

You can pay for 90-Day Korean in several different ways.

For the basic level, you can subscribe for either $35/month, or $299/year. 

If you want to level up and pay for personal coaching on top of the course, you will pay $49/month or $399/year.

Pros and Cons

The biggest downside to this program is that it is an online course without a flashy app or voice recognition software. Of course, if you pay for a personal coach, you can try out a conversation in a real-life virtual setting, but that comes with a high price tag.

The biggest advantage to using this course is that it does a great job teaching all the basics of the Korean language in simple, easy-to-follow terms. You will find yourself understanding why Korean is structured the way it is as you go rather than just memorizing a handful or words or phrases.

Mondly Korean is an app-based course that uses a gamified approach rich with interactive elements to make learning Korean enjoyable.

How it Works

When you first log in to the Mondly Korean app, you go to the map-like landing board. This features an array of landmarks, including subject matter themes and a daily lessons icon.

You can work through the program by selecting which theme you want to study, or by using the daily lessons option. This allows Mondly to take you through lessons in a linear and structured approach and probably works best for most learners.

Daily lessons usually feature multiple interactive activities. These might include spelling, translating, matching, or drag-and-drop activities. All of the activities take very little time, as each full lesson clocks in at under 15 minutes.

Completing lessons and signing in to the app consistently helps you earn points and study streaks. This is a fun way to make the program more gamified and encourage you to keep going.

Cost

You can subscribe to the Mondy app in three different ways.

First, you can pay a monthly rate of $9.99 for the Korean course.

Second, you can pay a yearly subscription rate of $47.99 for the Korean course.

Third, you can pay a yearly subscription rate of $479 (though it is often way on sale) for access to all the language courses Mondly offers, not just Korean.

Pros and Cons

The main downside to Mondly Korean is that it doesn’t take you far beyond the beginner basics. It also doesn’t delve too far into grammar, focusing more on basic Korean for everyday use.

Mondly has lots of pros. It uses short fun lessons with many easily attainable rewards along the way. The advantage it offers over other gamified programs like Duolingo is that it has more of a focus on practical, useful Korean words and phrases.

Rocket Korean

Koreanclass101 features audio lessons in a podcast format. Each lesson is a podcast episode and is built around a recorded conversation between two native Korean speakers. Lessons are great for grammar and vocabulary, and the teachers (aka podcast hosts) do a great job of keeping things engaging. 

 While it's not as structured as Pimsleur Korean  it's still a substantial Japanese learning tool (it's also much cheaper too). The site features lesson transcripts. There is also a flashcard system for learning new words. 

Duolingo is the best known language app, and for good reason. It's proven to be an affective way to learn basic grammar and vocabulary in a game like setting.

As of September 2017 the beta version of Duolingo Korean was released for IOS and Android. While they're still working out some of the kinks it's a great program to help get you started. It's also free to use so definitely check it out!

Fluentu is a site that helps you learn a language through native videos. Use in-site flashcards, captions, and games to learn new words in context while watching Korean TV shows, movies, commercials, and more. It's a great way to push your listening skills and Korean vocabulary. 

Rocket Korean is built around recorded audio in the form of dialogues. The dialogues have English explanations and usually teach the language in "chunks" or phrases versus individual words (this is great for conversational Korean). 

Rocket Korean is more structured and comprehensive than Koreanclass101.  It is well balanced and provides plenty of content on reading and writing in Korean, in addition to pronunciation and conversational vocabulary.