Korean language

Hangul: an alphabet you can learn in days

Korean is written in Hangul (한글), an alphabet created under King Sejong in the 15th century. Its 24 basic letters combine into syllable blocks, and because the letters map closely to sounds, most learners can read simple words within a week. Reading is the easy part; the grammar, honorifics and vocabulary are where the years go.

The three exams, and what each is for

• TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) is the general exam used by universities, scholarships and many visas. TOPIK I covers levels 1–2 with listening and reading; TOPIK II covers levels 3–6 and adds writing. It is administered by NIIED, and a result is valid for two years from the date it is issued.
• EPS-TOPIK is the exam for the Employment Permit System — workers coming to Korea under the EPS. It is run by HRD Korea and focuses on everyday and workplace Korean, with reading and listening sections.
• KIIP (Korea Immigration & Integration Program) is the Ministry of Justice programme for residents, with Korean language and Korean society levels leading to a final evaluation that counts toward residency and naturalisation.

MoonLearn has a practice centre for each: TOPIK, EPS-TOPIK and KIIP — timed past papers, answer keys and explanations.

What the TOPIK levels roughly mean

Level 1–2: daily survival — greetings, shopping, directions. Level 3–4: everyday social life, simple reading of public notices and news, the range most universities accept for admission. Level 5–6: academic and professional Korean, abstract topics, the level many graduate programs and employers look for.

Where to learn

Outside Korea, the King Sejong Institute (세종학당) network offers courses in many countries. Inside Korea, most large universities run a language institute (e.g. Yonsei KLI, SNU LEI, Korea University KLC) with intensive terms of about ten weeks. Self-study works best when it has a target — pick the exam and the level you need, then practise with real papers.