Time is the real opponent: 50 questions, 70 minutes
TOPIK I: 40 questions, 60 minutes, 100 points. TOPIK II: 50 questions, 70 minutes, 100 points — 84 seconds per question, including reading the passage. Questions run from easy to hard: single sentences and grammar first, two- or three-paragraph analytical texts last. Reading is the final section, when fatigue is highest.
Grammar or word for a blank, the expression with the closest meaning, what a text is (notice, advert, instructions), putting sentences in the correct order, the statement that matches the passage, main idea, where a given sentence belongs in the text, the author's purpose or mood, understanding content from a newspaper headline (questions 25–27). Each type appears at the same question numbers every round.
Finish the first 20–25 questions in 20 minutes — they are easy, but worth nearly as much as the hard ones. For long passages read the question first, then the text: if you know what you are looking for, you do not need every word. Do not stall on an unknown word — infer it from context. With ten minutes left, mark every remaining question; a blank never helps.
Untimed reading practice is nearly useless for TOPIK. Always work with a timer and note which question types eat your time. For vocabulary, add unknown words from past papers to MOON flashcards and review daily — TOPIK vocabulary repeats 70–80% from round to round. If you are aiming high, add one Korean newspaper article a day.