Learn Korean with YouTube: 23 Channels for All Learning Levels
Studying Korean doesn’t have to be all books and charts – you can even learn Korean with a fun, versatile resource like YouTube.
YouTube channels provide varied content for studying Korean where you can learn grammar, pronunciation and basic Korean phrases.
With some smart watching and studying, these 23 Korean YouTube channels can take your skills from complete beginner to advanced proficiency.
Contents
- Beginner Channels
- Intermediate Channels
- Advanced Channels
- How to Maximize Learning Korean with YouTube
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Beginner Channels
1. Study Korean Together
Study Korean Together is a great place to start for new learners. Most of this channel’s videos focus on basic vocabulary, grammar rules and pronunciation to give you the foundations you need starting out.
The channel is run by a native English speaker who’s learning Korean, so the videos are catered directly to the needs and challenges of beginning learners from the perspective of someone who understands those difficulties.
And if you get distracted by too many visuals, this channel is definitely for you. The host rarely appears, so you can focus completely on the vocabulary and grammar rules which are shown on screen as she speaks.
Her style is calm and soothing, which can help relieve some of your language learning anxiety.
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“Basics of the Korean Alphabet” is a terrific jumping-off point for anyone thinking of learning Korean. This video breaks down the Korean writing system and introduces letters and sounds.
2. Learn Korean with Beeline Language
Beeline Language videos are unique in that most are quite short—you don’t need to worry about getting overwhelmed with long lists of vocabulary to memorize.
In fact, many of these videos are around one minute long. If the Korean language seems daunting, these short videos can be a great opportunity to dabble in Korean learning without diving in full force.
The channel features multiple styles of video. Some videos don’t show the speakers, instead focusing on key vocabulary. Other videos do show the speakers, who come across as fun and friendly.
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If you’re looking to learn a little basic vocabulary, you might try “How to Say Thank You in Korean.” This brief video can help you get pronunciation down and prepare to be polite. Plus, if you don’t know Hangul yet, it’s no problem, as the video doesn’t use any.
3. Learn Korean with GO! Billy Korean
Learn Korean with GO! Billy Korean is run by an American who has studied the language extensively. He has a degree in Korean, has lived in Korea and has studied the language for over a decade.
And as an American who learned the language from scratch, he brings an inspiring perspective for beginning learners.
Learn Korean with GO! Billy Korean features an array of different videos that are perfect for beginning learners. They cover grammar, vocabulary, culture and food.
If you prefer more traditional classroom learning, this channel even features videos of classroom-style instruction.
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Once you’ve gotten down Hangul and learned some basic vocabulary, you might try moving on to “Korean Sentence Structure,” a two-hour lesson on how to form Korean sentences.
4. Margarita
If you’re looking to embrace Korean culture while learning the language, look no further! Margarita covers an array of topics, including Korean travel, K-pop, beauty, K-drama, nail art and, of course, Korean language lessons.
Most of Margarita’s videos are fun and chill, often featuring the host chatting with friends or speaking directly to the camera like you’re her friend. It’s a lively channel that might give you the energy boost you need to keep your studying motivation up.
While many of these videos are in English, they often include useful Korean vocabulary.
However, if you want to focus more on the Korean language, Margarita’s “Weekly Korean” series is fantastic. Each video in the series focuses on a theme that’s appropriate for beginning learners.
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There’s no better place to start than the beginning! In the first episode of “Weekly Korean,” Margarita gives some pronunciation tips so you can start actually speaking Korean out loud.
5. Conversational Korean
Conversational Korean offers all the great material beginning learners need when starting out.
Videos cover grammar rules, sentence structure, conversation, thematic vocabulary and more. The videos range from complete beginner to nearly intermediate level.
The videos feature the host sharing information and vocabulary in a slow, soothing manner. Rather than physically moving upwards, you can watch your Korean skills gradually ascend as you enjoy the smooth tunes!
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One essential video for beginning students is “Basic Korean Classic 03—Adjectives.” This video provides a lesson on the usage of adjectives, gives common Korean adjectives along with example sentences and features a dialogue showcasing rules and vocabulary you’ve learned.
6. KoreanClass101
KoreanClass101 is the YouTube accompaniment from the popular KoreanClass101 online learning platform from Innovative Language of the famed Pod101 series.
While the full KoreanClass101 program is available on its website, there are many videos available for free on YouTube. These include videos for learning to write the Korean alphabet, reading practice, grammar and vocabulary videos.
The videos are in a mix of Korean and English, and there are videos for beginner, intermediate and advanced Korean learners.
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Don’t know where to start? Try learning basic Korean in 20 minutes. That will take you from zero to basic Korean skills real fast!
7. Motivate Korean
Motivate Korean aims to provide clear explanations of complex Korean learning concepts.
The channel offers an array of beginner-friendly material, including vocabulary and learning tips.
Motivate Korean lets you learn the language from someone who has been in your shoes, struggling to master the language. The videos are intended for serious learners and feel a lot like traditional classroom Korean lessons.
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One of Motivate Korean’s most useful features is the pronunciation videos. Beginning students might try watching the first in the channel’s series on pronunciation: Real Korean Pronunciation #1 – 사장님.
8. Dino Lingo
Dino Lingo may be designed for kids, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be an adult learner’s favorite tool.
This language learning program features cute, animated videos intended to teach kids languages. If you’ve already learned a little Korean and are looking for easy listening practice, Dino Lingo is an ideal option.
The Korean used in the videos uses basic vocabulary and is spoken slowly. Plus, the animations provide contextual clues to help you figure out things you don’t understand. The videos are also captioned in Hangul to allow you to read along.
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Beginning Korean students can reinforce some basic vocabulary and practice listening with “Korean learning stories for kids—Korean Numbers storybook.” Check out Dino Lingo’s Korean playlist for even more video options.
9. Minji Teaches Korean
Minji Kim is a warm and friendly native speaker making waves on YouTube. She calls Seoul her home but has subscribers and fans all over the world closely following what this young teacher has to offer.
Which is a lot. For example, Minji can teach you “How to Conjugate Korean Verbs in Present Tense.“
Or, if you’re the touristy type excited about your Korean trip, she can give you “30 Useful Korean Words for Tourists.”
Tune in for live streaming lessons to feel like you’re in a classroom with students from all over the world! Or check out the past lessons that have already finished streaming for excellent learning.
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In “Must Know Korean Phrases,” Minji shares some basic Korean phrases that every learner should know.
10. Korean From Zero!
From the people who brought you the book series, “Korean From Zero!” comes this YouTube channel of the same name.
George never pretends to know everything about Korean. He’s written three books but he’s still learning, unafraid to ask questions of his co-host. JiYoon is warm and friendly, and always ready to help George untie linguistic knots.
George and JiYoon’s banter makes for some of the most insightful lessons in Korean.
With these two, you’ll learn things like “Famous Phrases in Korean,” “Same Word, Different Meaning,” and even “Korean Misconceptions.”
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Learn some all-important Korean particles with “Learn Korean in 5! Korean Particles! (part 1)” and start stringing sentences together.
11. Kebikids
The Kebikids YouTube channel and site is developed by one of the leading Korean cyber-education sites for children.
Fun and highly interactive, you’ll find animated videos about songs, stories, science and lifestyles that are suitable for beginner to intermediate students.
Videos follow the adventures of Toto, including his routine and lifestyle, and other characters like his friend 뽀롱이 (Porong), a green creature.
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You might particularly enjoy practical lessons like “Cross the crosswalk,” where Toto learns to safely cross the streets, and “맛있는 식당” (Good restaurant), where Toto and his dad go out to eat.
Watch these to practice your listening skills, as well as pick up on new thematic vocabulary words!
Intermediate Channels
12. Seemile Korean
Seemile’s videos vary from classroom-style instruction to on-location adventures. The channel also features a number of different hosts.
But regardless of the material, the videos tend to come across as personal and really informative without being uptight.
Not only does the channel offer useful learning videos on topics like pronunciation, reading, listening and conversation, it also offers some videos on location that teach intermediate-level vocabulary and show you authentic interactions.
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Hone your reading and listening skills at the same time with “동화 같이 읽어요. Let’s read Little Red Riding Hood in Korean together,” which features very slow reading accompanied by the written Korean and English translation. It’s a great way to start learning to listen in Korean without getting lost!
13. Pinkfong
The YouTube channel of Korean learning site Pinkfong features hundreds of colorful video animations, including songs and stories focused on language learning for beginner to intermediate learners.
New videos are uploaded all the time and include Korean subtitles, allowing you to practice reading in Hangul and verify new vocabulary.
Whether you’re a child or a kid at heart, you’ll be charmed by Pinkfong’s happy, imaginative videos. Backed by a simple storyline and superb graphics, it won’t be too long before you’ll find yourself humming to some of their songs.
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Check out “여행갈 때 차에서 들려주는 동요” (They’re [songs that] shake your car when you take trips) for a collection of popular children’s songs, karaoke-style. This’ll get you actually using the reading, speaking and using the vocab you’ve already learned!
14. Easy Languages
Ready to listen at full speed? Easy Languages offers a fun, authentic approach to language education with on-the-street interviews. And lucky for you, they have a Korean playlist with over 20 great videos shot on location.
Not only do these videos feature authentic Korean in use, but they also cover cultural topics that will help intermediate Korean students understand the culture in more depth.
While the videos are in Korean, don’t be too worried if your skills aren’t quite advanced enough yet. Each video is captioned in both Korean and English to allow you to read along.
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For a taste of what to expect, “Korean Culture Festival | Easy Korean 19” takes viewers to a fun festival.
15. Talk To Me In Korean
Talk To Me In Korean is a Korean lesson service that offers books, e-books, audio courses and video courses for purchase, but also has a YouTube channel.
The video presentation style is generally calm and friendly, so you might find yourself reminiscing about your favorite elementary school teacher when you watch.
Talk To Me In Korean’s videos cover vocabulary, reading, learning techniques, common mistakes and more. For intermediate students, there are even special video lessons.
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For instance, “Intermediate Korean Lesson—귀신이 곡할 노릇이다” ( covers a tricky Korean phrase. And as a big bonus, the whole video is in Korean, but Korean subtitles allow you to read along, giving you some extra reading and listening practice.
16. MasterTOPIK
MasterTOPIK is an online service that helps prepare students for the TOPIK exam. MasterTOPIK also has an awesome YouTube channel with free learning material.
TOPIK is a Korean proficiency test for non-native speakers. Once you’ve gotten really good at Korean, you might consider taking this exam to show your proficiency.
However, even if you have no intention of taking the test, using test prep materials can help you improve your Korean skills.
MasterTOPIK’s YouTube channel offers practice tests, vocabulary, grammar and more.
While most of the videos are in Korean, some are in Vietnamese, but you’ll likely be able to tell the difference pretty quickly since some titles and written explanations are in Vietnamese.
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One great learning video for more advanced intermediate Korean students is “[TOPIK II 5,6급 문법] OT(The TOPIK Intermediate Grammar Course (L5,L6)“.
While it’s described as “intermediate,” the video is entirely in Korean and spoken at a fairly fast clip, so it’s likely to make for some good listening practice for intermediate and advanced learners alike.
Advanced Channels
17. Heechulism
Heechulism is a YouTube channel that follows the adventures of Heechul Yoon, an avid traveler. This channel is a great opportunity for advanced students to put all they’ve learned to the test!
Some videos are in English, others are in Korean and still others feature a mixture of the two. Videos cover Yoon’s travels along with relevant Korean topics.
And don’t worry about being in over your head—many videos are captioned in English, Korean or both.
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For instance, “North Korean Defectors in Korea” features on-the-street interviews that will give you insight into the differences between North and South Korea as well as listening practice.
18. Korean Film Archive
Here you’ll find some classics of Korean cinema. Some of them are in black and white, but are still examples of the most engaging storytelling in film.
You’ll not only be learning the language but also witnessing how Korean movies have evolved through the decades.
It’s an engaging way to practice your listening comprehension skills, but it’ll also give you common ground with native Korean speakers. Get to know the movies they’ve been watching for years, and you’ll have plenty to talk about in Korean conversations!
See movies such as “The March of Fools,” a story about youthful relationships and college antics. Or if you’d rather watching something heavier, “The Red Scarf,” is a drama set during the Korean War.
19. The World of Dave
The World of Dave is the YouTube channel of an American living in Korea. Most of the videos are entirely in Korean and feature many of his friends from around the world, giving you an idea of how accents can vary.
The YouTube channel features chats, vlogs, cultural and pronunciation comparisons, comedy videos and more.
What makes this channel particularly great for Korean students is that videos are captioned in both Korean and English, allowing you to read along as you see fit.
Even if you’re not quite advanced yet, you might try watching a few videos to see how much you can understand.
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Advanced Korean students might enjoy the authentic vlog-style videos, like “서울랜드 루나파크 다녀왔어요 Feat.에리나, 존 [VLOG] Spent a day in a Korean Amusement Park (Seoul Land),” in which Dave and his friends visit a Korean amusement park and have some silly adventures.
20. SBS Culture
The Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) YouTube channel is a goldmine for fresh, culturally enriching videos about Korea today.
Intermediate learners will particularly like that these are authentic extracts from videos that were actually broadcasted on SBS, offering you a glimpse into Korean culture while saving you considerable viewing time.
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Videos are uploaded every day, but to get a sense of the style, check out “다이어트-건강을 한 번에! ‘햄프시드’의 효능” (“For both diet and health! The effectiveness of hemp seeds”), a video that explores the benefits of incorporating hemp seeds into your diet.
21. tvN DRAMA
Korean dramas have captivated the world, but also hold incredible benefits for Korean language learners.
Dramas are very similar to movies, but they’re a lot longer, which means there’s more material to digest. Plus, the pacing of the story is a little slower and there’s more time devoted to character development and plot.
For a given series, I advise that you watch the whole thing, from start to finish, with very little language learning in mind. Just watch it like you would any other series.
Then, go back and re-watch your favorite scenes and episodes while focusing on the accents, the language and anything you may have missed the first time around. Listen for repeated terms or common expressions.
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Popular dramas featured on this channel include “Chicago Typewriter” and “The Liar and His Lover.”
22. EBS Documentary
On their highly popular YouTube channel, Korea’s Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) publishes high-quality videos that are perfect for high-intermediate to advanced learners.
Entirely in Korean, videos are often accompanied by Korean text and subtitles as is customary on Korean TV, which makes them more interactive and easy to follow.
From customs to food, lifestyle to entertainment, science to politics, the list of themes featured in these videos is endless and will more than satisfy your thirst for knowledge!
Videos are on the longer side and they often post entire documentaries, perfect if you’re looking for in-depth content.
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Be sure to keep an eye out for new videos, as they post quite frequently. One interesting video you can watch to get your toes wet (so to speak) is “극한직업—통발 장어잡이” (Extreme Job—Catching eel with bamboo traps), which showcases the difficult job of eel fishermen and their lives at large.
23. YTN News
If you’re looking for high-intermediate to advanced authentic Korean content, the Yes! Top News (YTN) YouTube channel will not disappoint.
Featuring topical short videos on subjects including politics, economics, global news and Korean society, this is your go-to YouTube page to stay in touch with Korea today.
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New clips are added daily, but for a taste, watch “도시, 첨단 콘크리트를 입다” (“City put on cutting-edge concrete”), a longer video about how advances in concretes support the development of modern cities.
How to Maximize Learning Korean with YouTube
Take notes as you watch
As you’re watching, jot down notes like vocabulary words or grammar rules. With your new handy notes, you can go over what you’ve learned without having to re-watch the whole video.
Writing notes helps you solidify crystalize new words or grammar rules in your mind. It focuses you and helps you notice things you otherwise wouldn’t. Taking notes is especially important if you’re confused by anything and will need to look it up or review it later.
You can also practice writing in Korean as you watch. YouTube videos can help you memorize characters and even show you stroke order, but the key to good learning is to actually practice!
Re-watch videos multiple times
Watching a video multiple times can help you learn the material even better.
Repetition can help you memorize words, perfect pronunciation or even just remember key grammar rules. So if you find a useful video, don’t hesitate to re-watch it!
When you find an especially engaging or effective Korean language learning channel, stick with it. And repeat a few of its videos as many times as possible. But still watch actively so that you’re reinforcing and retaining the concepts in the video.
It’s best to re-watch clips with a specific purpose in mind. Maybe you want to try watching both with and without subtitles. Or maybe you’ll focus on pronunciation while watching the first time and on sentence structure during the next watch.
These specific approaches allow you get the most you can out of every video.
Watch content that you genuinely like
If you’re used to old-school studying, you probably think you need to suffer through class for results to show. But studying a language is considerably more effective if you’re actually enjoying yourself and keep your brain engaged.
How to do this? By treating yourself to videos that you actually like.
Look for content that discusses your interests or satisfies your curiosity about aspects of Korean culture.
Look for videos about Korean food, customs and history if you’re interested in the Korean culture. If you love politics and diplomacy, try news clips about the Korean peninsula.
Try different types of videos
The advantage of YouTube videos is that they’re short and varied. This will maximize your exposure to a variety of situations and vocabulary, so don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and experiment with videos you wouldn’t traditionally go for.
It’s important to watch videos covering a diverse range of subjects and from different sources. This will help you challenge yourself and accumulate new vocabulary and expressions.
In addition, this is a good strategy to familiarize yourself with the honorifics systems of the Korean language. News clips, for example, are more formal than vlogs and use the most polite level of speech. Don’t neglect it, especially if your goal is to do business with Korean partners.
Get help turning YouTube videos into Korean lessons
There are near infinite options for YouTube videos to watch in Korean but this ends up being both a blessing and a curse.
It can be hard to find the right material for your skill level on YouTube and to extract lessons from it, especially when you’re using videos that aren’t made for language learners. This issue is magnified by the fact that not all YouTube channels have reliable subtitles on their videos.
If you’d like more guided YouTube learning experience, a video-based language learning program like FluentU can help streamline the process.
FluentU is an app and web program that teaches you Korean using videos from YouTube made by and for native speakers. All videos are enhanced with interactive captions in both Korean and English, either of which can be toggled on or off.
These captions let you mouse over any word in a video to get an instant translation. You can also click to bring up the video dictionary to see contextual definitions, example sentences and a pronunciation guide.
The videos on FluentU are organized by topic, format and difficulty level, so you can find material at your level that interests you. This is a great shortcut for sorting through the vast amount of learning material available on YouTube.
You can also practice what you learn using customized flashcards and quizzes, which include speaking questions on the app for pronunciation practice.
Watching entertaining YouTube clips can be just as helpful to your Korean learning as watching videos focused on language learning, especially if you have access reliable captions and supplemental learning tools.
Adjust your video speed
Is the person in the video talking so fast it makes the Korean sound like Japanese? You can slow down the video a little so you can follow along easier. (However, keep in mind that slowing videos down does change the sound of the audio a bit.)
Better yet, listen to the pronunciations at different speeds. Start from the .25x, then move up to .5x, and finally, return to the “normal” video speed.
This way, you have a better idea of how the Korean words are actually pronounced. (Sometimes starting from slower speeds will be eye-opening… to your ears.)
Video speed can be adjusted in the “Settings” section of the videos.
Ask questions in the comments
One of the big things that sets YouTube apart from other Korean learning websites is that it’s interactive, giving you the opportunity to ask any nagging questions you have.
If you’re watching a video and don’t understand something, just scroll down to the comments section. Someone else may have already had the same question, so the answer may be waiting for you.
If not, don’t hesitate to post. YouTubers love audience engagement, so you might get a reply from the video’s producer or from another viewer. If your question is compelling enough, the channel may even post a video specifically addressing the question.
Bonus points if you write in Hangul!
There’s a lot to discover on YouTube that will help you in your Korean learning journey.
This list of resources contains more than enough to get you started towards gaining a deeper understanding of the Korean language and culture through the enormous variety of video content available.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
