If that sounds appealing, then check out these 26 Korean learning books. We’ve also included some of these recommendations in our video<\/a> below:<\/p>\n [fluentu-toc] Focal area:<\/strong> General Korean textbook<\/p>\n Features: <\/strong>Multiple books, audio CDs, additional learning materials<\/p>\n This Korean textbook boasts some seriously positive reviews and it certainly makes sense why. It’s not just a textbook\u2014it’s an entire learning package!<\/strong><\/p>\n By purchasing “Living Language Korean,” you get four books, nine audio CDs and a free “Language Lab” that comes with additional learning materials like quizzes, games, flashcards and more.<\/p>\n Complicated grammar and difficult vocab are broken into easy-to-digest pieces with simple, clear explanations. You can go from beginner to advanced with this one complete course,<\/strong> using techniques that have been tested and proven effective.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Korean textbook for beginners<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> Accompanying workbook, audio files<\/p>\n This textbook is ideal for absolute beginners<\/strong> with no prior Korean experience. It was created by Korean linguists and teachers to use effective teaching techniques to get the information across.<\/p>\n Lessons are based around certain topics, each of which contains a dialogue, relevant vocabulary, explanations of the grammar and cultural notes, as well as an additional passage to present the new information in context.<\/p>\n Each new edition of the book has been improved and enhanced based on user feedback. The current book includes attractive visuals and an accompanying workbook.<\/strong> You can also download audio on the website.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Korean textbook for beginners<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> Accompanying workbook, audio files, online resources<\/p>\n “Korean From Zero! 1” is a good choice for beginning learners who want more bells and whistles than a simple textbook.<\/strong><\/p>\n This beginner-centric book contains a workbook, audio, online help, grammar lessons, character practice sheets, bilingual glossaries and more.<\/p>\n The “From Zero” part of the title holds true. This book will get you started even if you have no experience with Korean.<\/strong> It starts slowly and goes over every aspect of reading, writing and understanding as you learn grammar concepts and vocabulary through beginner-friendly phrases.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Korean textbook for beginners<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> Quiz sections, audio files<\/p>\n This textbook is designed to be completed in a short amount of time.<\/strong> It contains 20 lessons, a list of the 38 most common Korean phrases and a link to audio files for pronunciation help.<\/p>\n The textbook works up to basic conversation skills through listening, writing and reading instruction, which includes the chance to test yourself on your progress. Lessons can easily be done as part of a self-study regime<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n With entertaining, cartoony illustrations, this textbook would be ideal for children who are learning Korean, but it works for adults too!<\/p>\n Focal area:\u00a0<\/strong>Korean basics for business & travel<\/p>\n Features:\u00a0<\/strong>Accompanying CD, Korean-English mini-dictionary<\/p>\n The iconic “Dummies” series is based on the concept that you should have fun while studying,<\/strong> and the Korean version is no different.<\/p>\n This “anti-manual” offers an inspiring and effective method to learn the fundamentals of the Korean language and start communicating very quickly.<\/strong><\/p>\n It includes useful vocabulary and idioms, phonetic spelling of Korean words, a review of common sentences and expressions, plus helpful cultural tips and business etiquette.<\/p>\n The book includes a CD that features recorded Korean dialogues to help you fast-track your pronunciation and improve your listening skills.<\/p>\n Focal area: <\/strong>Comprehensive textbook covering all language skills<\/p>\n Features: <\/strong>Dialogue prompts, step-by-step guides, downloadable MP3s from website<\/p>\n Widely used both in Korea and abroad, these well-structured, step-by-step guides<\/strong> make learning Korean fun and approachable.<\/p>\n The Ewha series features six levels of fluency as well as a focus on all four language skills. Each unit is divided into relevant topics, such as family, food and hobbies. Vocabulary is taught through a series of friendly, recurring characters and plenty of color and illustrations. Units also include listening scripts and answers.<\/p>\n Each unit\u00a0includes a “Try it” section which\u00a0focuses on speaking<\/strong> without too much memorization. The books also use a unique approach to teaching grammar, with targeted questions to prompt students to think about a grammar rule rather than be told about it. You’ll also find sections dedicated to culture and literature for a well-rounded learning experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n Focal area: <\/strong>Everyday conversations<\/p>\n Features: <\/strong>Full resource is free to download, easy grammar explanations, comics & dialogues<\/p>\n Monash University’s “My Korean” textbooks, developed with the support of the Korea Foundation, are a fantastic introduction to modern Korean, with a special focus on spoken usage for everyday situations.<\/strong><\/p>\n They’re officially available for free download,<\/strong> but you can also buy them from Amazon (book one<\/a> and book two<\/a>) if you’d rather have physical copies. The textbooks adopt a four-skill approach to learning Korean using situation dialogues, comics and easy grammar explanations.<\/p>\n The textbooks are organized into 10 units composed of three situation dialogues, grammar explanations and various activities such as role plays, listening and writing. Also featured are some useful appendixes that summarize fundamental grammar, conjugation and writing points.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Listening skills & grammar<\/p>\n Features: <\/strong>Accompanying CD & MP3s, glossary with example sentences, listening practice The Korean textbook series made by Seoul National University (SNU) provides a comprehensive overview of grammar and vocab. It does so through an excellent balance of interactivity, structure and fun, rich content.<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a\u00a0do-it-all textbook which is well structured, nicely designed, suitable for self-study and\u00a0takes you through Korean grammar without compromising vocabulary.<\/p>\n With a focus on listening practice, lessons are accompanied by audio recordings,<\/strong> which are offered on CD and as downloadable MP3 files. Each book in the series has its own detailed word bank which includes the word, its meaning in English, examples in context, and even, in some cases, the hanjas that compose the word.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Common vocabulary<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> 8,000 words, colloquial usages, tips on grammar<\/p>\n Perfect for beginners, this user-friendly\u00a0vocabulary book is geared toward greater fluency in spoken and written Korean.<\/strong><\/p>\n Words are arranged by topic and feature numerous examples to help you better understand how to use them in context.<\/p>\n Whether you’re studying by yourself or with a tutor, this book will get you started on learning the most common Korean words and expressions.<\/strong><\/p>\n You can create your own flashcards to memorize the vocabulary. Write the Korean word in Hangul (and its Romanized form, if needed for pronunciation) on the front, and an image or the English translation on the back. Don’t forget to quiz yourself regularly!<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Common vocabulary & phrases<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> 1,000 basic Korean words & phrases, 20 simple lessons<\/p>\n Do you enjoy simplicity? Korean may seem complicated, but this book breaks the language down into simple, easy-to-understand chunks of information<\/strong>.<\/p>\n “Korean Made Simple” is perfect for learners of all ages, but beginning learners will probably benefit the most<\/strong> from reading it.<\/p>\n There are roughly 1,000 basic Korean words and Korean phrases in this book, which are broken down into 20 simple and fun lessons.<\/p>\n Focal area: <\/strong>Common vocabulary<\/p>\n Features: <\/strong>Charts, engaging drawings<\/p>\n This great little textbook, which comes with audio track access, can help beginning learners master over 1,400 Korean expressions.<\/p>\n The textbook is great for learners who prefer to rely on the visual aspects<\/strong> rather than blocks of text. “Let’s Speak Korean” is packed with charts, cute drawings and color-coded elements to make learning easier.<\/p>\n We suggest this book for younger learners,<\/strong> as well.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Word recognition & comprehension<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> Pronunciation guide, root lists<\/p>\n “Handbook of Korean Vocabulary” helps second language learners remember Korean words by their roots.<\/strong><\/p>\n Arguably the most effective approach to learning Korean vocabulary, this “root dictionary” contains over 1,500 words indexed into lists.<\/strong> Each list is organized around a particular hanja\/root morpheme and presents a set of words (mostly noun compounds) formed from that root.<\/p>\n Korean words are very logical if you know the root system. This system quickens the word recognition process,<\/strong> will help you memorize words faster and can even help you guess the meanings of new words.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Korean phrases & slang<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> Pronunciation guide<\/p>\n If you’re getting into Korean culture and language because of K-Pop, you’re not alone!<\/p>\n This book is good for Korean learners who love listening to K-Pop.<\/strong> (Even if you’re not a big fan, using music to study can be a great way to add some variety to your learning.)<\/p>\n This vocabulary\/phrasebook compiles 500 modern Korean slang words<\/strong> that appear often in K-Pop music.<\/p>\n Beware that there’s no grammar instruction here. Also, the example sentences are presented in English with only the one Korean term included\u2014but they’re\u00a0silly and light-hearted. This little book is a fun companion to a more serious textbook.<\/strong><\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Reading for beginners<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> English translations, audio files<\/p>\n “Korean Short Stories for Beginners” is an awesome short story textbook.<\/p>\n This compilation of 30 engaging, entertaining stories features paragraph-by-paragraph translations<\/strong> so beginners can study each paragraph as they go and make note of unfamiliar characters.<\/p>\n Through these short stories, the book aims to teach over 1,500 essential vocabulary words.<\/strong> You’ll also get typical sentence structures and grammar concepts used in context and audio files for each story read by a native Korean speaker.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Reading for beginners<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> Designed for Korean learners<\/p>\n Produced by the Talk to Me in Korean team, this text features 30 short stories<\/strong> written for students who have been learning Korean for at least a month and want to start reading but find most authentic written material too difficult.<\/p>\n “Easy Korean Reading for Beginners” is best suited for upper beginners to intermediate learners,<\/strong> and is meant to be used to boost reading skills and comprehension.<\/p>\n The short stories cover relatable topics and will push your Korean language skills without being too challenging.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Hangul reading & writing<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> Breakdown of hangul into elements and sounds<\/p>\n It may sound impossible, but you can<\/em> learn \ud55c\uae00 (hangul) in under an hour! This book prides itself on being a complete guide for teaching yourself the Korean writing system in only an hour.<\/p>\n However, in our opinion, this book works best as a supplement to another \ud55c\uae00 resource<\/strong> in order to effectively learn it in such a short period of time.<\/p>\n Still, this book is worth it as it breaks down the sounds of the alphabet<\/strong> and the various elements of \ud55c\uae00. It won’t teach you comprehension, meaning and grammar, but this inexpensive guide is still handy to have.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Hangul reading & writing<\/p>\n Features: <\/strong>Drawings & visuals, basic words & phrases<\/p>\n “Korean Alphabet with Writing Workbook” is a useful introductory guide to Korean characters.<\/strong><\/p>\n We suggest this book if you’d prefer to take an easygoing approach to learning Korean characters.<\/p>\n You can pick one character to learn per day. For each vowel and consonant, you’ll learn to memorize the proper pronunciation and stroke order<\/strong> with the assistance of drawings and visuals. Then, you’ll move on to words and phrases.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Korean writing system<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> Illustrations as mnemonic devices<\/p>\n How can you, a native English speaker, memorize complex Korean characters? Associate each character with an image!<\/strong><\/p>\n With this extremely visual book, you’ll learn different vowels, consonants, compound vowels, consonant variations and much more.<\/p>\n Due to how visual this book is, kids will be able to learn with it very well. However, beginning learners<\/strong> of any age can surely benefit from this textbook.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Korean writing practice<\/p>\n Features: <\/strong>Guided writing practice<\/p>\n You can never have too many Korean writing workbooks! Writing characters by hand is a great way to build muscle memory<\/strong> and memorize different hanguls.<\/p>\n “Beginner Hangul Writing Practice Workbook” has every hangul listed with stroke order and pronunciation, followed by extensive worksheets and quizzes on what you’ve learned.<\/p>\n This practice workbook was designed with both beginning and intermediate learners<\/strong> in mind.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Korean writing system<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> Writing guide, English translations, review sections<\/p>\n This book is a good introduction for studying the hanjas, which are the Chinese characters that form the majority of Korean words.<\/p>\n “Korean Reader for Chinese Characters” details the 500 most common hanjas<\/strong> used in modern Korean.\u00a0You’ll start with the basics and gradually move on to more complex hanjas.<\/p>\n Beyond the meaning of the roots, the book also provides clear instructions on how to write every hanja, stroke by stroke. Additionally, each of the 40 lessons begins with a reading extract featuring the hanja vocab.<\/strong><\/p>\n While not essential for beginners, it’s a good option if you’re interested in Korean literature or want to learn more about this important aspect of the Korean language.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Reading & speaking skills for beginners<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> Flashcards, audio files, games & puzzles<\/p>\n The newest edition of this book is a refined textbook course that aims to make Korean language learning more approachable for beginners.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The textbook covers eight main themes that’ll get you speaking everyday conversations about common topics<\/strong> like yourself, your family, directions, descriptions and more. It’s also graphic-heavy, featuring elegant illustrations of key terms.<\/p>\n Along with the textbook, you\u2019ll be able to access games and puzzles so you can have fun while reinforcing your studies. This textbook also includes flashcards, making it an excellent all-in-one package!<\/strong><\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Listening skills<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> Audio files, accompanying workbook<\/p>\n You may have heard of the Korean learning podcast<\/a> and program by the same name. This textbook is based on that program and is complete with audio files, grammar lessons and exercises.<\/p>\n If you’re studying solo, good news! This book was designed to be used for self-study.<\/strong> It also comes with sample dialogues and exercises that are easy to do on your own.<\/p>\n This textbook specifically focuses on spoken and conversational Korean,<\/strong> and will get you speaking by the time you finish it. Free audio is available online and an accompanying workbook<\/a> can be purchased separately if you want even more practice.<\/p>\n Focal area:<\/strong> Grammar<\/p>\n Features:<\/strong> Multiple indexes, accompanying workbook<\/p>\n This book from Korea’s very prestigious Yonsei University<\/strong> is the best resource to learn and master Korean grammar.<\/p>\n Incredibly comprehensive and designed for foreigners,
\n<\/p>\nKorean Books for Beginners<\/h2>\n
1. “Living Language Korean”<\/a>
![\"Living](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/41Io-QU-5uL._SL200_.jpg\" "\\"Living")
<\/a><\/h3>\n2. “Integrated Korean: Beginning 1”<\/a>
![\"Integrated](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51QX3s5C14L._SL500_.jpg\" "\\"Integrated")
<\/a><\/h3>\n3. “Korean From Zero! 1”<\/a>
![\"Korean](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/41BAXrY4-IL._SL200_.jpg\" "\\"Korean")
<\/a><\/h3>\n4. “Korean Made Easy for Beginners”<\/a>
![\"KOREAN](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/41h6HXEdBrL._SL500_.jpg\" "\\"KOREAN")
<\/a><\/h3>\n5. “Korean for Dummies”<\/a>
![\"Korean](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51vo0aHhrsL._SL200_.jpg\" "\\"Korean")
<\/a><\/h3>\nBest Korean Textbooks<\/h2>\n
6. “Ewha Korean”<\/a>
![\"Ewha](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51ii0bDY1jL.jpg\" "\\"Ewha")
<\/a><\/h3>\n7. “My Korean 1 & 2”<\/a>
![\"korean-textbook\"](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/2\/korean-textbook.png\")
<\/a><\/h3>\n8. “Korean Language 1A”<\/a>
![\"KOREAN](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51xE4F-3U2L.jpg\" "\\"KOREAN")
<\/a><\/h3>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nKorean Books for Vocabulary & Phrases<\/h2>\n
9. “Essential Korean Vocabulary”<\/a>
![\"Essential](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51J7p8BvTZL._SL200_.jpg\" "\\"Essential")
<\/a><\/h3>\n10. “Korean Made Simple”<\/a>
![\"Korean](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51yanYZWi3L.jpg\" "\\"Korean")
<\/h3>\n11. “Let’s Speak Korean”<\/a>
![\"Let's](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51SE2KdzPEL.jpg\" "\\"Let's")
<\/a><\/h3>\n12. “Handbook of Korean Vocabulary”<\/a>
![\"Handbook](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/414I7iivQeL._SL200_.jpg\" "\\"Handbook")
<\/a><\/h3>\n13. “The Kpop Dictionary”<\/a>
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/41l9ETMNyWL._SL200_.jpg\" "\\"The")
<\/a><\/h3>\nKorean Books for Reading and Writing Skills<\/h2>\n
14. “Korean Short Stories for Beginners”<\/a>
![\"Korean](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/517gtJYM9JL._SL500_.jpg\" "\\"Korean")
<\/a><\/h3>\n15. “Easy Korean Reading for Beginners”<\/a>
![\"Easy](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51dJrQgu37L._SL200_.jpg\" "\\"Easy")
<\/a><\/h3>\n16. “Learn Hangul in One Hour”<\/a>
![\"Learn](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51g-Be5IMzL.jpg\" "\\"Learn")
<\/a><\/h3>\n17. “Korean Alphabet with Writing Workbook”<\/a>
![\"Korean](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51zzKc9phkL.jpg\" "\\"Korean")
<\/a><\/h3>\n18. “Korean Alphabets in a Picture”<\/a>
![\"Korean](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51OOIREVqzL.jpg\" "\\"Korean")
<\/a><\/h3>\n19. “Beginner Hangul Writing Practice Workbook”<\/a>
![\"Beginner](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51wkbMdnElL.jpg\" "\\"Beginner")
<\/a><\/h3>\n20. “Korean Reader for Chinese Characters”<\/a>
![\"Korean](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/51JCJpPyWYL._SL200_.jpg\" "\\"Korean")
<\/a><\/h3>\nKorean Books for Other Language Skills<\/h2>\n
21. “Read and Speak Korean for Beginners”<\/a>
![\"Read](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/516QjSyykPL._SL200_.jpg\" "\\"Read")
<\/a><\/h3>\n22. “Talk To Me In Korean Level 1”<\/a>
![\"Talk](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/611vu6Z0BqL._SL200_.jpg\" "\\"Talk")
<\/a><\/h3>\n23. “Korean Grammar for International Learners”<\/a>
![\"Korean](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/417R7DoeDaL._SL200_.jpg\" "\\"Korean")
<\/a><\/h3>\n