I came across a post on Reddit where someone was struggling with the decision to learn Korean. The poster expressed a strong desire to learn the language, but their parents and friends couldn't understand why. They argued that learning Spanish would be much more beneficial for the poster’s future career.
With 21 countries using Spanish as a primary language and Spanish ranking second in the world in terms of native speakers (according to 2024 data), their argument made sense. On the other hand, Korean is only spoken in Korea, ranking 16th globally. From a career perspective, learning Chinese, Spanish, or English might seem like a more practical choice.
So, Why Learn Korean?
I always ask my new students why they want to learn Korean, and I’d like to ask you the same question: Why are you learning Korean?
Why Do Korean Learners Study Korean?
Most of my students answer with something like, "I just love Korea/Korean language/Korean culture." Very few mention career or academic goals. For these learners, there wasn't a specific reason driving their decision to study Korean. They simply encountered Korea by chance and discovered that Korean was part of what they enjoyed.
One American student shared that her grandmother was Korean. After many lessons, I asked, "Now you can talk to your grandma in Korean, right?" She replied, "My grandmother passed away long ago." I was taken aback. She wasn’t learning Korean with a particular goal in mind, nor would it help her career. She simply felt a connection to the language because of her grandmother. And it was with that pure motivation that she found joy in learning Korean.
Learning a Language for Academic Advancement
In Korea, students start learning English from elementary school and often continue studying it through college and beyond, spending a significant part of their lives on it. Yet, many Koreans still find it difficult to communicate with foreigners. I’m the same. I studied English solely for test scores and academic advancement. I didn’t realize that learning a new language could allow me to communicate with more people and enjoy more content. Instead, I focused on finding the right answers in textbooks, marking lines, and aiming for the desired score. Speaking English fluently wasn’t my goal, so I found English incredibly boring.
The Joy of Language Learning
In college, I had the opportunity to participate in a program that connected me with Japanese and Chinese university students. We quickly became friends. Although we communicated in English, none of us were native speakers, so it was often awkward. After the program ended, I decided to learn Chinese and Japanese. My friends didn’t understand why I was taking on new languages instead of focusing on English, especially as we were nearing graduation. But a year later, I met those friends again, and we communicated in Japanese and Chinese, though we still occasionally used English. That’s when I truly discovered the joy of language learning.
➤ If you love K-pop, K-drama, or Korean culture, then learning Korean will be a joy for you. It’s true that learning Korean might not directly benefit your career or job prospects as much as another language might. If that’s your goal, learning a language with more global speakers could be a better choice. But if you decide to learn Korean, it will undoubtedly deepen your enjoyment of everything Korea has to offer.
I hope that the "Podo Korean" app for serious learners will be a valuable resource on your Korean language journey.
