How to Improve Your Korean Reading Skills

Reading is an excellent method for acquiring new grammar and vocabulary, and for reinforcing knowledge gained from other parts of your studies.

This guide provides some of the most effective strategies for Korean reading practice, including details about the Korean writing system, 한글 (hangul), and how to integrate reading into your daily routine.

Before You Start Reading

Before you begin tackling longer Korean texts, there are a few points to consider that will make reading much simpler for you.

Learn the Korean Writing System 한글 ( hangul )

You are probably aware that the Korean language uses its own unique writing system. While it might appear intimidating at first, it is actually quite easy to learn.

The Korean alphabet contains 24 letters, which include 14 consonants and 10 vowels. These characters are combined to create syllable blocks.

For instance, the syllable block 한 (han) is formed from the following:

ㅎ: h

ㅏ: a

ㄴ: n

Mastering 한글 will unlock numerous reading opportunities in your daily life, from street signs and food packaging to social media updates and short narratives. (As an added bonus, Korean punctuation is also very straightforward.)

If you haven't learned 한글 yet, you can watch this YouTube video from Miss Vicky to learn it in about 30 minutes.

Learn Basic Vocabulary

After learning 한글, you should build a strong foundation of essential Korean vocabulary to start reading and comprehending basic texts.

This includes common greetings and honorifics, along with fundamental parts of speech like nouns, verbs, adjectives, and more.

You should also understand the most basic elements of grammar, such as sentence structure.

Take a look at our guide here to learn 128 essential Korean words and begin establishing your vocabulary base.

Ways to Practice in Everyday Life

Improving your reading skills doesn't require long, exhausting study sessions. You can fit in reading practice with short 10-15 minute activities that will enhance your abilities and maintain your motivation.

Scroll through social media

If you have a favorite Korean celebrity or influencer, browse their social media profiles and see how much you can understand from their posts!

Try to avoid using the translate function initially, and instead look up unfamiliar words manually in a digital or physical dictionary. This approach will help you remember the new terms you encounter more effectively.

Read a webtoon

Webtoons are digital comics that are extremely popular in Korea, with some even being adapted into hit dramas like ‘True Beauty’.

With many images and less text, they are very manageable for learners seeking some quick reading practice. Find out more about reading webtoons on your phone here.

Watch a show with Korean subtitles

If you're watching an English-language show on Netflix or another platform, check if Korean subtitles are available. As you watch, try to connect the spoken dialogue with the Korean text on screen.

For an additional challenge, pause the show when a new subtitle appears and see if you can predict what will be said next based on the Korean text.

Read the news

Reading a Korean news article can be quite difficult, but there are websites that provide news for children, such as 어린이 동아, which may be easier to handle.

These can still be challenging for many learners, so don't be concerned if you only manage to work through a few sentences at a time!

Explore Korea on Google Street View

Figuring out the meanings of signs for Korean restaurants and shops is a great way to include reading practice in your daily life.

If you live in Korea, you could walk to a nearby store and examine product labels. If you're not in Korea, try searching for a popular location like 강남 (Gangnam) on Google Street View and look around to spot Korean words on the streets.

Where to Find Korean Reading Exercises

Here are some excellent resources you can use for Korean reading practice that are certain to boost your skills.

TOPIK mock tests

To evaluate how well you understand Korean texts, you can attempt a TOPIK mock reading test online.

TOPIK (The Test of Proficiency in Korean) is a widely recognized test that measures the Korean language skills of non-native speakers, often used to demonstrate ability to educational institutions or employers.

Try completing a reading test and see how much you can understand. Answer all the questions, and once finished, you can review which answers were correct and which were not.

Talk To Me in Korean

Talk to Me in Korean is a fantastic source of resources for Korean learners, offering both free and premium content.

Some of their courses include ‘Easy Korean Reading for Beginners’ and ‘News in Korean,’ which feature multiple lessons covering various aspects of Korean reading.

You can also buy books from TTMIK designed for learners at all levels, which are great for improving your reading. They also have a YouTube channel where they explain cultural and language topics.

Lingflix

For every Lingflix video, you can access a complete transcript, which is a wonderful resource for practicing your reading.

Try reading through a transcript for a video that matches your skill level and see how much you comprehend. Then you can check the translations to see how well you did!

Korean Reading Made Simple by GO! Billy Korean

This helpful book from Billy Go includes 21 natural reading exercises for learners, created to help you understand the everyday Korean used in daily life.

Each exercise comes with grammar explanations and vocabulary definitions, so you'll know exactly what is happening in each text. This book introduces over 700 vocabulary words, giving a significant boost to your existing knowledge.

You’ll learn from a variety of sources, including articles, emails, poems, and more, making it a perfect choice for learners who want to practice reading in different contexts. You can also visit Billy’s YouTube channel for more helpful Korean lessons.

Speechling Korean quiz

If you want to assess how well you understand different Korean sentences, try Speechling’s multiple-choice Korean quiz.

Here, you can select your Korean level from beginner to expert, and view a series of Korean sentences for that level. You’ll need to choose from four possible English translations, and you will immediately know if you were correct.

Each sentence includes audio, allowing you to also practice matching the 한글 with its pronunciation while reading.

This is an excellent method to test your comprehension and will help you pinpoint areas where you might need improvement.

Check out this blog post with the best 10 Korean authors and book recommendations:

https://www.Lingflix.com/blog/korean/korean-authors/

What to Do When Reading Korean

Here are a few tips to use when reading in Korean to help you learn more effectively:

• Keep a dictionary on hand — Whether it's a physical book or an app like Naver Dictionary, a dictionary is essential for looking up unfamiliar words during your Korean reading practice. Jot down new words so you can add them to flashcards or review them later.
• Read aloud — If you're having difficulty with a text, try reading it out loud. This helps you link the letters to their sounds and prevents you from reading too quickly, allowing you to process the text step by step.
• Don’t be overly ambitious — Ensure you're reading texts suitable for your level. It's good to challenge yourself, but if you attempt something too advanced, you might become discouraged. Progress gradually!
• Read extensively and intensively — Intensive reading requires deep focus to understand every part of a text, while extensive reading involves reading for longer periods without analyzing every detail. Switch between both methods to gain the benefits of each.
• Use texts you’re actually interested in — To stay motivated, try to select texts that interest you or are relevant to your life. This will make reading practice feel less like a difficult task!

Now that you know some of the best methods to enhance your Korean reading skills, all that's left is to practice! With some patience and consistency, you'll see your abilities improve quickly.