By Honorary Reporter Madonna Youssef from Egypt

(Madonna Youssef)

Learning Korean is interesting and fun, especially if studying in a group. As the world is suffering because of COVID-19 and studying and working are being largely done from home, gathering with friends or attending Korean classes are not an option.

But don't worry. You can still enjoy your Korean learning journey with King Sejong Institute all over the world online. The institute is providing free and sometimes paid online classes for select countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Spain, Lithuania, Kazakhstan and the U.S.

All you need to do is to create a free account on the site via a computer, not a smartphone, and  register for the class. And if your country or level is not included, Nuri, the institute's official site, is providing all materials to learn Korean free like books, videos, comics and even grammar books for learning not just about the language but also Korean culture and business.

(Screen capture from King Sejong Institute website)

For those with a background in self-study or for students at the institute, check your level by doing a simple test or completing the lessons by checking each unit's videos.

And if you are a regular user of SNS, access the institute's account on YouTube (Learn Teach Korean), which is rich in content including Hallyu stars sharing information or promoting their language, music and culture in a fresh way. On the Facebook (King Sejong Institute) and Instagram (@king.sejong.institute) accounts, both of which I enjoy as a student, you can see cute illustrations comparing the basics of the language and common mistakes in addition to the latest news or videos.

For those interested in Korean cuisine, read the "YumYum Korean" comic about a girl and her friends exploring Korean cuisine. Learn the history and ingredients of each dish in five languages.

The institute's seven apps cover new words in a practical way. Even reading captions from news photos to watching news improves listening, reading and understanding ability. Learning in the form of games is another option provided.

As a student of the Level 8 Korean and Level 2 Business books at the institute, I have a tip for those preparing for the Test of Proficiency in Korean or who have their own notebooks. Use all Sejong textbooks or what you've learned online and categorize the content by topic to group together all related words or expressions, which will help you express yourself in Korean in a natural way.

And if still missing your friends or K-community pals, create a group for jointly studying through the institute's site or apps.

chaey0726@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.