If you want to achieve Korean fluency, you need to master reading. Reading is a great way to get to know Korean culture better, learn new words and expressions, and gain more insight into Korean culture. Whether you read for fun or to stay informed about events, you can get a lot from your reading practice. This post will cover everything you need to know to get the most out of your Korean reading lessons.
Ways to Make Your Korean Reading Practice More Effective
Once you have your Korean reading materials ready, there are a few tricks you can use to make the most out of your reading practice:
- Learn Hangul: This is the first step to learning Korean. Reading Romanized Korean won’t get you very far. Fortunately, you can learn Hangul very easily, in only 20 minutes.
- Bilingual Reading Exercises: You can practice your Korean reading skills with high-intensity bilingual reading exercises. If you have a text in both English, and Korean, you can translate in both directions and discover new vocabulary.
- Read for Fun: The best Korean reading practice is the one you enjoy. Read for pleasure, whether it’s a Korean news article or a work of fiction. Casual reading will always benefit you.
- Make It a Habit: No matter what you read, your Korean reading practice needs to happen regularly. And you should also do it when it feels right. If you feel more focused in the morning, then start your day with some Korean reading practice. If you’d rather unwind at the end of the day, spend your evenings with a Korean book. You’ll be more compelled to do it if you feel like you’re progressing.
- Don’t Just Read: It’s important to note that Korean fluency doesn’t come exclusively from reading. Complement your reading with listening, speaking, and writing skills. And you need to improve all four of these skills to reach Korean fluency.
What Should You Read in Korean?
You can literally read anything in Korean, and be okay. As long as it’s in Hangul, and you’re reading it, you’re improving your reading skills. Here are a few options for Korean reading material if you’re out of ideas:
- Korean News: Curious about current affairs or politics? Korean news articles will keep you entertained while you work on your reading comprehension. Plus, they’re an easy way to rapidly grow your vocabulary.
- Korean Celebrity Gossip Magazines: Korean culture has its share of “goss” or “tea” on celebrities both at home and abroad. Not only is this a great way to experience some light reading, but you can also get more material for casual conversations.
- Korean Novels: If your reading skills are up to the task, jump right in, and explore Korean literature. There are plenty of texts rich in stories and meaning that you can enjoy while gaining better insight into Korean culture.
- Korean Subtitles: You can watch a Korean drama with subtitles. The speed of the TV show will force you to learn to read in Korean quickly (not to mention all the Korean listening practice you’ll get).
- Korean Webtoons: These comics are not just beautiful and entertaining, they also give you an insight into modern Korean culture.
- Kpop Music: If you don’t feel like reading much at all and you’re a huge fan of Kpop, then you can use that to your advantage. Read the lyrics of your favorite songs for even more Korean reading practice.
The Value of Korean Short Stories for Easy Reading Practice
Korean short stories are bite-size exercises with great stories. Usually, they use a simple plot, and the vocabulary used will be much simpler as well. The more that you read, the quicker you’ll come to mastery of the reading. You’ll also get more familiar with some of the things distinct to the Korean language like idioms, Korean words, and structures.
In addition, many of these short stories talk about Korean culture. Korean folklore is especially fun to read about. And reading short stories offers you a window into how Koreans think, and in some cases, it might also mention important Korean places.
Best Korean Apps and Blogs to Practice Reading in Korean
These are the best Korean apps, blogs, and video channels to get you reading successfully. Feel free to explore them all and find the best resource that works for you.
Naver Webtoons
Webtoons are the perfect opportunity to have fun and start your Korean reading practice easily. This website is filled with exciting and beautiful Korean webtoons. Dive into the art of online cartoons, and read them from anywhere in the world. You can also find other sources of Korean entertainment on Naver.
Beelinguapp
If bilingual reading practice appeals to you, Beelinguapp is a convenient mobile app for that. They have a number of different levels as well to help people get better in a language. Beelinguapp also includes a section on karaoke-style reading. It helps you stay focused on the text while giving your Korean reading practice some funky looks.
Korean Class 101
This Youtube Channel is great for learning about Korea. You can read the subtitles below as you listen to your Korean lessons. You can learn about grammar, proverbs, and idioms easily.
OptiLingo
OptiLingo is a convenient language learning app that gives you high-frequency words and phrases. So, it shows you how authentic Korean locals speak. This is the most useful Korean reading practice because it combines reading and speaking. The only way you’ll be fluent in Korean is if you start speaking from the first lesson.
OptiLingo is also built on scientifically-proven language learning theories. By combining spaced repetition with comprehensible input, you can understand your Korean texts, and commit them to memory too. This makes OptiLingo the best language learning app for Korean reading practice. Learn Korean comfortably, and build your fluency confidently. Try OptiLingo today!
