Journey of Learning Hangeul by Myself

Chanchal Bharti, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

Annyeonghaseyo, like everyone, I’ve been interested in learning languages since I was 12 years old. I’m not sure if it’s a hobby or a passion, but I think learning languages is a lot of fun, it’s like a getaway to a whole new world. I can speak English, Hindi, Punjabi, Chinese, French, and Korean, with plans to learn more. I’d think Chinese and Korean are the most difficult of these languages for me. However, if you put forth the effort, you will undoubtedly succeed.

Because I’ve just started learning Korean for about a year now, my journey has been rather intriguing. I learned Hangeul (Korean Language Letters), but this language has a way of stealing my heart. K-dramas, K-pop, and the fascinating Korean culture are the beginnings of my Korean language journey. My passion for the Korean language began here. I don’t know about you, but I can’t read subtitles and look at their lovely faces at the same time, let alone understand their lyrics without translation when I watch K-dramas and listen to K-pop. So, I opted to learn Hangeul characters first. I didn’t enroll in any lessons or special courses; instead, I taught myself. I first looked up the Korean language on Google and found it to be fascinating. Korean is the world’s fifth-most difficult language, but when I first started learning it, I didn’t believe it was that easy. I only devote about 1-2 hours of my daily routine to learning this language.

Some people are still unsure whether they can learn Korean at home or if they must enroll in Korean classes. Yes, if you want to learn a language and get a degree, you can enroll in one of the many language learning centers and coaching. However, learning Korean is not difficult. In my situation, I used a variety of language study applications such as Duolingo, Memrise, Drops, and others. Some YouTube videos and TOPIK books also assist me.

I used to think that learning languages was only a hobby, but now I’m interested in learning more. In April of this year, I took the TOPIK exam (a test to determine your level of Korean competence) and I was amazed to achieve Topik Level 2 in just one go. Now, my goal is to achieve at least a Level 4 in the upcoming exam, for which I will study diligently. I’m hoping for a positive conclusion and look forward to many more.