Deepika Gill, Gurgaon, Haryana

‘Talk To Me In Korean,’ also known as TTMIK, is a learning platform for those who want to learn Korean (Hangeul) at home. It’s a website, with a guy named Hyun-woo as the teacher. TTMIK offers audio, video, and text materials for learners. They start by teaching basic words such as “Annyeonghaseyo, Gamsahamnida, Ne, Aniyo”, etc., which we all listen to while watching K-dramas or K-pop.

^{Picture Credits: TTMIK}

They have a variety of free and paid courses available. The main course is the audio and PDF which is absolutely free and worth it. But, if you want to learn from high-quality videos, you have to get a paid subscription. The supplementary lessons are all of great quality, offering some really fun and interesting ways to learn. The courses are creative and offer an interesting way to engage with the language. The majority of the content, including the entire grammar course, is free with a wide range of materials for all levels.

^{Picture Credits: TTMIK}

But, the platform which has pros, also has cons. Things which I don’t like in TTMIK is that the learning can be too passive as you are rarely asked to use the Korean you have learned, and some of the courses have pretty low educational value. Therefore, it is highly recommended to browse through the essential courses first, before levelling up with their premium courses.

^{Picture Credits: TTMIK}

Only when you use a workbook,  you’ll get to write things down and actually apply them yourself, instead of just listening and hoping to remember them. I don’t like textbooks that much, but when it came to TTMIK, I found myself giving in. I don’t regret buying the books and being a punctual learner. Listening to the recordings is great, but if you are just listening without actually writing it yourself and trying to make sentences out of what they are teaching you, that is not the best way for anyone to learn.

^{Picture Credits: TTMIK}

For grammar learning, the website is already really good. The teacher, Hyun-woo, also answers questions on Twitter and explains stuff through YouTube videos. He is really kind to everyone. According to me, it’s good enough for budget learners. They are great with a large variety of books such as the conversation book, verb guide, and beginner reading. The workbook is a must if you focus on the main curriculum. Their books range from $12–$38. The entire package however can cost more than that, depending on your level and learning requirment.

TTMIK has been servicing Korean learners since 2009 with its creative learning resources. If you are a beginner, I would suggest you start with the PDF first. It will help you clear your decision if you actually want to learn the language or not. Once you are sure, you may proceed to buy the book. I would say, use the free website as far as you can, but buying the books won’t hurt as well. Happy learning!

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