Friend? Penpal?

Question

Hello!

I've really been into Korean culture, but have not managed to learn the language. I know some words, specially ones from songs, but I can't say a full sentence. So I'm here to potentially find a Korean friend to help me learn. Not necessarily a teacher, but just someone who I can casually talk to and learn casually from.

My goal is to eventually visit Korea but nervous of going if I don't know the language and don't know anyone there. This could be an opportunity for that.

If you're still reading this and you're a Korean person that speaks and understands the culture, message me.

Also, have dis cord or some platform for us to talk. It's better to hear each other talk to learn.

I want to find my oppa haha ;)

annalies · Answer

yeah definitely check out the hello talk app, it's basically made for this exact thing - koreans wanting to learn english and vice versa, you can do voice messages and calls too. also if you end up visiting, dont stress too much about not knowing the language, a lot of signs have english and people are used to tourists

denise · Answer

honestly, you can get by in seoul with just english and a few phrases. most younger people speak some english, signs are in english too, especially in hongdae or itaewon. if you want to practice casually, try the language exchange groups on meetup or the seoul global center, they have free events where locals actually want to chat. also, downloading papago is more useful than google translate here, it handles korean better

christinageissler · Answer

if you're serious about visiting, you could also check out the seoul global village centers - they're in each district and do free cultural programs where you meet actual locals. the one in jongno has a really popular one on thursdays. also for language, watching youtube channels like "learn korean with billy" or "talk to me in korean" is way more practical than trying to pick things up from songs, the grammar structure is completely different from english

philinehoeger · Answer

fwiw the oppa thing is a running joke among my korean friends, they find it cute when foreigners say it but not in a romantic way lol. if you're serious about learning the language before visiting, try watching korean variety shows with english subtitles instead of dramas - the speech is way more natural and you'll pick up actual daily phrases. also when you do come, stay in a guesthouse in hongdae rather than a hotel, the owners are usually younger and happy to chat with travelers in broken korean/english mix

emilie · Answer

try the seoul global center, they do free korean classes and cultural meetups where you can actually practice talking to people. way more natural than random apps tbh

Neu aus Seoul