Korean Lessons in New York

New York City is home to a large and growing Korean population of over 100,000 people. According to the Asian American Federation Census Information Center, 67% of them reside in Queens, and 19% in Manhattan, while smaller groups can be found in other boroughs. The influence of Korean culture can be seen in many areas of the city but especially in Koreatown, located in Manhattan just blocks away from Penn Station. Although it’s not big, this neighborhood is packed with Korean stores and businesses that go from small enterprises to large Korean chains like Pinkberry and H Mart. 

If you’re interested in expanding your knowledge of the Korean culture in the city, learning their language is key. Becoming a fluent Korean speaker will allow you not only to connect with the local community more deeply but will also allow you to understand the way Koreans see the world. On top of that, learning this wonderful language will expand your opportunities in the city and open the door to wonderful locations in South Korea. 

Learn Korean for Work and Travel

If you decide to learn Korean, you’ll get access to unique job opportunities. This is especially true if you’re interested in getting a job at New York’s tech companies such as Slack, Compass, or Salesforce, as they are constantly looking for bilinguals who can help build business relationships with Korean companies like Samsung Electronics. While learning the language will already give you a great advantage over other applicants, you might also want to learn about Korean traditions and etiquette, as it will help you navigate business meetings with Koreans without offending anyone. By doing this, you’ll not only become more employable in New York, but you’ll also be able to take advantage of the many great positions available for native English speakers in Seoul and other parts of South Korea.

Learn Korean for Social

Are you looking to immerse yourself in Korean culture? If so, you should attend the events held by the Korean Cultural Center in New York City. This government institution, located at 460 Park Avenue 6th Floor, was inaugurated in December 1979 to establish and promote Korean culture and aesthetics in New York. They offer specialized programs, events, and various educational resources to expose New Yorkers to Korean culture. Among their various events, you can find gallery exhibitions, where film screenings, and live music and dance performances where you’ll get to meet some of the most talented artists from South and North Korea. What’s more, if you’re interested in Korean food, the center has many events where you can learn how to make zero-waste traditional Temple food and others where you’ll get to taste delicious Korean street food.

Learn Korean for Culture

Learning Korean will bring many advantages to your life, and that includes your social life. The best way to meet natives in the city and other language enthusiasts like you is to attend a language exchange event. Learn and Practice English and Korean in NYC is a great meetup for people who want to practice Korean and meet natives who need help with their English. They meet every week at the Essex Market, located at 88 Essex St, for a language exchange event where participants speak ten minutes in English, then ten in Korean, and then they switch to have the chance to speak to other people. The event is completely free and it’s open to learners of all levels.

If you want to meet Korean friends outside of language exchanges, you might be interested in attending some of the events organized by I Heart Korean Movies. They meet monthly at AMC Empire 25, located at 234 W 42nd St, to enjoy the best Korean films in their original language and also American films that feature Korean actors. This group offers the perfect opportunity to meet friends who are as passionate as you are about Korean culture and cinema, so you can’t miss it!

Where to learn Korean in and around New York?

Whether you’re a complete beginner or an advanced learner, there are many great places in the city that offer useful Korean resources you can check out. The Korean Cultural Center, for example, has a great library where you can enjoy books by Korean authors in their original language and translated to English. If you enjoy reading fiction, a great novel that’s available at the library is The Vegetarian by Han Kang, a gripping story about a young woman called Yeong-hye, a part-time graphic artist and homemaker, whose decision to stop eating meat leads to devastating consequences in her personal and familial life.

If you’re interested in starting a language course, the New York University offers four levels of Korean from Elementary to Post-Advanced. Their program is aimed at students who intend to pursue academic research or careers involving the Korean language, so if you’re looking for a more flexible, general course, this might not be for you. Fortunately, there’s a better option for you and that’s to study at Listen & Learn. We have the best teachers who will create a completely personalized Korean course just for you. Whether you want to learn Korean to advance your career or to explore their wonderful culture, send us a quick inquiry now and one of our team members will get in contact with you in no time to answer any questions you might have.