"I just had my second class and she's a great teacher! She’s very in-depth and helps me with everything I need."
Aleigh Dafoe
Korean course in Vaughan.
Korean Lessons in Washington, D.C
If you visit the Washington DC Metropolitan area, you’ll find one of the biggest Korean communities in the United States. When the Embassy of South Korea first opened in the city in 1949, there were about 500 Korean residents living in the area, whereas nowadays there are more than 60,000. As a result, there are many institutions, stores, and local restaurants that celebrate this wonderful culture and it’s not unusual to find people speaking Korean around the city. As a matter of fact, according to a report by the Urban Institute, Korean is among the six most commonly used languages in the Washington DC area after English.
As you can imagine, if you choose to learn such a widespread language, you’ll enjoy many advantages in the city like getting access to better job opportunities, developing deeper relationships within the foreign-born community, and expanding what you know about the fascinating Korean culture. So, if this wonderful language has caught your attention, the smartest thing you can do is start a language course that helps you become a fluent speaker as soon as possible.
Why Study Korean in Washington, D.C?
Learn Korean for Work and Travel
Learning Korean will make you more employable in the city no matter what it is you do. To start with, it will help you access unique positions that require you to be bilingual, such as Bilingual Korean-English Desktop Support for Woongjin Inc, Korean-speaking Broadcaster for Radio Free Asia, and Project Manager for Kic Washington. In addition to this, because there are so many businesses owned by Korean immigrants in the city, speaking their language will help you build all kinds of professional relationships, from working for them to finding potential business partners that help you expand in the city. What’s more, if you work in tourism, you’ll be able to attract more of the tourists that visit from South Korea and find great jobs in top hotels like Four Seasons, Hyatt, and Conrad.
On top of this, learning Korean will make your trips to South Korea much more interesting, as you’ll have a deeper understanding of the local culture and will be able to connect with the big sector of the local population that doesn’t speak English. Being able to communicate in their language will also open up the chance to work in the country and take advantage of the tempting job offers that are available there for native English speakers.
Learn Korean for Social
A great way to immerse yourself in Korean culture in the city is to attend the annual KORUS Festival, organized by the Korean American Association of Washington Metropolitan area, where you’ll be able to enjoy show-stopping live performances by local and international artists, talent shows, lots of Korean food and children activities. This festival takes place every September in different venues across the city so if you want to attend, check out this year’s program on their website. On the other hand, if you’re looking for other ways to get to know Korean culture that are available all year round, you should consider visiting the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art at 10th Street and Constitution Ave, which has a great Korean Gallery where you can explore Korean history and art as well as a great selection of Korean films you can watch online or at their auditorium that will make you fall in love with the culture.
Learn Korean for Culture
Do you want to meet people who are as invested in learning Korean as you are? In that case, you should attend the Korean Happy Hour events organized by Speak Up, a great local language group that has more than 1,700 members. Their Korean events take place on Wednesdays at Johnny Pistolas, a local bar located at 2333 18th Street, and it’s open for speakers of all levels, no matter if you’re just starting or if you’re an advanced learner, come and enjoy lively conversations in Korean and meet language partners from all over the world.
Another great group you should check out is the Asian Languages Exchange Group, which also holds weekly meetings also at Johnny Pistolas where you can practice Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and many other languages. They have assigned tables for all languages so upon arrival you simply have to introduce yourself and they’ll place you at the Korean table where you’ll find other learners and native speakers who will help you improve your Korean in exchange for your English skills.
Where to learn Korean in and around Washington, D.C?
If you’ve finally decided to start learning Korean, there are many places around Washington where you can do so. The Library of Congress, located at 101 Independence Ave Street, is a great place you can visit to find useful books to develop your language skills like Korean Pronunciation Guide: How to Sound Like a Korean by Kim Jimin and Korean Grammar in Use by Ahn Jean-myun. Additionally, there are also great books in English that will help you expand your knowledge of Korean culture like Korea, the Hermit Nation by William Griffis, which explores Korean history and traditions, and Seoul man by Frank Ahrens, where the author describes his experience as the highest-ranking non-Korean executive at Hyundai and sheds light on the fascinating Korean business culture. If you are not interested in these kinds of resources and prefer to learn Korean with the help of a qualified teacher, you can check out the many Korean courses available at the American University, which are great for those who want to study in an academic setting and get a certification. However, if your goal is to become a fluent speaker as soon as possible and enjoy the process as much as you can, the best place to study in the city is Listen & Learn. If you send us a quick inquiry, we’ll have one of our native teachers create a completely personalized Korean course just for you that you can enjoy in the comfort of your home, your office, or online!
The type of courses we offer:
Face-to-Face 1-to-1 (Individual) General Korean
These Korean lessons fit a broader spectrum, and can be useful for those who need different things from the language. Most beginner students will have a handle of survival Korean by the end of their lesson, which will provide them with enough Korean to communicate at least at a basic level during short trips to the country, but those who require more would benefit greatly from these sessions. Typical students have been those eager to travel all over the world, those buying overseas property, those with foreign spouses, aficionados of Korean culture and those who just wish to pass a particular Korean exam. Inquire now about our Korean Courses or Take A Free Korean Level Test
Face-to-Face 1-to-1 (Individual) Business Korean
Those who would benefit the most from these Korean tutorials are those who feel they need to learn Korean to help them out in their business lives. For starters, learning salutations and business etiquette is integral; once these have been practiced then reading and writing lessons can start. Typical studiers have been those involved in international import/export, negotiations and acquisitions, those in multinational companies requiring another language, and those working in any way with international governments and relevant administration. Just our simplest lesson for beginners will have students finishing the lessons with basic telephone and e-mail Korean, as well as survival Korean should a visit to the country be necessary. Inquire now about our Korean Courses or Take A Free Korean Level Test
Face-to-Face Closed (Private) Group General or Business Korean
The Korean lessons are also available for 2 or more people studying together (Two-to-One Korean Lesson or Small Group In-Company Korean Lesson). All participants must have the same level, the same business or general language needs and be able to study at the same time in the same location. The booking must be made for all participants at the same time. Listen & Learn do not recommend group classes of more than 6-8 people although In-Company Taster Korean Lessons can be run with up to 12 people. Inquire now about our Korean Courses or Take A Free Korean Level Test
Skype, Google Meet or Zoom Online 1-to-1 (Individual) General or Business Korean
Your colleagues and yourself can be trained by our native-speaking fully-qualified Korean tutors at a time and location to suit you. Classes can take place any day, even weekends, and can happen in the morning, afternoon or evening. If the case may be that your home or office is not convenient, there is always the option to take your classes at the office of your teacher. Study books for the lesson are provided. Inquire now about our Korean Courses or Take A Free Korean Level Test
Skype, Google Meet or Zoom Online Group (Closed or Open) General or Business Korean
Lessons in Korean are also accessible for 2 or more studying in tandem (Two-to-One Korean Lesson or Small Group In-Company Korean Lesson). All those involved must have around the same experience of the language, similar needs of areas of proficiency, and must be able to work at the same time and place. Bookings must be made for all students at the same time. Listen & Learn do not advise classes of more than 6-8 people, although In-Company Taster Korean sessions can be run with as many as 12 people. Inquire now about our Korean Courses or Take A Free Korean Level Test
Top Tips For…
korean Songs
“산토끼” (Mountain Bunny)
Songs for kids are great tools to use to practice Korean, especially if you are a beginner. For example, Mountain Bunny is a great option that can help you become familiar with Korean sounds and the basic vocabulary related to animals and food. Words like rabbits (tokki), squirrels (cheongseolmo), almonds (amondeu), or chestnuts (bam). Also, you will be introduced to onomatopoeias, as every animal that is named in the song makes their sound (and children are supposed to mimic them, though we fully understand if you don’t feel like it!). Check out the song here!korean Songs
“갑돌이와 갑순이” (The Story of Kap Do-li and Kap Soo-ni)
Are you looking for a Korean folk song that tells a beautiful story while putting your Korean skills into practice? Then, The Story of Kap Do-li and Kap Soo-ni is the piece for you. This is a famous, romantic song that talks about a young lady and her beloved who found it very hard to express their feelings for each other. They struggled so much that they even got married to other people and suffered for years. This track is great for intermediate or advanced students of Korean, as it’s full of reported speech and passive voice structures. Check out the song here!“너를 위한 빈자리” (The Empty Space for You)
Looking for a romantic song you can enjoy while learning some new vocabulary and grammar in Korean? You should definitely try The Empty Space for You, by Park Yoo-chun. This song is famous across Asia due to its catchy tune and poetic lyrics. The track follows a man who tells the story of an impossible love. It’s great for intermediate and advanced learners, as it includes a lot of informal phrases and casual vocabulary. Sing along to this track and improve your pronunciation in a meaningful way. Check out the song here!korean Youtube Channels
You and I
Short stories are a great way to acquire a new language while getting to know more about the target culture. If you want to hear Korean short stories narrated by a native speaker (which is great, because you will also get familiar with pronunciation), you should subscribe to You and I’s YouTube channel. Most stories are really funny and accompanied by pictures and captions that make it easy to understand what the narrator is saying. So, the videos are suitable not only for advanced-level students, but also beginners can take advantage of these resources when learning Korean. Watch these videos here!korean Youtube Channels
EBS Documentary
Did you know that Korea has a free educational YouTube channel that frequently publishes useful videos for intermediate and advanced students of the language? All their videos are in Korean with subtitles (which is customary in Korean TV), meaning it will be even easier for you to follow what is being said. Some of the topics you can find on the channel include entertainment, food, scientific developments, and lifestyle, so you will surely find something to your taste! Once a week, EBS also posts long documentaries, which are perfect if you are looking for in-depth, educational content. Watch these videos here!Korean Unnie
Korean Unnie (older sister) is a great channel if you are just starting out learning Korean and would like to have a friendly companion on your language journey. The best part is that her content is not related to the formal aspects of Korean (so you won’t find videos of her explaining grammar rules, for example), but instead you will acquire the language by watching her interact with others in real life. For example, Unnie will take you to a traditional Korean restaurant and teach you vocabulary, colloquial expressions, and even give you insights into the fascinating Korean culture. Watch these videos here!Testimonials
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