Unlike Chinese and Japanese, Korean has a simple alphabet that is very easy to learn. Though most foreigners can't speak much Korean, the majority can read after a few months. You will quickly pick up enough Korean to read and write an address, read a menu, buy things at a public market, use basic social expressions, and make taxis go where you want them to.

Although most Koreans younger than about 40 have studied English for several years, many are quite shy about trying to use it. If you need assistance or directions in English, you are most likely to be understood by a teenager or young adult. They also seem to genuinely enjoy the attention a foreigner pays in asking for assistance or information.

Romanization

Korea has made several significant changes to how Korean is transcribed into Roman characters (Romanization). These changes took effect in 2000; however, it is common to come across different spellings of the same word. Generally, the changes make it easier to write Korean words and sounds consistently in Roman characters; non-letter pronunciation markers have been replaced by letters or letter combinations. Note that not all of the earlier versions of words, especially names, have changed, and there are more complex phonetic issues involved than simply changing one Roman letter for another. In any event, the chart below should help when reading maps and using the Internet in English.

Another issue to be aware of is that Koreans will often simply write things out in Roman letters according to how things sound to them, which is often quite different from the official version. It is also common enough for Koreans to use English words they already know to fill in any blanks. I was quite surprised when my students decided that "Go Duck" was the best way to transcribe "Godeok, " which is the name of the neighborhood in which they lived.

Korean and English Names

Koreans' names are almost always three syllables, with the last name first. Last names are always one syllable and first names are usually two syllables. With the name "Bae Kang Woo," "Bae" is the last name and "Kang Woo" is the first name. Note that about one third of all Koreans have the last names "Kim," "Park," or "Lee".

Koreans often adopt "English" names. While this is certainly helpful for foreign teachers with little knowledge of Korean, it can be awkward. You won't meet many Koreans with sensible English names like Bill or Jane, but you will definitely encounter a variety of not-very-English "English" names like "Happy" or "Sunflower." I will always remember a group of three Korean children who had been to their local video-rental outlet and seen some Disney movies. Mickey, Minnie and "Goofy" quickly became Mickey, Minnie and Alan in my class. If "Goofy's" English has improved since I last saw him, I'm sure he is thanking me now. I still wonder if Mickey and Minnie have since revised their English name choices — their cases weren't quite as urgent for eight-year-olds!

Learning Korean Online

KOSNET (Korean Language Study on the Internet

An Introduction to Korean by David Eisenberg offers a free step-by-step online tutorial in the Korean alphabet, grammar and vocabulary, including sounds and pronunciation.

Korean Through English from the Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Learn-Korean.net is a useful site with lots of information about the Korean language, as well as free online translation dictionaries.