Soho Korean

Curriculum

Everything in the course

What you can learn here, from the first letter on. The overview comes first; every level, unit and grammar point follows. Open a level to see its units.

Overview

The path, from Hangul to Level 5

  1. Level 0 Hangul 9 lessons
  2. Level 1 Beginner 1 14 units
  3. Level 2 Beginner 2 17 units
  4. Side branch Life in Korea 8 units
  5. Level 3 Intermediate 1 12 units
  6. Level 4 Intermediate 2 12 units
  7. Level 5 Advanced 1 12 units

The path, level by level

Hangul first, then one level after another. Speech Room units sit inside the levels; Life in Korea is a side branch with its own pass. Open a level for what you will be able to do, its units and their grammar.

Level 0 · Hangul

9 lessons · Open to everyone

Read and write every letter and syllable, and sound out your first real words.

  1. 1Six vowels
  2. 2Nine consonants + ㅏ
  3. 3The table
  4. 4Y-vowels
  5. 5Air and tension
  6. 6Compound vowels
  7. 7Final consonants
  8. 8Real words
  9. 9Sounds that change
Level 1 · Beginner 1 14 units (2 from the Speech Room) · 53 grammar patterns · 428 words

Introduce yourself, talk about things, places and your day, count, tell the time, shop, and make simple plans in polite Korean (해요체).

What you can do after Level 1

  • Introduce yourself — name, country, job — and ask others.
  • Say what something is, whose it is, and whether it is there.
  • Say where people, things and places are, with position words.
  • Talk about what you do and don't do every day, and where you go to do it.
  • Ask prices in a shop, and count things and people (both number sets, counters).
  • Tell the time, the date and the day, and say from when to when.
  • Say what you did yesterday or last weekend, linking with 그리고 · 그래서 · 그런데.
  • Say what you want to do, suggest doing something together, give weekend plans and say what you can't do.
  • Introduce your family, say who you give things to, and say “only” (만 · 밖에).
  • Give a short formal self-introduction in 합니다체, and use -(으)시- when talking about teachers and elders.
Units
14 units (2 from the Speech Room)
Grammar patterns
53
New words
428
Illustrated stories
12
Level check
36 questions
Workbook (PDF)
Level 1 Workbook · 225 pages
Opened by
Level 1 PassUS$24Units 1–4 are open to everyone

Units and their grammar

  1. Unit 1 Hello, I'm Hoya Open now Story 1

  2. Unit 2 What is this? Open now Story 2

  3. Unit 3 Where is it? Open now Story 3

  4. Unit 4 Doing things: polite present (1) Open now Story 4

  5. Unit 5 Going and doing: polite present (2) Story 5

  6. Unit 6 How much is it? Story 6

  7. Unit 7 Counting things Story 7

  8. Unit 8 What time is it? Story 8

  9. Unit 9 What did you do yesterday? Story 9

  10. Speech Room · Unit 1 Formal style 1: -(스)ㅂ니다

  11. Unit 10 I want to eat bibimbap Story 10

  12. Unit 11 What will you do this weekend? Story 11

  13. Unit 12 My family and other people Story 12

  14. Speech Room · Unit 2 Honorifics 1: -(으)시-

Level 2 · Beginner 2 17 units (5 from the Speech Room) · 65 grammar patterns · 541 words

Handle everyday situations — weather, transport, health, shopping, phone calls, travel — and connect sentences with reasons, conditions and contrasts.

What you can do after Level 2

  • React to the weather, check with the other person and make a guess (-네요 · -군요, -지요?, -겠-).
  • Describe people and things and say how they change (-(으)ㄴ + N, -아/어지다, -게, 처럼).
  • Talk about hobbies and what you can do, and compare (-는 것 · -기, -(으)ㄹ 수 있다, 보다 · 제일, -거나).
  • Ask for and give directions, and say how long it takes (N(으)로, -아서/어서, -(으)면, 걸리다).
  • Say where it hurts and why, and what you must and mustn't do (-아서/어서, -(으)니까, -아야/어야 하다, -지 마세요).
  • Try things on and ask permission in a shop; ask favours and promise things on the phone (-아/어 보다, -아/어도 되다, -아/어 주다, -(으)ㄹ게요, -는 중이다).
  • Talk about experiences and plans, what came before and after, what is going on and what state things are in, and how long it has been (-(으)ㄴ 적이 있다, -기 전에, -(으)려고 하다, -고 있다, -아/어 있다, -(으)ㄴ 지).
  • Join sentences with when, while and but, and give reasons, wishes and guesses (-(으)ㄹ 때, -(으)면서, -지만, -아/어도, -기로 하다, -기 때문에, -(으)면 좋겠다, -(으)ㄹ 것 같다).
  • Use honorific and humble words with elders and guests, and understand and give formal announcements (께서, 드시다, 성함, 드리다, 여쭙다, -(으)십시오, -(으)ㅂ시다).
  • Speak 반말 with friends and switch between 반말 and polite speech depending on who you are talking to.
Units
17 units (5 from the Speech Room)
Grammar patterns
65
New words
541
Illustrated stories
12
Level check
36 questions
Workbook (PDF)
Level 2 Workbook · 266 pages, Speech Room Workbook · 141 pages
Opened by
Level 2 PassUS$29

Units and their grammar

  1. Unit 1 The weather is nice today Story 13

  2. Unit 2 Describing things (and irregular verbs) Story 14

  3. Unit 3 Hobbies Story 15

  4. Unit 4 How do I get to Myeongdong? Story 16

  5. Unit 5 Where does it hurt? Story 17

  6. Speech Room · Unit 3 Honorifics 2: 께서 and special words

  7. Unit 6 Can I try this on? Story 18

  8. Unit 7 Hello, may I speak to Ms Kim? Story 19

  9. Speech Room · Unit 4 Formal style 2: at work and on announcements

  10. Speech Room · Unit 5 Honorifics 3: humble words

  11. Unit 8 Have you been to Jeju? Story 20

  12. Unit 9 I just moved house Story 21

  13. Speech Room · Unit 6 Casual speech 1: 반말

  14. Unit 10 Time and contrast Story 22

  15. Unit 11 Reasons and wishes Story 23

  16. Speech Room · Unit 7 Casual speech 2: switching and social rules

  17. Unit 12 A reply to a letter (Level 2 review) Story 24

Speech Room

Formal, honorific and casual speech

Formal style (합니다체), honorifics (-(으)시-, 께서, 드시다…) and casual speech (반말) — how to move between them and when.

Its 7 units sit inside the levels (2 in Level 1 and 5 in Level 2), marked in the unit lists above, and open with the pass of their level. All Speech Room units →

Life in Korea 8 units · 32 grammar patterns · 250 words

Side branch · after Level 2

Real situations — bus, convenience store, café, chatting with friends, deliveries, clinic, bank, plans. Hoya's friend Bori (a Jindo dog) is the partner. A side branch off the main path — take it any time after Level 2.

Units
8 units
Grammar patterns
32
New words
250
Illustrated stories
—
Workbook (PDF)
Life in Korea Workbook · 165 pages
Opened by
Life in Korea PassUS$19

Units and their grammar

  1. Unit 1 Bus, subway and the transport card

  2. Unit 2 At the convenience store

  3. Unit 3 Ordering at a café

  4. Unit 4 Chatting with friends

  5. Unit 5 Delivery apps and phone calls

  6. Unit 6 At the clinic and pharmacy

  7. Unit 7 Bank, parcels and a new phone plan

  8. Unit 8 Making plans, saying no, being invited

Level 3 · Intermediate 1 12 units · 48 grammar patterns · 364 words

Describe people and change, report what others said, tell what happened and why.

What you can do after Level 3

  • Describe someone's character, looks and first impression, and say what is worth doing (-(으)ㄴ/는 편이다, -아/어 보이다, -(으)ㄴ/는 척하다, -(으)ㄹ 만하다).
  • Give causes and reasons (N(이)라서, N 때문에, 덕분에, -느라고).
  • Pass on what someone said, asked, told, suggested or requested, and check what you heard (-다고, -냐고, -(으)라고, -자고, -아/어 달라고, -대요, -다면서요?).
  • Talk about change, wishes and worries (-게 되다, -(으)ㄹ수록, -았/었으면 좋겠다, -(으)ㄹ까 봐).
  • Talk about purpose, need, having no choice, and give advice (-기 위해서, -도록, -는 대신에, -(으)ㄹ 필요가 있다, -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다, -는 게 좋겠다).
  • Tell the story of a day or a trip in order, including mistakes and near misses (-는 동안, -자마자, -는 김에, -다가, -아/어 버리다, -(으)ㄹ 뻔하다, -는 바람에, -아/어 놓다).
  • Say what you saw or felt yourself, and give the background reason (-더라고요, -던, -던데요, -거든요).
  • Guess and check (-잖아요, -나 보다, -(으)ㄹ걸요, -는지, -(으)ㄹ지도 모르다).
  • Tell what happened by itself (passive) from what someone made happen (causative), and say what you should do (-이/히/리/기-, -게 하다, -아/어야지요).
  • Read a text that explains a topic such as a holiday or a custom and follow its main points (N에 대해, -는데도, -는 데, -기도 하다).
Units
12 units
Grammar patterns
48
New words
364
Illustrated stories
—
Level check
36 questions
Workbook (PDF)
Level 3 Workbook · 274 pages
Opened by
Level 3 PassUS$29

Units and their grammar

  1. Unit 1 I tend to be a bit impatient

  2. Unit 2 Because of, thanks to

  3. Unit 3 The manager said to come early (1)

  4. Unit 4 The manager said to come early (2)

  5. Unit 5 The more I know her, the more I like her

  6. Unit 6 Studying to pass the exam

  7. Unit 7 While I was travelling

  8. Unit 8 I almost missed the bus

  9. Unit 9 I heard it's different in Korea

  10. Unit 10 Guessing and checking

  11. Unit 11 The window was left open

  12. Unit 12 Chuseok at Sori's pine tree (Level 3 review)

Level 4 · Intermediate 2 12 units · 48 grammar patterns · 371 words

Discuss social and abstract topics with nuance, read explanatory and opinion texts and short literature, write structured paragraphs.

What you can do after Level 4

  • Talk about suppositions, regrets and the lesser evil (-다면, -았/었더라면, -(으)ㄹ걸 그랬다, -느니).
  • Talk about expected outcomes, what can't be true, concessions and pointless effort (-(으)ㄹ 텐데, -(으)ㄹ 리가 없다, -더라도, -아/어 봤자).
  • Contrast, add, compare and play things down, in speech and writing (-는 반면에, -는 데다가, N에 비해, N에 불과하다, -(으)ㄹ 뿐이다).
  • Generalise and make judgements (-기 마련이다, -는 법이다, -는 셈이다, -는 한, -는 듯하다).
  • Read and write in the written style (-ㄴ/는다, -(으)ㅁ, -(으)므로, -는 가운데, -(으)며, N(으)로 인해, -고자).
  • Say what you found out by doing something, and what came of it (-다 보니, -고 보니, -더니, -았/었더니).
  • Say to what degree and in what way (-(으)ㄹ 정도로, 만큼, -다시피, -듯이).
  • Talk about plans and intentions with the right nuance (-(으)ㄹ 겸, -(으)ㄹ까 하다, -(으)려던 참이다, -는 대로).
  • Understand and use emphatic particles, proverbs and idioms (조차, 마저, (이)야말로, -기는커녕, -곤 하다, -(으)ㄹ 게 아니라).
  • Explain past events with their causes and sources, and write wishes and requests politely in a letter (-는 탓에, N에 따르면, -던 차에, -았/었던 것이다, -아/어서 그런지, -기 바라다, -아/어 주었으면 한다, (으)로서 · (으)로써).
Units
12 units
Grammar patterns
48
New words
371
Illustrated stories
—
Level check
36 questions
Workbook (PDF)
Level 4 Workbook · 282 pages
Opened by
Level 4 PassUS$29

Units and their grammar

  1. Unit 1 If I won the lottery

  2. Unit 2 If only…, probably…, even if…

  3. Unit 3 Spending and saving

  4. Unit 4 Judging and generalising

  5. Unit 5 Technology and everyday life (written style)

  6. Unit 6 Pop culture

  7. Unit 7 How much, in what way

  8. Unit 8 Plans and intentions

  9. Unit 9 Words and proverbs

  10. Unit 10 The king who made an alphabet

  11. Unit 11 Work, society and the future

  12. Unit 12 Hoya reads the letter (Level 4 review)

Level 5 · Advanced 1 12 units · 48 grammar patterns · 453 words

Work, contracts, news, essays and short literature — read 900–1,200-syllable texts, write 500–700-syllable formal pieces, and move between formal, polite and casual speech in one conversation.

What you can do after Level 5

  • Read the conditions and exceptions in contracts, notices and guides, and make requests with conditions attached (-(으)ㄴ/는 이상, N에 한해, -는 경우).
  • Talk about being swamped, slips that keep happening and your resolve at work, and report in a formal email (-는 통에, -(으)랴 -(으)랴, -기 일쑤이다, -는 한이 있더라도).
  • Read the reporting patterns and figures in economic and social news and give the main points (-(으)ㄹ 전망이다, -는 것으로 나타났다, N에 달하다).
  • Describe feelings pushed to the limit and what came of them, and respond to others with care (-(으)ㄴ 나머지, -(으)ㄹ 지경이다, -다 못해).
  • Read academic explanatory texts and write a summary and a study plan using definitions and quotations (-고서야, -(으)ㄹ뿐더러, -기 나름이다).
  • React with surprise or disagreement to what you heard, and sum up different positions (-다니, -다길래, -는가 하면, -다고 해서).
  • Read articles on local and social issues and write a proposal to a public office (N을 비롯해, -는 한편, -지 않을 수 없다).
  • Make guesses, say what is only to be expected and give warnings, and write a for-and-against essay within 700 characters (-(으)ㄹ 법하다, -(으)ㄹ 게 뻔하다, -다가는).
  • Read texts that compare values and short literary works, and talk about a character's feelings and the writer's intention (-기 그지없다, -(으)ㄴ 채로, -(으)ㄹ망정).
  • Give a formal speech or presentation on an official occasion (-건대, -는 바이다, -(으)ㄹ 따름이다), read 900–1,200-syllable texts and write 500–700-syllable ones.
Units
12 units
Grammar patterns
48
New words
453
Illustrated stories
—
Level check
36 questions
Workbook (PDF)
Level 5 Workbook · 311 pages
Opened by
Level 5 PassUS$34

Units and their grammar

  1. Unit 1 The new lease

  2. Unit 2 First quarter

  3. Unit 3 Prices up, pay the same

  4. Unit 4 Sujin's Friday

  5. Unit 5 Anna's application

  6. Unit 6 3,000 comments

  7. Unit 7 Mangwon is trending

  8. Unit 8 Kimjang day

  9. Unit 9 No cashier after 11

  10. Unit 10 Paper season

  11. Unit 11 Nunchi and jeong

  12. Unit 12 Award speech (Level 5 review)

Inside every unit

Every unit is built the same way, around one scene, in this order. Across the course that makes 6,496 recorded lines, 2,301 of them also at slow speed.

  1. 1

    Scene

    A short scene with Sori and Hoya, every line with its English. Hide the English and read it again. Every line is recorded, at normal and at slow speed.

  2. 2

    Grammar

    Each pattern with why you need it now, the rule in plain English, and a table.

  3. 3

    Sori’s tips

    Exceptions, reasons, and the pairs that are easy to mix up.

  4. 4

    Hoya’s notebook

    Hoya’s notes on the places and customs behind the scene.

  5. 5

    Words

    The unit’s words with their meanings and audio. They come back later in your spaced review.

  6. 6

    Practice

    Fill the gap, build the sentence, pick the reply. It checks as you go.

  7. 7

    Hoya’s mistakes

    Hoya makes the mistake you were about to make. Catch it before he does.

  8. 8

    Review room

    Questions from this unit and earlier ones, each marked with where it comes from.

  9. 9

    Read & write

    A short text to read in the Korean you now know, and a writing task with a model answer.

  10. 10

    Cheat sheet

    The whole unit on one card you can print.

  11. Then a story

    24 of the 75 units are followed by an illustrated story told in their Korean.

See a whole unit: Level 1 · Unit 1, “Hello, I'm Hoya”, is open to everyone →

Illustrated stories

24 short picture stories about the people of Room 302, each told in the Korean of one unit: finish the unit, then read its story. Listen line by line, and tap a line when you want its meaning.

  • Season 1 · 302호

    12 stories, after the units of Level 1

  • Season 2 · 같이 사는 법

    12 stories, after the units of Level 2

The 4 stories after the open units are open to everyone; each of the others comes with the pass of its unit.

All stories →

Printable workbooks

A PDF workbook for each part of the course, to write in by hand: the same units on paper, with answer keys.

  • Hangul Starter Start here · Absolute beginner

    Read and write the Korean alphabet in 9 lessons — stroke order, sounds, first words and how sounds change

    43 pages · PDF · A4 and US Letter · English · Español · Português · Français · Tiếng Việt · 日本語

  • Level 1 Workbook Level 1 · Beginner 1

    Twelve units of Beginner 1 in polite Korean: introducing yourself, things and places, the present and past, numbers, time, wants and plans

    225 pages · PDF · A4 and US Letter · English

    Included in: Level 1 Pass

  • Level 2 Workbook Level 2 · Beginner 2

    Twelve units of Beginner 2: weather, directions, health, shopping, phone calls and travel — and the connectives that join your sentences

    266 pages · PDF · A4 and US Letter · English

    Included in: Level 2 Pass

  • Speech Room Workbook Inside Levels 1 and 2

    Seven units on how Korean changes with who you are talking to: formal 합니다체, honorifics, humble words and casual 반말

    141 pages · PDF · A4 and US Letter · English

    Included in: Level 2 Pass

  • Life in Korea Workbook Side branch after Level 2

    Eight real situations with Hoya and his friend Bori: transport, convenience stores, cafés, chatting, deliveries, the clinic, the bank and making plans

    165 pages · PDF · A4 and US Letter · English

    Included in: Life in Korea Pass

  • Level 3 Workbook Level 3 · Intermediate 1

    Twelve units of Intermediate 1: describing people, reported speech, causes and results, and telling what happened

    274 pages · PDF · A4 and US Letter · English

    Included in: Level 3 Pass

  • Level 4 Workbook Level 4 · Intermediate 2

    Twelve units of Intermediate 2: nuance, the written style, opinion texts, proverbs — and the whole letter Hoya has been learning to read

    282 pages · PDF · A4 and US Letter · English

    Included in: Level 4 Pass

  • Level 5 Workbook Level 5 · Advanced 1

    Twelve units of Advanced 1: work, contracts, news, essays and short literature — and moving between formal, polite and casual speech in one conversation

    311 pages · PDF · A4 and US Letter · English

    Included in: Level 5 Pass

All workbooks →

Edutainment

Korean outside the lessons. Each piece goes with something you can study here.

Watch

  • Episodes본편

    Animated episodes on YouTube. In each one, Sori and Hoya act out a unit of the course.

    Goes with: The unit each episode acts out

  • Room 302 sketches302호 스케치

    Short comic sketches on YouTube, one for each unit.

    Goes with: The unit each sketch plays with

  • Shorts쇼츠

    Three short clips cut from each video, on YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Reels.

    Goes with: The unit each clip comes from

  • Hoya’s Diary호야의 일기

    Hoya writes about his day in Korean. Sori corrects it in red.

    Goes with: The grammar guide each entry fixes

  • Comics네컷 만화

    Four-panel comics about Korean in real life.

    Goes with: The illustrated stories

  • Daily quiz오늘의 퀴즈

    Hoya’s mistake of the day: A or B?

    Goes with: Hoya’s mistakes in every unit

  • Letters편지

    Longer reads about Korean, on Substack.

    Goes with: The learning path

Play

  • 순자 할머니의 화투점Grandma’s card reading

    Grandma Soonja reads today’s cards for you at the laundromat. Just for fun.

  • 열두 달Twelve Months

    A daily card solitaire: pair the months and learn their Korean names.

Phrase cards

  • Phrase cards196 expressions

    Useful Korean at a glance, straight from the lessons.

Listen

  • 302호 테마곡Room 302 theme

    The theme song, sung in Korean and English. It opens the 302호 story videos.

  • 낮Day

    Light city pop under the 302호 story videos and our short clips.

  • 밤Night

    Quiet piano for the late-night moments of Room 302.

Watch, play and listen →

Ask Korean Language Questions

A Korean teacher reads every question and answers it personally.

Pass and workbook owners can ask. The answer appears on your Account page, under My questions.

Questions are open to pass holders.

Ask from the home page →

Course languages

The course is in 7 languages. The Korean text and audio are the same in every edition; the explanations, the translations and the site are in your language.

  • EnglishThe original edition

    Everything: every lesson, story and level check.

  • Español

    In this language: Hangul · Level 1 · Level 2 · Speech Room · Life in Korea · Level 3 · Level 4 · Level 5

    Stories: 24 of 24 · Level checks: 5 of 5

    Workbook in this language: Hangul Starter

  • Português

    In this language: Hangul · Level 1 · Level 2 · Speech Room · Life in Korea · Level 3 · Level 4

    Shown in English: Level 5

    Stories: 24 of 24 · Level checks: 4 of 5

    Workbook in this language: Hangul Starter

  • Français

    In this language: Hangul · Level 1 · Level 2 · Speech Room · Life in Korea · Level 3 · Level 4

    Shown in English: Level 5

    Stories: 24 of 24 · Level checks: 4 of 5

    Workbook in this language: Hangul Starter

  • Tiếng Việt

    In this language: Hangul · Level 1 · Level 2 · Speech Room · Life in Korea · Level 3 · Level 4

    Shown in English: Level 5

    Stories: 24 of 24 · Level checks: 4 of 5

    Workbook in this language: Hangul Starter

  • ไทย

    In this language: Hangul · Level 1 · Level 2 · Speech Room · Life in Korea · Level 3 · Level 4

    Shown in English: Level 5

    Stories: 24 of 24 · Level checks: 4 of 5

  • 日本語

    In this language: Hangul · Level 1 · Level 2 · Speech Room · Life in Korea · Level 3 · Level 4

    Shown in English: Level 5

    Stories: 24 of 24 · Level checks: 4 of 5

    Workbook in this language: Hangul Starter

Where a part of the course is not yet translated, an edition shows it in English.

How the levels compare

The level names (Beginner 1 · Beginner 2 · Intermediate 1 · Intermediate 2 · Advanced 1) are this course’s own steps. They are not exam grades, and the course makes no promise about test scores. What each level covers is in its can-do lines above; the bars show how much is new in each.

Grammar patterns New words
Level 1Beginner 1 53 428
Level 2Beginner 2 65 541
Life in Korea 32 250
Level 3Intermediate 1 48 364
Level 4Intermediate 2 48 371
Level 5Advanced 1 48 453

Every level ends with a check of 36 questions built on its can-do lines, so you can see whether you have it. Already know some Korean? The placement test finds your starting unit →

Start where you are

Hangul and Units 1–4 of Level 1 are open to everyone, no account needed.

Start with Hangul See the passes