Why Learn Korean? People may wonder why you choose Korean in the first place. Why would you want a language that is written in nonsensical stick figures? And has nothing in common with English (or many other languages)?
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However, if you’re confused about what some compelling reasons for learning Korean could be. Get ready for your mind to be filled with answers.
Why Should You Master Korean? Six Reasons
I’ll give you six convincing reasons why Korean is an obvious option in this article.
So, let’s get started!
1) Why Learn Korean – World’s most logical writing system:
– Hangul, the Korean alphabet, did not evolve like other alphabets. It was meticulously developed. And it was built to be simple and easy.
– The new Korean writing system was developed by King Sejong, “the Great” of the Joseon dynasty. Chinese characters portrayed the Korean language.
– Hangul has 24 characters, less than the English language’s 26. 14 consonants and 10 vowels.
– Only a few elites were able to express themselves in writing. Because Confucian education was difficult and costly. As a result, official court records were written in a language that the average citizen couldn’t understand.
– King Sejong pushed for the development of Hangul. Because he wanted all of his subjects to participate, he hired the scholars of his “Hall of Worthies” (a royal research institute). And charged them with developing a language system that everyone could master.
– His researchers replied by inventing a writing system that is so basic and intuitive. That ‘A wise man can learn it in one morning. And a fool can learn it in ten days.’
– And it’s said that the way Korean letters are written represents how your mouth or tongue looks when you make a sound. For instance, (ni-eun), which is roughly equivalent to the English letter N. It resembles the shape your tongue takes when it hits the back of your teeth to make the N sound.
Consequently, if you’re looking for a basic second language to write in, Korean should be at the top of your list.
2) Why Learn Korean – Over 70 million native Korean speakers:
But why would you want to communicate with Korean native speakers?
– Korean culture is reputed to be one of the friendliest and polite in the world. Start with a hearty hello, as in, 안녕하세요? (annyeonghaseyo). And you’ll be shocked at how a single line of Korean can evoke a flood of responses.
– Koreans are also known for being friendly to people from other cultures, especially English speakers. On a functional and linguistic level, this means they’ve added some English into their Korean.
– “Konglish” is a lovely mix of Korean and English. When Koreans say 디카 (dika), they shorten the words “digital camera” in English. Alternatively, 셀카 (selka) means “self camera.” (This is known as a “selfie.”)
– The Korean language uses a system of “honorifics”. That indicates the age, sex, or status of the person being addressed. If you’re not sure, it’s best to use honorific forms for everyone to be clear.
– Learning Korean helps you to connect with a broad and engaging community of people. You can ask them questions about their country’s fascination with skincare and karaoke. Or, how to make kimchi and other traditional Korean foods? K-pop, the latest in Korean cinema, and several other topics.
– Besides, South Koreans are commonly recognized as among the world’s most technologically advanced people. This means that you probably won’t have to leave your room if you want to communicate with native Korean speakers.
– Surprisingly, a sizable portion of the South Korean population uses the internet. It has the highest internet penetration and internet speeds in the world. Moreover, 97.7% of 18-24-year-olds own a Smartphone.
So, if you’re thinking about learning a language, Korean is the way to go. Korea’s wonderful people make learning the language incredibly worthwhile.
3) You must fly to Korea at least once in your life:
Have you ever seen the Korean countryside? Or how about Jeju Island? A stunningly beautiful island off the Korean Peninsula’s coast. That was named one of the “New 7 Natural Wonders.” It’s beautiful!
– Korea is a stunningly beautiful location on Earth, and it remains so throughout the year. Trust us when we say that you must go there at least once in your life.
– South Korea greets you at Incheon International Airport, which has long been known as the world’s best airport.
– Visit palaces, quaint villages, shrines, and temples. It will take you back to the past. Likewise, stand atop the N Seoul Tower and take in the city of Seoul’s sea of creativity and technical marvel—where you can see the future…today. (Sorry if that sounds like a tourist ad!)
– You can see some of the one-of-a-kind edifices. Korean people have constructed and a host of tourist attractions and all of the country’s natural beauty.
– The world’s largest department store, indoor amusem*nt park, largest church, and the world’s highest sky deck (served by the world’s fastest elevators) can all be found there.
– The beauty of Korea and its culture’s diversity are something you must see at least once in your life. And learning the language will improve your travel experience tremendously. It will give your thoughts more sense and perspective.
You might fall in love with the country and decide to call it home! Who knows?
4) Why Learn Korean – A way to plan for the future:
World-class Korean enterprises are not afraid to take on the rest of the world.
– Many international giant enterprises have their hubs in Korea. Samsung, LG, and Hyundai are among them.
– Samsung reportedly outranked Apple last year, gaining a greater share of the Smartphone market. Based on the recorded numbers of phone activations in the first quarter of this year, the trend does not tend to be changing.
– If you believe that technology is the way of the future, you should pay attention to South Korea. According to a Bloomberg report, Korea is the most innovative country on the planet. It has been recognized as the world’s most creative economy for the past five years, clearly outranked Japan (6th) and the United States (11th).
– The country’s advancement over the decades has been nothing short of exceptional. It has advanced from becoming one of the poorest countries in Asia after WWII. To bring a major economic superpower, with the UK’s Center for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) forecasting Korea to be among the world’s top eight economies by 2032. This means Korea is on the verge of passing countries like Canada, France, and Italy.
– Learning the Korean language is unquestionably advantageous. It has the potential to help you make your job or business more important in the future. Korea has already developed itself as one of Asia’s most influential economies. Likewise, if current trends continue, learning Korean can become just as important as learning Mandarin in business and career opportunities.
– This is so not just for the prospect of working in Korea. You could end up working for a South Korean subsidiary in the United States, and you’ll be happier for it.
– South Korean subsidiaries pay more than other international subsidiaries ($91,700 annually vs. $80,000 in 2014). -US Department of Commerce
Bilingual employees are more important in the workplace. You will be able to gain more money if you study a second language. When your company chooses to work with Korean markets, your lingual knowledge of Korean can put you ahead of the pack.
5) Why Learn Korean – A significant figure in international affairs:
If you turn on the TV or read the article, you’ll easily note that something has been reported or written about South Korea or the Korean Peninsula.
– South Korea has been flexing its diplomatic muscles and seeking a rightful place in the international community. The tenure of Ban Ki-Moon, the UN’s eighth Secretary-General, is evidence of this. One of his legacies, perhaps?
– The Paris Accords was the first legally binding agreement in which signatory nations, including the United States and China, agreed to curb carbon emissions.
– Korea is an important ally for the U.S., in addition to its many other alliance. And it’s no wonder that any sitting president has always made time to meet with his South Korean counterpart. Since North and South Korea’s situation is constantly shifting, the world’s attention is inevitably drawn to the peninsula.
– South Korea is also making good use of its economic might. Korea is investing not only in the United States. But also in many other countries as a result of close bilateral relations.
– Korean culture and language are expected to rise in importance in the coming years as Korea gradually influences the global agenda.
Learning Korean will help you grasp pressing problems in the future world for both economic and political reasons. You’ll get a lot of boost for your buck if you learn Korean.
Investing your time and energy into Korean will pay off in the long run. And it’s possible that the future may arrive earlier than expected.
6) Korean pop culture is becoming more popular around the world:
Many of the biggest movies, stars, and boy and girl groups singing and dancing to the biggest hits might be Korean shortly.
– “Gangnam Style,” which broke YouTube records by becoming the first online video to reach a billion views, epitomises the Korean craze.
– Hallyu, or “The Korean Wave,” has seen the widespread export of Korean music, films, dramas, and even cosmetics worldwide. A slew of young actors, musicians, and directors are riding the wave. They are ready to take the stage and entertain the world.
– Rain, Lee Min Ho, and Big Bang have all already made inroads into foreign markets, with several more on the way.
– The Korean Wave isn’t going anywhere. And if you know how hard this country works. And you’ve been paying attention to how it trains its musicians, dancers, and actors. You can rest assured that Korea will never run out of incredible artists. To show off to the rest of the world.
So, what do you do when the best of the arts and entertainment choices are in Korean? You do, in fact, learn the language. You research it so that you can fully appreciate their films, songs, and dramas available. There will never be a shortage of incredible performers to show off to the rest of the world.
Conclusion:
Korean is the world’s sixteenth most widely popular language, with over 78 million speakers. Beyond the Korean peninsula and overseas Korean populations, Korean language learners have risen significantly in recent decades.
Korean is approaching you from all sides: economically, politically, socially, and in terms of entertainment. And it’s getting faster and faster every day.
Korean is not only a good but also a simple language to learn. The obvious choice for a language to learn is Korean, and the time to start is now.
So go ahead and dive in!
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