There's No Babbel Korean (Here Are Some Better Options)
- Written byDonovan NagelDonovan NagelTeacher, translator, polyglot🎓 B.A., Theology, Australian College of Theology, NSW🎓 M.A., Applied Linguistics, University of New England, NSW
Applied Linguistics graduate, teacher and translator. Founder of The Mezzofanti Guild and Talk In Arabic. - Read time3 mins
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Babbel currently doesn’t offer Korean.
As one of the most popular and well-marketed language apps, Babbel has been extremely successful teaching major European languages, but it hasn’t yet broken into the Korean market.
You can see my Babbel review or Babbel vs Duolingo comparison to learn more about the app.
As for Korean, even though there’s no Babbel Korean (yet), there are some excellent alternative apps and courses available. I’ve listed my favorite ones below, and you can also take a look at my beginner guide on learning Korean.
It’s also worth checking my Korean resource page after you’re done here.
Here are the best available alternatives to Babbel Korean.
1. Rocket Korean
Rocket Korean (both on web and mobile), my personal favorite Babbel Korean alternative on this list, is suited to the structured learner type. If you’re looking for a clear pathway from the basics (incl. reading and writing Korean script) up to a proficient level in Korean, you’ll enjoy it.
This course has always been the top of my recommendations for Korean learners (see my Rocket Korean review).
You can choose your own path and learn your own way if you prefer.
The course is primarily made up of podcasts and dialogues that teach Korean in a fun, clear and relaxing way but there also natural dialogues and plenty of other content delivery styles within the courses. This Babbel alternative covers all language skills equally well (including Korean writing), has other useful features and an in-built voice recognition system to test your pronunciation.
For a good, high quality Babbel Korean alternative, this is my first choice.
2. KoreanClass101
KoreanClass101 is one of the most popular online resources for learning Korean (especially listening comprehension). It’s very different to the style you see in Babbel but it’s very good.
KoreanClass101 uses podcast lessons to teach Korean.
Lessons are suitable for beginners through more advanced levels, with content being regularly updated.
The instruction includes listening skills as well as essential vocabulary and grammar with loads of other useful features.
The best part about KoreanClass101 is that it’s very inexpensive with the price starting around $4 per month (cheaper than Babbel!).
3. Pimsleur Korean
Pimsleur’s a household name in language learning and their Korean course is exceptional.
It’s an audio-only, SRS (spaced-repetition) language course so it’s quite different to Babbel in its approach (although now Pimsleur offers an online, visual component).
The lessons focus on practical vocabulary and expressions one might need in various scenarios. This includes greetings, common phrases, and vocabulary you might need when visiting South Korea.
The Pimsleur method prepares you with essential Korean to get by in your travels in a short period of time (see this Pimsleur review).
You have the option of buying the course outright or subscribing online as you would with Babbel Korean (very inexpensive option).
4. Mondly Korean
Mondly’s rapidly growing in popularity for many languages including Korean.
It’s become a close contender to Babbel in the mobile app space, and uniquely offers VR (virtual reality) learning as well.
Mondly’s much closer in style to Babbel so it might be a great alternative option for those wanting a very similar substitute for Babbel Korean.
It’s a beautifully—designed web app and the course content is enjoyable.
Even though there’s no Babbel Korean, there are some excellent alternatives
Hopefully you found that helpful.
Definitely get yourself a decent Korean book or two, and even more importantly, set up some weekly conversation lessons on italki. I’ve had plenty of success with low-cost teachers on there.
It’s hands-down the best service for connecting with Korean teachers and other learners.
If you’ve got kids learning Korean, then also see our list of Korean children’s resources.
For free Korean content, utilize Memrise and TTMIK, as well as podcasts and YouTube.
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