15 Best Podcasts For Learning Korean (Beginner To Advanced)

When learning Korean, podcasts are a great way to improve listening skills and learn more about Korean culture.

If you’re someone who likes to learn on the go, has a hard time sitting down and studying a grammar concept, or learns best with auditory instruction, then podcasts might be a great option for you.

There are a variety of Korean podcasts out there that vary in skill level and content, and it can often be hard and time-consuming to find the right podcast for you.

With this list, I’ll introduce you to my favorite podcasts for learning Korean.

By the end, you’ll have some new listening material to fit your interest and Korean skill level.

Beginner level

Essential Korean

This podcast is great for people who have an interest in Korean and are looking for a place to learn the basics.

This podcast was created by a veteran Korean teacher and Author who has published several books on learning Korean.

Essential Korean starts its podcast series out with a lesson on how to greet people in Korea and then advances in difficulty as the series progresses.

The podcast is mostly in English with example sentences given in Korean.

Essential Korean has a total of 44 episodes and is ongoing.

When you finish with the 44 episodes in the library you can expect a new episode every 2 weeks or so.

If you are looking for a podcast to guide you through the basics lesson by lesson, then this is the one for you.

Hangugeo con AngDuck for Beginners

Are you familiar with the Korean sentence structure, and know enough vocabulary to understand simple sentences, but still consider yourself a beginner? If this describes you, then this podcast might be what you are looking for.

Hangugeo con AngDuck for Beginners is completely in Korean, requiring a basic understanding of the language.

However, this podcast is still very much for beginners.

The narrator uses very simple Korean and talks slowly and clearly, great for beginner learners.

Each lesson is about 4 - 5 min long and covers everything from vocabulary to grammar.

There are a total of 54 episodes in this podcast series with the possibility of new episodes being uploaded.

Real-Life Korean Conversations for Beginners

Real-life Korean Conversations for Beginners was made by the team at Talk to Me in Korean, a name well-known among Korean language learners.

Like their other products, this podcast is high quality and is made with the learner in mind.

Real-Life Korean Conversations for Beginners is for those who know Korean sentence structure and basic vocabulary but are not quite confident with their conversation abilities.

Each episode is 2-3 minutes long and focuses on a different conversation.

An episode starts with the reading of a conversation and then the translation of vocabulary in the conversation.

If you like simple and short lessons when studying Korean then this might be the podcast for you.

KoreanClass101

This podcast is linked to a popular website Koreanclass101.

Just like the website, the podcast provides lessons on vocabulary, grammar, and culture.

Every episode is a mix of English and Korean and is under 20 min long.

There are currently 30 episodes in this ongoing series.

You can expect new episodes every week or so.

The Learn Korean series is great for beginners.

It starts with the pronunciation of the Korean alphabet and progresses in difficulty as the podcast goes on.

This podcast is heavier on vocabulary and phrases, so if you are looking for a podcast to learn grammar, this might not be the one for you.

If you are a beginner who wants to learn common phrases and basic vocabulary then try tuning in to this podcast.

Intermediate level

킹카 - Kingka Podcast

Do you like Korean movies or dramas? This podcast talks about the latest popular k-dramas and k-movies while teaching the latest trends in Korean culture and language.

Each episode is between 20 to 30 minutes long and is done almost entirely in English.

There are a total of 63 episodes in the series with a new episode posted every month or so.

While this podcast could be a fun listen for k-drama and k-movie lovers, it might not be the best fit for listeners solely focused on language learning.

The language learning time on the podcast is short compared to the time spent talking about Korean entertainment.

Talk To Me In Korean (TTMIK)

Talk to Me in Korean is one of the most well-known names in the Korean language learning world.

They have various Youtube channels, a website, books, and podcasts.

This podcast is the main series that they post most of their recorded episodes on.

The series has 610 episodes and counting.

You can find episodes on a variety of topics from news to common phrases to culture.

The episodes are a mix of English and Korean and range from beginner to intermediate difficulty.

With over 600 episodes, you are likely to find something that peaks your interest and helps you grow your Korean language skills.

This podcast is for people who already have a basic understanding of Korean and aren’t looking to strictly learn vocabulary and grammar.

Korean Study Cafe Podcast

This podcast is hosted by Vannessa a Native Korean teacher.

There are a total of 62 episodes in the podcast series.

The series consists of 3 different kinds of episodes, storytime, viewers Q&A and grammar/vocabulary practice.

All of the episodes are a mix of Korean and English.

Vanessa proves her experience as a Korean teacher in each lesson by mentioning common mistakes learners make and teaching simply so that the listener can easily follow along.

She also provides lots of examples to help her audience understand the nuances of Korean grammar and vocab.

This podcast is great for beginner and intermediate students.

If you are just beginning to learn Korean, I suggest you learn the Korean alphabet and basic pronunciation before you start this podcast.

Intermediate Korean

Just as the title of this podcast indicates, this podcast is for intermediate learners.

The grammar, vocabulary, and culture lessons are given almost entirely in Korean.

This podcast is great for listening practice and learning new phrases and vocabulary.

Each episode is short at around 5 minutes long.

The hosts don’t try to fit a lot of content into one episode, instead, each episode focuses on one expression, cultural topic or grammar principle.

If you are at the point where you can listen to and understand simple Korean conversations and want more listening practice, then this is the podcast for you.

Advanced level

한국어 한조각 - A Piece of Korean

This podcast is hosted by a professional Korean teacher.

Each episode covers a different recent topic or cultural happening.

If you are interested in listening to the news in Korean, there are many episodes in this podcast that explain and discuss hot topics in the Korean news using Korean news clips.

If you have no interest in the news, you can listen to the hosts talk about the latest concert they went to or the culture in Korea.

This podcast is 100% in Korean and is not slowed down much for the listener.

You will certainly learn new vocabulary and expressions when listening to this podcast.

It is also a great listen if you want to stay on top of recent happenings.

Talk To Me 100% In Korean

This is another podcast from the Talk to Me in Korean team.

Each episode is centered around a new topic or question that the hosts sit around and discuss in 15-20 minute episode segments.

The purpose of this podcast is to expose the listener to natural Korean conversation.

Every episode is done a mix of intermediate and advanced Korean.

The hosts are fun and the podcast is top quality.

If you are looking to learn natural Korean to use in conversation with natives then this podcast will be a great learning tool.

The series is ongoing with a new episode every two weeks or so.

Let’s Learn Korean

This is another podcast for k-drama fans.

Let’s Learn Korean teaches Korean by playing a clip from a popular drama and then walking through it by explaining the meaning of words and phrases in the drama’s dialogue.

By the end of each episode, the listener has learned dozens of new words and phrases and can understand a part of their favorite drama.

The series is 129 episodes long and is ongoing with new episodes being released at least once a week.

Each episode is about 10 - 15 minutes long and uses both English and Korean.

If you are a drama fan and an advanced-level Korean speaker, this podcast will certainly be a fun listen.

Korean New Yorker’s Diary

The host of this podcast Sophie Kim is a native Korean living in New York while teaching French at a local school.

Sophie uses this podcast to share her story and all the adventures she has as a Korean living in New York.

Sophie speaks in 100% natural Korean.

She doesn’t slow down her speed or use simpler vocabulary for the sake of those learning Korean.

Each story is entertaining and effective in giving advanced learners natural Korean listening practice.

There are a total of 43 episodes in the series, each between 5 - 15 minutes in length.

Sophie also provides the transcription of each episode on her blog so that devoted learners can read along while listening to the podcast.

Give it a listen if you are an advanced learner and like a casual listen.

한국어 con 앵덕 - Korean with Aengduck

This is the advanced version of the beginner podcast I recommend above.

The hosts talk about a variety of topics in 15 - 25 minute segments.

No matter what your interests are, you can probably find a topic that excites you in this podcast series.

The podcast is entirely in Korean and goes from intermediate to advanced level speaking depending on the topic of the podcast.

The host is conscious of her audience, speaking slowly and clearly so that listeners can understand everything she says.

The host’s soft voice and the variety topics that she talks about make this podcast a light, fun listen.

Iyagi - Natural Conversations for Learners

Iyagi is the romanization of the Korean word 이야기, which means talking or story.

The name of this podcast accurately describes its contents.

This series is done by the Talk To Me In Korean team and is very similar to the above podcast, Talk to Me 100% in Korean.

The hosts of the show choose a new topic every episode to discuss for 8 - 12 minutes.

The shows purpose is to expose listeners to natural Korean conversation and is therefore 100% in Korean.

The contents are not diffcult and every topic is centered around common conversation topics that you might have with friends or family.

Give this podcast a listen if you are looking to improve your conversation skills.

Korean Grammar with TTMIK

This last series is a compilation of all of Talk to Me in Korean’s grammar lessons.

It starts from the very basics of learning sentence structure to advanced grammar forms used in academics.

Whatever grammar you are looking to learn, this podcast probably has it.

Each episode teaches one grammar form in about 10 - 20 minutes.

The Talk to Me in Korean team truly are masters at teaching Korean and this is apparent in Korean grammar with TTMIK.

When teaching a new grammar form the meaning is explained in both Korean and English.

Many examples are then given and explained.

At the end of each episode the listener is given the opportunity to use the grammar themselves.

Conclusion

That’s it for my list of best podcasts for learning Korean.

I hope these recommendations introduced you to some new podcasts and leads you to what you are looking for.

Also see our lists of Korean courses and apps if you’re looking for some more substantive resources.

No matter which podcast you tune into, if you consistently make efforts to listen to and learn Korean, you will certainly see improvements in your Korean listening comprehension.

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