This is a textbook for
learning the Korean
language through self-study or in a classroom setting. It is a very easy and helpful
method which I recommend to all students of Korean. The book is available as a set with three audio tapes which is recommended, to help the
student learn the sounds of Korean.The first 5 lessons are dedicated to
learning Hangul, the Korean alphabet. Yes, Korean has an alphabet rather than a system of many characters as Chinese has. The thorough method employed by this book will help the student to master the Hangul writing system, and the Hangul writing is used for the Korean language throughout the book.In other Korean methods, there is a system of transliteration employed--- the Korean is written in Latin letters, as English is--- and so the hapless student must learn two writing systems for Korean--- the transliteration used in his text (which is often not very exact) and the Hangul system. Lesson Six and beyond introduce Korean phrases and sentences in dialog format. New word lists are given, and short, easy explanations of the grammar needed to understand the lesson.Having acquired a number of learning books in my attempts to learn Korean, I find this is the best of the lot. But why learn Korean, you may ask. Well, I could drone on about how important Korean is in today's world, or Korean history and culture, but the real reason is this: Korean dramas (with English subtitles) are the best stuff on television these days. They are available on the KBS America channel on Dish Network. And picking up a little Korean makes the dramas all the more enjoyable.