Skip to content
15% OFF All Language Classes   Register Today

Korean Language Facts

If you’re thinking about learning Korean it’s always good to know a little about the origins and history of the language you are learning. Here, Cactus Language offers up our most interesting Korean language facts:

  • Korean
let’s go

5 Interesting Korean Language Facts

1. Korean is one of the world’s oldest living languages

Korean is spoken by nearly 80 million native speakers worldwide. There are several different theories, linking the origins of the Korean language with Japanese, Chinese and even Tibetan, though most linguistics classify Korean as the largest language isolate in the world. The earliest historical records of the language implicate that there were two different languages spoken in Korea and it was only in the 7th century that the Silla dialect became the dominant language in all of Korea. Due to the separation of the two countries North and South Korea have evolved distinct vocabularies, pronunciations and grammar.

2. Korean Pop Culture has become immensely popular in the last decade

K-Pop bands such as BTS, G-Dragon and Red Velvet which have gained huge international popularity, with fans travelling from overseas to see them in concert and sold out world tours. K-Pop is characterised by a mixture of Western sounds with an Asian performance. The most popular singles even come with their own choreography, including a key dance move, that fans can learn at home. The most well-known Korean dance move is from Psy’s Gangnam Style. As of 2018 the music video has a whopping 3 Billion views on YouTube and is one of the most watched YouTube videos of all time.

3. Korean has some famous tongue twisters

One of the most famous Korean tongue twisters is: “Kanjang kongjang kongjang-jang-ǔn jang kongjang-jang-igo toenjang kongjang kongjang-jang-ǔn kang kongjang-jang-ida” it can be translated to “The factory manager of the soy sauce factory is factory manager Chang and the factory manager of the soybean paste factory is factory manager Kang.”

4. Hangul is one of the youngest alphabets worldwide and linguists love it

Hangual is often described as being the “most perfect phonetic system” with an alphabet that fits the language like a glove. That is partially because the shape of the letters actually mimics the shape of your tongue while pronouncing them. The language is so popular with native speakers that both South and North Korea have a national holiday to honour their language.

5. Verbal humour is frowned upon in Korea

Humour is a deeply rooted in the culture of a county and in the UK we are used to primarily verbal humour, such as puns and sarcasm. In Korea, that is mostly frowned upon, as there are strict social expectations to convey respect and deference, especially towards elders and superiors. Therefore Korean humour is mostly based on physical jokes, and there are many Korean variety shows and game shows, the most popular being “Running Man”, “Knowing Bros” and “We got Married”. In those shows the contestants are put into unusual situations and the comedy just seems to happen naturally. The game shows can be fun to watch even if you have just started learning Korean, as most jokes are emphasised by sound effects and cartoons.

How to book with Cactus

Select language

Simply select which language you would like to learn and from the box below and click lets go.

Take level test

This is a quick test to help you find the right course for your current level of knowledge.

Book your course

Use our simple online booking system to select your course.

  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Cantonese
  • Catalan
  • Czech
  • Croatian
  • Danish
  • Dutch
  • English
  • Greek
  • Hebrew
  • Hindi
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Mandarin
  • Norwegian
  • Polish
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Swedish
  • Thai
  • Turkish
  • Ukrainian
let’s go

Frequently asked questions

What will I learn?

Our Course Outlines give an overview of the content and learning framework of Cactus courses. Includes themes, grammar and vocabulary you can typically expect to cover. These are intended as a guide only. Language teachers may at times adapt the course content to suit the specific level, aims and interests of the class.

How do I know what level I am?

Are you unsure where to start or progress to? Then take our level test and read our level descriptions for guidance.

Do I receive a qualification or certificate?

At the end of your course you receive a certificate of participation. You will be able to be download it from your MyCactus account. This confirms the language and level of course you have taken. Our course levels are based on two internationally recognised systems. You will have a universally accepted reference for your studies. (Important: Please note that you must complete the end of course questionnaire sent to you to be able to get your certificate! You will receive the course questionnaire by e-mail at the end of your course.)

Do I need a course book?

You will need a course book to attend your course. Course books are not included in the course fees. We recommend that you buy your own course book separately before your course starts. We will let you know which course book you will require and advise where you can purchase this. Please note that a course book often covers more than one level. So if you progress to the next course, you may not necessarily need to buy a new book. Again, we will advise you of this at the time. The course book is chosen by our teachers and academic team. This is based on which book is most suitable for the level of the class whilst offering the most communicative approach.

Still have questions?

Sign up for our offers

Exclusive discounts on your course with Cactus directly on your inbox!