What are the motivations to learn Korean?
If you’ve never explored Asia before, then the Korean culture will mesmerize you completely. Korean is an East Asian language spoken by about 77.2 million people. It is the official and national language of both Koreas North Korea and South Korea, with different standardized official forms used in each country. It is a recognised minority language in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture and Changbai Korean Autonomous County of Jilin Province, China. It is also spoken in parts of Sakhalin, Russia and Central Asia. Korean culture is one of the most inviting cultures, mainly due to its aesthetics and warmth. The linguistic homeland of this language is suggested to be somewhere in Manchuria. Korean also introduces learners to the vibrant culture of ‘Hallyu – The Korean Wave’. A Chinese term given to the incredible growth of the Korean culture, it includes everything from music, movies, drama, Korean cuisine to online games. Historical and modern linguists classify Korean as an isolate language, though it is commonly included by proponents of the Altaic family. It also does have a few extinct relatives, which together with Korean itself and the Jeju language (spoken in the Jeju Province and considered somewhat distinct) form the Koreanic language family.