Learn Korean with these 12 YouTube Channels

YouTube is full of videos and useful resources to learn Korean. Through YouTube, it’s suddenly possible to tour Korean restaurants, immerse yourself in Korean pop culture, and engage with Korean speakers from the comfort of your couch.

Is it really possible to learn Korean through YouTube? Absolutely. Similar to the key takeaway of our post on language learning through Netflix, any resource’s value depends on how you use it. In this post, we’ll share a list of Korean-language YouTube channels that can pique your interest and accelerate your language learning progress.

Whether you’re a beginner, still piecing together Hangul and acquiring basic vocabulary or ready to start engaging with Korean content designed for Korean speakers, you’re sure to find a YouTube channel that will supplement your language-learning endeavours. Each channel listed below includes closed captions and make for great reading material on LingQ.

How can I pair YouTube with LingQ to more effectively learn Korean?

For language learners, mass immersion is essential. Consistently watching ample amounts of Korean content that you enjoy will do wonders to improve your grasp of the language. However, LingQ can supplement and enhance your learning.

LingQ offers a handy browser extension that can import content from YouTube. You can use the LingQ Importer (available for Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox) to create lessons on LingQ with your favourite YouTube content. While watching a YouTube video in Korean has its benefits, LingQ allows you to interact with the transcript, create flashcards instantly, and track your exposure to Korean more effectively.

For step-by-step instructions and a video tutorial on how to download and start using LingQ’s browser extension, check out our post here.

There are also lots of podcast courses to choose from in the Podcast shel in the Korean Library if you don’t feel like importing. Check it out!

12 YouTube Channels that You Can Use to Learn Korean

1. Learn Korean with GO! Billy Korean

Category: Korean Language & Culture

Learn Korean with GO! Billy Korean is a must-watch! Billy is from the United States, but he has been studying Korean since 2005 and has over a decade of online-teaching experience. His channel offers bite-sized lessons on grammar, pronunciation, and Hangul. You’ll also find full-length livestreams, lessons, and interviews on this channel.

2. Talk to Me in Korean

Category: Korean Language & Culture

Hyunwoo Sun created his YouTube channel, Talk to Me in Korean to address a need for more cultural content amongst Korean-language learners. As a language learner himself, Hyunwoo understands how learning a language comes in tandem with an increased intercultural perspective. A particular highlight of this channel is an entire playlist of native speakers engaging in natural conversation.

3. Korean Unnie

Category: Korean Language & Culture

This YouTube channel gives viewers concise lessons that target high-frequency vocabulary and basic conversation. The YouTube channel’s name translates to “older sister” in Korean, and the channel lives up to its name. The content on this channel consists of topics that you’d expect to learn from a wise older sister: the latest slang, how to sound “cute”, and inside perspectives on Korean education, religious beliefs, and names.

4. World of Dave

Category: Lifestyle, Vlogging

Dave Levene Jr. is an American who has lived in Korea for the past 15 years. His YouTube channel, World of Dave, includes videos on a wide range of topics such as Korean dialects, cultural differences, and food. There are also interviews and vlogs. The content on “World of Dave” is entertaining and informative, making it ideal YouTube content for learning Korean.

5. YTN – Yes! Top News

Category: Politics & Current Events

Stay up-to-date with current events while also practicing your Korean! YTN – Yes! Top News is a popular news channel from South Korea. The channel is known for its quick and comprehensive coverage of both global and national affairs. There is a mix of short news clips, longer investigative reports, and full-length broadcasts from Korea.

6. SyukaWorld

Category: Economics & Finance
For longer-form content on current issues – especially technology, economics, and finance – SyukaWorld is a great resource. Run by a former fund manager, this YouTube channel features videos that average 20-30 minutes in length and gives in-depth explorations of developments in economics and finance. The content is appropriate for advanced learners with a more solid grasp of the language.

7. Traveler Teddy

Category: Travel, Vlogging
For those who love to travel, Traveler Teddy provides a glimpse into the world through the eyes of Teddy, a self-proclaimed ordinary office worker who enjoys narrating his experiences in YouTube. In Korean, Teddy takes you on a virtual tour of Southeast Asia, featuring impressions and takeaways from travels within Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

8. Gabie Kook

Category: Cooking & Lifestyle
Gabie is a professional chef, formerly trained at Le Cordon Bleu. On her channel, Gabie shares recipes with directions in simple, easy-to-understand Korean. Additionally, she posts family vlogs that feature her her husband Josh (The Korean Englishman). This is a great channel to immerse yourself with language pertaining to daily life and food.

9. PONY Syndrome

Category: Beauty, Vlogging
Park Hye-min, the creator of PONY Syndrome, is a professional Korean makeup artist. In sharing her expertise, Park’s YouTube channel is at the forefront in popularizing Korean beauty trends. If you’re interested in makeup and skincare routines, why not try out some new looks while also brushing up your Korean?

10. Wassup Man

Category: Lifestyle, Vlogging
Korean-American actor and entertainer Joon Park documents his life in Korea and abroad on his widely popular channel, Wassup Man. Park’s entertaining vlogging style features travel, interviews and collaborations with other celebrities. He also posts food vlogs, restaurant reviews, and cultural experiences. Park’s adventures and videos are highly entertaining, making his YouTube channel excellent engaging content for those hoping to immerse themselves in the language.

11. Mat Sangmu

Category: Cooking
Is there a better way to learn Korean than watching high-quality food content on YouTube? Foodies will enjoy learning about regional Korean cuisine, popular restaurants, and trending snacks with Mat Sangmu. Get a glimpse into Korean culture with restaurant reviews and cooking demonstrations, all while engaging with the Korean language! You’ll be making your own bibim noodles and bulgogi in no time.

12. Banzz

Category: Mukbang, Food Reviews
The mukbang is one of the hallmark genres of Korean YouTube, and nobody creates this type of content better than Banzz. His channel features exclusively food-centered content, including food reviews and eating challenges featuring authentic Korean cuisine. Banzz discusses various topics while he eats and frequently engages viewers in his livestream videos.

Final Thoughts: Using LingQ to Learn Korean with YouTube

No time spent with a language is time wasted. It is absolutely possible to make great strides in your Korean language-learning goals by watching YouTube. Find content that interests you, immerse yourself in the language consistently, and enjoy the process.

If you’d like to take reap more benefit from this content, use LingQ to study the material more thoroughly. Watch the video once or twice with interactive subtitles, review key words or phrases that you’d like to retain, and track your exposure to the Korean language more accurately.

What type of Korean content do you enjoy? What are your tips to learn Korean through content found on YouTube? Let us know in the comments!