Korean Lessons by Level: Free TOPIK 1–6 Course
A free, step-by-step Korean course following the TOPIK 1–6 grade system (NIKL standard) — 161 lessons by Alvin Lim, Certified Korean Language Teacher (Level 2). Each lesson has grammar, real examples and a quiz at the end to lock it in.
152 core lessons 6 levels Quiz in every lesson 10,890 words in the word bank
🌱Level 1 · TOPIK 1
26 lessonsHangeul, greetings, survival basics
Chapter 1 First contact
1 L1-01 Learn Hangul in One Sitting: Korean Vowels and Consonants Explained Read every Korean vowel and consonant. 2 L1-02 Batchim Explained: Korean Final Consonants and the 7 Sounds They Make Learn how to read Batchim and linking rules. 3 L1-03 Basic Korean Greetings: 안녕하세요 and the Formal Essentials Say hello, thank you and goodbye politely. 4 L1-04 Introduce Yourself in Korean: 저는 ~입니다 and 이에요/예요 Say your name, country and job.
Chapter 2 Things & numbers
5 L1-05 This, That and What in Korean: 이거, 그거, 저거 and 뭐예요 Point at things and ask what they are. 6 L1-06 Korean Verb Conjugation: the 해요 Form Rule (-아요/-어요) Turn any verb into the everyday 해요 form. 7 L1-07 Sino-Korean Numbers: 일, 이, 삼 to 만 and Reading Prices Read prices, dates and phone numbers. 8 L1-08 Native Korean Numbers and Counters: Count Like a Local Count people, things and hours.
Chapter 3 My day, my people
9 L1-09 Telling Time in Korean: The Hour-Minute Number Rule Mix both number systems to tell the time. 10 L1-10 Korean Dates and Months: 유월, 시월, and the Sino Rule Say any date, including 유월 and 시월. 11 L1-11 Korean Family Terms: Why 'Older Brother' Has Two Words Name your family and speak politely about them. 12 L1-12 Korean Location Words: 어디, 있어요, and Position Nouns Say where things are and ask where.
Chapter 4 Survival Korean
13 L1-13 Daily Routine in Korean: 에서 for Places and -고 있다 for Right Now Describe your day from morning to night. 14 L1-14 Korean Negation: 안 vs 못, 이/가 아니에요, and -지 않다 Say what you don’t or can’t do. 15 L1-15 Ordering Food in Korean: 주세요, -(으)세요, and 하고 (And) Order a meal and ask for extras. 16 L1-16 Shopping in Korean: 얼마예요?, 이것만 주세요, and 한테/에게 Ask the price and buy things.
Chapter 5 Express yourself
17 L1-17 Hobbies in Korean: 좋아하다 vs 좋다, -고, and the 도 Particle Talk about what you like doing. 18 L1-18 Korean Weather Words: 보다 Comparisons, -아/어서 and -지만 Describe the weather and compare two things. 19 L1-19 Korean Past Tense: -았/었어요 and Talking About Yesterday Talk about what you did yesterday. 20 L1-20 Korean Future Tense: -(으)ㄹ 거예요 for Plans, -겠- for Now Talk about plans and what you will do.
Chapter 6 Connect & complete
21 L1-21 Korean Want, Can, Must: -고 싶다, -(으)ㄹ 수 있다, -아/어야 돼요 Say what you want, can and must do. 22 L1-22 Making Plans in Korean: -(으)ㄹ까요? for Suggestions and -(으)니까 for Reasons Suggest a plan and give your reason. 23 L1-23 Getting Around in Korean: -(으)러 가다 for Purpose and (으)로 for How You Go Say where you are going and why. 24 L1-24 Korean Grade 1 Complete: 45 Grammar Points + Mini TOPIK Test Review level 1 and test yourself.
Extra Vocab packs
🌿Level 2 · TOPIK 2
29 lessonsDaily life — places, transport, favors
Chapter 1 Describing my world
1 L2-01 Korean -네요 and -지요: React and Catch Up Naturally React naturally and catch up with friends. 2 L2-02 Korean -을게요: Offer and Promise (설거지는 제가 할게요) Offer to help and split the chores. 3 L2-03 Korean Adnominal: Describing People (키가 큰 사람) Describe what a person looks like. 4 L2-04 Korean Clothes Shopping: 입어 보세요 + Past Adnominal Try clothes on and say what you bought.
Chapter 2 City navigator
5 L2-05 Asking Directions in Korean: -다가, ㄷ-Irregular, and (으)로 Ask for directions and follow the route. 6 L2-06 Korean Transport & Travel Time: 에서부터, -는 동안에, 걸리다 Say how long the trip takes. 7 L2-07 Korean at the Post Office: 에게/한테, 에게서, and -어 주다 Send a parcel and ask for a favor. 8 L2-08 Korean Public Places & Etiquette: -어도 되다, -으면 안 되다, 밖에 Ask what is and isn’t allowed.
Chapter 3 Body & heart
9 L2-09 Korean at the Doctor's: -을 때 (When) + Symptom Words Describe your symptoms at a clinic. 10 L2-10 Korean at the Pharmacy: -으면 (If) and -지 마세요 (Don't) Buy medicine and follow the dosage. 11 L2-11 Korean -는 것 같다: “I Think / It Seems” + Feeling Words Guess how someone feels and say it gently. 12 L2-12 Korean -을까 봐: “Worried That…” + Comforting Words Say what worries you and comfort a friend.
Chapter 4 Experiences & plans
13 L2-13 Korean -은 지 and -은 적이 있다: Your Time and Tales in Korea Say how long you’ve been here and what you’ve tried. 14 L2-14 Korean -기로 하다 and -거나: Making Travel Plans Decide on a trip and list the options. 15 L2-15 Korean -을래요 and 에다가: Making a Reservation Book a table and say what you’ll have. 16 L2-16 Korean -어 있다 vs -고 있다: Describing a Room and Old Photos Describe a room and old photos.
Chapter 5 Social Korean
17 L2-17 Korean 께 and -군요: Inviting People and Saying 'Oh, I See!' Invite someone and react with “oh, I see”. 18 L2-18 Korean -는 것 and -으면서: Talk About Cooking Together Talk about cooking together with friends. 19 L2-19 Korean Phone Calls: 여보세요, -게, and 바꿔 주세요 Make and take a phone call in Korean. 20 L2-20 Declining Politely in Korean: -기 때문에, -는데, -을 수밖에 없다 Say no politely and give a reason.
Chapter 6 Registers & wrap-up
21 L2-21 Korean 합니다체: The Formal-Polite Register for Presentations Speak in the formal 합니다 style. 22 L2-22 Korean 반말: How to Speak Casually with Close Friends Speak casually with close friends. 23 L2-23 Korean -게 되다 and 마다: Telling How You've Changed Talk about how you have changed. 24 L2-24 Korean Grade 2 Complete: 45 Grammar Points + Mini TOPIK Test Review level 2 and test yourself.
Extra Vocab packs
📦 V2-01 Korean Place Vocabulary: Everyday Locations You Need to Know Everyday places and how to say where. 📦 V2-02 Left, Right, Straight in Korean: 36 Direction & Position Words Left, right, straight and position words. 📦 V2-03 Transportation in Korea: Vocabulary for Getting Around Like a Local Get around by subway, bus and taxi. 📦 V2-04 Korean Nature & Weather Vocabulary: Seasons, Sky, and Small Talk Weather and nature words for small talk. 📦 V2-05 Home Appliances in Korea: The Vocabulary You Need for Daily Life Name the appliances in a Korean home.
🧩Level 3 · TOPIK 3
30 lessonsWork, devices, real conversations
Chapter 1 Campus & connections
1 L3-01 Korean -는 중이다 and -었었-: Catching Up at the 어학당 Catch up on what you’re up to at 어학당. 2 L3-02 Korean -이고, -은 편이다 and -고 싶어 하다: Talking About Campus Life Talk about your major and campus life. 3 L3-03 Korean -거든요 vs -잖아요: Explaining Yourself to a Friend Explain your side to a friend. 4 L3-04 Korean -느라고, -고 말다 and -어야겠다: How to Apologize Apologize and explain what went wrong.
Chapter 2 Feelings, body & impressions
5 L3-05 Korean -나 보다 and -은가 보다: Guessing From What You See Guess what’s going on from what you see. 6 L3-06 Korean -어지다, -어 오다, -어 가다: A Fitness Journey Talk about getting fitter over time. 7 L3-07 Korean -을 텐데 and -을 테니까: Asking Favors Politely Ask a favor politely and offer to help. 8 L3-08 Korean -어 보이다, 같이, 만큼: Giving Compliments Give compliments and reply modestly.
Chapter 3 City life level-up
9 L3-09 Korean -으려면, -는 대신에, -는 반면(에): House-Hunting at the 부동산 Rent a place and weigh the trade-offs. 10 L3-10 Korean -어야, -어야지(요), 대로: Opening a Bank Account Open a bank account and handle the paperwork. 11 L3-11 Korean -었더니, -다가, -으려다(가): Getting a Device Repaired Explain a broken device and get it fixed. 12 L3-12 Korean -어 가지고, -으면 안 되다, 뿐 (+ㅎ-irregular): Exchanges & Refunds Exchange an item or ask for a refund.
Chapter 4 Workplace & written Korean
13 L3-13 Korean -기 위해(서), 에 대해(서), 으로부터: Job Hunting Talk about job hunting and your goals. 14 L3-14 Korean -도록, -고 나다, -은 결과: The Job Interview Prepare for and get through an interview. 15 L3-15 Korean Written Style -ㄴ다/-다 and -(으)나: Keeping a Diary Write a diary in plain written style. 16 L3-16 Korean -게 하다, -어/아 드리다, -자마자: Your First Week at Work Get through your first week at work.
Chapter 5 Holidays, trips & banmal
17 L3-17 Korean -어도/아도 and -으면 좋겠다: Traditional Holidays Talk about Korean holidays and your wishes. 18 L3-18 Korean -어/아 놓다, -어/아 두다, -은 다음에: Holiday Preparations Get everything ready before a holiday. 19 L3-19 Korean -던, -던데(요), -어/아다가: Telling Travel Stories Tell the story of a past trip. 20 L3-20 Korean Casual Speech Deepened: -자, -니?, -구나, and 아/야 Use casual speech the way friends really do.
Chapter 6 Reported speech
21 L3-21 Korean Direct Quotation: "…"(이)라고 하다 and 보고 Quote someone’s exact words. 22 L3-22 Korean Indirect Quotation: -다고 하다 and -(느)냐고 하다 Relay what someone said or asked. 23 L3-23 Korean Quoting Commands & Requests: -(으)라고 하다 and -자고 하다 Relay orders, suggestions and requests. 24 L3-24 Korean Passing Messages: -거든 and -(으)니 Pass on a message and report what you found.
Chapter 7 Stories, news & wrap-up
25 L3-25 Korean Onomatopoeia & Mimetic Words: 반짝반짝, 두근두근, and -은/는/을 만큼 Use sound and manner words to tell stories. 26 L3-26 Korean Passive Verbs (피동): 이/히/리/기, -어지다, and -어 있다 Say something got done, without naming who. 27 L3-27 Reading Korean News (보도체): Decoding Report Style Read Korean news in report style. 28 L3-28 Korean Grade 3 Complete: 67 Grammar Points + Mini TOPIK II Test Review level 3 and test yourself.
Extra Vocab packs
🚀Level 4 · TOPIK 4
28 lessonsWorkplace Korean, media, idioms
Chapter 1 Workplace Korean
1 L4-01 Korean Workplace Reporting: -는 대로, -더라도, -고서 Report progress and take instructions. 2 L4-02 Korean Business Email: -고자 and -기에 Write a formal work email. 3 L4-03 Korean Meeting Phrases: -다시피, -는지, -나(요) Run and follow a work meeting. 4 L4-04 Korean Causative Verbs: 사동 (-이/히/리/기/우-, -게 하다, 시키다) Say you made or let someone do something.
Chapter 2 Rumors & retelling
5 L4-05 Korean Rumor Quotes: -대요, -래요, -재요, -냬요 Pass on gossip with short quote endings. 6 L4-06 Korean Retrospective: -던데, -더라, -더군 Report what you saw with your own eyes. 7 L4-07 Korean Surprise Reactions: -다니, 까지 React with shock and disbelief. 8 L4-08 Korean -더니, -어서인지: Noticing Change Point out how something has changed.
Chapter 3 Media & trends
9 L4-09 Korean Drama Reviews: -거니와, -고요 Review a drama and stack up the praise. 10 L4-10 K-pop & Fandom Korean: 이야, (이)나마 Talk about K-pop the way fans do. 11 L4-11 Korean Slang & Abbreviations: 이란, -는다거나 Explain slang and give examples. 12 L4-12 Korean Event Reviews: -고 보니, -는 듯, -을 모양이다 Review a concert or festival you went to.
Chapter 4 Incidents & accidents
13 L4-13 Korean Accident Stories: -는 바람에, -을 뻔하다 Tell the story of an accident or near-miss. 14 L4-14 Korean Excuses & Causes: -는 사이에, -는 탓에, -는 통에 Explain what went wrong and why. 15 L4-15 Korean Incident News: (으)로 인해, 마저 Read accident and disaster news. 16 L4-16 Korean Expressing Regret: -(으)ㄹ걸, -아/어 버리다, -나 싶다 Say what you should have done.
Chapter 5 Society in numbers
17 L4-17 Korean Graphs & Statistics: 에 따르면, 에 비해, -(으)ㄹ수록 Describe a graph and compare the figures. 18 L4-18 Korean Environment Talk: -는 한, (이)든 -든지 Talk about the environment and set conditions. 19 L4-19 Korean Education Debate: 은/는커녕, 치고, -다면 Debate education and flip an expectation. 20 L4-20 Korean Social Change: -는 줄 알다, (이)면, -(으)려야 Talk about how society has changed.
Chapter 6 Idioms & real talk
21 L4-21 Korean Proverbs & Body Idioms ①: -듯이, -아라/어라 Use common proverbs and body idioms. 22 L4-22 Korean Favors & Soft Refusals: -는 김에, -고 해서, (이)라도 Ask a favor and turn one down gently. 23 L4-23 Korean Complaints & Conflict: -고 들다, -고도, -아/어 대다 Complain and handle a disagreement. 24 L4-24 Korean Banmal ②: -아/어야지, -게 (Resolutions & Chiding) Make resolutions and chide in casual speech.
Chapter 7 The formal stage
25 L4-25 Korean Job Interview Language: -으로서, -을 따름이다, -이며 Speak formally in a job interview. 26 L4-26 Korean Presentation Language: -(으)며, -(으)로써, signposting Give a presentation with formal signposting. 27 L4-27 Korean Formal Written Register: -(으)므로, 에 의하여, -는다 Write in the formal, official register. 28 L4-28 Korean Grade 4 Complete: 67 Grammar Points + Mini TOPIK II Review level 4 and test yourself.
🎯Level 5 · TOPIK 5
24 lessonsNews, business, nuance
Chapter 1 Nuance & lived stories
1 L5-01 Korean Experience Storytelling: -더라고요, -데요, -었던 Tell what you learned from experience. 2 L5-02 Korean Advanced Reactions: -다니, -네, -는걸 React with disbelief and fresh realization. 3 L5-03 Korean Shades of Guessing: -는 듯하다, -으려나 보다 Pick the right shade of guessing. 4 L5-04 Sageuk Korean Drama Speech: -거라, -을 테다, -을 테면 Recognize archaic commands in historical dramas.
Chapter 2 News literacy: politics & economy
5 L5-05 Korean News Headlines: -다, 에 관하여, -는 가운데 Read and write news-style headlines. 6 L5-06 Korean Economy News: 에도 불구하고, -는데도, -는데도 불구하고 Concede the facts in economic news. 7 L5-07 Korean Media Literacy: 조차, -기만 하다, -을 법하다 Check the facts and question a headline. 8 L5-08 Korean Word-of-Mouth Shopping: -는다기에, -자기에, -길래 Buy something because of what you heard.
Chapter 3 Business Korean & honorifics
9 L5-09 Korean Work-Life Balance: 따라, -게 생겼다, -고는 하다 Gripe about work and long hours. 10 L5-10 Advanced Korean Honorifics: 압존법, 간접높임, -기에 앞서 Handle honorifics at work without slipping. 11 L5-11 Korean Negotiation: -는 이상, -을지라도, -으면 몰라도 Negotiate and hold your line. 12 L5-12 Korean Business Emails: -을 테지만, 를 가지고 Write a polished business email.
Chapter 4 Academic writing launchpad
13 L5-13 Korean Academic Writing: Posing the Question with -는가, 이라든가 Open an essay by posing the question. 14 L5-14 Korean Essay Generalization: -기 마련이다, -는 법이다, -기가 쉽다 Generalize a claim in an essay. 15 L5-15 Korean Cause & Effect Writing: -은 나머지, -는다는 것이, -어 내다 Link cause and effect in an essay. 16 L5-16 Korean Essay Counterargument: -느니, 는 말할 것도 없고, -지 Rebut the other side in an essay.
Chapter 5 Korean society in depth
17 L5-17 Korean Demographic Trends: -을뿐더러, -는 데다가, -는 동시에 Describe population trends and stack reasons. 18 L5-18 Korean Education & Society: -기 나름이다, -기에 따라 Debate education and what results depend on. 19 L5-19 Korean Nunchi & Saving Face: -는 척하다, -은 채로, -다가는 Talk about face, nunchi and pretending. 20 L5-20 Korean Four-Character Idioms (사자성어): 설상가상, 고진감래 & 10 More Use twelve everyday four-character idioms.
Chapter 6 Hedging & emphasis
21 L5-21 Softening Korean Speech: -을 만하다 (Understandable / Worth It) and -지 않을까 싶다 Soften your words and show empathy. 22 L5-22 Korean Pushback & Emphasis: -는다니, -고말고 (and recognizing -으려고) Push back on a claim and agree emphatically. 23 L5-23 Korean Register Switching: Spoken, Written, and Formal Switch between spoken, written and formal. 24 L5-24 Korean Grade 5 Complete: 56 Grammar Points + Mini TOPIK II Review level 5 and test yourself.
🏆Level 6 · TOPIK 6
24 lessonsNear-native — debate, literature
Chapter 1 Expert discourse
1 L6-01 Korean Science Discourse: -되 (do X, but) and -이라야 (only if it is) Read and discuss science in Korean. 2 L6-02 Korean Psychology Discourse: -을라치면 (whenever you try to), -노라면, -기 일쑤이다 Discuss the mind in written register. 3 L6-03 Korean Economics Discourse: 마는 (it did, but), 이라면 (as for), -느니만큼 Read and discuss economic news. 4 L6-04 Legal Korean: -은들 (even if, it’s futile), 는 마당에 (now that), and contract-style -되 Read contracts and everyday legal Korean.
Chapter 2 Debate & argumentation
5 L6-05 Opening a Korean Debate: -건대 (I ask/declare that) and -는가 (the essay question) Open a debate and state your thesis. 6 L6-06 The Art of the Korean Rebuttal: -건만, -기로서니, -으련마는 Concede a point, then counter it. 7 L6-07 Korean Dilemma Logic: -자니 (if I try to), -을 바에(는) (rather than), -을망정 (even though) Argue both sides of a dilemma. 8 L6-08 Korean Persuasion & Intent: -는다고 (in order to / claiming) and -자면 (if we are to) Read the motive and close your argument.
Chapter 3 Literature in the original
9 L6-09 Reading Korean Poetry: -으리라, -으리오, -디 (Sowol and Dong-ju) Read Sowol and Dong-ju in the original. 10 L6-10 The 하게체 Speech Level in Fiction: -게, -네, -나 (recognition) Recognize 하게체 in classic fiction. 11 L6-11 Haoche in Fiction: -으오, -소, -구려, -는구려 (recognition only) Recognize 하오체 in older fiction. 12 L6-12 Folk Songs & Old Tales: 을랑, -거들랑, -으려도 Read Arirang and old folk tales.
Chapter 4 Idioms & four-character sayings II
13 L6-13 Advanced Korean Idioms II: -기 짝이 없다, -어 치우다, and 이라고는 Use emphatic idioms like a native speaker. 14 L6-14 Satire in Korean: the Sardonic Forms 깨나 and 이라고 Use satire and sardonic proverbs. 15 L6-15 Four-Character Idioms II — Stories Behind the Sayings: -라2 Learn the stories behind four-character idioms. 16 L6-16 Four-Character Idioms in the News: -으래서야 Spot four-character idioms in the news.
Chapter 5 Style master: news & register
17 L6-17 Korean News Headline Grammar: -으리라는, -는다는 Decode compressed news headlines. 18 L6-18 Korean Editorial Style: -는다던가, -으리라고, -자면 Read op-eds and hear their critical tone. 19 L6-19 Korean Retrospective Questions: -던, -던가 Look back and question your own memory. 20 L6-20 The Korean Formality Spectrum: One Sentence, Seven Outfits Say one sentence in every speech level.
Chapter 6 Korea studies & wrap-up
21 L6-21 The Miracle on the Han: 를 막론하고 (regardless of, without exception) Read about Korea’s rapid industrialization. 22 L6-22 Korea's Road to Democracy: -는 한이 있어도 (even at the cost of) Read about Korea’s democracy movement. 23 L6-23 Sageuk & Drama Korean: -는구먼, -는구만, -그려, -으니 Recognize folksy and elder speech in sageuk. 24 L6-24 Korean Grade 6 Complete: 56 Grammar Points + Mini TOPIK II — and the Whole Course Done Review level 6 and finish the course.