In an electrifying global phenomenon, the irresistible allure of K-pop has captivated hearts and ears worldwide. With its infectious melodies, dynamic performances, and charismatic idols, K-pop has transcended cultural boundaries, creating a fervent fanbase that spans continents.
Learning Korean not only opens doors to fully appreciating the nuances of K-pop's lyrics and conversations, but also grants you access to a world of opportunities, from enhanced travel experiences to fostering cross-cultural connections.
As the popularity of K-pop continues to soar, the benefits of learning Korean have never been more evident or rewarding.
If you've ever wished you could understand the lyrics to your favourite K-pop songs without having to refer to the translations or are planning to visit South Korea in the not-too-distant future, you'll find it worthwhile to devote some time to picking up the Korean language.
Bustling Seoul. Image: shawnanggg on Unsplash
1. Learn Korean with the Cake app
Introducing the Cake app, an app previously used by many Koreans to learn and practise the English language in the comfort of their own homes. Owing to popular demand, they've finally added Korean language learning materials to their library.
Here is what you can expect from an app which has amassed over 100 million downloads worldwide to date.
2. Exclusive content featuring your favourite K-pop idols
Ever wished you could slow down a Korean drama just so you could analyse the Korean sentences and words used by the cast? You can now do so with the Cake app.
Bite-size clips by your favourite celebrities like BTS, Sandara Park, Choi Woo-Shik, and Jeon SoMi, as well as extracts from Korean dramas are transcribed and translated into English.
It's not just the translation, grammar and vocabulary learning points are also displayed to aid you in your understanding.
Below is one example of a conversation between BTS members being broken down into bite-size clips and translated together with vocabulary learning points.
Subscribe to your favourite celebrity's channel to receive all the latest updates about new learning materials featuring your idol!
3. Structured and systematic learning programme
Whether you are a total novice who does not know the difference between kimchi and kimbap, or if you already have some background in Korean language, you can choose to learn from learning materials of varying difficulty levels such as 'Beginner', 'Elementary', and 'Intermediate'.
Choose a topic of your choice and study step-by-step with the 'class' feature.
This feature, which is created by Korean language professionals, allows you to practise conversational speaking and listening at your own pace and comfort level.
A guided speaking class allows you to learn from native pronunciation and repeat it as many times as you would like.
As you learn from the various conversation examples, you will become familiar with the different Korean accents and pronunciations.
The AI within the Cake app even checks your pronunciation and grades you accordingly. 2 stars are awarded for each sentence given a grade of B and above, and we received 6 stars for this practice below. Not bad for a novice, right?
4. Daily updates
In addition to their trove of content from K-drama and celebrities, Cake also produces their own original content to supplement the learning of their members. Fast learners will be glad to know that their content library is also updated daily!
5. Bookmark and review
Exercises in which you have made mistakes in, as well as bookmarked materials, sentences, and key expressions are all neatly organised on a page. This encourages you to review areas which you find yourself to be weaker in, and practise as much as you would like until you become proficient in them.
In-app learning reminders encourage you to build on your progress and create learning streaks to help you achieve your goals faster. If only we had a learning companion like this during our schooling days.
6. Cake Plus subscription
While you get to enjoy the basic features on the Cake app for free, a Cake Plus subscription gives you unlimited access to the entire Cake library without any restrictions.
Plus, you do not have to worry about getting interupted by annoying ads just when you are about to begin your new class. You also get to save and review unlimited sentences and words in your personal review page!
7. 50% OFF for merewards members
From now till 31 December 2023, merewards has partnered with Cake for exclusive discounts on the Cake Plus subscription plans. Here is the promotional pricing you get to enjoy as a merewards member:
- 50% OFF 1-Month Cake Plus Subscription at $9.99 (U.P. $19.99)
- 50% OFF 3-Month Cake Plus Subscription at $29.99 (U.P. $59.97)
- 50% OFF 12-Month Cake Plus Subscription at $54.99 (U.P. $109.98)
Embark on an exciting Korean language learning journey with Cake and discover the many ways you can enjoy picking up a new language with your favourite idols and AI-enabled features.
Discount codes are limited so be sure to grab them early!