Learning a new language is hard – in fact, it’s often VERY hard. This is more true than ever when it comes to Korean. Although certain aspects of the language are easier than others, Korean is regarded as one of the hardest languages in the world to learn for those of use coming from Latin-based languages.
It is for this reason that today I want to share with you what I believe to be one of the best ways to learn Korean – a website named 90 Day Korean. This website excels in providing in-depth explanations of rules and language concepts while only focusing on only what is essential to know.
In this post, I am going to give you an introduction to the website as well as an overview of what you can expect. I think that 90 Day Korean is a good way to learn Korean, and I want to share my experiences with it. I’ve used it for around 2 months at this point and this is what I’ve found while using it.
If you are looking for more platforms to learn Korean on, make sure to check out my recent post on the best ways to learn Korean. In it, I cover online classes, tutors, books, websites, and more! Whether you are looking for the fastest way to learn Korean, the cheapest way, or otherwise I have it covered.
On the other hand, if you are just wanting to learn the bare essentials for traveling in Korea I also have an article covering basic Korean travel phrases that you should know. With that being said, let’s get started with this review of 90 Day Korean!
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please refer to my affiliate disclaimer. I was given temporary free access to 90 Day Korean for the purposes of this review. However, I would never recommend a product or service that I don’t believe in.
Why 90 Day Korean Is a Great Way to Learn Korean
90 Day Korean is unique in the way that it teaches students, and this is what sets it apart from the competition. The idea behind 90 Day Korean is simple, and best stated on their website. We help people learn to have a 3-minute conversation in Korean in the first 90 days. From there we help people hit their Korean goals using 90-day goalposts.
In other words, you will be setting 3-monthly goals and working towards them. The most important thing here, however, is the 3 minute conversation within 90 days. This will be taught using the 80/20 rule – teaching users the 20% of vocabulary that is used 80% of the time.
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Where many services try to make you memorise grammar, or to teach you largely irrelevant content, 90 Day Korean sticks to the basics. The language parts that you need to know to have a 3 minute conversation within 90 days.
After living in Korea and taking many language classes (including, but not limited to those offered by Ewha University and Korea University) I appreciate the simple goal of this website. The goal that 90 Day Korean sets is achievable and useful. Where many courses try to advertise how you will be fluent within a year or two, realistically that is impossible for most people.
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90 Day Korean Courses
Although the goal of 90 Day Korean is to allow you to hold a 3-minute conversation, this is far from the only course offered. You can choose from a variety of different topics to learn about, ranging from Korean tongue twisters to daily language. Of course, you can also take the core course and focus on the bare essentials before all else.
The courses are divided into many different sections that focus on different aspects of the language. I will cover some of the main courses provided here. However, please remember that things are always changing, and there is always new content!
What sets 90 Day Korean apart from many other language platforms is how well-structured and easy to follow the courses are. While there are many other great free and paid language platforms out there few of them offer the same structured curriculum of 90 Day Korean.
Since everything is well divided and bite-sized it’s easy to set daily goals and to know exactly where you left off the day before. This is one of the biggest strengths of the platform.
With that being said, I still still recommend also using another memorisation platform alongside 90 Day Korean to get the best out of it. The Inner Circle Courses will give you all of the knowledge that you need but you’ll still need to remember everything that you learn!
With that in mind, I recommend also using a platform such as Memrise, Duolingo, or Glossika alongside 90 Day Korean. All of these platforms will repeat words and sentences so that you can remember them after learning them from the Inner Circle Courses.
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Inner Circle Courses
These are the bread and butter courses of 90 Day Korean. In other words, these are the core classes that will lead you to the 90-day goal. You will spend the majority of your time in these classes! At the time of writing, there are 4 modules. The first one (to hold a 3-minute conversation) is a 5-week course that is broken down into achievable parts.
Each module is broken down into ‘weeks’, which are then broken down even further into lessons. This system gives users a clear path to follow and prevents the feeling of being overwhelmed which is all too common when learning a new language.
The courses are broken down into manageable chunks.
Each week contains 10-12 lessons, one of which is usually a quiz. Depending on your speed of learning, these lessons can take from 10 to 30 minutes. From there, you can take notes and study further if needed.
Within each week there will be a quiz. These quizzes aren’t the stressful kind that you might be used to, but rather they exist for you to test your skills without pressure. If you don’t do well, you can always study and take the quiz again soon!
Although the Inner Circle Courses are the basis of 90 Day Korean, they are far from all that is offered. There is a large range of other content too. However, I would recommend doing the Inner Circle Course first – especially if you are an absolute beginner.
Korean Gym
Just a few of the courses available in the Korean Gym.
The next section of the website is the Korean Gym, and this is the section that is intended for memorisation of words and for shorter study sessions.
Although this section is meant for memorisation, it isn’t the same as what you might be expecting. Where many services simply make you repeat the word over and over until you remember, 90 Day Korean makes many analogies and associations.
This way of studying is proven to be more effective and it feels that way. Although not all associations are relevant for everyone, the website also explains how to make your own. This way of learning is not only more fun than simple repetition, but it’s also more productive and efficient.
The Korean Gym is constantly expanding, and you can expect to find new courses over time. Currently, you can learn everything from technology lingo to weather and feelings lingo.
These are repeatable whenever you want, and they are very easily accessible. When you only have 10 minutes and don’t have time to do an Inner Circle Course, the Korean Gym is ideal!
My Korean Coach
Your Korean coach will help you not only with the language, but also with goal setting.
The next section of 90 Day Korean is what truly impressed me with the platform. Before I explain why, it’s important to remember that 90 Day Korean is actually a relatively cheap language course.
My Korean Coach is essentially a private tutor that you get within the platform. While they aren’t always around to help you instantly, they will get back to you with answers to your Korean questions as quickly as they can (and usually this is pretty fast!).
The Korean Coach can also check your work, give you pointers, and tell you what to do next. They are available from Monday to Friday 9 am – 9 pm.
This is a service that is usually charged at a high premium, and getting personal help is a massive bonus with 90 Day Korean. When I signed up, I was expecting the courses and flashcards. What I didn’t expect was personalized help when I need it!
My Korean Coash is only text-based so while it is very helpful at times, it isn’t the same as having a personal tutor. If you are looking for one-on-one calling lessons then I recommend checking out a platform like Italki which offers personal classes at low hourly prices. These tutors can also work very well in conjunction with 90 Day Korean!
Community
The community has many different sections and topics!
The final ‘main’ area within the platform is the community section. This section acts as a community forum, however, it also has a few more hidden benefits!
The forum is dedicated to Korean language and culture, and through it you can expect to find sub forums related to learning Korean, Kpop, and life in Korea.
Within the community, however, there are also some extra learning sections. Videos and podcasts are posted here, and many of these are very useful for anyone learning Korean.
On top of this, you will also find invitations for 90 Day Korean members to join events that take place from time to time. Just a few weeks ago, the first live chat was started for members.
Events like this are a great way to learn Korean in a different format. While it’s great to have worksheets and books to study, being able to talk, listen and watch is invaluable for learning another language.
Other Resources
Free resources from 90 Day Korean.
The last section in 90 Day Korean is the ‘other resources’ section. This section contains external resources that are helpful for learning Korean and includes many different websites and platforms. You can also sign up with your email to receive a free PDF with many useful, free resources.
This isn’t really an official part of the platform, but it is a nice addition and something that many people will find helpful. Even better, many of these resources can be accessed for free!
90 Day Korean App
Some screenshots from within the app.
A big benefit of 90 Day Korean is that they offer an application that functions very similarly to the website. The app has a lot of free resources and also includes access to the members area and the Inner Circle course.
The Inner Circle courses function almost identically within the app and on the website, and this is because both run from the website (the app is more of a web browser than a standalone app). However, it’s very convenient to have a separate application as it is not only faster but also more organised.
The application is still in development and some features from the website are currently missing on the app. However, I was told that the team is focusing on the app currently and a fully functional version will be released in the future.
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Cost
One of the biggest questions about language courses is ‘how much does it cost?’. It’s important to remember that 90 Day Korean is a premium language learning service. You get access to well-designed courses that follow a carefully crafted curriculum.
On top of this, you get access to all kinds of other things. At times, live chat rooms are held (so you can practice speaking Korean), you get access to podcasts, videos, a community of others also learning Korean, and even a language coach. All of this makes the price a bit higher than many other language services.
90 Day Korean costs $35 per month or $239 per year for the non-coaching plan, and $47 per month or $327 per year for the coaching plan. They also offer a 100% money-back guarantee if you find the platform to not be to your liking. With that being said, 90 Day Korean also offers some fantastic free resources that you can try before purchasing.
This pricing makes 90 Day Korean more expensive than platforms like Talk To Me in Korean, KoreanClass101, and Rocket Korean. However, it also offers some unique benefits that the other platforms don’t. For this reason, it’s best to decide what features you need when choosing which platform to use.
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My Experience With 90 Day Korean
The courses are understandable and manageable.
Although there is still a lot for me to do within the platform, I have done enough to now give my personal experience and review of 90 Day Korean.
As I mentioned earlier, I appreciate that 90 Day Korean takes a new approach to learning Korean. I have done other Korean classes and courses before and they always tend to focus greatly on memorisation.
While memorisation is a very important part of language learning, it’s often inefficient and time consuming (not to mention boring!). 90 Day Korean, however, brings new teaching methods to the table and this is a relief!
The platform provides a fun way to learn in manageable lessons. The addition of a private tutor and community makes it even more enjoyable, and also provides a way to get help when you need it.
It is for these reasons that I recommend 90 Day Korean. It’s a valuable platform for anyone looking to study Korean, and it’s also very affordable for all that it offers.
While 90 Day Korean does cost more than other language platforms some people will definitely find it worth the price. While I don’t think that 90 Day Korean is a good choice for advanced speakers, I think it has a very solid curriculum for absolute beginners to intermediate speakers.
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Final Verdict – Is 90 Day Korean Worth it?
I love the sense of community that comes with 90 Day Korean.
Yes, I believe that 90 Day Korean is a fantastic way to learn Korean. Although there are many platforms out there, 90 Day Korean has been well established for many years and is one of (if not) the best when it comes to learning Korean.
The fact that the platform ONLY teaches Korean is a big benefit. All focus is put into the Korean classes, and this is one of the biggest advantages.
Pros
- Lessons and classes are divided into manageable chunks. This is something that I truly appreciated as it made following the lessons far easier. It also gave me daily, weekly, and monthly goals.
- Gamification. 90 Day Korean offers points for doing certain activities. These points then add up to badges which you can show off. This gamification makes the platform a fun and interactive way to learn, and it also provides an incentive to study.
- More than just a textbook. 90 Day Korean offers listening exercises, reading, writing, and even speaking. You also get a language assistant, and a community to help you!
- Friendly community. You aren’t the only person studying Korean, and there are hundreds more on 90 Day Korean. The community is active and you can always discuss Korea or get language assistance here!
- Affordable. Although the platform isn’t free, it’s far cheaper than the alternatives. Especially considering how fully-fledged the platform is!
- Realistic goals. Where many platforms advertise ‘fluent in one year’ or other incredibly hard goals, 90 Day Korean focuses on what’s realistic. This means that you always feel like you are moving closer to your goals.
Cons
- Some sections (such as the Korean Gym) feel like they could use more content. However, I can understand that adding content takes a long time as their courses are the most in-depth that I have seen.
- Until you get used to it, the website can be hard to navigate. It may take you a few days to get fully used to the website and learn how to navigate properly.
- The course can be slow. If you are looking to learn fast then 90 Day Korean may not be ideal for you. The course takes a long time to explain some things and does so in-depth. Some people will appreciate this while others may not.
- Costs more than other platforms. While no other platform provides as much variety as 90 Day Korean, there are other, cheaper platforms out there. If you’re wondering about what the other platforms are, I’ve covered them all in my article on the best platforms to learn Korean on.
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Try 90 Day Korean!
90 Day Korean has different courses available depending on what you are looking for, and I recommend looking through them to see which option is best for you.
If you want to try 90 Day Korean without paying, why not refer to their free resources? They have a lot of them and they are very informative! You can find their blog here.
90 Day Korean FAQ
Is 90 Day Korean a Good Way to Learn Korean?
In my honest opinion, yes. Not only is it one of the more affordable options (considering the range of resources that you get access to), but it also sets realistic language goals and helps you reach those.
How Much Does 90 Day Korean Cost?
90 Day Korean costs $35 per month or $239 per year for the non-coaching plan, and $47 per month or $327 per year for the coaching plan. This includes access to everything that 90 Day Korean has to offer.
What Are the Benefits of 90 Day Korean?
90 Day Korean provides very complete modules that contain everything that you need to know to learn Korean. You can also get access to a personal coach, a community discussion board, and even online video conferences!
Does 90 Day Korean Have a Free Plan?
Unfortunately not. However, they do have a money-back guarantee so you can rest assured. Further, they offer many free resources on their blog.
Does 90 Day Korean Provide Personal Assistance?
Yes. There are two plans, the non-coaching plan, and the coaching plan. If you choose to sign up for the coaching plan you will be assigned a personal coach who can help you with any questions or issues that you may have.