한국어 GuidesLanguage
Korean learning tools: keyboard stickers, flashcards and readers
The extras that help a course stick: Hangul keyboard stickers, alphabet flashcards, two graded readers, a learner's dictionary, wongoji writing paper and two Udemy video courses. Here's what each one does, plus how to add a Korean keyboard.
Updated Oct 17, 20268 picks
Build a small study kit around your course
A course or textbook teaches you the language; tools help you use it every day. Most learners only need a few: a way to type Korean, something to drill the alphabet, a book to read, a dictionary and paper to write on.
If you haven't picked a main course yet, start with our online learning guide. It covers Talk To Me In Korean's lessons, the Hangeul Master workbook, Tuttle's Korean Flash Cards Kit and the free KRDict dictionary, so this guide skips those and adds the tools they don't cover.
Our picks at a glance
Paid links · Store and booking links in this guide are affiliate links: when you buy or book through them, K for All earns a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability change, so check the store before you buy. How we pick: we compare official information, specs, prices and published reviews; we haven't personally tested every product.
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1Best for learning to type in Korean
Korean keyboard stickers (Softamm, 5-in-1)
Korean-English letter stickers for laptop and desktop keys, with white letters on matte black vinyl. The set includes two sticker sheets, tweezers, a cleaning brush and a microfiber cloth. Softamm says the stickers fit most keyboards, the F and J stickers have alignment notches, and they peel off without leaving residue.
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2Best for drilling the alphabet
Korean Alphabet Hangul Flashcards (CARDDIA)
A deck covering every Hangul consonant and vowel, plus 113 example words and a full Hangul table sheet. Each card has the letter on the front and its pronunciation, stroke order and common words on the back, romanized with the Revised Romanization of Korean. CARDDIA prints them in playing-card size on water- and tear-resistant paper.
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3Best first reader after a month of study
Easy Korean Reading For Beginners (TTMIK)
Thirty short passages on everyday topics such as cooking, buses, convenience stores and birthdays, each with a full English translation, vocabulary lists and grammar notes. TTMIK says it suits learners who have studied for at least a month, and native-speaker audio, including slow reading, is free on its Book Audio page or app.
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4Best for reading a Korean classic at beginner level
Darakwon Korean Readers: The Story of the Rabbit
The first book in Darakwon's graded reader series, which retells classic Korean tales in modern Korean at levels from A1 to C2. This tale of a rabbit and a turtle in the Joseon era uses beginner-level vocabulary, comes with recordings by professional voice actors through QR codes, and ends with an English translation and comprehension questions.
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5Best for a paper dictionary made for learners
Tuttle Learner's Korean-English Dictionary
Kyubyong Park's dictionary is aimed at elementary to intermediate learners: over 5,600 Korean headwords with clear English definitions and 5,633 example sentences in Hangul, romanization and English. It marks high-frequency words, explains endings and particles, and includes an English-Korean word finder so you can look words up both ways.
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6Best for handwriting practice on real manuscript paper
Korean Writing Practice Notebook (Wongoji)
An A4 wongoji notebook from Longtail Education Research Institute, a Seoul language publisher, with 15 squares per line and a counter every 60 characters. It opens with a 6-page illustrated guide to wongoji rules for spacing, punctuation and formatting. It's printed in Korea on 80g off-white paper.
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7Best for a long video course packed with vocabulary
Complete Korean Course: Learn Korean for Beginners (Linguae Learning, Udemy)
Linguae Learning's course runs 177 lectures, about 68 hours. It starts with three Hangul lessons and moves through greetings, numbers and everyday vocabulary to grammar, with a bonus section on learning Korean with music. No previous Korean is needed, and the course page lists more than 600 useful vocabulary words among its goals.
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8Best for getting Hangul and pronunciation right fast
Korean Language for Complete Beginners (Korean Heba, Udemy)
A short course, about 2.5 hours in 60 lectures, last updated in September 2026. After 18 lectures on Hangul, a 21-lecture pronunciation section walks through sound changes such as nasalization and palatalization, then it covers basic sentences and travel phrases like checking in at a hotel and ordering food. Watch the free preview lectures first to see if the teaching style suits you.
Type in Korean on your computer
You don't need a separate Korean keyboard to type Hangul. Add a Korean input method in your computer's settings, then switch between it and English with a shortcut. Keyboard stickers just show you where each letter sits until you know the layout by heart.
As of October 2026, Windows 11 and macOS both let you add Korean in a few steps. Once it's set up, practice by typing words you already know, like your name or a greeting.
- Windows 11: in Settings > Time & language > Language & region, add Korean, then open its Language options and check Keyboards; use Add a keyboard if none is listed.
- Switch on Windows: hold the Windows logo key and press Spacebar, or click the input icon on the taskbar.
- Mac: Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input > Edit, click Add, search for Korean and pick an input source.
- Switch on a Mac: press Control-Space bar, use the Input menu in the menu bar, or set the Globe or fn key to Change Input Source.
Start reading early
Short texts with audio bridge the gap between textbook dialogues and real Korean. TTMIK's Easy Korean Reading For Beginners uses everyday topics and full translations, so it's a gentle first step once you can read Hangul and know some basic grammar. It also includes read-aloud practice for pronunciation and short tips on Korean culture.
Darakwon Korean Readers take a different path: classic Korean tales rewritten in modern Korean, with notes on the historical background. The series runs from A1 to C2, and The Story of the Rabbit, the first title, sticks to beginner-level vocabulary. Darakwon gives the words and expressions you need along the way, so you can read without reaching for a dictionary. Both books come with audio, TTMIK's on its Book Audio page and app and Darakwon's through QR codes or a free MP3 download.
A dictionary made for learners
A paper learner's dictionary is handy when you want to browse and study entries, not just translate one word. Tuttle's Learner's Korean-English Dictionary adds notes on grammar and meaning, explains common idioms and points out distinctions that English speakers find hard. Romanization is given for every term and example, which helps while you're still slow at reading Hangul. Beyond everyday words, its 5,600-plus headwords include business and technical terms.
For free online lookups, KRDict, the Basic Korean Dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language, is covered in our online learning guide.
Write it by hand
Writing Hangul by hand is a good way to practice the letters and their stroke order. Start with the flashcards, which show stroke order on the back, then copy words and sentences onto wongoji, the Korean manuscript paper with one character per square.
Longtail's notebook teaches the wongoji rules for spacing and punctuation before you begin. The maker chose 15 squares per line because it finds 20-square grids cramped for learners, and it leaves space between rows for corrections. It suggests using the notebook to copy vocabulary, write out K-pop lyrics or keep a daily journal.
Video courses on Udemy
Our online learning guide already covers Korean Studio's long beginner course, so here are two different picks. Linguae Learning's course is long and vocabulary-heavy, which suits learners who want a lot of material in one place. Korean Heba's course is short and focused on Hangul, pronunciation rules and travel phrases, so it suits someone heading to Korea soon. It ends with short culture lessons on Korean food, shopping places and cultural do's and don'ts.
As of October 2026, both course pages list full lifetime access, access on mobile and TV, a certificate of completion and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Watch the preview lectures before you buy.
FAQ
How do I type in Korean on my laptop?
Add Korean as an input method in your settings. On Windows 11, add Korean under Settings > Time & language > Language & region, then switch with the Windows logo key and Spacebar. On a Mac, add a Korean input source under System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input, then switch with Control-Space bar.
Do I need Korean keyboard stickers?
No, but they help while you learn the layout. Once the Korean input method is added you can type Hangul on any keyboard; the stickers simply show you where each letter sits.
What is wongoji paper?
Korean manuscript paper: a grid where you write one character per square. Notebooks like Longtail's include a guide to the rules for spacing, punctuation and formatting, so you learn the format while you practice handwriting.
What should a Korean beginner read first?
Short texts with translations and audio. TTMIK's Easy Korean Reading For Beginners has 30 everyday passages for learners with at least a month of study, and Darakwon's The Story of the Rabbit is a beginner-level retelling of a classic tale.
Can I get a refund on a Udemy course?
As of October 2026, both course pages in this guide list a 30-day money-back guarantee. Check the current terms on the course page when you buy.
Read next on K for All
How to learn Korean onlineKorean language hubKorean word of the dayLearn-Hangul starter kit
Sources (10)
Microsoft Support – Manage the input and display language settings in WindowsApple Support – Write in another language on your MacTTMIK Store – Easy Korean Reading For BeginnersDarakwon – Darakwon Korean Readers: The Story of the Rabbit (English ver.)Tuttle Publishing – Tuttle Learner's Korean-English DictionaryUdemy – Complete Korean Course: Learn Korean for BeginnersUdemy – Korean Language for Complete BeginnersAmazon – Softamm Korean Keyboard Stickers (5-in-1)Amazon – CARDDIA Korean Alphabet Hangul FlashcardsAmazon – Korean Writing Practice Notebook (Wongoji)