Korean Cultural Center In the Philippines Offers Free Language Classes

Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines offers free Korean language classes

There’s no denying the pervasiveness of Korean pop culture, from music to dramas, in our everyday lives – that’s why even the University of the Philippines Diliman has started offering a class analyzing Korean dramas.

So it doesn’t come as a surprise that the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (KCC) is reaching out to fans of all things Korean who wish to understand the language better – by offering online Korean language classes for free.

Image credit: @interiorfafa

These language classes usually cost around P2,000 to P3,000 (~USD41.30-USD61.94), so if you’ve been really looking forward to learning Korean to overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles when you’re watching Parasite, like what its director Bong Joon-ho encourages, they might be for you. KCC’s classes take place over 10 weeks from September 21st – November 27, 2020.

Image credit: Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines

KCC, which operates under South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines, will conduct two types of classes – Korean 1 and 2 – for learners with little to no background in the Korean language and who are based in the Philippines.

The free Korean language classes cater to beginners

Image credit: Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines

Korean 1 is recommended for beginners – expect to learn the basics of Hangeul, grammar, vocabulary, and culture in this class which will span 40 hours in total.

If you’ve some basic understanding of the language and the writing system of your oppas and noonas already, you can take and pass a diagnostic exam, then enrol in Korean 2 which will be held for 60 hours. The lessons for both classes will be taught using Sejong textbooks as references.

Sejong Korean textbooks
Image credit: Aby

Multiple time slots are available for each class

Image credit: Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines

To accommodate as many students as possible, the term will run with various schedules. Korean 1 has 7 time slots per week to choose from and each class accommodates 15 students. Korean 2 will be conducted with 2 time slots per week, and each will also welcome 15 students.

Registration is on September 16

Class registration will happen online on Wednesday, September 16, at various times in the morning.

Image adapted from: Korean Cultural Center of the Philippines

Registration links will be posted on the KCC’s Facebook Page according to the schedules indicated above. Be sure to be on time as the registration will close once the slots are completed.

KCC is also holding an art contest

Image credit: Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines

No worries if you can’t make the classes but still want to dabble in Korean culture – the KCC is also holding activities aside from Korean language classes. For the month of September, they are also conducting the Korea at Home with KCC: Art Contest to celebrate the 71st year of the bilateral relationship between South Korea and the Philippines.

Contestants are asked to visually interpret this longtime friendship via traditional means such as drawing and painting or digital art. The submission deadline is September 20, 11:59 pm, and the 5 winners will receive P7,000 (~USD144.51) in cash, a KCC gift bag, and a feature on KCC’s social media pages.

Learning the Korean language and culture in the Philippines

Korean language classes and other cultural activities are getting more accessible in the Philippines, as Korean culture has now become a part of the everyday lives of Filipinos.

We hope other institutions aside from KCC will open up more accessible Korean cultural activities and learning opportunities for those of us looking to pick up all things Korean.

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Cover image credit: Aby, Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines