Korean survival kit

About this kit

Korean is spoken by around 80 million people, mainly in South Korea and North Korea. It is written in hangeul, a phonetic alphabet invented in 1443 by King Sejong, regarded as one of the most logical writing systems in the world. With this kit, you have the bare minimum to get by in Seoul, Busan or Jeju.

Korean (한국어, hangugeo) is spoken by around 80 million people in South Korea, North Korea and within strong diaspora communities in China, Japan, the United States and Central Asia. It is a language isolate whose linguistic classification remains debated. It is written in hangeul (한글), a phonetic alphabet invented in 1443 by King Sejong the Great to make writing accessible to the people. Hangeul is regarded as one of the most logical writing systems in the world: its shapes reflect the position of the mouth organs to produce each sound. Grammar works in subject-object-verb order, without articles or genders. The great specificity of Korean lies in its politeness levels: people speak differently depending on age, social rank and familiarity with the interlocutor. Beyond the language, traveling in Korea means diving into an ultra-dense cultural universe: K-pop, K-dramas, spicy and fermented cuisine, Buddhist temples, night markets, new technologies. Cities like Seoul or Busan combine futuristic skyscrapers and traditional alleys (hanok). This kit gathers the bare essentials to handle an arrival at Incheon, a taxi ride in Seoul, an order in a bibimbap restaurant, a medical emergency and a smooth departure. You will find key greetings, phrases to orient yourself, words to eat and sleep, as well as cultural tips to avoid faux pas. Learning a few words before leaving is highly appreciated on site.