About this Video

• Video Title: How I Learned Korean Before Korea
• Channel: Victor Talking
• Speakers: Victor (assumed, as it's a solo podcast)
• Duration: 25:51

Introduction

This podcast details the speaker's journey to Korean fluency before moving to Korea. The speaker shares their methods, mistakes, and successful strategies, aiming to provide a scalable approach for others learning Korean or other languages.

Key Takeaways

1. Structured Learning is Key: Unsystematic methods like YouTube videos and random online resources proved ineffective. Structured classes, even if initially challenging, provided a more efficient learning path.
2. Immersion Accelerates Learning: While in Korea for short periods, the speaker's listening comprehension dramatically improved through immersion, even in "one-sentence" classes.
3. Textbook Approach: The speaker recommends a textbook-based approach (Yonsei University textbooks are mentioned), particularly up to level four, combined with classes and coaching for faster progress. Levels 5 and 6 are deemed less crucial for everyday conversation.
4. Target Conversational Fluency First: Aiming for conversational fluency (ability to engage in extended conversations) is more achievable in a shorter timeframe than full fluency.
5. Evaluate Learning Materials: The speaker advises assessing learning materials by considering whether they would prepare the learner for a Korean proficiency exam (TOPIK).

The transcript doesn't specify which specific Yonsei University textbooks the speaker recommends by title or edition. The speaker mentions using Yonsei University textbooks, referring to them as "Yonsei University textbooks," and "old Yonsei University textbooks," and notes their usefulness up to level four for the TOPIK exam. No further details about specific titles or reasons beyond general effectiveness are provided.