It’s no secret that Korean is one of the most difficult languages for native English speakers to learn. After all, the grammatical structures, writing systems, and levels of formality differ greatly between Korean and English. In this article, we evaluate the Korean language course from Pimsleur so you can decide whether it is the right fit for your budget and learning style.
To help you navigate this detailed review, we have included jump-to links above for your convenience.
In the video above, team member John concisely breaks down the benefits and drawbacks of using Pimsleur to learn Korean. Please keep reading for more info.
At a high level, the program consists of three levels, each progressively more challenging. Within each level, there are 30 lessons, totaling 90 lessons overall.
Each lesson starts with a 30-minute audio exercise (similar to the Rocket Korean audio lessons), followed by a series of practice exercises to reinforce the audio content. It takes approximately 50 to 60 minutes to complete a full lesson.
So, in summary, the program is structured into three levels, with 30 lessons per level, each centered around an audio lecture followed by practice exercises.
Regarding the Pimsleur learning approach, it revolves around three fundamental principles: context, anticipation, and interval recall.
Each Pimsleur lesson, as previously mentioned, centers on an immersive audio exercise embedded in a realistic conversation. This method helps your brain acclimate to the Korean language’s rhythm, intonation, and pronunciation naturally.
Moreover, the conversational pauses and prompts by the moderator encourage you to anticipate and engage, hastening the learning process and potentially forging new neural pathways.
Additionally, Pimsleur strategically revisits previously introduced words and phrases at increasingly spaced intervals within each lesson to facilitate their transition from short-term to long-term memory.
Pimsleur provides two subscription options. If you’re interested solely in the Pimsleur Korean course, the monthly cost is $20.
However, if you prefer access to all 50 Pimsleur language courses, you can opt for the All Access plan for an additional $1, totaling $21 per month. Alternatively, for those seeking a lifetime package instead of a monthly subscription, the cost is approximately $475 with Pimsleur.
Comparatively, when considering pricing against competitors like Mondly and Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur tends to be slightly more expensive, averaging about $5 to $10 more per month.
While it may not be the most economical option available, it is competitively priced compared to some apps that can cost $30 to $40 per month.
Additionally, Pimsleur offers a convenient option to split the account if you’re learning Korean with a friend or family member, effectively reducing the cost to $10 per month per user, which aligns well with competitors’ pricing and is quite reasonable in my view.
Now that we have covered pricing, the Pimsleur learning method, and how their Korean course is organized, let’s move into what our team likes and dislikes about this language program, first starting with the positives.
First and foremost, Pimsleur is an excellent option for auditory learners, as its lessons are centered around detailed audio exercises. These structured conversations form the foundation of the Pimsleur curriculum.
Therefore, if you prioritize audio lessons or if your focus is primarily on comprehending and speaking Korean, with less emphasis on reading and writing, then Pimsleur is an ideal fit for your learning style.
Moving on, another advantage of the Pimsleur program, which is somewhat connected to my previous point, is its audio-centric format. This feature offers you the flexibility to learn and complete lessons in various settings.
Unlike platforms like Duolingo or Rosetta Stone, where you’re often tied to a specific location staring at your phone screen, Pimsleur allows you to take a break, put your phone in your pocket, and continue learning while cooking, working out, or walking your dog, for instance. This flexibility is a significant benefit.
Moreover, the Pimsleur app includes a special driving mode, making it an excellent choice for commuters or road trip enthusiasts.
Let’s shine a spotlight on Pimsleur’s latest addition, their Voice Coach feature. This was a long-awaited enhancement that Pimsleur recently introduced in response to user feedback.
Here’s how it works: As you engage in the verbal practice drills following the main audio exercise, Pimsleur’s technology listens to your pronunciation and offers feedback to help you improve and potentially master your Korean pronunciation over time.
In my opinion, Pimsleur has done an exceptional job with this feature. Having tested numerous language programs, I can confidently say that Pimsleur’s speech tool is highly effective. It’s user-friendly, and I found it to be quite accurate. Overall, I believe Pimsleur deserves recognition for this valuable addition.
Let’s discuss another advantage, which might spark some debate in the language learning community. One aspect I appreciate about the Pimsleur Korean program is its inclusion of English directions, translations, and an English host who guides the audio exercises.
Here’s my take on it: While some language learning programs, such as Rosetta Stone, advocate for complete immersion without any English, I believe this approach can lead to frustration and early abandonment, particularly with a complex language like Korean.
Having some English support at the beginning can be helpful. I think Pimsleur’s strategic use of English in its curriculum is beneficial. It can aid in the anticipation of responses and reinforce correct answers, especially in the early stages of learning.
Finally, I want to mention the Pimsleur digital platform and mobile app, which I’m quite fond of. From a user experience perspective, it’s truly exceptional and stands out as one of the best in the language learning industry.
The platform has a modern aesthetic, the app is fast and responsive, and everything is intuitively arranged and easy to navigate. In my opinion, Pimsleur has done an excellent job in this regard, and I give it two big thumbs up.
Now that you have a better understanding of the areas in which Pimsleur excels, let’s turn the tables and discuss the negatives related to the Pimsleur Korean course.
Pimsleur may not be ideal for visual learners. As mentioned earlier, this course is primarily designed for auditory learners. There’s no video component, and the use of images and graphics is minimal.
If you find that you learn best through visual aids, you might consider a program like Rosetta Stone or Lingopie, which may be more suited to your learning style.
Moving on, considering that Pimsleur lessons typically require around an hour to complete, including the audio exercise and practice drills, it may not be the most suitable choice for those with limited time.
If you can only spare five to ten minutes a day for learning Korean, you might find a program like Mondly more fitting, as they offer quick 10-minute lesson formats.
Lastly, as I alluded to earlier, the Pimsleur Korean program does not include levels 4 or 5, unlike Pimsleur’s other courses that guide learners from beginner to advanced fluency.
Completing levels 1 through 3 in the Korean program will likely only bring you to an intermediate fluency level, around A2 to B1 according to the CEFR language proficiency chart.
Whether this meets your goals depends on your objectives. At a B1 level, you can manage most day-to-day situations. If that’s sufficient for you, then Pimsleur is a great choice.
However, if your aim is to communicate proficiently at a managerial or professional level, you may need to start with Pimsleur to establish a foundation and then transition to working with a Korean tutor to reach those advanced stages.
Based on my experience and evaluation of the program, I would say yes.
I believe the effectiveness of Pimsleur’s learning framework is key. Their emphasis on learning through real conversations and reinforcing that material through anticipation and spaced repetition is highly effective for mastering Korean.
Additionally, the inclusion of the new Voice Coach tool and the user-friendly mobile app adds significant value to the program. While there are some minor drawbacks, overall, I consider this to be one of the most effective and comprehensive Korean language programs available, particularly for auditory learners.
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Yes and no. Pimsleur does offer a seven day free trial so you can test their program; however, after the free trial ends, you will need to pay in order maintain access to their Korean language course.
If you would simply like access to the Pimsleur Korean course only, it will cost you around $20 per month. Alternatively, Pimsleur offers a lifetime plan as well that costs north of $400.
It will likely take you around 100-125 hours to complete the entire Pimsleur Korean language course. By the end of the course, you should be able to reach an intermediate level of fluency.
Yes, at $20 per month, I believe the Pimsleur Korean course is worth the money. This is one of the most detailed and effective Korean language programs our team has tested.