Popularity of Korean Language Classes in the U.S. is Growing

Korean, which used to be classified as a minor language, is now growing in popularity in many colleges in the United States. While others were able to learn the language through self-study, many students are now taking classes in the language.

It appears that the popularity of South Korean pop music and the availability of English-subbed Korean dramas contributed greatly to the increased interest in the language. Olivia Hernandez, a student at the UCLA recalled that she was in middle school in Oxnard when she became an avid fan of K-pop, as well as South Korean culture and TV shows. She was even inspired by a hit Korean romance drama, “My Lovely Sam Soon” and Korean bands such as Clazziquai to learn the Korean alphabet and some simple phrases.

She is now a transfer student at UCLA and is taking the opportunity to enroll in a class on introductory Korean. Together with her classmates, they are learning the basics of Korean grammar as well as the use of honorifics to address a variety of people, from bosses to elders. Watching Korean rock music video is part of their regular classroom work.

Hernandez is happy that she is now able to make sense and understand what the stars in Korean dramas are saying. She is taking up psychology and plans to use her acquired Korean language skills when she starts working as a therapist.

Recent study

Based on a recent study that was done nationally, the largest percentage in foreign language enrollment in American colleges and universities is in courses in Korean language. According to the report of the Modern Language Association, the enrollment in Korean language between 2009 and 2013 showed an increase of 45 percent. Language studies went down by 6.7 percent overall during that same period and the interest in German, French and Spanish dropped.

Nationwide, there are 12,230 students taking classes in the Korean language, which is still below some of the studied languages, such as Arabic, Chinese and Japanese. There are only 154 colleges in the U.S. that offer Korean language classes, but this is still 70 percent more than the statistics taken 10 years ago.

The executive director of the Modern Language Association, Rosemary Feal said that there is no doubt that the Korean popular culture in music and film greatly influenced the increased interest in the language among young people. The dip in foreign language studies is attributed to the cutbacks in school budgets and the pressure placed on students to focus on classes that could help their career in the future, like business and science. Classes in humanities are being pushed back because of this.

University officials and professors said that children and grandchildren of people who migrated to the U.S. from Korea show some interest but the non-Koreans are the ones who are leading the trend in the heightened interest in Korean culture.

UCLA enrollment

The university’s enrollment in the beginners’ courses is significantly high. At the same time, the school also offers heritage classes for Korean Americans who do not have the grammar skills but do have some knowledge of the Korean language. Right now there are even waiting lists for the classes.

Los Angeles is an ideal place to learn Korean, according to the UCLA dean of humanities David Schaberg because of the variety of Korean stores, restaurants and other institutions in the city, which also has its own Koreatown.

Image credit: Hangeul learning, by Byeonggwan under Public Domain.