Mastering Korean is tough and non-Koreans who have started learning sometimes get discouraged and question how valuable being proficient in Korean really is to their career in Korea.
This is a question I’ve had some opportunity to ponder myself and I’ve reached a few basic conclusions.
Quick Tips for Understanding the Value of Korean Skills in the Korean Job Market
- Korean abilities will not fast-track you in your career in Korea.
- In some cases, Korean skills may even be a disadvantage.
- Korean skills can lead to increased personal fulfillment in one’s job in Korea.
- Korean skills can even help you discover and create new roles.
- A lack of Korean skills will likely act as a personal and professional drag over time.
- Learning Korean is a niche endeavor that narrows (but deepens) your options in Korea.
To read the full commentary, visit 
Reflections on the Benefits of Learning Korean to One’s Career in Korea
Additional Resources on KBC and Elsewhere about Learning Korean and Surviving in a Korean Company
- Business Accelerator – Learn Korean
- Business Accelerator – Work in a Korean Company
- Advice on learning Korean:
- A Realistic Answer to “How Did You Get So Fluent in Korean”?
- Notable Challenges of Learning Korean
- I Started Learning Korean This Way
- I’m Studying Korean This Way Now
- A Few More Thoughts on Learning Korean
- This is One of the Things I’m Talking About When I Refer to the Challenges of Speaking Korean in Korea with Koreans
** BTW, comments are always welcome. If you have additional insights or come across information here that you disagree with or that needs to be updated — or just want to know something — don’t hesitate to leave a comment and share your opinion/knowledge/question!
