KOREA FOUNDATION

The number of people aspiring to learn Korean is increasing, but language-learning apps produced by non-native speakers tend to be inaccurate or too expensive to use. Many people have complained about this problem without doing anything to solve it, but one particular person decided to step up to the challenge by developing an app through which the Korean language can be more accurately and easily learned without imposing a financial burden on learners. He is Jonghyo Park, CEO of JH Media, who has released a free Korean language-learning app after a year-long development period.

Please briefly introduce yourself to the readers of the KF Newsletter.
I am JH Media CEO Jonghyo Park. I teach Korean language in Tokyo and develop Korean language-learning apps and digital content.

What motivated you to widen your scope of activities from just teaching Korean language to developing Korean language-learning apps as well?
I realized that in this modern era, people can learn foreign languages without attending language institutes or buying books. This observation led me to start making Korean language-related YouTube content starting in 2014. In 2019, after a year-long development process, I released the Korean language-learning app Dekichatta Kankokugo, through which users can watch lessons, practice pronunciation, and learn grammar. Last year, the app was released in both Vietnamese and in English.

Could you elaborate on the app?
The app is designed to make Korean language-learning possible simply by using one’s smartphone. It is different from similar apps in that it offers a level-by-level grammar-learning curriculum and is operated in conjunction with Hangeul lessons in the form of YouTube videos. It also provides pronunciation drills and a question board where learners can get answers directly from teachers. The app has many fun-filled game elements, too. I think it was truly brilliant to incorporate game elements into the learning process, as learning can get boring easily. Users of the app love this feature as they can study as if they were playing a game. They can collect special tourist spot cards every time they clear a level and work on combining words and sentences by playing fun puzzles.

In the process of developing the app, in which parts were you involved? Was there a specific part that demanded the most attention?
In the first phase of development, I was in charge of general direction which involved everything from developing the app’s content to planning, management, and publicity. I am currently operating the English-language version, called CAN Korean, with a Korean language education expert. I was most concerned about working out a curriculum that could be taught completely within the app as if the users were taking a paid online course. Each stage of each level proceeds thematically from video lecture to grammar and vocab, pronunciation drill, quiz, and finally, test. Each stage is like a condensed version of a 30-minute paid online class.

Did you face any difficulties in the course of developing the app?
The whole development process was one of many ups and downs, struggles, and trials and errors. I felt I lacked knowledge and experience in every aspect, from app development and management to marketing and business, and the thought of developing and releasing the app eventually made me want to bang my head against the wall. Since I did it without outside investment, I also suffered from a lack of funds and difficulties in promotion. I handed out leaflets at the venues of Hangeul certificate tests and advertised the apps through door-to-door visits to Korean language schools and the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo. I couldn’t do much marketing because of budgetary constraints, but word went around little by little. After I appeared on a Japanese television program, the app gained considerable publicity. It was also made known through the Korean Cultural Center’s official social media accounts, posts by the Incheon tourism ambassador, and videos by popular YouTube creators recommending the app.

CEO Jonghyo Park appearing on a Nippon TV program in November 2019

How was the user response? Did it meet your expectations?
In the case of the Japanese-language version, released about two years ago, it is getting good reviews from both iPhone and Android users. The English-language version CAN Korean has also gotten a good response, but it is still quite new and its number of users and their response have yet to fulfill my expectations. We need to step up our publicity and marketing efforts.

What merits of the app do you plan to emphasize in your marketing efforts?
At the moment, the pronunciation drill at the end of each lesson draws the best responses. Incorporating AI to recognize and evaluate pronunciation, the drill helps learners develop their pronunciation almost to the level of native speakers. The systematic curriculum linked with YouTube video lessons also gets good reviews. Emphasizing these points, I plan to use social media to advertise the fact that the app is distributed free of charge; many people appreciate the fact that our quality lessons are offered for free.

Would you share your future plans and goals with our readers?
To learn a foreign language, one must not just acquire knowledge of the language but endeavor to understand the people using it. My aim is to allow people around the world to easily learn the Korean language at any time and place through their smartphones. I will continue to develop the app in several different languages to encourage the whole world to get interested in Korea and its language.