How to use K-pop to help you learn Korean

Do you have the KPop Demon Hunter soundtrack playing on repeat in your head? Or maybe you’ve caught yourself humming along to a BLACKPINK song without knowing exactly what you’re saying? Here’s the good news: K-pop isn’t just a global music phenomenon; it’s also a fun way to build your confidence speaking Korean.

Many K-pop songs mix emotional Korean lyrics with catchy English hooks, pulling you into the story while teaching you everyday words and emotional expressions.

How K-pop can help you learn Korean

The beauty of learning through music is that it doesn’t feel like studying. Instead of sitting down with a grammar workbook, you can pump up the volume, dance around your room, and replay your favourite track to catch the way a certain word rolls off the tongue.

In K-pop songs, repetitive choruses are written to stick in your head, and catchy melodies make the words easy to remember. Add to that the fact that K-pop songs often mix Korean and English, and you have the perfect bridge to learn Korean.

If you want to build your Korean language skills, here’s our guide on how you can use K-pop to help you learn.

1. Start with a catchy chorus

Choruses repeat again and again — that’s why they stick in your head long after a song ends. Begin by memorizing just the chorus of your favorite song, and once those words are second nature, you’ll gain more confidence tackling full verses. 

A song to try: “Golden” by HUNTR/X (from KPop Demon Hunters)

Oh, up, up, up
With our voices

영원히 깨질 수 없는
Young-won-hee kkae-jil soo eom-neun
Unbreakable forever
Gonna be, gonna be golden

2. Use Korean subtitles with music videos

Linking the written word to the sounds and visual cues in music videos can help boost your comprehension, so find a music video with subtitles and try to follow along. Over time, you’ll improve recognition of what you hear and what you’re seeing on the screen.

A song to try: “Thunder” by SEVENTEEN

소문이 참 빨라 또 시끌벅적해
so-mun-i cham ppal-la tto sik-keul-beok-jeok-hae
Rumors spread like fire, chatter everywhere

몰려드는 인파 아, 기분 어떡해
mol-lyeo-deu-neun in-pa a, gi-bun eo-tteok-hae
Now they’re crowding around, ah, what a feeling

3. Read lyrics in Hangul 

Once you’ve started learning the Korean alphabet (called Hangul), try reading the lyrics along with the music and singing them line by line. Hangul is fully phonetic, meaning that each letter represents a sound. That way, you can try memorizing the sounds and matching them up with the words as you sing along.

A song to try: “Bubble” by STAYC

기분이 좋아져
gi-bun-i jo-a-jyeo
My mood gets better

걱정은 던져 버려
geok-jeong-eun deon-jyeo beo-ryeo
Throw all your worries away

4. Repeat, repeat, repeat

When you find a song with lyrics that repeat over and over again, try your best to understand the words’ meaning and pronunciation, and let the repetition be your best teacher. This cycle trains your ear for rhythm and intonation so you can get a natural feel for the word. Don’t worry if you don’t get it right the first few attempts. Over time, you’ll perfect the repeated words and continue to build your vocabulary. 

A song to try: “Fire” by BTS

불타오르네
bul-ta-o-reu-ne
Burning

5. Learn songs with everyday expressions

Using music to learn short, simple phrases in Korean like "I love you," (사랑해 saranghae) or "Hi" and "Bye" (안녕 annyeong) helps you remember them naturally, because the rhythm and melody act as memory boosters. These short expressions are some of the first words Koreans use in daily life, so the more you repeat them in songs, the more confident you’ll feel saying them in real conversations.

A song to try: “I Love You” by TREASURE

널 사랑해
neol saranghae
I love you

If you’re looking for a fun way into Korean, your playlist might be the perfect place to start.