Netflix hit show ‘Squid Game’ sparks interest in learning Korean

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Interest in learning Korean has spiked since the launch of hit Netflix show “Squid Game“, tutoring services reported, underscoring a growing global obsession with South Korean culture from entertainment to beauty products. President Moon Jae-in this week welcomed the additions, calling “Hangeul”, the Korean alphabet, the country’s “soft power.” “Language and culture are intrinsically connected and what happens in pop culture and media often influences trends in language and language learning,” Duolingo spokesman Sam Dalsimer said in an email. “The rising global popularity of Korean music, film and television is increasing demand for learning Korean.” There are around 77 million Korean speakers worldwide, according to the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange. “There were thousands of people who wished to learn Korean even before Squid Game or the BTS craze, yet they were often studying in solitude,” said Sun Hyun-woo, founder of Talk To Me In Korean, a local e-learning platform with 1.2 million members studying Korean across 190 nations.