Rocket Korean Review 

With the irresistible allure of K-pop, Korean BBQ and films like “Parasite”, there's never been a better time to start learning Korean.

And as luck would have it, Korean is one of the easiest Asian languages to learn due to its simple writing system!

I don’t speak Korean. But as the resident foreign language expert at Learnopoly fluent in three languages, I've reviewed countless online language classes. So I’m calling on all my language learning experience to share my insights on one of the most popular online Korean courses out there: Rocket Korean.

In this honest Rocket Korean review, we'll explore the ins and outs of the course package. Evaluating its features, pros, cons, and pricing plans. Along the way, we'll compare it to other well-known online Korean language courses and gather opinions from others who have learned with Rocket Korean.

My aim is to give you a clear understanding of whether Rocket Korean is the right choice to learn Korean.

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What is Rocket Korean?

Rocket Korean is a pioneering online course developed by Rocket Languages, a well-known provider of language learning courses. It's played a significant role in establishing Rocket Languages as a leading provider for language learning.

Designed to be user-friendly and convenient, it caters to both beginners and advanced learners. With comprehensive course material , you can expect to gain a well-rounded understanding of the Korean language.

Rocket Korean has been successful in helping thousands of students achieve conversational fluency in Korean via its innovative language learning techniques, state-of-the-art technology, and interactive tools. Many past students report success. Testament to the platform's effectiveness and ability to make learning exciting and dynamic.

Students can access the platform via their web browser or the Rocket Languages mobile app. This is available on both iOS and Android devices. It allows students to access the platform's resources on the go and syncs progress to make it easy to switch between the app and the browser.

How does Rocket Korean work?

The three main types of lessons: Interactive Audio Lessons, Language & Culture Lessons, and Writing Lessons

Rocket Korean's user-friendly interface provides several key elements that make it an effective language learning tool. These include: 

• Interactive Audio Lessons: Which help students learn and practice speaking Korean. They allow you to listen to native Korean speakers and repeat phrases, ensuring that you develop proper pronunciation and conversational skills.
• Interactive Exercises: To practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening in Korean, covering all aspects of language acquisition.
• Language & Culture Lessons: Which not only provide valuable insights into Korean culture, but also teach you about the structure and mechanics of the Korean language.
• Writing Lessons: For an introduction to the Korean writing system, Hangeul. The lessons help you learn the basics of reading and writing the script. 
• Survival Kit Phrases: Incorporating these crucial everyday phrases throughout your learning will significantly enhance your vocabulary and practical language skills.
• Extra Tools: Such as leaderboard rankings, a benchmark test, Rocket CEFR certification, saved notes, saved vocabulary, Rocket Recommends, and a forum for discussion and collaboration.

Rocket Languages offers two Korean language packages:

Packages	CEFR Level*	Lessons & Assessments	Length of Content
Korean Level 1	A1 – A2	8 Modules/118 Lessons	156hr
Korean Play the Part	~B1	10 Lessons	10hr

*Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

Korean Play the Part is available for an additional cost. It’s essentially a 20 minute lesson for students with some knowledge of Korean that want to practice real-world, practical conversations. Play the Part is also great for strengthening your knowledge of every-day Korean culture and customs.

I tried the Play the Part trial, but the dialogue was way too advanced for my complete beginner level. But I found the cultural explanations extremely interesting!

Rocket Korean’s Play the Part lesson on visiting someone’s home

What a lesson is like on Rocket Korean

A Rocket Korean lesson lasts around 25 minutes and includes audio lessons, quizzes, and games. 

You start by listening to a conversation in Korean, followed by a slower version of the same dialogue. Then, you're given vocabulary words and phrases to memorize. Finally, you get exercises on pronunciation, grammar, and usage. After completing a lesson, you can earn badges and points to track your progress. 

Rocket Korean offers three main types of lessons: Interactive Audio Lessons, Language & Culture Lessons, and Writing Lessons. The first two incorporate various activities, quizzes, practical situations, and feedback to reinforce learning and self-assessment. The Writing Lessons introduce you to the mechanics of the Korean writing system, Hangeul.

Rocket Korean is broken up into eight Modules. Each has about 12 lessons evenly split between the three categories of lessons.

Interactive Audio Lessons

To help students fine-tune their listening skills in the Korean language with the help of native dialogue and friendly English-language hosts. Focusing on pronunciation, vocabulary, and useful phrases, these audio-focused lessons are perfect for on-the-go learning, allowing for flexibility and convenience.

Language & Culture Lessons

Teach the grammatical and syntax building blocks of the Korean language. Each lesson ends with a discussion of cultural and social background for vocabulary related to real-life situations, providing a well-rounded learning experience.

Writing Lessons

Because the Korean’s Hangeul writing system is so distinct from English, Rocket Korean features compact lessons meant to quickly bring students up to speed on utilizing it.

Rocket Korean also includes themed lists of Survival Kit Phrases for each level. These phrases help students bulk up their vocabulary in specific topics, such as travel, dining, or meeting new people. Students can easily add these new vocabulary words and phrases to their saved vocabulary list.

What is the method behind Rocket Korean?

Rocket Korean adopts a practical approach to teaching, focusing on essential vocabulary and grammar. It combines interactive audio lessons with grammar and language exercises. Creating a comprehensive learning experience suitable for both beginners and intermediates. This teaching methodology promotes active participation and interactive learning, ideal for those wanting to practice and learn Korean at home.

Aiming to mimic an immersive learning environment, Rocket Korean builds up grammar skills to ensure learners use their conversational abilities correctly. The adaptive learning feature helps improve pronunciation by providing feedback and corrections. 

Access to native Korean speakers and cutting-edge voice recognition software further helps to develop an authentic Korean accent. This friendly, informative, and conversational approach supports and engages learners throughout their language journey.

Rocket Korean also gives you all the tools you need to understand the written script, Hangeul.

How I reviewed Rocket Korean

I started with the trial version, but after seeing its potential, sprang for the paid version to test out the full capabilities of the course. I used it intensively for about a week, exploring various aspects of the program.

I began my review with the Benchmark test even though I am a complete beginner in Korean. The Benchmark test consists of 100 questions that get harder as you progress, and after getting three answers wrong the test stops and gives you an overall score out of 100. Of course, since I had no previous knowledge of Rocket Korean, I got 2%. Surprising no one.

Clearly I had a long way to go.

To get a feel for the content. I went through all types of lessons available to allow me to experience the different teaching approaches and materials used in the course.

I also made sure to go through all the study resources attached to each Interactive Audio Lesson.

I tended to listen to the audio lessons with the app during my commute and while doing some chores around the house.

After about a week of doing a few lessons a day, I decided to take the Benchmark test again to check my progress. I surprised myself by getting through about 32 questions, enough to receive a 30%! Not so bad for just a week or so of studying Korean, huh? 

Here’s the question that dealt the fatal blow:

Screenshot of the Rocket Korean Benchmark test, taken after a week of using Rocket Korean

Rocket Korean Pros

What is it about Rocket Korean that students love so much? Here are some of its most attractive qualities:

Interactive Audio Lessons

One of the key strengths of Rocket Korean is its interactive audio lessons. While there's a strong emphasis on developing Korean listening comprehension, the “interactive” component ensures you stay engaged. Beyond the gaps in the approximately 25-minute audios to repeat phrases and words, the “Play it!” section connected to the audio lesson keeps you actively involved. The audio lessons are perfect for listening via the app while on-the-go, making language learning convenient and flexible.

A key aspect of the audio clips is that you can either slow them down or speed them up, from 0.5x speed to 1.5x speed!

Best of Both Worlds

Rocket Korean strikes an excellent balance between audio lessons and Language & Culture Lessons. The audio lessons are informative, engaging, and great for taking on-the-go, while the Language & Culture Lessons ensure you understand the mechanics of the language. This comprehensive approach helps you develop a well-rounded understanding of Korean, from pronunciation and vocabulary to grammar and cultural aspects.

Rocket Record

Rocket Record, Rocket Language's voice recognition software developed in partnership with Google Web Speech API, is pretty incredible. It's especially useful for an online language course, helping you develop your Korean accent—a notoriously difficult task with that pesky Rieul consonant. I tested the language software by saying a completely different Korean phrase than asked, and it correctly understood me (and thus awarded me a low score), showcasing its accuracy.

My attempt to trick Rocket Record with a sentence about wanting more bulgogi was rewarded with a low accent score of 25 for the sentence I was supposed to say

Easy, Medium, or Hard?

A standout feature of Rocket Korean is the option to rate how easy, medium, or hard each Korean phrase or word is for you to remember. This personalized approach makes it easy to identify words and phrases you struggle with and those you don't need to focus on as much, ensuring efficient language learning.

The Community Forum

As Aristotle said, “Man is a social animal.” Learning a language is inherently social, and Rocket Languages ensures you have access to fellow learners by providing a community forum. This platform allows you to ask and answer questions, exchange experiences, and connect with other students, creating a supportive and interactive learning environment.

Mobile App

The well-designed Rocket Languages app syncs your progress across all your devices, allowing for seamless language learning on-the-go. It's ideal for downloading audio lessons and listening to them while commuting or traveling, although repeating words and phrases in public might be a bit challenging. Nonetheless, the app's convenience and functionality make it an excellent resource for busy learners.

Screenshot from the mobile app, in the process of downloading Lesson 1.2 to my phone

Rocket Korean Cons

After spending some time with Rocket Korean, I must admit it took me a while to think of the downsides of using this language learning software. However, there are a few cons worth mentioning:

Lacks an Engaging Visual Component

One potential drawback of Rocket Korean is the lack of engaging visuals. The course lessons contain no videos and almost no pictures. If you're a visual learner who needs images or video content to stay engaged, this may be an obstacle. While the audio lessons and written materials are comprehensive, adding more visuals could enhance the overall learning experience.

May Not Be Appropriate for Advanced Learners Beyond CEFR A2

Rocket Korean aims to bring its students up to an A2 level. Meaning that it doesn't include content at the B or C levels. While this is technically a limitation, it's important to remember that an online learning course catering to advanced levels might be challenging to create. 

Even so, getting you to the equivalent of CEFR A2 isn’t to be sneezed at! If you finish the course, CEFR standards say you should be able to “understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).”

Not bad, eh?

Benchmark Test Has Room for Growth

While it was nice to have a test to check my level of Korean, I think there's room for improvement. Instead of giving you a set of questions taken from each audio lesson “quiz” and assigning you a score based on how many of the questions you got through, Rocket Languages should consider making it a more comprehensive assessment.

A test that rates you on the CEFR scale based on your knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical structures and tells you which Rocket Korean level and Module to start at would be really helpful. I imagine that most of you have taken some middle school or high school Korean and have some foundation of the language already.

Rocket Record

This might be confusing, because Rocket Record is included above as a pro. It's obviously an incredibly impressive as a piece of software, but it does have limitations. For one, the automatic recording sometimes stops too early if you’re struggling to get the words out during “Know it!” exercises. I found this automatic “shut-off” a bit frustrating. Until the automatic tool gets better, I’d prefer a manual off and on toggle. 

Beyond these glitches, it sometimes just takes a few tries to catch your words correctly, even though you say the same exact thing three times. It performs much better with phrases and full sentences, but this is something to be aware of when using Rocket Record. 

Finally, I found that it didn't work with my Microsoft Edge browser, but I was able to get it to work with Chrome.

Who is Rocket Korean for?

Rocket Korean is suitable for a variety of learners, including:

• Beginners: With comprehensive lessons that start from the basics, Rocket Korean is ideal for those who are new to the language. The course introduces essential vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation exercises to build a strong foundation.
• Tourists: This is a great way to quickly learn some survival Korean (be sure to check out the Survival Phrases section).
• Self-Learners: Rocket Korean's self-paced structure and interactive approach make it an excellent choice for independent learners who prefer studying at their own pace.
• Busy Professionals: The mobile app and audio lessons allow for flexible learning on-the-go, catering to professionals with tight schedules.
• Accreditation Study: Rocket Korean is designed to cater to the interests of students looking for CEFR or TOPIK certification. The course uses vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation exercises, and conversational drills to help students achieve up to level A2 of the CEFR framework.

How much does Rocket Korean cost?

Rocket Korean offers a range of pricing plans to suit different budgets and learning needs. You can buy a learning package for a one-time cost, or you can choose a monthly price plan. 

I put together this table to give you a better idea of the pricing:

	Lifetime Access	6-Month Payment Plan
Rocket Korean Level 1	$89.95	$17.00
Korean Play the Part Package	$39.95	N/A

Figures accurate at the time of publishing

When you check the prices for Rocket Korean, the coupon code “ROCKETDEAL” or “EARLYBIRD” was automatically added. These give you anywhere from 17% – 42% off on the various packages. The prices in the chart reflect the deal, because it was always offered to me. For that reason, the prices above reflect the effective price of each package with the standard coupon code already included. The actual base price is much higher, but you would have to actively delete any coupon code that will already be in place, which just seems silly.

When you sign up for a trial, they also offer you a code that offers big savings. After a quick web search, though, I found a few other coupon codes that give even bigger savings (60% off the base price for every package, in one case!). 

Is Rocket Korean free?

Rocket Korean provides a generous 6-day free trial, allowing you to get a taste of what the course has to offer before committing to a purchase. During this trial period, you'll have access to a selection of lessons from each level:

• Level 1: You can explore 10 lessons, which include 3 hours and 6 minutes of learning content from Interactive Audio Lessons, Language & Culture Lessons, and Writing Lessons.
• Play the Part: You can try out 1 lesson, which includes about 22 minutes of content.

While the free trial gives you a glimpse into the various types of lessons available in Rocket Korean, there are some limitations. For instance, you won't have access to Rocket Certification or Rocket Recommends during the trial period. These features are exclusive to the full version of the course, providing additional tools and resources for learners.

Rocket Korean Refund

If you buy one of the Rocket Korean lifetime access packages, you are guaranteed a refund within 60 days of purchase. No questions asked!

Just email support@rocketlanguages.com that you want a refund, making sure to include your receipt number. They promise to process your refund within two working days. Though it can take up to five days to see the refund on your statement.

If you choose the six-month subscription plan, you will not be able to get a refund. Instead, Rocket Korean allows you to cancel your next monthly payment in this case.

Features of Rocket Korean

Rocket Korean provides combination lessons that target both listening comprehension and an understanding of the mechanics of Korean. These ensure you develop as a well-rounded Korean speaker. 

Survival Kit Phrases help you quickly build your confidence in real-life conversations.

Rocket Korean also gamifies the learning experience through leaderboard rankings and learning statistics. This encourages healthy competition, motivates you to stay consistent, and helps track your progress.

The Benchmark Test evaluates your current Korean proficiency.  

Rocket Languages courses are aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for languages. Plus, Rocket Korean includes a CEFR study tool that allows you to assess your progress on the CEFR scale and helps you study for a potential future accreditation for the TOPIK.

One of my favorite features was the ability to easily save almost any word, phrase, or sentence. This lets you review and reinforce your learning at any time.

Rocket Recommends provides personalized suggestions for additional resources and tools, such as articles, videos, and podcasts, to enhance your learning experience and complement the course content.

The community forum encourages discussion and collaboration among learners, fostering a supportive learning environment.

Rocket Korean offers various active learning study aids that accompany lessons throughout all three Levels to reinforce your language skills and ensure a well-rounded learning experience:

• Play It: Lets you review the dialogue central to the lesson by taking the place of one or both parts of the conversation, using Rocket Record voice recognition software to practice having a conversation in a pressure-free environment.
• Lesson Vocabulary: Practice key phrases and words from the lesson.
• Expert Tips: Language hacks for supercharging your progress in mastering Korean.
• Flashcards: Great for reviewing lesson vocabulary. The ability to choose which script (Hangeul, Korean Romanized, English) was on the front or back of the card was especially nice.
• Hear it! Say it!: Recognize a Korean vocab word from the lesson spoken by a native. And repeat it using Rocket Record voice, aiming for a 100% score on your accent.
• Write it!: Similar to “Hear it! Say it!,” but you write what you hear instead.
• Know it!: Given the written Korean word or phrase, speak it into the mic. Rocket Record will assess whether you have said the correct word(s) with the correct accent.
• Sort it!: Improve your understanding of Korean sentence structures
• Quiz: Multiple choice questions about vocab and/or grammar related to the lesson.

The quiz study resource ensures that you understand the main takeaways from each lesson

The Sort it! Resource is key for a language like Korean that uses a separate writing system and a different sentence structure than English

What languages can you learn with Rocket Korean?

As the name suggests, Korean is the only language you can learn with Rocket Korean. But if you like the way Rocket Korean works and want to learn another language, Rocket Languages offers 11 other foreign languages (not including two English courses).

The pricing is going to vary with the different languages, though, so heads up!

Alternatives to Rocket Korean

There are a number of online Korean learning websites available, and it can be difficult to know which one is the best fit for your needs. Here is a comparison of Rocket Korean to other popular online Korean learning websites:

Rosetta Stone Korean vs Rocket Korean

Rosetta Stone is well-known for its immersive approach to language learning, focusing on context and images to teach vocabulary and grammar. While this method can be engaging, it might not suit learners who prefer explicit explanations and a structured curriculum.

On the other hand, Rocket Korean offers comprehensive lessons that combine interactive audio lessons with Language & Culture lessons, providing a more structured learning experience. It also includes a range of study aids and community support, which Rosetta Stone lacks.

If you prefer an immersive learning experience without explicit grammar explanations, Rosetta Stone might be a better fit. However, if you're looking for a more structured and comprehensive approach, Rocket Korean is an excellent choice.

Duolingo vs Rocket Korean

Duolingo is a popular and free language learning app that gamifies the learning process, making it fun and engaging. However, Duolingo primarily focuses on vocabulary and basic grammar, which might not be sufficient for learners seeking more in-depth knowledge and conversational practice.

Rocket Korean, while not free, offers a more comprehensive learning experience. It combines interactive audio lessons, Language & Culture lessons, and practical survival phrases, ensuring a well-rounded learning experience. 

So while Duolingo is great if you're looking for a free and casual way to learn Korean, you may not learn Korean at the quickest rate. For students that are serious about achieving fluency and want a more comprehensive learning experience, Rocket Korean will almost certainly be worth the investment.

Babbel vs Rocket Korean

Babbel is a subscription-based language learning platform that offers a structured approach with lessons focused on real-life situations. While Babbel provides a solid foundation in vocabulary and grammar, its conversational practice opportunities are limited, which might hinder learners from developing strong speaking skills.

Rocket Korean also offers a structured approach but places a greater emphasis on conversational practice through its interactive audio lessons and “Play it!” feature. Additionally, Rocket Korean's voice recognition software, Rocket Record, helps learners fine-tune their pronunciation, an aspect that Babbel doesn't emphasize as much.

Essentially both Babbel and Rocket Korean provide structured learning experiences. However, if your primary goal is to develop strong conversational skills and improve your pronunciation, Rocket Korean has the edge.

By comparing Rocket Korean with Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, and Babbel, we can see that each platform offers a unique approach to language learning. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your learning preferences, goals, and budget. But Rocket Korean really stood out to me personally as a student looking to develop in a well-rounded form. 

What others have said

To make this the best Rocket Korean review possible, I searched review sites to see how others felt Rocket Korean impacted their learning experience.

I personally found [Rocket Korean] overly basic for my level. It just covered the most basic situations, probably good for a real beginner. I was hoping for a structured course that could take me to intermediate. I liked the vocab training tool they had though. - Reddit Rocket Korean review

If you’re mostly new to the language and are still working out Hangeul characters, pronunciation, and grammar, Rocket Korean is a solid choice. But if you’ve mastered the simple tenses and the survival/basic vocab needed to get through a day in Seoul, I agree the lessons may be a bit too basic for you. 

If you do have some Korean, I’d recommend trying out the Benchmark test available via the free trial. If you’re able to get through a significant chunk of the questions, Rocket Korean may not deliver the bang for your buck.

Because Rocket Korean only has one basic level of lessons available, I recommend that you supplement it with creative output after completing the lessons. Put another way, it’s time to conjure Korean sentences out of thin air. Do this by connecting with native Korean speakers through HelloTalk or with a native Korean teacher via italki.

I am using Rocket Korean on a smartphone and I appreciate the format upgrades. The thoughtful order of introducing vocabulary and grammar content reinforces previous lessons in the current lesson as well as demonstrating contrasting word definitions in different situations and grammar structures. Great app to quickly become functional. - comment from Google Play

Notably, this former student noted that they were able to quickly become functional solely using the Rocket Languages mobile app. Having tried both the desktop version and the app, I can confirm that the interface is very simple to use no matter which way you choose to learn. That’s good news for all you busy people who are always on the go!

Conclusion: Is Rocket Korean worth it?

As an experienced language learner, I wholeheartedly approve of Rocket Korean!

Rocket Korean presents a well-balanced approach to mastering the Korean language, offering a perfect mix of immersive Interactive Audio Lessons and informative Language & Culture Lessons. This enchanting mix ensures you become a master of Korean grammar, vocabulary, and conversation skills while feeling like you're starring in your own K-drama.

The platform's accessible design makes navigating your way to mastery of basic Korean a breeze. With engaging audio lessons, interactive quizzes, fascinating cultural insights, and cutting-edge voice recognition features, learning becomes as fun and satisfying as devouring a plate of bulgogi bibimbap.

During my time with Rocket Korean, I discovered delightful surprises, such as the entertaining lessons on Korean etiquette. These lessons made sure that I won’t fall into the unflattering stereotype of an American abroad (ahem, looking at you Emily ma cherie). These personal touches and enjoyable tidbits enhance the overall learning experience.

However, it's worth noting that Rocket Korean may not be ideal for visual learners due to its lack of engaging visuals. And it may not cater to learners who have already mastered the basics. Despite these limitations, Rocket Korean remains an excellent choice for most learners seeking a comprehensive and engaging Korean course.

In conclusion, if you're looking for a Korean course that will help you go from zero to hero, look no further than Rocket Korean. For me, it struck the perfect balance between quality content, effective teaching methods, and an engaging user experience.

Not to mention, with a free trial and a 60-day refund period. This makes Rocket Korean virtually risk-free. So there's no reason not to give it a shot. 

So take the plunge and let Rocket Korean propel your K-pop karaoke skills to new heights.

Related articles: Best online Korean classes, Best online Japanese classes, Rocket French, Rocket Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Japanese, German reviews

Rocket Korean FAQs