The King Sejong Institute, which is run by South Korea's culture ministry, had around 76,000 students in 82 countries last year, a rapid expansion from just 740 students in three countries in 2007. Pittsburgh-based Duolingo said it has more than 7.9 million active users learning Korean, its second fastest growing language after Hindi. There are around 77 million Korean speakers worldwide, according to the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange. 'The rising global popularity of Korean music, film and television is increasing demand for learning Korean.' '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. President Moon Jae-in this week welcomed the additions, calling 'Hangeul', the Korean alphabet, the country's 'soft power'.

Just this week, the Oxford English Dictionary added 26 new words of Korean origin to its latest edition, including hallyu, or Korean wave, the term widely used to describe the global success of South Korean music, film, TV, fashion and food. South Korea, Asia’s fourth-largest economy, has established itself as a global entertainment hub with its vibrant pop-culture, including the seven-member boy band BTS and movies such as Oscar winners Parasite, a black comedy about deepening inequality, and Minari, about a Korean immigrant family in the United States. Language learning app Duolingo Inc said the nine-part thriller, in which cash-strapped contestants play deadly childhood games in a bid to win 45.6 billion won ($38.19 million), had spurred both beginners and existing students hoping to improve their skills.ĭuolingo reported a 76% rise in new users signing up to learn Korean in Britain and 40% in the United States over the two weeks following the show's premiere.

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.

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