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You’re Not Bad at Speaking Korean, You’re Just Practicing Wrong

Let’s get this out of the way first:

If you’ve ever thought,

“Why can I understand Korean, but I can’t speak it?” You’re not alone.

This is one of the most common frustrations I hear from learners, including those who’ve been studying for years.


They know the words. They’ve passed TOPIK 1 or even 2. They can follow along with subtitles.


But when it’s time to open their mouth?


Silence. Blank mind. Total panic.


And here’s the truth no one talks about enough:

You’re not bad at speaking Korean. You’ve just been practicing in a way that doesn’t prepare you to speak.

Let me show you why that happens, and how you can change it.



The Real Problem Isn’t Your Grammar (Or Your Brain...)


When students feel stuck in speaking, the first thing they usually blame is themselves.

“Maybe I’m just not good at languages.” “I’m too old to learn fluently.” “I need to study more grammar first.”

But in almost every case, that’s not the issue.


Here’s what’s really happening:


Most Korean learners spend 90% of their time in passive learning mode, watching dramas, doing grammar drills, or reading vocabulary lists.


Those things are helpful for understanding Korean.


But they do almost nothing to help you speak it.



🚫 Memorizing ≠ Speaking


Let me give you an example.


You study this sentence from your textbook:


저는 음악 듣는 것을 좋아해요.

= I like listening to music.


You practice shadowing it. You write it down a few times. You feel good, you know this.


But the moment someone asks you,


요즘 무엇 들어요? or 좋아하는 가수 있어요?


You suddenly can’t say anything.


Why?


Because you were preparing for a test, not for a conversation.


You memorized a phrase. But no one’s going to ask you to recite that phrase in real life. They’re going to ask you a question. A real one. Maybe a messy one. With a weird sentence ending or unexpected slang.


And you’ve never practiced responding.


That’s the gap.



Real Conversations Are Unscripted


Let me tell you something I’ve learned after teaching Korean for years:


The students who improve their speaking fastest aren’t the ones who memorize the most words or grammar points.


They’re the ones who get comfortable thinking in Korean, even imperfectly, over and over again.


They practice responding, not performing.


They don’t aim for “model answers.” They just try to get their thoughts out.


And let me tell you, YES, you can train this even if you’re studying alone.



So… How Do You Practice the Right Way?


Here’s what I recommend, and what I teach my own students:


1. Start With a Real Question

Not a fill-in-the-blank.

Not a translation sentence.

A real question.


Something like:

  • “아침에 일어나면 제일 먼저 뭐 해요?”

  • “가장 기억에 남는 여행은 언제였어요?”

  • “요즘 뭐에 관심이 많아요?”


These questions don’t have a “correct answer.”

They require you to think in Korean, and use what you already know in flexible ways.



2. Speak the Answer Out Loud


Yes, even if it’s just to your mirror.

Yes, even if your answer is awkward.

Yes, even if you pause every 3 seconds.


Speaking out loud trains your brain differently than reading or thinking silently.

You’ll build muscle memory, fluency, and even confidence.



3. Record Yourself (this is optional ㅋㅋㅋ)


You don’t have to share it with anyone.


But recording yourself helps you:

  • Notice pronunciation or fluency gaps

  • Hear what expressions you repeat too much

  • Catch grammar habits you didn’t realize you had


Most importantly, it keeps you accountable.

No skipping. No hiding behind “mental practice.



4. Review + Try Again


Re-listen.

Make a second version.

Try saying the same thing using different words.

This is the step that takes your Korean from robotic to real.


What If You Don’t Know What to Say?


This is the #1 reason students stop speaking practice.


They want to practice, but they sit there thinking:


“Um… what should I talk about today?” “Should I describe my room? My breakfast?” “Do I even have anything interesting to say?”


That’s exactly why I started collecting real speaking questions over the years, ones I actually use with my students during lessons, group classes, and test prep.


Eventually, that turned into a full resource.



My Speaking Question Pack


I created a speaking practice page (also PDF!) with over 1500 natural Korean questions across 55+ topics, from beginner to advanced.I didn’t just dump generic stuff, these are the questions that made my students pause, laugh, or think harder.


You can use it to:


  • Warm up your Korean brain in 5 minutes a day

  • Start deeper conversations with your tutor or exchange partner

  • Train yourself to respond in full Korean sentences

  • Build your own journal or video diary routine


💬 Here's the page if you're curious: 👉 Langsnack Korean Speaking Question Pack


As for PDF, I created a Basic ver. and a Premium ver.




✨ Final Thoughts


If you’re stuck in Korean…

If you understand more than you can say

If speaking still feels scary…


Let me say this again:


You.ARE.NOT bad at Korean. You’ve just been practicing in the wrong way.


You don’t need more flashcards.

You need better questions.

And more chances to answer them.


So try this today:


Pick a question. Say your answer out loud. Record it. And be proud you said something.


That’s how speaking starts.

That’s how fluency grows.

And yes! That’s how you finally stop freezing when someone says:


요즘 뭐 하고 지내요?


You’ll have something to say. Because you’ve already practiced.



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