Customer Reviews

Korean at a Glance

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This phrasebook not only has the common phrases, it has a large amount of cultural information. The typeface is extremely clean and easy to read!

For those who want to learn more about the language, there's a very solid grammar section at the back of the book.

The "Korean Proverbs" section is a pure delight; informative and very well-written.

I've lived in Korea for three years now and this book was invaluable to me. The chapters are well layed out by subject and there is a pretty good dictionary at the back. It expresses everything in Romanized characters and Hangul. My Korean friends tell me that some of the expressions are a little strange or dated but they have no problems understanding them. I highly recommend this book for the casual traveller or a person going to live in Korea. Used in conjunction with a language course it can really help you to be on your feet in no time.

This book is extremely good if your are planning to visit Korea for personal or business reasons, or if you are learning the language and would like to enrich your Korean repetoire. The first part of the book has common expressions, greetings, daily interaction terms, business and travel terms, emergency situation terms, and terms to let you express nearly everything your can think of quickly and easily. The book has the english phrase on the left, its Korean counterpart is then written on the right hand side with the way to pronounce the phrase next to it. In addition to having these phrases, the book takes time out to teach a little about Korean culture, tradition, and etiquette. The second part of the book is a very good dictionary that has a ENGLISH - KOREAN section and a KOREAN - ENGLISH section. The book's small size and the fact that it has a clear, vinyl-like covering makes it the perfect book to take with you.

I found this book to be quite helpful. I just came back from Korea last month and the book helped me a great deal. I taught myself Hangul and I learned quite a few words from this book. The grammar section is also helpful. And even when I didn't know how to say something, my hosts would pick up the book and look for the phrase in Korean and then point to the English equivalent for me. Between that book and there Korean-English Dictionary, we did quite well.

Does such a book need a better recommendation than this? My Korean friend by the way is very smart, he speaks very good English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.

Me, I am an American in South Korea, and found the book very useful. I studied it and five other language/ culture texts before coming, and my Korean friends comment that I am extremely well-informed on Korean culture, and have very good pronounciation. Does such a book get a better recommendation than this? I don't think so.

Only one proviso. It should go without saying, but sometimes, ya just gotta state the obvious: this is mainly a phrasebook. Don't expect to learn in depth anything from this title. It's a quick primer for the airplane, and a reference title in the main. It is NOT a textbook, and should not be used in a textbook's stead!

Excellent reference document. Recently updated. It really gives you a sense of security if you need it. I can't believe it was only $9.00.

I own four pocket-sized Korean phrasebooks, and this is by far the best out there. Barron's gives you way more information than you could have ever imagined in this little book. I never leave my apartment in South Korea without it.
This book is organized in a very easy-to-use way, so words and phrases are easy to find. And if you can't pronounce it correctly, it is also written in Hangul, so you can easily point to the phrase you want to say to get your point across.
Also, the book was clearly not mass-produced from one guide and translated into many languages, as the information is very Korea specific. For example, instead of telling you how to say irrelevant foods like pasta or ham, you learn the different varieties of kimchi, soup, and rice and the manner in which it is served at a Korean restaurant.
The phrasing is more formal than you may use with friends, but it is very appropriate for approaching older strangers or business owners. And it never hurts to err on the side of formality in Korea.
Beyond language tools, the book has lots of helpful information specific to the unique Korean culture. There is a guide to road signs, a list of Korean holidays, explanations of formal vs. informal speech (five levels, to be exact!), and a very helpful guide to learning to read Hongul.
The packaging is also pleasing. It comes in a very small 4x6 book with a plastic protective cover that can slip off. And if the information inside wasn't helpful enough, the inside jacket of the book has a map of downtown Seoul on one side, and a Seoul subway map on the other.
A must-own for anyone traveling or living in Korea!

Nine months ago I started dating a Korean man and he was fluent in English and Korean and I wanted to learn some words. I found this to be the best tool I have come across so far book wise! Also if you get this book and have a hard time with pronouncing the words you want a free online source to help with speaking korean is "mylanguages dot org" and go to korean section. But for me having a book right in front of you and learning a few words a week works best for me. It is small so it can easily fit in to a purse.

This book is great! I love it because it includes the Korean script as well as the romantization for each phrase. It's hard to find a book that does that.

There is a real feeling of friendship about the book; as if the authors are genuinely wanting you to have a great experience. Though I don't have immediate plans to go to Korea, I am interested in learning the language and I find this book very helpful. I study a little each day.

I highly recommend this book

I've been looking for a learning Korean language book for a long time and I didn't manage to find it at the local store. Amazon.com has come to my mind. Korean at a glance by Barron's is the best option for me. I actually had the Japanese at a glance so I'm confident of Barron's. It's a good one if you're learning Korean by yourself. Thumbs up! Btw, it was my first purchase from Amazon.com and I truly had a good experience with it. The delivery is even earlier than expected. Good service!