Customer Reviews

Rosetta Stone V2: Korean, Level 1

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

 

 

So this is the software so highly recommended? Well my rating for this software would be 0/5 if I could. I began this software already knowing hangeul so that was not the main problem. The main problem was when using the program, the pictures can have multiple meanings (and there is NO english translation to let you know which of your guesses is right). I understand their concept of total immersion but when the pictures can be so vague in meaning, it makes it not a very good program. And considering that I read hangeul, if you were to have a beginner who did not know hangeul this program would NOT work. Rosetta Stone is not what it is all cracked up to be.

The oft-touted six-month money-back guarantee is no good if you buy this product on Amazon. We found that out the hard way by calling Rosetta Stone. The representative said that any of their products are not guaranteed unless bought directly from their website or stores. Ouch!
The reason we wanted to return it is that the written portion of the program is in Korean characters and not Romanized. Therefore, it's very hard to understand the details of things being said. We turned to a different system and it's working much better!

I've used these for other languages and did know hanguel, the Korean writing system, so I didn't encounter the problems others did. I'm a rather intuitive learner and prefer this to sitting in a class waiting for others to catch on. Here I can go at my own pace.

It's important to start with the guided exercises and then do the tests or other activities. That way you get better hints on what the answer is. You do that till you feel you've mastered something, and then move on. You are able to choose the order and time you spend on something and can hear a lot of Korean.

Much better than a tape series in my opinion.

This product has several major flaws. It was probably made by slaping Korean over another language.

First, it was not designed to teach someone Korean. Because of problems with word order, it will have an English speaker believe that over meant under and vice versa. It teaches numbers, then moves on to telling time. This would work fine if Korean did not have 2 number systems. It teaches one then uses the second for telling time, leaving the user completely lost.

It does not teach Hangeul. I am fine with it using hanguel, since it is the best way to read Korean. But without teaching the user to read first, it is like a sports car with no gasoline. Expensive and useless.

The Product needs to be updated. It looks like it was made in 1995, and the photos are hard to make out. It is hard to tell who is the boy and who is the girl in many. You just have to guess which one looks slightly more feminine or is wearing a little more pink.

If you are taking a formal class, or have already studied Korean very much, it might help. Since it doesn't teach reading, grammar, or rules, it leaves the user totally lost.

This software requires the CD-ROM to always be present to play. This does not work on my laptop when the CD-ROM drive is removed.

This limitation was not listed anywhere that I found and was not apparent until after installation.

The learning process was exactly the same a the Web version, except there is no tracking of progress or test results in this version.

This software is great: The interactive interface is engaging and not tiring, the format moves quickly to applicable material, and the varying techniques utilized encourage real learning. My only complaints are: Only formal speech it taught and immersion means translations are not provided. Would reccomend it.

I wrote a review previously, but it seems to have "disappeared". This software is terrible. Even my native korean friends laughed at the content. It's too formal and would never help you understand someone else speaking korean. Don't waste your money!

Simply brilliant. Easy to use. Fun and seriously rewarding. Excellent product. Much better than language classes!

The software did not work properly, Rosetta stone reps were less than helpful, plus it took for ever to get them on the phone

The only better way to learn a language is total immersion. But since this requires growing up with the language, or spending two or three months hearing and speaking nothing but the target language,it is not a practical solution for most of us. Rosetta stone is the next best thing. You learn the language in the same manner of a child growing up in it, or by total immersion only without the need to survive as an added incentive. With Rosetta Stone, you go as fast as you are able. For the first time learning another language is actually fun for me.