Why a Structured Korean Curriculum Matters

When we built Chamelingo, the first decision was how the learning path should progress. We built a structured beginner curriculum with clear chapter goals and a predictable sequence, so learners always know what comes next.

What Makes This Approach Effective

• Structured progression - Each chapter builds on the last with clear learning objectives
• Balanced skills - Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are all covered
• Practical focus - Dialogues and vocabulary come from everyday situations
• Grammar in context - Grammar points appear when they are needed in communication
• Cultural context - Korean etiquette and context are integrated into lessons

What Chamelingo Covers

Chamelingo currently follows a 16-chapter beginner course that includes:

Chapters 1-4: Foundations

• Hangul (the Korean alphabet)
• Self-introduction
• Basic greetings and numbers
• Location and direction words

Chapters 5-8: Daily Life

• Describing daily routines
• Shopping and ordering food
• Making plans and appointments
• Transportation and directions

Chapters 9-12: Expanding Communication

• Talking about hobbies and interests
• Describing weather and seasons
• Health and body
• Past tense and experiences

Chapters 13-16: Confidence Building

• Making requests and suggestions
• Comparing things
• Expressing opinions
• Future plans and wishes

How We Gamify It

A structured curriculum is strong on its own, but Chamelingo turns it into daily practice:

• 23 exercise types - Multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, audio dictation, dialogue ordering, grammar pattern matching, and more
• Multiplayer Arena - Battle other learners in real-time Korean quizzes with ranked seasons
• Spaced repetition - Flashcard decks that use the SM-2 algorithm to optimize review timing
• Audio everywhere - Pronunciation playback integrated throughout lessons and references
• Progress tracking - See exactly where you are and what comes next

Why Not Just Use Duolingo?

Duolingo is useful for quick exposure, but many learners want deeper structure:

1. Less explicit progression - Lessons can feel disconnected from long-term goals
2. Limited grammar explanation - Grammar is often implied rather than taught directly
3. Limited speaking practice depth - Speaking support is not the core path
4. Narrower exercise variety - Fewer drill formats for different learning styles

Chamelingo addresses these gaps with a chapter-based path, broader exercise variety, and focused Korean-specific practice.

Getting Started

If you are new to Korean, start with Chapter 1. It covers Hangul from scratch and assumes zero prior knowledge. The free tier includes the first 3 chapters.

If you already know some Korean, you can take a placement quiz and jump to the right chapter.

You can preview the full path on our interactive grammar reference and browse vocabulary by unit.

Already studying with your own textbook or Anki deck? Check out our Custom Curriculum feature — import your own material and turn it into the same gamified exercises, spaced repetition, and Arena battles.