5 Easy Korean Reads for Language Learners

Thanks to the influence of the Hallyu wave, Korean has become a popular language to learn for work, study, and leisure. Korea.net reports that over 550,000 Korean language learners globally sat for the Test of Korean Proficiency exam in 2025. With this popularity boost has come an abundance of resources for self-studying Korean. However, textbooks can only take a learner so far in their journey before they need to make the jump to real-world materials, a daunting feat even for the most diligent of learners. Here are some easy reads to help Korean learners make their journey to fluency.

다락원 Korean Readers

Darakwon Korean Readers are graded readers that introduce vocabulary and grammar through Korean literature, tailored to each CEFR level. Each book is dedicated to a single story and focuses on giving the reader an in-depth understanding of the vocabulary and grammar that comprise the text. Readers range from A2 to C2 in complexity, and each book features a full translation and reading comprehension quiz. It should be noted that while the upper-level books are marketed at the C2 level, the stories themselves have been greatly shortened for readability and to provide an introduction to the texts rather than a comprehensive understanding of the literary works. For example, The Story of Hong Gildong Darakwon Reader is 58 pages of text, compared to the 244 pages of the original text, making these readers a great stepping stone before tackling the native source material. 

50 Folktales for Learners of Korean

50 Folktales for Learners of Korean is a collection of popular Korean folktales bound in a single book. Each tale has an accompanying audio file to improve listening skills and enhance the reading experience. While each story includes a short vocabulary bank, translation, and two questions to check comprehension, it isn’t nearly as in-depth in its explanations of vocabulary choice and grammar use as the aforementioned Darakwon Korean Reader series.

Korean Reading for Foreigners | 외국인을 위한 한국어 읽기 세트

This graded reader series was designed for foreigners. The goal was to take Korean learners from practically zero to fluency in 100 books. Many of the stories focus on everyday vocabulary and situations, such as studying abroad or registering for maternity benefits at the local 구 office.

Unfortunately for those who love physical books, this series is out of print, but ebooks and audiobooks are available for purchase on Google Play Books or available through print-on-demand options for those residing in Korea.

The Child Who Wants To Kill 1 & 2

The Child Who Wants To Kill is a middle-grade series written for Korean pre-teens/teenagers. The story follows Ju Jiyeon, a 16-year-old girl accused of murdering her best friend at school. The Child Who Wants to Kill is written in very straightforward, easy-to-understand language and includes substantial dialogue and internal monologue, making the book feel like a conversation rather than a piece of literature. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a single character and doesn’t feature many characters in a single scene, making the conversations and plot easy enough to follow for intermediate Korean students. 

Almond 알몬드

Almond follows Yunjae, a boy born with a brain condition that prevents him from feeling fear or empathy. After a tragedy leaves him orphaned, an unexpected friendship helps him discover what it means to be human.

While this book is more complicated than The Child Who Wants to Kill, there is the bonus of an English-translated novel to lean on for assistance. Naturally, the translation won’t be 1:1, but it should be helpful enough for determined learners to help make sense of plot points they may have lost in translation.

If you’re interested in learning more about Korean literature in translation but are unsure where to start, check out Daebak’s reading recommendations.

At Daebak, we’re passionate about sharing Korean culture with the world. Beyond the glamour and bright lights of Seoul, we’re looking to connect you with the facets of culture that make Korea truly unique. If you’re looking to learn more about Korean literature, cultural insights, or want to stay up to date with the latest trends in Korea, be sure to explore our other blogs.