K-beauty, K-food, K-dramas and K-pop, explained
The TOPIK exam grades your Korean on 6 levels through two tests, TOPIK I and TOPIK II. Beginners take TOPIK I (levels 1 and 2). Anyone aiming for university, a job or a visa in Korea usually needs TOPIK II, which covers levels 3 to 6 and is the only one with a writing section.
So how long does it take to learn Korean? About 88 weeks of full-time classes for professional fluency, by the US Foreign Service Institute’s estimate, though you can learn to read Hangul in a weekend. Between those two points, the answer depends on your goal: travel phrases take weeks, basic conversation takes months, and following a K-drama without subtitles usually takes years of steady study.