Recognition
Match the sound
Hear a letter. Tap the matching tile. Three rounds, no pressure.
For learners
Learn to read, hear and write Hangul, one five-minute quest at a time.
What you learn first
Stage 1 is the Korean alphabet: the letters, their sounds and how they build syllables.
- Read letters and syllables
- Listen and match sounds
- Write letters by tracing them
How most quests work
- Discover: see and hear a new letter.
- Play: short mini-games that use it.
- Check: a gentle round. Wrong answers get an amber nudge, never red.
Hoya the tiger guides every quest and never says “wrong.”
See the mini-games
Production
Trace the letter
Follow the stroke order. A finger trail teaches the hand the shape.
Production
Build the letter
Drag two strokes together to form a real Korean syllable.
Recognition
Odd one out
Three letters fit. One doesn’t. Spot it before Hoya laughs.
Application
Culture quiz
A picture, three answers, ten seconds. Learn the world behind the letter.
Recognition
Tap when you hear it
A rabbit hops by. Tap only when you hear /to/. Fast, fun, real.
Review
Card match
Flip two cards. Match Korean to English. A memory game that teaches.
Application
Story sequence
Three panels, one story. Put them in the right order.
Collect Korean culture
Every letter you learn earns a card: a piece of Korean food, art or everyday life.
- 강아지gangajiPuppy
- 나비nabiButterfly
- 보름달boreumdalFull moon
- 라면ramyeonInstant ramen
- 무궁화mugunghwaKorea’s national flower
- 밥bapRice / a meal
See all 24 Stage 1 cards
gangaji
Puppy
One of the first words heard in many Korean homes.
nabi
Butterfly
A tiny flying flower that flutters through many Korean songs.
boreumdal
Full moon
The brightest moon of the year shines on Chuseok.
ramyeon
Instant ramen
Steaming noodles in a red-hot bowl. Korea’s most-loved snack.
mugunghwa
Korea’s national flower
A pink-and-white flower that blooms all summer.
bap
Rice / a meal
"Did you eat bap?" is how grandparents say hello.
sagwa
Apple
Big, red, and crunchy. Korean apples are extra sweet.
inhyeong
Doll
From handmade fabric dolls to K-pop figures.
jamjari
Dragonfly
Speedy, see-through wings on summer ponds.
chaek
Book
Korea loves books so much it has Book Festivals every year.
keipap
K-pop music
Big songs, big dances. How the world hears Korean daily.
taegeukgi
The Korean flag
A red-and-blue swirl with four black symbols.
paengi
Spinning top
Wooden tops spun on the ice in winter.
horangi
Tiger — like Hoya!
Korea’s old tales all start with "Long ago, when tigers smoked tobacco..."
arirang
Korea’s most loved folk song
A song about missing home. UNESCO world heritage.
yagu
Baseball
Korea’s loudest sport. Fans bring drums.
eomuk
Fish cake on a stick
A warm winter street snack served with hot broth.
yeou
Fox
Clever and a little bit magic in old Korean tales.
ori
Duck
Brown ducks waddle around Korean ponds.
yong
Sky-flying water spirit
Korean dragons live in rivers and bring the rain.
usan
Umbrella
Korea’s rainy season lasts about a month. Keep one by the door.
yunnori
Traditional New Year’s board game
Four wooden sticks instead of dice. A Seollal favourite.
geune
Swing
Girls in old paintings ride giant swings on Dano festival.
ibul
Warm Korean blanket
Many Korean homes spread padded blankets on a warm floor to sleep.
Questions
Is there a sign-in for learners?
No email or password needed. Open the app and choose your profile, or enter your class or family code. Moving to a new device? Use your Rescue Code.
I have a join code. Where do I enter it?
In the app: tap Profile, then go to Classes & family and tap Join a class.
Does it work offline?
On most devices, yes: after your first visit the app opens without a connection. Letter sounds may need a Korean voice installed on your device.
I’m an adult beginner. Will it feel too young?
No. Stage 1 teaches exactly what any beginner needs first — the letters and their sounds — with no baby talk. Hoya is friendly, and the culture cards are worth collecting at any age.
Do I need to know any Korean?
No — starting from zero is what we built it for. Instructions are in plain, simple English. Korean only appears as the thing being learned.
Ready for your first letter?
Start learning