Looking to meet new Korean friends online?
I’ve made over 6-lifetime friends over the internet without actually being in Korea. And ever since, I have talked to my Korean friends every day.
You don’t have to be fluent in Korean as long as you have the same interests. So, here are 12 ways to meet Korean friends online.
Let’s get started.
Here are 12 ways to meet Korean friends online:
1. Start Learning Korean
If you’re interested in learning Korean, then joining a group of people that are learning the Korean language is a great idea.
You’ll meet new people and make Korean friends just by learning the same language. These can be completed online from Zoom or language apps.
The best part about learning Korean online is the community. You can talk for a few hours and go on with your day. You don’t have to waste hours on traveling, planning, or buying train tickets.
This is probably why more and more people are starting to learn Korean online. It’s easy, fast, and affordable for everyone.
2. Hangout Over Zoom
Hanging out over zoom is probably one of the better ways to meet Korean friends online. The only downside is that you must already know people. Or you could join a study room where Koreans are.
There are these types of study rooms online that you can join. Most of them are fulled with people from Asia, which include Korea.
Now, these rooms are used for studying, but you can meet some new Korean friends over there. That’s what I did. I’ve met about 4 to 5 people in these Zoom rooms.
Now, keep in mind that these rooms are specifically made for studying, and not really meeting new people, but it’s always worth giving it a try.
3. Use a Korean Dating App
Using a Korean dating app is most common amongst teenagers. These days, a lot of people don’t go outside anymore and are more on their phones.
They either scroll through social media or are on discord gaming. However, using Korean dating apps opens a world for you. There are thousands of Koreans on these dating apps and it’s easy to meet new people.
You can even make international friends on these apps. It’s not only made for Korean people, which makes it very appealing to people overseas.
Give it a go, you won’t be disappointed. This is how I met a few of my friends back in the days. And the best part? These Korean dating apps are free, so you don’t have to pay for them.
4. Meetup
Meetup is another way to meet Korean friends online. However, these are mostly online video calls with people that have similar interests.
This could be anything from Korean food to K-pop and even Korean culture. What I really liked about these meetup groups is that you have specific experts in there. There are people from all over the world, including Korea.
And sometimes well-educated people join and give advice about things like Korean skincare, studying or other things.
This makes Meetup.com very interesting and a great way to meet new people.
5. HelloTalk
HelloTalk is a app that’s specifically made for language exchange. You can meet thousands of native Koreans on here for free.
You don’t have to pay a monthly fee, unlike some other apps out there. And thousands of people are from South Korea on this app. Making a new Korean friend is easy and fast, only if they’re interested in you too.
The best way to use this app is to start learning Korean and slowly moving your way up. Eventually you can speak Korean and talk about Korean culture.
This makes it more appealing for Koreans to interact with you, instead of talking to you in English just to talk.
6. MEEFF
MEEFF is another app that connects you with South Koreans. Most of them are native and you can learn Korean this way.
Now, this app isn’t as popular as the other one, but it’s still great to meet Korean friends online without having to pay. The app is totally free and can be used anywhere in the world.
It does require you to learn Korean, which isn’t an easy task. But it’s definitely worthwhile in the future, especially when you’re planning to travel to South Korea.
You’ll be able to speak with Koreans and make more Korean friends. Make sure to give it a go, you won’t regret it.
7. Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are very underrated if you want to meet Korean friends online. It might be something that’s looked down at, because mostly old people use it.
However, there are these groups which are specifically tailored to one subject like Korean skincare for example. And in these groups are all native Koreans.
The same goes for Korean food, there are tens of Facebook groups fulled with Koreans that share their experiences. And because the demographic on here is mostly 20 to 40, you won’t find many teenagers.
It’s not a dating app, but more of a tight group that likes sharing their experiences and meeting new people.
8. Conversation Exchange
Conversation Exchange is another language learning platform where you can meet new people online. The platform is gathered to people that are interested in the Korean language itself.
If you can’t speak Korean, then this isn’t something you’d want to join. And because there are mostly native speakers on this platform, it’s very easy to meet new online friends.
Plus, you meet people from all ages. There are young and old people on this platform, which makes it very appealing to new people.
So, if you haven’t tried this platform, make sure to give it a go, you won’t be disappointed.
9. MyLanguageExchange
MyLanguageExchange is a community where you can learn different languages. It’s also known that it’s mostly for pen pals.
You can practice any language you’d like on this site. The only downside is that the site is quite slow and outdated, which might not be very appealing for the younger generation.
Other than that, this site is great and you can learn Korean, make friends or talk to natives. It has never been this easy to meet Korean friends online, and the best part?
It’s 100% free, you don’t have to pay anything to use this site.
10. Instagram DM’s
Instagram DM’s are more from now. These days everyone is on Social Media and there are thousands, if not millions of people on Instagram.
You can DM (direct message) someone and asks them to be your friend. It’s not that hard; you only have to get out of your comfort zone, which most people aren’t used to.
But once you get to know a few people, finding Korean friends is very easy. It’s like a chain reaction. Ask them to hang out with you, and you’ll be surprised how easy it actually is.
And if you’re more of an introvert, you can call them on discord or any other social media app.
11. KakaoTalk Groups
KakaoTalk goups are mostly used by Koreans themselves. It’s basically like SMS in the US and WhatsApp for other countries.
And because South Korea has a different messaging platform, it means that most natives are using this, instead of another app. This makes finding new Korean friends on KakaoTalk very easy.
You can enter any keyword you’d like. Something related to K-pop, Skincare, or anything else. Different groups will pop up and you’ll be able to join.
And boom. There you have it. You’ve just joined a group full of native Koreans that have the same or similar interests.
12. Ome.TV
Ome.TV is a video chat site where you can set your location to anywhere you want in the world. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in France, Germany or South Korea. You can select any country you’d like.
Once you’ve done that, you’ll be connected to the person that has selected the same country. Most of these will be native speakers from there. That’s where you’ll find most Native Koreans, and then it’s up to you.
How good are your social skills, and are you able to present yourself. That’s it, make friends on Ome.TV is very easy and fun.
Korean Chat Apps Locals Use
The most used Korean chatting app locals use is KakaoTalk. This is basically another version of SMS in the U.S. Only, they don’t use SMS in South Korea. Instead, they use KakaoTalk.
For Europeans, this is WhatsApp. It’s just another version of messaging but within Korea. KakaoTalk has many features like video calling, creating groups, and even paying.
So, if you want to meet new people or native Koreans, then KakaoTalk would be your best bet.
Conclusion
The best way to meet Korean friends online is by learning the language. Learning Korean will open a lot of doors for you, which creates opportunities to meet new people.
This can be done via Zoom, Discord, or any other online platform.