East Asian Studies

The video above provides an excellent foundational understanding of how to search for Korean language resources effectively. 

Searching with Korean script (Hangul) is a good starting point if you are unfamiliar with Library of Congress (LC) romanization rules or you are searching for a known item. However, generally, searching the UAL Catalogue with romanized Korean remains the most effective way to find Korean language material.

Library catalogs DO NOT use South Korean revised romanization system.

For a more comprehensive search, consider using a combination of:

• Hangul (한글)
• Hancha (Chinese characters used to write the Korean language)
• McCune-Reischauer Romanization system (with and without diacretics — apostrophes, breves)
• South Korean Revised Romanisation system (South Korean Government's official system)

Search tools (catalogues & databases) may search for original language and/or transliteration and/or translations. The results depend on what information (metadata) exists for each item. The UAL Catalogue cannot link Hangul to Hancha, which means you should search for both variations for more comprehensive results. Searching with Hancha will retrieve results in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. You can narrow results to the appropriate language using the language filter on the left.

While there are specific rules regarding spacing and diacretics in romanized Korean, consider trying variations in how you join and romanize characters as records may contain different information.

• E.g., "조선" OR “Joseon" OR "Choson" OR "Chosun" OR "朝鮮"

The Korean Studies Librarian at Princeton University developed K-Romanizer, a Korean romanization conversion tool (PC only). It converts hangul to romanization. 

Additional resources:

• Korean Government's Revised Romanisation of Korea (Web)
• Complete Library of Congress (LC) Korean Romanization guide (PDF)
• Korean Studies guide by the University of Toronto Libraries (Web)
• (Basic) Korean Romanization System and Word Division guide by the University of Toronto Libraries (PDF)
• (Advanced) Korean Romanization System and Word Division guide by the University of Toronto Libraries (PDF)
• McCune-Reischauer Romanization System table by University of Chigago Library (Web)
• K-Romanizer by Hyongbae Lee (Web)

NOTE: See "EASIA general resources" tab for other interdisciplinary sources with Korea/Korean content.

Korea-specific or in Korean

English newspaper databases with Korean content: 

An Introduction to Korean by J. David Eisenberg - For English speakers
The basics of Korean, starting with the alphabet and numbers, basic vocabulary and conversational Korean.

How to Study Korean
Lessons include vocabulary, grammar with quizzes and audio recordings. 

King Sejong Institute Foundation
A free online Korean language learning service provided by King Sejong Institute, allowing you to study Korean on PC and mobile devices.

Korean Class 101
Audio and video lessons and study tools. Free to join, with option for paid advanced learning features.

Course Era First Step Korean
An elementary level Korean language course provided by Yonsei University . It covers basic expressions used in everyday life, such as greetings, introducing yourself, talking about your family and daily life. It is free if you choose to audit, nd not receive the certificate.

This reading list contains select print and online dictionaries and encyclopdias covering topics such as art, history, vernacular characters, and biographies.

Consulting dictionaries and encyclopedias can help you get started in your research, grounding you in concepts, definitions, and keywords that are relevant to your topic.