Need help typing Korean? SP is here to (try to) help

By Shay • Sep 15th, 2007 • Category: Korea, More, Technology, internet     

SparkPlugged’s quick guide to typing Korean

It’s one thing to write Korean but if you’re like me, you want to be able to type it.

The problem: The placement of Korean letters on keyboards is not the same as QWERTY keyboards. The order of the letters is different and not equivilent to the Latin alphabet. The ‘A’ equivilent in Korean (ㅏ) ≠ the ‘A’ in Latin’s placement on the keyboard.

My solution: Use a keyboard diagram or buy Korean keyboard stickers. While stickers aren’t too expensive, I’ll go with the free option: a diagram. Each key types a Korean letter (jamo) and hitting the space bar confirms the hangul character.

For example, you want to type a basic informal greeting, “안녕” (annyong, hello). If you type this on a QWERTY keyboard you would type these letters: D, K, S, (space bar), S, U, D, (space bar). [ㅇ,ㅏ,ㄴ,(space),ㄴ,ㅕ,ㅇ,(space)]

This is a great help if you already understand how to read/write Korean but just can’t type it.

Below is a diagram I made. It’s a photo of my keyboard with the Korean letters added in white.

Click here to enlarge

Next step? Memorization :)

Shay is hanging out with a soccer-playing buffalo.
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7 Responses »

  1. 多恵 on September 17th, 2007 at 8:11 am:

    Wow this is so neat! I haven’t thought typing Korean is quite systematic. It would be really difficult without a keyboard diagram or Korean keyboard stickers for non native Korean speakers.

  2. Shay on September 17th, 2007 at 3:49 pm:

    You know it exactly. The diagram really helps and I hope I can memorize the Korean layout one day ^_^ ur lucky :P

  3. Andrew Kim on November 16th, 2007 at 9:22 pm:

    ok

  4. emelyn on December 6th, 2007 at 6:55 am:

    thank you so much for this!! i have a huge urge to draw them onto my keyboard!

  5. 13thirteen on May 13th, 2008 at 11:41 am:

    thank you so much for this! its really going to be helpful and i hope i memorize it too. :)

  6. Shay on May 15th, 2008 at 12:14 pm:

    You’re welcome and good luck memorizing ;) I’m trying to do that myself :)

  7. Aygul on May 18th, 2008 at 9:59 am:

    Dear All,

    My name is Aygul.I am from Uzbekistan.
    Recently I starde to work as an assistant to the director of Center for Korean Studies.
    I learnt korean language,I can speak write read but unfortunately I cannot type korean letters.I have never tried it before.Now I have to learn to type in order to keep my position.Please coild yo help me to find any program and download this program to my comuter???
    I look forward to hearing from you soon.

    Kind regards,
    Aygul Kudiyarova

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