Korean Cultural Center

Poor quality language program
Signed up for the «introduction to Korean» class with high hopes it would live up to the stellar reviews posted here. To my disappointment I discovered the language program is on the bottom shelf of quality.
First, the instructor is not a native Korean speaker, or even Korean — he is a westerner.
Second, like too many academics, his content knowledge is of little value since he has no teaching skills (he made sure we all knew he had not taught at KCCLA before, but is «a college professor»). The instructor left 70% of the class behind in the first 15 minutes and was oblivious to the fact. They were lost.
Third, instead of checking for understanding as a professional educator should routinely do, this instructor instead taught the class to the 30% of the students who are already very familiar with Hangul characters, pronunciation, and words. He went through multiple slides of characters — one with 20 words, and another with 14 — which the majority have never seen and do not know, and taught to the few students who do.
Fourth, the instructor seemed quite content to interact with the two native Korean «helpers» during the lesson [sic], and to hold conversations with them, while the majority remained clearly lost. As I looked around the room at other student’s expressions, the signs of bewilderment and confusion were everywhere.
I’m not sure what the object of this language program really is. If the goal is to provide us with a social experience and to try some Korean food, then perhaps it is mildly successful.
If the goal is to provide language access and to promote Korean culture, this program is a dismal failure. This is especially sad since the Korean government is using taxpayer monies to fund this program — do they know how poor the return on their investment really is? I wonder…
After one hour I realized this program won’t help non-​native speakers, heritage learners, or westerners gain any level of proficiency with Korean, so, I left at the first break. Interestingly, I noticed a number of other heritage students leaving, too, getting in their cars and driving away. It really is a shame. Thankfully we only lost $ 80.
The textbook is a good one and I highly recommend it. With a little discipline you can teach yourself as much — actually, a lot more — than this program does. The instructor is only following the textbook outline, and poorly at that, so I’d recommend you buy the book and skip the class.

My mom has been part of a Korean photography club for the past several years, and they’ve held all of their exhibits at the Korean Cultural Center. This is one of the few places I’ve visited since starting my Unilocal account that I hadn’t thought to Unilocal (until now). I just thought it was a place where people went to hang out with their Korean moms and other assorted ajummas and ajusshis. Like if I hung out in church basements, I probably wouldn’t Unilocal those either.
But it turns out the Korean Cultural Center is a place with some presence in L.A., even outside of my mom’s circle. I have two friends who have taken Korean language classes there – it’s the only place I’ve heard of where you can take these outside of a school.
And the events, the photo exhibits included, are generally free and open to the public, with receptions that sometimes involve a wealth of Korean food. Sometimes this food is catered; other times, my mom or someone else’s mom has made it at home.
The photo exhibits are great. They involve a lot of speeches and fanfare and happy, proud Korean people. There’s a former city councilman who is part of the photo club and always participates. The Koreans love this white dude and he seems to love them back. I’m no judge of photography, but I do think the exhibits are usually quite good. My mom and her friends take their photography seriously. The food afterward is always great, and if you’re into swag, you can grab a free exhibit catalogue and calendar on your way out. No L.A. bathroom is truly complete without a free Korean language calendar.
I’m not sure how long the exhibits rotate, but at various points in the year, you can see Mom C. and friends’ art on display at the Korean Cultural Center. I’m sure it’s worth visiting other times of year, too. If you have any interest in Korean culture, this does seem to be the mecca in L.A.

Came here to learn some basic Korean. What makes this place great for learning is the fact that it isn’t motivated by money (I think it’s a government-​run program to spread culture). I am attending the 5 week summer course (10 hours, 2 hours every Tuesday). The total cost? $ 40. You probably get like half of that back in the free kimbap available before classes.
The parking was kind of annoying. With only 5 days of classes they still had to change the parking situation (they used lots from nearby business). However, this is done to ensure free parking (can’t complain about that).
The teachers are very friendly and the center has a lot of cool Korean things to look at (kind of like a museum in the lobby) if you come early.

Excellent place to learn Korean !!! I have been going to KCC for many years and still continue to take classes there. I still remember my first class. Our teacher told us that by the end of the semester we would be able to read a menu at any Korean restaurant. Of course I didn’t believe her. But she was absolutely right !!! I started at the beginning level and worked my way up to the advance level. For 80 bucks, you will not find a better deal !!! I highly recommend the Korean cultural center for anyone wanting to learn how to speak Korean !!

This place is used for a variety of events. A museum, a library, musical performances, an art gallery, and on Tuesday night a Korean Language program.
This is review is for the Korean Language program. I can’t recommend it enough. $ 80 for a 12 week program, where you get free dinner (authentic Korean food), get to meet a bunch of people from all walks of life, it’s a good deal.
The highest level is Advanced A. There is an Advanced B but that’s at another location and I’ve heard it’s very similar materials. Since that’s the highest class, this is where you run into the problem for the teacher of whether or not to teach completely new material for the returning students or go back to old material for the new students.

I’m a fan!!! This is my first time taking Korean courses here. I come once a week for a 2 hour class. Our Intro to Korean Language instructor is Jennifer Jung-​Kim in the auditorium 3^rd floor. She is awesomeee! The class isn’t very outspoken or interactive but she tries to make us come out of our shell every week. I am a social and somewhat loud person but if I don’t know the vowels and consonants well, I will stay quiet to save myself the embarrassment! Otherwise, you would hear me!
About the center, 3 stories high and well kept. It has been around a while. I do have to say, the restrooms are clean here and very well taken care of! Several classes of different levels of Korean are taught here every Tuesdays from 7:00 — 9:00pm. We get Korean snacks/​small eats before class every week but the students who come early always gobble it all up so there is nothing left for the rest of us. They should probably order more food!
Parking: They have a free parking lot right where the entrance is which is first come first serve but don’t even bother. It is always full even when you come 2 hours early before class begins. Better luck finding street meter parking around. Don’t park at Walgreens lot unless you want to donate money to the City of Los Angeles!
We just had a Korean Lunar New Year celebration 2÷17÷15 and it was so much fun!!! The center’s board members (nice, kind Korean ladies dressed in their Hanbok) coordinate and helped serve us Korean food. There was the Korean new year’s soup which has rice cakes, shiitake mushrooms, and pork dumplings along with a plate of rice, kim chi, bulgogi cabbage stirfry, banchan sides, fish cake, and so on. Followed by music performance, singing/​dancing, board games, prizes… lots and lots of fun for everyone!
They also just had their 20^th year anniversary at the center that evening too so Congratulations to them. So great to see that they are happy to welcome everyone who has interest in their culture and language!
Yay!

I’ve been a fan and friend of the KCC since 1995. The place just keeps growing and offering the community more every year.
The language classes might be the best deal – $ 80 for a 12 week program.
Whether you visit the KCC for an art exhibit, language classes, or a movie, you will be welcomed (and often fed) like family.

The Korean language courses here are such a great deal at only 60 dollars. The classes are clearly subsidized by the ROK in order for them to pay for the space, the teachers, the food, and the textbooks that come with the class. I’ve taken Basic C and Intermediate A here and had intended to take it to Advanced, but eh, life got in the way.
The endless discussion of KPOP, KDRAMAS, the Korean Wave, Korean food, gets tiresome, but those things are probably the impetus for non-​ethnic Koreans to take the class.
Let’s just be real here: two hours a week is not really sufficient to develop fluency, even if you have a background in Korean. However, it is a pretty good deal and I would definitely recommend the classes here if you are interested in dipping your feet in Korean or want to brush up.

I took a Korean class based on the reviews on Unilocal and I have to say Awesome!!!
I paid $ 80 for 12 week program and so far I have to say it is worth every penny. They also provide with food before class and parking around the corner. I will definitely advise my friends whom want to learn Korean to come here. The staff are very friendly as well. Everybody’s reviews definitely fit the profile of this place. Can’t wait to see what else they have to offer. Will definitely continue to the next level and classes.

Great place to study, learn the Korean culture and meet friends!
KCCLA offers a lot of interesting events to feel and explore the culture of Korea. There are 4 semesters a year, the schedule is convenient as well as parking. You could have some Korean food before the class. Teachers and staff are friendly.

What can I say about the KCC that hasn’t been said before? You take Korean classes there for really cheap, and they serve you snacks beforehand which is a bonus jam.
I’ve been here for so many cool Korean cultural events from traditional dances, to pansori (korean folk singing/​storytelling), to community events.
This place is such an oasis for not only Korean Americans but to anyone who wants to learn more about Korean culture. I would say it is the most welcoming experience for non-​Koreans to learn more about Korean culture.

This place is fantastic! I was chaperoning a trip here, and the tour guides were so informative and helpful. They showed a great amount of knowledge of Korea and were so friendly. They started by showing us a short video about the history of the language and the technological advances the country has made. We were then taken to their art gallery, which was focused on the calligraphy. We then moved on to the historical timeline, and saw a number of artifacts relevant to the culture.
The staff here is so friendly and accommodating. I would definitely come back year after year!

I’ve been coming here for 5 months now, thats two semesters of Korean Language Classes. I find the lessons, the food and the teachers to be very very worth it for the price. Its Amazing! $ 60 buck for 10 days/​60 hours of korean lessons. It’s also great how they have K-​Pop singing/​dancing contests at the end of the term. Nice looking facility with nice looking classrooms. You get meet new people and learn about another culture and the food and parking is included. I can’t ask for anything better. I will always be happy to pay and come to learn Korean at KCCLA!

The Korean Cultural Center on Wilshire is a gem of a place that I’ve passed by many times in the past, but never really knew about until recently.
We came at March to see the «Missing you» performance from the traditional Korean music group «Haemil», which played in an auditorium on the third floor. While I think the auditorium wasn’t large enough to accommodate what was (to put in an understated way) a full house, the auditorium acoustics were excellent — we sat to the very side of the auditorium and heard the haunting operatic music with stunning clarity.
There are historical exhibits on the first floor that feature articles of traditional clothing, eating utensils, musical instruments and other items of daily life from bygone dynasties in Korea — like any high quality museum, this floor had a good amount of floor space and the displays were well lit and informative. The parking lot is a bit small, as it is with any place in LA.
Overall, I had a great time at this place — I would love to come back and check out the art gallery and film archives that I missed. I’ve never been too inquisitive about learning about Korean history and culture but I certainly came out of this building with a better appreciation and understanding of those things — I guarantee you will too.
Admission for the general public is free.

I just finished the first level «Basic A» this term. It was a great experience and I’m excited to start next term! Here are some he
— you get food every week! kim bap, chap chae, dumplings, and the last week we had a bibimbap demo. they have water avail too.
— get there by about 6:20 to get parking in their lot (enter on Dunsmuir). if not, you have to go to overflow parking (enter on Cochran/​north of Wilshire).
— you have to enter through the back via the parking lot. don’t even look for a front entrance — you’ll get sucked into the line of kids waiting to get into the El Rey
— classes are really laid back, not intimidating. no one puts you on the spot. no one yells at you in korean. these classes are designed to ease you in slowly so that you enjoy learning korean and come back next term!
— no homework! just some optional exercises!
— there are some really great exhibits on the first floor — go check them out during the break!
— this term, students with perfect attendance got certificates to BCD Tofu house. pretty cool!
— they’re running a cultural trip to Korea this fall and it’s pretty cheap! Something like $ 1800 with airfare.
— so. cheap!!!
if you’ve ever been interested in learning some korean, this is definitely the best place to go. my class was very social and a lot of people went out for drinks afterward. the only this is that Basic A is 90% about reading and writing, and little focus on speaking. i understand they don’t want students to rely on romanization of hangul, which makes sense. once you get into it, it’s not that difficult. just some memorization.

We went there for the «Silk-​Road» Dance performance, was truly amazing great show been organized by the center and i was just fascinated, there weren’t enough parking so they arranged for extra ones across the street. I’m try to catch up more with this place.
It’s so interesting that they have centers like this not only here in LA, but in many countries around the world. I personally been to one in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
Great Job Korea, they show that they are truly appreciate their custom and culture and they re enriching people around the world with it!

$ 60 for 10 classes, free food, textbook, and great support and you can even visit their exhibits, this place certainly gets 5 stars!
Parking sucks though.

I love their Korean language course!
I just finished Basic B and have been taking classes for 3 sessions (took Basic B twice). Teachers are awesome, and everyone is really laid back. Only $ 60 for textbook, classes, food and free parking! They even do cultural events and give free movie tickets to those who have perfect attendance. This place is a steal! After 4 – 5 weeks half the class drops so you get a ton of one one opportunity for help.
In the 2 classes I’ve taken I’ve learned so much! How to read the characters, introduce myself and my family, numbers, counting and saying the date & time, conjugating verbs, creating sentences, past tense and more!

= CHEAP KOREAN CLASSES =
Have you ever ventured into a Korean restaurant and was beyond frustrated because you can’t read anything on their menu or order because the restaurant staff didn’t speak English? Well, imagine my frustration when I bought my airfare to Korea and I don’t speak a word in Korean.
It’s a good thing that I have some friends that are Korean and they told me about KCC. I can hardly believe that they offered 10 classes for $ 60. The Basic Korean class taught you how to read the characters, and you probably can speak simple sentences by the completion of the first course.
Would highly recommend KCC to anyone that is interested in learning Korean. Trust me. It saved my life when I was lost in Korea.
And oh… They also feed you with simple snacks and soda (FREE) if you arrive before all the hungry students.

$ 60 for 20 hours of Korean lessons over 10 weeks comes out to a mindblowing $ 3/​hr. You couldn’t pay a Peruvian tlacuache $ 3 an hour to teach you broke ass Quechua! So the fact that one can immerse oneself in a dynamic culture, meet like minded folks (Korean and weh-​gook-​een) and nosh on weekly repasts of rice cake and kimbap rolls… I know Koreans are all about undercutting their competition, but this is some next level shiet.
All spuriousness aside, the classes are obviously subsidized heavily, and the $ 60 pittance is more likely a deterrent for jokers who aren’t serious and covers only the basic costs like food and teaching materials. Having been to two classes so far, I can say that I’ve enjoyed the program thus far. The teachers apparently all work pro bono (to keep down the already stupefyingly low costs, I assume) but I felt the level of instruction was very high. I’ve heard through the grapevine that most of the staff are grad students at USC and UCLA.
In the classes so far, there have unfortunately been multiple references to «Gangnam Style», and with such large groups, 1:1 teacher-​student interaction is necessarily small… But I think they really work around these things and offer an interactive outlet for students to learn from each other. I also sincerely believe that they provide a very good service in introducing Korean culture and language to interested parties. This is true as well in ushering language challenged Korean Americans into lingustic proficiency in the mother tongue.
Being ethnically Korean, but having learned the language primarily as a trial by fire, (working in Korea for a Korean company in my early 20’s), my conversational skills are at about 70% proficiency, but my spelling and grammar are laughably bad. I’m hoping that the «Intermediate C» class will segue me into becoming a more well rounded and developed Korean speaker.
Can’t say enough good things about this institution.