For context, I’m a native Korean who moved to the States when I was in elementary school. I am now an elementary school teacher who’s been in the field for 9 years. Recently, I was tasked to find a good study material for a friend of mine who wanted to learn Korean from scratch— beginning with basic Korean alphabet. After researching and browsing, I came across this book. At first, I was a bit hesitant because it didn’t have many reviews, but it is worth every penny! What I love about the book is that it well-organized and the curriculum is broken down into chunks that aren’t overwhelming, yet it does not skimp out on any details. The explanations go beyond simple pronunciation charts- it provides supplemental support via video lessons about mouth shapes, intonation, tongue placement and more. Additionally, it has a section on everyday conversations and common phrases in Korean and how pronunciation varies from time to time. The author spent time to extend from simply teaching the Korean alphabet and pronunciation to formatting the curriculum so that students and readers can mimic and learn native-like pronunciation and articulation. The writing practice section compares handwritten and digital fonts, explains hidden meanings and principles behind the Hangul (Korean alphabet), and offers quizzes and exercises to track progress. As a teacher, I think assessment is one way to track one’s gained skills and check for understanding and this book allows for that! The part where the author explained how the nuance of similarly spelled and sounding words can differ depending on the type of vowels used was especially very interesting. Since I came to the States as a kid, I lack a thorough understanding of the language. I can speak it and read it well, but this curriculum helped me see where I am lacking and how I can bridge the said gap. The book itself is BEAUTIFUL. The book’s colorful illustrations add a lot of value to the price and I was blown away by the aesthetics of it all. The layout isn’t overwhelming— instructions are clear and the format is very helpful in memorizing words effectively. This makes it very easy to follow along. In short, if you're looking for the best stand alone book to learn the Korean alphabet and the structure behind the language, this is the book. I highly recommend this to all beginners and all those who are interested in the language. It offers unparalleled depth of content and value compared to other books!