From Language Learning to Language Loving: Rethinking Motivation in Korean Language Education

The global expansion of Korean language education has been strongly influenced by the Korean Wave, popular culture, digital media, study-abroad aspirations, and increasing academic and economic connections with Korea. Many learners begin studying Korean because of K-pop, Korean dramas, films, webtoons, food, fashion, or social media. However, initial cultural interest does not automatically develop into sustained engagement with the language. Learners may experience declining motivation when they encounter linguistic difficulty, limited opportunities for communication, examination pressure, or uncertainty about the future value of Korean. This conceptual article rethinks motivation in Korean language education by proposing a shift from language learning, understood as the acquisition of linguistic knowledge and skills, to language loving, understood as a deeper, long-term emotional, cultural, and personal attachment to the Korean language.