한국어 · English · B1–B2
Intermediate Korean short stories, side by side with English (B1–B2)
Stories written for readers past the basics: everyday Korean at a natural pace, with the English beside every paragraph.
7 free intermediate stories in Korean
Each one opens in your browser with no account, the Korean and the English side by side, paragraph by paragraph, shortest first. Every story is also a free Korean–English ebook for Kindle, Kobo or any e-reader: downloading needs a free account, no payment (which file to pick).
The stories at this level come from 일상 이야기, original Korean stories written for the library.
- B1

13호실
일상 이야기 · 제7편 · Korean · 10 min
DuoText original - B1

내일의 메시지
일상 이야기 · 제9편 · Korean with German · 15 min
DuoText original - B1

내일의 메시지
일상 이야기 · 제9편 · Korean · 15 min
DuoText original - B1

내일의 메시지
일상 이야기 · 제9편 · Korean with Spanish · 15 min
DuoText original - B1

요나스를 위한 것이 아니다
일상 이야기 · 제10편 · Korean · 15 min
DuoText original - B1

아직은 아니다
일상 이야기 · 제6편 · Korean · 15 min
DuoText original - B1

조석의 인내
일상 이야기 · 제8편 · Korean · 15 min
DuoText original
What intermediate Korean stories are like
These stories are written for B1 readers: longer than beginner stories, with dialogue, the past tenses and the everyday phrases that textbooks leave out, and a plot that carries you to the end.
The vocabulary is wider and the sentences longer than at A2. With the English next to each paragraph, none of that has to stop you.
How to read Korean at B1–B2
Read in Korean, check in English
At B1–B2 you can usually follow the Korean on its own. Keep your eyes on it and look across only when a sentence doesn’t land, rather than reading both sides line by line.
Let the plot pull you
These stories were written to be enjoyed. If you want to know how it ends, you will read faster and remember more, so pick the one whose first page grabs you.
Notice the tenses
Stories are told in the past, and the Korean past tenses carry meaning the English sometimes flattens. Comparing the two sides is the quickest way to feel the difference.
More on the method in how to read a parallel text.