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Features

How Gumiho builds its reading experience, and what each feature is for.

How it works

01

Choose a book

The library is sorted by level; from picture books to Korean classics, every book shows its author, year and page count. You start with a book that fits your level.

02

Tap the word you don't know

The meaning, part of speech, example sentences and audio pronunciation open on a card. Add any word to your own list with a single tap.

03

Review and play

The words you add become review cards and come back at the right time. The games reinforce the same words in a different way.

Tap-to-look-up dictionary

You can tap any word you don't know while reading. Gumiho finds the base form from the conjugated word by itself and shows the meaning, part of speech and two example sentences on the same card.

  • Definitions come from KRDict, the learner's dictionary prepared by the National Institute of Korean Language.
  • Audio pronunciation is provided in a native Korean voice.
  • Common patterns get an automatic grammar note, for example -(으)ㄹ 수 있다.
  • "Add to my words" sends the word straight to your review cards.

Spaced repetition

Every word you save is scheduled with the SM-2 algorithm. Words you know appear less and less often, words you struggle with more often — so your review time goes to the words you actually need, not to rote drilling.

  • In Memory Refresh you mark each card as "Don't know", "Hard" or "Know".
  • Four quiz modes: multiple choice, true/false, matching and Korean typing.
  • The level quiz measures your grammar and vocabulary from A1 to B2.
  • Practise writing with the Korean keyboard and Hangul typing exercise.

Word games

Gumiho has three games, each training a different skill. Every game you win brings gold and a new record; gold unlocks the pages of paid books.

  • Word Chain (끝말잇기): make a new word from the last syllable; your opponent is the Dokkaebi.
  • Ddakji (딱지치기): a memory game played with cards from Korean culture.
  • Word Search (낱말 찾기): find the Korean words hidden in the grid.
  • The game language can be set to your language or Korean.

Gumiho's room

Gumiho is your companion, inspired by the legend of the nine-tailed fox. As you read and learn new words, its tails grow one by one. What it becomes when it reaches the ninth tail — we will all find out together.

  • Each tail level greets you with a different Korean story or legend.
  • Furnish Gumiho's room to your taste with the gold you earn.
  • Daily tasks and your reading streak help you build a regular reading habit.

Meanings in five languages

Same book, same tap. Word meanings and the app interface are available in Turkish, English, Vietnamese, Thai and Indonesian; you can change the language in settings at any time.

비싼 = expensive · pahalı · đắt · แพง · mahal

Library

The library holds 290 books in eight categories, graded from A1 to C1. All texts are complete and come with source information; the books ship with the app, nothing to download.

100Korean classics
44Folk tales
39Picture books
32Poetry
23Children's classics
23Historical readings
17Young adult novels
12World classics

Start free

There are free books in every category, and the dictionary and review cards are unlimited. In paid books, page turns are unlocked with gold or by watching an optional ad. Whether to watch an ad is always your choice.

Gumiho Premium

  • Uninterrupted reading: no gold or ad prompts at page turns.
  • No ads in reading or games.
  • Games can be played offline.
  • Weekly, monthly or yearly plan; purchased inside the app.

The thrill of finishing your first Korean book is waiting for you.

Download on the App Store