FAQ
Q. What is Say?
Say is an award-winning education startup passionate about helping you speak Korean like a native. Based in Seoul, we serve over 30,000 (and growing) students worldwide with our 1:1 online speaking lessons with professionally-trained native Korean tutors and cultural content on our social media channels. Say has been recognized by the Seoul City government, Forbes, Talk to Me in Korean, Arirang TV and more.
Q. How long does each lesson last?
Trial, Core, and Test-Prep lessons last 55 minutes per lesson. Mini lessons last 25 minutes per lesson
Q. How long does it take to complete one level?
Level 1 has 40 lessons, while levels 2 to 4 have 20 lessons each. We recommend that you take lessons at least twice a week and consistently. How long it takes to complete one level really depends on how dedicated you are, as you can choose the pace of your learning. Some of our passionate students complete one whole level in 1-2 months.
Q. How do Say lessons work?
Once you purchase a pouch, you will be directed to your dashboard where you can select courses you want to take. Then, you will be able to schedule 48 hours ahead of time and choose your preferred topics. At the scheduled time, you will be connected with your tutor via our video conferencing tool by simply clicking a button. You will also be able to download and print lesson materials before your lesson and receive feedback forms written by your tutor.
Q. What is the rescheduling policy?
You can cancel and reschedule your lesson directly on your dashboard up to 24 hours before the lesson time. Beyond that point, you may cancel your lesson to notify your tutor, but you will not be able to reschedule. Say does this to be fair to our tutors who have very busy teaching schedules and prepare ahead for these lessons.
Q. Does Say have a curriculum?
Yes. Our curriculum is developed by Korean language education experts, including a former instructor at Yonsei University’s Korean Language Institute. It is designed specifically to help students with speaking and building conversational skills. Unlike TOPIK curriculum, the Say curriculum is not rigid nor focused on test prep. It is designed to be flexible for any student to learn. We offer various courses for students of any level, and each course consists of various lesson topics, from which you can choose to learn. Once you schedule your lessons, you will be able to download and print out the lesson materials on your dashboard, at no extra cost.
Q. Does Say have lessons for all levels?
Yes! We have courses designed specifically for different levels. If you have never studied Korean before, we recommend that you start with the Hangul course. If you have studied for a long time and are fluent, we recommend the Current Events course or the Business Korean course. Say also has KIIP Test prep courses for students looking to get their long term residency visa in Korea.
Q. Does Say provide lesson topics?
Yes. We have over 150 topics related to everyday life topics that can be selected when you purchase a course pouch. You can mix up lesson topics from various levels, as long as they are allowed in your specific course pouch.
Q. Who will be teaching me?
Our platform is designed to match you with a trained native or bilingual Say tutor based on your level and learning needs. However, if you have your favorite tutor, you can certainly change your tutor on your dashboard. For complete beginners to lower level students, we have tutors who are fluent in English to help with communication in class.
Q. How do you recruit Say tutors?
We have a very rigorous recruitment and application process to make sure that all of our tutors have the right experience and personality to teach Say students. Once tutors are selected, they go through Say’s tutor training program to ensure that tutors provide highest quality lessons.
Q. For review, can I take the same lesson twice?
Yes! It will be marked "completed" but you will be able to choose it again. The benefit of having your own tutor and learning 1:1 is that all of your lessons will be personalized and tailored to your needs. If you need a quick review and don't want to spend the entire 55 minutes, you can also take advantage of our Mini pouches that are 25-minutes long and use the same curriculum as our Core courses!
Q. Is there homework?
For level 1, there is homework included in each lesson, as there is a lot of vocabulary and grammar to learn for beginner students. Also, for KIIP courses, there will be homework and you will be required to study before and after each lesson. You will go over the homework in the beginning of your following lesson. For other courses, it is not included in the curriculum. However, if you want homework such as writing practice alongside speaking practice or take a vocab test at the start of each lesson, please feel free to arrange it with your tutor.
Q. How much time should I spend outside of class?
We highly recommend that you spend at least 15-30 minutes prior to your lesson looking over the class materials so that you can be prepared to ask questions or focus on the parts that you need more help with. After class, you should spend at least 30 minutes reviewing the vocabulary and grammar. Your tutor will write a feedback form for you after each lesson, so make sure to use it to review. We understand that students are busy, but remember that spending a little bit of time before and after class can significantly improve your learning experience!
Q. What are Korean Study Sprints?
Study Sprints are Say's signature intensive courses designed for short term language practice over 45-180 days. We have three sprints: Regular, Intensive, and Marathon. Complete a sprint and you earn exciting rewards! Look out for our Sprint sale announcements for when we begin recruitment for the next batch of students!
Q. Do you have a refund policy?
You may cancel your Say account at any time and Say will issue a refund according to the following terms. 1. All refunds are applicable to the portion of the Service that is completely unused (“Unused Service”). For Unused Service, you will get 100% of your money refunded if cancelled within 30 days of purchase and 50% refunded after that point. 2. Unused Service includes lessons that you never scheduled and lessons that you scheduled but cancelled more than 24 hours before the scheduled lesson time. 3. Lessons that took place, lessons that expired, lessons that were cancelled and/or rescheduled less than 24 hours before the scheduled lesson time, lessons that were provided for free, and lessons that you missed or were late for do not count as Unused Service. For all of these lessons, no refunds will be issued. 4. In case you purchased a package with a discount, lessons that took place will be calculated at regular price ($33/lesson) and be deducted from the total amount of refund. 5. If you used credits to purchase a package or pouch, the credit amount will not count towards your refund amount and will not be given back to your account. 6. No refunds are applicable for trial lessons that have been taken or expiring after 7 days since the date of purchase. Only 100% refund on trial lesson pouches that are completely unused and not expired.
Q. How do I access the video chat on the Say platform? Can I use my tablet or phone?
The video conferencing tool will work on Chrome or Firefox, but it will NOT work on Safari or Internet Explorer browser. We recommend that you use Chrome on your desktop or laptop. Tablets and phones will also work. Make sure that you are using the latest version of Chrome or Firefox. We also recommend downloading the “Whereby” video conferencing app on your phone. To access the video chat, enter by clicking the "Join Lesson" button on your dashboard, which will be activated prior to the scheduled lesson time. Then, you will be taken to a new screen where the video chat room will load. Depending on your wifi, the connection may take a few seconds to 30-45 seconds. If you do not have a computer, you may download the Chrome browser on your phone or tablet. However, we do not recommend this option as it will not give you the best learning experience.
Q. What happens if there are technical issues on either side?
We recommend all of our students be in a quiet location with stable wifi in order to get the best experience with video connection. If you experience issues with video on your desktop/laptop, try first to log out and log back into the classroom. Sometimes you will experience a lag in connection but it will eventually stabilize. Switching over to learning on your phone is also another solution. If your computer is not connecting, try switching over to your phone or tablet. If additional troubles persist, please notify us at support@sayspeaking.com or the Chat Messenger on the website. We will connect you with a support staff who will help you troubleshoot the technical issues. If the issue is clearly from the tutor side, you can reschedule the lesson. We will try our best to help accommodate you! :)
Q. Do you provide lessons to businesses and other organizations?
Yes, we provide lessons to a number of different organizations. Our service is ideal for busy employees as they can take lessons at any time from 7am to 11pm and anywhere. Our tutors are also professionals with 20+ experience at some of the largest companies and institutions in Korea. Please contact us at support@sayspeaking.com for more information.
Q. Do I need to use headphones with microphones?
Headphones with mics are optional. You can conduct the lesson without using earphones if you are in a quiet space. But if you hear echoing, then it's always better to plug in your earphones/headphones. All our tutors will conduct the lesson in a quiet space and use their own headphones while conducting the lesson.
Q. How many days in advance do I need to schedule my online Korean lesson?
Please schedule 48 hours before your preferred time. (If today is May 1st, the earliest you can schedule a lesson will be May 3rd.) We have a two-day buffer to ensure that your tutor has enough time to prepare for your lessons and provide the best quality experience.
Q. What happens when I miss a lesson?
It is your responsibility to attend all of your lessons on time. If you miss your lesson, you will not be able to get a refund or reschedule. Please make sure to reschedule at least 24 hours before the scheduled lesson time to notify your tutor.
Q. What if I want to switch my tutor?
You will be able to switch teachers via or Schedule tab in your Dashboard. We recommend students to look at the teacher profiles and select the teacher best fit for your level and learning style.
Q. Do you offer offline lessons?
No, we currently do not offer offline lessons.
Q. Where can I see student reviews?
There are reviews on the Review page. You can also view reviews for each of the courses in the dashboard after you sign up. We’ve organized the most up-to-date reviews from our users worldwide.
Q. How can I earn credits?
There are many ways you can earn credits! You can earn credits by inviting your friends, posting a review on Say Facebook page, maintaining lesson streaks, winning Say Quarterly Top Lesson Taker Competition, completing course pouches, etc. You can find out more information on our Learn More to Earn More page: https://www.sayspeaking.com/e/say_credits_learn_and_earn
Q. Where can I use my credits?
You can use your credits to purchase a course pouch. Credits cannot be applied when purchasing a trial pouch, including a Single Trial or a 3-lesson Starter Pouch. You will be able to apply credits at checkout. Credits cannot be refunded and only valid for use on a new purchase.
Q. When do I receive the credits after completing an event?
For inviting a friend, you will see the credits immediately after your friend purchases a pouch worth $50 or more. For writing a Facebook review, completing a course pouch, and maintaining a streak, refer to our Terms of Service for more information.
Q. Where can I see my credits history?
Go to Settings --> Credits History on your student Sashboard. You can check the amount of credits you currently have and the expiration dates for each credit bundle.
Q. Can I stack credits I earned from multiple events for a single purchase?
Yes, you can stack your credits to use on a single purchase as long as they have not expired. You will be able to see the total available credits at checkout.
Q. Can I transfer my credits to friends?
No, we do not allow transferring credits.
Q. Are credits valid with other promotions?
Depending on the promotion, we may not allow additional credits to be applied on top of the promotional discounts. Please make sure to refer to the promotion's terms and conditions to see if credits are applicable for use.
Q. When do my credits expire?
The expiration date for your credits differs depending on the type of event through which you earned your credits. You can check the expiration dates on your Dashboard under Settings --> Credits History.
Q. Can I get my credits back if I get a refund?
No, once you use your credits, they will neither be available nor renewable under any circumstances, including but not limited to cases of refund.