KoLing

AR Language Learning App

App(iOS)

B2C

Learn Hangul Through Immersive Gameplay!

Koling is a Hangul (Korean language) learning app that blends gaming with immersive AR. Set in the metaverse, the app weaves a story inspired by the origins of Hangul.
As the product designer, I managed the entire process—from UX strategy and UI design to 3D artwork, prototyping, and user testing.

Year

2021 (6 mon.)

Platform

App(iOS)

Programs

Notion, Miro, Figma, Photoshop, 3D Max, Protopie

Role

Product Designer, User Researcher, Graphic Designer(2D/3D)

Overview

Experience the Story Behind Hangul with AR Learning

Hangul is the only script with a documented origin, detailing its creation, historical context, and key figures. Imagine learning Hangul while immersing yourself in the story of King Sejong’s development of the script.

By blending daily life with an engaging AR game and metaverse experience, learners can enjoy a fun and immersive way to learn.

We were curious about…

Research

So we looked into these people

Video Interviews

Conducted with 7 participants who are currently studying Hangul.

In-person Interviews

Conducted with tourists at Gyeongbokgung Palace, focusing on their methods for studying Hangul.

Surveys

Distributed to Korean learners globally via Reddit, Instagram, and other online communities to gauge their perceptions of Hangul.

Insight

The learners need a language education method that allows people to escape static content and immerse themselves, especially those tired of boring memorization.

Burden

Learners often sit and use their phones to study Hangul, which can feel overwhelming.

Boring Memorization

Learners tend to memorize the shapes and sounds of Korean characters without understanding their creation principles.

Combination of Characters

Learners find the combination and logic of Hangul characters to be novel.

Users are...

Existing study methods seem to require full concentration at a desk, which can feel overwhelming.

Pain Point

Unlike other languages, Hangul uses a block-based combination method. According to survey results, foreigners may find the unfamiliar combinations and letter shapes challenging.

To address these issues, we formulated the following 'How Might We' (HMW) questions:

How might we make learning Hangul engaging and intuitive by helping learners grasp its principles and appreciate the logic?

  • Explore

    Learners engage with various games in different contexts, avoiding repetitive methods.

  • Game

    Games align with Hangul’s fundamental principles (e.g., matching two ㄱ cards to form a letter).

  • Explain

    Shows the movement and shape changes of consonants and vowels when they combine.

Information Architecture

KoLing incorporates game principles and storytelling to create an engaging experience. The content is designed to match the target persona, ensuring both simplicity and enjoyment.

Design System

We created the name "KoLing" by combining "Ko," representing "Korean," and "Ling," representing "Language."

The main concept of KoLing is enjoying learning while walking, so the symbol reflects a person happily walking along a road.

  • Map

    Learners can explore a real-life-based map to learn Hangul.

  • Direction

    The map shows the learner's location and direction while walking. If the learner stops, the arrow indicating direction also pauses.

  • The Book

    Finding a "book" unlocks a new chapter, allowing users to learn new letters.

  • The Letter

    "Letters" are shaped like characters such as ‘ㄱ’, ‘ㄴ’, and ‘ㅅ’. Discovering them unlocks new games.

Design

Building on the initial concepts, we developed the app's flow, and I crafted the 3D assets to align with the design concept.

Explore

When the learners starts KoLing, the first thing they see is their location on a 3D map, which shows the name of the area, the street, and nearby buildings.

Step 1: Learn Characters

The user will learn 4 to 10 Korean characters. They will understand the principles of Hangul through various games designed to match the characteristics of each letter.

Step 2: Listen and Repeat

The user will listen to, write, and speak the letters, and see how they combine with consonants or vowels using illustrated examples.

Step 3: Listen and Write

The user will hear a pronunciation and write down the corresponding letters. If they need help, they can use a hint.

The Books

  • Ch. 1: Vowels

    The learners try to recognize Sky-Earth-Human, which represents the model of vowels, through the camera and experience the morphological similarity of the letters.

  • Ch. 1: Vowels

    The learners select two or more elements from Sky-Earth-Human to assemble a new vowel.

  • Ch. 2: Consonants

    The learners drag each consonant to its corresponding shape area.

  • Ch. 3: Aspirated Sounds

    The learners throw strokes at targets marked with consonants to transform them into sharp, breaking sounds like ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, and ㅊ. This activity helps them understand these sounds through both auditory and tactile experiences.

  • Ch. 4: Tense Sounds

    The learners match pairs of cards with letters ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ, and ㅈ within a time limit, focusing on memorization and matching skills.

  • Ch. 5: Diphthongs

    In the final chapter, the learners learn diphthongs. Similar to the first chapter, they will create new letters by dragging and combining characters.

The Letters

'The Letter' Game

It's an element that can be found while walking along the path.

'The Letter' Game

It's a game where users listen to and match pronunciations left by others on the path.

'The Letter' Game

If users get the answer correct, they can leave their own pronunciation on the path.

'The Letter' Game

If users complete the games, they can earn items.

Takeaway

  1. UX Research Process

    Meeting and talking with actual users provided a deep understanding of their needs. Conducting various UX research methods helped address gaps and improve the design.

  2. Team Communication

    Despite the project being conducted online due to COVID-19, tools like Notion and Zoom facilitated close communication. This experience underscored the importance of effective communication.

  3. Importance of Design Systems

    I learned that consistent design requires clear rules, not only for UI design but also for UX writing.

More projects +

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