Your Korean friend from the language exchange app just sent you a long message in Hangul. You can read it, slowly. But replying means copying words from a translator, one by one, and pasting them back. Your answer takes twenty minutes and ends with "ㅋㅋ", the only Korean you know how to type.
You can type Korean on the keyboard you already own: turn on the Korean input method, and the standard 2-set layout puts consonants under your left hand and vowels under your right.
No stickers or special keyboard needed. Most people can type slowly within an hour and comfortably within two weeks of daily chatting.
What is the 2-set (두벌식) layout?
The standard Korean keyboard in South Korea is called 두벌식 (dubeolsik), “two sets”, because it has one set of keys for consonants and one for vowels. It’s the national standard (KS X 5002), and it’s what every Korean computer and phone uses by default.
You type letter by letter, in reading order, and the computer builds the syllable blocks for you. You never press anything to “finish” a block.
Here’s why this layout is clever. Korean syllables alternate consonant and vowel almost all the time, so your hands alternate too: left, right, left, right. It feels a bit like drumming once you get the rhythm.
Where are the double consonants and the other vowels?
Only seven letters need Shift:
| Key | Normal | With Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Q | ㅂ | ㅃ |
| W | ㅈ | ㅉ |
| E | ㄷ | ㄸ |
| R | ㄱ | ㄲ |
| T | ㅅ | ㅆ |
| O | ㅐ | ㅒ |
| P | ㅔ | ㅖ |
Combined vowels don’t have their own keys. You type the two parts in order and they merge: ㅗ + ㅏ gives ㅘ, ㅜ + ㅓ gives ㅝ, ㅡ + ㅣ gives ㅢ. Double final consonants work the same way: type ㄹ then ㄱ at the bottom of 다 and you get 닭.
한글 = G K S R M F (gksrmf)
안녕 = D K S S U D (dkssud)
사랑해 = T K F K D G O (tkfkdgo)
고마워 = R H A K D N J (rhakdnj)
있어요 = D L Shift+T D J D Y
Fun fact: Korean gamers and internet users know these English-letter strings by heart. If someone forgets to switch input and sends “dkssud”, every Korean reads it as 안녕.
How does the keyboard know where a syllable ends?
It guesses, and it’s almost always right. When you type a consonant after a vowel, it first goes to the bottom of the block as a batchim. If you then type a vowel, the consonant jumps forward to start the next block.
Type ㄱ ㅏ ㄴ and you see 간. Add ㅏ and it becomes 가나: the ㄴ moved. That’s why you’ll sometimes see a letter “jump” on screen. Don’t fight it, just keep typing.
Forgetting Shift: D L T D J D Y gives 잇어요, a misspelling
Looking for a ㅘ key that doesn't exist
Shift+T for ㅆ: 있어요 isseoyo = there is / I have
Type H then K: ㅗ + ㅏ = ㅘ, as in 와 wa
How do I add Korean on Windows?
- Open Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
- Click Add a language, search for Korean (한국어) and install it.
- Switch input with Windows key + Space, or click the language button in the taskbar.
- When Korean is active, you’ll see A or 가 in the taskbar. Press the 한/영 key on a Korean keyboard, or Right Alt on most other keyboards, to toggle between English letters and Hangul.
That last step catches everyone: Korean input can be “on” but still typing English. If you see A, press Right Alt.
How do I add Korean on a Mac?
- Open System Settings > Keyboard, then under Text Input click Edit next to Input Sources.
- Click +, choose Korean, then pick 2-Set Korean and add it.
- Switch with Control + Space, the globe (fn) key, or Caps Lock if you turn on that option.
On a Mac, avoid "3-Set Korean" or "390 Sebulsik" unless you know you want them. They are different layouts that put final consonants on separate keys, and nearly all Korean users stick to 2-Set.
How do I type Korean on iPhone and Android?
iPhone: go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard, choose Korean, then pick Standard (the 2-set layout) and/or 10-Key. Tap the globe icon on the keyboard to switch.
Android (Gboard): open Gboard settings, then Languages > Add keyboard > Korean, and choose the 2-Bulsik (두벌식) layout. Switch with the globe key, or by swiping on the space bar if that setting is turned on. Samsung Keyboard has Korean too, under its language settings.
On phones you’ll also meet 천지인 (cheonjiin), a 10-key layout popular with older Korean phone users. It builds vowels from three strokes: ㅣ, a dot, and ㅡ. It’s smart, but if you’re also learning on a computer, choose the 2-set layout everywhere so your muscle memory stays the same.
Can I type Korean without installing anything?
Yes. Our online Korean keyboard uses the same 2-set layout. Type with your normal keyboard or click the keys, then copy the text into a message, a search box or a document. It’s handy on a shared or school computer where you can’t change settings.
It’s also a good place to practice. Pick a list of words from the Hangul chart and type each one without looking at the keys. If you’re not sure how a word sounds, paste it into the romanizer.
How long until I type fast?
Most learners go through three stages:
- Hunting (day 1 to 3): you look at the layout for every letter.
- Half-blind (week 1 to 2): you know the home row (ㅁ ㄴ ㅇ ㄹ ㅎ / ㅗ ㅓ ㅏ ㅣ) and look only for rare letters.
- Flow (week 3 and later): your hands know the left-right rhythm, and you think in syllables, not letters.
The fastest way through is real chatting. Text a friend, comment on a fan page, write a shopping list. Typing 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida, thank you, said gam-sa-ham-ni-da) twenty times in real messages teaches you more than any drill.
New to Hangul? Start with the 2-day plan to learn the alphabet, then come back here.
Sources: Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, KS X 5002 (Korean keyboard layout standard); Microsoft Support, “Manage the input and display language settings in Windows”; Apple Support, “Write in another language on Mac” and “Add or change keyboards on iPhone”.
Try it yourselfKorean Keyboard OnlineType Korean right here with your regular keyboard or by tapping. Letters join into syllables on their own, then copy the text anywhere.We follow the rules of the National Institute of Korean Language. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll fix it.