INSSA
Korean language learning app where you can learn casual Korean with K-pop content and keep up with the latest trends in Korea.
App Design · UX/UI Design · Branding
Timeline
February — May 2021
Role
UX/UI Design, Branding, Visual Design, User Research
Tools
Adobe XD, Figma, Illustrator, After Effects
Team
Solo Thesis Project
Prof. Earl Gee (advisor)
Prof. Yoon Chung Han (advisor)
Peter Hong (advisor)
Introduction
INSSA is a popular Korean slang used to describe trendsetters, and INSSA in terms of this project carries the meaning of interacting with Korean culture in a trendy way.
Korean Pop, also known as K-pop, has been gaining popularity over the years. With the rise of social media platforms, people are introduced to news and subcultures from around the world. Not only does it promote awareness, but it is an opportunity to be part of a global community based on interest.
As K-Pop became widespread through social media, people started to take interest in Korean culture and language and tried to educate themselves on Korean culture to get a better understanding of where K-Pop originated from. Thanks to growing technology, people are able to experience Korean culture and language through a screen. In the app store, there are a plethora of Korean language learning apps that cater to different types of people.
For this project, I explored how people who listen to Korean Pop are influenced to learn more about Korean culture and language. I have proposed a solution in which users can consistently enrich themselves with Korean culture using Korean pop culture and trends in a social media-like setting to motivate users.
Objective
The goal of INSSA is to create a platform where users can:
Easily and efficiently learn about Korean culture and language
Look forward to learning and experiencing new content about Korean culture and K-pop everyday
Foster a sense of community within the app through a social media-like format
Research
Surveys were conducted to find my target audience, the visual outcome of the app, and the features of the app. The survey asked questions along the lines of what is the appeal of K-pop, how K-pop fans became interested in learning Korean and Korean culture, and how people learn about language and culture. The survey was geared more toward people who are interested in Korean culture, especially K-pop.
Synthesis
People who participated in this survey were mostly females who are in the age range of 20-29 years old.
People who are interested in K-pop may be into Korean culture, but not all are interested in learning Korean.
The majority of people discovered K-pop through social media, and through K-pop, people were introduced to Korean culture.
People are interested in learning Korean because they want to understand K-dramas, K-pop, and in some cases their Korean parent(s).
Pain Points
Language is complex to learn.
When using language learning apps, there is less motivation and encouragement to learn the language.
Language learning apps teach stiff phrases and words instead of real conversational phrases used in the language.
User Persona
Information Architechture
Low Fidelity Wireframes
Design System
User Flow
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Animated Onboarding
Quiz of the Day
The Quiz of the Day is a feature where users can take a quiz about the latest Korean trends daily. This feature is incorporated so users have a purpose to come back to the app every day.
Idol Room
Idol Room is a feature where users can learn Korean K-pop terms associated with their favorite idol(s). Within each K-pop group’s room, there is a member profile section, the group’s topic section, and the Fan Chant Corner where users can learn Korean through a K-pop song’s fan chant.
Fan Chant Corner
The Fan Chant Corner is a feature where users can learn simple Korean phrases through fan chants of their favorite K-pop songs. This feature also uses an AI that records and rates your Korean pronunciation based on recordings of multiple Korean speakers saying the same phrase
K-Trendy
K-Trendy is a feature where users can browse through articles regarding K-pop, the latest Korean trends, and Korean slang. Users can learn common Korean terms that Korean speakers actually use so users can make their Korean sound more natural and up-to-date.
My Lessons
The K-Lessons feature is one of the main features of the app. My Lessons section teaches the user the basic foundation of Korean. Lessons are taught in a chat format, and examples are related to K-pop so users can have a fun time learning Korean with K-pop content.
Speaking Lessons
Within a chat lesson, there is a speaking portion of the lesson. This is where users can practice their Korean pronunciation and get automatic feedback through the help of an AI.
Typing Lessons
The typing practice is to familiarize the user with the Korean keyboard. The Korean keyboard is also customized with bigger keypads so users can have an easier time typing out Korean characters.
After designing INSSA, I learned that learning a language takes courage and motivation because language is very complex. Through this app, people can learn more about Korean culture, and people from all over the world with the same interests can connect with each other through this app. With the plethora of cultures and languages in this world, the concept of INSSA can be applied to other languages and cultures. In the future, I would like to user test my app because I was not able to user test it during the height of the pandemic. I would like to add more K-pop content and curate more Korean lesson chats to fully show how Korean lessons are run on the app.