Track what actually comes up
I kept a running list of phrases I needed in cafes, on transit, and in quick daily interactions.
About Jjin
I built Jjin to talk with family in Korea
Jjin started as a personal fix. I wanted to stop freezing in everyday Korean moments and start responding with more confidence.
The apps I tried felt broad, game-like, or too classroom-first. They did not match the pressure of real conversations, so I built the one I wanted to use every day.
What was missing
Most apps gave me points and streaks. I needed phrases I could actually use when I was moving fast, listening hard, and trying to connect.
Field-tested in Korea
A month in Korea changed the product roadmap
I spent a month in Korea tracking the phrases that came up over and over, where hesitation happened, and what was actually useful. That cut the filler and sharpened the app around practical listening and speaking confidence.
Design for hearing before speaking
Fast conversations break confidence first. Listening loops became the core of the app.
Ship around real moments
Every lesson is mapped to situations that happen often, not topics that only look complete on paper.
Built in real life
The exact moments that shaped Jjin
These are not abstract lesson themes. They are the interactions that kept repeating, so they became the foundation of the app.
Restaurant
Restaurant
menyu jom juseyo
메뉴 좀 주세요
Let me look at the menu
- Dining
- Menu
- Confidence
Cafe
Cafe
pojanghae juseyo
포장해 주세요
To go please
- Ordering
- Takeout
- Speed
Transit
Transit
eodieseo tayo?
어디에서 타요?
Where do I board?
- Subway
- Directions
- Urgent
Hotel
Hotel
Chekeu in
체크인
Check in
- Traveling
- Arrival
- Polite
Why this works
Personal scope. Clear purpose. No fake fluency promises.
Jjin is intentionally focused. It is for practical phrases, listening-first practice, and confidence in everyday situations. That narrow scope is the point, and it keeps the app honest.
2x
Higher phrase retention
38%
Better pronunciation confidence
72%
Faster first-response speed
built from lived experience
listening first
Founder note
I am building Jjin for the same reason I started it: to feel more connected in Korea, not more academic. If that is what you want too, this app was made for you.
real Korea momentspractical phrasesconfidence in everyday situations