Number of TOPIK test takers 1997-2020
Global interest in Korean
According to a survey carried out in 2018, the leading reason for TOPIK applicants to take the test was to study in South Korea. The Korean government designated Korean language institutes worldwide to facilitate the education of the Korean language and culture for those that were interested. These institutes were named King Sejong Institutes, after the Korean king who created the language in 1443.
Studying abroad in South Korea
The number of foreign students pursuing their studies in South Korea nearly doubled in between 2010 and 2019. Various companies and agencies were offering programs or opportunities to study abroad in South Korea, usually in partnership with a Korean university. Statistics showed that foreign students in South Korea were mostly a part of an undergraduate or language program.