Type HangeulTOPIK IBT · writing section
Typing Korean for the TOPIK IBT
On the internet-based TOPIK you type your writing answers on a keyboard. Here is what you have to type, how fast you need to be, and a two-week plan to get there.
What you type
Only TOPIK II has a writing section. Every TOPIK I question is multiple choice, so TOPIK I needs no Korean typing.
| Section | TOPIK II writing, 50 minutes, right after 35 minutes of listening and 40 of reading, with no break |
|---|---|
| Questions | 3 typed answers |
| Short answers | Sentence completion: type the missing part of a sentence |
| Essay | 400 to 500 characters (400~500자), typed into a box with a live counter that stops at 500 |
The paper test asks for a 600 to 700 character essay on squared paper. The IBT essay is shorter: 400 to 500 characters, and the counter includes spaces. Source: the official TOPIK IBT demo.
You type on the test center's computer and keyboard, not your own setup. The demo opens with a keyboard check: you type 한국어능력시험 and the letters turn blue when they match. Practice on the standard 2-set (두벌식) layout so nothing on the day is new, and try the official IBT demo (체험하기) before you book.
How fast is fast enough?
TOPIK publishes no typing speed requirement. The bars below show the arithmetic instead. A 500-character answer, counting spaces the way the demo does, holds about 390 syllables. This is how long typing it takes, before any thinking or rereading:
At 15 syllables a minute, the essay alone eats half the section. At 30 to 40 it takes 10 to 13 minutes, leaving most of the 50 for planning, the short answers and a reread. That is why we suggest 30 to 40 syllables per minute as a target. The target is our own estimate.
Measure yours with the 1-minute typing test. It reports syllables per minute directly.
A 2-week plan
About 20 minutes a day. Accuracy comes first: speed built on wrong keys has to be unlearned.
Week 1 · find the keys
Goal: no looking at the sheet for basic jamo
Goal: 95% accuracy
Week 2 · build speed
Goal: 30+ syllables per minute
Common questions
Do I need a Korean keyboard sticker?
No. Touch typists don't look at the keys, and the test center supplies the keyboard. A printed chart is fine for practice at home.
Does a typo cost points?
Spelling is part of the language you are graded on, so a wrong ㅐ or ㅔ counts like a handwriting mistake would. Reread before you submit. Our list of beginner mistakes covers the usual ones.
Where do the facts on this page come from?
Section times and question types come from the TOPIK IBT candidate guideline (September 2025) and topik.go.kr. The 400 to 500 character essay and the keyboard check come from the official IBT demo. Formats change, so check topik.go.kr before your test date. The speed target and the plan are ours.