About Us
Hi, I'm Alan Park — founder of FluentU.
You’re thinking about trying FluentU or working together in some way. I thought you should know who you’re dealing with. 🙂
I started FluentU in 2011 because I love language learning.
Don’t believe me?
Here’s how it all began…
I grew up speaking Korean and English (I’m Korean-American, born and raised in the US).
In college (Duke), on a whim, I took a Chinese class. My first quiz was a disaster. I had flashbacks to getting 6/20 in physics class.
But for some strange reason, I kept going.
I ended up doing the infamous “Duke Study in China” and “Princeton in Beijing” summer programs, where you’re required to take an oath to speak nothing but Chinese.
Later, I ended up taking Japanese my junior year. Then I went to the Princeton in Ishikawa summer program and managed to test into the 4th year class despite only having taken one semester of Japanese.
I became obsessed, and learned every way I could. I would hound my teachers to get feedback on my pronunciation. Or talk to myself in the shower. Constant exposure to Chinese audio and video media was a must. And learning with movies, music, dictionaries, and flashcards was a key unlock that made new words and phrases unforgettable to me.
You’d think that I’d stop at some point.
But after all this, I still couldn’t get enough.
After graduating, I spent a year trying to master Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
I interned at Hokuriku Broadcasting in Ishikawa, Japan.
I took classes at Zhejiang University, in Hangzhou, China.
I stayed in my uncle’s house and played Starcraft with my cousins (while learning Korean).
So where was I going with this?
My plan, like all International Relations majors, was to go to law school. And become an international lawyer!
Luckily, all I did at Duke was study, so my grades were able to get me to Harvard Law School.
But while at Harvard, I realized I didn't want to be in law.
So I did the unimaginable - I didn't take the bar exam (I’m still not qualified to practice law).
Instead, I went on to fulfill a dream: to work in Asia in the languages I had spent years learning. I wanted to put Chinese, Japanese, and Korean to the test.
I joined the Boston Consulting Group in Hong Kong.
I did management consulting projects in Shanghai, Tokyo, and Seoul.
I talked to team members and clients only in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean for days at a time. They often didn’t know I wasn’t a native speaker. 🙂
I think I passed my test (though I probably would have been a better consultant if I was only speaking in English).
It was an incredible experience, but I’m glad that I’m talking about it in the past tense.
I also realized big company life wasn’t for me.
At the same time, I had many ideas for a new product that I had to get out into the world.
So I did the only thing I could do.
I started FluentU.
Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to find a partner and team members who share my passion and make up for all my shortcomings and gaps in my knowledge.
All this is to say: you are in safe hands. FluentU is infused with my passion and learnings from more than a decade of obsession with language learning.
So, give FluentU a try. I promise, it'll be effective and fun — or at least more fun than a 6/20 on a physics test.
Alan
Contacts
For site feedback or support-related inquiries, please email us at support@fluentu.com or visit our Help Center.
Other Information
Enux Education Limited
Incorporated in Hong Kong under Registered
No. 1624553
21st Floor, Yat Chau Building,
262 Des Voeux Road Central,
Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
