Top 12 Korean Cartoons and Animated Shows for Children

Top Korean cartoons and animated shows on YouTube

If you’re trying to teach your child Korean, cartoons can be a fun way for kids to hear the language. Good news: you can watch top Korean cartoons and animated kids’ shows for free. YouTube has official channels for Pororo, Pinkfong, Robocar Poli, Superwings, Tayo, Tobot, and more! With this list of popular Korean cartoons, your children will have plenty of options year-round.

Many of these animated shows were produced in South Korea while the other cartoons have high-quality dubbing in Korean.

For families learning Korean as a second language, I’ve included the Korean title, romanization reference, and English name of each cartoon.

Asian child smiling and looking at laptop computer

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Top original Korean cartoons for kids

These popular children’s cartoons and animated shows are original South Korean productions!

Pinkfong 핑크퐁

핑크퐁 Pinkfong Korean cartoon

We’ve all heard of Baby Shark…doo doo doo…Pinkfong 핑크퐁 (Pingkeupong) is best known for this viral music video, and they have tons of other catchy tunes, too! Their upbeat songs are a great way for kids to learn Korean.

Watch Pinkfong music videos in Korean on YouTube.

Pororo 뽀롱뽀롱 뽀로로

Pororo 뽀롱뽀롱 뽀로로 Korean official YouTube channel

Pororo the Little Penguin 뽀롱뽀롱 뽀로로 (Ppolongppolong ppololo) and his friends are famous for being cute and entertaining for kids. Through various adventures and challenges, they learn how to work through problems and support each other. Note: Parents have mentioned that some episodes of this Korean cartoon have a significant gender bias.

Watch Pororo in Korean on YouTube.

Robocar Poli 로보카폴리

Robocar Poli Korean 로보카폴리

Robocar Poli 로보카폴리 (Lobokapolli) is a light-hearted children’s cartoon about police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, helicopters, and people who collaborate and help those who are suffering from emergencies.

Watch Robocar Poli in Korean on YouTube.

Super Wings 슈퍼윙스

Super Wings 슈퍼윙스  animated Korean show for kids

Super Wings 슈퍼윙스 (Syupeowingseu) is a team of airplanes that can transform into helpful robots. They work together with people and animals in the community. Each episode takes place in a different part of the world and introduces viewers to new countries and cultures.

Watch Super Wings in Korean on YouTube.

Tayo the Little Bus 꼬마버스 타요

꼬마버스 타요 Tayo the Little Bus Korean cartoon for kids

Tayo the Little Bus 꼬마버스 타요 (Kkomabeoseu tayo) is another incredibly popular Korean cartoon for vehicle-loving children. As Tayo and his fellow bus friends explore and discover new sights in their busy city, they learn road rules and practice traffic safety.

Watch Tayo the Little Bus on YouTube.

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Kids cartoons and animated shows dubbed into Korean

These animated Korean shows are extremely popular among children in South Korea as well as Korean American families! Each cartoon episode lasts between 10 to 40 minutes.

Baby Bus 베이비버스

Baby Bus 베이비버스 popular cartoon for toddlers and young children

Baby Bus 베이비버스 (Beibibeoseu) is one of the most popular cartoons for children produced in China. It’s been translated into Korean and many other languages. Two cute pandas and their friends learn about relationships, daily routines, safety, and science through simple songs, nursery rhymes, and stories.

Watch Baby Bus in Korean on YouTube.

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Octonauts 바다 탐험대 옥토넛

Octonauts 바다 탐험대 옥토넛 best cartoon for children

Octonauts 바다 탐험대 옥토넛 (Bada tamheomdae ogtoneos) is a group of eight animal friends that go on underwater adventures. Each animal has a special role on their team: polar bear captain, penguin medic, daredevil kitten, puppy photographer, scientist sea otter, engineer rabbit, octopus oceanographer, and Tunip, a vegetable-animal hybrid.

Watch Octonauts in Korean on YouTube.

Paw Patrol 퍼피구조대

Paw Patrol 퍼피구조대 Korean cartoon about puppies for kids

Paw Patrol 퍼피구조대 (Peopigujodae) is a busy team of pups that help their community. Through stories, rhymes, and songs, this Korean cartoon teaches children to be brave, use their skills, take care of each other, and be kind to animals.

Watch Paw Patrol in Korean on YouTube.

Peppa Pig 페파피그

Peppa Pig 페파피그 animated Korean show for kids

Peppa Pig 페파피그 (Pepapigeu) is the feisty star of this British cartoon. Each episode shows Peppa experiencing common childhood activities like playing soccer, going on playdates, and visiting relatives. While this show has tons of loyal fans, please note that some parents find Peppa’s bossy behavior to be a bad influence.

Watch Peppa Pig in Korean on YouTube.

PJ Masks 파자마 삼총사

PJ Masks 파자마 삼총사  Korean cartoon for children

PJ Masks 파자마 삼총사 (Pajama samchongsa) is an animated show about two boys and a girl who go to school during the day and transform into superheroes at night when they put on their magical pajamas and battle baddies. Teamwork and helping other people are central themes in this animated Korean cartoon for children.

Watch PJ Masks in Korean on YouTube.

Pocoyo 포코요

Pocoyo 포코요 show for young children

Originally produced in Spanish, the beloved Pocoyo 포코요 (Pokoyo) stands out with modern, minimalist 3-dimensional animated characters against a plain background. This Korean cartoon for children focuses on friendship and character interaction without the flashy overstimulation of typical animations.

Watch Pocoyo in Korean on YouTube.

  • Canimals 캐니멀 is a Korean animation about playful, cylinder-shaped animals. However, the show has hardly any dialogue.
  • Katuri 엄마 까투리 has short, cute, and respectful Korean cartoons for little ones. Their episodes are merged into one YouTube video on the Korean SuperWings channel.
  • Tobot 또봇 is a Korean cartoon about robots that can transform into cars to fight villains and protect the city from crime. The graphics and music are much more stimulating than the other children’s shows.

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Common questions about Korean cartoons for kids

Can children learn Korean from cartoons? What if the animation and talking are too fast for my kids? Here are answers to common questions about helping kids learn from Korean cartoons.

Can kids really learn Korean from cartoons?

Screen time is a sensitive topic for many parents. Since children learn language through immersion, they need plenty of chances to hear Korean. The most important way that kids learn is by regularly communicating with Korean-speaking people.

If extra Korean exposure is needed, kid-friendly shows can help make the language more familiar. This is especially true when slower-paced TV shows are co-viewed with a caregiver.

Parents can make the show more interactive by reflecting with kids on what they watched and how it relates to their life.

Parent watching Korean shows on YouTube with kids

How to slow down Korean shows on YouTube

If the speed of the speaking and animation is too fast for your child, here’s how to slow down YouTube videos.

  1. Click on the gear icon (settings) in the bottom right corner of the screen.
  2. Click “Playback speed”
  3. Decrease the speed to 0.75.
  4. If that is too slow, click on Custom.
  5. Use the slider to adjust the speed by 0.05 increments.
How to slow down YouTube shows for children

How much time should my child watch Korean cartoons?

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers the following screen-time guidelines for children:

  • Age 0-18 months: No screen time except for video chatting with relatives
  • Age 18-24 months: Watch limited, high-quality shows together with caregivers.
  • Age 2-5 years: Less than 1 hour per day together with caregivers to ensure understanding. Set a time limit and clear expectations.
  • Age 6+ years: Set a time limit in your schedule. Talk to kids about how excessive cartoons can affect behavior, creativity, physical activity, weight, vision, and sleep.

What are your favorite Korean cartoons for kids?

Have you watched any of these Korean cartoons yet? What other Korean shows would you recommend for kids? Please share in the comments below! We’d love to learn from your family.

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