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October 9th holds a very special place in the hearts of Koreans. It is the birthday of Hangeul, the native Korean alphabet invented by King Sejong (reign1418-1450).
The invention of Hangeul was no accident, but the culmination of a methodical and logical process. Before Hangeul, Chinese characters called 'Hanja' had been used in writing. However, Hanja, for its sheer plethora of characters, was difficult to learn, especially for people of lower social status with little or no access to education, and led to rampant illiteracy in the country. In order to resolve the problem, King Sejong began developing a new writing system that would be easy to access as well as to learn. At last, on October 9th, Hangeul (Hunminjeongeum) was invented and disseminated with a thorough explanation of logic behind each stroke of its characters. The invention of Hangeul has contributed to substantially reducing illiteracy in Korea.
Today, Hangeul is regarded as the most systematic alphabet in the world, and is annually celebrated on October 9th, designated as Hangeul Day. This coming Hangeul Day, we invite you learn and celebrate Korea's valuable cultural asset, Hangeul.
 Easy Learn Korean
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The name 'Hangeul' is made up of two words: Han (한) and Geul (글). 'Han' means either 'big' or 'great,' and 'Geul' refers to the alphabet; Hangeul, therefore, means 'the greatest alphabet.'
Initially, the Korean alphabet had been called 'Hunminjeongeum,' which translates to 'the proper guiding alphabet of the people,' and consisted of 28 letters. Then, four letters have been dropped as it became known as Hangeul during the modern history of Korea. Hunminjeongeum or Hangeul is not only easy to learn and convenient to use, but also unique and scientific. Furthermore, it is possible to spell every speech out in Hangeul characters. In recognition of such virtues, UNESCO inscribed Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon (Guidebook) on its Memory of the World Register in October 1997.
Hangeul
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* Hangeul Day was originally October 29th?
The Yangban (noble class) were vehemently opposed to the creation of Hangeul, fearing social upheavals that could result from having too many "educated commoners." Consequently, King Sejong had to be extremely discreet about his grand literacy project, resulting in very little documentation during the project's initial stages.
Since there was very little documentation, historians had initially predicted Hangeul's "birthday" to be around October 29th. However, with the discovery of the Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon, historians placed the date of Hangeul's publication closer to October 9th, not the 29th.
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What does a Hangeul letter look like? |
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| Hangeul is a writing system that involves combining 2-4 of the 14 consonants and vowels to form one-syllable letters. Each
vowel is made of a line or lines that represent the
sky, the earth and the human, while consonants reflect
the shape of a human mouth during pronunciation. Together, they form a total of 40 commonly used letter combinations.
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Korean Romanization
(1) Vowels:
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Simple Vowels |
- Diphthongs |
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| (2) Consonants |
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Affricates |
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Fricatives |
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| - Nasals |
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Liquids |
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Note 1 : The sounds  and  are Romanized g,
d, and b when they appear before a vowel but are Romanized k, t, and p when they are the last sound of a word or are followed by another consonant. |
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Note 2 :  is Romanized as r when it is followed by a vowel, but as l when it is the last sound ofa word or is followed by a consonant. |
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Who exactly was 'King Sejong the Great?' |
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 King Sejong was born on May 15th, 1397 as the third son of King Taejong (Third monarch of the Joseon Dynasty) and Queen Min, and was inaugurated as the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty in 1418. He was a leader who put his passion for intellectual pursuits, love for his people, and keen interest in improving the lives of the lower class into action. Consequently, the Joseon Dynasty made great strides in the fields of agriculture, science and technology during his reign.
Ultimately, the king's achievements and benevolence led to the coining of the nickname, 'King Sejong the Great.' The warm-hearted king is revered today, as demonstrated by his portrait on the 10,000 won bill!
King Sejong Story
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King Sejong's birthday, May 15th, had been observed as Teacher's Day to commemorate the king's teachings and achievements. These days, on Teachers' Day, former and current students express their deepest appreciation to their teachers by visiting and spending time with them.
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Where can I learn Korean? |
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Several major universities across Korea's capital city, Seoul, offer Korean language programs designed exclusively for international visitors and students. Most offer both full-time and part-time study options with schedules that run anywhere from one day (special Hangeul seminars) to weeks, months, or years (intensive language study courses).
 Easy Learn Korean
Language Programs in Korea
Related Colums
- Welcome to KOREA! Come Study in Korea!
- Celebrating Hangeul: Korea's Ingenious Script
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Souvenirs with Hangeul Characters |
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There are many places in Seoul to find trinkets and knick-knacks decorated with Hangeul. Museums throughout the city as well as souvenir stores in the famous Insa-dong area are great places to look for Hangeul-themed souvenirs. Bookstores and Internet malls also offer a wide range of Hangeul-themed souvenirs. |
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| Last updated in September, 2012 |
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