Hangeul Day is observed on October 9th to celebrate the birth of Hangeul, Korea’s original alphabetic system. To commemorate the creation of the script, this day was designated as a national holiday. Shall we look into Hangeul a little more?
Have you ever written Hangeul? The system consists of consonants and vowels, which combine into letters, which merge into words, then sentences.
Korea used to borrow Hanza, Chinese characters, and wrote without its own alphabet. Because Chinese characters are difficult to read and write, many people were illiterate. King Sejong in the Joseon Period created the country’s original alphabet so that it’s easy for Koreans to read and write.
Initially, it was first called Hunminjeongeum and had a slightly different style. It developed over time to become today’s Hangeul. Hunminjeongeum is also designated in the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme.
During your stay in Korea, you may become interested in Hangeul. It might seem difficult at first, with it being very different from the English alphabet, but it’s quite simple to learn once you understand how it works. Starting with the basics, would you like to try reading some Hangeul?
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