The “Great Alphabet”

It’s time for another holiday in South Korea. Tomorrow, October 9, is "Hangeul Day,” a day set aside to appreciate and honor the Korean alphabet, known as “Hangeul" or the “Great Alphabet” (han (한) means “great” or “big” and geul (글) means “script”).

As strange as the holiday might seem to non-Koreans, the commemoration of Korea's alphabet is a revered event on both sides of the DMZ (Hangeul Day is also celebrated in North Korea but on January 15). Koreans are proud of their writing system, and as the National Hangeul Museum in Seoul describes it, Hangeul is “the foundation of Korean culture.”

And most Koreans would agree. Linguists, too.

According to language specialists around the world, not only is Hangeul a key component of Korean culture, it’s also one of the most ingenious phonetic systems ever devised.  It's precise, systematic, and relatively easy to learn. Once Hangeul’s 24 “letters” and their respective sounds are memorized, everything falls into place. There are few quirky rules - and fewer exceptions to the quirky rules. It’s all very scientific.

And who developed Hangeul? King Sejong the Great, the beloved Korean leader who ruled in the early 15th century and believed his country’s literacy rate and education level needed improvement. In what was a controversial move for that time, King Sejong commissioned a group of scholars to create a uniquely Korean alphabet that would allow all his subjects access to learning. Korea was never the same.

King Sejong on Korean 10,000 Won note (approximately 10 USD)

In 1446, King Sejong’s team of scholars introduced Hangeul, replacing the complex system of Chinese characters or “hanja” that had been used up to that point. Korea, for the first time in its history, had its own alphabet.

But it took centuries for Hangeul to become accepted by the vast majority of Koreans. It wasn’t until the Japanese occupation of the peninsula (1910-1945) that Koreans began to rally around King Sejong’s invention. The Japanese had systematically tried to erase the Korean alphabet from its colony, forbidding Koreans to write or speak in Hangeul. That’s all it took.

Weeks after Japan’s defeat and Korea’s liberation on August 15, 1945, the new South Korean government declared October 9 as "Hangeul Day." Koreans had endured years of brutal occupation, and they were now officially recognizing the language that had helped unite them during the difficult times of Japanese oppression. To this day, Hangeul is Korea's cultural foundation, its anchor.

Today we visited the National Hangeul Museum and watched as hundreds of families walked around the museum, interacted with the staff, and took part in hands-on arts and crafts activities. We were also treated to a tour with an English-speaking docent, Youngwhan O, who did an excellent job explaining the history and importance of Hangeul.

Hundreds of families celebrating Hangeul Day at National Hangeul Museum, Seoul

What was evident throughout the museum, our tour, and the entire day was the pride Koreans have for King Sejong, Hangeul, and most importantly, education.

Happy Hangeul Day!